An applicator assembly is provided for concurrently dispensing plural flowable component materials in a mixed state. Moreover, the applicator assembly is more versatile and is particularly useful when one or more additional components are to be concurrently dispensed with the basic two component materials. The applicator assembly permits dispensing of additives with basic two part mixtures, and allows the application of three or more part chemical systems. A multi-component applicator assembly is described which is convertible between different component number multi-component arrangements, and includes a barrel assembly having at least one barrel detachably connected to the other barrels, at least two of which are fixed to one another.

In typical multiple component applicator devices, component materials are stored separate from one another and are dispensed concurrently with one another such that the correct ratio of component materials for a proper mixture are provided. The component materials may be mixed within such applicator devices, or may be mixed externally after the proper proportional amounts are dispensed.
Generally, many types of adhesives, sealants, coatings and potting compounds may comprise multiple components. Such adhesives may include components including epoxies, urethanes, acrylics, polysulfides, polyesters, silicones, and any other known or discovered adhesive or sealant materials.
Epoxy adhesives are representative of such multiple component adhesives, and more generally of multiple component products, which require that the component materials be stored individually and which must be mixed in accordance with a specific ratio for usage. Epoxy adhesives typically include an epoxy resin component and a curing agent component such that when mixed together in proper proportion, the epoxy curative hardens in place. With this in mind, epoxy adhesive dispensing devices have been developed which include separate storage locations for the resin component and the curing agent component and a means for dispensing the separate components together and in accordance with the proper ratio for curing.
One manner of concurrently dispensing separate component materials is to provide the component materials within distinct cavities or barrels of an applicator device and to force the component materials from such cavities or barrels by actuation of a single element. Examples of dispensers including plural barrels which each contain a component material which is expelled by a plunger inserted within each barrel, and wherein the plungers are driven together by the manipulation of a single element are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,471,888 to Herb et al, 3,952,920 to Bergman, and 2,826,339 to Maillard, and in German Offenlegungsschrift 2,335,601. In each of these cases, the manipulation of either a trigger, a lead screw mechanism, or a plunger element directly results in the concurrent and equal movement of each plunger such that component material is expelled from plural cavities or barrels. One common disadvantage associated with each of the above devices is that such dispensers lack overall versatility, and they are not easily changed to accommodate different ratios for different component materials. In other words, the devices are substantially set at the manufacture thereof to dispense the component materials at preset ratios.
A somewhat more versatile dispenser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,980 to Creighton et al, in that the device includes a like number of pistons as there are component material holding barrels, wherein the pistons are separable from one another but are actuatable together by a separable rigid connecting means. However, the Creighton et al device is disadvantageous for the same reason as the above-described devices in that the multiple component barrels are formed as a single cartridge which is divided into compartments which are non-divisible from one another. Thus, the dispenser, whether having two or more component barrels, is limited in use to producing a mixture of that number of components as there are fixed barrels and at the predetermined ratio thereof.
Schroeder, U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,077, discloses yet a more versatile dispenser, wherein the dispenser comprises not only separable plungers, but also separable barrels. The barrels are detachably connected together by a sliding interlock, and the plungers are moved concurrently by inter-fitted elements. The principle advantage of the Schroeder device is that each one of the barrel and plunger assemblies is usable independently of the other. Moreover the dispenser is particularly directed to a dispenser which can equally dispense component material from two barrels and can be separated for individual use of each barrel and plunger assembly. Because of the need for each separable barrel and plunger assembly to be independently usable, each assembly necessarily includes all of the necessary operable component parts, including nozzles. Thus, even when connected together and dispensing two component materials together, the component materials are expelled through individual discharge openings, and the component materials must then be mixed together externally of the dispenser by other means.
A significantly advanced two component applicator assembly has been developed with increased two component versatility and is available as the "Scotch-Weld.TM. EPX Applicator System" from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company of St. Paul, Minn., the assignee of the present invention. The "Scotch-Weld.TM. EPX Applicator System" comprises an applicator and plunger assembly to which a removable fixed two component barrel assembly is detachably connected. The barrel assembly further includes a separable static mixing nozzle connecting to the discharge openings of both components. Many varieties of two component room temperature curing products are available prepackaged within the removable barrel assemblies from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company under the product line "Scotch-Weld Duo-Pak" adhesive cartridges. Thus, a user of the applicator can purchase any one of the available adhesives and simply attach the barrel assembly to the applicator and plunger assembly for dispensing. The individual prepackaged barrel assemblies for specific adhesives are designed in accordance with a predetermined mix ratio for that specific adhesive. Thus, a single applicator and plunger assembly can dispense any one of the variety of available two component adhesives at the predetermined ratio depending on the specific adhesive and use thereof.
A further variation has been developed and is available as the "RATIO-PAK.TM. Cartridge System" from Plus-Pak Industries, Inc., of Niantic, Conn. This system includes a removable cartridge system, like the "Scotch-Weld".TM. System, where the cartridge system consists of two separable cartridges (barrels). Different cartridge sizes are available so that they can be configured to dispense components at selected mix ratios, specifically within the range of 1:1 to 10:1.
The "Scotch-Weld.TM. EPX Applicator System" and all other two component applicator devices suffer from a common problem which occurs when a third component, or more, is attempted to be added to the two components which is not compatible or stable with the other two components. Moreover, even if a third component is compatible or stable with at least one of the other two components, such two component devices lack the versatility to be able to selectively add such a third component to the other two components only when desired. For example, one may wish to add a third component during only a portion of the application of a two component adhesive. Examples of components not compatible or stable would include materials which react with the base material or anything of higher density than the base material, such as flame retardants, glass beads, conductive metal, thermally conductive fillers, and the like, where such higher density materials would tend to settle within the tubes during storage before use. In the same manner, lower density additives would tend to float within the base material destroying a uniform mixture.
Applicator devices including the capability of dispensing three or more components are also known. The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,826,339 to Maillard discloses in one embodiment a three component dispenser having three coaxial compartments from which the components are concurrently dispensed. Such a device, however, is no more versatile than a fixed two component device in that it is limited in use to component materials of a like number as there are fixed compartments.
Another three component dispenser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,540 to Colin et al, wherein a typical two barrel dispenser is provided with two separated component materials within one barrel and with a single component material within the other barrel. Thus, the separated component materials of the one barrel are sequentially dispensed and mixed with the single component material of the other barrel. This device does not permit dispensing of three or more components concurrently.
Falco, U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,553, discloses a multi-component dispensing apparatus having more than two component barrels, but which is limited to the provision of a pair of dispensing barrels for each component material to be dispensed. In other words, the device, in accordance with that invention, must have an even number of component barrels which are equally distributed about the drive axis of the device for balancing the device during application. It is suggested that more than two component materials can be dispensed if the additional components are provided by a pair of additional component barrels balanced about the drive axis. This device, like those described above is limited in use for applying and dispensing component materials of a specific number for which the applicator apparatus is specifically designed.


The present invention relates to a composition for coating, in particular a composition comprising lignin and one or more epoxy-group containing compounds, and methods for the manufacturing thereof and uses thereof. The present invention also relates to products obtainable by said methods and uses thereof.

Lignin, a by-product from the pulp and paper industry is a potentially important chemical to be used in polymer composites. One significant area is epoxy resin and epoxy resin composites for metal coatings.
Metal food and beverage cans have a protective coating on the interior surface, which is essential to prevent the content from coming into contact with the metal surfaces of the containers. Contact of the canned food with the metal surface can lead to corrosion of the metal container and results into contamination and spoiling of food content. In addition, these coatings protect food products from the metal surface to prevent degradation of taste, texture and color.
The most common and important class of epoxy resins utilizes the reaction between Bisphenol-A (BPA) and epichlorohydrin. While it has been demonstrated that epichlorohydrin can be produced from glycerol, a renewable by-product, replacing non-renewable BPA to formulate a completely renewable epoxy resin remains a challenge.
There are major concerns on using epoxy based can coatings based on Bisphenol A (BPA), which is endocrine disrupter. The 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed widespread human exposure to BPA from canned food products. It was discovered that there were detectable levels of BPA in 93% of 2517 urine samples from people six years and older. BPA based epoxy coatings for infants and small children food products have been banned by some countries including Denmark, France, Belgium and Sweden.
There is also increasing pressure on coating formulators to phase out BPA based coatings for food contact applications. Currently, the food packaging industry and consumer groups are developing non-BPA interior coatings or have established timetables for replacement of more acceptable substitutes. Owing to the low to-none toxicological effects, great availability and renewability, lignin, with its' aromatic backbone and reactive hydroxyl groups could be a potential substitute for BPA. Taking full advantage of the structural and chemical properties of lignin, it is expected that lignin-based resins can display similar properties to those based on non-renewable petrochemical precursors. Over the years a great number of reports have demonstrated the feasibility of incorporating lignin into epoxy resin formulations. Several approaches have been demonstrated, direct utilization of lignin (J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 42(5), 103-1318, (1991); Holzforschung 51(2), 183-187 (1997); J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 127(3), 1863-1872 (2013)), modification of lignin prior to epoxy resin formulation (Macromol. Chem. Phys. 195(1), 65-80 (1994); Bioresources 6(3), 3515-3525 (2011); Pat. No. US2012148740A1; Pat. No. WO2013050661) and utilization of lignin as a curing agent (Bioresources, 6(4), 5206-5223, (2011) or as a cross-linking agent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,883).
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,089 discloses a metal treatment solution comprising an effective amount of a soluble or dispersible compound which is a derivative of a polyphenol.
Further, DE20202181U1 discloses a vessel for liquid substances which is made from thermoplastic material containing lignin.
In addition, WO2006067229 discloses a vessel, in particular an urn made from a biodegrable material, wherein said material is a starch-free injection moldable material which essentially contains wood fibers and natural fibers and wood powder and binding agents, preferably lignin.
Accordingly there is a need for a solution solving one or more of the above problems.

Composition comprising lignin and epoxy compound for coating and method for the manufacturing thereof and use thereof


A method of manufacturing a lithium complex oxide involves the steps of 1) atomizing and pyrolyzing an aqueous or alcohol solution of metallic salt compounds constituting a lithium cobalt complex oxide or a lithium nickel complex oxide, and 2) annealing said lithium cobalt complex oxide or said lithium nickel complex oxide to increase the average particle diameter thereof to between about 1 and 5 micrometers and adjust the specific surface area thereof to between about 2 and 10 m.sup.2 /g. The lithium complex oxide provided by this method is homogeneous and enables a long cycle life to withstand repeated charging and discharging and a high level of storage stability to be realized when used as an cathode active material of a secondary lithium battery.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a lithium complex oxide, especially a lithium cobalt complex oxide or a lithium nickel complex oxide, both of which are useful as, for example, a cathode active material of a secondary lithium battery.
2. Related Art of the Invention
As methods of manufacturing a lithium cobalt complex oxide or a lithium nickel complex oxide which are used as an cathode active material of a secondary lithium battery, the following methods have been proposed so far.

Manufacturing method of lithium complex oxide comprising cobalt or nickel


Consistent white balance between successive similar digital images of a scene is provided by comparing the digital images and, if they are sufficiently similar, maintaining substantially the same white balance setting in a second digital image as in a first digital image. The method is applicable to, for example, mixed-illuminant situations and may be implemented in both still-capture and video digital imaging devices.

Most digital imaging devices such as digital cameras or digital camcorders include some kind of automatic white balance algorithm. The digital imaging device attempts to determine the type of illuminant present in a scene and selects the "white point" accordingly. The white point is the reference color that represents white and with respect to which all other colors in a particular image are calculated. The decision of what kind of illuminant is present is based solely on the current image.
A problem arises, however, when more than one type of illuminant is present in a scene. For example, a room may be illuminated in part by fluorescent lighting and in part by sunlight shining through a window. If successive similar digital images of such a scene are captured, the white balance may end up being inconsistent from image to image because the digital imaging device may set the white balance based on one type of illuminant in one image and a different illuminant in a successive image. This inconsistency in white balance is especially troublesome in live preview and video applications.
It is thus apparent that there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for maintaining consistent white balance in successive digital images.

Method and apparatus for maintaining consistent white balance in successive digital images

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Testing devices for detecting a physical condition from a fluid specimen having, a housing movable from open to closed position for access to a test strip holding channel for a test strip, said housing has an enlarged end section for receiving the fluid to be tested thereon, with a plurality of serially disposed transverse channels on the exterior for catching fluid to be tested, an inlet port in each of said channels coacts with the test strip to enable the test strip to absorb a predetermined quantity of the fluid, and an outlet on said end section enables any excess fluid to overflow the end section. A sealing line when the housing is in the closed position has openings to prevent capillary action by the fluid from contaminating the test strip. A sealed viewing window on the housing enables the results by the test strip to be read.

This invention relates generally to devices for assaying a condition in a human or animal such as pregnancy in a female which can be determined from body fluid such as urine and more particularly to a housing for such devices designed to control the flow of such body fluids on and across an enlarged exterior fluid sample receiving end of the housing, for establishing operative interrelation and engagement with an elongated test strip enclosed in the housing to control the quantity of the body fluid absorbed by the test strip, and for enhancing capillary flow along the test strip to a viewing window on the housing for viewing the positive or negative signal result on the test strip for the given test.
Single-use testing devices having a test strip therein for assaying a physical condition for humans and animals using body fluid, such as urine, by urinating thereon, by applying droplets of the body fluid thereon or by dipping the testing device in a quantity of the body fluid, are well known in the art, as is shown in pregnancy test devices of Abbott Laboratories covered by U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,078; of Carter-Wallace, Inc. covered by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,739,041 and 6,046,057; and of Unilever covered by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,602,040; 5,622,871 and 5,656,503; and also other U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,033,723; 4,123,224; 4,208,187; 4,774,192; 4,902,629; 5,173,261 and 5,356,782. These prior art patents show two basic types of pregnancy testing devices to which urine is applied. In one type the urine is applied to an exposed wick or specimen receiving end of the test strip. While good absorption of the fluid specimen is obtained by this type device, in order to achieve the desired operation and signal from the test strip, the device has many parts which increase the cost of assembly of these highly competitive products. In the other type of device the test strip is enclosed in the housing when the fluid sample is applied and flowed into the housing. Any unwanted hydraulic flooding which occurs produces improper and inaccurate signaling by the test strip on the result of a given test. Additionally, this second type of the test device also requires a plurality of parts and complex assembly which increases the cost per single-use device. Further, the prior art patents show that both of these type devices have relatively small impingement areas for the urine or fluid being tested and, as above indicated, pass high quantities of the fluid being tested into the housing for the respective test devices which produces unwanted hydraulic flooding and fluid pressures inside the test devices and tends to cause both improper chemical reactions and increased errors in the signals produced by and/or viewed in such testing devices.
The present invention overcomes these and other problems by providing a single-use testing device particularly adapted for detecting a physical condition such as pregnancy from a urine stream or specimen applied to the device in which a generally narrow elongated housing is particularly designed for holding and providing access to an elongated test strip disposed in the housing. The generally narrow elongated housing has an enlarged sample or specimen capturing or receiving area or section at one end which is shaped on the front surface and the rear surface of the housing with a plurality of serially disposed guide vanes with inlet ports or openings as hereinafter described disposed in their respective medial sections. The guide vanes and channels collect and pass the fluid to be tested which is brought into contact with or impinges on the enlarged specimen receiving section, through the medially disposed inlet openings, for contact and absorption by a test strip disposed along the longitudinal line in the housing and operatively disposed at one end for intimate engagement and coaction with the inlet openings in the enlarged specimen receiving end section of the housing. The inlet openings and the end of the test strip extending into the enlarged specimen receiving end section of the housing are operatively associated for engagement so that only a predetermined quantity of the fluid being tested is absorbed by the associated and coacting end of the test strip. The enlarged sized and shaped specimen receiving end section of the housing is further designed so that excess fluid to be tested or urine will overflow this end of the housing. The predetermined quantity of fluid or urine absorbed by the associated and coacting end of the test strip then travels by capillary action to a reaction portion on the test strip remote from the specimen receiving absorption end of the test strip, to a point for signaling the result, if any, of the physical condition on the given test. This signal can be detected through a window provided in the housing remote from the said enlarged specimen receiving end section on the housing. The housing is further designed with means to inhibit capillary action along joinder edges thereon to maintain the integrity of each test and has means therein to position, hold and protect the integrity of the test strip and to reduce excess moisture in the interior of the housing so as to insure proper directional capillary movement in the test strip of the fluid being tested and the accuracy of the test results.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a single-use testing device for detecting physical conditions from a fluid specimen or stream, such as urine applied thereto, having a housing movable from open to closed position to provide access to a test strip holding channel formed in and along the longitudinal line of the housing for holding an elongated test strip when the housing is in the closed position, said housing is enlarged, shaped and sized at one end to provide a specimen receiving area or section on the exterior of the housing for the fluid specimen or stream to be tested, an elongated handle section connected and continuous with one end of the enlarged specimen receiving end section has a sealed viewing window formed therein a spaced distance from the enlarged specimen receiving end section so that an elongated test strip, when mounted in the test strip holding channel, can extend from the enlarged specimen receiving end section through the housing past the viewing window, thus that the end of the elongated test strip in the enlarged specimen receiving end section can receive the sample quantity of the fluid specimen to be tested and transport the sample by capillary action past the viewing window in the handle, and the handle has venting means and desiccant means disposed relative the viewing window to prevent blurring of the window, collection of moisture and backflow of the sample so as to maintain the direction of capillary flow through the test strip when the test device is being used.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide an improved structure and operation for a testing strip for use in a single-use testing device as above described consisting of an elongated multi-layered member sized to fit into a test strip holding channel formed on the housing for the testing device which has a base layer formed from a plastic film material on which a plurality of coacting and interrelated members or layers of absorbent and microporous materials are assembled and affixed to the base layer and/or to each other to provide a test strip having, an elongated sample collection end of highly absorbent material disposed when the test strip is in assembled position in the housing for operative engagement and coaction with the inlet ports or openings in the guide channels in the enlarged sized and shaped specimen receiving end section of the housing for easy absorption and saturation of a predetermined quantity of fluid or urine which is permitted to pass through the inlet ports or openings for contact with and absorption by the sample collection end of the test strip and for transport by capillary action of the absorbed fluid sample being tested to a reagent section for mixing a dried chemical reagent therein with the sample of the fluid specimen to be tested and to further transport this mixture to an intermediate section made of a microporous membrane which is in turn connected to an after-sol member made of a highly absorbent paper material. The intermediate section of the test strip extends past the sealed viewing window in the housing to signal the result of the test, if any, of the physical condition for which the test is being made and the after-sol pad continuous with the intermediate section further extends beyond the viewing window for communication with venting means and desiccant means in the housing to improve and maintain the proper directional capillary movement of the fluid being tested so the signal appearing in the viewing window will be accurate.
Thus, it is one aspect of the present invention to provide generally single-use testing devices for detecting physical conditions from a fluid specimen or stream such as urine applied thereto having, a housing movable from open to closed position to provide access to a test strip holding channel formed in the housing for holding a test strip made of absorbent and microporous materials when the housing is in the closed position, said housing is enlarged, shaped and sized at one end for receiving on the exterior of the housing the fluid specimen or stream to be tested, said enlarged specimen receiving end section has a plurality of serially disposed transverse guiding channels formed on at least one outer face of the housing. An inlet port or opening is formed medially in each of said transverse guiding channels and each of said plurality of inlet ports or openings is adapted for operative engagement and coaction with the sample collection end of the test strip mounted in the test strip holding channel to enable a predetermined quantity of fluid such as urine to be absorbed by to the sample collection end of the test strip. An overflow outlet on said enlarged end section is provided so that excess urine will flow off the enlarged specimen receiving end section of the housing, sealing means is formed along the joint closure line when the housing is in the closed position, including means to stop capillary action along the sealing means and prevent excess fluid or urine from entering the housing and contaminating the test strip in the strip holding space, and a sealed viewing window on said housing is provided for reading the reaction, if any, produced on the test strip from the absorbed fluid or urine sample being tested.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a test strip having absorbent and microporous materials for a single-use testing device in accordance with the present invention consisting of an elongated multi-layered member sized to fit into a test strip holding channel formed in the housing for the testing device which includes, a base layer formed from a plastic film material on which a plurality of additional members, elements or layers of absorbent and microporous materials are connected to the base layer and to each other in overlapping relation to provide an elongated sample collection member disposed for operative engagement and coaction in the enlarged specimen receiving end section in the housing to absorb and transport by capillary action a sample of the fluid to be tested, to a reagent section for mixing the dried testing chemical therein with the fluid sample to be tested and to pass it to one end of an intermediate microporous membrane extending through the housing connected at the opposite end to an after-sol absorbent pad, the intermediate microporous membrane which passes across the sealed viewing window to signal the result of the test, and the after-sol absorbent pad extends beyond the sealed viewing window for communication with the venting and desiccant means to enable the capillary action to continue through the test strip and insure that the signal provides an accurate reading in the viewing window for the fluid sample being tested.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a testing device having a housing with a lower shaped section and a coacting matching shaped upper section having means for generally sealing the upper and lower sections to each other to define a test strip receiving space therein when in the closed position and means on said housing to prevent capillary flow of fluid or urine contacting the outside of the housing along the means for sealing the upper section and lower section when in the closed position to increase the accuracy of the results obtained by the testing device and to prevent a person""s hands from being contaminated when urine impinges on the enlarged specimen receiving end section of the housing.
It is another aspect of the present invention to increase the accuracy of the results obtained by the testing device in accordance with the present invention by providing means to allow the fluid or urine impinging on the exterior of the test device to overflow without affecting the control of the predetermined quantity of fluid or urine which is absorbed by the coacting test strip in the housing.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide vent means on the housing in communication with the interior to allow excess moisture to escape from the housing, prevent backflow of the fluid being tested along the test strip, to improve operation of the test strip therein, and also to prevent the viewing window from becoming blurred.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a desiccant in the housing to absorb moisture collected in the housing when the test device is not in use.
It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide in a testing device a test strip receiving channel, operative at one end to contain the test strip when placed therein for operative coaction with inlet openings or ports in the enlarged specimen receiving end section to control the quantity of fluid to be tested which is absorbed by the operatively engaging and coacting sample receiving end of the test strip in engagement with the inlet ports or openings in such assembled position, to prevent fluid from entering the housing, and to easily establish and continue movement of the fluid being tested by enabling the capillary action to continue when the test device is in use.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide in a testing device a longitudinally extending test strip receiving channel in and along the housing for removably receiving an elongated test strip therein which extends from the enlarged specimen receiving end section past the viewing window and for contact with protruding members on the inner wall of the housing for holding the test strip in assembled position in the test strip receiving channel.
It is a still further aspect of the present invention to provide in a testing device having a housing with an enlarged specimen receiving section at one end for contact with a fluid to be tested such as urine, guide channels and inlet ports for the fluid to be tested, on said enlarged specimen receiving end section, a viewing window remote from the enlarged specimen receiving end section for signaling the results of the test of such fluid, venting openings on the side of said window viewing section opposite from the enlarged specimen receiving end section, and a longitudinally extending test strip receiving channel in and along the longitudinal line of the housing for receiving an elongated test strip made of absorbent and microporous materials in operative engagement at one end with the inlet ports in said enlarged end section to control by the absorption as a function of the materials the quantity of fluid to be tested and the opposite end of said test strip extending beyond the viewing window to enable absorbed fluid being tested to vaporize through vent openings in the housing so movement by capillary action of the absorbed fluid in the test strip is maintained and will continue, and backflow of absorbed fluid in the test strip is prevented. While the test strip has an operative interrelation with the inlet ports or central openings in the guide channels of the enlarged end sections, those skilled in the art will recognize that such test strips are well known to those skilled in the art.

Housing for test strip device and test strip therefor


Density of each pixel is specified from a test pattern for measurement of density distribution, a density profile indicating distribution of the specified density for each pixel is acquired, and a pixel region including a “nozzle of interest” having a certain density difference or more from surrounding pixels and pixels on both sides thereof is extracted as a nozzle region of interest from the acquired density profile. Filters B to E, other than a filter A to be applied for density smoothing processing of pixels that do not belong to the nozzle region of interest, are applied for the density smoothing processing of the pixels in the nozzle region of interest, to generate a profile of a density correction value for eliminating a density difference between respective pixels based on the density profile after the smoothing processing.

As one of image forming devices, there is an inkjet recording device that forms an image by discharging ink from a plurality of nozzles of an inkjet head to a recording medium conveyed on a conveyance path. In the inkjet recording device, if there are variations in ink discharge characteristics among the respective nozzles, density unevenness is generated in an image due to the size or displacement of positions of dots formed on a recording medium such as printing paper.
Therefore, it has been known to measure the ink discharge characteristics for each nozzle and calculate a density correction value for canceling the variations in the ink discharge characteristics among the nozzles, to correct a density gradation value of a pixel corresponding to each nozzle by using the calculated correction value.
The density correction value can be calculated, for example, by reading by a scanner, a test pattern image formed on the recording medium by ink droplets discharged from each nozzle, and digitizing the variations in the ink discharge characteristics among the nozzles based on a reading result.
However, when the test pattern image is to be read by the scanner, noise may be superimposed on an image signal, for example, because dark color fiber mixed into the printing paper or dirt on a glass placing table on which an original document to be read is placed is read together with the test pattern image. Therefore, smoothing processing such as a moving average is applied to an image signal as the reading result by the scanner to remove a noise component in the image signal.
The smoothing processing with respect to the image signal as the reading result of the test pattern image by the scanner is performed similarly even when variations in high frequency components of density generated between adjacent pixels due to a sharp change of the ink discharge characteristics of the nozzle are included in the image signal as the reading result of the test pattern image by the scanner. The variations in high frequency components of density appear, for example, when the ink discharge characteristics of a certain nozzle are largely different from those of the adjacent nozzles on both sides.
If the variations in the high frequency components of density are included in the image signal as the reading result of the test pattern image by the scanner, even if the density gradation values of pixels corresponding to the respective nozzles are corrected by the density correction value calculated based on the image signal as the reading result by the scanner after the smoothing processing, density unevenness in the image due to variations in the ink discharge characteristics of the high frequency components cannot be sufficiently eliminated.
Therefore, according to Patent Literature 1, it has been proposed to extract a high-frequency band from an image signal as a reading result by a scanner and remove noise components from the extracted high-frequency band of the image signal by a filter or the like, instead of applying the smoothing processing to the image signal as the reading result by the scanner.
According to the proposal disclosed in Patent Literature 1, after the high-frequency band of the image signal having the noise components removed is synthesized with other frequency bands of the image signal, a density correction value of the density gradation value of pixels corresponding to respective nozzles is calculated from the synthesized image signal.

Density correction profile generation method and image forming device


In sophisticated transistor elements, long-term threshold voltage shifts in transistors comprising a threshold adjusting semiconductor alloy may be reduced by reducing the roughness of an interface formed between the threshold adjusting semiconductor material and the gate dielectric material. To this end, a portion of the threshold adjusting semiconductor material may be oxidized and may be removed prior to forming the high-k dielectric material.

1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the present disclosure relates to sophisticated integrated circuits including advanced transistor elements that comprise highly capacitive gate structures including a high-k gate dielectric.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fabrication of advanced integrated circuits, such as CPUs, storage devices, ASICs (application specific integrated circuits) and the like, requires a large number of circuit elements to be formed on a given chip area according to a specified circuit layout, wherein field effect transistors represent one important type of circuit element that substantially determines performance of the integrated circuits. Generally, a plurality of process technologies are currently practiced, wherein, for many types of complex circuitry, including field effect transistors, MOS technology is currently one of the most promising approaches due to the superior characteristics in view of operating speed and/or power consumption and/or cost efficiency. During the fabrication of complex integrated circuits using, for instance, MOS technology, millions of transistors, e.g., N-channel transistors and/or P-channel transistors, are formed on a substrate including a crystalline semiconductor layer. A field effect transistor, irrespective of whether an N-channel transistor or a P-channel transistor is considered, typically comprises so-called PN junctions that are formed by an interface of highly doped regions, referred to as drain and source regions, with a slightly doped or non-doped region, such as a channel region, disposed adjacent to the highly doped regions. In a field effect transistor, the conductivity of the channel region, i.e., the drive current capability of the conductive channel, is controlled by a gate electrode formed adjacent to the channel region and separated therefrom by a thin insulating layer. The conductivity of the channel region, upon formation of a conductive channel due to the application of an appropriate control voltage to the gate electrode, depends on the dopant concentration, the mobility of the charge carriers and, for a given extension of the channel region in the transistor width direction, on the distance between the source and drain regions, which is also referred to as channel length. Hence, in combination with the capability of rapidly creating a conductive channel below the insulating layer upon application of the control voltage to the gate electrode, the conductivity of the channel region substantially affects the performance of MOS transistors. Thus, as the speed of creating the channel, which depends on the conductivity of the gate electrode, and the channel resistivity substantially determine the transistor characteristics, the scaling of the channel length, and associated therewith the reduction of channel resistivity and reduction of gate resistivity, is a dominant design criterion for accomplishing an increase in the operating speed of the integrated circuits.
Presently, the vast majority of integrated circuits are fabricated on the basis of silicon due to the substantially unlimited availability thereof, the well-understood characteristics of silicon and related materials and processes and the experience gathered over the last 50 years. Therefore, silicon will likely remain the material of choice in the foreseeable future for circuit generations designed for mass products. One reason for the importance of silicon in fabricating semiconductor devices has been the superior characteristics of a silicon/silicon dioxide interface that allows reliable electrical insulation of different regions from each other. The silicon/silicon dioxide interface is stable at high temperatures and, thus, allows the performance of subsequent high temperature processes, as are required, for example, for anneal cycles to activate dopants and to cure crystal damage without sacrificing the electrical characteristics of the interface.
For the reasons pointed out above, in field effect transistors, silicon dioxide is preferably used as a gate insulation layer that separates the gate electrode, frequently comprised of polysilicon or other metal-containing materials, from the silicon channel region. In steadily improving device performance of field effect transistors, the length of the channel region has been continuously decreased to improve switching speed and drive current capability. Since the transistor performance is controlled by the voltage supplied to the gate electrode to invert the surface of the channel region to a sufficiently high charge density for providing the desired drive current for a given supply voltage, a certain degree of capacitive coupling, provided by the capacitor formed by the gate electrode, the channel region and the silicon dioxide disposed therebetween, has to be maintained. It turns out that decreasing the channel length requires an increased capacitive coupling to avoid the so-called short channel behavior during transistor operation. The short channel behavior may lead to an increased leakage current and to a pronounced dependence of the threshold voltage on the channel length. Aggressively scaled transistor devices with a relatively low supply voltage and thus reduced threshold voltage may suffer from an exponential increase of the leakage current due to the required enhanced capacitive coupling of the gate electrode to the channel region that is accomplished by decreasing the thickness of the silicon dioxide layer. For example, a channel length of approximately 0.08 μm may require a gate dielectric made of silicon dioxide as thin as approximately 1.2 nm.
In such advanced transistor elements, reliability and lifetime thus significantly depends on short channel effects, i.e., impact ionization and hot carrier injection into the gate dielectric material, while gate leakage currents may also significantly increase when using silicon-based gate dielectrics of a reduced thickness. For example, since device dimensions have been scaled down more rapidly compared to the supply voltages, the resulting electrical field strengths in the gate dielectric material have significantly increased, while at the same time the threshold voltage of the transistors, i.e., the voltage at which a conductive channel forms in the channel region, has been reduced in order to improve drive current and switching speed of sophisticated transistors. Consequently, the quality of the gate dielectric material may strongly influence the transistor behavior, while at the same time a high stability of the threshold voltage of the transistor may be required over the rated lifetime in order to fulfill the required device qualifications. Upon further scaling the critical dimensions of transistor elements, a further long known effect may increasingly play an important role for CMOS devices when threshold voltages and, to a less pronounced degree, also the supply voltages are steadily reduced. It has been observed in the late '60s that the application of voltage, such as a negative voltage, in combination with thermal stress to the gate electrode of MOS transistor may result in a shift of the threshold voltage. This effect, also referred to as "bias temperature instability or injection" is mainly present in PMOS transistors and was not considered particularly relevant for semiconductor devices in the following years due to the low influence on the overall device performance of devices, in particular as NMOS devices have increasingly been developed. This situation changed with the introduction of complex CMOS devices including high performance logic circuits in which millions of signal nodes with PMOS and NMOS transistors are typically provided. In these devices, the threshold voltage and the supply voltage have constantly been reduced, while, on the other hand, the electric field strengths across the gate dielectrics have increased. Under such conditions, a change of the threshold voltage may have an even higher impact since transistor operation variability may increase due to the relatively higher influence of a shift of the threshold voltage. Furthermore, the operating states of the transistors resulting in the application of voltage pulses, such as negative and positive voltages, to the gate electrode of PMOS transistors may depend on the signal path considered and the overall operational conditions, thereby resulting in substantially non-predictable threshold shifts within the lifetime of the device. For example, a shift of the threshold voltage over the accumulated operating time may finally lead to a violation of time specifications of the device, which may not allow a further use of the device despite the fact that no other major failure has occurred.
Generally, this effect is also associated with the quality of the gate dielectric material and in particular with the quality of the interface between the semiconductor material in the channel region and the gate dielectric material. In this case, upon certain operational conditions, such as elevated temperatures and other stress conditions, a charge trap is created in the vicinity of the interface, wherein, in particular, holes may be trapped, thereby resulting in a significant shift of threshold voltage by localized positive interface states and the additionally trapped charges. In NMOS transistors, this effect may be significantly less pronounced since the interface states and the fixed charges are of opposite polarity, thereby resulting in lower performance degradation.
In view of reducing short channel effects and undesired gate leakage currents, the replacing of silicon dioxide or at least a portion thereof as the material for gate insulation layers has been considered. Possible alternative dielectrics include materials that exhibit a significantly higher permittivity so that a physically greater thickness of a correspondingly formed gate insulation layer nevertheless provides a capacitive coupling that would be obtained by an extremely thin silicon dioxide-based material. It has, thus, been suggested to replace silicon dioxide-based materials, at least partially, with materials of an increased dielectric constant, such as hafnium-based dielectric materials, zirconium oxide and the like. In some conventional approaches a "conventional" gate dielectric material, such as silicon dioxide, silicon oxynitride and the like, may be formed on the semiconductor material of the channel region, followed by the high-k dielectric material, which may then be capped by an appropriate conductive material, such as titanium nitride and the like, in combination with an appropriate metal species, such as lanthanum, aluminum and the like, in order to adjust the work function as may be required for N-channel transistors and P-channel transistors, respectively. To this end, in some conventional approaches, an additional adaptation of the electronic configuration of the semiconductor material in the channel region with respect to the work function may be required, which may be accomplished by providing an appropriate semiconductor material in order to obtain the required band gap offset. For this purpose, in the P-channel transistor, a silicon/germanium semiconductor mixture or alloy may be provided with a specific thickness and germanium concentration in order to obtain the required band gap offset and thus a desired threshold voltage of the P-channel transistor. Typically, a corresponding specifically designed semiconductor material, such as the silicon/germanium alloy and the like, is provided by an epitaxial growth technique at an early manufacturing stage prior to forming the gate dielectric material. Although the usage of high-k gate dielectric materials may enable a further scaling of the channel length of critical transistor elements, it turns out, however, that, in particular, significant threshold voltage instabilities in P-channel transistors may cause significant yield losses, which is believed to be caused by the complex material system of the threshold adjusting semiconductor alloy in combination with the high-k gate dielectric material, as will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1a-1g.
FIG. 1a schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device 100 comprising a substrate 101, above which is formed a silicon-based semiconductor material 102 having an appropriate thickness for forming therein and thereabove transistor elements. An isolation structure 102C is formed in the semiconductor layer 102, thereby laterally delineating active regions 102A, 102B. In this context, an active region is to be understood as a semiconductor material in which an appropriate dopant profile is to be created in order to form PN junctions for one or more transistor elements. In the example shown, the active region 102A corresponds to a P-channel transistor while the active region 102B represents an N-channel transistor. That is, the active regions 102A, 102B may comprise, in the manufacturing stage shown, an appropriate basic dopant concentration in order to determine the conductivity of a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor, respectively. Moreover, a mask layer 103 is formed on the active regions 102A, 102B, for instance in the form of a silicon dioxide material and the like. Furthermore, an etch mask 104 is provided such that the active region 102B is covered, while the active region 102A, i.e., the mask layer 103 formed thereon, is exposed to an etch ambient 105.
The semiconductor device 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1a may be formed on the basis of the following conventional process strategies. First, the isolation structure 102C is formed on the basis of well-established lithography, etch, deposition, planarization and anneal techniques, in which, for instance, a trench is formed in the semiconductor layer 102, which is subsequently filled with an appropriate insulating material, such as silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and the like. After removing any excess material and planarizing the surface topography, the process is typically continued by performing a plurality of implantation sequences using an appropriate masking regime in order to introduce the required dopant species for generating the basic dopant concentration in the active regions 102A, 102B. After activating the dopant species and re-crystallizing implantation-induced damage, the further processing is continued by forming the mask layer 103 on the basis of an oxidation process and the like, followed by the deposition of a mask material, such as a resist material, that is subsequently patterned into the mask 104 by well-established lithography techniques. Next, the etch process 105 is performed, for instance using a wet chemical etch recipe based on, for instance, hydrofluoric acid (HF), which may remove silicon dioxide material selectively with respect to silicon material.
FIG. 1b schematically illustrates the semiconductor device 100 after the above-described process sequence and after the removal of the etch mask 104 (FIG. 1a). Furthermore, in this manufacturing stage, additional cleaning processes may be performed in order to prepare the surface of the active region 102A for the deposition of a silicon/germanium alloy as required for adapting the threshold voltage in combination with a high-k dielectric material and a gate electrode material still to be formed.
FIG. 1c schematically illustrates the semiconductor device 100 during a selective epitaxial growth process 108 in which process parameters are selected in accordance with well-established recipes such that material deposition is substantially restricted to the exposed active region 102A, while a material deposition on dielectric surface areas, such as the isolation structure 102C and the mask layer 103, is strongly suppressed. Thus, during the selective epitaxial growth process 108 a silicon/germanium alloy 109 may, therefore, be selectively formed on the active region 102A, wherein the material composition as well as the layer thickness have a strong influence on the finally obtained threshold voltage of a P-channel transistor still to be formed in and above the active region 102A. For example, a target thickness of the material 109 may be approximately 10-50 nm with a germanium concentration of approximately 20-30 atomic percent.
FIG. 1d schematically illustrates the semiconductor device 100 when exposed to an etch ambient 110, in which the mask 103 (FIG. 1c) is removed selectively to the semiconductor materials of the active regions 102A, 102B, wherein it should be understood that the active region 102A may now comprise the silicon/germanium alloy 109. Moreover, during the etch process 110, which may be performed on the basis of hydrofluoric acid, the exposed semiconductor surface areas may also be prepared for forming a sophisticated gate dielectric material having an increased dielectric constant, as explained above.
FIG. 1e schematically illustrates the semiconductor device 100 in a further advanced manufacturing stage in which a gate dielectric material 161 is formed on the active regions 102A, 102B. For example, the gate dielectric material 161 comprises a first layer 161A, such as a silicon dioxide material, a silicon oxynitride material and the like, above which a further dielectric material 161B is formed, which may include any appropriate material species for increasing the dielectric constant. For this purpose, the layer 161A is typically provided with a reduced thickness of less than one nanometer, and the layer 161B may have a sufficiently high dielectric constant in order to provide the required capacitive coupling, while a total thickness of the dielectric material 161 may reduce the overall gate leakage currents, as is also previously discussed. The gate dielectric material 161 may be formed on the basis of any appropriate process technique, such as deposition techniques in the form of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the like. During the deposition of the materials 161A, 161B, it is believed that, in particular, the interface 109S between the dielectric material 161 and the silicon/germanium alloy 109 may have an increased roughness, which is assumed to cause significant threshold voltage variations.
FIG. 1f schematically illustrates the semiconductor device 100 in a further advanced manufacturing stage. As illustrated, a gate layer stack 1605 is formed above the active regions 102A, 102B and comprises the gate dielectric material 161. Furthermore, a first material system 162 is formed above the active region 102A and may comprise any appropriate conductive materials in order to connect to the gate dielectric material 161 so as to obtain a desired work function. For example, the material system 162 may comprise a titanium nitride material formed on the gate dielectric material 161, followed by a work function adjusting species, such as aluminum, followed by a further titanium nitride material. On the other hand, the material system 163 is formed above the active region 102B so as to connect to the gate dielectric material 161 in order to obtain the desired work function. For example, the material system 163 may comprise a layer of lanthanum material followed by a titanium nitride material. Moreover, an electrode material 164, such as amorphous silicon, polysilicon and the like, in combination with a dielectric cap material 165, such as silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and the like, are provided in the gate layer stack 160S.
The material system 162 may be provided on the basis of any appropriate deposition technique, such as CVD, physical vapor deposition (PVD) and the like. For example, titanium nitride may be sputter deposited in a nitrogen-containing ambient, followed by the sputter deposition of aluminum and the deposition of a titanium nitride material. Thereafter, this layer system may be patterned so as to remove at least the aluminum material from above the active region 102B. Next, the material system 163 may be deposited, followed by the deposition of the material 164 and the cap layer 165. It should be appreciated that further materials may be deposited, such as hard mask materials and the like, as required for the further processing of the device 100.
FIG. 1g schematically illustrates the semiconductor device 100 in a further advanced manufacturing stage. As shown, a first gate electrode structure 160A is formed on the active region 102A, which includes the threshold adjusting semiconductor alloy 109, while a second gate electrode structure 160B is formed on the active region 102B. The gate electrode structures 160A, 160B may be formed on the basis of any appropriate complex lithography and etch techniques in order to obtain the desired gate length of, for instance, 40 nm and less in sophisticated semiconductor devices. It should be appreciated that the gate length is to be understood as the horizontal extension of the gate electrode structures 160A, 160B, for instance by using the lateral extension of the material systems 162 and 163, respectively.
Thereafter, the further processing may be continued by forming drain and source regions in the active regions 102A, 102B in accordance with any appropriate process strategy.
As previously indicated, in particular, a corresponding transistor including the gate electrode structure 160A may exhibit significant threshold voltage variations over the operational lifetime, which is believed to be caused by the increasing number of trapped interface charges, as explained above. Consequently, reliability of the device 100 over lifetime may not be guaranteed, thereby contributing to a significant yield loss.
The present disclosure is directed to various methods that may avoid, or at least reduce, the effects of one or more of the problems identified above.

Enhancing interface characteristics between a channel semiconductor alloy and a gate dielectric by an oxidation process


A Low-VOC, water-based graffiti cleaner containing water, Glycol Ether EB, Acetone, DBE, Acetic acid, and a small amount of fragrance. The VOC content of this composition is less than or equal to 15.5%.

Porous surfaces, such as those of carpets, clothing, automobile seats, and certain metal and metal composites, and other hard surfaces such as tile, vinyl, and plastics can be marked with paint or ink in the form of graffiti. Permanent marker inks, and printers inks, enamel and acrylics, and highlighters can be used. Note that this composition will not harm Lexan® or Plexiglass®.
The above recitation exemplifies a broad range of materials which need to be cleaned from a broad range of deposits and stains. In response to this need, an equally wide range of cleaning compositions already exists in the market.
Generally speaking, commercial compositions are limited both in the range of their effectiveness, and also as to how efficient they really are for their intended purpose. If one intends to remove a graffito, he is likely to find a nearly-equal number of formulations to buy for the purpose. In addition, some of the stains and deposits are usually only partially removed after application of market-available cleaners, and with risk to the material being cleaned. On the consumer market today, for example, there is no known composition which will remove marking pen dye from a white tablecloth. The present invention will.
Furthermore, many existing compositions are objectionable from an environmental standpoint. This composition is water-based, and is environmentally acceptable. The composition is available in a 3% Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) configuration and will perform surface cleaning.
It is an object of this invention to provide a water-based environmentally acceptable, biodegradable cleaning composition which can be used to remove graffiti. Any residue of these compositions which might remain on the surface, or in the fabric underlying it, will not adversely affect the user or the surface to which it was applied. It has proved to be a considerable surprise to observe how many types of really difficult stains and deposits these compositions can remove, with little or no remaining evidence that there ever had been a stain or a deposit, or that the composition ever had been applied, all without damage to the material being cleaned.


A method, apparatus and program product provide a mechanism for managing the execution of electronic documents using electronic signatures. Documents requiring electronic signatures are automatically identified, mined, trimmed and split from a printer control data language stream. Status information pertaining to needed data, signatories, signature completions and authentication attempts is related to users during and after an electronic signing sequence.

Binding agreements are at the core of all commercial and societal transactions. Individuals, government and business entities increasingly rely on the accessibility, speed and other advantages of computer based communications to facilitate such business transactions. As with any agreement, a party is legally bound to obligations undertaken in a transaction when proof evidences that the party agreed to, validated or otherwise affirmed the transaction. Similarly, that party can be held accountable for the truth of a statement or the consequences of a sanctioned act where proof shows the party condoned or affirmed the activity or statement. The nature of computer transactions, however, does not involve the face-to-face interaction between agreeing parties conventionally used to sign or otherwise consummate such agreements.
Institutions have consequently developed practices useful in authenticating non-face-to-face computer transactions. For instance, electronic signatures are used in connection with electronic messages to provide a way for the sender of a message to electronically "sign" the message. The electronic signature functions similarly to a conventional signature in that it provides proof of the identify of the sender and can validate a sender's acknowledgment of the content of the message.
More particularly, an electronic signature may include an electronic sound, symbol or process attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record. The record is executed or adopted when a person signs the record. This signing may be accomplished using a signature comprising a password, token, digitized image, knowledge based authentication and/or a biometric record. An electronic signature thus includes any electronic identifier created by a computer and intended by a party using is to have the same force and effect as a manual signature.
Electronic signatures typically use an asymmetric cryptosystem to ensure document integrity, security and authenticity of an electronic document. Namely, a sender digitally signs the message using a private key. The key includes encryption software used to create a digital signature. The receiver validates the sender's digital signature using a public key of the sender. The public key includes software sent by the receiver used to decrypt the digital signature on the document. Exemplary documents may include any record that is generated or stored on a computer, such as a letter, a tax form, a contract, or a will. In addition, an electronic document may include an image, such as a blueprint, a survey plat, a drawing, or even a photograph. An electronic signature may be used to sign these documents types.
While electronic signatures provide assurances as to the intention and identity of the sender, the underlying programming associated with electronic signature practices can limit their application in the context of certain types of transactions. For instance, a different program template must generally be created for each transaction that involves a new agreement format. That is, the program code used to place a digital signature on a given form must be manually modified or replaced in order to execute a similar signature on another agreement.
Each unique form for a particular transaction and of a particular lender often requires an electronic signature at a particular point that is unique to that form. For instance, even a relatively generic lending form may require placement of the electronic signature at slightly different relative coordinates. Though such differences may be largely imperceptible to a loan applicant, the subtle differences nonetheless require unique programming and configuration of the electronic signature program to ensure proper placement of the electronic signature at the different relative document position. Put another way, even minor differences in the forms will require different programmatic instructions. Such instructions dictate where and how a signature must be accomplished within the new or altered document.
This requirement to create a new program profile is a potential source of inefficiency and substantial expenditures for certain businesses. For instance, many commercial lending operations involve hundreds of proprietary forms. Each form requires its own programming template to be accomplished. Moreover, each form may be altered over time in accordance with government regulations and client requirements. As such, each form can require additional programming. As a consequence, lenders must wait for a programmer to manually set up required programming so that a transaction can proceed. Such program requirements can unduly delay the execution of electronic signatures, holding up time sensitive transactions or altogether obviating their practicality. Such requirements further undermine the speed and automation that generally benefit electronic loan processing. Moreover, existing systems do not support boolean (checkbox) output text, or "prior approval" practices endemic to many financial transactions. There is also no systematic way of knowing with certainty that a user is actually able to view digitized form.
The inflexible nature of conventional electronic signature practices further requires a loan officer or programmer to manually and individually identify each document so that it can be properly matched to its appropriate signing algorithm template. In the context of hundreds or thousands of documents, this manual submission represents an additional source of inefficiency. Furthermore, certain types of documents must be timely executed in a particular sequence and/or by multiple signatories. Conventional electronic signing programs provide no mechanism that ensures that multiple signatures are accomplished, or that they are executed in a required sequence.
Consequently, and for in part the above delineated reasons, there exists a need for an improved manner of managing an electronic document signing process.


The present invention is a method of radiation position, which includes: placing a locking bar member on a proper position of a treatment bed; selecting positions respectively on two sides of the treatment bed to be joined with two ends of the locking bar member; and providing a calibration device, wherein the calibration device is provided with at least one positioning point, so that the bottom part of the calibration device is buckled with at least two positioning elements on the locking bar member; and calculating an offset distance between an irradiation point of a radiation and the at least one positioning point of the calibration device to obtain a value, wherein if the value is less than a deviation value, it represents completion of a positioning. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method of quick and precise radiation position, which can not only reduce time cost but also increase the daily use frequency of a radiological apparatus to facilitate cost recovery.

Regardless of the kind of radiation therapy is used, traditionally, before each patient is treated, the basic process of daily quality assurance (Daily QA) of currently available radiological apparatuses is carried out. The purpose is to ensure smooth subsequent processes and to avoid unnecessary damages to other normal tissues or cells of the patient caused by high-energy radiation.
The present invention mainly focuses on the part of calibration of the Daily QA items. In the past, lights were turned off to create an environment in a dark condition, and the calibration process was carried out by using at least two laser beams, a positioning line on a detector and human naked eyes. However, minor deviations caused by three factors, including the width of the laser beams (about 3 to 5 mm), the width of the positioning line, and the human naked eyes, must be considered. In addition, the laser beam is subjected to a problem of annual deviation of 1 to 2 mm. The operation is too complicated if Lynx+Sphinx adopted by IBA in 2015 is used as a daily quality assurance device. More than 20 minutes per day are spent on the daily quality assurance. The current process of radiation calibration is time consuming. It takes from 1 to 5 minutes to complete the process.
Besides, the current radiation position norms are primarily based on photon therapy, and very few additional regulations regarding proton therapy discussed recently have been made. Compared to photon therapy, proton therapy has completely different characteristics, which makes it more focused on the importance of positioning, for example, after photon rays are irradiated, the phenomenon of diffusion usually ensues. On the contrary, the phenomenon of scattering as proton beam interacts with material is relatively small, and after the Bragg peak is achieved upon reaching the tumor tissue, no more dose remains. The effect of suppressing or treating the patient's tumor can only be achieved by giving a higher dose of radiation. The requirements of precision of positioning is even more rigorous than those of the photon rays.
Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to propose a method of rapid radiation position, which can not only reduce the time cost but increase the daily use frequency of a radiological apparatus to facilitate cost recovery. In addition, the human-eye laser positioning is replaced with mechanical precision, allowing the radiation to target the lesion more accurately, thereby reducing the chance of damaging other normal tissues or cells.


The diffusion bonding of aluminum and aluminum alloys presents problems because, when left exposed to the atmosphere even for a short time, they acquire an extremely tenacious surface oxide layer that inhibits or prevents satisfactory diffusion bonding. Unlike titanium, this oxide layer is not absorbed at diffusion bonding temperatures. The present invention comprises a method of reducing oxidation of a surface of aluminum or aluminum alloy by causing a nitride film to form on the surface. This film is believed to prevent oxidation of the aluminum or aluminum alloy, but to be absorbable into it at diffusion bonding temperatures. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the nitride film is applied to the piece of aluminum or aluminum alloy (10) in a vacuum chamber (4) by sputtering with nitrogen ions, or by heating the piece (10) in a nitrogen gas atmosphere.

This invention relates to the reduction of oxidation of aluminium and aluminium alloys.
Diffusion bonding is an extremely useful technique for joining metal components, particularly in the aircraft industry, and involves the pressing together of the components when heated so that their atoms interdiffuse at the interface, thus forming a metal-to-metal bond between the components. Diffusion bonding can be combined with the process of superplastic forming if certain types of metal are used that have a specific uniform grain structure (for example titanium or aluminium) thus enabling the manufacture of multi-sheet components of complex structure. Superplastic forming is a technique in which a heated metal is subjected to slow deformation during which the metal stretches (up to several hundred percent) without fracture or significant necking. In order to manufacture these components it is often a requirement that the metals are not bonded at all in their contacting areas. Therefore, bond inhibitors (commonly known as stop-off or stopping-off materials) are applied to selected areas by, for example, a silk screen printing process.
Titanium is a particularly suitable material for use in such processes because it will absorb its own oxide layer at high temperature in an inert atmosphere to provide an oxide-free surface necessary for satisfactory diffusion bonding.
However, the physical properties of aluminium and many of its alloys, i.e. low density and high strength, make it an ideal material for use in aircraft components and the like. Such materials, if left exposed to the atmosphere for even a short time, acquire an extremely tenacious surface oxide layer that inhibits or prevents satisfactory diffusion bonding because it is not absorbed at the required temperatures. This oxide layer forms quickly even at very low partial pressures of oxygen, and therefore it is extremely difficult to remove and maintain the surface totally oxide free prior to and during diffusion bonding.
For the sake of brevity, aluminium and its relevant alloys are hereinafter referred to as simply "aluminium", and any references thereto should be construed accordingly.
Several prior proposals for overcoming the problem of the oxide layer and enabling the successful diffusion bonding of aluminium have been made. For example, in our earlier European patent number EP-A-0350220, we described a method of removing the oxide layer of an aluminium component by grit blasting it and then subjecting it to a chemical treatment. Although this technique greatly reduces the problem of the oxide layer, it has been found that, despite the fact that the oxide is removed before diffusion bonding takes place, an extremely thin oxide layer is still present in the component in areas where bonding has occurred. This is thought to occur due to trace oxygen present during the bonding process, and the result is a fairly poor diffusion bond which has a low peel strength.
In another of our European patent applications, number EP-A-0398760, we describe a method of encapsulating the de-oxidised aluminium components immediately after cleaning to prevent re-oxidation. Encapsulation is facilitated by placing the aluminium components in a chamber of an electron beam welding device, evacuating the chamber and electron beam welding the edge regions of the components together. As will be appreciated, this is a costly additional step in the manufacture of components.

Diffusion bonding of aluminum and aluminum alloys

British Aerospace Public Limited Company


A segmented collapsible container for containing a liquid and collapsing when no liquid is present. The container is segmented into a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The three segmented portions form a uniform annular sidewall, with each separate portion of the sidewall having a different thickness or material than the other portions. The middle second portion includes a relatively thinner break point in the sidewall to facilitate collapsing. It is this variation in rigidity and integrity of the sidewalls that allows the segmented collapsible container to collapse. The segmented collapsible container includes an airtight seal formed in the first portion that restricts fluids, such as but not limited to, air from entering or leaving the segmented collapsible container. The segmented collapsible container may more easily return to its original shape after collapsing. This facilitates cleaning and reusability of the container.

The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
Many liquid containers are not collapsible, however, there are collapsible liquid containers. Typically, liquid containers that are collapsible do not return to an original shape easily. Further, liquid containers typically fill with air when at least partially empty. Although air can be squeezed out by collapsing some liquid containers, it is typically not possible to purge almost all air from the liquid container.
Reusable liquid containers are often difficult to clean. Some liquid containers are prone to collect mold, fungi or bacteria. Further, many liquid containers are constructed of materials which affect a beverage inside of the liquid container. Sometimes this can result in health issues or decreased enjoyment of the beverage.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniques are not perfect and leave room for more optimal approaches.
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Collapsible container for holding liquids or objects


A prepreg resin comprising:

This invention relates generally to a composition of matter in which resins are polymerizable using polymerizing agents and, more particularly, to compositions that are especially adapted for polyphenylene ether (PPE) and modified PPE resin formulations. These compositions are made into prepreg dielectric sheets or coated on a substrate and cured to form dielectric laminate structures for circuit packaging structures.
One conventional technique for forming laminate circuit structures is to provide a sheet of what is referred to as prepreg, which is glass cloth impregnated with a resin solution which subsequently is either dried or partially cured. Also, a similar type of resin is sometimes used without the glass cloth and coated onto metal, such as copper, for use as build up layers. These are commonly referred to as resin coated copper (RCC) or polymer coated copper (PCC). Such prepregs are then laminated with copper foils forming cores. Cores are then processed further, such as forming vias and circuitry thereon, and then laminated with additional prepregs and copper foils to form a composite laminate structure. Particularly useful resins for forming prepregs are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,782 B2, often referred to as PPE, assigned to General Electric Company, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the GE patent, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,745, often referred to as the modified PPE or APPE, assigned to Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha of Tokyo, Japan, sometimes hereinafter referred to as the Asahi patent. Both of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. The PPE resin as described in the GE patent is a reactively end capped poly(phenylene ether) compound cured with certain unsaturated compounds for synthesizing resins ideally adapted for impregnating fibrous reinforcement in the manufacture of circuit boards. The PPE is described in the Asahi patent as a curable polyphenylene ether resin composition comprising a reaction product obtained by reacting a polyphenylene ether with an unsaturated carboxylic acid or an acid anhydride and at least one cyanurate. Generally speaking, these compositions include about 98% to about 40% by weight of a curable polyphenylene ether resin comprising a reaction product obtained by reacting a polyphenylene ether with an unsaturated carboxylic acid or an acid anhydride, and 2% to 60% by weight, based on the total weight of this and the previous components, of at least one cyanurate selected from the group consisting of triallyl isocyanurate and triallyl cyanurate. These compositions include an initiator. Generally speaking, the initiator is a peroxide of a low molecular weight compound, i.e. below about 700 grams per mole. These peroxides are described in the Asahi patent in column 13, lines 10-23, and in the GE patent, column 12, lines 19-28. An earlier PPE composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,030, assigned to Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha of Tokyo, Japan. It describes the use of poly(phenylene ether) containing pendant allyl or propargyl groups, triallylcyanurate or triallylisocyanurate, and optionally an antimony-containing flame retardant. Other formulations replace the antimony flame retardant with bromine containing compounds.
Several problems have been encountered when using the PPE or modified PPE compositions incorporating low molecular weight initiators. (Hereinafter, the term PPE may be used for both PPE and modified PPE.) First, one problem is that the prepreg has component volatility characterized by the volatilization of the low molecular weight peroxide initiators. Second, following lamination, there is a marked out-gassing which has been attributed to the breakdown components of the low molecular weight initiator that do not enter into the reaction and are trapped in the matrix and outgas upon lamination and, third, the inability to laminate the material after the prepreg has been exposed to wet processing. It is believed that this is due to the fact that the low molecular weight initiator is driven off when the prepreg is heated to remove any absorbed water. The first and third of these conditions result in poor cross linking and, thus, degraded material and final structure properties, and the second of these conditions results in a propensity to delamination of the cured prepreg layers. These are problems that need to be solved to improve the commercial viability of the currently available PPE and APPE products.
A prepreg resin comprising:
(a) 98 to 40% by weight based on the total weight of components (a) and (b), of a curable polyphenylene ether resin;
(b) 2 to 60% by weight based on the total weight of components (a) and (b), of at least one cyanurate selected from the group consisting of triallyl isocyanurate and triallyl cyanurate;
(c) a polymerization initiator comprised of a peroxide functionalized polymer, said peroxide functionalized polymer being fragmented by heat to a plurality of free radical moieties, such as t-butoxide moieties, and a relatively inert moiety having a molecular weight greater than about 1,000.
The invention also encompasses a cured resin ether as a coating on a substrate, without fiberglass cloth embedded, or a cured prepreg with fiberglass cloth embedded and a method of forming the same, and an electronic packaging structure.

Resin composition with a polymerizing agent and method of manufacturing prepreg and other laminate structures therefrom

Abstract: A prepreg resin comprising:

Abstract: The invention also encompasses a cured resin either as a coating on a substrate, without fiberglass cloth embedded, or a cured prepreg with fiberglass cloth embedded and a method of forming the same.

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention refers to a tool for cold expansion of fastener holes. The tool comprises a mandrel (1) with a conical working part (2), a cylindrical sleeve (4) with a conical hole (5), wherein the sleeve (4) is entirely split from end to end into separate, laterally touching one another, segments (6), fixed in a cylindrical hole (14) of a threaded bush (7) and along the outer cylindrical surface (8) of the mandrel (1). The bush (7) is attached immovably to a device, fixing the segments (6), and each segment (6) gets into contact with the conical surface (2) of the mandrel (1) along only one generatrix (16), laying in the symmetry plane (17) of the respective segment (6). The advantage of the tool is in the possibility to control the degree of cold expansion.

From U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,732 a device is known for cold expansion of holes by means of a tool comprising a longitudinally split hollow mandrel. A round pin is introduced into the axial hole of the mandrel. The device comprises a hydraulic cylinder in which a first piston with a piston rod is placed to whose end the longitudinal split hollow mandrel of the tool is fixed. A support in contact with the work piece to be worked during pulling the hollow mandrel through the hole, is fixed immovably. In an axial hole worked in the first piston and its piston rod, a second piston rod is inserted whose end is connected to the round pin which makes the mandrel rigid. A second piston connected to the second piston rod is placed in a second cylinder coaxial to the first one and connected to it. The device has a power hydraulic system driven and controlled by means of compressed air.
When working fastener holes using the known device and tool the degree of cold expansion of the hole depends only on the diameter dimensions of the mandrel and pin as well as on the diameter of the previously drilled hole. To guarantee the degree of cold expansion specified with a certain tolerance, it is necessary to control by geometric criterion by means of gauges both the diameter of the previously drilled hole and the mandrel working part.
Furthermore, working is carried out sequentially, expansion is performed layer by layer along the hole axis, whereupon a deformation wave passes causing at every point of the hole surface alternating stresses whose absolute value exceeds significantly the yield limit of the material. Due to a support placed against the movement of the stiffened mandrel, an axial force flow passes through the work piece being worked and as a result an asymmetric axial gradient of the generated zone of compression residual stresses around the hole is obtained. At the hole entrance residual stresses with minimum absolute value occur. Furthermore, at the entrance and exit, around the hole edge, significant axial deformations appear known as "surface upset"
As a result of all this, when employing the known device and tool for cold extension, along the axis of the hole to be worked, a non-uniform and asymmetric zone of compression residual stresses arises, which is a prerequisite for fatigue cracks growth, initiating from the entrance face with residual stresses with minimum absolute value. The axial deformation along the hole edges are a prerequisite for wear and growth of microcracks in consequence of the detrimental fretting effect. As a result, cyclically or dynamically loaded structural elements will have shorter fatigue life and respectively less reliability. In case of static loads, the resistance of the elements to crack appearance will be lowered.
From BG Patent No 66052 a tool for cold expansion of holes is known, comprising a mandrel with a conical working part. Between the mandrel and the hole to be worked is positioned a longitudinally split into three, four or more portions cylindrical sleeve with a conical hole at one end which has a cone angle α equal to the angle of the working conical part of the mandrel. The longitudinally split cylindrically shaped sleeve comprises an immovably fixed non-split part in its other end which is ⅕ of the total length of the sleeve. As a result of the relative axial displacement between the mandrel and sleeve, its split part enhances its radial dimensions, expanding in this way the hole being worked, on the account of inserting the conical working part of the mandrel into the conical hole of the sleeve.
When expanding fastener holes with the known tool, there is an edge contact between the mandrel conical surface and the conical surfaces of the working parts of the sleeve during their relative motion along their common axis because circular cross sections with a larger radius get into contact with the cross sections of the working parts of the sleeve having a smaller radius. In this way, in the process of working the hole, the mandrel conical surface is in contact with longitudinally oriented edges of the working parts of the split sleeve. As a result, the transfer function between the axial displacement of the mandrel and the radial displacement of the working parts of the split sleeve is non-linear, and therefore practically it is not possible to control a precisely preset degree of cold expansion of the hole to be worked. At the same time, this edge contact leads to useless increase in the axial force applied to the mandrel, required for working the hole. Furthermore, the edge contact parameters vary at each instant of the mandrel motion and hence the driving device is subjected to undesired pulsations. At the initial moment of the cold expansion process when the working parts of the sleeve are positioned in the hole to be worked, between every two working parts there is a clearance equal to the thickness of the tool with which the sleeve was split. In the process of cold expansion this clearance increases. As a result, in the cross section of the hole, the zone of compression residual stresses, though it has a pole of symmetry, it is non-homogeneous. Furthermore, the requirement that the outer cylindrical surface of each working part should have a radius larger than the radius of the previously drilled hole that is to be expanded, causes manufacturing difficulties when making the sleeve, due to the fact that it is not entirely split.

Device and tool for cold expansion of fastener holes


A tactile tile assembly includes a base having a plate section, a rim projecting up from the plate section, and a plurality of embedment anchors on the base. A tactile tile is adapted to fit into or onto the base. Fasteners extending through the tactile tile attach it to the base. The top of the rim may be substantially co-planar with a top surface projections on the tactile tile. The embedment anchors may be provided in a plane of the plate section and be bent to a position perpendicular to the plate section for embedment into a pavement material. The base has attachment elements for attaching the tile assembly to an adjoining tile assembly. Two or more tile assemblies are attached together to provide a tile assembly combination of a desired size and shape. The tile assembly combination is then installed in the paving material.

Products and methods for producing detectable warnings for the visually impaired on various surfaces, such as tactile tiles, are widely used. Various tactile tile designs also allow for relatively simple replacement, if damaged. For example, my U.S. Pat. No. 7,674,066, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a tactile tile with detachable anchors which allow for quick and simple replacement of a damaged tile. Although these and other tactile tiles have performed well in the past, engineering challenges remain. Existing tactile tiles generally are provided in fixed incremental widths and lengths. As a result, multiple sizes of tactile tiles must be manufactured and supplied so that the desired tile size is available for a specific installation site. Existing tactile tiles tend to be subject to damage, especially from snow plows. Thus, there is a need for improved tactile tiles and related methods.