A method of folding a gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system comprises the following steps: first, the gas bag is unfolded between a base and an opposing surface. A spacing is provided between the base and the opposing surface, which corresponds to a height of a housing into which the gas bag is to be inserted after folding. Then, a folding funnel is provided which comprises one end having a large cross-section and one end having a small cross-section, the large cross-section being larger than or equal to a cross-section of the gas bag when unfolded between the base and the opposing surface, and the small cross-section corresponding to a cross-section of the housing; beginning with its large cross-section. Finally, the folding funnel is placed over the unfolded gas bag and moved relative thereto such that the gas bag is pushed together on the base by the folding funnel to the small cross-section.

The invention relates to a method of folding a gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system, as well as to a folded gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system.
Numerous methods are known of translating a gas bag for vehicle occupant restraint system from an unfolded condition into a compact folded condition, in which the gas bag can be accommodated in a housing. In one known method fold tongues are used which are placed on the gas bag and form folding edges along which the gas bag can be folded together. Another known method uses pushers with which the gas bag is pushed together. The drawback of all these methods is the expense in being implemented.
The object of the invention consists in providing a method of folding a gas bag which can be implemented cost-effectively.
According to the invention, a method of folding a gas bag comprises the following steps: firstly, the gas bag is unfolded between a base and an opposing surface, with a spacing being provided between the base and the opposing surface, this spacing corresponding to the height of a housing into which the gas bag is to be inserted after folding. Then, a folding funnel is provided which comprises one end having a large cross-section and one end having a small cross-section, the large cross-section being larger than or equal to a cross-section of the gas bag when unfolded between the base and the opposing surface, and the small cross-section corresponding to a cross-section of the housing. Finally, beginning with its large cross-section, the folding funnel is placed over the unfolded gas bag and moved relative thereto such that the gas bag is pushed together on the base by the folding funnel to the small cross-section. This folding method is thus based on pushing the gas bag together from the outside to the inside. Contrary to the pushers as known from prior art which are shifted in the same direction in which the gas bag is pushed together, the component, i.e. the folding funnel of the method according to the invention is slipped, so-to-speak, past the gas bag; the direction of movement of the folding funnel is roughly perpendicular to the direction in which the wall of the gas bag is pushed together. Due to the special cross-sectional shape of the folding funnel the wall of the gas bag is thereby pushed together from outside to the inside. The special advantage of this method lies in the fact that the gas bag is folded by a linear motion of one component only, namely the folding funnel. Such a motion is very easy to automate. Another advantage of the method according to the invention lies in the fact that practically any contour of the folded gas bag pack can be achieved by the corresponding shape of the small cross-section of the folding funnel at no extra expense whatsoever. When, for example, the housing for accommodating the gas bag has an oval cross-section, the folding funnel is configured with an oval small cross-section. In this way the gas bag is pushed together into a pack likewise having an oval cross-section.
A gas bag according to the invention that can be folded by the method according to the invention comprises a wall with a multitude of chaotically oriented single folds and an upper, substantially flat outer side and a lower, substantially flat outer side, with more single folds being provided in one of the outer sides than in the respective other outer side. This arrangement of single folds results from the relative movement between the folding funnel and the wall of the gas bag; corresponding to the direction of movement of the folding funnel the wall is shifted more strongly to the front outer side of the gas bag, as seen in the direction of movement of the folding funnel, so that the wall in this location becomes pleated.
Advantageous aspects of the invention will be apparent from the sub-claims.

Method of folding a gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system and folded gas bag

TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH and Co. KG


A computing device includes a data store having two or more partitions. A first partition can be used to store information, to host a first operating system, and to perform computing tasks requested by a user. The computing tasks can be performed by the first operating system and can use/manipulate the stored information. The computing device can communicate over a network with a software server to determine whether a software update for the computing device is available for download. The software update can be downloaded into the second partition autonomously from the computing tasks being performed by the first operating system in the first partition. The downloaded software update can also be installed into the second partition autonomously from the computing tasks being performed. When the device is rebooted, either the first operating system or the second operating system (if the installation was successful) can be booted.

Computing devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablet computers are becoming increasingly popular. Periodic updating of software (e.g., firmware updates) for a computing device has become commonplace. Typically, when a user wants to update his/her software, firmware, and/or operating system, the user is prevented from operating the device, but instead, the device focuses only on completing the update. In other words, conventional approaches typically prevent the user from using his/her device when software is being (downloaded and/or) installed. For example, during (the download and/or) the installation of the software, the user cannot use his/her device to surf the Web, check email, send text messages, or purchase goods. Various computing tasks are paused and/or terminated so that the computing device can focus on (downloading and/or) processing and/or installing the downloaded software. Further, the process for undoing an update is often complicated, and in some cases an update cannot be undone without completely reinstalling the previous version and manually making any other necessary changes.

Updating software utilizing multiple partitions


A flow battery comprises a plurality of unit cells each constituted of stacked unit cells each consisting of a prescribed number of stacked diaphragms and positive electrode chambers and negative electrode chambers separated by the diaphragms, a positive electrode fluid tank associated with each unit cell to have its outlet connected with an inlet of the positive electrode chamber of the unit cell and its inlet connected with an outlet of the positive chamber of a immediately preceding unit cell, a negative electrode fluid tank associated with each unit cell to have it outlet connected with an inlet of the negative chamber of the unit cell and its inlet connected with outlet of the negative chamber of an immediately preceding unit cell, a pump for supplying positive electrode fluid from the positive electrode fluid tanks to the positive electrode chambers, a pump for supplying negative electrode fluid from the negative electrode fluid tanks to the negative electrode chambers, and means for electrically connecting the plurality of unit cells in series. The flow battery of this configuration achieves improved charge/discharge coulomb efficiency and voltage efficiency, without reducing pump efficiency, and, by increasing the length, and thus the resistance, of the leakage current path reduces the amount of leakage current.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flow battery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Flow batteries include such types as the fuel cell and the zinc halogen cell. There is also a flow-type storage battery, the redox flow battery, that uses fluid battery active material for both the positive and negative electrodes (positive electrode fluid and negative electrode fluid; collectively referred to as "electrode fluid").
Attempts have been made to improve the charge/discharge efficiency of flow batteries by reducing leakage current. Since leakage current consists mainly of current escaping via the electrolyte path, it can be suppressed by increasing the resistance of the leakage current path. One method that has been used for achieving this is to provide a plurality of lines (a manifold) for the flow of electrolyte in and out of the cells of the cell stack so as, in effect, to lengthen (and increase the resistance of) the leakage current path among the cells. Leakage current has also been reduced by completely subdividing all of the electrode fluid lines and providing each subdivision with a tank and a pump, thereby ensuring zero leakage current between subdivisions. From the viewpoint of structural simplicity and the increased safety from leakage current accidents that this structural simplicity provides, the latter method of completely subdividing the electrode fluid lines is preferable.
However, since the complete subdivision of the electrode fluid lines necessitates the provision of as many small pumps as there are subdivisions, this method is disadvantageous in that it greatly increases the amount of labor required for inspection, maintenance and repair, degrades reliability, and reduces overall pump efficiency by 10% or more. The lowering of the pump efficiency is a particular problem in the case of the flow storage battery, whose charge/discharge energy efficiency is affected on the order of from several percent to several tens of percent by the pump efficiency. A decrease in pump efficiency of 10% or more reduces the overall energy efficiency of the battery by several percent. A drop in energy efficiency of several percent is a major problem in secondary batteries, which are intended for the storage of large amounts electric energy.
The object of this invention is to provide a flow battery that overcomes the aforesaid problems of the prior art, more particularly to a flow battery that achieves improved charge/discharge coulomb efficiency and voltage efficiency, without reducing pump efficiency.

Agency of Industrial Science & Technology, Ministry of International Trade & Industry


The present disclosure relates to a method and system for generating a road network. An embodiment of the present invention provides a method comprising: identifying a target area to be refined in a road network skeleton; and refining the target area using at least one trajectory associated with the target area to generate the road network. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a corresponding system.

The present invention generally relates to a method and system for generating a road network, and more specifically to continuously updating the road network based upon live feedback from location data generating devices.
In connected vehicles, intelligent transportation or location based service (LBS), road network provides fundamental information to support other services. As used herein, the term "road network" used here refers to a kind of map that mainly shows information about roads and traffic routes, rather than natural geographical information and other information. At present, due to restrictions in aspects such as policies, it is hard to freely obtain and use road network information. Traditionally, users must purchase road network data (purchase in lump, or purchase by use times). Therefore, it is desirable to generate and provide road network in a more convenient and flexible way.
In recent years, positioning functions of vehicles and portable computing devices have been constantly enhanced. For example, many devices such as vehicles, mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDA) are all equipped with global positioning systems (GPS) or other navigation/positioning systems. During the process of traveling along a specific route or line, a vehicle or person can continuously or periodically obtain location data representing a plurality of locations. However, currently, there is no method that can generate road network efficiently and accurately using location data such as GPS data while traveling.
First, many users provide their location data voluntarily, but they always do not travel according to pre-planned routes. The uncertainness of routes may cause the location data to be dispersed and irregular. Moreover, the location data provided by the users may have a larger discrepancy and lack basic topological information required for generating a road network. Moreover, the data volume of location data may be rather considerable, which brings challenges to processing speed and efficiency. As a result, it is difficult to generate the road network efficiently and accurately based on dispersed location data.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Generating a road network from location data

International Business Machines Corporation


A metal halide high intensity discharge lamp having an arc tube assembly including a pair of discharge electrodes and a pair of starting electrodes. Each starting electrode is adjacent a respective discharge electrode. During starting, the lamp makes the glow discharge to arc discharge transition in a substantially shorter time than a lamp with a single starting electrode, and exhibits a substantially improved lumen maintenance.

The present invention relates to a metal halide high intensity electric discharge lamp, and more particularly a metal halide lamp having a starting electrode for each of the lamp discharge electrodes, for improving lamp maintenance.
The use of auxiliary starting electrodes in electric discharge lamps is known. For example, a high pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having a pair of auxiliary starting electrodes is disclosed in the book High-Pressure Mercury Vapor Lamps and Their Applications, edited by W. Elenbaas, 1965 at page 114. In this lamp the applied voltage is applied not only across the pair of main discharge electrodes, but across each main discharge electrode-auxiliary electrode pair. The applied voltage causes a glow discharge and local ionization in the gap between a main discharge electrode and its adjacent auxiliary electrode, and the electrons thus produced are accelerated between the main discharge electrodes until an arc discharge is fully developed.
Generally, electric discharge lamps use only a single auxiliary electrode. Lamp ballasts have become sufficiently reliable to reliably start discharge lamps, the second auxiliary electrode was dispensed with, and today only a single auxiliary electrode is used. Thus, the standard work on discharge lamp technology, Electric Discharge Lamps by John Waymouth, 1971, teaches the use of a single auxiliary electrode in both high pressure mercury vapor discharge lamps and metal halide discharge lamps.
The use of two starting electrodes in the prior art was solely for the purpose of facilitating starting. Both Austrian Patent No. 242,239 issued Sept. 10, 1965 and Swiss Patent No. 481,550 issued Dec. 31, 1969 disclose discharge lamps having a pair of starting electrodes. In both patents the disclosed improvements relate to lamp starting, and there is no suggestion that the pair of starting electrodes had any other purpose or effect than to improve starting. Moreover, neither of these patents teach the use of two starting electrodes in a metal halide lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,397 issued Sept. 27, 1966 discloses a method for processing discharge lamp arc tube assemblies. An arc tube assembly comprises a discharge tube having a pair of discharge electrodes and a pair of auxiliary electrodes. The discharge tube is filled with an inert starting gas, mercury and a metal halide additive. According to the disclosed method an electrical discharge is first developed between the discharge electrodes for driving off occluded gases. Next, an electric discharge is developed between the refractory metal starting electrodes for gettering gaseous impurities within the discharge tube. Thereafter, the arc tube assembly is installed in a finished lamp. There is no suggestion to install the processed arc tube assembly in a lamp so that both starting electrodes are operative.
The problem of improving the lumen maintenance of metal halide lamps is a continuing one. The highly reactive atmosphere within the discharge tube of a metal halide lamp inevitably leads to the deterioration of the discharge electrodes, and to the deposition of material on the discharge envelope walls which darken it. Additionally, these lamps contain sodium as a principal light emitting material, and sodium loss during lamp operation contributes to deterioration in lumen maintenance.

Metal halide lamp with dual starting electrodes and improved maintenance


An indoor unit for an air conditioner capable of performing cooling and heating, as well as ventilation functions as a single unit is provided. The indoor unit includes a main chassis, a ventilation port, a cross-flow fan, a side fan, and a ventilation duct. The main chassis is installed on a mounting portion and composing its exterior. The ventilation port formed to pass through the main chassis for inletting and exhausting air. The cross-flow fan is installed on one side of the main chassis to blow air in a direction perpendicular to its rotating shaft. The side fan is formed next to the cross-flow fan. The ventilation duct is connected to the ventilation port of the main chassis to ventilate the air forcibly blown by the side fan.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an indoor unit for an air conditioner with an added ventilation feature. More specifically, the present invention relates to a wall mount air conditioner unit that offers users a new level of freshness via an additional ventilation feature.
2. Description of the Related Art
An air conditioner is a device for maintaining optimized inside air according to purpose. For example, in the case where inside air becomes high temperature in summer, the air conditioner blows wind of low temperature to cool down the inside. On the contrary, in winter, the air conditioner blows warm wind of high temperature to heat the inside air. Other features of air conditioners include humidity control of interior air, and recently encompasses a variety of features, such as interior air purification.
The air conditioners are roughly divided into an integral type and a separation type. An integral type air conditioner has one unit as a whole and a separation type air conditioner separately has an indoor unit installed inside a space that needs air-conditioning and an outdoor unit installed in the outside. Particularly, recently, a separation type air conditioner is widely used considering noise and installation environment of an air conditioner.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a separation type air conditioner of a related art and FIG. 2 is a view illustrating air is sucked into and discharged from an indoor unit of a separation type air conditioner of a related art.
Referring to the drawings, a main chassis 1 forms a frame of an indoor unit. The main chassis 1 has a front panel 3 formed on a front side thereof to form the outer appearance of the indoor unit. The main chassis 1 having the front panel 3 is mounted on a wall in the inside.
A space in which parts that will be described below are mounted is formed between the main chassis 1 and the front panel 3.
In the meantime, the outer appearance of the indoor unit formed by the main chassis 1 and the front panel 3 is protruded toward the front side as a whole as illustrated in FIG. 1.
A suction panel 7 having a front suction grill 5 is provided on the front of the front panel 3 to form a front appearance of the indoor unit. A hinge member (not shown) is provided at the upper end of the suction panel 7 to allow the suction panel 7 to rotate.
The front suction grill 5 is a path through which air sucked from a space that needs air-conditioning is sucked into the inside of the indoor unit. The front suction grill 5 is integrally formed with the suction panel 7. In the meantime, an upper suction grill 3′ is formed long left and right on the upper side of the front panel 3. The upper suction grill 3′ is integrally formed with the front panel 3 or separately formed.
A heat exchanger 9 is installed at the back of the front panel 3. The heat exchanger 9 allows air sucked through the front suction grill 5 and the upper suction grill 3′ to exchange heat while passing through the exchanger 9. A filter 9′ for purifying sucked air is installed on the front of the heat exchanger 9.
A cross-flow fan 10 is installed at the back of the heat exchanger. The cross-flow fan 10 sucks air from a space that needs air-conditioning and discharges air back to the space that needs air-conditioning. A fan motor 10′ for providing rotational power to the cross-flow fan 10 is installed on the right side of the cross-flow fan 10 and a member for guiding flow created by the cross-flow fan 10 is further integrally formed in the inside of the main chassis 1.
In the meantime, air that has heat-exchanged while passing through the heat exchanger 9 is discharged to a space that needs air-conditioning through the cross-flow fan 10. For that purpose, a discharge grill 11 is installed at the lower end of the main chassis 1 and the front panel 3.
In the meantime, a discharge port 13 for guiding air that has passed through the cross-flow fan 10 to a space that needs air-conditioning is formed in the inside of a discharge grill 11.
A vane 15 for vertically controlling the direction of discharged air and a louver for horizontally controlling the direction of discharged air are installed in the inside of the discharge port 13. The louver 16 is provided in plurals and the louvers 16 are connected to each other by a link 17 to operate simultaneously.
Also, a display part 19 for displaying an operation state of an air conditioner is provided at an about center on the lower portion of the front panel 3.
Description will be made for the air conditioner having the above-described construction and operating in a cooling mode.
When the air conditioner operates, air for air-conditioning is sucked into the inside of an indoor unit by the cross-flow fan 11. That is, air is sucked into the inside of the indoor unit through the front suction grill 5 and the upper suction grill 3′ to pass through the heat exchanger 9.
The air that has passed through the heat exchanger 9 exchanges heat with working fluid flowing in the inside of the heat exchanger 9.
The air that has exchanged heat with the heat exchanger 9 becomes relatively low temperature and is sucked into the cross-flow fan 10. The air sucked into the cross-flow fan 10 is discharged to the lower direction and guided to the side of the discharge port 13.
The air guided to the inside of the discharge port 13 changes a discharging direction thereof using the vane 15 and the louver 16 installed inside the discharge port 13 and is discharged to a space that needs air-conditioning through the discharge grill 13. At this point, since the vane 15 and the louver 16 allow the discharged air to be distributed vertically and horizontally, the air is uniformly discharged to the space that needs air-conditioning.
To fix the heat exchanger 9, a fixing bracket 8 is provided to the left of the main chassis 1 and a fixing end 8′ that corresponds to a screw-coupling end 9a of the heat exchanger 9 is provided to the right of the main chassis 1. A screw-coupling hole 8″ should be punched in the inside of the fixing end 8′.
A receiving groove 8a for receiving a left end of the heat exchanger 9 is formed on the front side and the upper side of the fixing bracket 8. Hookers 8b for hooking and fixing a left hairpin 9c of the heat exchanger 9 are protruded in the inside of the receiving groove 8a.
A screw through hole 9b that corresponds to the screw-coupling hole 8″ is punched in the inside of the screw-coupling end 9a of the heat exchanger 9.
The heat exchanger 9 is fixed by fixing the fixing bracket 8 in the left of the main chassis 1 using a screw S. At this point, the receiving groove 8a of the fixing bracket 8 is open toward the right side.
When the hairpin 9c of the heat exchanger 9 is inserted into the receiving groove 8a of the fixing bracket 8, the hairpin 9c is hooked at and fixed in the hooker 8b of the inside of the receiving groove 8a. At this point, the left end of the heat exchanger 9 is fixed first.
After that, the right side of the heat exchanger 9, more specifically, the screw-coupling end 9a is closed attached to the fixing end 8′ of the main chassis 1 and the screen through hole 9b is coupled to the screw-coupling hole 8″ using a screw S, so that the heat exchanger 9 is fixed to the main chassis 1.
However, related art indoor units have the following problems.
First, because related art air conditioners cool or heat closed indoor spaces for a long durations, the air confined in the spaces becomes stale. In other words, because air from the outside is not drawn in and interior air is not expelled out, while a desired indoor temperature can be obtained using the air conditioner, clean air cannot. Moreover, a separate ventilation unit needs to be installed to ventilate the stale air. Installing such a ventilator alongside an air conditioner involves added cost and use of additional interior space.


A system and method for operating a Telnet client to establish a network connection with a Telnet server. Environment parameters are negotiated for establishing a connection-oriented connection of the client to the server, the parameters optionally including a request for the server to provide a custom confirmation record. Responsive to that request, the server provides a custom confirmation record to the client selectively including default or defined custom information generated according to a customer provided exit program.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to connection oriented client/server negotiation protocols. More specifically, it pertains to Telnet negotiation protocols for display and printer sessions allowing transfer of default or defined custom information within a confirmation record at the request of the client.
2. Background Art
There is a need in the art to enable a Telnet client when attempting to connect to a Telnet server to obtain connection status information including, for example, why did a connection request fail; why did a client auto-sign-on request fail; or what is the name of the virtual terminal display device assigned to this client. Auto-sign-on requests may fail, for example, because of an incorrect password or profile, a disabled or unknown profile, required encryption, expired user, and so forth.
This traditional Telnet support is accomplished in accordance with the following suite of Network Working Group Request for Comments (RFCs): Postel, J. and J. Reynolds, "Telnet Protocol Specification", STD 8, RFC 854, May 1983; Postel, J. and J. Reynolds, "Telnet Option Specifications", STD 8, RFC 855, May 1983; Postel, J. and J. Reynolds, "Telnet Binary Transmission", STD 27, RFC 856, May 1983; VanBokkeln, J., "Telnet Terminal-Type Option", RFC 1091, February 1989; Postel, J. and J. Reynolds, "Telnet End of Record Option", RFC 885, December 1983; Alexander, S., "Telnet Environment Option", RFC 1572, January 1994; Chmielewski, P., "5250 Telnet Interface", RFC 1205, February 1991; Postel, J. and J. Reynolds, "Telnet Supress Go Ahead Option", STD 29, RFC 858, May 1983; and Reynolds, J. and J. Postel, "Assigned Numbers", STD 2, RFC 1700, October 1994.
The above suite of referenced RFCs jointly and severely fall short of providing an understanding of why a connection request has failed, and such is needed in the art to enable a client to correct the problem and retry a connection request such that it will be successful.
Similarly, when a connection request has succeeded, the client may need to know additional information, such as the name of the virtual terminal display device assigned to this client. Knowing the device name of a client connection is useful for audit logging, billing and error analysis for connected clients. Heretofore, screen scraping technology has been employed to acquire such a device name, relying on the screen layout to analyze the location of the device name on the screen. If the sign-on panel is altered such that the device name is in a different location, screen scraping fails. Also, this screen scraping technology does not work when the sign-on panel is bypassed.
In a client/server network, both client terminal and printer emulators often connect to a server on a host system. This host system can do different kinds of processing on the client session request based on client information, such as IP address, terminal or printer device requested, and auto-signon information. Some of the things that can be done include: accept or deny the connection based on the IP address or port; allow or disallow access to the request display or printer device for authority reasons, or switch the name of the requested device; route the client session to a particular sub-system on the host for processing, such as for workload balancing or language support; perform auto-signon services for the client, bypassing the logon screen; perform audit and security logging on the connection request; associate a client session with other client sessions running on the host, such as associating printer with a display session; and run a custom exit program to do "anything" the system owner desires.
It is often desirable to return the result of this processing to the client emulator. The client emulator can take advantage of information in various ways. Some of these include: post the name of the assigned terminal or printer device that was allocated by the host; post the name of an associated terminal or printer device that was linked to this session by the host; when printing, the client will know where (which printer, what building, what room) output can be picked up; tell the client what kind of security level the system is running, and which kind of password encryption is required; if a particular request, such as for device name, is rejected, retry with another device; if auto-signon is failing, client would like some indication why, such as password expired, profile disabled, no such profile, system lockout—so the problem can be automatically fixed; if system is overloaded, client would like to know session connection request was denied for workload reasons, such as off-peak hours, to try later or be redirected to another host; and read and interpret any custom information sent by the server side exit program.
These are only some of the possible things a client emulator could exploit, and there are many custom applications that could be done simply if both the server and the client could run exit programs on the session connection request. However, none of this can be done without a mechanism to return the results of this processing from the server to the client emulator. There is a need, therefore, in the art to allow client emulators to request that custom information be returned by the server thereby allowing the customers to exploit custom solutions between clients and servers.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an improved system and method for client/server session connection.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved system and method for establishing a client/server connection.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved system and method for negotiating a client/server connection in a connection-oriented protocol.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and method allowing customers to exploit custom solutions between clients and servers.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and method for enabling client emulators to request that custom information be returned by servers.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and method for exploiting confirmation records technology to enable clients to receive custom information from servers during session connection.

Server display confirmation record response in a connection oriented client/server protocol


The invention concerns a method for protecting metal products against corrosion, characterised in that it consists in applying directly on the metal products, that is without prior treatment, a composition consisting at least of a film-forming binder, at least a corrosion inhibiting additive reactive with metal and at least an oligomer additive bearing phosphonic acids. The inventive composition is characterised in that it comprises a film-forming binder, at least a corrosion inhibiting additive reactive with metal and at least an oligomer additive bearing phosphonic acids.

The present invention concerns novel macromolecular compounds, their synthesis and their use in mixture with a binder, particularly for paints usable for protecting metal surfaces against corrosion.
Polymers or copolymers bearing phosphonate groups or fluorine groups are already known. Substances of this kind, described more particularly in BE Pat. 09400881, are obtained from a halogenated polymer and/or copolymer activated by at least one peroxide and/or hydroperoxide function, to which at least one phosphonate chain is attached by means of an unsaturated monomer.
The substances described in said patent do protect metal surfaces, but they have many disadvantages.
A first disadvantage of the substances described in the prior art is they must be synthesized from a base material such as a halogenated polymer and/or copolymer of the type of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), which is available commercially. Commercial chemicals, however, are highly elaborated and therefore very expensive, thus increasing the cost of the end product.
Another disadvantage is that the polymer and/or copolymer is thermoplastic and therefore sensitive to heat.
A third disadvantage is that activation techniques employing electron beams or ozone are onerous processes.
Yet another disadvantage is that with the materials described in the above-cited document, it is impossible to modulate the protection period of the metal.
In industry, protection for metal parts is desired as a temporary measure, prior to use, or for longer periods of time, depending on the subsequent use of the parts. For instance, it is desirable to be able to store protected parts for periods that can vary by a few months and then be able to use them.
Also known are polymers or copolymers bearing phosphonate groups, film-forming groups and crosslinkable groups.
The state of the art with regard to the synthesis of phosphorus-containing copolymers can be summarized as follows:
phosphate monomers, which are acrylates of the following formula
described in the patents
U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,291 (Nihon Parkerizing Co.),
PCT WO 88/02 382 (DuPont de Nemours),
EPA 0 221 498 (Johnson et Son),
EPA 0 376 591 (Rohm and Haas),
EPA 0 458 245 A1 (Nippon Paint Co.).
The disadvantages of these materials are, first, their instability with regard to hydrolysis (Cxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94P bond) and the fact that their double-bond reactivity functionality is higher than 1, which naturally excludes them from the domain of solvated paints.
phosphonated monomers, which are of several types:
which are described in the patents:
DP 2 232 711 (Stauffer Chem.)
EPA 0 069 31.8 (Hoechst)
Their principal disadvantage, apart from price, is their very poor polymerization reactivity.
styrene monomers:
which are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,740 (Monsanto).
The disadvantage of these materials is their intricate and costly synthesis.
acrylate monomers
described in the patents:
EPA 0 278 029 (Dow Chemical)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,003 (Dow Chemical),
which may result in chemically unstable end products. In addition, the use and disposal of aldehydes, especially formol, which is a necessity for synthesis, are deprecated for environmental reasons.
fluorophosphonates
CF2xe2x95x90CFxe2x80x94(CF2)xxe2x80x94PO(OH)2
described in the patent EPA 0 398 250 (Daikin).
Their disadvantages are poor radical-polymerization reactivity and very complex preliminary synthesis.
Ordinary paints are composed of a film-forming agent, which forms a film of one or more solvents, pigments and/or colorants on the metal and which hardens at ambient temperature or above. These paints are applied to the metal directly when it is free of oxidation, impurities and/or dirt or after it has undergone an anticorrosion treatment, for example phosphating followed by chromating. The chemicals used for such anticorrosion treatment contain toxic heavy-metal derivatives and highly volatile solvents. Such treatments are therefore harmful both to human health and to the environment.
The following patents can also be cited as belonging to the prior art:
EP 0 516 346, which describes a method for synthesizing certain telomers in an aqueous medium and provides for phosphorus-containing additives.
EP 0 277 711, which cites a few substituent phosphonic groups of polyesters somewhat randomly, without any specific intentions; moreover, it is primarily amines rather than phosphonates that are being sought.
EP 0 035 316, which alludes to mineral zinc phosphate additives rather than organic phosphonates.
The present invention concerns a treatment method and a composition that has the property of ensuring anticorrosion protection and adherence to metal but eliminates the need for prior treatment, particularly the anticorrosion treatments of phosphating and chromating.
To this end, the invention concerns a method for protecting metal articles against corrosion, characterized in that it consists in applying to the metal articles directly, i.e., without prior treatment of any kind, a composition formed, at the least, of a film-forming binder, at least one corrosion-inhibiting additive reactive with metal, and at least one oligomer additive bearing phosphonic acids.
According to other characteristics of this method:
metal articles to be treated whose surfaces are excessively oxidized but not scaled are subjected to coarse brushing to reduce their surface oxidation to a low value that is not necessarily zero, and the composition is then applied to them;
metal articles to be treated whose surfaces are excessively greasy are subjected to coarse cleaning to reduce their surface grease to a low value that is not necessarily zero, and the composition is then applied to them.
The invention also concerns a composition for protecting metal articles against corrosion, comprising a binder and at least one additive, characterized in that it comprises a film-forming binder, at least one corrosion-inhibiting additive reactive with metal, and at least one oligomer additive bearing phosphonic acids.
According to other characteristics of this composition:
it further comprises one or more pigment additives;
it further comprises one or more wetting agents;
the wetting agent includes at least one component selected from the following:
ethoxylated alkyl and aryl phosphonates,
fluorocarbon derivatives,
perfluoroalkylated ammonium sulfonate,
perfluoroalkylated potassium sulfonate,
perfluoroalkylated alcohol amino sulfonate
perfluoroalkylated acrylate
the additives bear a polymer chain compatible with the binder;
the additives are statistical copolymers having blocks or grafts that bear sequences or grafted components compatible with the binder;
the additives are copolymers of at least one monomer compatible with the binder and of at least one phosphonated monomer;
the monomer compatible with the binder is chain-polymerizable and is selected from methacrylic acrylic, styrene, vinyl chloride, vinyl fluoride and vinyl ester monomers;
the monomer compatible with the binder is selected from polycondensable monomers, diols and epoxide diacids;
it includes phosphonic acid groups;
the reactivity additive is a phosphonate or a phosphate whose molecular chains are either hydrocarbonated, fluorinated or chlorofluorinated;
the reactivity additive includes at least one component selected from:
alkyl acid phosphones and phosphonates,
phosphoric acids,
aminotrimethylene phosphonic acid,
1-hydroxyethylidene-1-1-diphosphonic acid,
ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid,
hexamethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid,
diethylene triamine pentamethylene phosphonic acid.
The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, provided solely as an indicative and nonrestrictive example. The following substances may be cited among those used in the formulations of the inventive composition:
A) Film-forming Binders
These are homopolymers and copolymers obtained from unsaturated monomers used in paints. Said monomers are vinyl, acrylic, styrene, dienic, halogenated or nonhalogenated monomers well known to those skilled in the art.
In the case of reactive binders, the reactivity is most often supplied by carboxylic acid groups, but it can also be supplied by phosphonate groups, which makes the binders more compatible with the additives of the invention.
The phosphonic groups are supplied by monomers that will be described below in connection with the reactive additives.
B) Reactive Additives
These are molecular or macromolecular compounds of low molar mass (less than a few thousand, and preferably close to one thousand).
In addition, these additives all bear phosphorus-containing groups (preferably phosphonic groups), and their primary purpose is to react with metal at its surface. At least one acid function (Pxe2x80x94OH) is therefore necessary.
Three major classes of additives can be contemplated:
Phosphonated alkanes or alkenes
These substances have one or more phosphonic groups at their chain ends and/or within the chain.
The following formulas are possible:
Monophosphonic compounds:
CnH2n+1xe2x80x94Qxe2x80x94PO(OR)2
CnF2n+1xe2x80x94C2H4xe2x80x94Qxe2x80x94PO(OR)2
where Q=nil or SCxH2x and x=2.3
Hxe2x80x94(M)nxe2x80x94PO(OR)2
M=C2F4, C2F3Cl, C3F6, C2F2H2
R=H or alkyl in all cases.
diphosphonic and telechelic compounds
(RO)2OPxe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94PO(OR)2
Zxe2x80x2xe2x80x94N[CH2xe2x80x94PO(OR)2]2
where: R=H, alkyl
Zxe2x80x2 similar to the groups previously described with regard to monophosphonic compounds,
Z=alkylenes or arylenes derived from nonconjugated dienes (divinylbenzene or 1-5-hexadiene, for example)
polyphosphonic compounds:
Structures may contain plural phosphonic groups (xe2x89xa72). For example, with PBHT as the starting material, the following formula is obtained:
where R=H or alkyl
References:
Polymer Bulletin 41, 145-151 (1998),
Grafting phosphonated thiol on hydroxy telechelic polybutadiene (Bernard Boutevin, Yves Hervaud, Gxc3xa9rard Moutedous) [citation sic].
All-phosphonic statistical telomers and cotelomers
The structures are as follows, respectively:
Rxe2x80x94M1)nxe2x80x94X where nxe2x89xa72
and
Rxe2x80x94(M1)xxe2x80x94(M2)yxe2x80x94X where nxe2x89xa72 (statistical)
The phosphonic groups are supplied either by vinyl, allyl, acrylic or styrene monomers or by telogenic agents (Rxe2x80x94X) of the phosphonate type (alkyl or haloalkyl).
The M2 comonomers are all those generally used in copolymerization, which are well known to those skilled in the art; some examples are:
where R=H, alkyl from vinyl acetate
where R=H, alkyl from allyl acetate
Starting with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and phosphonated methyl methacrylate (MAPHOS), radical seeding results, after hydrolysis, in statistical copolymers of the following formula:
Block phosphonic cotelomers.
Recent advances in controlled radical polymerization have provided access to block copolymers (see xe2x80x9cSynthesis of Block Copolymers by Radical Polymerization and Telomerization,xe2x80x9d Advances in Polymer Science, Vol. 127, pp. 88-112, B. Amxc3xa9duri, B. Boutevin and Ph. Gramain, Ecole Nationale Supxc3xa9rieure de Chimie de Montpellier, URA 1193 CNRS 8, rue Ecole Normale, 34053 Montpellier Cedex France).
In the case of methacrylic derivatives, two methods have been used:
atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP).
Example with MMA and MAPHOS:
from thiuranes, cotelomers similar to the foregoing are obtained as follows:
(Living radical polymerization of MMA in the presence of piperidinodithiocarbamate derivatives as photoiniferters (cf. Denis Bertin, Bernard Boutevin, Philippe Gramain, Jean-Marc Fabre and Claude Montginoul
Laboratoire de Chimie Appliquxc3xa9e, UPRES A 50760, Ecole Nationale Supxc3xa9rieure de Chimie de Montpellierxe2x80x94Laboratoire de Chimie Structurale Organique, UPRES A 50760, Universitxc3xa9 Montpellier II, Eup. Polym. J. Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 85-90, 1998, Elsevier Science Ltd.) [citation sic]
C) Anticorrosion Additives
modified zinc, calcium or strontium orthophosphate,
modified zinc or aluminum orthophosphate,
modified organic zinc orthophosphate,
modified zinc or molybdenum orthophosphate,
phosphate, zinc silicate, modified hydrated aluminum,
modified zinc, calcium, aluminum or strontium polyphosphate,
etc.
D) Other Additives
Mineral Pigments:
Aluminum, mica, glass flakes, talc, titanium oxide, iron oxides, barium sulfate, chrome green, graphite, silicas, silicates, etc.
Organic Pigments:
Quinacridones, pyrazolone, isonidoline, quinophthalone, phthalocyanine, indatone, etc.
Surfactants:
ethoxylated alkyl and aryl phosphates,
fluorocarbon derivatives,
perfluoroalkyl ammonium sulfonate,
perfluoroalkyl potassium sulfonate,
perfluoroalkyl aminoalcohol sulfonate,
perfluoroalkyl acrylate.
The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, provided solely as an indicative and nonrestrictive example.
The invention simplifies the use of paints and coatings and utilizes synergies among the properties of the binders and additives used. In particular, if the binder has good barrier properties and the additive has very good adherence to metal, the resulting materials have excellent corrosion-resistance properties.
Since interpolymer compatibility is a relatively rare characteristic, the polymers that are combined are of the same kind or are very similar, i.e., differing with respect to molecular size or composition, which in most cases is related to the composition of the binder, although they can have some new units.
Phosphonated monomers bear a polymerizable double bond and a phosphonic group, joined to the side chain of the monomer by a Cxe2x80x94P bond. Similarly, polycondensable monomers have a phosphonate group connected to the side chain of the monomer by a Cxe2x80x94P bond.
Examples include styrene monomers of the formula:
in which R and Rxe2x80x2 are similar or different and equal.
Other examples that can be cited are acrylic monomers of the formula:
in which R and Rxe2x80x2 are similar or different.
Q=
CH2xe2x80x94CH2
(CH2)2xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94(CH2)3
Reaction additives can also be obtained by the chemical modification of commercial oligomers such as PBHT, from Atochem,
where Z=nil or Sxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH2.
All the phosphonated additives described above are effective only in acid form.
The chemical transformation of phosphonic esters, whether on monomers or on copolymers, is well known to those skilled in the art and can be performed, in an acidic or basic medium, to obtain phosphonic monoacids, or, using halosilanes, to prepare phosphonic diacids according to the following reaction:
The following description, provided in regard to nonrestrictively annexed examples, will furnish a better understanding of how the invention can be put to use.

Method for protecting metals against corrosion and non-polluting reactive composition therefor


A management system includes an information processing apparatus that stores management information about cartridges that store consumables and is configured to update the stored management information, and an image forming apparatus configured to print an image on a sheet using the consumables stored in an attached cartridge, storing cartridge information about a cartridge that has been previously attached to the image forming apparatus, and configured to, when a cartridge is attached, retrieve cartridge information from the attached cartridge as first cartridge information and the stored cartridge information as second cartridge information, and transmit the first and second cartridge information to the processing apparatus. Upon receipt of the cartridge information, the processing apparatus determines whether the attached cartridge is a refilled cartridge, and if so, updates the management information so that the cartridge is identified as a refilled cartridge. The processing apparatus transmits a determination result to the image forming apparatus.

In recent years, image forming apparatuses have been developed for managing information about consumables used thereby. For example, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag is attached to a toner cartridge for storing information on the toner. However, such information has been limited to be read by the image forming apparatus alone. Therefore, it has been difficult for a manufacturer or a maintenance provider of image forming apparatuses to monitor the conditions of the consumables and provide timely offers for services related to the consumables.

Management system and information management method


A tube weld mill comprising a plurality of successively disposed roll stands to form a strip to a desired generally tubular configuration and a weld means to weld together the adjacent edges of the thus formed strip, each roll stand having a pair of co-operating rolls, a drive transmission to transmit a rotary drive from a driving means to each of said rolls, means removably to secure at least one of said roll stands to a base, means to disconnect said drive from the roll stand to permit of removal of a roll stand from the base and replacement by the same or another roll stand and the drive transmission permitting said disconnection to be performed at a fixed location independent of variation in the separation of the axes of rotation of the rolls of the roll stand.

This invention relates to a tube weld mill comprising a plurality of successively disposed roll stands to form a strip to a desired generally tubular configuration and a weld means to weld together the adjacent edges of the thus formed strip to produce a seam welded tube. The tube weld mill preferably has a further plurality of roll stands downstream of the rolling mill to size the tube and/or form the tube to a desired final section. The tube weld mill also preferably has a scarfing means to remove any external weld bead and an ironing pass.
It is necessary to change the rolls of at least one of the roll stands to adapt the machine to produce different sizes of tube or other profile and/or to handle different sizes of strip.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus comprising a plurality of successively disposed roll stands in which roll changes are facilitated.


A method of planarizing a substrate includes forming a conductive pattern on a first surface of a base substrate, forming a positive photoresist layer on the base substrate and the conductive pattern, exposing the positive photoresist layer to light by irradiating a second surface of the base substrate opposite to the first surface with light, developing the positive photoresist layer to form a protruded portion on the conductive pattern, forming a planarizing layer on the base substrate and the protruded portion and eliminating the protruded portion.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments relate to a method of planarizing a substrate and a method of manufacturing a thin film transistor using the method of planarizing a substrate. More particularly, exemplary embodiments relate to a method of planarizing a substrate to improve the reliability of a manufacturing process and a method of manufacturing a thin film transistor using the method of planarizing a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a display apparatus includes an array substrate having a switching element and an opposite substrate facing the array substrate. The switching element includes a gate electrode electrically connected to a gate line, a semiconductor layer insulated from the gate electrode, a source electrode electrically connected to a data line and the semiconductor layer, and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode and electrically connected to the semiconductor layer.
The array substrate and the switching element include a plurality of layers. When an upper surface of a layer is uneven, a pattern formed on the uneven surface may have a portion that is disconnected, so that the reliability of the display apparatus may decrease.
In addition, when the array substrate and the opposite substrate are not planarized, the cell gap between the array substrate and the opposite substrate is not uniform, so that a stain may be generated on the display panel. Thus, the display quality of the display apparatus may be deteriorated.

Method of planarizing substrate and method of manufacturing thin film transistor using the same


A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method may include forming an interlayer insulating layer on a structure with a cell region and a peripheral circuit region, forming a first mask layer on the interlayer insulating layer, forming trenches in the first mask layer exposing the interlayer insulating layer by patterning the first mask layer on the peripheral circuit region, and forming key mask patterns in the trenches. An etch selectivity of the first mask patterns with respect to the interlayer insulating layer may be greater than that of the key mask patterns with respect to the interlayer insulating layer.

1. Field
Methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to fabricating a semiconductor device and more particularly, fabricating a semiconductor device including a capacitor.
2. Description of Related Art
As semiconductor devices become more highly integrated, a capacitor having sufficient capacitance in a limited area is advantageous. The capacitance of a capacitor is proportional to a surface area of an electrode and a dielectric constant of dielectric film and is inversely proportional to an equivalent oxide thickness of the dielectric film. In methods for increasing the capacitance of a capacitor in a limited area, a surface area of an electrode may be increased by forming a capacitor of a three dimensional structure, an equivalent oxide thickness of dielectric film may be reduced and a dielectric film having a high dielectric constant may be used.
In methods that increase the surface area of electrode, a height of a lower electrode (or a storage electrode) may be increased, an effective surface area of a lower electrode using a hemi-spherical grain (HSG) may be enlarged and an inside area and an outside area of cylinder using one cylinder storage (OCS) electrode may be used. As a dielectric film having a high dielectric constant, there may be a metal oxide film such as TiO2 and Ta2O5 or a ferroelectric of perovskite structure.

Method of fabricating semiconductor devices


A coin supply device includes a conveyor belt and a separating roller disposed above the conveyor belt. Upper coins of two or more overlapping coins are pushed back and separated by the separating roller rotating in a direction opposite to that of the conveyor belt. The lowermost coin is allowed to pass beneath the separating roller, and is fed to a pay-out hopper apparatus after passing under a coin sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin supply device, and more particularly to a device for supplying coins to a coin-operated gaming machine in order to play a game.
2. Description of Related Art
In coin-operated gaming machines such as slot machines, a coin or token must be inserted in a coin inlet before a game can begin. At least one coin is required to play one game. To increase the number of prize-winning lines for the purpose of increasing the probability of winning a prize, or to increase the odds for a dividend of a prize, two or three coins are inserted.
In conventional slot machines, it is necessary for the player to insert at least one coin manually, coin by coin for each game, which is a highly laborious operation. To automate the supply of coins to the slot machine, there has been proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publ. No. 2-57284 a coin supply apparatus in which a rather great number of coins are put in a coin-receiving portion at one time, and coins are thereafter fed automatically one by one before each game. Coins put in the coin receiving portion of this coin supply apparatus are supplied to a hopper device, which is actuated before a game is played. A coin fed from this hopper device is detected by a coin sensor, and thereafter enters a hopper apparatus provided for pay-out in the event of a win. The slot machine is thereby in a state in which the coin has been supplied to the slot machine.
However, the hopper device of the coin supply apparatus described in the above document includes a revolving member having recesses formed on its periphery for receiving the respective coins in order to feed the successively. This coin supply apparatus therefore still suffers from the disadvantage that it must be large in size.

Coin supply device for coin-operated gaming machine


On a semiconductor substrate (1), there are laminated a light emitting layer forming portion (11) having at least an n-type layer (3) and a p-type layer (5) and a window layer (6), and a semiconductor laminating portion (12) is formed. On a surface thereof, a step free current blocking layer (10) is partially provided, so that a surface of the current blocking layer and the surface of the semiconductor laminating portion are flat. An upper electrode (8) is formed thereon in an area larger than that of the current blocking layer (10), and a lower electrode (9) is provided on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate (1). As a result, there can be provided a semiconductor light emitting device with structure such that there is no need to place an etching process in the middle of an epitaxial growth process, and the reliability of electrode can be improved without a step being produced at a portion at which the upper electrode is formed and a method thereof.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor light emitting device structured to acquire a light at the surface side of a light emitting layer forming portion at which a semiconductor layer is laminated to form a light emitting layer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a semiconductor light emitting device structured to enable reduction of an effect of light interruption caused by an upper electrode and improvement of acquisition efficiency (external differential quantum efficiency) of the emitting light to the outside.
In a semiconductor light emitting device structured so that an upper electrode is provided on the surface of a semiconductor laminating portion and a light is emitted from the upper side thereof, the light is interrupted at the upper electrode thereof, and the light cannot be efficiently acquired. Moreover, a current flows from the upper electrode to a lower electrode, and thus, the current particularly concentrates at the lower side of the upper electrode, causing strong light emission at the lower side of the upper electrode. Therefore, there is a problem that the strongly emitted light cannot be efficiently acquired, the light at the outer periphery of a chip with its weak light emission is acquired without being interrupted by the electrode, and an acquisition ratio relevant to light emission quantity (external differential quantum efficiency) is low. In order to solve such a problem, for example, as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, a design is made such that a current is oriented from the upper electrode to the outer periphery without flowing such current to the lower side of the upper electrode.
In a structure shown in FIG. 3A, on a semiconductor substrate 21 consisting of an n-type GaAs, for example, there are epitaxially grown: an n-type clad layer 22 made of an n-type InGaAlP based semiconductor material; an active layer 23 consisting of an InGaAlP based semiconductor material with its constitution such than its band gap energy is lower than that of the clad layer; and a p-type clad layer 24 consisting of a p-type InGaAlP based semiconductor material, respectively, and a light emitting layer forming portion 29 with its double-hetero structure is formed. Then, at a portion corresponding to an upper electrode thereon, an insulating layer 30 such as SiO2 is interposed, and further, on its surface, a p-type window layer (current diffusion layer) 25 consisting of an AlGaAs based compound semiconductor is provided. At the center of its surface, an upper (p-side) electrode 27 is formed at a portion equivalent to the top of the previously described insulation layer 30, and a lower (n-side) electrode 28 is formed on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate. A contact layer consisting of GaAs or the like may be provided beneath the upper electrode 27.
In addition, in a structure shown in FIG. 3B, the previously described insulation layer 30 is provided in the middle of a window layer 25, and the other elements are structurally the same as those of FIG. 3A. Further, in a structure shown in FIG. 3C, the insulation layer is provided on the window layer 25, and the upper electrode 27 is formed so as to cover the insulating layer 30.
In the structures shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B described previously, a growing process is interrupted in the middle of epitaxial growth, and an etching process for forming an insulating layer must be incorporated. Therefore, there is a problem that the process becomes complicated and impurities is mixed during growth of the semiconductor layer, which causes contamination to occur easily. Further, even if the semiconductor layer is grown to be thick, there is a problem that a protrusion corresponding to the insulating layer is produced on the surface of the laminated semiconductor layer, and adhesion of the electrode deteriorates.
On the other hand, in the structure shown in FIG. 3C, there is no need to place the etching process in the middle of epitaxial growth. However, there easily occurs a problem that the upper electrode portion is exposed due to a shock or the like caused by wire bonding with the electrode for reasons such as the presence of a step of the upper electrode between portions at which the insulating layer is present and absent, and over-etching easily occurs up to the semiconductor layer when the insulating layer 30 under the upper electrode 27 is patterned.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the foregoing problem. It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor light emitting device with its structure in which there is no need to place an etching process in the middle of an epitaxial growth process, and light emission efficiency can be improved without current flowing to the lower side of the upper electrode while the reliability of electrode is improved without causing a step to be produced at a portion at which the upper electrode is formed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device capable of forming a current blocking layer with its simple production process, and moreover, in a flat state in which no step is produced on the surface.
A semiconductor light emitting device according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor laminating portion provided on the semiconductor substrate, and containing a light emitting layer forming portion having at least an n-type layer and a p-type layer and a window layer; an upper electrode partially provided on the semiconductor laminating portion; a lower electrode provided on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a current blocking layer which is provided on a part of a surface of the semiconductor laminating portion beneath the upper electrode, wherein a surface of the current blocking layer and the surface of the semiconductor laminating portion are flat without a step.
With this structure, a site at which the upper electrode is formed is flat, and the reliability of adhesion of the upper electrode is extremely improved. In addition, there is no need to place an etching process in the middle of the epitaxial growth process, and the production process is extremely simplified. Moreover, a current blocking layer is provided immediately underneath the upper electrode. Thus, a current naturally flows the outer periphery side of the chip and does not flow the lower side of the upper electrode, so that the current can be extended to the entire chip.
The above-mentioned current blocking layer is formed of an electrically conductivity type layer which is different from an electrically conductivity type of a semiconductor layer of the surface of the semiconductor laminating portion or a high resistance layer caused by a crystalline defect.
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to the present invention includes the steps of: growing a semiconductor laminating portion containing a light emitting layer forming portion having at least an n-type layer and a p-type layer and a window layer on a semiconductor substrate; providing a mask layer on the semiconductor laminating portion; etching the mask layer at a portion corresponding to a position at which an upper electrode is formed, thereby exposing a surface of the semiconductor laminating portion; carrying out a heat treatment under hydrogen atmosphere, thereby evaporating an element that constitutes a semiconductor layer of the surface of the semiconductor laminating portion exposed from the mask layer and producing a crystalline defect; removing only the mask layer; and forming an upper electrode at a site at which the crystalline defect is produced, in size which is greater than that of the site. It is noted that a mask layer may be formed by continuously growing a semiconductor layer or can be formed of an insulating layer such as SiO2.
Another aspect of a method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to the present invention includes the steps of: growing a semiconductor laminating portion containing a light emitting layer forming portion having at least an n-type layer and a p-type layer and a window layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a current blocking layer by changing partially a semiconductor layer of a surface of the semiconductor laminating portion to a different conductivity type region or an insulating region at a portion on which an upper electrode is formed, by a predetermined depth from the surface; and forming the upper electrode on the surface of the semiconductor laminating portion having the current blocking layer in size which is greater than that of the current blocking layer.

Semiconductor light emitting device and method for manufacturing the same


Ready-to-use medical trays for retaining preparations. A tray for parturient comprises a first cell for retaining at least one sponge or cloth impregnated with a disinfectant. A second cell comprises at least one sponge or cloth impregnated with a disinfectant. This disinfectant is for a chirurgical intervention. The tray comprises also sealing closure for sealing its top and thereby each of the cells individually. Other trays comprise 3 cells for washing, drying and disinfecting skin and 4 cells for gynecological incursion.

Trays containing a package of sterile sponges have been described by Scrivens et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,087 dated Oct. 30, 1962. Reynolds in U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,685, dated Oct. 19, 1971 describes trays containing surgical preparations. Other trays have been described by Kraus in U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,174, dated May 4, 1976 for unitary two-compartment package for sterile surgical articles and by Hultberg et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,119, dated Nov. 6, 1973, for trays having a raised rim about their periphery and a sterile drape attached to the tray body and folded together with the rim and with possibilities of auxiliary trays. Other trays are known but for very specific purposes, such as liver biopsy tray, denture care tray, catheterization tray or for transporting medication or the like tray, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,734 by Boner et al.


There is provided an image pipeline and a method therein for intra-coding an image frame. The image pipeline comprises a processing part followed by an encoding part supporting a plurality of intra-prediction modes used for intra-coding image frames. The method comprises receiving an image frame and for at least one block of pixel values in the image frame: predicting pixel values of the at least one block of pixel values using an intra-prediction mode supported by the encoding part and updating the image frame by adjusting at least one pixel value within the at least one block of pixel values so as to reduce a residual between the at least one pixel value and a corresponding predicted pixel value. Further, the method comprises intra-coding the updated image frame using at least one out of the plurality of intra-prediction modes.

In digital video systems, such as network camera monitoring systems, video sequences are usually compressed before storage or before transmission over a communications network. A reason for compressing the video sequences before storage is to reduce the storage resources needed as compared to the storage resources needed for storing uncompressed video sequences. In correspondence, the video sequences are compressed before transmission in order to reduce the network resources, e.g., network bandwidth, used as compared to the network resources used for transmission of the uncompressed video sequences. In case of limited available network resources, it may even be impossible to transmit the video sequences if not compressed.
The video sequences can be compressed, i.e. encoded by an encoder, using various video encoding methods. In many digital video encoding systems, two main modes are used for compressing image frames of a video sequence: intra mode and inter mode. In this disclosure, the intra mode compression is also referred to as intra-coding and the inter mode compression is in correspondence referred to as inter-coding.
In the intra-coding, the luminance and chrominance channels are encoded by exploiting the spatial redundancy of the pixels in a given channel of a single frame via prediction, transform, and entropy coding. The encoded image frames are called intra-frames and may also be referred to as I-frames or key frames. Within an intra-frame, blocks of pixels or macroblocks comprising a plurality of blocks are encoded in intra-mode, meaning that they are encoded as intra-blocks, i.e. individually, with no references to other blocks.
The inter-coding instead exploits the temporal redundancy between separate image frames and relies on a motion-compensation prediction technique that predicts parts of an image frame from one or more previous image frames by encoding the motion in pixels from one image frame to another for selected blocks of pixels. Especially, the motion vector and the difference in motion between pixels of the image frame and pixels of a reference frame are encoded. The encoded frames are called inter-frames, and may be referred to as P-frames (forward-predicted frames), which can refer to previous frames in decoding order, or B-frames (bi-directionally predicted frames), which can refer to two or more previously decoded frames, and can have any arbitrary display-order relationship of the frames used for the prediction. Within an inter-frame, blocks of pixels may be encoded either in inter-mode, meaning that they are encoded with reference to a similar block in a previously decoded image frame, or in intra-mode, meaning that they are encoded as intra-blocks, i.e., individually, with no references to other blocks.
When performing intra-coding of a block of pixels, the encoder will make use of intra-prediction. In intra-prediction the encoder will use values of pixels on top and to the left of the block of pixels to be intra-coded in order to predict the pixel values in the block.
After prediction of the pixel values using one of the intra-prediction modes, the predicted pixel values are subtracted from the real pixel values and the difference (also known as the residual) is quantized and entropy encoded before it is submitted in the bitstream. If the prediction is perfect, there will be no residual. However, in practice there will be a residual that contributes to the size of the intra-coded frame.
Many encoders have different modes for making the intra-prediction and they may choose the intra-prediction mode that gives the smallest residual for a given block of pixels. For example, the compression standard Advanced Video Coding (AVC), sometimes also referred to as H.264, supports 9 different intra-prediction modes, the compression standard High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) supports 35 different intra-prediction modes and the compression standard AOMedia Video 1 (AV1) supports 54 different intra-prediction modes.
A drawback with intra-coding image frames as compared to inter-coding of the image frames is that the resulting I-frames have a larger size giving rise to spikes in the bitstream as compared to the inter-coded P-frames. A reason for the larger size of the I-frames is that only spatial redundancies are exploited when performing the intra-coding as compared to the inter-coding of the P-frames wherein both spatial redundancy and temporal redundancy are exploited.
One approach of reducing the size of intra-coded image frames, i.e., I-frames, is described in US 2013/0251279 wherein an adaptive pre-processing scheme is used in the image encoding. In the adaptive pre-processing scheme, blocks of an original image, which blocks have a determined size, are compared to blocks of a reference image (an image for which the pre-processing already has been carried out) and blocks of the reference image are replicated to blocks of the original image when the blocks have a similarity within a threshold. After the replication, the original image frame including the replicated reference blocks is encoded. Thereafter, the encoder evaluates whether the decoded image fulfils the desired quality requirements. If the quality of the decoded image is too low the threshold has to be upwardly controlled so that the pre-processing of an upcoming image does not result in a deteriorated image quality. A drawback with the prior art is that entire blocks of the original image are replaced with entire reference blocks resulting in loss of image information in those parts of the image comprising the replaced blocks. In the end, the resulting image may be useless for some purposes, such as surveillance purposes, due to the loss of image information when many blocks of the original image have been replaced with reference blocks. The prior art also has the drawback of requiring a previously pre-processed image comprising blocks to be used for the comparison and the replication. Further, the need of adjusting the threshold is determined when at least one pre-processed and encoded image of deteriorated quality has been obtained. This results in a delay in the adjustment of the threshold. Furthermore, if the image of deteriorated quality is not to be transmitted to a receiver, the original image has to be pre-processed again using the new threshold resulting in a deteriorated compression efficiency.
Thus, there is room for improvements.
Another approach of reducing the size of intra-coded image frames is disclosed in US 2020/021817 A1, wherein coding techniques using Position Dependent (Intra) Prediction Combination (PDPC) with wide angle intra prediction are described. Specifically, it is described how to determine a prediction block for a current block of a current picture using a wide angle intra prediction, and then how to use the PDPC to modify a prediction sample of the prediction block. Further, it is described how to determine a residual value for a residual block based on the modified prediction sample and a sample value in the current block, and how to signal information indicative of the residual value.
US 2011/002385 A1 discloses an image coding apparatus which divides an input picture into a plurality of macroblocks and determines whether a macroblock is a flat macroblock based on calculated flatness for pixel values contained in the macroblock. If the macroblock is determined to be a flat macroblock and belongs to a flat area, the apparatus comprises a unit for selecting one of the inter-prediction mode and the intra-prediction mode as a prediction mode for encoding the macroblock based on determination result and based on cost values of the inter-prediction mode and the intra-prediction mode. The apparatus comprises further a unit for performing predictive coding according to the selected prediction mode.
The article "AHG6: A threshold for SAO edge offset" (Sugio T et al. no. JCTVC-J0213 10 Jul. 2012 (2012-07-10), XP03020234791) proposes a threshold for SAO EO in order to control the categorization for a strong edge and a weak edge to improve the flexibility in terms of a subjective quality and an objective quality.

Method and device for intra-coding an image frame


A method for producing a metal-resin composite includes a coating step, an assembling step, and a heating step. The coating step coats at least part of the outer periphery of a solid metal first member with a foaming resin and a non-foaming resin. The assembling step disposes the first member within a hollow metal second member. The heating step heats an assembly of the second member within which the first member coated with the foaming resin and the non-foaming resin with the axes of the first member and the second member extending in the horizontal direction, and thus foams the foaming resin between the first member and the second member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a metal-resin composite including a hollow or solid metal internal member, a hollow metal external member within which the internal member is disposed, and an intermediate layer disposed between the internal member and the external member, and to a method for producing the metal-resin composite.
2. Description of the Related Art
PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2001-507647 discloses a known automotive body structure. The automotive body structure has a tube-in-tube structure including an internal tube whose surface is coated with a resin-based single layer, and an external shell. This structure allows the beam to have an extremely high stiffness without increasing the weight. The resin-based layer contains a bubble forming agent that may contain either a chemical foaming agent or a physical foaming agent. When the matrix of the resin-based layer is a thermally curable or thermally expanding resin, the resin-based layer is cured and/or expanded by heating.
For example, an automotive door beam may use a structure including a hollow or solid metal member (hereinafter referred to as first member) disposed within a hollow metal member (hereinafter referred to as second member) made of, for example, steel. The first member is intended for reinforcement.
A foaming resin is foamed during heating (and immediately after heating) to produce a force expanding the entire volume of the resin. After the completion of heating, however, a stage is present where the foaming is stopped and the resin has not yet been cured completely. If a metal-resin composite including the first member and the second member with a resin layer in between is produced, the production process is generally performed in such a manner that the first member and the second member are assembled with their axes extending in the horizontal direction, and the internal first member, during heating, is supported by the expansion force of the entire resin without falling into the resin layer. However, in the above-mentioned stage after heating, the first member falls and is displaced from the intended position because of the softness of the resin layer and the contraction of foam gas. It is however important to accurately position the first member from the viewpoint of strength.
When grooved (not hollow) members are combined with each other and the space between the two members is filled with a resin, as disclosed in PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2001-507647, supporting brims provided to both members help align the upper member with the lower member, thus preventing the problem that the upper member falls into the resin. On the other hand, when a metal-resin composite including a hollow or solid first member and a hollow second member with a resin intermediate layer in between is produced, the production process is performed in such a manner that an assemble of the first member and the second member is laid with their exes extending in the horizontal direction, and the first member is not supported by any member. Consequently, the above problem is liable to occur that the first member falls into the soft resin under its own weight in the stage before the resin is cured.
In this instance, the resin may not completely fill a region above the first member, and, thus, a gap or a low-density foamed portion may be formed. The gap or low-density portion causes an insufficient strength of the foamed resin requiring a reinforcing ability.
Also, use of additional positioning members for supporting the first member at both ends is not desirable because the number of parts is increased. Also, if both ends of the first member are closed, such positioning member cannot be used.

Method of making a metal-resin composite


An apparatus comprises an integrated circuit (IC) including an external IC connection, a high impedance circuit, a biasing circuit communicatively coupled to the external IC connection via the high impedance circuit, and an electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit coupled to the biasing circuit to form a circuit shunt path leading from the IC external connection to the ESD protection circuit via the high impedance circuit.

An integrated circuit (IC) can receive electrical signals from off chip electronics. Protection from electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a concern for integrated circuits where a large capacitor circuit is not available to absorb current from an ESD event. Typically, input and output connections of an IC include a circuit to prevent damage to an IC from an ESD event by diverting ESD to ground. However, ESD protection can complicate the design of highly sensitive input and output connections.

ESD protection on high impedance MIC input


A device comprising an array of sensors and a multiplicity of bus lines, each sensor being electrically connected to a respective bus line and comprising a respective multiplicity of groups of micromachined sensor cells, the sensor cell groups of a particular sensor being electrically coupled to each other via the bus line to which that sensor is connected, each sensor cell group comprising a respective multiplicity of micromachined sensor cells that are electrically interconnected to each other and not switchably disconnectable from each other, the device further comprising means for isolating any one of the sensor cell groups from its associated bus line and in response to any one of the micromachined sensor cells of that sensor cell group being short-circuited to ground. In one implementation, the isolating means comprise a multiplicity of fuses. In another implementation, the isolating means comprise a multiplicity of short circuit protection modules, each module comprising a current sensor circuit and an electrical isolation switch.

This invention generally relates to arrays of sensors that operate electronically. In particular, the invention relates to micromachined ultrasonic transducer (MUT) arrays. One specific application for MUTs is in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging systems. Another specific example is for non-destructive evaluation of materials, such as castings, forgings, or pipelines, using ultrasound.
The quality or resolution of an ultrasound image is partly a function of the number of transducers that respectively constitute the transmit and receive apertures of the transducer array. Accordingly, to achieve high image quality, a large number of transducers is desirable for both two- and three-dimensional imaging applications. The ultrasound transducers are typically located in a hand-held transducer probe that is connected by a flexible cable to an electronics unit that processes the transducer signals and generates ultrasound images. The transducer probe may carry both ultrasound transmit circuitry and ultrasound receive circuitry.
Recently semiconductor processes have been used to manufacture ultrasonic transducers of a type known as micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs), which may be of the capacitive (cMUT) or piezoelectric (pMUT) variety. MUTs are tiny diaphragm-like devices with electrodes that convert the sound vibration of a received ultrasound signal into a modulated capacitance. For transmission the capacitive charge is modulated to vibrate the diaphragm of the device and thereby transmit a sound wave. One advantage of MUTs is that they can be made using semiconductor fabrication processes, such as microfabrication processes grouped under the heading "micromachining". The systems resulting from such micromachining processes are typically referred to as "micro electro-mechanical systems" (MEMS). As explained in U.S. Pat. No. 6,359,367:                Micromachining is the formation of microscopic structures using a combination or subset of (A) Patterning tools (generally lithography such as projection-aligners or wafer-steppers), and (B) Deposition tools such as PVD (physical vapor deposition), CVD (chemical vapor deposition), LPCVD (low-pressure chemical vapor deposition), PECVD (plasma chemical vapor deposition), and (C) Etching tools such as wet-chemical etching, plasma-etching, ion-milling, sputter-etching or laser-etching. Micromachining is typically performed on substrates or wafers made of silicon, glass, sapphire or ceramic. Such substrates or wafers are generally very flat and smooth and have lateral dimensions in inches. They are usually processed as groups in cassettes as they travel from process tool to process tool. Each substrate can advantageously (but not necessarily) incorporate numerous copies of the product. There are two generic types of micromachining . . . 1) Bulk micromachining wherein the wafer or substrate has large portions of its thickness sculptured, and 2) Surface micromachining wherein the sculpturing is generally limited to the surface, and particularly to thin deposited films on the surface. The micromachining definition used herein includes the use of conventional or known micromachinable materials including silicon, sapphire, glass materials of all types, polymers (such as polyimide), polysilicon, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, thin film metals such as aluminum alloys, copper alloys and tungsten, spin-on-glasses (SOGs), implantable or diffused dopants and grown films such as silicon oxides and nitrides.The same definition of micromachining is adopted herein.
Each cMUT has a membrane that spans a cavity that is typically evacuated. This membrane is held close to the substrate surface by an applied bias voltage. By applying an oscillatory signal to the already biased cMUT, the membrane can be made to vibrate, thus allowing it to radiate acoustical energy. Likewise, when acoustic waves are incident on the membrane the resulting vibrations can be detected as voltage changes on the cMUT. A cMUT cell is the term used to describe a single one of these "drum" structures. The cMUT cells can be very small structures. Typical cell dimensions are 25-50 microns from flat edge to flat edge in the case of a hexagonal structure. The dimensions of the cells are in many ways dictated by the designed acoustical response.
To achieve the best possible performance, cMUTs must be exposed to extremely high electrical fields. It has been shown by other researchers that cMUTs will only outperform conventional PZT transducers if they are operated at high electric fields near the collapse voltage of the cMUT. The ability of the cMUT structure to endure the high electric fields for arrays of many elements, each containing thousands of cells connected in parallel, with a distribution of collapse voltages is essential to the success of these devices. One shortfall with current cMUT designs lies in the electrode patterning on the cMUT, and the cascade of events that occur when a single cell short circuits to ground. Currently, the electrode on each cell is connected to its nearest neighbors using simply patterned "spoke" interconnects. In the event that a single cell forms a short circuit to ground, the entire element is effectively short-circuited to ground, due to this interconnection. The problem is compounded by the reduction in bias voltage that is available to other functioning cMUT elements due to the shorted elements. The reduced cMUT bias voltage degrades the performance of the cMUT. In addition, future cMUT arrays may contain thousands of elements instead of only several hundred. Thus, there exists a cascading effect whereby only a few individual cells out of thousands can render an entire array useless.
There is a need to improve the reliability and performance of a MUT array in the event that a single or multiple MUT cells form a short circuit to ground.

Isolation of short-circuited sensor cells for high-reliability operation of sensor array


A water-based ink for use in a computer-to-plate inkjet printing and a preparation method therefor. A polymer of 5 to 40 wt %, an additive of 0.01 to 10 wt %, a dye or pigment of 0.01 to 10 wt %, an organic solvent of 1 to 30 wt %, an anti-foaming agent of 0 to 5 wt %, and deionized water are stirred and mixed at room temperature. When the polymer is dissolved, the mixed solution is filtered. The filtrate is the water-based ink. The water-based ink is sprayed via a computer-to-plate machine onto a surface of a metal substrate (which may be an aluminum plate, a zinc plate, or a copper plate) to form a graphic region. A printing plate allowing for computer-to-plate printing is acquired after solidification. The printing plate acquired is allowed to achieve a halftone dot reproduction rate between 2 and 99% and a recognition rate of 175 lpi.

Computer-to-plate inkjet printing technology is a plate-making technology utilizing an inkjet printer to spray plate-making ink onto a surface of a metal substrate or a polymer substrate to form an oleophilic graphic region, while the unsprayed region is a hydrophilic non-graphic region, thereby realizing printing through the hydrophilic and oleophilic contrast between the graphic region and the non-graphic region. By adopting the computer-to-plate inkjet printing technology, the post treatments such as exposing and developing are avoided, and the obtained printing plate allowing for computer-to-plate inkjet printing is good in resolution and press run. At present, most of the ink for the computer-to-plate inkjet printing is eco-solvent ink, when being used, the eco-solvent ink is easy to block the nozzle of printer, and the toxic and harmful gases produced in curing will pollute the environment. Water-based ink is good in printing smoothness, no toxic gas is released when curing, and meanwhile, through adjusting the concentration and compositions of the water-based ink, good image resolution and higher press run will be realized.
At present, the water-based ink for inkjet printing is mainly applied in plain paper or the paper with diffusion-resistant coating, films and various fiber-based substrates. Computer-to-plate inkjet printing technology adopts metal substrate, requires that the diffusion of the water-based ink on metal substrates can be effectively controlled, and meanwhile, enables to ensure the hydrophilic and oleophilic contrast between the graphic area and the non-graphic area, thereby realizing good image resolution and press run when performing computer-to-plate inkjet printing.
Currently, among the quick-drying water-based inks used for inkjet printing, in the computer-to-plate inkjet printing technology launched by Israel VIM Company, the adopted ink is standard Epson water-based ink; however, such water-based ink is very expensive.

Water-based ink for computer-to-plate inkjet printing and preparation method therefor

Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences


A rolled membrane includes a core member and a membrane having a width defined by a first edge and a second edge. The membrane can be rolled around the core member such that the first edge and the second edge are exposed. A pre-applied seam tape having a substantially uniform thickness is affixed along the first edge. A first and second compression spacer may be located substantially adjacent to the seam tape and the second edge, respectively. The compression spacers have a thickness at least 0.005 inches greater than the thickness of the seam tape. The compression spacers are configured to allow the seam tape to remain in a substantially uncompressed state when the membrane is rolled and, therefore, avoid damage. The compression spacers allow the membrane to be rolled uniformly on the core member without telescoping and with a uniform cross-sectional diameter along the width of the rolled membrane.

Rolled membrane materials having a pre-applied seam tape have been used for creating a moisture barrier in many applications such as pond liners, roofing membranes, moisture barriers, etc. For many applications, rolled membranes require lap seams for full coverage and moisture protection. For example, a roof may be wider than a rolled membrane, requiring several sections of membrane, joined together, to cover the entire roof surface. A pre-applied seam tape allows for easy installation at a job-site.
Rolling a membrane with a pre-applied seam tape can be challenging because of the added thickness of the seam tape at one edge. A rolled membrane with pre-applied seam tape tends to telescope and roll unevenly. Such deficiencies make the manufacture, shipping, and installation of the rolled membrane difficult. Uneven and telescoping rolls are difficult and inefficient to ship because the uneven roll takes more space than necessary, and extended edges are easily damaged.
Drawing upon well-known techniques, one conventional solution to the problem of uneven rolling is to include strips of material having approximately the same thickness as the seam tape along the body of the rolled membrane. This approach, however, does not adequately solve the problems presented by rolled membranes with pre-applied seam tape. Strips of material with a thickness approximately the same thickness as the seam tape allow compression of the seam tape. When the seam tape is allowed to compress, the adhesive's effectiveness can be diminished and/or the tape can otherwise become damaged. Additionally, rolled membranes with strips of material having a thickness approximately the same thickness as the seam tape tend to become loosely wound, causing telescoping and damage to the membrane and/or the seam tape during storage and transportation.
Accordingly, there is a need for a uniformly rolled membrane having a pre-applied seam tape wherein the seam tape and membrane are protected from damage during the rolling process and in the rolled condition.

Rolled membrane with compression spacers