A method is disclosed that enables mitigating at least some of the problems caused by a packet attack. When a first Internet Protocol (IP)-capable device is subjected to a packet attack, it indicates periodically to a second IP-capable device that certain communications with the first device are to be suspended. The periodic transmitting of the indication is performed at a slower rate than the keep-alive mechanism that is normally used to detect loss of connectivity. When the second device receives the transmitted indication, it refrains from transmitting keep-alive messages to the first device for a predetermined interval. Meanwhile, the first device also refrains from transmitting keep-alive messages to the second device for a similar interval. In transmitting the suspend indication, the illustrative embodiment seeks to prevent pairs of communicating devices that are experiencing packet attacks from continuing their operation under the erroneous assumption that each device is unavailable.

Voice over Internet Protocol (or "VoIP") features the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or through another type of Internet Protocol-based network. Voice signals from the voice conversations to be routed are digitized and formatted into data packets, which are then transmitted through the network. A telecommunications network that is based on VoIP is able to transmit voice conversations between devices that are able to access the network. FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of telecommunications system 100 in the prior art, which is able to transmit voice conversations between end-user devices such as telephones. Telecommunications system 100 comprises:                i. backbone packet network 101;        ii. local area network (LAN) 102;        iii. Internet Protocol-capable endpoints 103-1 through 103-R, wherein R is a positive integer;        iv. gateways 104-1 through 104-S, wherein S is a positive integer;        v. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 105;        vi. PSTN telecommunications terminal 106; and        vii. gatekeeper 107.All of the elements depicted in FIG. 1 are interconnected as shown.
System 100 comprises a plurality of different types of networks, including backbone packet network 101, local area network 102, and Public Switched Telephone Network 105. Backbone packet network 101 comprises one or more transmission-related nodes such as routers that are used to direct data packets, in this case voice packets, from one or more sources to the correct destinations of those packets. Network 101 is capable of handling Internet Protocol-based messages that are transmitted between Internet Protocol-capable devices, such as endpoints 103-1 through 103-R, and gateways, such as gateways 104-1 through 104-S. Local area network (or "LAN") 102 provides for the local distribution of signals, such as in an enterprise system, and comprises networking equipment such as hubs, bridges, and switches between backbone packet network 101 and Internet Protocol-capable endpoints 103-1 through 103-R. LAN 102 operates in accordance with a networking protocol such as Ethernet or IEEE 802.3. Public Switched Telephone Network 105 comprises one or more transmission-related nodes such as switches that are used to direct call-related signals from one or more sources to the correct destinations of those signals. Network 105 is capable of handling either analog or digital bearer information in circuit-switched calls between devices such as PSTN terminal 106 and gateway 104-1.
Backbone network 101, as well as some of the depicted nodes, is governed by the H.323 protocol standard specified by the International Telecommunication Union. Nodes depicted in FIG. 1 that are governed by the H.323 standard include endpoints 103-1 through 103-R, gateways 104-1 through 104-S, and gatekeeper 107, which are described below. Some VoIP systems other than system 100 are governed by the Session Initiation Protocol (or "SIP") or a proprietary protocol.
Internet Protocol-capable endpoint 103-r, for r=1 through R, is a communication appliance such as a deskset, a conferencing unit, a wireless terminal, a desktop or portable computer (i.e., "softphone"), an Internet phone, and so forth. As depicted, endpoint 103-r operates in a local area network. Endpoint 103-r is capable of digitizing voice signals from its user and formatting the digitized signals into transmittable data packets through an audio compressor/decompressor (or "CODEC") circuit. Similarly, the CODEC circuit of endpoint 103-r is also capable of receiving data packets and converting the information contained within those packets into voice signals that are understandable by the endpoint's user.
Gateway 104-s, for s=1 through S, is a data-processing system that acts as a translator between two types of networks; for example, gateway 104-1 interconnects and acts as a translator between backbone packet network 101 and Public Switched Telephone Network 105. Because gateway 104-s connects two different types of networks together, one of its main functions is to convert between the different transmission and coding techniques used across the two networks. Gateway 104-1 is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-capable gateway that performs the conversion between time division multiplexed voice signals that originate at a switched telephone network telecommunications terminal, such as terminal 106, and VoIP signals that are intended for an Internet Protocol network endpoint, such as one of IP-capable endpoints 103-1 through 103-R, as part of a telephone conversation between two parties. Gateway 104-1 performs the conversion in the reverse direction as well (i.e., from an IP terminal to a PSTN terminal) and is able to perform bidirectional conversion for multiple calls concurrently.
Gatekeeper 107 is a data-processing system that manages each collection of IP-capable endpoint devices that belong to a particular zone. Gatekeeper 107 provides address translation and routing for the IP-capable devices in their zone. In addition, gatekeeper 107 provides the call admission control, in terms of specifying which of IP-capable devices 103-1 through 103-R may call which other devices in telecommunications system 100.
Gatekeeper 107 receives one or more registration messages from each Internet Protocol-capable endpoint 103-r when the endpoint first connects to the network. The registration message indicates the current IP address of the endpoint and enables endpoint 103-r to use the network, such as to make a call. When the user of endpoint 103-r desires to make a call, the endpoint transmits a message that includes the destination telephone number. After network 101 determines which gateway the destination telephone number corresponds to, gatekeeper 107 transmits the address of the destination gateway to the calling endpoint 103-r. The endpoint then can send packets directly to the gateway (e.g., gateway 104-1, etc.), and the gateway initiates a local call to the destination telephone (e.g., terminal 106, etc.).
As can be seen from the call-control scenario just described, it is crucial for each endpoint 103-r and gatekeeper 107 to maintain an ongoing awareness of each other and an ongoing ability to communicate with each other. To maintain this ongoing relationship with each other, each endpoint 103-r exchanges a "heartbeat" message with gatekeeper 107. A loss of the heartbeat would prompt the affected endpoint to rediscover a gatekeeper or would prompt the affected gatekeeper to deregister the endpoint, or both.
FIG. 2 depicts such a heartbeat mechanism in the prior art, in which endpoint 103-1 is the instigator of the heartbeat sequence and gatekeeper 107 responds to each heartbeat message that it receives from endpoint 103-1. Note that gatekeeper 107 can also be the instigator of a heartbeat sequence with endpoint 103-1, or with a different endpoint, but that is not shown here. As depicted, endpoint 103-1 has been transmitting a series of normal "keep-alive" packets, such as packet 201, and in response to each keep-alive packet, gatekeeper 107 has transmitted an acknowledgment packet, such as packet 202. Endpoint 103-1 transmits the keep-alive packets at regular, predetermined intervals. If endpoint 103-1 does not receive an acknowledgment packet in response to a keep-alive packet, such as with keep-alive packet 203, the endpoint commences transmitting retry keep-alive packets, such as packets 204 through 207, but at a faster rate than before. If the retry keep-alive packets go unanswered, endpoint 103-1 eventually deregisters and goes into a discovery mode at event 208, in which it attempts to find and reregister with a gatekeeper.
The heartbeat-based reliability technique described above works well under ordinary conditions. However, in a non-ordinary condition endpoint 103-r or gatekeeper 107, or both, can be subjected to what is known as a "packet attack," sometimes referred to as a "Denial-of-Service attack," in which an intruder can target one or more devices and continuously transmit, at a high rate, packets that are addressed to the targeted device. If a device, such as endpoint 103-r or gatekeeper 107, is under a packet attack, the device might not have enough processing power to continue to generate or process heartbeats. If endpoint 103-r is targeted, gatekeeper 107 will eventually deregister endpoint 103-r, which will then go into discovery mode to reregister with a gatekeeper. As implied above, the absence of a heartbeat leads to additional message traffic in the network and increases the processing load on gatekeeper 107, which possibly degrades its performance and reduces its overall availability to the other nodes in system 100. Furthermore, if a large number of endpoints were to reregister concurrently, a flood of registration-related messages would occur, creating an even higher load on gatekeeper 107 and ultimately leading to degraded performance across system 100.
What is needed is a technique to mitigate the problems that a packet attack causes, without some of the disadvantages in the prior art.

Maintaining communication between network nodes that are subjected to a packet attack


A modulator capable of providing a fractional sample or symbol 995486 time employs a decimation counter (23) responsive to a clock having a frequency equal to M/N.times.(data symbol clock), where M is an interpolation factor and N is a decimation factor, for generating a data symbol clock to select FSK symbols from a sampled data array (21). A multiplier (26) receives the FSK symbols and multiplies the symbols by a weighting factor determined by the decimation counter. When the decimation counter wraps around due to a modulo M operation, a fractional weight is calculated for the current FSK symbol, then a new FSK symbol is selected, and then a fractional weight is calculated for the new FSK symbol. When the decimation counter has not wrapped, the full weighting, N, is output for the current FSK symbol.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to digital communications systems and, more particularly, to a digital modulator which can efficiently produce a non-integer number of samples per symbol time. The invention has particular application in digital cellular telecommunications which employ frequency shift keying and quadrature phase shift keying at different rates.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In digital voice communication systems, such as cellular telecommunications, input sample rates can be different from output sampling rates, resulting in a non-integer relationship between the number of input and output samples. As a specific example, in the current U.S. analog cellular telephone standard, the control channel uses a Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) symbol rate of 10 KHz. The new U.S. digital cellular telephone standard EIA/IS-54A (Electronic Industries Association/Interim Standard) adds control signaling using 24.3 K-Symbol/Sec. QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) modulation. In this case, it is desired that the same modulator which generates the 10 K-Symbol/sec. FSK modulation also generates the 24.3 K-Symbol/sec. QPSK modulation. This works out to be 2.43 QPSK samples per FSK symbol time.
There are two traditional approaches which could be used to synthesize a modulation waveform which has a non-integer number of samples per symbol time. The first approach would run a Direct Digital Synthesizer (DDS) at a much higher clock rate and then decimate its output to achieve the desired number of samples per symbol time. Another approach would be to generate the modulation with an integer number of samples per symbol time and then interpolate/decimate using appropriate filters to the desired sampling rate.

Modulator having fractional sample/symbol time


A waterborne munitions system is disclosed. The system includes a submersible munitions platform and a remote control module. The munitions platform has a plurality of canistered munitions, either waterborne, airborne, or both, which can be remotely launched via the remote control module.

A supported military force is required to transport "ready-fire" munitions in the battlefield. These "ready-fire" munitions include, for example, airborne munitions (e.g., direct-fire missiles, loitering missiles, airborne tagging system and reconnaissance UAVs, etc.) and waterborne munitions (e.g., UUVs, USVs, counter-mine UUVs and USVs, surface and subsurface tagging systems, small torpedos and other anti-submarine and anti-ship weapons, etc.).
To use these "ready-fire" munitions, the supported military force must establish a fire-support base. In dynamic combat operations in which the supported force is generally on the move, the fire-support base must be repeatedly established, dismantled, and then reestablished. Likewise, when evading hostile forces, the supported force must protect their supporting-fire resources, moving them as required.
This routine of establishing-dismantling-reestablishing fire support results in delays and interruptions in fire support. This can have dire consequences to a small, isolated, military force. And to the extent that ready-fire munitions are being shouldered by military personnel, their movements will be hampered and energy more quickly expended due to the bulk and weight of these munitions.


In a semiconductive member having a coating film containing a conductive agent formed on the surface of a substrate such as an elastic material, or a semiconductive member having an elastic material as a substrate containing a conductive agent, the conductive agent is coated with an ion-containing resin or a resin having high charge attenuation properties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductive member having a coating film containing a conductive agent formed on the surface of a substrate such as an elastic material or a semiconductive member having a substrate composed of an elastic material and containing a conductive agent, such as a charge roller, development roller, transfer roller, toner feed roller or discharge roller mainly used as a member of an electrophotographic apparatus, and to an electrophotographic apparatus comprising the semiconductive member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Members such as a charge roller, development roller, transfer roller, discharge roller and development blade have been used in an electrophotographic apparatus such as a printer, copier or facsimile. These members must have a resistance value within a semiconductive range.
In general, to control the resistance value of the above semiconductive member, various methods have been employed: one in which a resistance control layer, for example, a coating film is formed on an elastic material which is a substrate, a conductive material such as an ion, carbon or metal oxide is contained in the resistance control layer and the amount of the conductive material is controlled, and one in which a conductive material such as an ion, carbon or metal oxide is contained in an elastic material such as urethane or rubber which is a substrate and the amount of the conductive material is controlled.
However, when an ion is used, a variation in resistance is small but only a relatively high resistance range can be covered and the resistance is readily affected by the surrounding environment. In addition, the resistance is readily changed by energization and the ion readily bleeds to become a contamination source.
Meanwhile, when carbon or metal oxide is used, there are a lot of advantages that the resistance is hardly affected by the surrounding environment, the resistance is rarely changed by energization, a contamination problem rarely occurs, and a required resistance range can be covered. However, a variation in resistance is large and dependence of resistance on voltage is large. Then, in order to improve reproducibility and stability of resistance, attempts to add a dispersant together with the above conductive material are being studied. However, a new problem arises that the above additive itself readily becomes a contamination source.
It is an object of the present invention which has been made in view of the above problem to provide a semiconductive member having a small variation in resistance and stable resistance, which is advantageously used as a charge roller or development roller by modifying a conductive agent to be contained in a resistance control layer which is a coating layer or a conductive agent to be contained in an elastic material which is a substrate as well as an electrophotographic apparatus comprising this semiconductive member.

Semiconductive member and electrophotographic apparatus


A method for ashing a resist pattern covered by a hardened layer caused by an ion implantation process previously conducted including a first step for conducting an ashing process at a first temperature e.g. 129.degree. C. or less at which no popping phenomenon happens, for removing the hardened layer, and a second step for conducting an ashing process at a second temperature e.g. 150.degree. C. at which the ashing rate is high, for entirely removing the remaining resist pattern, and apparatus employable for the method for ashing a resist pattern covered by a hardened layer including a mechanism for moving up and down a semiconductor wafer to regulate the temperature of the semiconductor wafer and including a shutter which intervenes between the semiconductor wafer and a heater.

A photo lithography process is one of the important tools employable for producing a semiconductor device. The photo lithography process consists of a step to spin coat a photo resist to produce a photo resist layer on a semiconductor substrate or layer, a step to expose a selected area of the photo resist layer, a step to develop the exposed photo resist layer to produce a photo resist pattern, a step to etch a selected portion of the semiconductor substrate or layer which selected portion is unconcealed by the photo resist pattern, and a step to remove the photo resist pattern which was employed as the etching mask in the previous etching step. The former half of the photo lithography process can be employed to produce a mask employable for an ion implantation process. In other words, a resist pattern produced by selective exposure of a resist layer can be employed as a mask for an ion implantation process employable for introducing impurities in the surface region of a semiconductor substrate or layer. An ashing process conducted employing oxygen radicals or oxygen plasma containing oxygen ions, is usually employed to remove the resist pattern, after an ion implantation process is finished employing the resist pattern as a mask. Since the ashing rate of such an ashing process is accelerated by temperature, it is preferable to conduct such an ashing process under a high temperature.
An ion implantation process conducted employing a resist pattern as a mask is accompanied by a phenomenon to reform the chemical composition of the substance of the top surface of the resist pattern. In other words, the top surface of the resist pattern is converted to a hardened layer, during an ion implantation process.
When a semiconductor substrate or layer selectively covered by a resist pattern of which the top surface has been converted to a hardened layer, is heated up to a high temperature e.g. 150.degree. C. or higher in an ashing apparatus for the purpose to remove the resist pattern, the hardened layer is broken by a high pressure caused by expansion of an evaporated substance located under the hardened layer. This explosive destruction of the hardened layer covering a resist pattern is called popping phenomenon. The popping phenomenon causes dispersion of resist particles, further causing contamination of the surface of the semiconductor substrate or layer and contamination of the internal surface of the ashing apparatus.
An ashing process conducted employing plasma under a low temperature for the purpose to remove an exposed resist pattern covered by a hardened layer, while avoiding popping phenomenon, is readily accompanied by a less ashing rate, resulting in a less magnitude of throughput.
Accordingly, a long standing requirement in this technical field is development of an ashing process for removing a resist pattern which was employed as a mask for an ion implantation process and is covered by a hardened layer and an apparatus employable therefor, both of which are free from popping phenomenon.


A wrap-around interlocked labyrinth seal adapted to be mounted upon a rotating shaft, having a rotor and a stator. A flange positioned on the stator completely encircles the rotating shaft. The stator is interlocked by positioning a cover of the stator within a radial opening of the rotor and interlocking the cover with an enclosure member of the rotor. One embodiment of the seal includes an interlocking member as part of the cover. The interlocking member interlocks with a flange of the rotor.

The present invention relates to a device for providing a static and a dynamic seal between a rotatable shaft and a housing. In particular, the present invention relates to a seal device for inhibiting oil from leaking out of a housing and/or for inhibiting contaminants from traveling into the housing in severe splash conditions.
Prior art devices for sealing a rotating shaft are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,479 (Orlowski). Seal devices of this type may be used to inhibit oil from escaping out of a bearing housing and/or to inhibit contaminants from working their way into the housing. The prior art devices are formed of at least two ring-shaped members that rotate with respect to each other when the shaft is rotated. One of the members is fixed to the housing and does not rotate. The other member rotates with the rotating shaft.
The two ring members should be located very close together, particularly when the seal device is used to isolate the bearing from small particulate contaminants. Even small quantities of such contaminants are capable of significantly deteriorating the bearing. To inhibit such contamination, the two relatively rotatable ring members must be held together very closely, with only a very narrow space therebetween.
The ring members of the Orlowski seal device are connected together by a separate securing means, not shown in the prior art patent. The ring members themselves have no means for establishing and maintaining a narrow spacing therebetween. Therefore, the prior art seal device cannot be manufactured as a unit with a preset, fixed spacing. The spacing between the ring members has to be set when the seal device is installed into the housing. This leaves room for human error outside the control of the device manufacturer. In particular, the Orlowski device can be improperly installed, with the ring members located too far apart to perform satisfactorily. Another problem with the Orlowski device is that the ring members may be separated subsequent to installation, for example by high pressure cleaning spray.
Some prior art references refer to the use of a rotor and a stator, the latter including a plurality of alternating annular grooves and ridges and an axial groove. The grooves and ridges catch oil thrown by the rotating shaft. The oil then drains by gravity to the axial groove which allows the oil to travel back into the housing. One such reference, U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,601 (Murphy), refers to a locking labyrinth sealing assembly where a flange on a rotor wraps around and interlocks with a flange on a stator. The Murphy device, however, lacks an air-side opening and an oil-side opening which is sealed at the rotating shaft, making such a device susceptible to oil leakage in severe splash applications.
Other prior art references, such as, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,967 (Deuring), U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,136 (Miller) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,891 (Shipman) refer to sealing devices utilizing two or more pieces. Each of these seal devices lacks an air-side opening and an oil-side opening which is sealed at the rotating shaft. These types of seal devices may have deficiencies in applications where large amounts of oil can inundate the seals, such as in side-mounted pump bearing frames having double row thrust bearings where the seals are close to the bearings.
The problems of the prior art are overcome to a great extent by the present invention, which relates to a two-piece, interlocked labyrinth seal and a sealed system including a two-piece, interlocked labyrinth seal. The labyrinth seal includes a rotating member, such as a rotor, and a stationary member, such as a stator. The rotor includes an intermediate portion and an enclosure member surrounding a radial opening, and the stator includes a main body portion with annular ridges and a cover positioned within the radial opening. The cover interlocks with the enclosure member. One of the annular ridges is adapted to restrict passage of air through the seal when the seal is mounted to a shaft.
The invention also provides a two-piece interlocked labyrinth seal. The seal includes a rotor with an intermediate portion, an enclosure member and a flange surrounding a radial opening, and a stator with a main body portion, having a plurality of annular ridges, and a cover positioned within the radial opening. The cover interlocks with the flange.
The invention further provides a sealed system that includes a rotatable shaft, a housing, and a two-piece interlocked labyrinth seal mounted on the housing and around the shaft. The seal includes a rotor with an intermediate portion and an enclosure member surrounding a radial opening, and a stator with a main body portion, having a plurality of annular ridges, and a cover positioned within the radial opening. The cover interlocks with the enclosure member. One of the annular ridges restricts passage of air between the seal and the rotatable shaft.
The invention further provides a sealed system that includes a rotatable shaft, a housing, and a two-piece interlocked labyrinth seal mounted on the housing and around the shaft. The seal includes a rotor with an intermediate portion, an enclosure member and a flange surrounding a radial opening, and a stator with a main body portion, having a plurality of annular ridges, and a cover positioned within the radial opening. The cover interlocks with the flange.
The foregoing and other advantages and features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the invention, which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.


Many device components included a printed circuit board supporting light-generating means along with a light pipe to conduct light from the light-generating means to a diffuser adjacent the surface of the components. The present invention offers an improvement whereby the light pipe can be utilized both for transmission of visible wavelengths and for transmission/reception of invisible (infrared) wavelengths. To accomplish this, a light pipe is constituted of two adjacent portions, and an infrared transceiver module is coupled into both portions.

This invention relates generally to the handling of both infrared light and visible light, utilizing a single light pipe. More particularly, this invention provides a construction for a component, and a method of operation for the component, such that the function of transporting light from an optically inaccessible, light-generating location to an optically accessible region on the component can coexist with the infrared features of an appropriate transceiver device.
For various devices such as telephones, it is known to utilize light pipes extending from internal, optically inaccessible locations to external, optically accessible locations. Such light pipes are used to conduct visible light in products requiring visible status indicators. Typically, light pipes of this kind terminate at a light diffuser.
We have determined that it is possible to modify light pipes in such a way that status indication and infrared features can coexist within the same unit, thus leading to smaller product sizes and lower costs. These considerations are becoming increasingly important, as device portability because more desirable.
As a general principle, it is of advantage to have more integrated product designs, and also the ability to add new features to existing components.
It is known to utilize a light pipe to transfer light energy from a source such as one or more LEDs, located on a printed circuit board (PCB), up to a visually accessible surface of a product, where the light pipe typically ends at a light diffuser.
The present invention seeks to improve upon the prior art just mentioned, by allowing infrared energy and visible light to coexist and be handled within the same unit.
More particularly, this invention provides, for use with a component defining a surface, the component including a printed circuit board supporting light-generating means, along with light-transporting means for conducting light from the light-generating means to a light diffuser adjacent the surface, the improvement wherein the light-transporting means is in the form of two juxtaposed light pipe portions, and wherein an infrared transceiver module is coupled into both of the light pipe portions adjacent the light-generation means, the light pipe portions both transporting light to said light diffuser.
Further, this invention provides, in a component defining a surface and including a printed circuit board supporting light-generating means, and further including light-transporting means for conducting light from the light generating means to a light diffuser adjacent the surface, an improved method of operation wherein two juxtaposed light pipe portions transport light to said light diffuser, and where an infrared transceiver module is coupled into both of the light pipe portions adjacent the light-generating means.


A method and apparatus for fabricating a flat panel display device is disclosed. A thin film is patterned in a patterning process using a soft mold without using a photo process. A thin film layer and a resist are sequentially formed on a substrate. A designated resist pattern is formed by applying pressure to the resist using a soft mold. The resist has a dipole moment μ value equal to or higher than 2 (D), or has a solubility parameter value lower than 6 (cal/cm3)1/2 or higher than 11 (cal/cm3)1/2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat panel display device, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for fabricating a flat panel display device that is adaptive for performing a patterning process without using a photo process.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently as society has become more information-oriented, the display device has been emphasized in importance more than ever before as a visual information communication medium. A cathode ray tube or Braun tube display is currently the most popular display device used. However the CRT display is heavy and large.
As an alternative, various flat panel displays have been developed. Examples of flat panel displays include liquid crystal display LCD, field emission display FED, plasma display device PDP, electroluminescence device EL, etc. Most of these displays have been put to practical use and are presently on the market.
Among these, the liquid crystal display device is popular as the liquid crystal display device can satisfy a trend of electronic products being made light, thin, short and small. As the producability of the liquid crystal display device has been improving, it has been rapidly replacing the cathode ray tube in many applied fields.
Specially, an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, which drives a liquid crystal cell by use of a thin film transistor (hereinafter, referred to as "TFT"), has an excellent picture quality and low power consumption. Large-sized and high-resolution active matrix type liquid crystal display devices have rapidly been developed due to the establishment of mass production technology and the result of research and development.
The active matrix type liquid crystal display device, as shown in FIG. 1, has a color filter substrate 22 and a TFT array substrate 23 bonded with a liquid crystal layer 15 therebetween. The liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 1 represents part of the whole effective screen.
The color filter substrate 22 includes a color filter 13 and a common electrode 14 formed on the rear surface of an upper glass substrate 12. A polarizer 11 is adhered onto the rear surface of the upper glass substrate 12. The color filter 13 has red R, green G and blue B color filter layers arranged to transmit a light of a specific wavelength range, thereby enabling a color display. A black matrix (not shown) is formed between adjacent color filters 13.
The TFT array substrate 23 includes data lines 19 and gate lines 18 formed to cross each other in the front surface of a lower glass substrate 16, and TFTs 20 formed at the crossing parts. A pixel electrode 21 is formed in a cell area between the data line 19 and the gate line 18 in the front surface of the lower glass substrate 16. The TFT switches a data transmission path between the data line 19 and the pixel electrode 21 in response to a scan signal from the gate line 18, thereby driving the pixel electrode 21. A polarizer 19 is adhered to the rear surface of the TFT array substrate 23.
The liquid crystal layer 15 controls the transmitted amount of the light which is incident through the TFT array substrate 23.
The polarizers 11, 17 adhered onto the color filter substrate 22 and the TFT substrate 23 transmit polarized light in one direction, and the polarized directions thereof perpendicularly cross each other when the liquid crystal 15 is in a 90° TN mode. An alignment film (not shown) is formed in each of liquid crystal facing surfaces of the color filter substrate 22 and the TFT array substrate 23.
A fabricating process of the active matrix type liquid crystal display device can be divided into a substrate cleaning process, a substrate patterning process, an alignment film forming/rubbing process, a substrate bonding/liquid crystal injecting process, a mounting process, an inspecting process, a repairing process, etc. The substrate cleaning process uses a cleaning solution to remove impurities that have contaminated the substrate surface of the liquid crystal display device. The substrate patterning process is divided into a patterning process of the color filter substrate and a patterning process of the TFT array substrate. The alignment film forming/rubbing process spreads an alignment film over each of the color filter substrate and the TFT array substrate and rubs the alignment film with a rubbing cloth, etc. The substrate bonding/liquid crystal injecting process bonds the color filter substrate and the TFT array substrate together by use of a sealant and injects a liquid crystal and a spacer through a liquid crystal injection hole and seals the injection hole. The mounting process connects a tape carrier package (hereinafter, referred to as "TCP"), on which an integrated circuit such as a gate drive IC, a data drive IC, etc is mounted, to a pad part on the substrate. The drive IC can be mounted directly on the substrate by a method such as a chip-on-glass (hereinafter, referred to as "COG") method besides a tape automated bonding method using the foregoing TCP. The inspecting process includes electrical inspection and macrography which are conducted after forming the pixel electrode and the signal line such as the data line and the gate line on the TFT array substrate. The repairing process performs restoration on a substrate which is judged by the inspecting process to be possible to repair. A substrate which is judged to be impossible to repair is disposed as waste.
In the fabricating method of most of the flat panel display devices inclusive of the liquid crystal display device, a thin film material deposited on the substrate is patterned by a photolithography process. The photolithography process is a series of photo-process which generally includes photo-resist spreading, mask aligning, exposing, developing and cleaning. However, the photolithography process takes a relatively long time, a large amount of the photo-resist material and stripping solution are wasted, and uses expensive equipment such as exposure equipment.

Method for fabricating flat panel display device


The output of a wheel speed sensor is sampled at dithered time intervals and the samples used to construct a pair of histograms representing high and low sample values. A minimum voltage threshold is determined as a function of the output voltage associated with the dominate histogram value for the low sample values. The output voltage associated with the dominant histogram value for the high sample values is compared to the minimum voltage threshold to determine whether a potential sensor wiring problem is developing.

This invention relates in general to electronic brake control systems and in particular to a method for detecting a potential failure of wheel speed sensor wiring.
Many vehicles being currently produced by automotive manufacturers include electronic brake control systems that are integrated with their hydraulic brake systems. Such systems include anti-lock brake systems that prevent wheel lock-up during braking cycles, traction control systems to prevent slippage of driven wheels on low mu surfaces, rear brake boost systems that selectively increase the pressure applied to the vehicle rear wheel brakes and anti-roll control systems that provide roll over avoidance. Additionally, such systems also may assist in preventing loss of directional control when the vehicle is operated upon normal or even high mu surfaces, as can occur during accident avoidance maneuvers. All of the above functions may be incorporated as operating modes in a single electronic brake control system.
An electronic brake control system typically includes an electro-hydraulic control unit that is integrated with the brake lines of the hydraulic brake system. The electro-hydraulic control unit typically includes an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that is mounted upon a hydraulic valve body. The ECU includes a microprocessor and control algorithm for operating the brake system. The algorithm and operating parameters for the vehicle are stored in a memory device that is electrically connected to the microprocessor. The memory device may be an integral part of the microprocessor or it may be separate therefrom. Additionally, the microprocessor is connected to and receives signals from vehicle operating parameter sensors, such as, for example, wheel speed sensors, vehicle motion sensors, a steering angle sensor and a throttle position sensor.
The hydraulic valve body includes a plurality of ports that are connected through hydraulic brake lines to components of the vehicle hydraulic brake system. A plurality of normally open and normally closed solenoid valves are disposed within the hydraulic valve body. The ECU is connected to the solenoid valve coils and operative to selectively actuate the valves. A pump also is typically mounted within the hydraulic valve body and is operative to supply pressurized brake fluid to the brake control system. The pump is controlled by the electronic control unit microprocessor.
During vehicle operation, the ECU microprocessor continuously receives signals from the various vehicle operating parameter sensors. When the microprocessor senses an impending vehicle control problem, the brake control system is activated. The microprocessor starts the pump to supply pressurized brake fluid and selectively actuates the solenoid valves to apply and relieve hydraulic pressure to the wheel brakes to correct the vehicle control problem.
Such electronic brake control systems typically include self-test algorithms to detect potential component failure. Among the components tested are the wheel speed sensors and the microprocessor in the ECU. These components are periodically tested to assure that they are properly functioning. Upon detecting a fault, the entire brake control system is disabled to assure safe operation of the vehicle and a warning, such the illumination of a lamp on the vehicle dashboard and/or sounding of an audio alarm, provided to the vehicle operator.


There is provided a process for the preparation of a chiral insecticidal and acaricidal compound of formula I.

1,4-diaryl-2-fluoro-2-butenes and a method for their preparation are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,673. Said compounds are useful as insecticidal and acaricidal agents and for protecting plants from damage caused by insect and acarid attack and infestation. Although U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,673 discloses and claims optical isomers of said 1,4-diaryl-2-fluoro-2-butenes, it does not provide a method for their preparation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process for the preparation of chiral 1,4-diaryl-2-fluoro-2-butenes.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide intermediates useful in said process.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description thereof set forth below.
There is provided a process for the preparation of a chiral compound of formula I
wherein
Ar is phenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy, C1-C4haloalkoxy or hydroxy groups,
1- or 2-naphthyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups, or
a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring optionally substituted with any combination of from one
to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups;
R is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C3-C6cycloalkyl or C3-C6halocycloalkyl;
Ar1 is phenoxyphenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to six halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
phenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
biphenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
phenoxypyridyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
benzylpyridyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
benzylphenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
benzoylphenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
1- or 2-naphthyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups, or
a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups, and
the (E)- and (Z)-isomers thereof, which process comprises the following steps:
a) treating a racemic ester of formula II
wherein Ar and R are defined as hereinabove and R4 is C1-C4alkyl with an esterase to form a first mixture of either R-acid IIIa and S-ester IIIb
or of S-acid IIIc and R-ester IIId
b) separating said acid IIIa or IIIc from said ester IIIb or IIId;
c) reducing said acid IIIa or IIIc or said ester IIIb or IIId to obtain a chiral alcohol IV having the R- or S-configuration
b) reacting said chiral alcohol with an arylsulfonyl halide Ar2SO2X
wherein Ar2 is phenyl, p-chlorophenyl, or p-tolyl, and X is chloro, bromo or fluoro to afford a sulfonate of formula V
e) reacting said sulfonate V with a cyanide-delivering agent to afford a nitrile of formula VI
f) hydrolysing said nitrile VI to afford an acid of formula VII
g) esterifying said acid VII with an alcohol R1OH, wherein R1 is C1-C4 alkyl to afford an ester of formula VIII
h) fluorinating said ester to afford a fluoro-ester of formula IX
i) reacting said fluoro ester with an aldehyde Ar1CH2CHO, wherein Ar1 is defined as hereinabove, in a solvent in the presence of a base to afford a second mixture of 4 chiral diastereomeric hydroxy-esters of formula X
j) optionally separating said second mixture X into a third mixture Xa and a fourth mixture Xb, each mixture having two chiral diastereomers;
k) treating said hydroxy-ester mixture X, Xa or Xb with an acylating agent R2COX1, wherein R2 is C1-C4alkyl and X1 is Cl, Br or R2COO, to afford a fifth mixture of 4 chiral diastereomeric acyloxy esters XI, a sixth mixture of 2 acyloxy esters of formula XIa, or a seventh mixture of 2 chiral diastereomeric acyloxy esters XIb
l) optionally separating said sixth or seventh mixture into essentially pure chiral diastereomeric acyloxy esters;
m) hydrolyzing said pure chiral acyloxy esters or mixtures of esters of formula XI to afford a hydroxy-acid of formula XII
and
n) heating said hydroxy-acid XII with an arylsulfonyl halide Ar3SO2X2, wherein Ar3 is phenyl, p-chlorophenyl, or p-tolyl, and
X2 is chloro or bromo to afford the desired chiral compound of formula I.
The invention further provides chiral intermediate compounds useful in the process of this invention.
Although chiral 1,4-diaryl-2-fluoro-2-butenes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,673, no method for their preparation is disclosed.
Advantageously, the present invention provides a method for the preparation of chiral compounds of formula I
wherein Ar, R and Ar1 are defined as above.
In accordance with the process of this invention racemic ester II is enzymatically hydrolyzed with an esterase to afford a first mixture of acid IIIa having the R-configuration, and unhydrolyzed ester IIIb, having the S-configuration, which is separated. Said acid IIIa or said ester IIIb is reduced to obtain a chiral alcohol IV having the R- or S-configuration; said alcohol is reacted with an arylsulfonyl halide Ar2SO2X to afford a sulfonate of formula V; said sulfonate is treated with a cyanide-delivering agent to afford a nitrile of formula VI; said nitrile is hydrolyzed to yield an acid of formula VII; said acid is esterified with an alcohol R1OH to yield an ester of formula VIII; said ester is fluorinated to afford a fluoro-ester of formula IX; said fluoro-ester is reacted with an aldehyde Ar1CH2CHO in a solvent in the presence of a base to afford a second mixture of 4 chiral diasteromeric hydroxy-esters of formula X; optionally said second mixture can be separated into a third mixture Xa and a fourth mixture Xb, each mixture having two chiral diastereomers; said hydroxy-ester mixture X, Xa, or Xb is treated with an acylating agent R2COX, to afford a fifth mixture of 4 chiral diasteromeric acyloxy esters XI, a sixth mixture of 2 acyloxy esters of formula XIa, or seventh mixture of chiral diasteromeric acyloxy esters XIb; optionally, said sixth or seventh mixture can be separated into to essentially pure chiral diastereomeric acyloxy esters; said pure chiral acyloxy esters or mixtures of esters of formula XI are hydrolyzed to a hydroxy acid of formula XII; and finally, said hydroxy acids are heated with an arylsulfonyl halide Ar3SO2X2 to afford the desired chiral compound of formula I. The process is depicted in Flow Diagram I wherein R4 is depicted as methyl.
The wavy lines in structural formula I represent either the E isomeric or the Z isomeric configuration about the carbon-carbon double bond.
Non-polar solvents suitable for use in the process of the invention are essentially water-free solvents such as aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g. toluene, benzene, xylene, naphthalene or the like, preferably toluene), halogenated aromatic hydrocarbones (e.g. chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene or the like), hydrocarbons (e.g. chloroform, methylene chloride, dichlorethane, or the like, or any of the conventional, preferably water imiscible, organic non-polar solvents.
Preferred non-polar solvents suitable for use in the process of the invention are hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons such as hexane, heptane, toluene, ethylbenzene or the like.
Polar aprotic solvents suitable for use in the inventive process are dimethylformamide, dimethyl-sulfoxide, tetrahydrofuran, diethyl ether, or the like.
Preferred polar aprotic solvents suitable for use in the process of the invention are dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide.
Derivitizing agents suitable for use in the formation of V are triarylphosphine/trialkylphosphines such as triphenylphosphine and triethylphosphine and carbon tetrahalides such as carbon tetrachloride and carbon tetrabromide as well as arylsulfonyl halides such as p-toluene sulfonyl chloride, p-toluene sulfonyl bromide, p-toluene sulfonyl fluoride, benzenesulfonyl bromide, benzenesulfonyl chloride, benzenesulfonyl fluoride, p-chlorobenzenesulfonyl bromide, p-chlorobenzenesulfonyl chloride and p-chlorobenzenesulfonylfluoride or alkylsulfonyl halides such as methane sulfonyl chloride, preferably p-toluene sulfonyl chloride. Suitable bases are resin-bound tertiary organic bases such as polystyrene diisopropyl ethylamine and tertiary organic bases such as triethyl amine and diisopropyl ethyl amine and pyridine, preferably triethlamine. Reaction temperatures may vary from about 0xc2x0 C. to reflux, preferably from about 25xc2x0 C. to about 50xc2x0 C., more preferably about 25xc2x0 C.
Cyanide delivering agents suitable for the formation of nitrile VI are metal cyanides, alkali earth metal cyanide and alkali metal cyanide such as potassium cyanide, zinc cyanide and sodium cyanide, preferably sodium cyanide. Reaction temperatures may vary from about 25xc2x0 C. to about 180xc2x0 C., preferably from about 50xc2x0 C. to about 125xc2x0 C., more preferably about 90xc2x0 C.
Suitable agents for the hydrolysis of nitrile VI are aqueous acids such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid in the presence of or without the presence of alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, isobutanol and t-butyl alcohol, aqueous alkali or alkali earth bases such as potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide, preferably sodium hydroxide. Reaction temperatures may vary from about 25xc2x0 C. to about 100xc2x0 C., preferably from about 50xc2x0 C. to about 100xc2x0 C., more preferably about 100xc2x0 C.
Reaction temperatures suitable for the esterifiecation of acid VII vary from about xe2x88x9210xc2x0 C. to about 40xc2x0 C., preferably about xe2x88x9210xc2x0 C. to about 10xc2x0 C., more preferably about 0xc2x0 C.
Bases suitable for the generation of the anion of if ester VIII are alkali metal hexaalkylsilylamides such as lithium hexamethylsilylamide or sodium hexamethylsilylamide, alkali metal dialkyl amides such as sodium diisopropylamide, metal hydrides such as sodium hydride and potassium hydride, preferably lithium diisopropyl amide.
Reaction temperatures vary from about xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. to about 25xc2x0 C., preferred starting temperature is about xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C., with the ending temperature about 25xc2x0 C.
Suitable bases for treating fluoroester IX are metal hydrides such as sodium hydride and potassium hydride, alkali metal hexa-alkylsilylamide such as sodium hexamethylsilylamide or lithium hexamethysilylamide, alkali metal dialkylamides such as sodium diisopropylamide or lithium diisopropylamide, preferably lithium diisopropylamide.
Suitable bases for the formation of I are pyridine and substituted pyridines, preferably collidine. Reaction temperatures vary from about 25xc2x0 C. to about 200xc2x0 C., preferably from about 100xc2x0 C. to about 200xc2x0 C., more preferably from about 170xc2x0 C. to about 180xc2x0 C.
In actual practice, racemic ester II in water is treated with an esterase enzyme, preferably horse liver esterase, preferably between pH 7.1-8.0 to yield a first mixture of either R-acid IIIa and S-ester IIIb or S-acid IIIc and R-ester IIId; said acid can be separated from said ester by standard extraction techniques, preferably with aqueous sodium bicarbonate followed by acidification with mineral acid, preferably dilute hydrochloric acid and reextraction, or more preferably by chromatographic techniques, preferably on silica gel; said acid IIIa or IIIc is reduced with diborane, or said ester IIIb or IIId is reduced with diisobutylaluminum hydride to afford chiral alcohol IV having the R- or the S-configuration; said alcohol IV is reacted with at least one molar equivalent of a sulfonyl halide Ar2SO2Cl, preferably an arylsulfonyl chloride in a non-polar aprotic solvent, preferably methylene chloride, in the presence of at least one molar equivalent of a base, preferably a tertiary organic base, more preferably triethylamine to afford sulfonate V; said sulfonate V is reacted with a cyanide-delivering agent, preferably an alkali metal cyanide, more preferably sodium cyanide, in a polar aprotic solvent, preferably dimethylsulfoxide, to yield nitrile VI; nitrile VI is hydrolized in the presence of aqueous acid or base, preferably dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide followed by acidification of the resulting salt with strong mineral acid, preferably concentrated hydrochloric acid, to yield acid VII. Acid VII is esterified with an alcohol R1OH, preferably present in excess, in the presence of a strong acid catalyst, preferably anhydrous hydrogen chloride gas, to yield ester VIII.
Said ester is fluorinated, preferably by generating its anion with a base, preferably an alkali metal amide, more preferably lithium diisopropyl amide in an aprotic solvent, preferably tetrahydrofuran, followed by quenching said anion with an electrophilic fluorinating agent, preferably an N-fluoroimide, more preferably N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide to yield fluoro ester IX; said fluoro ester IX is reacted with an aldehyde Ar1CH2CHO in the presence of a base, preferably an alkali metal amide, more preferably lithium diisopropylamide, in an aprotic solvent, preferably tetrahydrofuran, to afford a second mixture of 4 chiral diasteromeric hydroxy-esters of formula X; advantageously said second mixture X may be optionally separated, preferably by chromatographic techniques, more preferably on silica gel, into a third mixture Xa and a fourth mixture Xb, each mixture having two chiral diastereomers; said hydroxy-ester mixture X, Xa or Xb is treated with an acylating agent R2COX1, preferably an acid anhydride (R2CO)2O, more preferably acetic anhydride, in a non-polar solvent, preferably methylene chloride in the presence of an acylation catalyst, preferably N,N-dimethylaminopyridine, to afford a fifth mixture of 4 chiral diastereomeric acyloxy esters XI, a sixth mixture of 2 aryloxy esters of formula XIa, or a seventh mixture of 2 chiral diasteromeric acyloxy esters of formula XIb; advantageously said sixth or seventh mixture are optionally separated preferably by chromatographic techniques, more preferably with silica gel into essentially pure chiral diastereomeric acyloxy esters; said pure chiral acyloxy esters or mixtures of esters of formula XI are hydrolyzed with acid or base, preferably dilute aqueous metal hydroxide, more preferably dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide followed by acidification with a strong mineral acid, preferably concentrated hydrochloric acid, to afford a hydroxy-acid of formula XII; said hydroxy-acid is treated in the presence of an aryl-sulfonyl halide Ar3SO2X2, preferably an arylsulfonyl chloride, more preferably p-toluene sulfonyl chloride, to afford the desired chiral compound of formula 1.
The present invention also provides chiral compounds of formula XIII
wherein
Ar is phenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy, C1-C4haloalkoxy or hydroxy groups,
1- or 2-naphthyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups, or
a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups;
R is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C3-C6cycloalkyl or C3-C6halocycloalkyl;
Ar1 is phenoxyphenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to six halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
phenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
biphenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
phenoxypyridyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
benzylpyridyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
benzylphenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
benzoylphenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to five halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups,
1- or 2-naphthyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups, or
a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups, and
R3 is H or C1-C4alkyl; and
Z is H or COR2, wherein R2 is C1-C4alkyl.
Preferred compounds of the present invention are those wherein
Ar is phenyl optionally substituted with any combination of from one to three halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or C1-C4haloalkoxy groups; and
R is C1-C4alkyl or C3-C6cycloalkyl.
More preferred compounds are those wherein
Ar1 is phenyl optionally substituted with one to three halogen groups; and
R is C3-C6cycloalkyl.
Most preferred compounds are those selected from the group consisting of
methyl (2S,3S)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2R,3R)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2S,3R)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2R,3S)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2S,3S)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2R,3R)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2S,3R)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2R,3S)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2S,3S)-3-(acetyloxy)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2R,3R)-3-(acetyloxy)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2R,3R)-3-(acetyloxy)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2S,3R)-3-(acetyloxy)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2S,3S)-3-(acetyloxy)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2R,3R)-3-(acetyloxy)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2R,3S)-3-(acetyloxy)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
methyl (2S,3R)-3-(acetyloxy)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)butanoate;
(2S,3S)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxybutanoic acid;
(2R,3R)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxybutanoic acid;
(2R,3S)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxybutanoic acid;
(2S,3R)-2-[(S)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxybutanoic acid;
(2S,3S)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxybutanoic acid;
(2R,3R)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxybutanoic acid;
(2R,3S)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxybutanoic acid, and
(2S,3R)-2-[(R)-(4-chlorophenyl)(cyclopropyl)methyl]-2-fluoro-4-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxybutanoic acid.
The present invention additionally provides chiral compounds of formula XIV
wherein
Q is xe2x80x94CO2H; xe2x80x94CO2CH3; xe2x80x94CH2OH; xe2x80x94CH2OSO2Ar2; xe2x80x94CH2CN; xe2x80x94CH2CO2H; xe2x80x94CH2CO2R1; or xe2x80x94CHFCO2R1;
Ar2 is phenyl, p-chlorophenyl, or p-tolyl; and
R1 is C1-C4alkyl.
Most preferred compounds are selected from the group consisting of
(2R)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-cyclopropylethyl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate;
(2S)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-cyclopropylethyl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate;
(3R)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyclopropylpropanenitrile;
(3S)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyclopropylpropanenitrile;
(3R)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyclopropylpropanoic acid;
(3S)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyclopropylpropanoic acid;
methyl (3R)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyclopropylpropanoate;
methyl (3S)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyclopropylpropanoate;
methyl (3R)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyclopropyl-2-fluoropropanoate;
methyl (3S)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyclopropyl-2-fluoropropanoate;
In order to present a clear understanding of the invention, the following examples are set forth below. These examples are merely illustrative, and are not to be understood as limiting the scope and underlying principles of the invention in any way.

Process for the preparation of chiral isofluoroenes

Abstract: Also provided are intermediate compounds useful in the process of the present invention.


New associative thickeners of the HEUR type (Hydrophobically modified Ethylene oxide URethane) whose hydrophobic monomer is based on alkyl cyclohexylols. These are new polyurethanes that allow a broad thickening of a medium shear gradient aqueous formulation while limiting the increase in the low shear gradient viscosity. The invention also concerns the compositions containing them and their uses in different formulations such as aqueous paints.

Aqueous paint formulations containing mineral fillers generally consist of an aqueous phase, of one or more polymers in emulsion in the liquid phase referred to as binders. fillers and/or pigments, a dispersant and admixtures as diverse as surfactants, coalescent agents, biocides, and anti-foaming agents, and finally, at least one thickening agent.
The latter allows a control of the rheology of aqueous formulations in which it is introduced, and in particular in aqueous paints, both at the manufacturing stage as well as during their transport, storage, or in the course of their implementation. The diversity of practical constraints at the level of each of these steps reflects a multiplicity of different rheological behaviours.
One can nevertheless summarize the need of the person skilled in the art to obtain a thickening effect in the aqueous formulation, both for reasons of stability over time as well as for a possible application of paint to a vertical surface, the absence of coating splash at the time of implementation, etc. This is why the additives which contribute to this control of rheological behaviour are known as thickeners.
Among these products, there are the so-called "associative" thickeners which are water-soluble polymers with insoluble hydrophobic groups. Such macro-molecules have an associative character: once introduced into water, the hydrophobic groups are susceptible to association in the form of micellar aggregates. These aggregates are linked to one another by the hydrophilic parts of the polymers: there is then the formation of a three-dimensional network that causes the increase in the viscosity of the medium.
The operating mechanism and characteristics of associative thickeners are well known today and are described for example in the documents "Rheology modifiers for water-borne paints" (Surface Coatings Australia, 1985, pp. 6-10) and "Rheological modifiers for water-based paints: the most flexible tools for your formulations" (Eurocoat 97, UATCM, vol. 1, pp 423-442).
Among these associative thickeners, there is the class of associative thickeners of the HEUR (Hydrophobically modified Ethylene oxide URethane) type. They designate copolymers resulting from the synthesis between a compound of the polyalkylene glycol type, a polyisocyanate and a monomer or condensate called "associative" of the alkyl, aryl or aryalkyl type consisting of a hydrophobic terminal group.
These structures are well known for developing high viscosities for an average to low shear gradient (j. of Applied Polymer Science, vol. 58, p 209-230, 1995; Polymeric Mat. Sci. and Engineering, vol. 59, p 1033, 1988; Polymeric Mat. Sci. and Engineering, vol. 61, p 533, 1989; Polymeric Paint Colour Journal, vol. 176, No. 4169, p 459, June 1986), which corresponds respectively to Stormer™ (KU) and Brookfield™ (mPa·s) measurements of viscosity.
But it is a more complex rheology that we are seeking, a real compromise between the application properties of the paint and its behaviour in the can. On the one hand, we aim to increase the Stormer™ viscosity of the formulation: this results in a better stability of the paint in storage and an improved performance when the product is agitated (appearance in the can) and is picked up with the application tool (better loading of the roller, paintbrush or brush). On the other hand, the increase in the Brookfield™ viscosity must be limited in a concomitant manner: such an increase results in a degradation of the application properties of the paint (limitation of levelling, presence of coating splashes).
To this double problem, the associative polyurethane thickeners market provided a solution in the 1990s which constitutes a reference: Acrysol™ SCT-275 (DOW™) However, this product contains alkyl phenols. Now these substances are today widely suspected of being carcinogenic and dangerous to reproduction. Still tolerated in the paint industry, they nonetheless remain of interest to legislative institutions, particularly those of Europe.
There is therefore a real need to develop an associative thickener of the HEUR type in order to resolve the double technical problem referred to above without using alkyl phenols. In order to do so, the person skilled in the art has a very broad library of structures that differ essentially in the choice of the hydrophobic monomer.
Document EP 1 566 393 describes a HEUR type thickener, one of the essential characteristic of which is the presence of n-butyl-1-octanol, while its hydrophobic groups are based on fatty alcohols with 8 to 18 carbon atoms. Document DE 10 206 023001 describes an associative non-ionic thickening agent of the HEUR type including a branched linear alcohol. Document EP 1 241 198 describes polyurethane-based thickening agents including a monoalcohol having 6 to 22 carbon atoms. Document EP 1 013 264 describes a polyurethane thickener for cosmetic formulations with an associative monomer functionalized by a hydrophobic group that can be linear or branched, but preferentially linear and possessing 12 to 24 carbon atoms. Document WO 94/06840 proposes an associative thickener of the HEUR type characterized by a certain density of hydrophobic groups, the said groups being linear alkyl chains with 8 to 22 carbon atoms. Document EP 1 584 331 proposes a hydrophobic terminal group with 6 to 34 carbon atoms for the associative monomer. To specifically increase the Brookfield™ viscosity, document EP 0 639 595 proposes linear hydrophobic groups having 4 to 36 carbon atoms. Document WO 02/102868 also makes reference to linear structures for the associative monomer.
However, outside of the alkyl phenols, none of the hydrophobic structures envisaged until now provides satisfaction for increasing the Stormer™ viscosity while limiting the increase in the Brookfield™ viscosity, and thus achieving an optimal compromise between stability on the one hand, the can appearance, the tool loading, and on the other hand the application properties such as levelling and the absence of coating splash.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Non-ionic associative thickeners containing alkyl cyclohexylols, formulations containing them and their uses


A seam ripper includes a metal blade member, a handle and a slider. The blade member is supported by the handle and made of a shaft and a blade part at an end of the shaft. The slider causes the blade member to move between a retracted position and an advanced position. The shaft is housed in the handle at the retracted position. The blade part and at least a portion of the shaft are outside the handle at the advanced position. The blade part includes a cutting blade flanked by a needle portion and a ball-shaped portion. When the blade member is at the retracted position, the entirety of the needle portion is housed in the handle, and a portion of the cutting blade is exposed to the outside of the handle.

A thread cutter called "seam ripper" is known as a tool to rip stitches. An example of such a seam ripper is disclosed in Japanese Design Registration No. 1201385. As disclosed therein, a typical seam ripper may include an elongated metal member coupled to a handle to be held by a user, and the metal member has, at its tip, a cutting blade flanked by a needle portion and a ball-shaped portion that provide a fork-like shape. In use, for example, the needle portion is inserted into a seam, and the seam ripper is pushed forward so that the cutting blade will cut the thread of the seam. The conventional seam ripper comes with a protective cap configured to cover the metal member (in particular, the cutting blade and the needle portion) when the ripper is not in use.
JP-U-S52-81340 discloses a seam ripper whose elongated metal member (with a fork-like end including a cutting blade) retractable into a handle. In this conventional seam ripper, the metal member is configured to slide into or out of the inner space of the handle by a screw mechanism. To use the seam ripper, the user rotates the operating portion of the handle, causing the blade part to come out gradually from the inside of the handle due to the screw mechanism. After the work with the ripper has been done, the user can bring the whole of the metal member back into the handle by rotating the operation portion in the opposite direction. Advantageously, such a configuration eliminates the need for preparation of an additional protective cap to cover the blade part.


An insertion arrangement (20) is provided to make it easier for an operator to insert several needles (41, 44) clamped in a multiple clamping chuck (40), even in the case of certain positional deviations, simultaneously in the associate bores (11) of a needle board (10). The insertion arrangement (20) comprises a guide section (32) with many parallel grooves (51) that are arranged at the distance of the bores (11), and that, respectively, can accommodate the tip (45) of a needle (41, 44) and can guide said tip to the associate bore (11). In so doing, the grooves (51) help align the individual needles (41, 44) with respect to the bores (11) in that the grooves correct potential positional deviations by slightly bending the needles (41, 44). The insertion arrangement (20) is mounted to an automatic loading machine (1) and can be adjusted and locked relative to a needle board (10) accommodated in the automatic loading machine.

The present invention relates to a device for loading needle boards of felting and structuring machines.
Felting machines are disposed for rendering more dense non-woven fabrics of fibers, said fabrics consisting of randomly placed fibers such as, e.g., felts (with and without carrier material), and, optionally, also for post-processing woven and knit fabrics. For this purpose, the felting machines comprise an essentially plane support that is provided with a large number of felting needles. This carrier is also referred to as a needle board. The felting needles are seated in appropriate openings or bores, whereby the needles' holding part is pressed into said openings or bores. The term "felting needle" used herein also comprises needles that are used for post-processing, e.g., for roughening or perforating knit or woven fabrics.
The insertion of the needles in a needle board, as well as the removal of said needles, is a tedious procedure that is frequently performed—in full or in part—by hand. If needles are worn or if the needles of a needle board need to be replaced for other reasons, the old needles must be removed from the needle board and the new needles must be inserted in the needle board. Therefore, in the past, attempts have been made to at least partially automate this process.
Document EP 07 002 360 describes the simultaneous insertion of a number of felting needles in a row of bores of a needle board, said needles being mounted, under tension, parallel to each other at a prespecified distance by means of a multiple clamping chuck. To achieve this, a filling device is provided, said filling device individually providing—with the aid of two parallel-arranged worm conveyors—felting needles from a supply and at a proper distance corresponding to the division of the needle board, so that the needles can be grasped in groups by the multiple clamping chuck and be simultaneously set into the needle board.
Although the described device allows a considerable simplification of the loading process, a need for improvement is indicated. For example needles mounted in the multiple clamping chuck may somewhat deviate from the desired parallel alignment. The reason for this may be that the needles have been gripped not in exact parallel alignment by the multiple clamping chuck or that the needles are slightly curved. As a result of this, deviations regarding the position of individual needle tips may occur within a plane defined by the mounted needles as well as perpendicularly to said plane.
Inasmuch as the needle board bores are very close together, even a minimal positioning error prevents the insertion of a needle in its associate bore. If only a single needle is aligned wrongly, this may prevent the entire group of the needles mounted in the multiple clamping chuck from being inserted together. In order to trouble-shoot this error, manual intervention is necessary, for example, in order to manually align the affected needles or insert them into the needle board. Such complex post-processing delays the loading operation.
Accordingly, it is the object of the invention to enable a fast and reliable insertion of needle groups in a needle board.


A device with an autonomous sleep characteristic, which is in communication with a host, is described. The device includes one or more communication subsystems. Each communication subsystem maintains a sleep activity indicator that indicates whether a corresponding communication subsystem is allowed to go to sleep. Each communication subsystem can autonomously enter a sleep state, when its sleep activity indicator indicates that the corresponding communication subsystem is, in fact, allowed to go to sleep. The device also includes a controller. The controller has a block memory which stores data written to the device from the host. The controller further includes a sleep state indicator that indicates a sleep state of each communication subsystem.

Secure Digital (SD) refers to a non-volatile memory card format developed by the Secure Digital Card Association for use in portable devices. SD technology is used by more than 400 brands across dozens of product categories and more than 8,000 models. A Secure Digital Input/Output (SDIO) card is an extension of the SD specification that covers input/output functions. The extended SDIO specification can be implemented by a card, but also can be implemented in settings other than a card. Specifically, any device or circuitry that, through programming or hardwiring implements the SDIO protocol, may be referred to as an SDIO device. Such a convention is adopted in this disclosure and reference to an "SDIO device" herein includes any card, circuit, chip, system on chip, and the like that implements the SDIO protocol with respect to a host. The expression "SDIO device" may also be used interchangeably with the expression "SDIO module."
Host devices that support SDIO devices include, for example, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, and/or mobile smart phones. SDIO devices, either in the form of a card, chip, or other circuitry then further support or include various other subsystems acting as functions, such as GPS tuners, modems, FM radio tuners, TV tuners, radio-frequency identification readers, and wireless local area network (WLAN) and Bluetooth interfaces. It should be noted that these examples, as well as those provided in the preceding paragraph, are not intended as comprising an exhaustive list.
The subsystems and/or functions described above are referred to in this disclosure, and in the claims, as "communication subsystems." This terminology reflects that these subsystems generally relate to communication functions, wherein data is transferred to and from the host device from an external source. At a more fundamental level, the "communications subsystems" are defined as SDIO functions, as is known in the art, according to the SDIO protocol.
During the operation of an SDIO system that includes a host and an SDIO device with a communication subsystem, there are intervals where the communication subsystem (for example a Bluetooth or WLAN interface) can be inactive, and the power state is minimized. The communication subsystem is referred to as being "asleep" or "sleeping" during these intervals of power minimization. In a conventional SDIO communication system, the sleep state of a communication subsystem is actually controlled by the host device.
More specifically, in prior art SDIO communication systems, the power state of the communication subsystem is controlled in two ways. Initially, the host device can instruct an SDIO controller in the SDIO device to refuse to allow the communication subsystem to enter a deep sleep state. More simply put, the host device can specify that the communication subsystem never sleeps or powers down.
A second alternative in the control of the power state of a communication subsystem is that the communication subsystem is allowed to enter the deep sleep state. However in the scenario where the communication subsystem is allowed to sleep, prior to writing any data to the communication subsystem, the host device must signal an inquiry to the SDIO device as to whether the communication subsystem is awake. When the communication subsystem is not awake, an SDIO controller in the SDIO device must first awaken the communication subsystem.
Conventionally, the communication subsystem must then become fully awake, and the SDIO controller must signal to the host that communication can begin. Only when the host device has received a signal from the SDIO controller that the communication subsystem is fully awake does the host device provide a continuous write operation to the SDIO device. The alternative scenario in the conventional SDIO system where a communication subsystem is allowed to sleep is characterized by very significant processing overhead.
In a conventional SDIO system, a host device will typically sends a continuous flow of data blocks to the SDIO device following a write command. A conventional SDIO data transfer 500 of multiple data blocks is illustrated in FIG. 5. The conventional SDIO data transfer 500 is initiated by a write command communicated 501 from the host device 521 to the SDIO device 523, using the SDIO protocol command 53 ("cmd53"). A cmd53 indicates an impending data block transfer. In response to the cmd53, the SDIO device 523 sends 503 a response to the host device 521 that it has received the cmd53.
The host device 521 then sends 505 block #0 to the SDIO device 523. The SDIO device 523 responds by sending 507 a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) which indicates whether there has been any accidental change to the raw data sent in block #0. The host device 521 then sends 509 block #1 to the SDIO device 523. The SDIO device 523 again responds by sending 511 a CRC.
This process of transferring data blocks from the host 521 to the SDIO device 523, followed by a response containing a CRC from the SDIO device 523 to the host 521, continues in the same process described above until the host device 521 sends 513 a final or last data block #N. In this instance, the last data block contains an "end of transaction" (EOT) indicator to communicate to the SDIO device 523 that no further data blocks will be transferred from the host device 523. The SDIO device 523 sends 515 a final CRC status response to confirm receipt of the last data block.
As will be seen further below, the conventional SDIO data transfer illustrated in FIG. 5 is useful in explaining the disclosed embodiments presented herein. In particular, the disclosed embodiments make use of the SDIO protocol by using busy signaling to effectuate an autonomous sleep mode for a communication subsystem in an SDIO device. The claimed embodiments are now summarized.

Communication device with sleep state indicator and state machine control


An asynchronous nonlogical counting device includes at least a first counter and a second counter connected in cascade. The first counter has a frequency dividing ratio of 2.sup.n where n is a natural number. A control unit produces a control signal based on the count value of the first counter. The second counter has a variable frequency dividing ratio which is based on the control signal. The counting device can be made programmable by substituting a comparator circuit for the control unit. The comparator compares the output of the first counter to an instruction signal from an external source.

This invention relates generally to a counter, and more particularly to an asynchronous type counter.
Counters are generally classified as either synchronous or asynchronous. As shown in FIG. 21(a), a conventional synchronous counter 2100 includes two or more flip-flops (FF's) in which the clock terminals of each flip-flop are connected to a common clock input. FIG. 21(b) illustrates a conventional asynchronous counter 2150 in which a clock terminals of at least one of the flip-flops is not connected to the clock terminals, of any of the other flip-flops. Asynchronous counter 2150 is also commonly referred to as a ripple counter, that is, the clock is derived from a previous stage output.
Synchronous counter 2100 can assume sixteen different values (i.e., a 16-ary counter). Asynchronous counter 2150 has a far simpler circuit configuration and requires far fewer transistors than synchronous counter 2100. Asynchronous counter 2150 can assume 2.sup.n values (i.e., 2.sup.n -ary counter). Until recently, asynchronous type counters functioning as other than a 2.sup.n -ary counter were not commonly used.
A conventional synchronous counter 2200 and a conventional asynchronous counter 2250 functioning as other than 2.sup.n -ary counters are shown in FIGS. 22(a) and 22(b), respectively. Counters 2200 and 2250 are each 13-ary counters (i.e., can assume 13 different values). Asynchronous counter 2250, which resets the first four counters when the Q output of the fifth counter is at a low logic level, requires far fewer transistors than synchronous counter 2200. Far more transistors, however, are required by asynchronous counter 2250 than are used in the 16-ary asynchronous counter 2150. In particular, a conventional asynchronous counter functioning as other than a 2.sup.n -ary counter requires far too many transistors. Furthermore, since the manufacturing cost of the counter is proportional to the number of gates required by a counter, the manufacturing cost of an asynchronous counter is far too expensive.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an asynchronous counter which requires far fewer transistors and therefore is less costly to manufacture than a conventional asynchronous counter in producing other than 2.sup.n count values.


A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet includes: a flexible tubular member having an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space; a heater disposed at the internal space; a nip member disposed at the internal space and configured to be in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the flexible tubular member; a backup member nipping the flexible tubular member in cooperation with the nip member; a stay disposed at the internal space to support the nip member; and a cover disposed at the internal space and covering the stay, one of the stay and the cover being provided with a hook portion, and remaining one of the stay and the cover being provided with an engaged portion engaged with the hook portion.

A conventional thermal fixing device used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an endless fixing belt that circularly moves, a nip member disposed at an internal space defined by an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt, a stay having a high rigidity to support the nip member, and a cover member disposed at the internal space to cover the stay. Specifically, the cover member has an outer surface whose portion contacts the fixing belt to guide the circular movement of the fixing belt.

Fixing device having cover less subject to deformation


Information display brackets provided to retrofit existing product support brackets in pegboard display systems. The basic information display bracket includes a mounting plate that is slideably received between the mounting base of the support bracket and a pegboard support. The positive support bracket has at least one prong that engages the pegboard support, and a product support arm that projects forwardly to receive items for display. The mounting plate has mounting structure that engages the prong. The information display bracket has a display arm projecting forwardly of the mounting plate to support an information display plate at its distal end. The mounting plate and mounting structure position the display arm in spaced relation above the product support arm of the support bracket. Spacers may be used to hold a lower portion of the mounting plate slightly away from the pegboard to provide a wedge effect, and the lower portion of the mounting plate may be split into a pair of wings. The mounting structure may snap fit onto the prong or prongs of the product support bracket's mounting base.

One of the most common apparatus used to display products and other items for view are various pegboard display systems. In these display systems, an upright pegboard support provides a vertically oriented mounting surface upon which product display brackets are mounted. Typically, the pegboard support has a front surface forming a background for the product display, and the pegboard support has a matrix of uniformly spaced holes that can receive the product display brackets. These display brackets have a mounting base and one or more hook shaped prongs which extend rearwardly of the mounting base and which are spaced to engaged selected mounting holes in the matrix formed in the pegboard support. Since the prongs extend from the front surface of the pegboard support, through selected mounting holes to the rear surface of the pegboard support, the mounting base becomes securely retained on the front surface of the pegboard support. A product support arm is connected to the mounting base and extends forwardly of the mounting base to terminate at a free outer end. Products for display are racked onto the product support arm and are sequentially removed from the product support arm, for example, by customers. In this manner, a variety of products or items can be displayed with high density and in a pleasing and organized manner.
It is often the case that the user of these pegboard display systems desires to present information in conjunction with the product display. Usually, this information comprises the price of the product, but other information, such as inventory control information, descriptive material, product name and the like, is often appropriate for presentation in conjunction with the product display.
The value of displaying information in conjunction with a product has been well recognized in the past. To this end, unitary product support and information display brackets have constructed for use with pegboard systems. Examples of these unitary systems are described in the following list of patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,245,547 FELKAY 12 Apr. 1966 3,645,485 GOLD 29 Feb. 1972 4,246,710 MIXER 27 Jan. 1981 4,286,764 PFEIFER 1 Sep. 1981 4,303,217 GARFINKLE 1 Dec. 1981 4,351,440 THALENFELD 28 Sep. 1982 4,405,051 THALENFELD 20 Sep. 1983 4,474,351 THALENFELD 2 Oct. 1984 4,520,978 TAUB 4 June 1985 4,540,093 MERL ET AL 10 Sep. 1985 4,674,721 THALENFELD 23 June 1987 4,750,698 BARNES 14 June 1988 ______________________________________
While the above referenced patents are suitable to display both products and information correlated to the products, the complete replacement of product support brackets which do not have unitary information displays is costly, and it may be appreciated that an information display that is adapted to retrofit onto existing product only display brackets can be desirable. Indeed, there has, in the past, been some development of information displays which retrofit onto product only display brackets. Examples of retrofit price display elements are shown in the following list of patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,463,510 WINDISH 7 Aug. 1984 4,525,944 FAST 2 July 1985 4,531,313 FAST 30 July 1985 4,583,308 TAUB 22 Apr. 1986 4,646,454 FAST 3 March 1987 4,665,639 FAST 19 May 1987 4,693,024 FAST 15 Sep. 1987 4,698,929 FAST 13 Oct. 1987 4,703,570 FAST 3 Nov. 1987 ______________________________________
In each of the retrofit apparatus described in the patents listed above, a flexible strip has a mounting portion that is mounted between the front surface of the pegboard support and the mounting base of the product support bracket. The flexible strip then extends alongside and in contact with the product support arm to terminate, at a distal end, in a downturned display portion upon which information can be presented. A disadvantage of these apparatus, though, is that the flexible strip can often become dislodged so that it falls off of the product display arm to droop alongside the upright pegboard support. Not only does this dislodgment make the information display substantially useless, but also dislodgment causes the pegboard display system to appear messy and unattractive and can even interfere with the removal of product from the product support brackets.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved retrofit element which can be mounted on a pegboard support surface in conjunction with product-only display brackets and which can provide information correlated to a product that is supported on the bracket. There is a further need for such an information display bracket which does not interfere with the product support bracket and which presents a pleasing, neat display.

Information display bracket for use in pegboard display systems


The exercise device of the invention includes a rail carrier body, at least one fixed body in contact with the rail carrier body, at least one rail located on the rail carrier body, at least one movable body located on the rail, at least one adjusting rod located on the upper portion of the movable body and at least one transmission bar which is in contact with the adjusting rod and transmits the rotary motion on the adjusting rod to the fixing pin or rail.

Both sports and psychotherapeutic exercise equipment have a relatively different construction and are common in the world. These are the devices which were firstly derived from physical therapy in pilates exercise equipment and subsequently developed for both physical therapy and sports or in order to exercise in a healthy way. Pilates exercise equipment have many different configuration ways according to many movement types. This configuration has a construction including a rod or beam located on a leg known as "barrel ladder" in the relevant sector, one of them having a wide and half circular top surface and the other one being located horizontally on two bars right next to it. It is possible to exercise different types of moves for the person who does pilates by sitting on or abutting against this mechanism, holding the other horizontal bar or getting support somehow.
These pilates devices, known as "ladder barrel" in the prior art, generally comprises a body, the body having a wide and half circular upper portion (half cylindrical body) and another horizontal beam parallel with it. This upper half circular body and the adjacent beam are fixedly mounted to each other. Alternatively, the half circular body (half cylindrical body) in the lower portion is engaged with the body by a rail mechanism and this connection is made fixed (rigid) or movable by a mechanism adjusted from the bottom. In order to adjust this mechanism the user displaces the fixing pins present on the rail at the bottom and edge by bending down and then makes them rigid by sliding the pins over the rail and fitting them in their place. In this way one adjustment, of course, meets the need. However, it is quite difficult for someone to make this adjustment as both hands must be used for the adjustment while bending down.
There is exercise equipment known as "chair barrel" in the state of the art. In order to adjust this type of pilates equipment the user displaces the fixing pins present on the rail at the bottom and the edge by bending down as in the "ladder barrel" type of pilates equipment and then makes them rigid by sliding the pins over the rail and fitting them in their place. In this way one adjustment, of course, meets the need. However, it is quite difficult for someone to make this adjustment as both hands must be used for the adjustment while bending down.
In the state of the art U.S. Pat. No. 8,052,586 to Hard Wood Inc.—an American company—discloses that the movement of a half cylindrical body in the ladder barrel type pilates device is inherently carried out on the rail mechanism, but a rotating shaft is extended through the edge of the exercise device in order to be fixed on the rail mechanism of the body if desired. This rotating shaft is rotated by a rod on the edge of the exercise device, the rail mechanism is clamped and loosened.

BASI SYSTEMS PILATES SANAYI TICARET A.S.