The present invention aims at providing an optical unit, its manufacturing method, and electrophotographic device that can easily and inexpensively achieve a reliable latent image formation on a photosensitive drum, and can form a high-quality image. To realize the above aims, a lens barrel and a collimating lens are bonded only at a single spot, and the bonding orientation is aligned approximately with a main scanning direction. Thereby displacement of the collimating lens caused by a thermal expansion of the adhesive is restricted to the main scanning direction as adjustable by other components.

The present invention relates generally to optical systems, and more particularly to an optical unit that collimates a beam radiated from a light source and scans in a predetermined direction. The present invention lends itself, for example, to a laser optical system for an electrophotographic recording device, and is applicable not only to a discrete printer, but generally to a combination apparatus having a printing function such as a photocopier and a facsimile unit.
The "electrophotographic recording device" by which we mean is a recording device employing the Carlson process as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,297,691, as typified by a laser printer, and denotes a nonimpact image-forming device that provides a recording by depositing a developer as a recording material on a recorded medium (e.g., printing paper, and OHP film). The laser optical system as an optical system for exposure is typically a unit that includes a variety of light sources (e.g., a semiconductor laser, a He--Ne gas laser, a Ar gas laser, a He--Cd gas laser), a collimating lens, a rotating mirror, an f-.theta. lens, etc., serving to form a desired latent image on a photosensitive drum.
A laser printer as an example of the electrophotographic recording device has characteristics such as an excellent operability and cost efficiency, high-quality image formation, and a reduced vibration and noise during printing, and is thus expected to be increasingly demanded in future along with recent prevailing office automations. The laser printer generally includes a photosensitive drum and an optical unit for forming a latent image on the photosensitive drum by exposure to light. The photosensitive drum is uniformly negatively charged by a pre-charger, and exposed by a laser beam emitted from the optical unit, whereby an area on which a developing agent (toner) is to be deposited is discharged to form a latent image. The latent image is thereafter visualized into a toner image by a development device, and the toner image is transferred onto a printing paper by a transfer unit. A fixing device fixes the toner image that has been transferred on the printing paper, and the printing paper is then ejected.
The optical unit typically includes a laser beam source that radiates a laser beam, a collimator section that collimates (or renders parallel) the laser beam, a polygon mirror (rotating mirror) that allows the laser beam to change its traveling direction to make a scan, an f-.theta. lens that corrects a distortion of the laser beam, a print start detector section that adjusts print timing, and other necessary mirrors. A semiconductor laser providing a low cost and excellent maintainability has been predominantly used for the laser beam source.
The optical unit using the semiconductor laser radiates, so that the longer the radiating distance is, the wider it spreadout from the light source as a vertex of cone (a laser beam with a spreading angle from a point light sourc)e. The collimator section, which is located near the light source, collimates the laser beam to make a parallel beam fit for the exposure to the photosensitive drum. In order to expose a larger area in a single operation and speed up the writing action onto the photosensitive drum, the number of semiconductor lasers to be provided is normally plural, i.e., two or more, and the equal number of collimator sections are provided accordingly.
The collimator section includes a cylindrical lens barrel and a collimating lens. The lens barrel is fitted with and holds the collimating lens, and intercepts extraneous light. The collimating lens, which serves to collimate a radiated beam, is stuck at a whole face or several spots of its circumference to the lens barrel typically with a resinous adhesive in view of its manufacturing cost. Incidentally, an injection of the adhesive is manually given with an injector. The collimated beam is reflected by a rapidly rotating polygon mirror, passes through the f-.theta. lens, and then scans the photosensitive drum for a desired area to be exposed. The laser light that has passed through the f-.theta. lens exposes the photosensitive drum, and forms a latent image under print timing by the print start detector section.
Increasing demand for high-quality image formation in recent years has required the collimating lens that determines a traveling direction of the laser beam to be accurately attached in the lens barrel to form a precise latent image on the photosensitive drum. In a conventional optical unit, however, thermal deformation of the adhesive for the collimating lens would disadvantageously displace the collimating lens in the lens barrel, so as to deteriorate an image quality.
Associated with a use of the laser printer, the optical unit's temperature climbs up to about 60.degree. C. by heat generated in the fixing device, a motor, a printed board or the like in the printer, and a motor for the polygon mirror or a control printed board or the like in the unit. This would cause a thermal expansion of the adhesive applied onto a whole face or several spots of the circumference of the collimating lens. A variety of amounts, forms, and positions of the adhesive around the circumference of the lens leads to a variety of thermal deformations of an adhesive layer, and thus the collimating lens would be displaced in an unforeseeable direction, for example, by about 10-30 .mu.m, changing a laser-beam emitting position.
The shift direction of the collimating lens may be represented by a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, but acceptable shift amount in the sub-scanning direction is much smaller than the acceptable shift amount in the main scanning direction. The main scanning and sub-scanning directions respectively correspond to the polygon mirror's circumferential and height directions. Even if the laser beam is displaced in the main scanning direction, the mirrors and lenses in them subsequent stage may generally detect the beam using the rotating polygon mirror. Therefore, based on their detection, the displaced beam may be adjusted by changing timing of the laser beam emission as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-76559 or by shifting the beam using a refractive index of glass as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-260368. However, the beam deviated in the sub-scanning direction would move in the height direction so that the polygon mirror cannot lead the beam to fall on the subsequent mirrors and lenses, and the subsequent mirrors and lenses thus cannot detect the beam. Consequently, that would disadvantageously make its latent image formation impossible or imperfect, or its print timing unable to be properly detected, thereby disabling printing function.
Further, in the optical unit equipped with two semiconductor lasers, the displacement of the collimating lenses would disadvantageously change its beam width, thereby making an contour of the latent image thick, or otherwise, so that a high-quality image could not be obtained.
To prevent the displacement of the collimating lens in the sub-scanning direction at high temperature, it is conceivable to provide a cooling device for cooling a lens and its surroundings or an adjustment means for detecting and correcting the displacement of the collimating lens in the sub-scanning direction, but this would unfavorably increase the device's complexity and manufacturing cost.

Optical unit and its manufacturing method and electrophotographic recording device


A memory device in which a circuit reads a cell condition. A terminal provides voltage to a bit line of the circuit via a switch. The circuit outputs and enables storage of a first logical value when the voltage provided from the terminal does not exceed a threshold value. The circuit outputs and enables storage of a second logical value when the voltage provided from the terminal exceeds the threshold value. The output and storage occurs in the absence of an electrical connection between the cell and circuit. The switch provides voltage supplied from the terminal to the bit line of the circuit. The voltage increases from a value which does not exceed the threshold to a value which exceeds the threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a memory device, in particular, a Flash Nand memory device including a page buffer circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
Flash Nand memory device includes a memory cell and a page buffer which is used as a read circuit to temporarily store the logical value attributed to the cell threshold condition: the common way is to attribute a value 0 (programmed) or 1 (erased) depending on whether the cell driven by a read voltage on its gate contact is switched off or not.
If the cell is switched on, and the gate is driven at the read voltage, the cell conducts a current. Otherwise, the cell does not conduct a current. The system used to sense the cell current is to let a charged capacitor discharge in a fixed time: depending on whether the final voltage of the capacitor is lower or higher than a threshold value, the read cell is considered erased or programmed.
FIG. 1 shows the page buffer and the connection to a single cell: Cbl is the capacitor discharged by the cell's current (arrow 1) during the fixed time called evaluation time. Actually the Cbl is not a discrete device but the whole bit line, that is a long strip of metal. It is not the purpose of this invention to explain the read procedure adopted with such type of page buffer and architecture, what is relevant for the invention is that at the end of the evaluation time the bitline connected to the read cell, reaches a voltage value that depends on the starting voltage, the cell's current and the evaluation time itself.
Finally the bitline selector bsele (or bselo in case of odd page read) switches on and connects the selected bitline to the inner page buffer node called datab. Thanks to the charge sharing the datab voltage reaches the same value of the bitline (arrow 2) and if this value is high enough to switch on the mdata transistor (the condition is the typical mos switch on condition V(datab)=VGS(mdata)>VTH(mdata)) a pulse on readpb signal can easily drive the pre-charged latp node to ground (arrow 3), and force the page buffer latch to flip, otherwise the latp can't be discharged and remain high and so the page buffer latch maintains the starting value. This roughly the way the page buffer is used during a read operation as a transducer of a analog quantity (the final value of the bitline voltage) to a digital value (the final value of latp/latn nodes).
In a flash NAND device the number of the page buffer circuits in the page buffer block is the same size of the page, typically 4 KB (32768 bits), or more and thanks to the particular position of thee block in the device, attached to the nand matrix, the layout of the page buffer block makes impossible to access to the inner nodes of the circuits and the test of the circuit must be done using indirect measures.
One of the relevant information about the page buffer is its "0-reading threshold" (VTH-0), that is the bitline's voltage above which the circuit reads the cell as programmed (latp=0) while below the circuit reads the cell as erased (latp=1). FIG. 2 shows an ideal behavior of a page buffer read.

Memory device having switch providing voltage to bit line


A method, apparatus and system for controlling transmission clutch and/or variator system pressures is provided. A transmission control unit and a pressure control device including an electro-hydraulic valve and a pressure switch cooperate to provide self-calibrating clutch and/or variator pressure control systems.

Friction devices, such as clutches and brakes, of an automatic transmission of a vehicle are selectively engageable and disengageable to change gear ratios or alter the speed of the vehicle. For example, to shift from one transmission gear ratio to another, one clutch is disengaged and another clutch is engaged.
Electro-hydraulic valves are often used in automatic transmissions to control engagement and disengagement of friction devices, including transmission clutches. To achieve an acceptable shift quality, i.e., smoothly disengaging the off-going clutch and smoothly engaging the on-coming clutch, a typical automatic transmission electro-hydraulic valve must output a desired clutch pressure.
Electro-hydraulic valves used in automatic transmission clutch trim systems are available in many types, including variable bleed solenoids and related devices. In general, all of these devices receive an electrical input from electrical circuitry, such as an electronic or electrical controller, and provide an amount of output pressure that is a function of the amount of electrical input. Normally, the electrical input is electrical current. The relationship between the output pressure and the electrical input is defined by a transfer function.
The solenoid transfer function often varies from valve to valve even among valves of the same type. Solenoid valve manufacturers are therefore often challenged to minimize valve-to-valve variations in the command-to-output transfer function. During manufacture, valves are typically adjusted at their "end of line" test to keep the transfer function characteristic curve within specified limits. Such adjustments shift or offset the characteristic curve along the electrical input axis but do not significantly alter the overall curve shape or slope.
While the offset adjustment is helpful in reducing valve-to-valve variations, valve rejects still exist and add to production costs. Even "good" valves still retain some detrimental part-to-part variation within their specified limits.
Additionally, existing solenoid calibration systems require individual solenoid characterization data to be captured during solenoid manufacture and then loaded into the on-board transmission controller during transmission manufacture. Such systems are not usable after transmission manufacture; for example, when individual solenoids may need to be replaced in a service environment.

Method and apparatus for clutch pressure control


The present invention relates to novel respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) F peptides and compositions comprising them. The present invention also relates to methods of evaluating anti-RSV antibody binding to F peptides. The present invention also relates to antibodies that immunospecifically bind to an F peptide of the present invention. The invention further provides methods and protocols for the administration of F peptides and/or antibodies that immunospecifically bind to F peptides for the prevention, neutralization, treatment of RSV infection. Additionally, the methods of the invention may be useful for the treatment, prevention and the amelioration of symptoms associated with RSV infection.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of serious lower respiratory tract disease in infants and children (Feigen et al., eds., 1987, In: Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, WB Saunders, Philadelphia at pages 1653-1675; New Vaccine Development, Establishing Priorities, Vol. 1, 1985, National Academy Press, Washington D.C. at pages 397-409; and Ruuskanen et al., 1993, Curr. Probl. Pediatr. 23:50-79). The yearly epidemic nature of RSV infection is evident worldwide, but the incidence and severity of RSV disease in a given season vary by region (Hall, C. B., 1993, Contemp. Pediatr. 10:92-110). In temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, it usually begins in late fall and ends in late spring. Primary RSV infection occurs most often in children from 6 weeks to 2 years of age and uncommonly in the first 4 weeks of life during nosocomial epidemics (Hall et al., 1979, New Engl. J. Med. 300:393-396). Children at increased risk from RSV infection include preterm infants (Hall et al., 1979, New Engl. J. Med. 300:393-396) and children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (Groothuis et al., 1988, Pediatrics 82:199-203), congenital heart disease (MacDonald et al., New Engl. J. Med. 307:397-400), congenital or acquired immunodeficiency (Ogra et al., 1988, Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 7:246-249; and Pohl et al., 1992, J. Infect. Dis. 165:166-169), and cystic fibrosis (Abman et al., 1988, J. Pediatr. 113:826-830). The fatality rate in infants with heart or lung disease who are hospitalized with RSV infection is 3%-4% (Navas et al., 1992, J. Pediatr. 121:348-354).
RSV infects adults as well as infants and children. In healthy adults, RSV causes predominantly upper respiratory tract disease. It has recently become evident that some adults, especially the elderly, have symptomatic RSV infections more frequently than had been previously reported (Evans, A. S., eds., 1989, Viral Infections of Humans. Epidemiology and Control, 3.sup.rd ed., Plenum Medical Book, New York at pages 525-544). Several epidemics also have been reported among nursing home patients and institutionalized young adults (Falsey, A. R., 1991, Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 12:602-608; and Garvie et al., 1980, Br. Med. J. 281:1253-1254). Finally, RSV may cause serious disease in immunosuppressed persons, particularly bone marrow transplant patients (Hertz et al., 1989, Medicine 68:269-281).
Treatment options for established RSV disease are limited. Severe RSV disease of the lower respiratory tract often requires considerable supportive care, including administration of humidified oxygen and respiratory assistance (Fields et al., eds, 1990, Fields Virology, 2nd ed., Vol. 1, Raven Press, New York at pages 1045-1072). The only drug approved for treatment of infection is the antiviral agent ribavirin (American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases, 1993, Pediatrics 92:501-504). It has been shown to be effective in the treatment of RSV pneumonia and bronchiolitis, modifying the course of severe RSV disease in immunocompetent children (Smith et al., 1991, New Engl. J. Med. 325:24-29). However, ribavirin has had limited use because it requires prolonged aerosol administration and because of concerns about its potential risk to pregnant women who may be exposed to the drug during its administration in hospital settings.
While a vaccine might prevent RSV infection, no commercially available vaccine is yet licensed for this indication. A major obstacle to vaccine development is safety. A formalin-inactivated vaccine, though immunogenic, unexpectedly caused a higher and more severe incidence of lower respiratory tract disease due to RSV in immunized infants than in infants immunized with a similarly prepared trivalent parainfluenza vaccine (Kim et al., 1969, Am. J. Epidemiol. 89:422-434; and Kapikian et al., 1969, Am. J. Epidemiol. 89:405-421). Several candidate RSV vaccines have been abandoned and others are under development (Murphy et al., 1994, Virus Res. 32:13-36), but even if safety issues are resolved, vaccine efficacy must also be improved. A number of problems remain to be solved. Immunization would be required in the immediate neonatal period since the peak incidence of lower respiratory tract disease occurs at 2-5 months of age. The immaturity of the neonatal immune response together with high titers of maternally acquired RSV antibody may be expected to reduce vaccine immunogenicity in the neonatal period (Murphy et al., 1988, J. Virol. 62:3907-3910; and Murphy et al., 1991, Vaccine 9:185-189). Finally, primary RSV infection and disease do not protect well against subsequent RSV disease (Henderson et al., 1979, New Engl. J. Med. 300:530-534).
Currently, the only approved approach to prophylaxis of RSV disease is passive immunization. Initial evidence suggesting a protective role for IgG was obtained from observations involving maternal antibody in ferrets (Prince, G. A., Ph.D. diss., University of California, Los Angeles, 1975) and humans (Lambrecht et al, 1976, J. Infect. Dis. 134:211-217; and Glezen et al., 1981, J. Pediatr. 98:708-715). Hemming et al. (Morell et al., eds., 1986, Clinical Use of Intravenous Immunoglobulins, Academic Press, London at pages 285-294) recognized the possible utility of RSV antibody in treatment or prevention of RSV infection during studies involving the pharmacokinetics of an intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) in newborns suspected of having neonatal sepsis. They noted that 1 infant, whose respiratory secretions yielded RSV, recovered rapidly after IVIG infusion. Subsequent analysis of the IVIG lot revealed an unusually high titer of RSV neutralizing antibody. This same group of investigators then examined the ability of hyperimmune serum or immune globulin, enriched for RSV neutralizing antibody, to protect cotton rats and primates against RSV infection (Prince et al., 1985, Virus Res. 3:193-206; Prince et al., 1990, J. Virol. 64:3091-3092; Hemming et al., 1985, J. Infect. Dis. 152:1083-1087; Prince et al., 1983, Infect. Immun. 42:81-87; and Prince et al., 1985, J. Virol. 55:517-520). Results of these studies suggested that RSV neutralizing antibody given prophylactically inhibited respiratory tract replication of RSV in cotton rats. When given therapeutically, RSV antibody reduced pulmonary viral replication both in cotton rats and in a nonhuman primate model. Furthermore, passive infusion of immune serum or immune globulin did not produce enhanced pulmonary pathology in cotton rats subsequently challenged with RSV.
Two glycoproteins, F and G, on the surface of RSV have been shown to be targets of neutralizing antibodies (Fields et al., 1990, supra; and Murphy et al., 1994, supra). These two proteins are also primarily responsible for viral recognition and entry into target cells; G protein binds to a specific cellular receptor and the F protein promotes fusion of the virus with the cell. The F protein is also expressed on the surface of infected cells and is responsible for subsequent fusion with other cells leading to syncytia formation. Thus, antibodies to the F protein may directly neutralize virus or block entry of the virus into the cell or prevent syncytia formation. Although antigenic and structural differences between A and B subtypes have been described for both the G and F proteins, the more significant antigenic differences reside on the G glycoprotein, where amino acid sequences are only 53% homologous and antigenic relatedness is 5% (Walsh et al., 1987, J. Infect. Dis. 155:1198-1204; and Johnson et al., 1987, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:5625-5629). Conversely, antibodies raised to the F protein show a high degree of cross-reactivity among subtype A and B viruses. Beeler and Coelingh (1989, J. Virol. 7:2941-2950) conducted an extensive analysis of 18 different murine MAbs directed to the RSV F protein. Comparison of the biologic and biochemical properties of these MAbs resulted in the identification of three distinct antigenic sites (designated A, B, and C). Neutralization studies were performed against a panel of RSV strains isolated from 1956 to 1985 that demonstrated that epitopes within antigenic sites A and C are highly conserved, while the epitopes of antigenic site B are variable.
Thus protective response against RSV is contingent on the production of neutralizing antibodies against the major viral surface glycoproteins while minimizing non-protective or pathological immune responses. The present invention avoids such problems by providing a vaccine that comprises a peptide epitope within the F protein structure (SEQ ID No.29) that have been shown to specifically interact with known potent neutralizing antibodies. This epitope can be used as a vaccine against the RSV infections and/or be used to immunize mammals to create antibodies for the use of preventing or treating RSV infections and/or used as a passive therapy in order to prevent RSV from binding to its receptor.
The humanized antibody, SYNAGIS® which immunospecifically binds to the F protein epitope of SEQ ID NO: 1, is approved for intramuscular administration to pediatric patients for prevention of serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV at recommended monthly doses of 15 mg/kg of body weight throughout the RSV season (November through April in the northern hemisphere). SYNAGIS® is a composite of human (95%) and murine (5%) antibody sequences. See, Johnson et al., 1997, J. Infect. Diseases 176:1215-1224 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,307, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The human heavy chain sequence was derived from the constant domains of human IgG1 and the variable framework regions (VH) from Cor (Press et al., 1970, Biochem. J. 117:641-660) and Cess (Takashi et al., 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:194-198). The human light chain sequence was derived from the constant domain of Cκ and the variable framework regions of the VL gene K104 with Jκ −4 (Bentley et al., 1980, Nature 288:5194-5198). The murine sequences were derived from a murine monoclonal antibody, Mab 1129 (Beeler et al., 1989, J. Virology 63:2941-2950), in a process which involved the grafting of the murine complementarity determining regions into the human antibody frameworks.
Although SYNAGIS® has been successfully used for the prevention of RSV infection in pediatric patients, multiple intramuscular doses of 15 mg/kg of SYNAGIS® are required to achieve a prophylactic effect. The necessity for the administration of multiple intramuscular doses of antibody requires repeated visits to the doctors office which is not only inconvenient for the patient but can also result in missed doses. Thus, a need exists for antibodies that immunospecifically bind to a RSV antigen, which are highly potent, have an improved pharmacokinetic profile, and thus have an overall improved therapeutic profile. In U.S Patent Publication 2003/0091584 a more potent anti-RSV molecule, NUMAX™, is disclosed. NUMAX™ has improved binding characteristics that may overcome the higher dosing requirements described supra.
In general, the manufacturing of antibodies is very expensive and the amount of antibody that can be purified and concentrated is limited by the nature of the molecule. Thus, the need exists to produce a molecule that has the same effect as SYNAGIS®, while being less costly to produce and more readily concentrated. In addition, there is a need to prevent RSV infection proactively via immunizations, either active or passive, in order to prevent an RSV infection.
Citation or discussion of a reference herein shall not be construed as an admission that such is prior art to the present invention.

Antibodies against and methods for producing vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus


A scaffold flooring attachment clamp utilizing two identical rotably connected members to attach a cross-member of a scaffold suporting structure to a scaffold flooring. Each of the identical members includes a semi-circular jaw portion and a tab portion, with the semi-circular jaw portions being arranged so as to oppose each other, and are therefore adapted to receive and hold the cross-member of the scaffold supporting structure. The tab portion of the clamp is adapted to being bent over and affixed to the scaffold flooring such that the attachment clamp is locked in place securing the scaffold flooring to the scaffold supporting structure.

Devices incorporating the principles of the present invention may be used in many environments, but the most widespread use of such clamps would be in the construction of scaffolding structures. In applying a scaffold flooring to the scaffold supporting structure, the general practice has been to simply place planking on the scaffold cross-members at the required level. During use, however, the planks can creep and shift as a result of work or activity and in some cases may move to such an extent that a hazard to worker safety is created. In an extreme case, these loosely placed planks may even fall or be kicked from the scaffold supporting structure. Efforts have been made to solve this problem by toe-nailing adjacent planks together, but this solution has not proven to be entirely successful.
There is therefore an urgent need for an effective clamping device by which the scaffold flooring can be easily and effectively secured to the cross members of the scaffold supporting structure and yet which may be quickly and easily detached for disassembly and reuse.
One known method of attaching planks is disclosed in Kensrue U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,552. The Kensrue device is a rather elaborate combination of clamping bars, engaging hooks and hand operated nut and screw members. The clamp disclosed by Kensrue solves the problem of loose planking by providing separate clamping devices for the ends of each plank. This clamping is achieved by placing a clamping bar on the underside of each plank such that this clamping bar engages the scaffold cross-member and the under surface of the planking. A hand-turned nut means is provided such that plank engaging hook members are forced to clampingly coact with the clamping bar and securely anchor the plank to the cross member. Utilizing the device as disclosed in Kensrue would require the worker to apply each clamp from the plank underside one plank at a time.
The problem with the known plank securing method is that the clamps must be placed and fastened as the scaffold flooring is being placed. This leaves the worker assembling the scaffolding with no platform on which to work while attaching the planks to the structure. The present invention solves this problem by providing a plank securing clamp that can be placed and attached after the scaffold supporting structure has been built and all the scaffold flooring planks have been laid in place. The present invention achieves this solution by providing a separate clamping device for insertion between every two adjoining planks each clamp including both a portion being adapted to receive and hold a scaffold support cross member, and a portion being adapted to be bent over each of the adjoining scaffolding planks and affixed thereto.


A method of producing a strain-relaxed Sixe2x80x94Ge virtual substrate for use in a semiconductor substrate which is planar and of less defects for improving the performance of a field effect semiconductor device, which method comprises covering an Sixe2x80x94Ge layer formed on an SOI substrate with an insulating layer to prevent evaporation of Ge, heating the mixed layer of silicon and germanium at a temperature higher than a solidus curve temperature determined by the germanium content of the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer into a partially melting state, and diffusing germanium to the Si layer on the insulating layer, thereby solidifying the molten Sixe2x80x94Ge layer to obtain a strain-relaxed Sixe2x80x94Ge virtual substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of producing a substrate for use in a semiconductor device and a method of producing a semiconductor device using the same.
2. Related Art
In integrated circuits using insulated gate type field effect transistors (hereinafter simply referred to as Si-MOSFET) using silicon, a reduction in power consumption and an increase in operation speed have been compatibilized by diminishing the size of a device or lowering an operation voltage in accordance with the so-called scaling rule. However, since the gate length has been decreased to as short as 0.1 xcexcm or less in recent years, there are various problems such as the short-channel effect and a reduction in an operation margin due to proximity of the drain voltage and the threshold voltage. Further, referring to the mobility as an index for the increase in the operation speed, various improvements described above rather provide a contrary result of lowering the mobility of actual Si devices. As described above, a further improvement in performance has become very difficult in existing Si-MOSFETs.
Further improvement in performance requires increasing the operation speed by utilizing a field effect transistor using SOI (silicon on insulator) on the one hand and by improving the semiconductor material itself on the other hand.
Considering that the existing Si processing technology capable of high integration is widely, utilized the most practical method for solving the problem is to provide a semiconductor device having a field effect transistor with a low power consumption and high operation speed by using Si or a combination thereof with a homologous element Ge in addition to the SOI technology.
Specifically, improvement can be attained by applying strain, by means of a strain-applying semiconductor layer, to a layer in which channels of a field effect transistor are formed, thereby increasing the mobility of carriers in the channel to a value greater than that of the material in an unstrained channel forming layer. That is, when the material of the channel forming layer is Si, the lattice constant within the plane of the Si channel forming layer is increased by applying stain to a value greater than that of unstrained Si.
It is theoretically suggested that when strains are applied to Si or Ge, mobility of carriers can be increased compared with Si or Ge with no strains. This is described, for example, in the article (written by M. V. Fischetti and S. E. Laux), in Journal of Applied Physics (J. Appl. Phys.) vol. 80 (1996), p 2234.
One method of applying strain to Si comprises growing an Sixe2x80x94Ge alloy film with a sufficient thickness on an Si substrate and growing an Si thin, film further thereon has generally been used. When an Sixe2x80x94Ge alloy film with a sufficient thickness is grown, dislocation occurs in the film and, at the same time, the lattice constant within the growing plane of the Sixe2x80x94Ge alloy film increases compared with that of bulk Sixe2x80x94Ge. That is, the lattice strain of the Sixe2x80x94Ge film is relaxed. When an Si film is grown on the thus grown stress-relaxed Sixe2x80x94Ge film, the Si film undergoes biaxial tensile strain within the plane.
On the other hand, there is a second method comprising a combination of SOI technique and Sixe2x80x94Ge. That is, a method of forming an Sixe2x80x94Ge layer on an existent SOI substrate to relax strains has been attempted. This is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 7-169926, or in the paper (by A. R. Powell, S. S. Iyer and F. K. LeGoues), in Applied Physics Letter (Appl. Phys. Lett), vol. 64 (1994), p 1856. As the third method, a method of forming a stress relaxation Sixe2x80x94Ge layer on an Si oxide film by oxygen ion implantation separation method (SIMOX) has also been attempted. This is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 9-321307 or in the paper (by N. Sugiyama, T. Mizuno, S. Takagi, M. Koike and A. Kurobe), in xe2x80x9cThin Solid Filmsxe2x80x9d, vol. 369 (2000), p 299. Further, as the fourth method, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-243946 discloses a method of laminating an Sixe2x80x94Ge layer on an SOI substrate and then conducting strain relaxation while diffusing Ge by heat treatment or an oxidizing step.
An object of this invention is to provide a method of producing a substrate for use in a semiconductor device that is sufficiently planar and with less defect density, as well as a method of producing a high performance semiconductor device using the same.
According to a typical aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a substrate for use in a semiconductor device comprising the steps of forming a mixed crystal layer of silicon and germanium (hereinafter, the mixed crystal of silicon and germanium is referred to as Sixe2x80x94Ge and a mixed crystal layer of silicon and germanium as Sixe2x80x94Ge alloy layer) on a single crystal silicon layer (hereinafter, referred to as single crystal Si layer) formed on an insulating layer, melting the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer and solidifying the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer while diffusing germanium (hereinafter referred to as Ge) from the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer to the single crystal Si layer.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a substrate for use in a semiconductor device comprising the steps of forming an Sixe2x80x94Ge layer on a single crystal Si layer formed on an insulating layer, melting the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer at a temperature higher than the solidus curve temperature determined by the Ge content of the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer and at a temperature lower than the solidus curve temperature determined by the Ge content in the mixed layer of the single crystal Si layer and the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer and solidifying the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer in accordance with the lowering of the Ge content in the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer.
Preferably, at least one of an Si layer and an insulating layer is formed on the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer and then the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer is melted.
It will be apparent that a method of producing a semiconductor device by forming at least a single crystal Si layer on the substrate formed according to the invention and forming a semiconductor device using the single crystal Si layer as a base material is useful. In this case, a step of forming an Si layer on the stress-relieved Sixe2x80x94Ge layer of a Sixe2x80x94Ge virtual substrate, a step of forming a gate insulation film and a gate electrode, a step of forming source-drain regions and a step of forming wirings are conducted, and such steps can be conducted by usual methods. Further, in actual production of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, it is preferred to define regions of a multiple-layer structure comprising the single crystal Si layer and the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer before the step of melting the Sixe2x80x94Ge layer and then conduct subsequent steps for the production of the semiconductor device.

Method of producing semiconductor device and semiconductor substrate


A method for fixation of toner on a carrier or printing stock wherein the printing stock with toner is exposed to at least one radiation pulse or radiation flash of electromagnetic radiation and heated for melting of the toner, and a toner having a sharp transition from its solid to liquid state when heated is used. The toner is preferably characterized by the ratio of the value of the elastic modulus G"", at the reference temperature value calculated from the initial temperature at the beginning of the glass transition of the toner plus 50xc2x0 C., to the value of the elastic modulus G"" at the initial temperature itself, is less than 10xe2x88x925.

The invention concerns a method for fixation of toner on a support or printing stock, especially a sheet-like printing stock, preferably for a digital printer.
In the known method of electrostatic or electrophotographic printing, a latent photostatic image is developed by charged toner particles. These are transferred to a support or substrate that can be referred to in printing terminology as stock. The image transferred to the stock is then fixed, the toner particles being heated and melted. For melting of the toner particles, contact methods are often employed, in which the toner particles are brought into contact with corresponding devices, for example, hot rollers. A shortcoming here is that the design, maintenance and operating costs of these heating devices that operate by contact are demanding and therefore cost-intensive. The use of silicone oil as parting agent is also often required, which is supposed to prevent adherence of the melted toner to the heating device. The error rate caused by the contacting heating devices, especially in the form of paper jams, is also relatively high.
For fixation of the toner transferred to paper, contactless heating devices and methods are also known, in which the toner particles are melted by means of heat and/or microwave radiation or with hot air, so that they adhere to the paper.
A known fixation device is a xenon lamp arranged above the transport path of the paper. Electromagnetic radiation can be applied to the paper, especially in the form of light, by means of a xenon lamp electrically supplied by a power supply unit, so that the toner melts and adheres to the paper surface after cooling. Xenon lamps emit radiation mostly in the visible and near infrared wavelength ranges, in which the toner has high absorption and the paper only limited absorption. This known phenomenon leads to unequal heating of the regions of the toner image having toner densities of different level. In regions of the toner image with limited toner density, in which the toner particles are arranged more or less individually, the toner temperature is much lower than in the regions with higher toner density, because the regions with higher toner density absorb a larger fraction of the electromagnetic radiation. This different absorption behavior leads to unequal melting of the toner image in the regions with different toner density. When the toner image is exposed to such a high energy that the toner is also melted in the regions with low toner density, so-called xe2x80x9cmicroblisteringxe2x80x9d, often occurs in the regions of the toner image with high toner density, i.e., blister formation within the melted toner layer as a result of overheating of the toner and possibly the paper. A drawback here is that the luster of the toner image is influenced by this in an undesired manner. Partial overheating of the paper can also occur, so that it begins to curl.
With unduly low energy, it can happen that, during fixation of the toner, only an incomplete melting of the toner is achieved under some circumstances, depending on its layer thickness. Because of this, adhesion of the toner to the stock, under some circumstances, is insufficient, because the capillary effect of the stock is not adequately utilized owing to the high viscosity of the toner. In particular, problems can occur when a stock is printed on both sides in succession in two steps.
Because of the possible problem just outlined, despite the other drawbacks, the use of radiation alone during fixation is often dispensed with and either an additional heat source is used or the toner is heated without radiation and agglomerated into the stock regularly with a roll under the influence of pressure.
Contactless fixation, however, is desirable, in principle, to protect the printed image. A device for contactless fixation also operates largely free of wear.
The underlying task of the invention is therefore to make possible adequate contactless fixation of toner on a stock, preferably exclusively by electromagnetic radiation, preferably also for multicolor printing on sheet-like printing stock, in which the regions of the toner image with high and low toner density have at least roughly the same melting and adhesion quality.
For this purpose, it must be briefly described what the term xe2x80x9ctoner densityxe2x80x9d is to be understood to mean in connection with the present invention. In color printing, the toner image can have, for example, four toner layers of different color, the toner layers ordinarily being one each of black, yellow, magenta or cyan. The maximum density of each toner layer on the printing stock is 100%, corresponding to a density of about 1.5, measured in transmission, so that a maximum total density of the toner layers of the toner image of 400% is obtained. The density of the toner image ordinarily lies in the range from 10 to 290%. A toner layer with only 10% density is mostly formed by individual toner particles on the printing stock. The energy required to melt a toner image with a density of 10% is much higher than the energy necessary to melt a toner image with a toner density of 400%.
The posed task is solved according to the invention, in terms of the method, in that the printing stock having the toner is exposed to at least one radiation pulse or radiation flash of electromagnetic radiation and is heated for melting of the toner, and that a toner having a sharp transition from its solid to liquid state when heated is used.
In the method according to the invention, for example, a dry toner that is still quite hard at an average temperature of about 80xc2x0 C. or about 110xc2x0 C. can be used, so that it can be ground by means of conventional methods to a desired toner size of, say, 8 xcexcm, and still does not melt even at the development temperatures, but, at higher temperatures of, say, about 110xc2x0 C. or about 130xc2x0 C., is already suddenly fluid with low viscosity, so that it deposits on and in the printing stock, optionally with the use of capillarity and without external pressure and without contact, and adheres to it and, on cooling, then becomes hard again very rapidly and is fixed, with good surface luster, especially for lack of formed grain boundaries. The latter plays a significant role for color saturation precisely in color toners.
In conjunction with the toner according to the invention, the ratio of the value of elastic modulus G"" at the reference temperature value, calculated from the initial temperature at the beginning of the glass transition of the toner plus 50xc2x0 C., to the value of the elastic modulus at the initial temperature itself, can be less than 1xc3x9710Exe2x88x925, preferably even 1xc3x9710Exe2x88x927, in which E stands for a base 10 exponent.
The initial temperature at the beginning of the glass transition of the toner is preferably determined as that temperature value at which the tangent intersects the function of the elastic modulus G"" versus temperature before and after the glass transition.
The transition of the toner from its solid to liquid state should preferably occur in a temperature range of about 30xc2x0 K, preferably in a temperature range from about 70xc2x0 C. to about 130xc2x0 C.
In the method according to the invention, at least one radiation pulse of electromagnetic radiation, preferably at least two radiation pulses following each other in time, is used. A second radiation pulse, for example, is triggered when the intensity of the first radiation pulse has diminished to a specific value. The time displacement between two radiation pulses is therefore the duration between triggering of the first radiation pulse and triggering of the second radiation pulse. It has been shown that, by delayed application of the second radiation pulse, the limiting value of the energy at which the toner image is overheated rises. It is therefore possible, according to the invention, for the same energy to be applied for melting of the regions of the toner image with high and low toner density without blister formation occurring in the melted toner layer. The energy of each individual radiation pulse in each case should remain below the limiting energy at which blister formation would occur in the regions of the toner image with higher toner density. The sum of the energy of all radiation pulses is high enough in each case that even regions of the toner image with low toner density are melted in the desired manner and fixed onto the printing stock because of this. With the method according to the invention at least roughly equal melting quality of the regions of the toner image with high and low toner density can be guaranteed. It is also advantageous that adverse effects on the toner image and printing stock as a result of excess heating are avoided.
The energy densities, time spacings and/or pulse lengths in the radiation pulses can be varied with advantage and for adjustment to the corresponding circumstances.
The method according to the invention can be prescribed, in particular, for a multicolor printer. Colored toners, preferably toners of different color, are then used and fixed, one above the other and next to each other, in a toner image.
An absorber, especially for increased absorption of IR or UV light, can additionally be added to the toner.
As already outlined above, a toner with special melting behavior can be used according to the invention. The melting behavior of the toner can be varied or adjusted, in principle, in different ways, for example, the molecular weight distribution or the glass transition point of a toner polymer can be modified, or different mixing ratios of two or more polymers can be chosen. Other additives that influence the melting behavior in different concentrations can also be added, for example, waxes.

Method for fixation of toner on a support or printing stock


The effluent from mercury collected during the photochemical separation of the .sup.196 Hg isotope is often contaminated with particulate mercurous chloride, Hg.sub.2 Cl.sub.2. The use of mechanical filtering via thin glass tubes, ultrasonic rinsing with acetone (dimethyl ketone) and a specially designed cold trap have been found effective in removing the particulate (i.e., solid) Hg.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 contaminant. The present invention is particularly directed to such filtering.

Many devices utilize mercury in their operation, particularly in the field of electric lamps and lighting. Such devices include arc discharge lamps which typically employ mercury as one of the vaporizable components therein. See, for example, Waymouth, Electric Discharge Lamps, MIT Press 1971 for a description of the basic principles of such lamps.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,252, (the '252 patent), the advantages of utilizing higher than normal levels of .sup.196 Hg in the Hg added to fluorescent lamps are described and include unexpectedly high efficiency gains in light output. The disclosure of this patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The drawback of using this isotope lies in its high cost. For example, using conventional enrichment techniques, mercury which has been enhanced to contain about 35% of the .sup.196 Hg isotope can cost about $500 per milligram. While only sub-milligram quantities of this isotope need be added to an incandescent lamp to afford beneficial results, economic realities always play a part in consumer products. Accordingly, it is easy to understand why more economical methods of obtaining this isotope continue to be sought.
Isotopically enriched mercury can be produced by a number of methods. One method involves photosensitized chemical reactions utilizing elemental mercury and various compounds. The compounds HCl and 0.sub.2 react with mercury atoms when the mercury atoms are excited by resonance radiation, in particular, 2537.ANG. radiation produced in a Hg (.sup.3 P - .sup.1 S.sub.o) transition generating isotopically selective reactions. Thus, the Hg compound formed contains Hg enriched in a particular isotope, and the Hg must be separated from the compound into its free state in order to recover the isotopically enriched metal.
Although it has been possible to separate mercury from mercury compounds by a number of techniques, previously employed techniques suffer from significant disadvantages. For example, it has been possible to separate Hg from Hg.sub.2 C1.sub.2 via electroless methods using a mixture of methanol and HCl as an electrolyte solution. However, this method produced low yields and the electrolyte solution had a tendency to become contaminated with impurities and to become blackened and corroded.
Hg can also be separated from HgO via thermal decomposition. However, this requires high temperature baking [T>500.degree. C.]and it can easily result in the introduction of trace impurities into mercury. Additionally, vacuum baking at high temperatures requires hardware and techniques that are very complex.
The following additional documents are recited as general background information with respect to the subject matter of the present invention. To the extent deemed necessary by artisans of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains, the teachings of these documents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Grossman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,547;
Grossman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,550;
Maya, U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,086;
Durbin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,363;
Work et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,252;
Botter nee Bergheaud et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,019;
Smith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,331;
Grossman et al., U.S. Ser. No. 815,150, filed, 31 Dec. 1985 now abandoned in favor of continuation U.S. Ser. No. 295,425 filed 7 Oct. 1988 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,010;
European Patent Publication No. 0 281 687, published 14 Sept. 1988, claiming priority of U.S. Ser. No. 947,217, filed 29 Dec. 1986 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,784 and
European Patent Publication No. 0 280 788, published 7 Sept. 1988, claiming priority of U.S. Ser. No. 947,216, filed 29 Dec. 1986 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,284.


Disclosed is an olefin containing stream from an oxygenate to olefin process, and a process for making olefin dimer and oligomer product from the olefin containing stream using a nickel based oligomerization catalyst. The dimer/oligomer product is optionally converted to hydroformylated product. The olefin containing stream that is used to make the higher olefin product has low levels of impurities including nitrogen, sulfur and/or chlorine.

This invention relates to an olefin stream and a method of making and using the olefin stream. In particular, the invention relates to dimerizing or oligomerizing an olefin stream using a nickel based catalyst, and optionally, hydroformylating, the dimerized or oligomerized olefin stream.
Olefin streams containing predominantly C3 to C5 olefins have been used as feed for oligomerization units. Such units are particularly useful for forming dimers as well as oligomers, the terms dimer and oligomer being used interchangeably herein. The dimers and oligomers can be converted to a variety of alkanes, aldehydes, alcohols and acids.
The formation of the dimers or oligomers is conventionally accomplished by catalytic reaction. Catalysts used in the reaction are typically nickel based catalysts or acid type catalysts.
Cosyns, J. et al., in xe2x80x9cProcess for upgrading C3, C4 and C5 olefinic streams,xe2x80x9d Pet. and Coal, Vol. 37, No. 4 (1995), describe a nickel based catalyst system known as the Dimersol(copyright) process. This process is useful for dimerizing or oligomerizing a variety of olefin feeds. In particular, the process is useful for dimerizing or oligomerizing propylene, butylene and pentylene streams.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,049,017 to Vora et al., describes the dimerization of a predominantly n-butylene containing feed stream. The n-butylene feed stream is ultimately derived from an olefin stream containing a variety of butylenes produced by a methanol to olefins reaction unit. The butylene stream from the methanol to olefins unit is pretreated by a combination of partial hydrogenation of dienes and isobutylene removal by way of an MTBE process, before sending the resulting n-butylene stream to the dimerization unit.
Nickel based catalysts, such as that described by Cosyns, are particularly good for obtaining dimers having a low degree of branching. However, these catalysts are particularly sensitive to deactivation by sulfur, nitrogen, and chlorine atoms. Since these atoms are commonly present in a variety of compounds in untreated olefin feed streams, the feed streams require a substantial amount of treatment in order to remove the poisonous sulfur, nitrogen and chlorine containing compounds.
Dimers and/or oligomers which are mono-olefins, and have a low degree of branching are highly preferred. Low branching can be considered a combination of both normal olefins and mono-branched olefins, particularly mono-methyl branched olefins. However, as shown in Vora, the preferred dimers and/or oligomers are conventionally obtained only after significant pretreatment of the olefin feed stream.
As the prior art references have shown, conventional methods of dimerizing and/or oligomerizing olefin feed stream to obtain desirable products have required a significant amount of pretreatment. It is desirable, therefore, to reduce the amount of required pretreatment without sacrificing the linear quality of the dimer and/or oligomer product.
This invention provides a method for obtaining a dimerized or oligomerized olefin product without using a significant amount of feed pretreatment. The product can be obtained without having to use additional means of hydrogenation or isoolefin removal, yet maintaining relatively low branching characteristics. The dimerized or oligomerized product is optionally converted to a hydroformylated product.
Specifically, the invention is directed to a method of dimerizing or oligomerizing an olefin which comprises contacting oxygenate with an olefin forming catalyst to form an olefin product. A propylene, butylene or pentylene containing stream is separated from the olefin product which contains at least 50 wt. % propylene, butylene, pentylene, or a combination thereof, and the separated olefin stream contains not greater than 1 ppm by weight sulfur calculated on an atomic basis and 0.5 to 10 wt. % isoolefin. The separated olefin stream is contacted with a nickel based oligomerization catalyst to form a dimer or oligomer product.
In another embodiment the foregoing method is followed, except the olefin forming catalyst is a silicoaluminophosphate catalyst.
In another embodiment, the separated olefin stream comprises not greater than 1 ppm by weight nitrogen. In yet another embodiment, the separated olefin stream comprises not greater than 0.5 ppm by weight chlorine. In still another embodiment the isoolefin is isobutylene.
The silicoaluminophosphate catalyst, according to one embodiment, is made from SAPO-34 or SAPO-18 molecular sieves, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the silicoaluminophosphate is an intergrowth of SAPO-34 and SAPO-18 or ALPO-18.
According to one embodiment, the dimer or oligomer product is recovered and contacted with a hydroformylating catalyst to form a hydroformylated product. According to another embodiment, the hydroformylated product is converted to an acid or alcohol. Alternatively, the acid or alcohol is converted to an ester, if desired. The ester is optionally added to a polymer composition.
The invention is also directed to an olefin composition. The composition, according to one embodiment, comprises at least 50 wt. % propylene, butylene, pentylene or a combination thereof, and contains not greater than 1 ppm by weight sulfur, not greater than 1 ppm by weight nitrogen, and not greater than 0.5 ppm by weight chlorine, each calculated on an atomic basis, and 0.5 to 10 wt. % isoolefin. The isoolefin is preferably isobutylene.
The invention further provides a method of converting an oxygenate to a hydroformylated product. The method comprises contacting oxygenate with a silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve catalyst to form an olefin product, and separating a propylene, butylene or pentylene containing olefin stream from the olefin product, wherein the separated olefin stream comprises at least 50 wt. % propylene, butylene, pentylene, or a combination thereof, and the separated olefin stream contains not greater than 1 ppm by weight sulfur calculated on an atomic basis, and 0.5 to 10 wt. % isoolefin. The separated olefin stream is contacted with a nickel based oligomerization catalyst to form a dimer or oligomer product; and the dimer or oligomer product is contacted with a hydroformylating catalyst to form a hydroformylated product.

Production of olefin dimers and oligomers


An RF module configured to be coupled to a backplane module includes a front housing that has walls that define connector cavities. The walls include a rear wall that has a plurality of openings therethrough. The connector cavities are open opposite the rear wall to receive electrical connectors. The RF module also includes RF cable assemblies having front end connectors and rear end connectors that are connected by corresponding cables. The front and rear end connectors are coaxial connectors. The front end connectors are received in corresponding connector cavities through corresponding openings. The RF module includes a connector holder extending from the front housing rearward of the rear wall. The connector holder holds the rear end connectors such that the rear end connectors are simultaneously pluggable into corresponding board connectors of the backplane module.

The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connector assemblies.
Due to their favorable electrical characteristics, coaxial cables and connectors have grown in popularity for interconnecting electronic devices and peripheral systems. The connectors include an inner conductor coaxially disposed within an outer conductor, with a dielectric material separating the inner and outer conductors. A typical application utilizing coaxial cable connectors is a radio-frequency (RF) application having RF connectors designed to work at radio frequencies in the UHF and/or VHF range.
Typically, one or more connectors are mounted to a circuit board of an electronic device at an input/output port of the device and extends through an exterior housing of the device for connection with a coaxial cable connector. Some systems include a plurality of connectors held in a common housing. One particular example of a system that uses multiple connectors is a backplane module having a plurality of board mounted connectors with a separate mating assembly for mating with a daughtercard module. The mating assembly includes a housing holding a plurality of coaxial cable connectors, which are connected to the board mounted connectors by a cable assembly having cable end connectors individually terminated to corresponding board mounted connectors. The daughtercard module is mated with the mating assembly.
Known backplane systems using RF connectors are not without disadvantages. For instance, each of the cable end connectors need to be individually and separately mated with the board connectors, which is time consuming and increases the cost of assembly. Additionally, the spacing between the housing of the mating assembly and the board connectors may be very small, such as less than one inch, making the assembly process difficult and time consuming. Having a large number of connections to make also increases the time and complexity.
A need remains for an RF module that may be mated with a backplane module in a cost effective, timely and reliable manner.


A ventless fireplace is provided, including a protective fireplace door, a wall positioned behind the protective fireplace door, a hearth surface positioned adjacent the wall, the protective fireplace door, wall and hearth surface defining a cavity the hearth surface further defining an opening therein, and a mechanical structure for housing one or more fuel cells positioned below the hearth surface, so that when operational, one or more flames emanating from the one or more fuel cells supported by the mechanical structure pass through the opening in the hearth surface. The protective door further includes a door frame, a door bezel hingedly attached to the door frame by one or more hinges, a door screen fixed within the door bezel, and a latch assembly fixed to the door frame to selectively engage the door bezel from the door frame.

Traditionally fireplaces have burned flammable material, such as wood or the like. However, there are many locations in which a flue, vent or other exhaust system is impractical. Therefore, various ventless fireplace options have surfaced. These options rely on natural gas, gel or liquid alcohol mixtures, or other materials that do not result in dirty exhaust gases or particles. Ventless fireplaces are desirable in that they allow for the beauty and ambiance associated with a traditional fireplace to be provided in a location without available venting, heat protection, or other elements required to be employed in accordance with such a traditional fireplace. The gel alcohol fuel burns cleanly, therefore presenting no pollutants common to wood burning fireplaces. As the heat generated from such a ventless fireplace is substantially less than that from a wood burning fireplace, substantially less structure is required for fire and heat protection. Finally, such a ventless fireplace is able to be started and stopped quite easily, igniting the fuel to start, and snuffing out the fuel to turn the fireplace off.
While such ventless fireplaces are convenient in many ways, many features associated with them are cumbersome to a user. In particular, existing products in this market typically employ either a liquid fuel that is poured into the fireplace, or a simple metal can of fuel with a plastic cover.
In the case of using a can filled with fuel, and including a plastic cover, the user is typically required to remove the plastic cover, insert the can into the fireplace, and light the can of gel with a long match or gas lighter. Alternatively, a traditional round sterno chafing dish type material may be employed, but gives an unrealistic flame. If the user wishes to extinguish the fireplace flame before the fuel in the can has run out, the flame may be required to be manually snuffed by covering the opening in the fuel can with a panel of material. Because there is a hot flame emanating from this opening, users may be uncomfortable with this snuffing procedure. Further, they require manual removal of fuel cell seals, thus risking leaking of gel alcohol fuel, manual ignition of the fuel, and manual extinguishment if the fuel is not exhausted, raising safety and convenience concerns,
Use of the liquid fuel requires that the user access a fuel refilling port included with the fireplace, and manually pour the fuel into the fireplace into an available vat or the like. These liquid fueled systems are also typically required to be manually lit and snuffed in a manner similar to that of the fuel can fireplaces. This process may be messy for the user, and may be one which the user is uncomfortable performing if the fireplace is in use or has recently been in use, perhaps resulting in hot fireplace parts. Indeed, the Consumer product safety has issued a recall of a number of products employing such pourable fuel. The recall states "Due to the serious risks of flash fire and burns when consumers add pourable gel to an already burning fire pot, consumers should immediately stop using the pourable gel fuel. The pourable gel fuel can ignite unexpectedly and splatter onto people and objects nearby when it is poured into a firepot that is still burning . . . . All pourable gel fuel, regardless of manufacturer, poses flash fire hazards."
While the gel alcohol ventless fireplace has been gaining in popularity, as described above, many of the systems currently available for handling fuel are quire messy and inconvenient. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and system that allow for easier and safer use by a user, and that overcomes other drawbacks of the prior art.


A new signal amplification method exploiting the dense atom packing in metallic nanocrystals has been developed for detecting target substances. By dissolving nanocrystals to individual ions that are stoichiometrically converted to chromophores and quantified photometrically, extremely high signal amplification can be achieved. Signal amplification is fully determined by the total number of atoms in the nanocrystals bound to a single target molecule. The disclosed nanocrystal amplification method can be implemented with a rich selection of metal/metal oxide nanocrystals and metal-reactive chromogenic substrates. The chromogenic reactions can be either solution-based or surface-based and performed in aqueous or organic phase, supporting a variety of assay formats.

In the past decade, biomolecule detection has become increasingly important in biological studies and clinical applications. In particular, the expressions of lipids, proteins and nucleotides are widely adopted as criteria in disease diagnosis and management, which require sensitive and quantitative determination of the level of these molecular markers (Zangar, R. C. et al., Expert Rev. Proteomics, 3:37-44 (2006); Schupbach, J., AIDS Rev., 4:83-92 (2002)). Traditional detection assays relying on small-molecule reporters such as radioisotopes and fluorophores have found little use in these applications because of poor stability, low sensitivity and difficult sample processing. The need for simple and reliable detection methods has led to the development of various inorganic nanoparticle-based probes. With remarkable magnetic, optical or plasmonic properties, these nanoparticles have greatly expanded the scope of specific bioassays (Peng, H. I. and Miller, B. L., The Analyst, 136:436-447 (2011); Alivisatos, P., Nat. Biotechnol., 22:47-52 (2004); Dykman, L. and Khlebtsov, N., Chemical Society Reviews, 41:2256-2282 (2012)). For instance, quantum dots and gold nanoparticles can drastically increase the sensitivity of immunofluorescence staining, microarrays and microfluidics (Nam, J. M. et al., Science, 301:1884-1886 (2003); Nam, J. M. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 126:5932-5933 (2004); Chin, C. D. et al., Nat Med, 17:1015-1019 (2011)). Magnetite and maghemite nanoparticles are being utilized for on-site detection of proteins, nucleotides and bacteria (Perez, J. M. et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 20:816-820 (2002)), in addition to enriching target molecules in detection assays (Nam, J. M. et al., Science, 301:1884-1886 (2003); Lin, P. C. et al., Small, 2:485-489 (2006)).
Due to the low intrinsic signal of biomolecules, most existing detection techniques are based on a tagging strategy that links the target molecule to reporters. The number of target molecules is then converted to a specific measure, be it fluorescence signal, radioactivity, or electric current. The ratio between the bound reporters and the target molecules determines the fold of amplification and hence the detection sensitivity of the assay. According to amplification schemes, existing detection techniques can be divided into two categories: direct amplification and enzymatic amplification. In direct amplification, the reporters are conjugated or adsorbed to the surface of detection probes (FIG. 1A). Owing to steric hindrance, the fold of amplification rarely exceeds a few hundreds even with nano- or macro-particle based probes (Nam, 3. M. et al., Science, 301:1884-1886 (2003)). Consequently, the techniques employing direct amplification demand ultrasensitive reporters such as radioisotopes, which often rely on specialized instrument for signal acquisition (Nam, 3. M. et al., Science, 301:1884-1886 (2003); Nam, J. M. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 126:5932-5933 (2004); Chin, C. D. et al., Nat. Med., 17:1015-1019 (2011); Perez, J. M. et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 20:816-820 (2002); Lin, P. C. et al., Small, 2:485-489 (2006); Burtea, C. et al., J. Inorg. Biochem., 99:1135-1144 (2005); Yalow, R. S. and Berson, S. A., The Journal of clinical investigation, 39:1157-1175 (1960); Quinn, Z. A. et al., J. Anal. Atom Spectrom. 17:892-896 (2002); Merkoci, A. et al., Analytical Chemistry, 77:6500-6503 (2005)). In contrast, in enzymatic amplification, the detection probe is linked to an enzyme that can catalyze hydrolysis of chromogenic substrate (FIG. 1B). Enzyme-based amplification has been extensively used in immunosorbent assays and blotting assays for sensitive analyte detection. In particular, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been the industrial standard for quantification of protein and other macromolecule since its emergence in 1970s (Engvall, E. and Perlmann, P., Immunochemistry, 8:871-874 (1971); Van Weemen, B. K. and Schuurs, A. H. W., FEBS letters, 15:232-236 (1971)). However, enzyme-substrate interaction is subjected to a number of variables such as enzymatic activity and incubation conditions. Biomolecule quantification with enzyme-linked probes is hindered by the requirement of stringent control, costly calibration as well as the nonlinear nature of enzymatic catalysis.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide methods and compositions for improved methods for detecting target substances.


At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a dual-source CT device with two focus-detector systems arranged on a gantry offset at an angle n and at least one embodiment relates to a method for spiral scanning and for the reconstruction of tomographic image data of a patient. In at least one embodiment, the detectors have a different z-width in the system axis direction and a computer system with a program memory with at least one computer program, by which during operation the dual-source CT device controls a spiral scanning of a patient and CT-image data is reconstructed from absorption data obtained from both unequally wide detectors, wherein in particular a spiral is controlled with a couch feed rate per rotation, which is greater than the maximum couch feed rate possible with the narrower detector.

Dual-source CT devices with two or three focus-detector systems arranged on a gantry offset at an angle and methods for the spiral scanning of a patient with these devices including the reconstruction method for the generation of image data sets from the attenuation data thereby obtained, in particular also within the framework of a EKG-triggered scanning and data collection, are generally known.
In the case of all known dual-source CT devices with a rotating gantry and a method for scanning with these devices the problem arises that to date it has thus far not been possible in practice to scan a heart beating at approximately normal physiological frequency completely within a cardiac rest phase. If, however partial image data from a number of successive cardiac cycles is combined to form a complete image data record of the heart, then image artifacts almost always occur at the interfaces of the image data.

Dual-source CT device and method for spiral scanning


A Gravity Sled Exercise Machine wherein leveraged body forces act to overcome gravity to move a two piece body sled and client upward, along biangular support rails, from a horizontal to a vertical orientation. To support the torso during the change in spatial orientation, a fixed angle sled seat reciprocates in lineal motion on the lower of two differentially inclined rails. In concurrent action, the lower section of a back rest pivots on an axle at the rear of the seat, while its upper end rides via a pivot guide on the upper, more vertically inclined rail. That kinetic linkage produces a curvilinear motion that constantly repositions the sled and introduces variable resistance to the exercise cycle.. An arrangement of handrings, lines and pulleys provides the leverage for arm and upper body exercises, while Class I and II levers enable leg and lower body exercises. A flexible coupling attaches a leg lever assembly to either the static lower rail or to the moving sled seat. The rail attachment allows the arms and legs to work in concert, while the seat attachment places them in opposition.. Machine resistance is gravity controlled by body/sled weight, and rail angles, supplemented with an optional arrangement for adding weightedness to the sled.

Relevant to the field of inquiry, is prior art featuring inclined body support means, drawn and/or pushed upon rail or rails with various leveraging systems. Together they comprise a special group of gravity sensitive machines that support the body and offer traction type exercise cycles. Of the art reviewed, one apparatus, proposed by Randy Coyle in U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,836, issued on Dec. 4, 1979, describes a means for introducing variable resistance to the exercise cycle. Mr. Coyle's discrete curved incline served the variable resistance objective well and correctly identified the benefits of matching machine mechanics with body force curves. Unfortunately, if generalized to broader applications, as might be envisioned in machines that exercise both arms and legs, the radial incline pattern presents body containment problems. Tests conducted by the applicant on total body prototypes employing the curved rail principle, indicate that, even when a seat is provided, some means of seat positioning is required to counteract tip out at the more vertical stages of sled ascent. Other, lesser problems associated with the curved rail design pertain to secondary forming defects. Curved structural elements are expensive and more subject to contour and cross section irregularities, wrinkling, and buckling than are straight line, mill formed elements.
The present invention envisions a machine design that offers variable resistance benefits, absent the discussed body containment and forming difficulties. A special series of sequential drawings, FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 3A, 3B and 3C companion the summary to illustrate the essential elements of two distinct kinetic exercise cycles and to identify the essential structural and operational uniqueness of the present invention.


Brightness of a central area in a scene to be photographed and brightness of a peripheral area around the central area are measured, and the brightnesses of respective areas are outputted as first and second values. When the second value is larger than the first value, the first value is corrected by a value which has no relation with the respective measured values. Consequently, a proper controlling brightness value is provided for controlling the exposure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera and, more specifically, to an exposure controlling apparatus of a camera having a plurality of areas for measuring brightness.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an exposure controlling apparatus of a camera having a plurality of areas for measuring brightness, a method for measuring brightness has been proposed in which a suitable controlling brightness value is provided by calculating weighted mean of measured brightness values of respective areas. Coefficients (weight coefficients) multiplied by the respective measured brightness values include zero but not negative numbers. Therefore, the controlling brightness value will be an intermediate value between the maximum and the minimum values of the measured brightness values of the areas.
It is proposed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Gazette No. 279829/1986 that a plurality of arithmetic expressions for weighted mean should be prepared in advance and the expression employed is switched in accordance with the photographing magnification in the above described method for measuring brightness.
In an exposure controlling apparatus of a camera having a plurality of areas for measuring brightness, how to determine the controlling brightness value for controlling exposure from the brightness values measured at the plurality of areas in order to provide best exposure is an important concern. In the above mentioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open Gazette No. 279829/1986, weighted mean equations for calculating the controlling brightness value from respective measured brightness values are switched in accordance with the photographing magnification so as to properly control the exposure, on the understanding that the optimal controlling brightness value can be provided by proper weighted mean of respective measured brightness values.
However, according to an analysis of various photographs with the photographing conditions changed variously, that is, with the subject distance, the focal length of the taking lens, the photographing magnification changed variously for different distribution of brightness, the optimal controlling brightness value can not always be calculated by the weighted mean of respective measured brightness values. The optimal controlling brightness value is often provided by applying to the measured brightness value an exposure correction which is determined independent from the absolute value of the measured brightness. Especially when a subject is to be photographed with rear light, with the brightness at the peripheral portion brighter than the brightness of a central portion by about +1.5 to 2.5 EV, the best controlling brightness value may not exist between the maximum value and the minimum value of the measured brightness obtained at respective areas for measuring brightness. In such cases, optimal exposure controlling can not be realized in the prior art.
When there is a big difference between the brightness of a main subject at the center and the brightness of the background at the periphery, as is often the case of photographs with rear light, if the controlling brightness value for controlling the exposure is determined by averaged brightness measuring, center-weighted measuring, or other measuring employing arbitrary weighted mean, then the controlling brightness value always becomes higher than the measured brightness value of the main subject, whose brightness is low. Consequently, the exposure for the main subject tends to be insufficient and the main subject will be dark as a shadow. Namely, proper exposure for the main subject can not be provided. In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that the low brightness of the main subject is employed as the control brightness value for controlling exposure by spot metering of a small area at the center in taking photographs with rear light.
Similarly, in taking a photograph in accordance with so called shadow reference exposure in which the brightness of a dark portion in the scene to be photographed is measured by spot metering and the measured value is used as the black level, when a white subject exists near the area for the spot metering, the result of the spot metering does not exactly correspond to the brightness of the dark portion but comprises an error in the brighter side. The inventors of the present invention studied also employing statistical analysis how the errors in measuring brightness change under various conditions. Consequently, it is found by the inventor that the error in spot metering is determined based on prescribed conditions which has relation neither with the absolute value of the spot measured brightness value nor with the absolute value of the measured brightness of the peripheral portions.

Exposure controlling apparatus of a camera having a plurality of areas for measuring brightness


An Airway Management Apparatus (AMA) and method for easing the breathing and aiding the alignment of the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes of the airway of an obese individual in the supine position. The AMA includes an upper-body support, and a head and neck support having a partially concave and partially convex surface coupled to the upper-body support. The AMA eases breathing by raising the individual""s upper body at an angle, causing the individual""s abdominal mass to fall away from the diaphragm. The AMA provides a support for the individual""s neck to be extended, and for the head to be rotated backwards, to aid in the alignment of the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes of the individual""s airway.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices and, in particular, to an Airway Management Apparatus for easing the breathing and aiding the alignment of the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes of an airway of an obese individual in the supine position.
2. Description of Related Art
Airway management concerns the ability to maintain open air passages in an individual, especially during surgical operations where anesthesia is administered to alter the state of consciousness and stabilize body functions. During such operations, the ability of the body to maintain an adequate airway may be compromised, and external airway management procedures must be undertaken to ensure the breathing airway remains open and unobstructed.
Endotracheal intubation, a medical procedure that secures an individual""s airway through placement of a breathing tube in the individual""s trachea in order to facilitate either spontaneous or controlled gas exchange, is routinely carried out in operating rooms after the induction of anesthesia or in emergencies to establish and maintain an adequate airway. The endotracheal intubation process requires an unobstructed airway that is obtained by aligning the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes in the body. This process is usually achieved without great difficulty under direct vision provided by an instrument such as a laryngoscope that exposes the individual""s vocal cords.
More specifically, an endotracheal intubation is usually performed using a laryngoscope having a rigid straight blade (known as a Miller type blade), or a rigid curved blade (known as a Macintosh type blade) on a supine and anaesthetized individual. During the endotracheal intubation and prior to the individual being connected to a breathing machine, the individual""s breathing is mechanically assisted by a physician or other health professional physically moving air into the individual""s lungs with a ventilation bag.
The most commonly used technique in an endotracheal intubation consists of extending the individual""s neck and rotating the head backwards in order to achieve alignment of the individual""s oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes. Typically, in normal sized individuals, that is an individual having a proper height to weight ratio, the alignment of the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes is aided by placing a standard pillow or small foam pillow under the individual""s head and neck. Next, the individuals""s mouth is opened and the laryngoscope is introduced into the mouth. Then, the individual""s vocal cords are exposed allowing the endotracheal tube to be inserted through the exposed vocal cords. The tip of the endotracheal tube includes an inflatable collar that is inflated to create a seal on the inside of the trachea. The exterior end of the tube is connected to a breathing machine that sustains the individual""s breathing while under the anesthesia.
Once the breathing tube is in place, a surgical procedure may be conducted on the anaesthetized individual. Following the surgical procedure, the individual is gradually brought out of the anesthesia. At that time, the breathing machine is disconnected, the endotracheal breathing tube is removed, and the individual begins breathing on his own.
It has been found, however, that performing an endotracheal intubation on an obese individual is more difficult. During the endotracheal intubation, the physician attempts to align the oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal axes so that the endotracheal tube can be visually guided into the proper position. At the same time, the physician mechanically assists the obese individual""s breathing by physically moving air into the obese individual""s lungs with a ventilation bag. When working with an obese individual positioned on a standard pillow, the physician is at a mechanical disadvantage due to the abdominal mass of the individual pressing upward against the individual""s diaphragm. To ventilate the supine individual, the physician must exert enough force for the air pressure to move the individual""s diaphragm against the weight of the individual""s abdominal mass. In a normal sized individual, this mass may be easily displaced. In an obese individual, however, the large abdominal mass may be difficult for the physician to displace. Standard prior art pillows do not alleviate this problem.
Moreover, a similar problem occurs following the surgical procedure when the obese individual is brought out of anesthesia and must begin breathing on his own. The obese individual must breathe with enough force to displace his abdominal mass with his diaphragm. Since the individual is still somewhat anaesthetized, it may be difficult for attending personnel to get the individual to breathe with enough force. Standard pillows do not help with this problem.
The magnitude of the problem of managing the airways of obese individuals may be more fully appreciated in view of statistics that indicate that approximately 60% of adults in the United States today qualify as obese. Therefore, a need has arisen for an airway management apparatus that is capable of easing the breathing of obese individuals in the supine position. A need has also arisen for an airway management apparatus that aids in the alignment of the oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal axes in obese individuals.
The present invention disclosed herein comprises an Airway Management Apparatus (AMA) and method that are capable of easing the breathing of obese individuals in the supine position. Additionally, the AMA aids the alignment of the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes of the airway of these individuals. The AMA achieves these results by providing a head and neck support that is operable to provide support to an individual""s head and neck while the individual is in the supine position. The invention raises the individual""s chest cavity, causing the individual""s abdominal mass to fall away from the chest and diaphragm, thereby easing breathing. Moreover, the AMA positions the individual""s head so that the head may be more easily rotated backwards and positions the individual""s neck so that the neck may be more easily extended, thereby aiding the alignment of the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes of the airway.
Thus, in one aspect, the present invention is directed to an AMA which includes a head and neck support. The head and neck support includes an upper surface that contacts the head and neck and raises the head and neck above a base surface. An upper-body support is coupled to the head and neck support and supports the individual""s upper body at an angle sufficient to cause the individual""s abdominal mass to fall away from the diaphragm. The upper-body support has a substantially planar top surface that slopes downward from the upper surface of the head and neck support to the base surface.
The head and neck support may include a transverse cylindrical support piece for supporting the individual""s neck, and a substantially planar or concave horizontal support piece for supporting the individual""s head. The AMA may be integrally formed from an elastomeric material such as a foam polyurethane material.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to an AMA which includes a means for elevating the head and upper body of the individual above a base surface on which the individual is positioned. Additionally, a means is coupled to the elevating means for providing vertical support under the individual""s neck at a height above the individual""s shoulders. Furthermore, a means is coupled to the elevating means and the neck supporting means for supporting the individual""s head at a height approximately equal to or lower than the individual""s neck. Thus by raising the individual""s upper airway, the individual""s head may be rotated backwards and neck extended to aid the alignment of the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes of the airway. Additionally, a means for supporting the individual""s back may be included. A means for supporting the lower lumbar region and a means for providing additional comfort may also be included.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of reducing the amount of positive air pressure that attending personnel must maintain in a supine obese individual""s lungs to move the individual""s diaphragm. The method includes the steps of raising the individual""s head and neck above the base surface and supporting the individual""s upper body at an angle sufficient to cause the individual""s abdominal mass to fall away from the diaphragm, thereby reducing the amount of air pressure required in the obese individual""s lungs to move the individual""s diaphragm.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of inserting an endotracheal breathing tube into the trachea of an obese individual lying in an approximately supine position on a base surface.
The method includes the steps of reducing the amount of air/airway pressure required in the obese individual""s lungs to move the individual""s diaphragm, ventilating the individual (under anaesthesia), aligning the oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal axes of the individual to enable visual acquisition of the trachea, and inserting the endotracheal tube into the trachea. The step of reducing the amount of pressure required to move the individual""s diaphragm may be performed by raising the individual""s head and neck approximately six inches above the base surface, and supporting the individual""s upper body at an angle sufficient to cause the individual""s abdominal mass to fall away from the diaphragm. The step of aligning the various airway axes may be performed by extending the individual""s neck over a neck support and extending the individual""s neck and head backward on a head support.
It should be noted that, the AMA and method of the present invention may also be used to treat sleep apnea, gastro esophageal reflux and breathing problems associated with pregnancy.