An automatic transmission includes a multi-speed transmission gear mechanism having an input shaft, an output shaft and a plurality of friction coupling elements. A hydraulic control system selectively supplies a hydraulic pressure to the friction coupling elements, thereby selectively applying the friction coupling elements to cause the transmission gear mechanism to shift to a speed which is determined according to a predetermined shift pattern. The control system sets a target hydraulic pressure to be applied to the friction coupling elements according to the kind of the shift to be effected and the engine load, and, when it is detected that the transmission gear mechanism is to make a backout upshift due to reduction in the engine load, increases the target hydraulic pressure by an amount which is determined according to the throttle opening and the turbine speed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission, and more particularly to a hydraulic control system which selectively applies and releases a plurality of friction coupling elements of an automatic transmission.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally an automatic transmission comprises a torque converter and a multi-speed transmission gear mechanism consisting of, for instance, planetary gears. The transmission gear mechanism has a plurality of friction coupling elements such as clutches and brakes for changing power transmission paths in the gear mechanism and the friction coupling elements are caused to engage or disengage by a hydraulic control system.
In an electronic control automatic transmission having an electronic control unit, gear-shifting is effected according to an upshift map in which 1-2 upshift line, 2-3 upshift line and 3-4 upshift line are set using throttle opening and turbine speed (or vehicle speed) as parameters and a downshift map in which 2-1 downshift line, 3-2 downshift line and 4-3 downshift line are set using throttle opening and turbine speed (or vehicle speed) as parameters. The upshift map and the downshift map are stored in a built-in memory in the control unit.
If the line pressure of the hydraulic control system upon a gear-shifting is too high, the friction coupling elements are abruptly engaged and shift shock is generated and if the line pressure is too low, gear-shifting requires a long time and the friction coupling elements wear abnormally or generate heat.
In order to avoid such problems, there has been proposed a hydraulic control system as disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 61(1986)-148021 in which the line pressure upon a gear-shifting is set according to the engine load (as represented, for instance, by the throttle opening) and the kind of gear-shifting (e.g., from which gear speed to which gear speed). In the system, a map such as shown in FIG. 12 is prepared and the line pressure PLo is set with reference to the map.
However when the line pressure PLo is set in such a manner, the following problem arises in the case of a backout shift, i.e., an upshift due to reduction of the engine load. That is, when the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal is reduced so that the throttle opening is reduced from a value a to a value b as shown by arrow x in FIG. 13, whereby the operating condition determined on the basis of the relation between the throttle opening and the turbine speed moves across the upshift line shown in FIG. 13 to a range where the transmission should upshift, the line pressure PLo determined according to the map shown in FIG. 12 is equal to that which should be selected when the operating condition moves across the upshift line as shown by arrow y at a point c the throttle opening at which is equal to the value b. The upshift to be made when the operating condition moves in the manner shown by the arrow x must be made at a turbine speed higher than that at which the upshift is made when operating condition moves in the manner shown by the arrow y. Since the change in inertia of the transmission and the engine becomes larger as the turbine speed increases, the line pressure PLo determined according to the map shown in FIG. 12 is too low for the former upshift and the upshifting time is elongated.
In order to overcome this problem, in the control system disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Unexamined Publication of Translated version 58(1983)-501477, the line pressure is set on the basis of the engine torque and the engine speed at the time the gear-shifting is to be made.
However, since the control unit for controlling the automatic transmission is generally separate from the control unit for controlling the engine, in order for the control unit for the automatic transmission to obtain data on the engine torque, the control units must be connected through many signal lines, and at the same time, a lot of controlling data based on various basic experiments are required. Thus the system disclosed in the publication identified above is difficult to put into practice though it can provide a relatively fine control.

Hydraulic control system for controlling line pressure based on backtorque and throttle rate in an automatic transmission


A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, multiple underlayers formed on the substrate, and a magnetic layer formed on the multiple underlayers. A main component of the magnetic layer is an alloy having a L10 structure. At least one of the multiple underlayers is a crystalline underlayer containing W. The W is a main component of the crystalline underlayer. The crystalline underlayer further contains 1 mol % or more to 20 mol % or less of one or more kinds of elements selected from B, Si, and C. A barrier layer including a material having a NaCl structure is formed between the crystalline underlayer and the magnetic layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic storage apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the demand for increasing capacity of a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) has been growing. In order to satisfy this demand, there is proposed a thermally assisted magnetic recording method that performs recording by heating a magnetic recording medium with a magnetic head having a laser source mounted thereon.
With the thermally assisted magnetic recording method, coercivity (coercive force) of a magnetic recording medium is significantly decreased by heating the magnetic recording medium. Therefore, a material having high magnetic anisotropy constant Ku can be used for a magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium. Thus, size reduction of magnetic particles of the magnetic recording medium can be achieved while maintaining thermal stability. Accordingly, an area density in a class of 1 Tbit/inch2 can be attained. As an example of the material having high magnetic anisotropy constant Ku, there is proposed an ordered alloy such as an L10 type FePt alloy, an L10 type CoPt alloy, and an L11 type CoPt alloy.
Furthermore, in order to isolate crystal particles of the aforementioned alloys, an oxide (e.g., SiO2, TiO2), carbon (C), or Boron Nitride (BN) may be added to the magnetic layer as a grain boundary phase material. Owing to a granular structure having magnetic crystal particles separated at a grain boundary phase, exchange coupling between magnetic particles can be reduced. Thereby, a medium having high SN ratio can be obtained.
A non-patent document (J. Appl. Phys. 104, 023904, 2008) discloses that a magnetic particle diameter can be reduced to 5 nm by adding 38% of SiO2 to FePt. Further, the non-patent document also discloses that a magnetic particle diameter can be reduced to 2.9 nm by increasing the addition amount of SiO2 to 50%.
In order to fabricate a thermally assisted magnetic recording medium having high magnetic anisotropy, it is preferable for an L10 type ordered alloy inside the magnetic layer to have a satisfactory (001) orientation. The orientation of the magnetic layer can be controlled in accordance with an underlayer. Therefore, in order to obtain the (001) orientation, an appropriate underlayer needs to be used.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-353648 discloses a L10 type FePt magnetic layer exhibiting a satisfactory (001) orientation by using a MgO underlayer.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-158054 discloses a L10 type FePt magnetic layer exhibiting a further satisfactory (001) orientation by using a MgO underlayer (serving as both a crystal orientation control layer and a thermal conductive intermediate layer) formed on a crystal particle diameter control layer having a BCC (Body Centered Cubic) structure such as a Cr—Ti—B alloy.
Further, a practical example 2.3 of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-48792 discloses an example using W-5 at % Mo/Cr as an underlayer.
Alternatively, a microwave assisted magnetic recording method is drawing attention as a next generation recording method. The microwave assisted magnetic recording method records magnetic data by radiating a microwave onto a magnetic layer of a magnetic recording medium, tilting an axis of easy magnetization, and locally reversing magnetization of the magnetic recording layer.
Similar to the thermally assisted magnetic recording method, the microwave assisted magnetic recording method also can use a material having high magnetic anisotropy constant Ku for a magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium. Therefore, size reduction of magnetic particles of the magnetic recording medium can be achieved while maintaining thermal stability.
In using the above-described magnetic storage apparatus that uses the thermally assisted magnetic recording method or the microwave assisted magnetic recording method, there is a demand for further reducing the size of magnetic crystal particles along with further sufficiently reducing coupling exchange between magnetic crystal particles, so that a medium having high SN ratio can be obtained. In order to satisfy this demand, it is effective to add SiO2 or carbon (C) to the magnetic layer as a grain boundary phase material as described above.
However, if a large amount of grain boundary phase material is added for obtaining a medium having high SN ratio in a case of using the magnetic storage apparatus, a problem of reduction of magnetic anisotropy constant Ku due to degradation of the degree of order of magnetic layer crystal particles (crystal particles of alloy that are included in a magnetic layer and have an L10 structure) such as FePt alloy crystal particles.

Magnetic recording medium and magnetic storage apparatus


A surgical ring and related methods for plantar plate reconstruction and other surgical procedures are described. In particular, the described anchoring systems and surgical methods may include an anchor configured to wrap at least partially around a first bone associated with an affected joint, and wrap at least partially around a tissue alongside the first bone. The anchor may be compressed in a number of ways so as to compress the tissue alongside the first bone against the first bone. The anchor may be formed from a compressible material, configured with an open shape, and/or or include mechanically closeable or compressible features, and the like. The anchor may be formed from various materials including non-bioabsorbable, bioabsorbable, and/or superelastic materials. The first bone may be a metatarsal or phalanx and the tissue alongside the first bone may be a ligament, a plantar plate, or similar tissue.

1. Field of the Invention
Anchoring systems and methods are disclosed that may have multiple uses in orthopaedic surgery such as joint reconstruction, ligament reconstruction, plantar plate stabilization, and similar procedures. More particularly, the anchoring system may include systems and methods for anchoring tissue, such as a plantar plate and the like, to an associated bone during and after reconstructive surgery.
2. Related Art
Various devices and methods have been used in the prior art for bone realignment, fixation of the bones or bone portions, and ligament reconstruction repair in order to correct for various orthopaedic conditions, such as hallux valgus, tarsometatarsal sprains, ankle ligament reconstruction, and spring ligament repair. In various reconstructive surgeries, there may be disruption of tissue associated with a bone, or joint, that is difficult to correct based on a number of factors, including, for example, access to the tissue and/or joint, and/or various stressors that arise from realignment of bones, ligaments, etc. due to the surgery. One example of such complications involves a reconstruction of the lesser toe joints. On the bottom of each lesser toe joint there is a ligament between the base of the toe and the metatarsal behind the joint, known as the plantar plate. The plantar plate acts to keep the toe in the joint and to keep the toe from elevating out of the joint. Due to various stresses, including e.g. acute injury and extended wear, the plantar plate can become overstretched or tear causing pain, deformity, and/or dislocation of the toe. The plantar plate may be partially or completely detached from the bone, requiring reattachment. In certain situations, one or more toes may need to be realigned into the joint and stabilized. This may involve the plantar plate being tightened and/or surgically repaired. Such procedures may be similar to, and/or included as part of, a correction of hammer toe deformity, hallux valgus (bunion) and the like. Repair of the plantar plate may involve re-anchoring the ligament to the associated metatarsal and/or proximal phalanx. According to known methods this may involve pinning the ligament to the associated bone to hold the structures together during healing, and typically includes the use of external restraining devices, such as a boot, for an extended period during healing.
There are numerous types of surgical procedures that may be employed to correct joint deformities, such as a bunion, that may also disrupt, and/or cause additional stress to, associated ligaments. For example, various osteotomies to realign the first metatarsal (MT) and the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint do not function through the axis of deformity. Rather, they attempt to realign the bone and joint by translating and rotating the MT through a location that is accessible and minimizes complications. However, there are several complications related to altering mechanical and biological physiology of the MT, such as altering the length and position of the MT associated with this surgical procedure. Furthermore, the trauma to and shortening of the bone from sawing, and the overall disruption and weakening of attachments during what can be a prolonged healing time, may all lead to less than satisfactory results, such as re-injury of the affected joint, and/or inadequate healing. For example, as a result of corrective and reconstructive surgeries involving the metatarsal joints, the plantar plate may be disrupted during, or after, the surgery resulting in e.g. lateral or dorsal displacement of the plantar plate.
Various known corrective surgeries, such as those described above, have numerous disadvantages and drawbacks including disruption of tissues associate with the joint. Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for improved systems and methods that address current limitations in securing tissue to associated bones, including improving the strength, endurance and ease of securing ligaments of the affected joint to bones and the like.

Anchoring systems and methods for surgery


A composition having an ionic complex of chitosan and a negatively charged polysaccharide, selected from the group consisting of heparin, heparan sulfate and dextran sulfate, for use in the treatment of mucositis in a mammalian subject, to a method of preventing or treating mucositis in a mammalian subject, by applying topically a composition having an ionic complex of chitosan and a negatively charged polysaccharide, selected from the group consisting of heparin, heparan sulfate and dextran sulfate. The composition further relates to a pharmaceutical composition for topical administration of an ionic complex of chitosan and heparin.

Mucositis is the medical term for the painful inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract. Mucositis often appears as an adverse effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment for cancer. Mucositis can occur anywhere in the body where mucous membranes are present but is most common in the gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity. Oral mucositis refers to the inflammation and ulceration that occurs in the mouth and is a common and often debilitating side-effect of cancer treatment. Oral mucositis is generally graded on a WHO scale ranging from 1 to 4, 4 being the most severe. In grade 3 oral mucositis, the patient is unable to eat solid food, and in grade 4, the patient is unable to consume liquids as well.
Oral and gastrointestinal mucositis can affect up to 100% of patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), 80% of patients with malignancies of the head and neck receiving radiotherapy, and a wide range of patients receiving chemotherapy. Alimentary tract mucositis increases mortality and morbidity and contributes to rising health care costs.
For most cancer treatment, about 5-15% of patients get mucositis. However, with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), up to 40% get mucositis, and 10-15% get grade 3-4 oral mucositis. Irinotecan is associated with severe GI mucositis in over 20% of patients. 75-85% of bone marrow transplantation recipients experience mucositis, of which oral mucositis is the most common and most debilitating, especially when melphalan is used.
Radiotherapy to the head and neck or to the pelvis or abdomen is associated with Grade 3 and Grade 4 oral or GI mucositis, respectively, often exceeding 50% of patients. Among patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy, pain and decreased oral function may persist long after the conclusion of therapy. Fractionated radiation dosage increases the risk of mucositis to more than 70% of patients in most trials. Oral mucositis is particularly profound and prolonged among HSCT recipients who receive total-body irradiation.
Present treatment of mucositis is mainly supportive. Oral hygiene is the mainstay of treatment; patients are encouraged to clean their mouth every four hours and at bedtime, more often if the mucositis becomes worse. Water-soluble jellies can be used to lubricate the mouth. Salt mouthwash can soothe the pain and keep food particles clear so as to avoid infection. Medicinal mouthwashes may be used such as Chlorhexidine gluconate and viscous Lidocain for relief of pain. Palifermin is a human KGF (keratinocyte growth factor) that has shown to enhance epithelial cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Experimental therapies have been reported, including the use of cytokines and other modifiers of inflammation (e.g. IL-1, IL-11 and TGF-beta3), amino acid supplementation (e.g. glutamine), vitamins, colony-stimulating factors, cryotherapy, and laser therapy. Symptomatic relief of the pain of oral mucositis may be provided by barrier protection agents such as concentrated oral gel products (e.g. GELCLAIR™). CAPHOSOL™ is a mouth rinse which has been shown to prevent and treat oral mucositis caused by radiation and high dose chemotherapy. A problem with many of the barrier protection agents is that very frequent application may be required, often as many as 4-10 times per day.
Sores or ulcerations can become infected by virus, bacteria or fungus. Pain and loss of taste perception makes it more difficult to eat, which leads to weight loss. Ulcers may act as a site for local infection and a portal of entry for oral flora that, in some instances, may cause septicemia (especially in immunosuppressed patients). Approximately half of all patients who receive chemotherapy develop such severe oral mucositis that becomes dose-limiting such that the patient's cancer treatment must be modified, compromising the prognosis." Thus, there is still a pressing need for improved methods for preventing and treating mucositis.

Treatment of oral mucositis by administering an ionic complex of chitosan and a negatively charged polysaccharide selected from heparin, heparan sulfate and dextran sulfate


A system and method for acquiring a calibrated eddy-current field model in magnetic resonance imaging (MM) are provided. The method may include one or more of the following operations. An eddy-current field model may be obtained. The eddy-current field model may be transformed by Laplace Transformation. Data of an eddy-current field may be obtained. The data of the eddy-current field may be processed. A calibrated eddy-current field model may be acquired. In addition, the calibrated eddy-current field model may be used to compensate an eddy-current field.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system may be used to diagnose medical conditions by exploiting a powerful magnetic field and radio frequency (RF) techniques. During the process of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), current in one or more gradient coils may change time, thus induces eddy-current around the conducting structures. The eddy-current may cause a field varying spatially and/or temporally, and may result in a distortion of the gradient magnetic field within the imaging region and/or degradation of the quality of the MRI image.
In order to compensate for the effects of the eddy-current, additional coils may be used as self-shielding coils for generating a counter gradient magnetic field. The counter gradient magnetic field may reduce the interaction between coils and magnet to restrain eddy-current. However, residual eddy-current may remain.

System and method for an eddy-current field compensation in magnetic resonance imaging

SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.


Article comprising a polymeric substrate having a first major surface comprising a plurality of particles attached thereto with plasmonic material on the particles. Articles described herein are useful, for example, for indicating the presence, or even the quantity, of an analyte.

The alignment or orientation of particle assemblies is a commonly desired construction for the collective properties they may impart, and many embodiments of aligned or oriented particle assemblies are known. For example, arrays of self-organized, <0001> oriented zinc oxide nanowires exhibit room-temperature ultraviolet lasing are reported, for example, in "Room-Temperature Ultraviolet Nanowire Nanolasers," Huang, M. H. et al., Science, 292, No. 5523, pp. 1897-1899 (2001). A forest of vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes behaving most similarly to a black body, absorbing light almost perfectly across a very wide spectral range (0.2-200 micrometers) is reported, for example, in "A Black Body Absorber From Vertically Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes," Mizuno, K. et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), 106 (15), pp. 6044-6047 (2009). A gecko's foot having nearly five hundred thousand keratinous hairs or seta, where each setae contains hundreds of projections terminating in 0.2-0.5 micrometer spatula-shaped structures is reported, for example, in "Adhesive Force of a Single Gecko Foot-Hair," Autumn, K. et al., Nature, 405, pp. 681-685 (2000), where the macroscopic orientation and preloading of the seta increased attachment force 600-fold above that of frictional measurements of the material. Aligned shaped abrasive grains in coated abrasive products are reported, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,685,124 B2 (David et al.).
Methods of making aligned or oriented particle assemblies are also known in the art. For example, vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (forests) synthesized by water-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) "SuperGrowth" on silicon substrates at 750° C. with ethylene as a carbon source and water as a catalyst enhancer and preserver are reported, for example, in "A Black Body Absorber From Vertically Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes," Mizuno, K. et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), 106 (15), pp. 6044-6047 (2009). Edge-oriented MoS2 nanosheets synthesized by the evaporation of a single source precursor based on Mo(IV)-tetrakis(diethylaminodithiocarbomato) are reported, for example, in "Surface Modification Studies of Edge-Oriented Molybdenum Sulfide Nanosheets," Zhang, H. et al., Langmuir, 20, pp. 6914-6920 (2004). These methods, however, are restricted to thermally stable substrates due to the high temperature processing conditions involved (300° C. or higher), and involve the direct growth of the particles from gas or vapor sources.
Alternative methods may include the alignment of pre-formed particles, and may not require high temperatures (300° C. or higher) or involve direct growth of particles. For example, a method for applying particles to a backing having a make layer on one of the backing's opposed major surfaces, attaching the particle to the make layer by an electrostatic force is reported, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,771,801 B2 (Moren et al.). Electrostatic flocking used to make vertically aligned, high-density arrays of carbon fibers (CFs) on a planar substrate is reported, for example, in "Elastomeric Thermal Interface Materials With High Through-Plane Thermal Conductivity From Carbon Fiber Fillers Vertically Aligned by Electrostatic Flocking," Uetani, K. et al., Advanced Materials, 26, pp. 5857-5862 (2014). The high voltage discharge during the electrostatic flocking process, however, is a common flocculent ignition hazard, and in general as particle size decreases, explosion severity tends to increase. Fiber flock ignition has been reported, in "Review of the Explosibility of Nontraditional Dusts," Worsfold, S. M. et al., Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 51, pp. 7651-7655 (2012), as the cause of at least one explosion in flock manufacturing plants in recent years.
There is a desire for additional aligned or oriented particle assemblies and methods of making aligned or oriented particle assemblies, including aligned or oriented particle assemblies with added functionality beyond just the alignment or orientation of the particles.

Flexible substrate having a plasmonic particle surface coating and method of making the same


A set of class AB output stages are cascaded to provide a class AB device circuit which utilizes relatively small transistors, low power, and virtually eliminates crossover distortion. The input may be powered by a voltage or a current source.

The invention relates to high voltage and power output circuits, and more particularly, to an improved cascaded configuration for a class AB bipolar output stage.
High voltage and high power output circuits may be manufactured from bipolar output stages or bipolar structures. A typical class AR output stage utilizing bipolar structures is shown in FIG. 1.
Usually, there are several important parameters relevant to the design of a output stage. Crossover distortion should be minimized in order to provide an accurate noise-free output signal. Additionally, it is desirable to reduce static power consumption of the output stage.
Over the years, numerous variations of cascaded class AB configurations have been developed. With respect to the large number of available such configurations, each has its own advantages and/or disadvantages. Several such prior art examples are discussed below.
FIG. 1 depicts a cascaded class AB buffer utilizing bipolar transistors and several diodes as shown. Notably, there are four static current paths 201-204, leading to increased power consumption. As stated above, minimization of power consumption is a goal in class AB output stages. Thus, the arrangement of FIG. 1 is suboptimal.
FIG. 2 shows a class C Darlington output stage with biasing resistors utilizing FET technology. The arrangement of FIG. 2 would appear to consume less power than that of FIG. 1, owing to the fact that there are less current paths. It is noted however, that in the arrangement of FIG. 2, transistors M3 and M4 see the load through biasing resistors R1 and R2. For purely capacitive loads, transistors M3 and M4 must be sized properly to prevent slowing down of the circuit. Often, this means utilizing larger transistors, with higher power consumption, than desirable. Thus, the larger transistors can make up for the reduction in current paths, and a relatively high power consuming device still results.
In addition to the foregoing power consumption problem, another problem in output stages is that of crossover distortion. A prior art known technique of minimizing crossover distortion is to utilize a feedback loop to cancel such distortion. However, the implementation of such a feedback loop also results in added power consumption.
In view of the above, there exists a need in the art for an improved circuit for minimizing required current and thus power consumption of the Class AB output stage while at the same time eliminating crossover distortion.
The above and other problems with the prior art are overcome in accordance with the present invention. The present invention includes a circuit having cascaded output stages utilizing three sets of FET devices. Of the three sets of FET devices, in a preferred embodiment, a first set includes four FETs, a second set includes a different four FETs, and a third set includes two FETs. Two of the transistors from the second set and the two transistors from the third set comprise one class AB stage, and the remaining two transistors from the second set and all four transistors from the first set comprise the second class AB stage. The two stages are cascaded in a manner that reduces the required size for the transistors as well as eliminating crossover distortion. The arrangement avoids such crossover distortion without the need for a feedback loop, thereby eliminating the additional components that would otherwise be required and also minimizing power dissipation.
The circuit has the further advantage of minimizing current paths, and thus power consumption, while permitting smaller size transistors to be used, even to drive relatively highly capacitive output loads.
Further advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description and drawings.

Fast cascaded class AB bipolar output stage


An automatic analyzer which assures uniformity in mixing effects regardless of sample quantity and test item and thus produces analysis results with high repeatability. The automatic analyzer includes a device for adding a conditioning liquid into a reaction chamber so that the quantity of liquid in the reaction chamber becomes a predetermined quantity prior to being mixed. The conditioning liquid may be a diluent or physiological saline as used for dilution of a sample or any other special liquid that adjusts the properties such as viscosity, surface tension, etc. of liquid to be mixed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer and automatic analyzing method which carries out qualitative and quantitative analyses of biological or chemical samples such as blood and urine and more particularly to an automatic analyzer with a mixing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that conventional chemical or biochemical analyzers use a reaction liquid obtained by mixing a sample such as a serum with a desired reagent as an object of analysis and further measure its absorbance. This kind of analyzer is comprised of a mechanism for providing a sample and a reagent into a reaction chamber or cuvette, a mechanism for mixing a sample and a reagent in a reaction chamber, a mechanism for analyzing physical properties of a sample which is reacting or has finished reaction, and so on.
A major technical problem in analyzers is reduction of the required quantities of sample and reagent for analysis. One reason for this is that as the number of test items increases, the quantity of sample available for one test item decreases. For example, in blood tests of infants, the quantity of blood sample available for analysis is very small. In addition, from the viewpoint of cost, there is a demand for the reduction in the quantity of reagent used in analysis. This is due to the growing tendency that advanced analysis techniques are introduced and expensive reagents are widely used.
As the quantities of sample and reagent used for analysis were decreased, the size of reaction chambers were reduced accordingly. However, this has led to a new problem. For example, when the reaction liquid is mixed mechanically by a spatula or the like, the ratio of reaction liquid taken out or the ratio of rinse fluid taken in becomes larger, which affects the analysis result. One solution to this problem related to mixing is a non-contact mixing device using ultrasonic waves as described in JP-A No. 2003-35715. However, in this case, for the sample and reagent which are injected into a reaction chamber, their mixture ratio varies depending on the type of test, or test item. So the quantity of liquid to be measured in the chamber is different and complicated control work is needed for accomplishing efficient mixing.
The technique described in JP-A No. 2003-35715 uses a plurality of ultrasonic oscillators provided at different heights so that mixing efficiency does not deteriorate even when the liquid level of liquid to be mixed varies. In this case, complicated control work is needed to determine which oscillator should be activated according to the liquid level. Also it is desirable to adjust the oscillation intensity depending on the properties of the liquid to be mixed (viscosity, etc). Not only in non-contact ultrasonic mixing but also in mechanical mixing with a spatula, a smaller quantity of liquid to be mixed makes it more difficult to ensure uniformity in mixing.
An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzer and analyzing method having a mixing device with a simple structure which is able to mix liquids uniformly regardless of the quantity of sample present and liquid properties thereof.

Automatic analyzer and the analyzing method using the same


An ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus for measuring an ocular axial length of an examinee's eye includes an ultrasonic probe for A-mode measurement including a transducer arranged to emit an ultrasonic wave toward the inside of the eye, and receive return echoes from eye constituent parts, and an analysis unit for identifying, by analyzing signals of the received echoes, the respective signals as a return echo signal from a cornea of the eye, a return echo signal from an intraocular lens implanted in the eye, multiple return echo signals produced from the signals repeatedly returning between the intraocular lens and the transducer, and a return echo signal from a retina of the eye, while distinguishing the retinal signal from the multiple signals based on a property shown by the multiple signals and/or a property shown by the retinal signal, and calculate the axial length based on the corneal and retinal signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus for measuring an ocular axial length of an examinee's eye or the sizes of constituent parts of the eye.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there is known an ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus for measuring an ocular axial length that is arranged to obtain the positions of constituent parts of an eyeball by transmitting an ultrasonic wave from a transducer included in an ultrasonic probe to the constituent parts, and receiving to process return echoes therefrom, and measure the ocular axial length (see Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No 2001-187022). It is to be noted that the ocular axial length is basic data to be used for prescribing an intraocular lens (hereinafter, referred to as an IOL), which is to be implanted in an eye after an opaque crystalline lens of a cataract is removed therefrom.
Specifically, in the measurement of the ocular axial length of a phakic eye, the apparatus identifies a return echo 102 that exceeds a detection level 106a first from the anterior-segment side of the eye as the return echo from the cornea, a return echo 103a that exceeds the detection level 106a second as the return echo from the front surface of the crystalline lens, and a return echo 103b that exceeds the detection level 106a third as the return echo from the rear surface of the crystalline lens, as shown in FIG. 4. Then, the apparatus identifies a return echo 104 that exceeds a detection level 106b first behind a position P1 located a predetermined distance W apart from the position of the cornea (the predetermined distance W is 12 mm, for example, which is established such that the return echoes within the predetermined distance W are distinguished from a return echo from the retina) as the return echo from the retina. Based on a distance between a rising position 107 of the corneal return echo 102 and a rising position 109 of the retinal return echo 104, the apparatus automatically obtains the ocular axial length.
If the return echoes from the constituent parts of the anterior segment and the retina are difficult to be identified automatically, manual measurement may be carried out such that an examiner observes waveforms of the return echoes (A-mode waveforms) displayed on a display and manually establishes gates to identify the positions of the constituent parts based on the examiner's experience (see Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2008-29468).
In the measurement of the ocular axial length of an eye with previously implanted IOL (hereinafter, referred to as an IOL implanted eye), which is a case where a new IOL is prescribed to an examinee having an IOL implanted eye, the return echo 103b from the rear surface of the crystalline lens as shown in FIG. 4 does not appear but instead multiple return echoes could remarkably appear subsequent to a return echo from the IOL because an ultrasonic signal repeatedly returns between the IOL and the tip (the transducer) of the ultrasonic probe (or the cornea). The appearance of the multiple return echoes result from a great difference between physical properties of the eye constituent parts and the IOL.
However, the use of the above-described criteria of the identification of the retinal position for the IOL implanted eye leads to false detection of the multiple return echoes as the retinal return echo, and a wrong measurement result is output. If the examiner is not capable of recognizing occurrence of the multiple return echoes, the examiner cannot notice the fact that the ocular axial length is wrongly measured, and accordingly cannot prescribe an IOL with correct power. The function of the manual measurement such that the examiner manually establishes the gates is sometimes used according to the circumstances; however, it remains difficult to distinguish the multiple return echoes from the retinal return echo.

Ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus


Embodiments of the disclosed technology disclose a method for fixing glass substrates and a method for preparing a flexible display device. The method for fixing glass substrates comprises coating an edge portion of a first glass substrate corresponding to a second glass substrate with epoxy resin and screeding the coated epoxy resin layer, adhering the second glass substrate to the first glass substrate, and annealing the two glass substrates. With the technical solution of this disclosed technology, the time period for fixing the adhered glass substrates can be reduced with an improved productivity.

Embodiments of the disclosed technology relate to a method for fixing glass substrates and a method for preparing a flexible display device.
During the latest ten years, a rapid progress happens in the field of panel display, and great improvements are achieved with regard to screen size and displaying quality. Through continuous efforts, performances of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) in various aspects have closed to the levels of conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, and a tendency of replacing the CRT displays with LCDs obviously occurs.
As production capacity for panel display products increases continuously, the competition among manufacturers is also becoming brutal, and all manufacturers, while improving performance of panel display products continuously, are making efforts to reduce production costs for panel display products, thereby strengthen their market competitive powers. A flexible display device has characteristics of bendability, which enables it suitable for many applications in need of curved display, such as smart card, e-paper, smart tags, and applications suitable for conventional displays. Furthermore, in the future, flexible display devices may take an enormous market share in the field of panel display products with its fantastic beautiful appearance.
Conventionally, flexible display devices are mainly manufactured based on organic material substrates, for example, cholesteric phase LCD, electrophoresis display, and OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Display) or the like manufactured on organic substrates such as polyimide, polythylene terephthalate films (PET), polyethylene terephthalate (PETP) and the like. Glass substrates are superior to organic material substrates in light transmittance, chemical stability, water-proof capability and dielectric performance; moreover, ultrathin glass substrates also have good flexibility; however, because of the fragility of glass substrates, the application of glass substrates in large-size screen  panel display products is remarkably limited, and it is also very difficult to separately transfer and process ultrathin glass substrates.

Method for fixing glass substrates and method for preparing flexible display device


Crankshaft rod bearings are pre-ground and finish-ground in a first grinding station and the crankshaft main bearings are then pre-ground and finish-ground in a second grinding station. The crankshaft is first mounted centered between the two points of the rotary drive. The chuck has two support members which can be moved in the radial direction and which are then positioned against the main bearing in a self-equalizing manner. In the engaged position, the support members are locked tightly to the chuck by locking pins. A pivoting clamping member is then clamped with the operating end thereof against the main bearing.

The invention relates to a method for grinding the main and rod bearings of a crankshaft by external cylindrical grinding in a grinding machine and to a grinding machine for carrying out the method. A method and a grinding machine of the type mentioned are known from DE 10 2008 007 175 A1.
It has already been proposed in EP 1 181 132 B1 to finish-grind the rod bearings before the main bearings during the external cylindrical grinding of the main and rod bearings of a crankshaft. This proposal is based on the knowledge that the considerable deformations of the crankshaft during the grinding of the rod bearings can be at least partly eliminated again during the subsequent finish-grinding of the main bearings. However, it was assumed here that the rough-grinding of the main bearings still had to take place before the grinding of the rod bearings. Therefore, according to EP 1 181 132 B1, first of all a steady-rest seat has to be initially ground onto a main bearing of the crankshaft, in order that the main bearings can be rough-ground with the required accuracy. To this end, the crankshaft has to clamped with a precisely defined rotational axis, specifically its defining geometrical longitudinal axis, which is the defining reference axis for all the main bearings with regard to diameter, roundness, true running and centricity. This defining geometrical longitudinal axis also has to be available as reference axis for the machining of the rod bearings. Following the rough- and finish-grinding of the rod bearings, the main bearings of the crankshaft are finally finish-ground. The method known from EP 1 181 132 B1 has the advantages that all of the grinding operations can be carried out in a single setup.
However, the constraints that arise on account of the clamping and supporting of the crankshaft during grinding have introduced the risk of other deformations, as is described in detail in DE 10 2008 007 175 A1. Therefore, as a remedy, that citation proposed giving up the grinding of the crankshaft in a single setup. Rather, according to DE 10 2008 007 175 A1, two grinding stations, which can be located within a single grinding machine, are proposed. First of all, the rod bearings are rough- and finish-ground in the first grinding station. Subsequently, the crankshaft is transferred into the second grinding station, in which the main bearings are rough- and finish-ground. The particular feature of the known method is that the crankshaft to be ground is clamped in the two grinding stations with its rough contour merely machined by chip removal. In this case, the cylindrical circumferential surfaces of the crankshaft are machined primarily by turning, drilling or trochoidal milling, that is to say in a still unground state. In the first grinding station, the crankshaft is mounted in this case in shell chucks which are attached advantageously to end-side cylindrical portions or to the two outer main bearings of the crankshaft. Naturally, during the grinding of the rod bearings, the crankshaft does not rotate about its defining geometrical longitudinal axis but about a rotational axis that deviates therefrom and is given by the rough contour of the crankshaft at the clamping points. Since, however, the rod bearings have to be ground anyhow by CNC-controlled external cylindrical grinding in the pin-chasing grinding process, according to DE 10 2008 007 175 A1, a corresponding correction in the computer of the grinding machine has to be made. To this end, the crankshaft has to be measured precisely before grinding. When the deviations of the actual rotational axis from the defining geometrical longitudinal axis of the crankshaft are known, this can be sensed by computer and taken into account during CNC grinding. As a result, a crankshaft which has as yet unground main bearings but the rod bearings of which have been ground as if the crankshaft had been rotated about the exact defining geometrical longitudinal axis is present following grinding in the first grinding station.
According to DE 10 2008 007 175 A1, it is only in the second grinding station that the crankshaft is clamped between centers which penetrate into the usual centering bores in the end faces of the crankshaft. These centering bores are made by the crankshaft manufacturer even before the rod bearings are ground and determine the defining geometrical longitudinal axis of each crankshaft.

Method for grinding the main and rod bearing of a crankshaft by external cylindrical grinding


A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor die mounted on an upper surface of a substrate. A number of wire bonds electrically connect between a number of bonding pads on the upper surface of the substrate and a number of bonding pads on an upper surface of the semiconductor die. A fixing portion surrounds the semiconductor die and covers a mediate portion of each wire bond. Encapsulating material is molded over the semiconductor die and the wire bonds to form an encapsulant. In an alternative embodiment, the fixing portion is provided on the upper surface of the substrate adjacent to a mold gate of the substrate where the wire sweeping is most likely to occur while molding. The fixing portion does not cover the semiconductor die to avoid thermal strain acting on the semiconductor die due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion between the fixing portion and the encapsulant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor package that can prevent wire bonds from shifting during packaging, and more particularly to a semiconductor package that has a fixing portion in the wire bond area to position the wire bonds during packaging a semiconductor die or electric device on the substrate. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package with wire protection to prevent the wire bonds from shifting.
2. Description of the Related Art
When molding encapsulating material for packaging a semiconductor die or an electric device on a substrate, it is found that the encapsulating material in liquid state will sweep the wire bonds and thus causes the wire bonds to contact each other. A closed circuit is formed between the wire bonds such that the semiconductor die or electric device will malfunction or be damaged since short circuit occurs as a result of the undesired closed circuit between the wire bonds. It is, therefore, always desirable to keep the wire bonds away from one another to avoid short circuit of the semiconductor die or electric device.
Taiwan Utility Model Publication No. 347573 issued on Dec. 11, 1998 discloses a method of protecting the wire bonds, and such method is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings. FIG. 1 illustrates that a semiconductor die 11 is mounted on a substrate 10, and a plurality of wire bonds 12 extend outwardly from the semiconductor die 11 to provide electrical connection between the substrate 10 and the semiconductor die 11. FIG. 2 illustrates spraying of the adhesive over the wire bonds 12 so as to reduce the exposed length of the wire bond 12. As shown in FIG. 3, when the adhesive 13 diffuses, the adhesive 13 flows outwardly to cover the wire bond 12. However, it takes a relatively long time to spray, diffuse and harden the adhesive 13.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,205 to Primeaux issued on Jul. 19, 1994 discloses a mold plastic package with wire protection to solve the wire sweep problem. As shown in FIG. 4, the mold plastic package includes an encapsulating material 20, a package body 21, a semiconductor die 23, a plurality of wire bonds 24, and a lead frame 26 with a plurality of leads 25. The semiconductor die 23 is mounted on a die pad 22 of the lead frame 26 and includes a plurality of bonding pads (not shown). The wire bonds 24 each provides an electrical connection between the bonding pads of the semiconductor die 23 and the leads 25 of the lead frame 26. The encapsulating material 20 that has a low coefficient of thermal expansion encapsulates the upper face of the semiconductor die 23 and all of the wire bonds 24. The package body 21 encapsulates the die 23, portions of the leads 25, and the encapsulating material 20. It is, however, found that hardening of the encapsulating material 20 still takes a long time since it must cover the die 23 and the wire bonds 24.
It is, therefore, a long and unfulfilled need to provide a semiconductor package with wire protection and with short hardening time for the encapsulating material.

Semiconductor package with wire protection and method therefor


An embodiment of a hand guard for a firearm, such as a rifle, includes an elongated tubular housing comprising an upper part, a lower part, opposite open ends, and a lumen configured to receive an intermediate portion of a barrel of a firearm longitudinally therein. An expansion collar is disposed at one end of the housing. The expansion collar has an expansion mechanism configured to adjustably compress the expansion collar and the lower part of the housing longitudinally between a pair of surfaces respectively disposed at opposite ends of the intermediate portion of the barrel.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to firearms in general, and in particular, to hand guards for firearms that permit various accessories to be mounted thereon.
2. Related Art
Firearms, such as the M16 and M4 rifles adopted for use by the U.S. military services, typically incorporate a hand guard made of a plastic or composite material, by which the shooter can effectively grasp a forward portion of the barrel of the weapon, e.g., for carrying, aiming and shooting the weapon effectively. Additionally, it is recognized that such firearms can often benefit from a variety of shooting accessories coupled to the weapon, such as lights for illuminating targets or sighting devices, e.g., laser targeting devices. Responsively, the prior art is replete with examples of devices, including hand guards adapted to replace the stock hand guard provided on the rifle, that are designed to enable one or more accessories to be coupled to the weapon.
However, these prior art devices and hand guards are not free of problems. For example, some rely on complicated mechanisms for coupling the hand guards to the rifle that can result in an unreliable mounting of the hand guard on the rifle, typically accompanied by a lengthy amount of time needed to mount the hand guard on the weapon. In other instances in which the hand guard mounts on the barrel of the rifle, the forces applied to the barrel in mounting the hand guard to it can twist or deform the barrel such that the accuracy of the rifle is adversely affected.
Accordingly, a need exists for hand guard designs that enable a variety of useful accessories to be mounted on a firearm, together with methods for mounting the hand guards on the firearm quickly, reliably and without adversely affecting their accuracy.

Accessory mounting hand guard for firearm


Present embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a seal assembly for generating a seal between two opposing shear blades of a ram unit after shearing a tubular. The seal assembly may include at least a wiper, a sealing element, and an energizer. The wiper may clean a surface of a shear blade as the blade moves relative to the seal assembly. The sealing element may include an elastomeric material that can be deformed into engagement with the shear blade to generate the seal. The energizer may be a hard component that energizes the sealing element against the cleaned surface of the shear blade as the blade moves further relative to the seal assembly. The wiper may clean the sealing surface of the blade by removing debris from the surface prior to the energizer activating the seal.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light and not as admissions of prior art.
Blowout preventers are used extensively throughout the oil and gas industry. Typical blowout preventers include a main body to which are attached various types of ram units. The two categories of blowout preventers that are most prevalent are ram blowout preventers and annular blowout preventers. Blowout preventer stacks frequently utilize both types, typically with at least one annular blowout preventer stacked above several ram blowout preventers. The ram units in ram blowout preventers allow for both the shearing of the wellbore tubular and the sealing of the blowout preventer. Typically, a blowout preventer stack may be secured to a wellhead and may provide a means for sealing the well in the event of a system failure.
Existing ram units often include shear blocks or shear blades designed to be forced together to shear the wellbore tubular and seal the blowout preventer. The shear blocks generally feature opposing blade profiles used to cut the wellbore tubular. It is desirable to provide an effective seal between the opposing shear blocks to help seal the blowout preventer.

Lateral seal for blowout preventer shear blocks


An absorbent article such as a disposable diaper is provided with an indicator adapted to become visible as soon as bodily fluid is discharged. The indicator includes a composite nonwoven fabric composed of a hydrophilic melt blown nonwoven fabric layer and a hydrophilic spun bond nonwoven fabric layer on which a display element is depicted and laminated on one surface of the hydrophilic melt blown nonwoven fabric layer. A first surface of the composite nonwoven fabric facing an absorbent core of the diaper is held together with the display element and a second surface of the composite nonwoven fabric facing a backsheet of the diaper is held in close contact with the inner surface of the backsheet.

This invention relates generally to an absorbent article such as a disposable diaper and an infant's toilet training pant provided with an indicator allowing a parent or a care personnel of a wearer to perceive whether bodily fluids have been discharged or not.
There have already been proposed disposable diaper comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a light-transmissive and liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core interposed between these sheets, wherein the diaper is provided between the backsheet and the core with an indicator adapted to make discharge of bodily fluids visible when the indicator is wetted with bodily fluids. The diaper is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 1997-140742 (hereinafter referred to as "Reference"). The indicator has a belt-like shape which is relatively long in a transverse direction and extends in the transverse direction in a longitudinal midsection of a front waist region.
The indicator comprises a base sheet made of paper, a first coating layer intermittently laid on the inner surface of the base sheet facing the core and a while or milky white second coating layer intermittently laid on the outer surface of the base sheet facing the backsheet. The first coating layer has a color tone different from those of the backsheet, the base sheet and the second coating layer and contains light scattering materials such as silica or alumina in the form of microscopic particles. The second coating layer also contains light scattering materials such as silica or alumina in the form of microscopic particles and utilizes diffused reflection of light to cover up the first coating layer. When bodily fluids discharged on the diaper put on the wearer's body permeate the first and second coating layers, light scattering in both the first and second coating layers is so reduced that the effect to cover up the first coating layer is deteriorated. Consequentially, the first coating layer becomes visible through the base sheet and the second coating layer from the outside of the backsheet. In this way, the parent or the care personnel can visually determine from the outside of the backsheet whether bodily fluids have been discharged or not on the diaper.
In the case of the diaper disclosed in Reference, bodily fluids having been absorbed by the core permeate the first coating layer and then the base sheet and thereafter permeate the second coating layer from the base sheet. In other words, a certain time is taken before bodily fluids having been discharged on the diaper reach the second coating layer. In addition, no capillary action occurs in the second coating layer and it is difficult for the second coating layer to absorb bodily fluids at once. Even after bodily fluids have reached the second coating layer, a certain time is taken before the light scattering in the second coating layer is significantly reduced. Consequentially, it is always likely that the parent or the care personnel might not perceive discharge of bodily fluids immediately after it has occurred since a certain time is taken until the first coating layer becomes visible after bodily fluids have been discharged.

Absorbent article with displace element between backsheet and absorbent core


The described implementations relate to analysis of computing programs. One implementation provides a technique that can include accessing values of input variables that are processed by test code and runtime values that are produced by the test code while processing the input variables. The technique can also include modeling relationships between the runtime values and the values of the input variables. The relationships can reflect discontinuous functions of the input variables.

Computer software programs can be analyzed to identify bugs, to verify correct operation of the programs, or to develop metrics that describe the programs. For example, programs can be manually analyzed at the source code level by individual programmers. Automated techniques for analyzing code also exist, and can be broadly categorized into two groups, static analysis and dynamic analysis.
Static analysis techniques evaluate code by using logical and symbolic techniques to reason about the behavior of the program on different inputs, without necessarily running the program. For example, static analysis can evaluate how program variables are modified in different ways when a program uses different control paths. In contrast, dynamic analysis techniques operate by executing the program with different test inputs to see how the program behaves for different inputs. For example, dynamic analysis techniques can evaluate runtime variables of a program across one or more program executions.

Modeling software behavior using learned predicates


Some embodiments of a method and apparatus for protecting web pages against phishing have been presented. In one embodiment, a user interface control is created at a client machine. A user may submit a request to protect a web page via the user interface control. In response to the request, a web page protection module may protect the web page against phishing based on content of the web page. In some embodiments, the web page protection module may be integrated with a network access application, such as, for example, as a plug-in to a browser.

With the rapid proliferation of network-related technologies, more and more users routinely carry out online transactions to manage business and/or personal affairs using online services, such as online banking, online stock brokerage, online shopping, etc. In the current document, an online transaction refers to a transaction performed at least in part over a network, at least a portion of which is publicly accessible, such as the Internet, a combination of the Internet and an intranet, etc. In online transactions, sensitive personal information may be submitted over the publicly accessible network via legitimate web pages. Although online transactions provide great convenience to users in general, unfortunately, criminals may attempt to steal sensitive personal information over the network from some unsuspecting users. Once the criminals obtain such information, they may use the information to commit identity thefts to steal thousands of dollars from the victims.
One common way to steal information online is phishing. Phishing in general is to steal information online by trickery. A phisher may set up a counterfeit web page, also referred to as a spoofed web page. The counterfeit web page may be similar to a legitimate web page such that the counterfeit web page may trick unsuspecting users to provide their personal information via the counterfeit web page to the criminal. For instance, the counterfeit web page may have a uniform resource locator (URL) similar to the legitimate web page such that a user misspelling the URL of the legitimate web page may be directed to the counterfeit web page. Alternatively, the criminal may send electronic mail posing as the entity running the legitimate web page to users with a link to the counterfeit web page in order to scam the users. The counterfeit web page may request personal information, such as passwords to financial accounts (e.g., bank accounts, brokerage accounts, retirement saving accounts, etc.), credit card numbers, social security numbers, bank account numbers, etc.
Currently, some browser vendor maintains a central list of the URLs of some known counterfeit web pages. When a browser attempts to access a web page, the browser may access the central list to check if the URL of the web page is in the central list. If the URL is in the central list, then the web page is a known counterfeit web page and the browser may block access to the web page. The browser vendor may periodically update the central list with URLs of newly found counterfeit web pages.
However, users may find the above protection against phishing inconvenient because the users have to constantly rely on support from the browser vendor. Furthermore, as time goes by, the central list may grow substantially, and it may take a long time to access the central list. Moreover, the central list may not include newly created counterfeit web pages not yet identified because no one has reported the newly created counterfeit web pages to the browser vendor yet. This may result in a security loophole, which criminals may exploit.


A bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator device includes an acoustic reflector formed over a substrate and a resonator stack formed over the acoustic reflector. The acoustic reflector includes multiple acoustic impedance layers. The resonator stack includes a first electrode formed over the acoustic reflector, a piezoelectric layer formed over the first electrode, and a second electrode formed over the piezoelectric layer. A bridge is formed within one of the acoustic reflector and the resonator stack.

Transducers generally convert electrical signals to mechanical signals or vibrations, and/or mechanical signals or vibrations to electrical signals. Acoustic transducers, in particular, convert electrical signals to acoustic waves and acoustic waves to electrical signal using inverse and direct piezo-electric effects. Acoustic transducers generally include acoustic resonators, such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators or bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators, and may be used in a wide variety of electronic applications, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), electronic gaming devices, laptop computers and other portable communications devices. Generally, BAW resonators in which a resonator stack is formed over a cavity are referred to thin film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs), and BAW resonators in which the resonator stack is formed of over an acoustic reflector are referred to as solidly mounted resonators (SMRs). For example, FBARs and SMRs may be used for electrical filters and voltage transformers. Generally, an acoustic resonator has a layer of piezoelectric material between two conductive plates (electrodes), which may be formed on a thin membrane. BAW resonator devices, in particular, generate acoustic waves that can propagate in all possible lateral directions when stimulated by an applied time-varying electric field of finite lateral extension, as well as higher order harmonic mixing products. The laterally propagating modes and the higher order harmonic mixing products may have a deleterious impact on functionality.
In BAW resonators, mitigation of acoustic losses at the boundaries and the resultant mode suppression and confinement in the active region of the BAW resonators (the region of overlap of the top electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the bottom electrode) has been effected through various methods. For example, frames are provided along one or more sides of the BAW resonators. The frames suppress the amplitude of electrically excited piston mode and simultaneously create an acoustic impedance mismatch that suppresses upon reflection propagating modes in the frame region, thus improving the confinement of the piston mode within the active region of the BAW resonator. However, better acoustic energy confinement, as well as further improvements in quality factor Q due to the better acoustic energy confinement, is needed for increased efficiency of BAW resonators, particularly with respect to SMRs.

Bulk acoustic wave resonator device comprising a bridge in an acoustic reflector

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


An efficient Content Addressable Memory array for Classless Inter-Domain Routing with each CAM cell including an additional storage unit for storing the prefix length associated with the contents of the cell. An enabling logic connects the prefix length value to a wired OR plane common to all CAM cells, and a sequential bit wise comparison unit has its inputs connected to the wired OR plane and the additional storage unit with its output controlling the enabling logic.

Content Addressable Memories (CAMs) are memories used to store and retrieve information based on comparison of a search key to contents of memory locations. Besides the means to fetch the input search key and means to deliver the output information about matched locations, each cell in a conventional CAM comprises a storage element to store and retrieve data and comparison circuitry to compare the search key data to the stored data. These conventional CAMs have been extensively used in routers for storing and retrieving Internet Protocol (IP) related information. However, the conventional CAMs require data to be stored in a particular order known as Table Management. Table management results in an additional burden in terms of time and resources on the router, as Table Management requires execution of time consuming tasks.
In Internet terminology, routing is the technique by which information finds its way from one networked computer to another. IPs are used to accomplish the task of routing by using IP addresses to communicate across any set of interconnected networks. These protocols are equally well suited for Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) communications. There are several different addressing schemes that are being used on the Internet for IP address of a networked device. Most widely used IP version 4 (IPv4) addressing schemes use a 32-bit address and are known as IP version 4 (IPv4). The original IPv4 categorizes 32-bit addresses into three major classes of address structure, Classes A through C. In Class A addressing, the initial 8 bits represent the Network ID and the rest of 24 bits represent the Host ID. In Class B, 16 bits are used to represent the Network ID and rest represent the Host ID. In Class C 24 bits represent the Network-ID and 8 bits are used to define the Host ID. Using this addressing scheme, the Internet could support the following: 126 Class A networks that could include up to 16,777,214 hosts each along with 65,000 Class B networks that could include up to 65,534 hosts each, and over 2 million Class C networks that could include up to 254 hosts each.
While this addressing scheme has been tremendously popular, it has several drawbacks. Because Internet addresses were generally only assigned in three sizes, there were lots of wasted addresses. For example, if a company needs 100 IP addresses for its network, it would be assigned the Class closest to its requirement having smallest number of addresses (Class C), but that still meant 154 unused addresses, and if a company needed 300 addresses then it will be assigned a Class B address space, where out of 65536 addresses only 300 addresses would be used wasting 65236 addresses. This led to the near term exhaustion of Class B network address space. Another problem arose due to massive popularity and resultant growth of the Internet. As the Internet has grown, the number of networks on the Internet has increased rapidly and has resulted in the rapid growth in the size of the global Internet's routing table. Internet routers are fast approaching their limit on the number of routes they can support. Wasting of addresses and rapid growth along with the expandable nature of Internet throughout the world has led to concerns about exhaustion of Ipv4 addresses.
This concern has led to the development of a new scheme known as Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR). This new scheme replaces the existing Classes with fixed bit length Network prefix with a variable length prefix. By accurately allocating only the amount of address space that was actually needed, the address space crisis could be avoided for many years. This was first proposed in 1992 as a scheme called Supernetting. Under supernetting, the classful subnet masks were extended so that a network address and subnet mask could, for example, specify multiple Class C subnets with one address. For example, If 1000 addresses are needed, 4 Class C networks are supernetted together:
184.108.40.206(11000000.00111100.10000000.00000000)Class Csubnetaddress22.214.171.124(11000000.00111100.10000001.00000000)Class Csubnetaddress184.108.40.206(11000000.00111100.10000010.00000000)Class Csubnetaddress22.214.171.124(11000000.00111100.10000011.00000000)Class Csubnetaddress18.104.22.168(11000000.00111100.10000000.00000000)Super-nettedSubnetaddress255.255.252.0(11111111.11111111.11111100.00000000)SubnetMask18.104.22.168(11000000.00111100.10000011.11111111)Broadcastaddress
In this example, the subnet 18.104.22.168 includes all the addresses from 188.8.131.52 to 18.104.22.168. As you can see in the binary representation of the subnet mask, the Network portion of the address is 22 bits long, and the host portion is 10 bits long. Under CIDR, the subnet mask notation is reduced to simplified shorthand. Instead of spelling out the bits of the subnet mask, it is simply listed as the number of 1s bits that start the mask. In the above example, instead of writing the address and subnet mask as 188.8.131.52, Subnet Mask 255.255.252.0, the network address would be written simply as: 184.108.40.206/22. This indicates the starting address of the network, and number of 1s bits (22) in the network portion of the address. This notation works in binary (11111111.11111111.11111100.00000000).
The use of a CIDR notated address is the same as for a Classful address. Classful addresses can easily be written in CIDR notation (Class A=/8, Class B=/16, and Class C=/24)
CIDR Block# EquivalentPrefixClass C# of Host Addresses/27⅛ th of a Class C 32 hosts/26¼ th of a Class C 64 hosts/25½ th of a Class C 128 hosts/241 Class C 256 hosts/232 Class C 512 hosts/224 Class C1024 hosts/218 Class C2048 hosts/2016 Class C 4096 hosts/1932 Class C 8192 hosts/1864 Class C 16,384 hosts  /17128 Class C 32,768 hosts  /16256 Class C 65,536 hosts  /15512 Class C 131,072 hosts  /141,024 Class C   262,144 hosts  /132,048 Class C   524,288 hosts
Many CIDR implementation schemes used currently arrange the IP addresses in a CAM such that the IP addresses with the longest prefix are stored in the location closest to the last location of the CAM. This technique is often referred to as Table Management, and is used because the CAM provides an output corresponding to the first encountered match result while checking from last memory location. These schemes require the user to ensure that the CAM stores the IP address with highest prefix length at the lowest address of the CAM.
In these implementations, the CAM is divided into blocks of different sizes such that a block at the lowest address of the CAM is allocated for the IP addresses with the longest prefix and subsequent blocks for second longest prefix and so on as shown in FIG. 1. This requirement, of storing data in particular blocks, places a significant burden on the router in terms of allocation process. For instance, if an IP address is to be located in a block with no empty cell then an empty cell has to be created by increasing the size of that block by searching for an empty cell in the nearest blocks. Once an empty cell is found, to create an empty cell in the desired block, the top most element of the block with the empty cell has to be shifted to the empty cell, creating an empty cell at the top. Subsequent blocks then have to be resized to include the new empty cell, the process being repeated until an empty cell is created in the desired block to store IP address as shown in FIG. 2. This exercise is both cumbersome and time consuming and can sometimes result in resizing of the entire CAM.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,061 describes a method for finding longest prefix match, which requires Table Management. Further a U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,112 describes a method and device for CIDR without requiring table management and allowing CAM to be arbitrarily loaded with CIDR addresses into the CAM device. This patent requires two internal searches to be conducted, the location having success in these two searches is the one having a matching entry with longest prefix. First search is on data word to find longest prefix among the hit locations, second is on mask (prefix) word to find entries with that longest mask. Only one location will succeed in both searches and will drive ROM (Priority Encoder) word-line. In this patent, prefix logic circuits determine the longest prefix among the CAM locations that matches the search key, regardless of where the matching locations are located in the CAM array. Once prefix is known it then searches which location has that prefix through prefix match-lines. This patent has additional hardware than the conventional CAM array, as both data and mask bit have compare logic. Thus both have comparand bit-lines, match-lines and data lines. It also has a prefix-logic (2-input NAND gate) with each data and mask bit. Also operation can't be pipelined until the time both searches are completed for maximum throughput. Thus, the time for searching next CIDR address would require considerable amount of time.
A co-pending Indian application 1319/Del/2003 also describes a method and device for CIDR with zero table management. This invention provides a Content Addressable Memory (CAM) with an improved priority encoder enabling random storage of CIDR IP addresses in memory. This encoder uses a counter, which is incremented starting from the value of zero. At every increment, the value stored in the counter is simultaneously compared with the prefix of all match locations and the index of the match location is stored by overwriting the previous stored value associated with a lower counter value. As a result at the end of count, only one match location is left.
While this is certainly an improvement over the prior art, the approach still has some redundancies. While a simultaneous comparison is performed for all hit locations, the matched locations with lower prefix values than the stored value of the counter are not eliminated from the comparison process. The aforementioned drawback also results in unnecessary comparison after the longest prefix has been found as the process continues until the counter reaches it's maximum value. It is seen that the CAM takes 2N clock cycles, for a CAM with a N bit counter to count from 0 to 2N−1, and additional Read operation time to retrieve indices from a Read-Only Memory. Therefore, there is a need for more efficient CAMs, which result in faster searches for CIDR.

Efficient content addressable memory array for classless inter-domain routing


An adjustable rake assembly for raking and baling material in a single pass is provided. In particular, a rake assembly is provided wherein at least one rake is configured to be moved with respect to the frame between a first position and a second position via a telescoping rake connection and a rotating rake connection. The position of the wings and/or rakes may be changed via a control system.

When harvesting grain, a combine harvester (also known simply as a "combine") may be used to separate grain from material-other-than-grain ("MOG"). Harvested grain is typically stored on the combine for subsequent handling, and MOG is typically ejected back onto the crop field.
In some cases, the MOG may be useful as feed for animals or as biofuel, among other things. Thus, once the crop has been harvested and the MOG is left on the field, a rake (e.g., a basket rake) may be moved through the field to rake and windrow the MOG. In the case of corn, for example, stover that is dispersed throughout the field may be raked and placed in windrows on the ground that can later be gathered and formed into bales of the material for subsequent use.
In other cases, crops such as switch grass, miscanthus, sugar cane, or other vegetative crops may be grown for use as biofuel. In such cases, the field may be mowed, raked, and windrowed, and the windrows of material (which, for example, may include the whole plant—both grain and MOG) may be baled for subsequent transport and processing.
In either scenario, raking the material into windrows and subsequently baling the material typically requires a dedicated tractor and operator for each machine, which may add to the expense and duration of the operations. In addition, depending on the size of the field, several passes may be required to address the entire area to be raked and baled.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system, apparatus, and method for combining the raking and baling operations such that the operations may occur during a single pass. In addition, there is a need for an improved mechanism for raking and baling a larger area while minimizing the complexity of transporting the equipment to the field location.

System and apparatus for enabling raking and baling material in a single pass


A swim training device for teaching a novice swimmer to swim that includes a pair of buoyancy units that are defined as a pair of interconnected pouches adapted to removably store a plurality of floatation cells. The pouches are adjustable to the size of the wearer and to the changing size of the pouch as selective floatational cells are removed. The swim training device further provides a new method of training for progressively teaching novice swimmers, especially children, the basic swimming skills.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a training device for teaching children to swim and more particularly to a swim training device which includes a plurality of floatation cells that are removably positioned within a pair of interconnected pouches. The pouches are adjustable to the size of the wearer and to the changing size of the pouch as selective floatational cells are removed. The swim training device further provides a new method of training novice swimmers, especially children.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many types of swim training devices, which are also referred to as swim training aids, are presently in use. The list of such devices consists of buoyancy rings, floatational swim suits, floatational arm bands, water wings, back packs, float boards, and other personal floatational devices. Most of these floatation apparatuses provide means for buoyancy while a student develops swimming skills. Thus, there are many types of swim training aids that incorporate different structural and configurational arrangements. However, the structures of these training devices have features that often restrict their use.
These restrictions cause some devices to become awkward and bulky, thus interfereing with learning, or do not teach skills directly pertinent to those needed for learning to swim. In essence, they can be self-defeating, causing anxiety, confusion, and loss of confidence in the swim training device and/or the student's own abilities Ultimately, the student's safety is jeopardized when he/she must eventually forsake the last of these support devices while possessing only marginal swimming abilities.
Additionally, changing or replacing familiar flotation devices with new ones as the student develops often creates temporary setbacks, loss of confidence, and anxiety while the gap is bridged and the student must relearn using a new system. No current system employs a concealed, measurable (i.e., specific and consistent), and removable buoyancy device that allows the student to develop skills progressively, naturally, and without realizing the fact that he/she is learning.
Although other swim training and buoyancy devices have been used which employ the concept of a removable buoyancy, none have been developed in which the buoyant material is concealed and yet provides a means by which removal thereof can be accomplished in small increments without being noticed by the wearer of the device. At present, there has been nothing developed wherein the buoyant material is specific and numbered, and the density can be measured and recorded to monitor the progress of the wearer. Finally, no device has been developed which includes a program outlining a specific method of use.
Further in this connection, the following are U.S. Pat. Nos. that disclose various types of floatation devices.
1,252,842, LIFE PRESERVER to W. G. Richardson; PA0 1,301,831, LIFE PRESERVER to H. W. Gain; PA0 1,394,180, LIFE PRESERVER to A. P. Lundin; PA0 1,538,627, SWIMMING DEVICE to B. Di Lauro; PA0 1,552,603, FLOAT to B. A. Hawks; PA0 1,704,368, LIFE PRESERVER to J. Murphy; PA0 2,118,165, SELF INFLATING LIFE PRESERVER to E. T. Christopher et al; PA0 2,871,491, SWIM TRAINER to J. Van Vorst; PA0 3,140,549, SWIMMING INSTRUCTION GARMENT to D. J. Wayfield; PA0 3,179,963, BUOYANT SWIMMING VEST to K. Peterson; PA0 3,181,183, LIFE JACKET to M. R. Allen; and PA0 3,903,555, SWIMMING AID to D. H. Busby.
The majority of these patented inventions relate generally to life preservers and swimming aid devices. However, these devices do not provide a simple means for progressively teaching swimming skills to a trainee that allow the trainee to develop at his or her individual rate.


Scavenger compositions are disclosed, which have utility for effecting the sorptive removal of hazardous gases containing Group II-VII elements of the Periodic Table, such as are widely encountered in the manufacture of semiconducting materials and semiconductor devices. Gas sorption processes including the contacting of Group II-VII gaseous compounds with such scavenger compositions are likewise disclosed, together with critical space velocity contacting conditions pertaining thereto. Further described are gas contacting apparatus, including mesh structures which may be deployed in gas contacting vessels containing such scavenger compositions, to prevent solids from being introduced to or discharged from the contacting vessel in the gas stream undergoing treatment. A reticulate heat transfer structure also is disclosed, for dampening localized exothermic reaction fronts when gas mixtures comprising Group II-VII constituents are contacted with the scavenger compositions in bulk sorption contacting vessels according to the invention.

1. Field of The Invention
This invention generally relates to gas sorption compositions, apparatus, and associated processes, for effecting the sorptive removal of hazardous gases containing Group II-VII elements of the Periodic Table, such as are widely encountered in the manufacture of semiconducting materials and semiconductor devices.
2. Description of The Related Art
In the manufacture of semiconducting materials and semiconducting devices, a wide variety of hazardous gases are employed or produced, which comprise compounds containing elements from Groups II-VII of the Periodic Table. As used in such context, the term "gases" will be understood to include vapors as well as gases.
The aforementioned hazardous gases may derive from organometallic source reagents employed as precursor materials for the deposition of elemental metals on the semiconductor substrate, as for example by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. Other hazardous gases are employed in cleaning semiconductor manufacturing equipment such as reactor tubes and susceptors, and/or as etchants for the manufacture of microcircuitry devices.
An illustrative listing of hazardous gas compounds which contain Group II-VII constituent elements and are commonly encountered in the semiconductor industry is set out below.
Group II:
Organic compounds of beryllium, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, and mercury. PA1 Organic compounds of aluminum, gallium, and indium; hydrides of boron. PA1 Silane, and chlorosilanes (SiH.sub.4-x Cl.sub.x, wherein x is an integer whose value is 1 to 4 inclusive); germane; and certain fluorinated etching agents and products. PA1 Hydrides of nitrogen, phosphorus, and arsenic; alkyl arsine and alkyl phosphine compounds. PA1 Hydrides of sulfur, selenium, and tellurium; alkyl selenium and alkyl tellurium compounds. PA1 Hydrogen halides (fluoride, chloride, bromide, and iodide). PA1 (1) carbanions whose corresponding protonated compounds have a pK.sub.a value of from about 22 to about 36; and PA1 (2) anions formed by reaction of the carbanions with the primary component of the mixture.
Group III:
Group IV:
Group V:
Group VI:
Group VII:
The aforementioned gaseous compounds occur in widely varying concentrations in semiconductor manufacturing plants, as constituents of vent gases and effluent streams, which due to the hazardous character of these gaseous compounds must be treated to remove such compounds so that they are not released into the environment.
As a result of the foregoing toxicity and safety considerations, considerable effort has been expended in developing compositions and treatment systems for removing such hazardous gaseous compounds and their constituent Group II-VII elements from gaseous effluents which are discharged by semiconductor manufacturing facilities. See, for example, Y. Abe and H. Sugiyama, "Treatments of Semiconductor Manufacturing Plant Exhaust Gases," PPM, 16[6], 40-52 (1985); L. L. Eiger, "Toxic Gas Monitoring for Chemical Vapor Deposition Process Systems," presented at STEP/SEMI Technical Education Programs "Safety Aspects of Effluents From CVD Process Systems," May 23, 1986; E. Flaherty and R. P. Brook man, "Treatments of Gaseous Effluent from Semiconductor Plants," presented at STEP/SEMI Technical Education Programs "Safety Aspects of Effluents From CVD Process Systems," May 23, 1986; and C. Mistry, Y. Ohno, and T. Urata, "Process in Semiconductor Process Exhaust Gas Treatment Technology in Japan," presented at STEP/SEMI Technical Education Programs "Safety Aspects of Effluents From CVD Process Systems," May 23, 1986.
Among the treatment technologies that have come into usage for removal of Group II-VII elements and compounds from semiconductor plant gaseous effluents are combustion, chemical oxidation, and activated carbon treatment of the effluent streams. Each of these treatment methodologies is discussed in turn below.
In the combustion treatment of semiconductor manufacturing effluent gases, "burn boxes" frequently are employed to achieve substantially complete oxidation of the hazardous gases in the effluents. The resulting oxidized products in the combusted effluent gas stream then are trapped by aqueous scrubbing of the gas stream. Such combustion treatment has the significant disadvantage that large volumes of relatively dilute liquid and solid wastes are produced, as combustion by-products. Further, such combustion is very costly, particularly for small-scale semiconductor manufacturing operations.
Chemical oxidation also has been employed to treat semiconductor plant gaseous effluent streams containing Group II-VII constituents, utilizing aqueous oxidizing agents such as acidic potassium permanganate (KMnO.sub.4) and sodium hypochlorite, to oxidize arsine, phosphine, silane, and diborane, to yield water soluble materials or precipitates. This treatment methodology also suffers the disadvantage of generating large volumes of dilute waste by-products. In addition, since substantial energy is released in these chemical oxidation reactions, explosive conditions can be created, thereby posing a serious risk of damage and injury in the semiconductor manufacturing plant.
The use of activated carbon beds to physically sorb hazardous Group II-VII constituents from semiconductor manufacturing effluent gas streams is well established (see, for example, F. Ito, M. Kobayashi, T. Abe, "Waste Gas Detoxification," Japanese Kokai Tokkyo Koho JP 61/118117A2 [86/118117], June 5, 1986; M. Sugiyam, S. Kudo, H. Okinori, "Agents for Removing Arsenic Compounds," Japanese Kokai Tokkyo Koho JP 60/238144 A2 [85/238144], Nov. 27, 1985; V. M. Bogdanov, Yu. I. Shumyatskii, O. V. Moiseichuk, Z. A. Suchkova, S. P. Neshumova, V. V. Fedorovskaya, G. I. Chugunova, "Removal of Impurities of Phosphine and Arsine from Gases," U.S.S.R. SU 1181692 A1, Sept. 30, 1985; and Calgon Carbon Corporation, "Ventsorb.RTM. for Industrial Air Purification," Bulletin 23-56b-1986).
Nonetheless, activated carbon treatment in such application suffers the disadvantage that the sorptive affinity of activated carbon for the Group II-VII hazardous gas constituents of the semiconductor manufacturing effluent streams is generally relatively low, under normal effluent process (temperature, pressure) conditions. As a result, very large volumes of activated carbon are required to effectively remove the hazardous gas components, in order to achieve concentrations of such hazardous components in the treated gaseous effluent which are below their Threshold Limit Values (TLV).
To meet TLV effluent standards, then, it frequently is necessary to provide massive beds of activated carbon which, in addition to the considerable capital equipment and operating costs associated therewith, are difficult to effectively control and regenerate for optimum usage of the sorbent material.
In prior copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/163,792 filed Mar. 3, 1988 and prior issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,395, the disclosures of which hereby are incorporated by reference herein, there is disclosed a scavenger composition having utility for purifying a gaseous mixture comprising (i) a primary component selected from one or more members of the group consisting of arsine, phosphine, ammonia, and inert gases, and (ii) impurities selected from one or more members of the group consisting of Lewis acids and oxidants. This scavenger composition comprises a support having associated therewith, but not covalently bonded thereto, an anion which is reactive to effect the removal of the impurities from the gaseous mixture, the anion being selected from one or more members of the group consisting of:
There is a continuing need in the art for improved technology to remove hazardous gases containing Group II-VII constituents, as produced in the manufacture of semiconductor materials and devices. Such need is particularly acute in instances where concentrated reagent gases may be released into the ambient environment as a result of reagent container and/or flow circuitry failure.
An example is the situation arising when a gas cylinder of a reagent such as arsine is connected to a manifold by a regulator which is defective, or in use breaks down, resulting in leakage of arsine to the surrounding air. For such instances, there has not been developed any suitable means of "quenching" the arsine leak in any safe and effective manner. Instead, semiconductor manufacturing workers have been forced to don protective apparel and breathing devices and to place the defective regulator and cylinder unit in an exterior environment, for dilution by and dispersal to the ambient atmosphere, and/or in a bath of aqueous potassium permanganate solution. These expedients are highly undesirable. Ambient air discharge may create health and safety concerns as well as constitute air pollution activity which may be violative of legislative or regulatory constraints on hazardous material emissions. Bulk potassium permanganate contacting i also undesirable, due to the resulting highly exothermic reaction of the arsine with potassium permanganate, and the potential for explosion.
It would therefore be a substantial advance in the art to provide gas sorption compositions which may be usefully employed to efficiently remove Group II-VII gaseous constituents produced in semiconductor manufacturing operations, both in bulk quantities at high concentrations, as well as at lower concentrations from gas mixtures containing such Group II-VII constituents.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved compositions useful for treating gases which are employed and/or generated in semiconductor manufacturing operations, comprising Group II-VII constituents.
It is another object of the invention to provide improved process technology for treating such semiconductor manufacturing gases by contact thereof with such compositions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for treatment of semiconductor manufacturing gases, to remove Group II-VII constituents therefrom, thereby yielding gases depleted in such constituents for discharge as final effluent from the semiconductor manufacturing process system.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide apparatus for achieving rapid, safe, and substantially complete removal of bulk leakages or other gross volumes of Group II-VII gaseous compounds at high concentrations.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the ensuing disclosure and the appended claims.

Composition, apparatus, and process, for sorption of gaseous compounds of group II-VII elements