A surgical apparatus is provided for placing a suprapubic catheter within the bladder of a patient. The apparatus essentially includes an elongate element defining a hollow tube and having an end for insertion through the urethra, a flexible wire disposed within the elongate element extending along the length of the elongate element, and a means for reciprocating the flexible wire such as a spring within the elongate element. The end of the flexible wire at the insertion end of the apparatus is provided with a coupling such as a hook for coupling the flexible wire to a catheter tip. The other end of the flexible wire at the handle end of the apparatus is operatively connected to the reciprocating means. The handle has two positions, the first position being a position when the coupling of the flexible wire projects from the end of the apparatus to allow for coupling with the catheter tip, the second position being a position when the catheter is coupled with the apparatus and is retracted within the end of the apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical apparatus for placement of a catheter within a body cavity. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for placement of a suprapubic catheter within the bladder.
2. Description of Related Art
Suprapubic catheters and instruments are used in many clinical settings where continuous bladder drainage is desired. Suprapubic catheterization offers a number of advantages over transurethral catheterization, especially for long term catheterization, such as increased patient comfort, minimized infection, improved irrigation and drainage, etc.
Current methods for placing suprapubic catheters essentially fall into two categories, those employing an "outside-to-inside" technique and those employing an "inside-to-outside" technique.
The outside-to-inside technique for suprapubic catheter placement employs the use of a sharp trocar or catheter-obturator combination device. The surgeon pierces the lower abdomen with the trocar or obturator to create a passageway into the bladder. The end of a catheter containing the inlet drain is then inserted through the passageway and positioned in the bladder. Thus as the name implies, the catheter is placed directly into the bladder from outside to inside.
The inside-to-outside technique is less common and employs a grasping device placed in the bladder which is used to pull the catheter end containing the inlet drain into the bladder through a passageway created in the lower abdomen. Initially the surgeon passes the grasping device into the bladder via the urethra and presses the distal end against the bladder dome. A desired penetration site is selected by suprapubic palpitation. The distal end of the grasping device is commonly equipped with a sharp tip capable of piercing through the bladder, facia and abdominal wall. After positioning, the surgeon presses the instrument tip through the bladder, fascia and abdominal wall near the symphysis to create the passageway. The end of a catheter containing the inlet drain is then coupled to the instrument via a coupling mechanism and the catheter is pulled into the bladder. The catheter is released and left in a suprapubic placement.
The grasping device may alternatively possess a blunt tip rather than a piercing tip. A suitable site for passage of the catheter may be determined by palpitation using the blunt tip. An incision may then be extended by the surgeon from the exterior abdominal wall to the bladder to provide a passageway for the instrument advancement. The rest of the procedure may be performed substantially the same as described above using the instrument with a piercing tip.
Several conventional instruments which have been used to place a suprapubic catheter into the bladder using the inside-to-outside technique include the Lowsley retractor, uterine packing forceps, and modified urethral sound.
Other more specialized instruments are also known for placing a suprapubic catheter using the inside-to-outside technique or variations on this technique.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,749 to Giesy et al. disclose a surgical apparatus which comprises a needle having a tissue piercing tip, the needle being slidably accommodated within a sheath, and the sheath including a handle means for exposing the tissue piercing tip of the needle. The needle tip also includes or can accommodate a coupling means and a locking means for coupling the catheter to the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,369 to Wildemeersch disclose a surgical apparatus which comprises a needle having a tissue piercing tip at one end and having an interlocking device for connecting the needle to a catheter at the other end. The tissue piercing tip of the needle is passed through the urethra via a guide means or sheath into the bladder. The needle tip is used to create a passageway through the bladder and abdominal walls, and the needle coupled with the catheter is pulled through the passageway out of the abdomen until the posterior end of the catheter which contains the inlet drain is properly positioned.
There are also known various catheter placement apparatuses for related purposes, such as the apparatuses disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,481 to Sacks et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,519 to Frimberger for placing a feeding tube in the stomach.

Suprapubic catheter placement apparatus (lyell sound)


Ink jet ink containing at least one pigment and at least one oxidized carbon black.

EP 0 969 052 discloses ozone-oxidized carbon blacks having a volatile content above 10% by weight and a CTAB/iodine ratio above 2 m2/g.
EP 1 061 106 discloses ink jet inks comprising a colorant having functional groups, of which ester groups
improve intercolour bleeding control and waterfastness and
groups improve water dispersibility.
EP 1 061 107, further, discloses ink jet inks comprising a colorant having functional groups, of which —R1—COOM and —Ar—CONHR1COOM improve intercolour bleeding control and waterfastness and
groups improve water dispersibility.

Abstract: The ink jet ink is prepared in a process wherein the pigment is dispersed in at least one solvent, followed by addition of the oxidized carbon black and renewed dispersing.

Abstract: The ink jet ink can be used for printing textiles, metal, foil, film, sheet, glass and paper.


In one embodiment, a measurement apparatus has an input stage, an output stage and a multiplexer. The input stage has a signal input, a plurality of measurement range outputs, and a plurality of selectable gain stages, with each of the selectable gain stages being coupled between the signal input and a respective one of the measurement range outputs. The output stage has a measurement acquisition path between an analog measurement input and a digital measurement output. The measurement acquisition path includes an analog-to-digital converter. The multiplexer has i) a plurality of data inputs, at least two of which are coupled to respective ones of the plurality of measurement range outputs, and at least one of which is a reference input configured to receive a signal to which signals appearing at the measurement range outputs are commonly referenced, ii) a data output coupled to the analog measurement input of the output stage, and iii) a control input.

A variety of measurement and control systems make use of multi-range measurement apparatus (i.e., apparatus that is capable of measuring a signal via one or more of a plurality of selectable gain stages).
Before its initial use, a multi-range measurement apparatus is typically calibrated. Calibration involves measuring a characteristic of the measurement apparatus itself, and then using the measured characteristic to adjust measurements made in the normal course of using the measurement apparatus. One common form of calibration involves "zeroing" the measurement apparatus (i.e., measuring an offset voltage or other characteristic of the measurement apparatus, so that the offset voltage or other characteristic can be used to adjust measurements made in the normal course of using the measurement apparatus).
Calibration may be repeated on a periodic or non-periodic basis (e.g., after use for a particular number of hours, after deployment in a new measurement setup, after an environmental change, or after certain changes in the signal being measured). Typically, each range of a multi-range measurement apparatus is calibrated (or "zeroed") independently and serially. That is, a first range of the measurement apparatus is selected and calibrated; then, a second range is selected and calibrated; and so on, for each range of the measurement apparatus.

Methods and apparatus for acquiring measurements and performing an auto-zero process using a multi-range measurement apparatus


A metal oxide varistor comprising one or more zinc oxide layers is formed integral to a ceramic substrate to provide ESD protection of a semiconductor device mounted to the substrate. The portion of the ceramic substrate not forming the varistor may be aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, or boron nitride. The varistor portion may form any part of the ceramic substrate, including all of the ceramic substrate.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art light emitting diode (LED) package 10. Package 10 contains an LED chip 12 having cathode and anode contacts coupled, via metal interconnects 18, to metal pads 14 on a ceramic substrate 16. Metal vias 20 extend through substrate 16 and contact backside metal pads 22. The LED chip is encapsulated by epoxy 23. Package 10 is typically solder-mounted onto a printed circuit board or incorporated into another package. Such other package typically includes a lens, reflective walls, a base, and leads. The various metal interconnects in combination with the ceramic substrate 16 conduct heat from the LED chip 12 to the printed circuit board, which may include an additional heat sink.
LEDs are well known and are formed from semiconductor materials on a substrate. The LED chip 12 substrate material may be a semiconductor, a conductor, or an insulator.
LEDs can be damaged by high voltages from ESD. It is common to provide ESD protection for an LED, such as providing a separate ESD protection circuit in the LED package or on the printed circuit board. Providing a separate ESD protection circuit in the LED package may increase the size of the package and/or reduce the light-emitting area of the chip 12. Forming the ESD protection circuitry on the PC board or in the package also adds complexity in the manufacture of the PC board or package and thus adds cost to the circuit.
What is desirable is a technique for providing ESD protection without the need for forming ESD protection circuitry on the LED chip or as a separate element on the PC board or in the package.

Ceramic substrate for a light emitting diode where the substrate incorporates ESD protection


Combinations of Bis (Trichloromethyl) Sulfone and 1,2-dibromo-2, 4-dicyanobutane are shown to have synergistic antimicrobial properties. Preferred compositions use the two components in ratios of 1:99 to 99:1 by weight. The synergistic combinations are used in paints and adhesives, and in various industrial process waters. The synergistic compositions may be used together with a third microbiocide to enhance the composition""s effectiveness against a wide variety of bacteria, molds, and yeasts and other microorganisms.

This invention relates to mixtures of two compounds synergistically effective as microbiocides. In particular, it relates to compositions comprising Bis (Trichloromethyl) Sulfone and 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane, and their use in industrial water processes and in other venues for combating microorganisms.
Microbiological growth can cause contamination of products and spoilage of various products, resulting in a well known need for preservatives to prevent contamination. Preservatives are required for a broad range of products including but not limited to adhesives, cosmetics and toiletries, disinfectants and sanitizers, leather, metalworking fluids, paints and coatings, plastics and resins, latex polymers, textiles and wood. Failure to preserve these products adequately will result in spoilage and loss of the materials to be preserved and will result in an economic loss. Similarly, microbiological growths can have dire health and economic consequences if process waters are not adequately treated. Process waters include but are not limited to: industrial recirculating and cooling water, paper products and paper, petroleum production and leather tanning. Process waters are of concern because when fouled with biofilms that develop from the indigenous microbes present, biofilms may develop into thick gelatinous like masses. Slime is produced by a wide range of bacteria, fungi, and yeast. Slime will interfere with the process resulting in a loss of heat transfer, corrosion and fouling. Slime also detracts from systems cleanliness.
Bis (Trichloromethyl) Sulfone (sometimes referred to herein as xe2x80x9cBTSxe2x80x9d) is used extensively as an antimicrobial agent in various industrial applications such as preservation of various materials including those listed above as well as to control unwanted microorganisms found in various process waters such as cooling water, paper mills and petroleum production. 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane is also a known biocide, used widely in various applications to combat microorganisms. We are not aware, however, of any disclosures that show combinations of the two materials to have synergistic effects.
This invention includes synergistic combinations of aqueous suspensions of Bis (Trichloromethyl) Sulfone with 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane, sometimes hereafter referred to as xe2x80x9cDBDCB.xe2x80x9d The BTS and DBDCB may be mixed in preferred ratios that demonstrate synergistic antimicrobial effects. The blends are useful against a wide variety of Gram Positive and Gram-negative organisms.
Generally, we may use any ratio of BTS and DBDCB that demonstrates synergism against microorganisms. As a practical matter, combinations may be prepared in advance for sale or use in a wide spectrum of applications within the range of 1%-99% to 99%-1% by weight. We do not intend to be limited to these ratios, however. Other ratios may demonstrate synergistic effects to some degree, but we prefer to use the most efficient combinations. Our compositions may be used also together with other microbiocides to enhance effectiveness against a wide variety of bacteria, fungi and molds, in liquid products such as adhesives and paints, and in industrial process waters, including cooling water, paper mill process waters, petroleum industry process waters, and the like.

Synergistic mixtures of Bis (Trichloromethyl) Sulfone and 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane


A feedthru assembly configured to provide a conductive path extending between an interior of an enclosure and an exterior of the enclosure includes a flange, at least one conductive pin, and at least one insulative member. The flange is configured to couple to the enclosure and has one or more holes therein. The at least one conductive pin includes a hollow lumen extending therethrough and is configured to extend through the at least one or more holes of the flange such that a proximal end of the at least one pin is in communication with the interior of the enclosure and a distal end of the at least one pin is in communication with the exterior of the enclosure. The at least one insulative member is configured to prevent the at least one pin from making physical contact with the flange.

A wide variety of medical conditions and disorders have been successfully treated using implantable medical devices. Such implantable devices include, but are not limited to, stimulators, pacemakers, and defibrillators. Implantable devices are often housed within hermetically sealed enclosures configured to exclude water vapor but permit passage of electromagnetic fields used to transmit data and/or power.
It is often desirable to electrically couple an implantable medical device to another device. For example, an implantable device may be coupled to a lead having a number of electrodes disposed thereon so that the device may deliver electrical stimulation to a site within the body. Alternatively, an implantable device may be electrically coupled to an external device configured to communicate with and support the implantable device.
To facilitate electrical coupling to another device, many implantable devices include one or more electrical feedthru assemblies. Electrical feedthru assemblies provide a conductive path extending between the interior of a device's enclosure and a point outside the enclosure. A common type of feedthru assembly includes an array of conductive pins that have been connected at their proximal ends to electronic circuitry within the enclosure. The pins extend through the feedthru assembly to a point outside the enclosure, where they may be electrically coupled to electronic circuitry of another device.
Reliable connections between feedthru pins and electronics housed within an enclosure are often difficult to achieve when there are many connections to be made and/or when the enclosure is relatively small. With advancements in technology, many implantable devices have become increasingly complex and smaller in size. Hence, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make reliable connections between feedthru pins and electronics within an enclosure of an implantable device.

Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation


A lock includes a casing, an indicator movably received in the casing between a first position and a second position and a core received in the casing and so configured in such a way that a private key and a general key are able to activate the core. The movement of the indicator from the first position to the second position is in response to a status where the general key is applied to activate the core.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lock, and more particularly to a lock having a core capable of being activated/deactivated by a private key and a general key and having an indicator to indicate the application of the private key or the general key respectively.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A lock is provided with a latch controllably and operably by the mechanism of the lock core. That is, when the lock core of the lock is in a locked position, the latch is secured to the casing of the lock and when the lock core is in the open position, the latch is freely movable relative to the casing. However, this conventional lock has no ability to indicate whether the core has been tampered with by an authorized or unauthorized personnel (normally the unauthorized personnel). In order to show who has accessed to the lock, U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,521 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,345 both provide mechanism to indicate different status in response to the activation method applied to the core of the lock structure so that the subsequent user of the lock may have the information of who had used the lock before him/her.
However, there is a disadvantage in the lock structure mentioned in the above patents. That is, the user has to memorize the combination in order to activate the lock core mechanism. Furthermore, the lock structure is incapable of indicating whether any unauthorized personnel has ever attempting to activate the lock core.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved lock structure to mitigate the aforementioned problems.

Lock with indicator and multiple key-actuated core


A non-volatile memory device performs a multi-page copyback operation where after a plurality of copyback data read out from one or more mats are sequentially stored in a plurality of buffers, the stored data are simultaneously programmed to different mats. The copyback data may be read out without limitation to the location of mats and the number of copyback data to be read out from the respective mats. The read-out copyback data are simultaneously programmed to a plurality of mats.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a non-volatile memory device and, more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device including a multi-page copyback system and method.
2. Related Art
Semiconductor memory devices are generally classified into random access memories (RAMs) and read-only memories (ROMs). RAMs are volatile memories that lose stored data when their power supplies are interrupted. RAMs include dynamic RAMs (DRAMs) and static RAMs (SRAMs). ROMs, on the other hand, are non-volatile memories that maintain stored data even when their power supplies are interrupted. ROMs include programmable ROMs (PROMs), erasable PROMs (EPROMs), electrically EPROMs (EEPROMs), and flash memories. Flash memories are widely used in computers, memory cards, and the like due in part to the capability of erasing data in block form.
Flash memory devices are typically categorized as NOR-type and NAND-type based on the way that memory cells are connected. A NOR-type flash memory device includes at least two cell transistors connected in parallel to a bitline. The NOR-type flash memory device stores data using channel hot electron injection and erases data using the Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling effect. A NAND-type flash memory device, on the other hand, includes at least two cell transistors connected in cascade to a bitline. The NAND-type flash memory device stores and erases data using the F-N tunneling effect. NOR-type flash memories operate at high speed but are not typically implemented in high integration designs due to high power consumption. NAND-type flash memories, on the other hand, are advantageous in high integration designs due to lower cell current consumption than NOR-type flash memories. Methods of programming and erasing NAND-flash memories are disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,563 entitled NONVOLATILE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY and U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,717 entitled NONVOLATILE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT MEMORY DEVICES HAVING ADJUSTABLE ERASE/PROGRAM THRESHOLD VOLTAGE VERIFICATION CAPABILITY, respectively. We incorporate the '563 and '717 patents by reference.
NAND-flash memory devices support a page copyback operation. The page copyback operation involves copying a source page of data to a target page. For example, if a bad block is generated while data is written into a flash memory device, the bad block is marked as unusable. Previously successfully stored data are read out of the bad block and stored in another block. To do so, a page copyback operation is often used because it reduces the data transfer time significantly.
An exemplary NAND-type flash memory device performing a page copyback operation is disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,204 entitled NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICES WITH PAGE BUFFER HAVING DUAL REGISTERS AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME, which we incorporate by reference. According to the '204 patent, a NAND-type flash memory device needs a complex page buffer having a dual register structure to perform a page copyback operation. Control and configuration of such a dual register structure, however, becomes unwieldy when a plurality of page data must be copied.
Accordingly, a need remains for an improved semiconductor memory device and an associated multi-page copyback method.

Non-volatile memory device including multi-page copyback system and method


Method and system for managing development objects for computer program code. One development object comprises source code written in a positional language while the other development object comprises a document object model (DOM) that corresponds to the source code. The two development objects are synchronized using a set of synchronizer objects. In particular, the various character ranges defined by the positional language are used to efficiently map a portion of the source code to a corresponding portion of the DOM. As a result, a synchronizer object can readily update a development object with a modification received for the other development object.

A positional language defines the meaning of text by its character position within a line. For example, for the iSeries class of mid range servers offered by International Business Machines Corp. of Armonk, N.Y., an illustrative positional language is the Report Program Generator (RPG). Applications written in RPG read and write data from and to databases and devices such as displays and printers. The interface to these databases and devices is described by a series of lines that is called Data Description Specifications (DDS) which is another illustrative positional language.
In general, positional languages comprise some of the earliest programming languages. More recently, token-based languages (e.g., Java, C++, etc.) have increased in popularity. In either case, the source code is traditionally modified using a text editor. However, Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) for various programming languages have been enhanced to provide the user with a more productive, intuitive development environment. These enhancements rely on the generation of a document object model (DOM) that corresponds to the source code. In particular, a parser for a compiler included in the IDE can be used to translate source code in a particular programming language into the DOM. The DOM comprises a representation of the source code that captures all of the semantic information included in the source code. When compiling, the DOM is used to generate the program product.
The IDE uses the DOM to provide various enhancements to the user. For example, the DOM can be used to generate one or more graphical views that enable the user to visualize aspects of the language. To this extent, the IDE can display an outline of a program product being developed, an accurate representation of a screen and/or report being developed, etc. Further, the IDE can provide one or more visual editors that are more user-friendly, such as a properties view, a graphical editor, or the like. In this case, it is desirable to allow the user to readily switch between the source code editor and the visual editor.
The visual editors modify data in the DOM. As a result, the IDE must maintain synchronization between the source code and the DOM. To date, an incremental compiler is typically used. In particular, the incremental compiler re-parses modified source code and updates the DOM and/or regenerates affected source code after the DOM is modified. Typically, a token-based parsing of the source code is performed and the result is merged with the existing DOM. Since this operation can be complex, there may be performance problems, such as a user-perceptible delay between modifying the DOM/source code and seeing the change reflected in the corresponding source code/DOM. Further, the incremental compiler can be error-prone and expensive to maintain.
However, for a positional language, synchronization between the DOM and source code can be more efficiently maintained. To this extent, a need exists for an improved solution for maintaining synchronization between source code written in a positional language and a DOM that uses the character position of data in the source code to simplify the synchronization process.

International Business Machines Corporation


A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and formed of a material having a band gap wider than that of silicon; a first layer selectively disposed on a surface of and forming a first junction with the first semiconductor region; a second layer selectively disposed on the first semiconductor region and forming a second junction with the first semiconductor region; a first diode formed by a region including the first junction; a second diode formed by a region including the second junction; and a fourth semiconductor region of a second conductivity type and disposed in the first semiconductor region, between and contacting the first and second junctions. A recess and elevated portion are disposed on the first semiconductor region. The first and the second junctions are formed at different depths. The second diode has a lower built-in potential than the first diode.

A bipolar semiconductor device has conventionally been used for high-withstand-voltage uses such as a pn-junction diode formed using silicon (Si) as the semiconductor material. This is because, in the pn-junction diode, injection of minority carriers causes variation of the conductivity of the drift layer and thus, internal resistance can be reduced significantly though the built-in voltage of the junction is high compared to that of a unipolar semiconductor device such as a Schottky barrier diode. For high-withstand-voltage uses, a drift layer of a semiconductor device is set to be thick and has a high resistance. Consequently, use of a pn-junction diode capable of reducing stationary loss is advantageous. However, the pn-junction diode has a large amount of accumulated carriers remaining in the drift layer when a switching operation thereof is turned off and therefore, significant time is consumed for the accumulated carriers to vanish and the reverse recovery current thereof becomes large. Consequently, problems arise in that the switching speed of the pn-junction diode becomes slow and the switching loss becomes large.
To solve these problems, a complex diode has been proposed that is formed by combining the pn-junction diode and a diode having a built-in potential that is lower than that of the pn-junction diode. The diode having the built-in potential that is lower than that of the pn-junction diode is a Schottky barrier diode, or a shallow pn-junction diode including a p-layer that is shallower than a p-layer constituting the pn-junction diode and having an impurity concentration that is lower than that of the p-layer constituting the pn-junction diode (hereinafter, "shallow p-n layer").
More specifically, such diodes have been proposed and fully utilized as: an Si complex diode having an MPS (Merged Pin/Schottky) structure formed by combining pn-junctions and Schottky barriers as depicted in FIG. 18 (an MPS diode) and an Si complex diode having an SFD (Soft and Fast recovery Diode) structure formed by combining a pn-junction and a shallow p-n junction as depicted in FIG. 19 (an SFD diode).
FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional diagram of a conventional complex diode. A low-withstand-voltage MPS diode depicted in FIG. 18 has an n−-epitaxial layer to be an n− drift layer 182 disposed on the anterior surface of an n+-Si substrate 181. P-n junction barriers and Schottky barriers are present on the surface of the n−-drift layer 182. More specifically, multiple p+-regions 183 are selectively disposed in the surface layer of the n−-drift layer 182, and pn-junctions are formed by alternating and repeated disposition of the n−-drift layer 182 and the p+-regions 183.
A Schottky contact 184 is formed on the anterior surface of the Si substrate 181 and is in contact with the p+-regions 183 and the drift layer 182. An ohmic contact 185 is disposed on the posterior surface of the Si substrate 181 and is in contact with the Si substrate 181. The P+-regions 183 formed in the outmost portions each extend to a junction termination extension (JTE) region 190. A passivation film 191 is disposed on the anterior surface of the Si substrate 181 and covers the n−-drift layer 182 that is exposed in a portion of each of the p+-regions 183 at ends and the junction termination extension regions 190.
In the above MPS diode, an operation of the Schottky conjunction diode is dominating in a small-current region and a low forward voltage is obtained while an operation of the pn-conjunction diode is dominating in a large-current region and a forward voltage is obtained that is lower than that of the Schottky barrier diode. Therefore, compared in all the current regions, the stationary loss is reduced. In the MPS diode, the majority of the accumulated carriers remaining in the drift layer are discharged through the Schottky barrier when the switching operation is turned off and therefore, the accumulated carrier vanishing time period can be shortened. As a result, the MPS diode is characterized by a high switching speed and low switching loss (see, e.g., Nonpatent Literature 1).
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional diagram of another example of a conventional complex diode. An SFD diode depicted in FIG. 19 has an n-epitaxial layer to be an n-drift layer 202 disposed on the anterior surface of an n+-Si substrate 201. A p-n junction barrier and a shallow p-n junction barrier are present on the surface of the n-drift layer 202. More specifically, a p+-region 203 is selectively disposed in a surface layer of the n-drift layer 202, and a pn-junction is formed by the n-drift layer 202 and the p+-region 203.
In the surface layer of the n-drift layer 202, a shallow p-region 204 is selectively disposed that is shallower than the p+-region 203 and has an impurity concentration that is lower than that of the p+-region 203. The shallow p-region 204 is in contact with the p+-region 203. The Schottky contact 205 is formed on the anterior surface of the Si substrate 201 and is in contact with the p+-region 203 and the shallow p-region 204. An ohmic contact 206 is disposed on the posterior surface of the Si substrate 201 and is in contact with the Si substrate 201. The SFD diode has a breakdown voltage of, for example, a 600-V class.
In the above SFD diode, an operation of the shallow pn-conjunction diode is dominating in a small-current region while an operation of the pn-conjunction diode is dominating in a large-current region. Therefore, in the large-current region during use, a significant conductivity variation of the pn-junction diode and a low forward voltage are obtained and thus, a low stationary loss is maintained similarly to a diode including only a pn-junction. On the other hand, in the SFD diode, the majority of the accumulated carriers remaining in the drift layer are discharged through the shallow pn-junction when the switching operation is turned off and the accumulated carrier vanishing time period can be shortened. As a result, the SFD diode is characterized by a high switching speed and low switching loss compared to the diode including only a pn-junction. The SFD diode enables the reverse recovery current to be reduced and the recovery time to be extended (soft recovery) and therefore, the SFD diode is characterized by applicability to an inverter, etc., and suppressed generation of noise (see, e.g., Nonpatent Literature 2).
Wide-gap semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) have recently drawn attention as semiconductor materials suitable for high-withstand-voltage uses. For example, SiC has an excellent property of a high insulation-breakdown electric field intensity that is about 10 times as high as that of Si, and SiC realizes a high reverse-voltage blocking property. When a pn-junction diode is configured using SiC that is a bipolar semiconductor device, the diode realizes performance that is far more excellent compared to that of a pn-junction diode configured using Si. For example, when a pn-junction diode configured using SiC has a high withstand voltage of 10 kV or higher, the forward voltage of this diode is about a quarter or smaller and the reverse recovery time period corresponding to the speed obtained when the diode is turned off is about 10% or less, compared to those of a pn-junction diode configured using Si. Therefore, the pn-junction diode configured using SiC performs switching operation at high speeds and enables power loss to be reduced to about ⅙ or smaller than that of the pn-junction diode configured using Si. Therefore, wide-gap semiconductor materials such as SiC is expected to significantly contribute to energy saving (see, e.g., Nonpatent Literature 3).
An apparatus has been proposed as a semiconductor device configured using a wide-gap semiconductor material. In the apparatus, a junction formed by a drift layer and an anode layer, and a field limiting layer of a bipolar semiconductor device are formed isolated from each other, and an end of an anode electrode is disposed facing a semiconductor region between the junction and the field limiting layer through an insulating film. When a reverse bias is applied to the semiconductor device, the junction and the field limiting layer are electrically connected to each other due to an electric field effect given from the electrode through the insulating film to a drift layer between the junction and the field limiting layer, and concentration of the electric field is alleviated at an end of the junction. When a forward bias is applied thereto, the junction and the field limiting layer are also electrically isolated from each other and a forward current is caused to flow only through the junction (see, e.g., Patent Document 1).
An apparatus has been proposed as a semiconductor device having a Schottky barrier formed therein, including: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface, a first conductivity type cathode region adjacent to the first surface, and a first conductivity type drift region on the cathode region; a cathode electrode in contact with the cathode region; a first trench disposed on the second surface, having a first side wall in the drift region, and having a mesa that is disposed between the first side wall and a second side wall and that has a predetermined mesa width and a predetermined mesa doping concentration; a second trench disposed on the second surface and having a second side wall in the drift region; a first insulating region on the first side wall and a second insulating region on the second side wall; an anode electrode disposed on the second surface and the first and the second insulating regions and forming a Schottky rectifying junction together with the mesa on the second surface, and the predetermined mesa doping concentration is higher than 1×1016 dopant/cm3 (see, e.g., Patent Document 2).
A 600-V-class low-withstand-voltage MPS diode has recently been proposed as depicted in FIG. 18, that uses SiC as a wide-gap semiconductor material, the properties of which are disclosed (see, e.g., Nonpatent Literature 4).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-223220    Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 08-512430    Nonpatent Literature 1: The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, "Power Device IC Handbook", 1st Edition, Corona Publishing Co., Ltd., Jul. 30, 1996, pp. 97-98    Nonpatent Literature 2: Mori, M., et al, "A NOVEL SOFT AND FAST RECOVERY DIODE (SFD) WITH THIN P-LAYER FORMED BY AL—SI ELECTRODE", (US), Proceedings of 3rd International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, 1991, pp. 113-117    Nonpatent Literature 3: Sugawara, Yoshitaka, "SiC Power Devices for High-Power Conversion", Applied Physics, The Japan Society of Applied Physics, 2001, Vol. 70, No. 5, pp. 530-535    Nonpatent Literature 4: Alexandrov, P., et al, "4H—SiC MPS Diode Fabrication and Characterization in an Inductively Loaded Half-Bridge Inverter up to 100 kW", (Switzerland), ICSCRM '01: Proceedings of International Conference of Silicon Carbide and Related Materials 2001, Oct. 28 to Nov. 2, 2001, pp. 1177-1180


A recombinant herpes virus showing high antitumor activity is provided. In particular, a recombinant herpes simplex virus that expresses an ICP6 gene under control of a tumor-specific promoter or tissue-specific promoter on the genome of the virus is provided.

In recent years, attempts have been made to modify virus genomes by using genetic engineering techniques to make viruses which selectively replicate in cancer cells and apply these viruses to cancer treatment.
The concept of applying recombinant viruses to cancer treatment was advocated by Martuza et al. in 1991 (refer to, for example, Non-patent Document 1). Since many viruses are themselves pathogenic, direct administration to humans and so forth has detrimental effects on normal cells as well. However, by deleting or mutating specific genes by using genetic engineering, viruses can be made which are incapable of replicating in normal cells but are capable of replicating in actively growing tumor cells through mechanisms such as compensation of the deleted gene function.
Recombinant oncolytic viruses are genetically modified so as to selectively replicate only in cancer cells, replicate in situ upon infecting cancer cells and directly destruct host cancer cells during that process. Subsequently, the progeny viruses scatter around and infect cancer cells again. Then, they repeat replication, cell killing and infection and thus, produce anti-tumor effects. On the other hand, therapeutic viruses which have infected normal cells cannot replicate so that they do not cause damage to the normal tissue.
Examples of such mutant viruses which have been developed thus far include a mutant virus obtained by deleting the thymidine kinase (tk) gene from the genome of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) (refer to, for example, the above-mentioned Non-patent Document 1); HSV-1 (which will hereinafter be called "G207") obtained by deleting both two copies of the γ34.5 gene and inactivating the ICP6 gene (refer to, for example, Non-patent Documents 2 to 14); and HSV-1 (which will hereinafter be called "G47Δ", refer to, for example, Patent Document 1 and Non-patent Document 15) obtained by deleting the ICP47 gene (also called α47 gene) in addition to deletion of both two copies of the γ34.5 gene and inactivation of the ICP6 gene. Although these mutant viruses are unable to replicate in normal cells, they retain the replication ability in tumor cells.
In particular, as a result of mutation of three genes, the G47Δ developed by the present inventors has high tumor specificity in virus replication and has high cytocidal effects limited to tumor cells, while it shows no toxicity in the normal tissue so that its safety is not damaged and antitumor effects are markedly improved compared with the parent G207 virus. In addition, the G47Δ permits production of a virus formulation having a higher titer compared with G207 so that G47Δ is expected to have a higher therapeutic effect when their volumes are equal.
FIG. 11 shows the structure of G47Δ. As shown in this figure, G47Δ has a 1-kb deletion in two γ34.5 genes and a 312-b depletion in the α47 gene and in addition, its ICP6 gene has been inactivated by inserting the lacZ-gene therein.
The γ34.5 gene is a gene related to pathogenicity of HSV-1 and a mutant obtained by deleting this gene has markedly reduced virus replication ability in normal cells. When virus infection occurs in normal cells, double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) is phosphorylated and the resulting protein kinase phosphorylates a translation initiation factor elF-2a, resulting in blocking of protein synthesis in cells containing a viral protein. Although the γ34.5 gene product antagonizes the phosphorylated PKR and permits synthesis of a viral protein, the γ34.5 gene-deficient HSV-1 cannot replicate in normal cells. It is however presumed that in tumor cells, the universally low phosphorylation level of PKR enables even the γ34.5 gene-deficient HSV-1 to replicate.
The ICP6 gene is a gene encoding the large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase (RR). RR is an enzyme necessary for virus DNA synthesis. Inactivation of this gene prevents virus replication in non-dividing cells. Only in cells which divide actively and have increased RR activity, the deficiency of the RR activity due to deletion of the ICP6 gene is compensated, enabling virus replication.
The α47 gene product inhibits the transporter associated with antigen presentation (TAP) in host cells to control expression of the MHC class I on the cell surface, thereby having an effect of suppressing presentation of a viral protein and escaping from immunosurveillance of the host. Accordingly, it is expected that in the α47-gene-deleted HSV-1, expression of the MHC class I of host cells is maintained and a stimulus to antitumor immune cells increases.
In addition, G47Δ also has a deletion of the promoter of the US11 gene which overlaps with the α47 gene so that the timing of US11 gene expression is accelerated. As a result, this gene functions as a second site suppressor of the γ34.5 gene mutation and it restores, only in tumor cells, the reduced virus replication ability in the γ34.5-deficient HSV-1.
As described above, G47Δ has four artificial mutations separated from each other on the virus genome so that there is almost no possibility of it reverting to wild type HSV-1. This suggests that G47Δ is a therapeutic virus having high tumor specificity and high safety and excellent in versatility and usefulness.
In G47Δ, however, the RR activity necessary for replication is compensated by the RR activity of tumor cells so that in theory, virus replication is not conducted efficiently in tumor cells not having sufficiently increased RR activity and there is a possibility of failing to obtain sufficient antitumor effects.

Recombinant herpes virus and pharmaceutical composition containing the same


A mechanical closure part includes a support part and a plurality of closure elements extending away from the support part via stems and provided with head parts (2) on their free ends. The closure elements are subdivided on the support part into groups (4) which form a fictitious annular arrangement in the form of a multi-cornered element having corners equipped with a closure element. A group of closure elements (6) is formed within the respective groups (4) with their head parts (2), in the non-actuated state of the closure, adjoining each other in an adjacent manner.

Such touch-and-close fastener parts are a component of touch-and-close fasteners, as have become widely known under the trademark name "Kletten." The adhesive elements are joined with their stems to the backing and form, with their head parts, closure bodies which can preferably have the shape of mushroom heads, but also of hooks or loops. The adhesive elements with stem lengths, often less than 1 mm, are arranged distributed densely packed on the backing such that the interlocking bodies of the head parts engage the mating elements of another touch-and-close fastener part, which completes the touch-and-close fastener by interlocking.
One of the criteria for good performance characteristics of touch-and-close fasteners is that for actuating the closure, the interlocking engagement takes place securely and easily even if, in the effort to make available a high holding force of the actuated closure, the adhesive elements are arranged very densely packed on the backing. The demands for high packing density and for ease of actuation of the closure with low expenditure of force are, however, mutually conflicting.
If the touch-and-close fastener parts are placed against one another for closure actuation, a certain probability exists that head parts of one part will meet head parts of the other part flush with each other. To achieve interlocking engagement, a type of displacement to clear the engagement path must take place. Especially for high packing density, a correspondingly high actuating force is then necessary. If high actuating forces are tolerated, which is acceptable in certain applications, in the actuated state often such high holding forces result so that an easy release of the actuated fastener is prevented or made difficult.
With respect to this problem, prior art adhesive elements are on the backing in a pattern arrangement deviating from a regular matrix. In this respect, DE 603 10 529 T2 discloses a touch-and-close fastener part in which the adhesive elements are arranged in groups of four adhesive elements each, with the adhesive elements of each group being located on the corners of an almost square rectangle.
A generic touch-and-close fastener part is disclosed in DE 94 12 526 U1. The known touch-and-close fastener part or fastening part has a base and several essentially pin-shaped anchoring elements provided with heads. The anchoring elements are adjacent to one another and project from the base. A group of first anchoring elements is located at positions on the surface of the base such that they form the corner points of essentially regular hexagonal patterns. The arrangement of the first anchoring elements is determined by a basic pattern defined by regular hexagons bordering one another and having one side or corner in common, or defined by concentric circles. Furthermore, in each of the polygonal patterns, at least one second anchoring element is in a position offset from the center point. In this way, a fastening device with fastening parts exhibiting anchoring elements is formed having a relatively high retaining force even in the shear direction.


A method and apparatus for managing relationships between resources stored in a repository is provided. A client sends, to a server, a request to store a first resource within a repository. In response to receiving the request, the server parses the first resource to retrieve relationship data that identifies a relationship between two or more resources to be stored, or currently stored, within the repository. The server stores, within a database accessible to the server, one or more relationship records that identify the relationship between the two or more resources. The one or more relationship records are stored separate from the two or more resources. Subsequently, the client may issue queries, to the server, about the one or more relationships records stored in the database. In this way, a user may access the one or more relationship records to analyze the relationship between resources stored in repository.

A digital resource (or simply a "resource"), as broadly used herein, refers to any unit of digital data stored as an individual entity. Non-limiting, illustrative examples of a resource include a document, an image, a folder, and a file.
Resources may have different types of relationships with each other. In some cases, the relationship between two resources may be identified by one of the resources. For example, a first web page may have a relationship with a second web page because the first web page includes a web link to the second web page. Thus, when a user selects the web link on the first web page, the second web page is displayed to the user.
In other cases, the relationship between two resources may not be identified by either of the two resources. For example, a thumbnail image has a relationship with the original image to which the thumbnail corresponds because both the thumbnail image and the original image depict the same image. However, while both the thumbnail image and the original image depict the same image, there is no indication in either of the thumbnail image or the original image of the existence of the other. As another example, a first text document may have a relationship with a second text document because the content of the first text document includes the content of a second text document. However, the first text document may not identify the existence of the second text document.
Resource management applications are increasingly being used to store resources that are expressed in a self-describing metalanguage, such as the extensible markup language (XML). XML is a language that allows a resource to be defined as a tree of elements. XML is a markup language that allows tagging of document elements and provides for the definition, transmission, validation, and interpretation of data between applications and between organizations.
While XML has been used to describe the contents of a resource, current techniques in the art do not adequately provide for managing the relationships between resources stored in a repository. Consequently, an approach for managing the relationships between resources stored in a repository is desirable. The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Managing relationships between resources stored within a repository


A document processing apparatus with a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, the transmitting unit capable of making document data by using a plurality of font data sets, the receiving unit capable of outputting document data received from the transmitting unit. The apparatus includes a transmission part for transmitting the document data to the receiving unit by executing a given transmission control procedure, a first control part for selecting font data corresponding to character codes contained in the document data from among a font data set included in the font data sets when it is determined that the font data set is not installed in the receiving unit, and for transmitting the selected font data to the receiving unit. The apparatus further includes a second control part for temporarily storing the font data which is received from the transmitting unit and for allowing the receiving unit to output the document data by using the stored font data, so that graphic characters corresponding to the character codes contained in the outputted document data are defined by the font data.

The present invention generally relates to document processing apparatus, and more particularly to a document processing apparatus which is capable of making document data by using at least one of a plurality of font data sets.
Recently, a document processing apparatus like a wordprocessor, which is capable of making document data by using at least one of a plurality of sets of font data, has been put into practical use, and the capability of the document processing apparatus will enhance the appearance or quality of the document data thus prepared by the document processing apparatus. And, such document data that has been prepared by a transmitting unit, which is provided with the above document making capability using at least one of a plurality of sets of font data, are transmitted to a receiving unit via a data communication network by executing a predetermined data transmission procedure, so that the document data received from the transmitting unit is outputted by the receiving unit. However, in order to output the document data with no problem detrimental to the appearance or quality of the document data being elaborated with the transmitting unit, the receiving unit must be equipped with an output device (including a printer and a display) which is capable of using the same kind of font data that has been used by the transmitting unit, this font data being necessary for the receiving unit to output the document data in appropriate or human-intelligible form, particularly in outputting the graphic characters included in the document data. If the document data is transmitted to a receiving unit and the receiving unit is not equipped with the same kind of font data as that of the transmitting unit, there is a problem in that the received document data is outputted using a different font data by the output device of the receiving unit, the outputted document data often being not in appropriate form, so the appearance of the document data originally created with the document processing apparatus is not outputted appropriately.


A method and apparatus to use Solid State Drives (SSD) in a high availability enterprise system is provided. Concurrent redundant paths are provided to the SSD to at least two storage controllers via a serial system bus using a non-storage bus protocol.

A high availability system tolerates a single point failure by providing fully redundant Input/Output paths and redundant storage controllers to allow access to storage devices on a redundant path when a failure is detected in a primary path to the storage devices in the system.
Typically, serial storage protocols such as Fibre Channel, Serial Attached Small Computer Systems Interface (SAS) and Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) are used by storage controllers in high availability systems to manage transfer of data between the storage devices and the storage controllers.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments of the claimed subject matter, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly, and be defined only as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Method and apparatus to provide a high availability solid state drive


A pierceable cap maybe used for containing sample specimens during storage and transport. The pierceable cap may prevent unwanted escape of sample specimen before transfer with a transfer device. The pierceable cap may fit over a vessel. An access port in the pierceable cap may allow passage of a tip of a transfer device though the pierceable cap. Multiple frangible layers maybe disposed across the access port. One or more extensions proximate to a lower frangible layer may rotate around one or more coupling regions during insertion of the transfer device. The movement of the one or more extensions may pierce the lower frangible layer to create airways and allow air to escape from a vessel at a reduced velocity. Upper frangible layers may prevent escape of materials from spaces intermediate between the lower frangible layer and the upper frangible layers.

Combinations of caps and vessels are commonly used for receiving and storing specimens. In particular, biological and chemical specimens maybe analyzed to determine the existence of a particular biological or chemical agent. Types of biological specimens commonly collected and delivered to clinical laboratories for analysis may include blood, urine, sputum, saliva, pus, mucous, cerebrospinal fluid and others. Since these specimen-types may contain pathogenic organisms or other harmful compositions, it is important to ensure that vessels are substantially leak-proof during use and transport. Substantially leak-proof vessels are particularly critical in cases where a clinical laboratory and a collection facility are separate.
To prevent leakage from the vessels, caps are typically screwed, snapped or otherwise frictionally fitted onto the vessel, forming an essentially leak-proof seal between the cap and the vessel. In addition to preventing leakage of the specimen, a substantially leak-proof seal formed between the cap and the vessel may reduce exposure of the specimen to potentially contaminating influences from the surrounding environment. A leak-proof seal can prevent introduction of contaminants that could alter the qualitative or quantitative results of an assay as well as preventing loss of material that maybe important in the analysis.
While a substantially leak-proof seal may prevent specimen seepage during transport, physical removal of the cap from the vessel prior to specimen analysis presents another opportunity for contamination. When removing the cap, any material that may have collected on the under-side of the cap during transport may come into contact with a user or equipment, possibly exposing the user to harmful pathogens present in the sample. If a film or bubbles form around the mouth of the vessel during transport, the film or bubbles may burst when the cap is removed from the vessel, thereby disseminating specimen into the environment. It is also possible that specimen residue from one vessel, which may have transferred to the gloved hand of a user, will come into contact with specimen from another vessel through routine or careless removal of the caps. Another risk is the potential for creating a contaminating aerosol when the cap and the vessel are physically separated from one another, possibly leading to false positives or exaggerated results in other specimens being simultaneously or subsequently assayed in the same general work area through cross-contamination.
Concerns with cross-contamination are especially acute when the assay being performed involves nucleic acid detection and an amplification procedure, such as the well known polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or a transcription based amplification system (TAS), such as transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) or strand displacement amplification (SDA). Since amplification is intended to enhance assay sensitivity by increasing the quantity of targeted nucleic acid sequences present in a specimen, transferring even a minute amount of specimen from another container, or target nucleic acid from a positive control sample, to an otherwise negative specimen could result in a false-positive result.
A pierceable cap can relieve the labor of removing screw caps prior to testing, which in the case of a high throughput instruments, maybe considerable. A pierceable cap can minimize the potential for creating contaminating specimen aerosols and may limit direct contact between specimens and humans or the environment. Certain caps with only a frangible layer, such as foil, covering the vessel opening may cause contamination by jetting droplets of the contents of the vessel into the surrounding environment when pierced. When a sealed vessel is penetrated by a transfer device, the volume of space occupied by a fluid transfer device will displace an equivalent volume of air from within the collection device. In addition, temperature changes can lead to a sealed collection vessel with a pressure greater than the surrounding air, which is released when the cap is punctured. Such air displacements may release portions of the sample into the surrounding air via an aerosol or bubbles. It would be desirable to have a cap that permits air to be transferred out of the vessel in a manner that reduces or eliminates the creation of potentially harmful or contaminating aerosols or bubbles.
Other existing systems have used absorptive penetrable materials above a frangible layer to contain any possible contamination, but the means for applying and retaining this material adds cost. In other systems, caps may use precut elastomers for a pierceable seal, but these caps may tend to leak. Other designs with valve type seals have been attempted, but the valve type seals may cause problems with dispense accuracy.
Ideally, a cap maybe used in both manual and automated applications, and would be suited for use with pipette tips made of a plastic material.
Generally, needs exist for improved apparatus and methods for sealing vessels with caps during transport, insertion of a transfer device, or transfer of samples.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pierceable cap having piercing extensions


A laundry treating apparatus includes: a drum, a first lifter disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the drum, and a second lifter that is disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the drum at a position rearward of the first lifter. Each of the first lifter and the second lifter includes at least one insertion protrusion. The drum defines: a first group of one or more mounting slots in a first area of the drum; and a second group of one or more mounting slots in a second area of the drum. The second area is disposed rearward relative to the first area and overlaps with at least a portion of the first area of the drum, and the at least one insertion protrusion is configured to selectively insert into the one or more mounting slots in the first group or the second group.

A washing machine may include a drum. In some cases, a cylindrical drum may be manufactured by defining mounting holes for mounting lifters in a quadrangular metal plate and then rolling the metal plate.
In some examples, a lifter may be installed in a drum by using mounting holes. For example, the mounting holes may be arranged in a front-rear direction of the drum at predetermined intervals, and a set of mounting holes arranged in this manner may be used to mount one lifter. In some cases, the lifter may include hooks corresponding to the number of the set of mounting holes, and the hooks may be caught by the mounting holes, respectively.
In some examples, a pair of lifters (or baffles), which constitutes a set, may be disposed, in a row in a front-rear direction, on an inner circumferential surface of a drum, and the lifters may be disposed at predetermined intervals along a circumferential direction of the drum.
In some cases, a manufacturer may design drums with different capacities depending on product specifications. For instance, the manufacturer may selectively manufacture a drum (e.g., a large-capacity drum) elongated in the front-rear direction and a relatively short drum (e.g., a small-capacity drum) by cutting, based on a design dimension, a metal plate to a length of a side of the metal plate corresponding to a length in the front-rear direction of the drum to be manufactured.
In some cases, the distance between the pair of lifters may need to be changed in accordance with the length in the front-rear direction of the drum. In some examples, where the hooks formed on the lifters are fastened only to the designated mounting holes, the interval between the pair of lifters may be inevitably constant even when the length of the drum varies. In such examples, where the interval between the lifter positioned at a front side and the lifter positioned at a rear side is inevitably constant regardless of the length of the drum as described above, the laundry positioned at a front or rear end of the drum may not come into contact with the lifters due to the distance between a front end of the lifter positioned at the front side and a front end of the drum or between the lifter positioned at the rear side and a rear end of the drum increasing as the length of the drum increases.


A multi-chip package according to an aspect of this disclosure includes a plurality of multi-chips. Each of the multi-chips includes a lead configured to receive an external power supply voltage, and a pad circuit configured to reset an internal node to the level of a ground voltage and to generate chip address information by controlling the potential of the internal node based on the state of a connection between the pad circuit and the lead.

Exemplary embodiments relate to a multi-chip package and, more particularly, to a multi-chip package including a chip address circuit, in which addresses can be assigned to a plurality of multi-chips using a lead to which an external power supply voltage is supplied.
With the development of the semiconductor industry and user needs, the size and weight of electronic devices have been reduced. Techniques such as a multi-chip package technique are used to achieve size and weight reduction. The multi-chip package technique is a technique in which a plurality of semiconductor chips is packaged as a single package. A multi-chip package employing the technique is advantageous in terms of a reduction in size and weight and of the mounting area, as compared with several packages each including a semiconductor chip.
In the package on which a plurality of chips is mounted as described above, different chip addresses are assigned to the respective chips and a chip selected by an external address is operated. For example, in a package including four chips, an address '00' may be assigned to the first chip, an address '01' may be assigned to the second chip, an address '10' may be assigned to the third chip, and an address '11' may be assigned to the fourth chip. Each of the first to fourth chips is selected according to an input address.
As a method of assigning an address to each chip, there is a method of assigning an address to a pad corresponding to address information by supplying a power supply voltage VDD and a ground voltage VSS upon packaging.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a conventional multi-chip package.
Referring to FIG. 1, the multi-chip package includes a first package chip 10 and a second package chip 20. The first package chip 10 includes leads 11A and 11B respectively coupled to an external power supply voltage VDD and a ground voltage VSS, a pad circuit 12 coupled to the leads 11A and 11B through a wire, and an internal circuit 13 coupled to the pad circuit 12 and configured to receive chip address information from the pad circuit 12. The second package chip 20 has the same configuration as the first package chip 10 except the pad of a pad circuit 22 coupled to leads 21A and 21B through a wire. In other words, the first package chip 10 includes a first pad PAD_0 12A wire-bonded to the lead 11A and supplied with the power supply voltage VDD, whereas the second package chip 20 includes a second pad PAD_1 22B wire-bonded to the lead 21B and supplied with the ground voltage VSS. Therefore, they can have different pieces of chip address information.
In the conventional multi-chip package, each chip is to include first and second pads to which the power supply voltage VDD and the ground voltage VSS are respectively supplied in order to assign chip address information to the chip, and each chip is also to include the pads at a limited area. Furthermore, since the leads for supplying the power supply voltage VDD and the ground voltage VSS are closely disposed, there are limitations in coupling the leads with the pads, and addresses may not be assigned to a large number of multi-chips. Accordingly, the limited number of chips may be implemented in a multi-chip package.

Multi-chip package including chip address circuit


An elastomeric member is incorporated between a conductor and a conductive interconnection bridge. This elastomeric member serves as a spring providing compliance to an interconnection so that the flatness requirements of an opposing mating structure may be relaxed. A flat metal mandrel is provided with an elongated curved depression extending across a predetermined region where a resilient interconnection bridge is to be located. A nonconductive layer of Teflon is bonded to the surface of the mandrel. Grooves are ablated in a predetermined configuration down to the conductive surface of the mandrel using an excimer laser and a computer-controlled x-y table. Fineline electrical circuits are electrodeposited into the ablated grooves. The elongated curved depression is filled with a silicone material. The silicone material is permitted to cure to form a compliant elastomeric member having the shape of the elongated curved depression. An insulating backing is laminated onto the electrical circuits and the elastomeric member, and the completed resilient interconnection bridge is removed from the mandrel. Another method is used when the interconnection site is terminated on a circuit pad or on a high density linear connector configuration. In this method, elastomeric material is dispensed onto the circuit pad or along a line transverse to the high density linear connectors. After the elastomeric material has cured, electrical conductors are bonded thereacross to form raised compliant interconnection features.

The present invention relates to connecting devices for high density multichip hybrid integrated circuit boards and, more particularly, to a method of making fineline flexible circuits for interconnecting miniaturized fine pitch connectors.
In todays miniaturized high-density multichip hybrid integrated circuit boards plug and socket connecting devices are no longer used. Instead, fineline flexible circuits having raised surface features such as bumps or dots are clamped in electrical contact with fine pitch etched circuit traces on the circuit boards. Interconnection systems of this type are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,310 to Patrick A. Reardon, II; U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,517 to Selvane, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,795 to Moulin. The connectors of these patents have a plurality of metallic raised features that protrude or project from the plane of the circuit conductors. These raised features may be pressed against either similar raised features or mating conductive connecting pads or etched circuit traces on a circuit board. The two circuits may be physically clamped together to press the features against one another thereby making firm and intimate electrical contact between the two circuits. Such interconnects typically employ 0.003 inch diameter features on flexible circuits that connect to 0.005 inch wide etched circuit traces on the circuit boards. The interconnect density may be as high as 2800 interconnects per square inch.
Multilayer printed circuit boards often have an uneven or irregular surface in the region where the etched circuit traces are located. To make reliable connection, more stringent flatness requirements are required for the circuit board, or the complexity and weight of the clamping structure is increased to force a better connection between the wires in the flexible circuit and the etched traces on the printed circuit board. However, higher pressure exerted by the clamping structure tends to damage the substrate or to distort the flexible circuit so that the wires "swim" and registration of the fine pitch connections is lost.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide compliance to a fineline interconnection so that the flatness requirements of the opposing mating structure may be relaxed. Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a low cost, high density compliant interconnection system capable of compensating for device surface irregularities. A further objective of the present invention is to add compliance to any flexible circuit fabricated using conventional methods. A still further objective of the invention is to provide spring compliance to a fineline flexible circuit interconnection that permits reducing complexity and weight of a clamping structure used in conjunction therewith. Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of an interconnection system that is more reliable, more compact and less costly. Still another objective of the invention is to provide an interconnection system that distributes the force required to make contact, thus reducing the possibility of damage to the substrate.


A light emitting diode (LED) street lamp includes an LED chip, a ceramic substrate, a lamp shade, a nano-enamel layer and a thermally radiative heat dissipation film. The nano-enamel layer is disposed on the ceramic substrate to provide electrical insulation and isolation for protection, is made from nano-particles to have a surface with the function of self-cleaning due to lotus effect. The thermally radiative heat dissipation film is disposed on the inner surface of the lamp shade and the surface of the ceramic substrate, and has a surface microscopic crystalline structure. The thermally radiative heat dissipation film fastly propagates the heat generated by the LED chip by thermal radiation in some specific direction so as to improve the efficiency of heat dissipation, reduce the total thickness, enhance the efficiency of light emitting and effectively prolong the lifetime of the LED street lamp.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a light emitting diode (LED) street lamp, and more specifically to an LED street lamp having a nano-enamel layer and a thermally radiative heat dissipation film.
2. The Prior Arts
With the advanced progress in the technology of LED and the well developed peripheral control circuits, LED has become one of the most important light sources. In particular, LED does not contain mercury so as to meet the requirement of Rohs (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) related to the Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment by European Union. Moreover, LED has been widely used in the mobile phone, the backlight module of LCD monitor and television, the projector and general lighting device because of high lumen, low power consumption, long lifetime and high color rendering index.
As for the application of LED, there are many shortcomings about the traditional LED lamp including a plurality of LEDs with low yield, weak connection, chromatic aberration and high maintenance cost. As the technology in the light guiding developed, the illumination device using the high light emitting LEDs has become more popular. However, the power of the high light emitting LED increases as the intensity desired increases, the working temperature of the LED may thus considerably increase. The efficiency of heat dissipation for traditional LED packages is usually low so as to cause lower light emitting and shorter lifetime of the LED lamp or other LED products due to thermal effect. Therefore, how to solve low heat dissipation is a key issue in the LED applications.
In the prior arts, an LED street lamp generally includes a lamp post, an aluminum extrusion casing, a substrate, LED bulbs and a lamp shade. The aluminum extrusion casing is manufactured from aluminum blocks or aluminum alloy blocks by the aluminum extruding process. The substrate is provided in the aluminum extrusion casing to receive the external power and signals. The LED bulbs are provided on the substrate. The lamp shade and the aluminum extrusion casing are jointed together to enclose the substrate and the LED bulbs. The lamp shade is usually made from glass or acrylic plastic to provide light transparency.
However, the surface of the aluminum extrusion casing is easily oxidized and a blocking film tends to form due to water or dust adhering to the surface such that the propagation of the heat is greatly influenced and the heat dissipation is deteriorated. Also, the light emitting and the lifetime are reduced. Additionally, the traditional street lamp is much heavier and expensive because the aluminum extrusion casing removes the heat generated by the LED bulbs by thermal conduction and it needs more aluminum alloy to form the aluminum extrusion casing with larger thickness such as 30 cm to enhance thermal conduction.
Therefore, it is desired to provide a new LED street lamp without the aluminum extrusion casing to overcome the above problems in the prior arts.

Light emitting diode street lamp having a novel heat dissipation structure


The present invention provides a glass composition suitable for producing a poling effect. This glass composition includes 0.001 to 0.5 mol % of univalent metal ions in terms of oxide thereof, 0.1 to 40 mol % of Al2O3, and 0 to 15 mol % of B2O3, and a ratio of the number of moles of Al2O3 to a sum of moles of oxide in terms of which the univalent metal ions is expressed is at least 1.0. As the univalent metal ions are suitable Li, Na, K, Cs, Ag, Cu, and Au.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass composition suitable for poling and a glass functional product containing the glass composition. Poling is used for forming nonlinear optical elements that are used, for example, in the field of optical communications.
2. Related Background Art
The generation of the second harmonic induced by a second-order nonlinear optical effect can be achieved by introducing a periodic polarization structure into a dielectric material. This technique has advantages that, for example, when compared to the case of using a dielectric crystal, no operation for precise phase matching is necessary and the material to be used is not required to have a specific crystal structure. The polarization structure can be introduced through a polarization process (a poling process) carried out by, for example, applying high voltage to the dielectric material. The poling process causes semipermanent polarization (a poling effect). Particularly, a thermal poling process in which high voltage is applied while heating glass is easy to operate and also is excellent in maintaining the poling effect.
Various studies have been made about poling of silica glass used for optical fibers for optical communications. The poling effect in silica glass is brought through the migration of sodium ions contained as impurities in an electric field (see, R. A. Myers, Optical Letters, vol. 16, 1991, p1732). It has been understood that a depletion layer in which the concentration of sodium ions has decreased due to the migration of sodium ions is formed in glass and an internal electric field is generated therein to produce the nonlinear optical effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,407 discloses that a greater second-order nonlinear optical effect is obtained by thermal poling of fused silica glass. Furthermore, WO97/46906 describes that in order to produce a great electro-optic effect in optical fibers made of silica glass, it is effective to carry out thermal poling at a high temperature that is at least 450° C. and to apply a strong electric field that is at least 800 V/μm.
In the silica glass that has been used conventionally, however, sodium ions contained as impurities simply are used for poling.

Glass composition for poling and glass functional product containing the same


In one embodiment, a vibration barrel polishing method using a vibration barrel polishing system that includes a polishing tank having a bottom surface therein and a polishing jig capable of holding a workpiece and rotatable around a rotation axis is provided. This method includes a step of supporting the polishing jig in the polishing tank in a state in which a lowermost portion of the polishing jig is separated from the bottom surface, a clearance d between the lowermost portion of the polishing jig and the bottom surface being greater than or equal to a grain diameter of a polishing medium, a step of causing the polishing medium to flow in the polishing tank, and a step of rotating the polishing jig around the rotation axis in the state in which the lowermost portion of the polishing jig is separated from the bottom surface.

There has been a known vibration barrel polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece corresponding to a polished object to have a predetermined surface roughness, or removing a burr or an oxide film, etc.
For example, a vibration barrel polishing apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 includes a polishing tank and a drive unit that vibrates the polishing tank. When a workpiece is polished using this vibration barrel polishing apparatus, the workpiece and a polishing medium are charged into the polishing tank, and the polishing tank is vibrated along a substantially arc-shaped track. In this way, a polished object and the polishing medium relatively move, and the workpiece is polished. In addition, in this vibration barrel polishing apparatus, collision between a plurality of workpieces having a flat shape, for example, a disk shape is prevented by polishing the plurality of workpieces in a state in which the plurality of workpieces is disposed at predetermined intervals along a direction perpendicular to a flow direction.
Patent Literature 2 describes a chamfering apparatus including a cylindrical vibrating tank, a vibrator for rotating and vibrating the vibrating tank, a vibration barrel device for supporting the vibrating tank, a lifting and lowering device for lifting and lowering a disc-shaped workpiece, and a workpiece rotating device for rotating the workpiece. This Patent Literature describes that deburring and chamfering of the workpiece are performed at the same time by holding the workpiece inside the polishing tank, and rotating the workpiece in an opposite direction to a polishing material circulating in the polishing tank.
Patent Literature 3 describes a polishing jig for vibration barrel polishing including a first guard member, a second guard member, and a fixed member. The first guard member and the second guard member have a disc shape having a larger diameter than that of a workpiece, and are disposed to face each other. The fixed member is provided between the first guard member and the second guard member, and fixes the workpiece to the polishing jig. In this Patent Literature, the workpiece is polished while the workpiece is prevented from colliding with a bottom surface of the polishing tank by rolling the polishing jig to which the workpiece is fixed on the bottom surface of the polishing tank in a self-standing state.

Vibrating barrel polishing method and vibrating barrel polishing system


In the field of communications technologies, a method, an apparatus, and a system for channel estimation are provided. The method for channel estimation includes the following steps. An error signal returned by a terminal is received, where the error signal is an error signal of at least two tones in a downlink frequency band. Channels of the at least two tones are obtained according to the error signal. The channels of the at least two tones are interpolated, and channels of remaining tones in the downlink frequency band are obtained. In the method, the apparatus, and the system for channel estimation, a convergence speed of the channel estimation is improved by reducing data of error signals returned by the terminal.

X Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) is a technology for high speed data transmission on a telephone twist pair, that is, an Unshielded Twist Pair (UTP). Except for the DSL based on baseband transmission, the xDSL based on passband transmission utilizes the frequency-division multiplexing technology, so that the xDSL and the Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) coexist on the same twist pair. The xDSL occupies the high frequency band, and the POTS occupies the baseband part below 4 KHz. The POTS signals and the xDSL signals are separated by a splitter. The xDSL based on passband transmission uses the Discrete Multitone Modulation (DMT).
With the improvement of the frequency band used by the xDSL technology, the crosstalk, especially the crosstalk in the high frequency band, becomes prominent. The uplink and downlink channels of xDSL use the frequency-division multiplexing. The Near-End CrossTalk (NEXT) may hardly affect the performance of the system, while the Far-End CrossTalk (FEXT) will affect the transmission performance of the line seriously. As a result, when a plurality of subscribers in the same cable requires activating the xDSL service, the FEXT may cause a low speed on some lines, an unstable performance, or even an unactivable service. The outgoing line ratio of a DSL access multiplexer (DSLAM) is low.

Method, apparatus, and system for channel estimation


A sensor for detecting the presence of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon containing fluids. It is formed of a first conductor which is formed of a metal wire or metal foil covered by an insulative sheath; a second conductor which consists of a hydrocarbon swellable elastomer and one or more conductive fillers; optionally an abuse/abrasion resistant jacket overlaying and preferably surrounding the two conductors and optionally a hydrocarbon permeable overcoat overlaying the jacket. The sensor may be in the form of a continuous length wire or a tape or a sheet. It may be coupled to an electric supply at one portion and a resistance indicator at the return portion. The resistance indicator is then attached to a signaling device such as a light or alarm.

Sensors for detecting leaking hydrocarbons, such as gasoline or hydrocarbon based solvents and other products are well known. Such detectors or sensors are generally used on storage tanks gasoline stations or pipelines containing such hydrocarbon products.
The known sensors generally operate on the principle of an open to closed electrical circuit. The principle as follows: a sensor is formed of a pair of conductors which form an open circuit. A change in the electrical status occurs in the presence of a hydrocarbon, causing the circuit to be closed (become electrically connected). The leakage is detected as a result of the detection of the completed circuit.
Variations on this principle are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,165 contains a swellable material, which when it swells, causes an electrical connection between the two conductors, thus completing the circuit. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,179 uses three conductors to form a wheatstone bridge circuit when the second and third conductors are short circuited by the presence of a liquid.
The complexity of the known devices leads to high cost. Further, most of these detectors are not reusable, thereby increasing their cost and shortening their useful life span. Perhaps the biggest disadvantages with the existing sensors are their sensitivity and their selectivity. Most sensors send false signals in the presence of contaminated ground water (such as ground water containing salts or other non-organic contaminants). Additionally, the sensitivity of the sensors varies widely. Some, such as those which rely upon the swelling of one layer to contact a second layer so as to close a circuit, require an adversely high concentration of hydrocarbons to be present before completing a circuit. These problems make quick, reliable and repeatable detection of leaks difficult, if not impossible.
The present invention overcomes the problems encountered in the known systems. The object of the present invention is to provide a sensor for detecting the presence of hydrocarbons without the generation of false signals, or the need for high concentrations of hydrocarbons and with the ability to provide repetitive, reliable detection.

Sensor element for detection of hydrocarbons


An automobile door opening/closing device according to the present invention is provided with a robot arm capable of moving horizontally toward a door, a non-contact type sensor attached to the robot arm for detecting an upper edge shape of the door, an engaging rod attached to the robot arm and adapted to be moved vertically for insertion thereof into a glass slot of the door, and a drive means for driving the engaging rod. In operation, the robot arm is moved horizontally toward the door in close proximity to the upper edge of the door, and when the non-contact type sensor detects a specific shape of the upper edge of the door, the drive means is operated to insert the engaging rod into the glass slot, and the door is then opened or closed by a horizontal movement of the robot arm. Under this construction, not only can the distance between the non-contact type sensor and the upper edge of the door be shortened to ensure detecting the position of the door by the sensor, but also the engaging rod can be inserted into the glass slot without contacting a coated surface of the door.

1. Field of Art
The present invention relates to an improvement of a door opening/closing device for use in an automobile coating line.
2. Prior Art
Recently the coating work for automobile bodies has been automated for even minute portions of the automobile bodies, particularly doors, due to the introduction of coating robots. Where a door is to be painted automatically by means of a coating robot, it is necessary to open and close the door in order to coat the back of the door. However, providing a special robot for opening and closing of the door causes increased equipment costs. In view of this, there has been proposed a coating robot with a door opening/closing device attached thereto (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,342,535; 4,342,536; and 4,498,414).
FIGS. 1 to 5 show an example of such a combination type coating robot. As illustrated therein, an engaging rod 5 and a spray gun 4 are attached to the tip end of an arm 3 of a coating robot 2 disposed adjacent a conveyor line 1. The engaging rod 5, as shown in FIG. 4, is capable of being inserted into a glass slot 7 of a door 6. When the engaging rod 5 is so inserted, the arm 3 is moved horizontally to thereby open or close the door 6. An optical sensor 8 is disposed beside the base end portion of the engaging rod 5. When the optical sensor 8 detects a specific shape (in this case an edge portion 9) serving as an indication of the upper edge of the door 6 during the horizontal movement of the tip end of the arm 3, the arm tip end moves downward, thus causing the engaging rod 5 to be inserted into the glass slot 7. The dash-double dot lines in FIGS. 2 and 3 represent a moving range of the arm 3.
FIG. 5 shows an example of a door opening/closing device having a pivotable engaging rod 10 which represents an improvement over the above prior art. In this device, the engaging rod 10 is pivotable counterclockwise in FIG. 5 from a vertical state about a pin 11, but is not pivotable in the clockwise direction. As the tip end of the arm 3 is moved in the horizontal direction, the engaging rod 10 moves over the upper edge of the door 6 and comes into engagement with the glass slot 7. The use of such a pivotable engaging rod 10 allows the number of operations of the arm 3 to be decreased by one compared to the use of the engaging rod shown in FIG. 4, thus permitting quick opening and closing motion of a door.
Construction of the conventional door opening/closing device is as outlined above, but the following have been pointed out as problems connected with such conventional devices.
In the type wherein the stationary engaging rod 5 is suspended vertically and inserted into the glass slot 7, as shown in FIG. 4, the detection of the edge portion 9 of the door 6 by the optical sensor 8 must be done from a position spaced a distance at least corresponding to the distance of the engaging rod 5 from the edge portion 9 of the door (the height H in FIG. 4), so the optical sensor 8 tends to be deficient in its detecting ability. In addition, since coating material mist is suspended in the air in a coating site, a long-period of operation of the door opening/closing device may allow the mist to adhere gradually to the light-sensitive surface of the optical sensor 8 and deteriorate the detecting ability of the sensor. The resulting erroneous detection by the optical sensor 8 may, in turn, cause malfunctioning of the door opening/closing device.
Furthermore, although use of the type of device having the pivotable engaging rod 10 shown in FIG. 5 allows the height of the optical sensor 8 to be relatively low so that the foregoing deficiency in detecting ability is less serious, there arises the problem that the coated surface which has not yet dried becomes flawed because of contact of the engaging rod 10 with the door 6.

Automobile door opening/closing equipment