A pump includes a flow passage through which a liquid containing an electrolytic solution is conveyed, a pair of electrodes in the flow passage to apply an electric field along the direction in which the liquid is conveyed, and a conductive member connected to one of the pair of electrodes and in contact with the liquid in the flow passage. The conductive member includes a sidewall portion that locally divides a flow of the liquid in the flow passage. The conductive member connected to one of the pair of electrodes may be a polyhedron or a column that is convex toward the electrode to which the conductive member is not connected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a pump, and specifically to a micro pump that uses electro-osmosis and that can be applied to micro-total analysis system (μ-TAS), fluid integrated circuit (fluid IC), and so forth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Micro pumps that use electro-osmosis are advantageous in being relatively simple in structure, being easily mountable into micro flow passages, and so forth. Therefore, the micro pumps are used in fields such as μ-TAS, Lab-on-a-chip, and fluid IC.
Under such circumstances, micro pumps that use induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) have been drawing attention in recent years, because such micro pumps increases the flow rate of a liquid, can be driven on an AC voltage to suppress a chemical reaction occurring between an electrode and the liquid, and so forth.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,081,189 (hereinafter referred to as "Patent Document 1") and M. Z. Bazant and T. M. Squires, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 066101 (2004) (hereinafter referred to as "Non-Patent Document 1") disclose pumps that use induced-charge electro-osmosis and that are configured as described in (1) or (2) below:    (1) a pump in which a half of a metal post placed between electrodes is coated with a dielectric thin film to control a region in which an electric charge is induced in the metal post by an electric field to control a liquid flow (an ICEO pump with a half-coated metal post); and    (2) a pump in which a metal post having an asymmetric shape such as a triangular shape is disposed between electrodes to control a liquid flow to a constant direction (an ICEO pump with an asymmetric metal post).
Applied Physics Letters 89, 143508 (2006) (hereinafter referred to as "Non-Patent Document 2") discloses an AC-driven electro-osmosis pump (ACEO pump) in which rectangular electrodes with different electrode areas are provided opposite to each other in the direction in which a fluid flows through a flow passage and in which an AC voltage is applied between the rectangular electrodes to generate a pumping action. The AC-driven electro-osmosis pump is formed as a three-dimensional (3D) ACEO pump in which the rectangular electrodes are partially provided with a three-dimensionally stepped structure to improve the pumping performance.
Journal Applied Physics 96, 1730 (2004) (hereinafter referred to as "Non-Patent Document 3") discloses a micro pump (planar-orthogonal micro-pump) which utilizes an electrokinetic phenomenon and in which a pair of linear thin-film electrodes are disposed perpendicularly to each other so as not to intersect each other.
The pumps which utilize electro-osmosis according to Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Documents 1 to 3 are expected for their future utilization, but may not be able to demonstrate their full pumping performance if the flow passage is long, because the pump generates a relatively low pressure per unit area in the flow passage occupied by the pump. Increasing the length of the pump to enhance the generated pressure may increase the proportion of the area in the fluid integrated circuit occupied by the pump to increase the size and cost of the entire system.
Currently, pumps with a large size that require an external pressure generation source are generally used. If alternative pumps with a small size and a simple structure that do not require an external pressure source or the like can be provided, however, such pumps may drastically reduce the size and cost of the entire system, and may significantly widen the range of use of fluid integrated circuits.
If pumps with a small size and a simple structure that can demonstrate its full pumping performance even in the case where the flow passage is long can be provided, such pumps may achieve a fluid integrated circuit that not only allows control of a local flow but also allows integrated dynamic control of a macroscopic flow including liquid delivery in the entire fluid apparatus such as μ-TAS.
Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1 describes a fluid device that utilizes a sidewall flow due to an induced-charge electro-osmosis phenomenon of a conductive post disposed between electrodes. However, one end of the conductive post is not connected to the electrodes, and therefore a forward flow and a backward flow may be produced along the flow passage at the same time, which may reduce the pumping performance.
Non-Patent Document 2 describes a pump which utilizes ACEO and in which rectangular electrodes are partially provided with a three-dimensionally stepped structure. However, the pump is the same as ACEO pumps according to the related art in that it utilizes a flow on the top surface of the three-dimensionally stepped electrodes, and Non-Patent Document 2 does not describe or suggest utilizing a sidewall flow.
Non-Patent Document 3 describes a micro pump in which a pair of linear thin-film electrodes are disposed perpendicularly to each other so as not to intersect each other. However, the micro pump utilizes an electrokinetic phenomenon on the top surface of the thin-film electrodes, and Non-Patent Document 3 does not describe or suggest utilizing a sidewall flow.


A valve of the present disclosure includes a valve seat formed with a valve hole; a spherical valve body; and a pressing member that presses the valve body toward the valve hole, the valve hole being closed by the valve body pressed by the pressing member; where the pressing member includes a guiding part that, when a force opposing the urging force acts on the valve body by greater than or equal to a prescribed value, separates the valve body away from the valve seat while guiding and relatively moving the valve body in a predetermined one direction.

An example of the valve is a relief valve including a plunger, a valve body, a valve seat, and a spring. The relief valve is configured such that the spring presses the plunger and the valve body toward the valve seat, and the valve body closes the valve hole provided in the valve seat. When a pressure greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure is applied to the valve body through the valve hole, the valve body presses the plunger against the urging force, and the valve body moves thus opening the valve hole. When opening and closing the valve, the valve body vibrates due to the negative pressure generated when the fluid passes through the gap between the valve body and the valve seat, which causes abnormal noise. Here, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-82762 discloses a relief valve configured such that a ball, or valve body, is pressed against a wide-width portion on one side in the radial direction of the seat surface. The vibration of the ball is thereby prevented.


The spice rack of the present invention comprises a rotatable carriage having elongated tracks with opposite ends for frictionally engaging the sidewalls of spice containers so as to grip and hold the containers in the tracks. A plurality of containers can be received in each track. The carriage includes a central tube which is adapted to be rotatably mounted upon a spindle or upon the arms of a paper towel rack. The spindle is supported at opposite ends by boards or plates. In one embodiment, a back wall extends between the end boards so that the carriage can be mounted on a wall in a horizontal or vertical orientation, or be hung beneath a kitchen wall cabinet.

Spice racks having various designs have been known for many years. Typically, conventional carousel style spice racks have a carriage which is rotatably mounted upon a spindle or upon a turntable for easy display of the spice containers. Conventional spice racks include a floor or support surface to engage the bottom of the spice containers. Fingers or sleeves may be spaced above the spice rack floor so as to preclude the containers from moving relative to the floor. Only one spice container is normally retained by each set of fingers or sleeves. Thus, conventional spice racks do not hold very many spice containers.
Accordingly a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a spice rack adapted to hold numerous spice containers.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a spice rack having a rotatable carriage which can hold up to 24 spice containers.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a spice rack which can be mounted on a wall in a vertical or horizontal orientation.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a spice rack which can be hung from beneath a kitchen cabinet.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a spice rack which frictionally grips the sidewalls of the spice container, without supporting the bottom of the container.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a spice rack having a carriage formed with multiple elongated tracks, with each track being adapted to hold a plurality of spice containers.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a spice rack having a carriage which is adapted to be supported by the arms of a paper towel rack.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a spice rack which holds the plastic spice bottles and jars of the major spice manufacturers, as purchased at supermarkets and grocery stores.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a spice rack which is economical to manufacture and durable in use.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.


A tool is run in with a bottom hole assembly that includes a seal and support within the tubing where a fish is to be milled. A ported sub allows pressurized fluid pumped from the surface to enter the bottom hole assembly above the sealed support location and to be directed to set an anchor and to a fluid driven motor such as a progressive cavity motor that is in turn connected milling tool at the rotor of the progressive cavity motor. The fluid exiting the stator goes through a debris removal device and can return to the surface through an annulus around the production tubing. A telescoping joint allows the mill to axially progress with a force applied to the fish generated by a tractor or a stack of Belleville washers.

Tubing cutters have been run into a subterranean location into tubing that is to be cut on coiled tubing and/or tubular. The coiled tubing or tubular has fluid pumped through it to power a downhole motor that is fluid driven such as a progressing cavity pump. The rotation of the pump drives the cutter after extending its blades. Some examples are U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,225,873 and 7,086,467. Coiled tubing units are frequently not at a well site and are very expensive to deploy.
Older designs would cut tubing using explosive charges that are set off with a dropped weight on a slickline such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,289. These tools did not rotate and the positioning of the explosives made the circumferential cut. These designs had the obvious safety issues of dealing with explosives. The extension reach of the explosion could damage the outer string on the back side of the tubing being cut.
Rotating tubing cutters have been run in on wireline where power was transmitted to an electric motor in the bottom hole assembly as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,703.
Other assemblies disclose the use of a tubing cutter but the focus is on how the blades are extended or how the cutter is anchored with no details about the drive system other than stating that there is a driver and that the traditional conveyances for cutters such as coiled tubing, wireline or slickline can be used. Some examples are U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,478,982 and 7,575,056.
Slickline has been used in conjunction with an anchor and tubular cutter that is rotated by a motor having a battery as the power supply as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,210,251. Tractors have been used with local power supply in the form of a battery to advance a BHA to the desired location in a deviated wellbore while at the same time avoiding slack or over-tensioning the slickline used to deliver the BHA as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,151,902.
There are many occasions where a coiled tubing unit or an E-line rig is not available and a need to cut tubing or mill arises. Under those circumstances it would be advantageous to use a slickline supported cutter. Since a slickline cannot convey power and a self contained power supply in the bottom hole assembly, such as a battery, may not have the output to get the job done or may not even fit in a confined location of a small wellbore, the present invention provides an alternative to make the tubing cut or to advance a mill as a fish is being milled. A fish is the stuck object in the wellbore. A washover mill goes around the exterior of the fish such as a packer to undermine the slips so that the packer can be released and in general fall further down in the hole or actually get fished out. A washover mill can be fitted with a tool to grasp the released fish for retrieval. A slickline or wireline cannot push a mill forward as the milling progresses and thus the present invention contemplates ways to deploy a fluid motor run on electric line or slick line to advance the mill or to put a force on the mill against the fish during milling. More specifically telescoping joints that are spring loaded with fluid pressure are contemplated as well as a tractor in conjunction with a telescoping joint with the tractor powered by wireline or a local power source such as an onboard battery.
The preferred deployments of the invention is in a well with production tubing inside casing where the tubing is cut to be freed from a production packer by allowing it to extend so that its slips and sealing system can retract or washover milling of a stuck fish. In the context of this application, the reference to "tubing" is to tubular strings in a wellbore and includes casing, production or injection tubing in casing or tubulars in other environments that need to be cut. In the preferred mode the rig pumps provide fluid under pressure around the bottom hole assembly that is supported in the tubular to be cut in a sealed manner and retained against reaction torque from the cutting or milling operation. The pumped fluid enters the bottom hole assembly through a ported sub and goes to a fluid driven pump such a progressing cavity pump to operate the cutter or mill. With a telescoping assembly to let a mill advance, the pressurized fluid can be used as a force to compress springs that are used to keep a force on the mill and against the fish as the milling progresses. Exhaust fluid from the pump goes out the tubing and back to the surface through perforated holes in the tubing allowing access to the annulus where the tubing inside the casing is being cut or a fish is being milled out. Those skilled in the art will more readily appreciate other aspects of the invention from a review of the detailed description and the associated drawings that appear below while recognizing that the full scope of the invention is to be found in the appended claims.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Slickline or wireline run hydraulic motor driven mill


A vibrator element includes: a base section formed on a plane including a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a vibrating arm extending from the base section in the first direction, wherein the vibrating arm flexurally vibrates in a normal direction of the plane, and has a first surface one of compressed and extended due to the flexural vibration and a second surface one of extended when the first surface is compressed and compressed when the first surface is extended, the first surface is provided with a first mass section, and the second surface is provided with a second mass section, and at least one of the first mass section and the second mass section has a portion, which fails to be opposed to the other of the first mass section and the second mass section in a plan view in the normal direction.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vibrator element, a vibrator, a vibration device, an electronic apparatus, and a frequency adjustment method.
2. Related Art
As the vibration device such as a quartz crystal oscillator, there is known a device provided with a tuning-fork vibrator element having a plurality of vibrating arms (see, e.g., JP-A-2009-5022 (Document 1)).
For example, the vibrator element described in Document 1 has a base section, three vibrating arms extending from the base section in parallel to each other, and a piezoelectric element composed of a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric film, and an upper electrode film formed on each of the vibrating arms in this order. In such a vibrator element, each of the piezoelectric elements is provided with an electrical field applied between the lower electrode film and the upper electrode film, thereby making the piezoelectric layer compress, and causing the flexural vibration in the vibrating arms in a direction (so-called an out-of-plane direction) of the thickness of the base section.
In such a vibrator element, in general, a metal film is provided on the tip portion of each of the vibrating arms, and the metal film is partially removed by laser irradiation, thereby performing the adjustment of the frequency (the resonant frequency) of the flexural vibration of the vibrating arms (see, e.g., JP-A-2008-160824 (Document 2)).
For example, according to the frequency adjustment method described in Document 2, metal films for adjusting the frequency are formed on respective plate surfaces of the vibrating arms each having a plate-like shape so as to have the same patterns. Then, by irradiation with the laser beam, a part of the metal film on one of the plate surfaces of the vibrating arm and a part of the metal film on the other of the plate surfaces are removed simultaneously to thereby perform coarse adjustment, and then, by irradiation with the argon ion beam, a part of the one of the plate surfaces of the vibrating arm is further removed to thereby perform fine adjustment.
However, according to the frequency adjustment method described in Document 2, since the metal film on the one of the plate surfaces of the vibrating arm and the metal film on the other of the plate surfaces have the same patterns, the metal film on the one of the plate surfaces of the vibrating arm and the other of the plate surfaces are removed simultaneously by irradiation with the laser beam. Therefore, there arises a problem that it is difficult to separately remove a part of the metal film on the one of the plate surfaces of the vibrating arm and a part of the metal film on the other of the plate surfaces by irradiation with the laser beam, and therefore, the fine adjustment of the frequency is difficult.
Incidentally, the frequency "f" of the flexural vibrator is given as f≈t/L2 ("t" denotes the thickness of the vibrating arm in the vibration direction, "L" denotes the length of the vibrating arm in the extending direction), and in the case of achieving downsizing of the vibrator having the vibrating arm perform flexural vibration in the out-of-plane direction as described in Document 1 mentioned above, if the length L of the vibrating arm is reduced, it is required to reduce the thickness "t" of the vibrating arm in the vibration direction (the thickness direction of the vibrating arm) of the vibrating arm in accordance with the reduction in the length L. Specifically, since the thickness of the vibrating arm in the vibration direction is as considerably small as several micrometers, it is easy for the laser beam emitted from one side of the vibrating arm to reach the other side of the vibrating arm. Further, since the smaller the thickness of the vibrating arm is, the larger the variation (the amount of rise) in the frequency with respect to the mass (the mass to be reduced) of the metal film to be removed becomes, the fine adjustment of the frequency becomes difficult. In contrast, in the typical vibrator element having the vibrating arm perform the flexural vibration in a plane having the normal line in the thickness direction of the base section, the thickness "t" of the vibrating arm in the vibration direction corresponds to the width direction of the vibrating arm. Therefore, since there is no need for forming the vibrating arm as a thinner plate, the problem described above does not arise. According to such circumstances as described above, if such a frequency adjustment method as described above is used in the vibrator element having the vibrating arm perform the flexural vibration in the out-of-plane direction, the problem that the metal films on the both surfaces are removed by the laser penetrating the vibrating arm when adjusting the frequency, thereby shifting the frequency from the target frequency becomes prominent.

Vibrator element, vibrator, vibration device, electronic apparatus, and frequency adjustment method


A zoom lens comprising, from front to rear, a first lens group of positive power, a second lens group of negative power, and a third lens group of positive power, wherein the second and third lens groups are axially moved in differential relation to effect zooming, and the following conditions are satisfied:. ______________________________________ 0.9 < .vertline..beta.2T.vertline. < 1.1, .beta.2T < 0 0.5 < .vertline..beta.3T.vertline. < 1 .beta.3T < 0 0.4 < XIII/fw < 0.6 ______________________________________. where .beta.2T and .beta.2T are the image magnifications at the telephoto end of the second and third lens groups respectively, XIII is the range of zooming movement of the third lens group, and fW is the shortest focal length of the entire lens system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to zoom lenses and, more particularly, 3-component zoom lenses of extended range to about 3, while still maintaining minimization of the size and weight of the entire lens system to be achieved, suited to photographic cameras or video cameras.
2. Description of the Related Art
Of the zoom lenses of relatively high ratio of focal length variation which have found their use in photographic cameras, video cameras, etc., there is a type in which the total number of lens groups is four, or the so-called 4-component zoom lens. This zoom lens comprises, from front to rear, a first lens group of positive power for focusing, a second lens group of negative power monotonously movable for mainly varying the image magnification, a third lens group of negative or positive power non-linearly movable for compensating for the shift of an image plane resulting from the variation of the image magnification, and a fourth lens group of positive power having an image forming function.
The 4-component zoom lens of this character, while being corrected for the variation of aberrations with zooming by the first to third lens groups, has its fourth lens group made to correct the zooming-independent aberrations, or so-called bias component aberrations.
For this reason, the structure of the constituent members of the fourth lens group tends to get relatively complicated. This leads to a problem that the physical length of the lens becomes long.
Another problem arises from the arrangement of the stop in between the third lens group and the fourth lens group. Because of the long distance from the first lens group to the stop, to admit of the off-axial light beam, the diameter of the first lens group has to increase.
Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 58-32684 discloses a zoom lens of relatively small size comprising, from front to rear, a first lens group of positive power, a second lens group of negative power and a third lens group of positive power, these three lens groups being moved to effect variation of the focal length.
The zoom lens proposed in the same document has its range of image magnification limited to 2.5 or thereabout. Also, because the zooming movement of the first lens group is made to be directed to the object side, the diameter of the first lens group and the total length of the entire lens system tend to increase in any way.


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip, an electrode pad formed on the semiconductor chip, an underlying barrier metal formed on the electrode pad, a solder bump formed on the underlying barrier metal, and an underfill material surrounding the underlying barrier metal and the solder bump. A junction interface of the solder bump with the underlying barrier metal corresponds to an upper surface of the underlying barrier metal, and a portion of the underfill material bonded to a side surface of the solder bump and an end surface of the underlying barrier metal forms a right angle or an obtuse angle.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating the same, and more particularly relates to a semiconductor device in which an underlying barrier metal is formed on an external electrode terminal, and which includes a semiconductor chip flip-chip mounted to a circuit wiring board, and a method for fabricating the same.
In recent years, with progress toward downsizing of, e.g., information communication equipment and office electronic equipment and improvement in the performance thereof, downsizing and an increase in the number of external terminals for input and output are demanded of semiconductor devices mounted in such electronic equipment.
In contrast, with significant progress in semiconductor fabrication processes, progress has been made also in miniaturization of the semiconductor chip structure and an increase in the degree of integration thereof, and thus, a so-called low-k film with a low dielectric constant has tended to be used as an interlayer insulating film.
The physical strength of a low-k film is significantly lower than that of a conventional insulating film, and thus, an active region of a semiconductor chip is susceptible to damage arising from external stress, etc. To prevent this, when semiconductor chips in which progress has been made toward miniaturization and an increase in the degree of integration are to be connected to external circuits, in particular, in flip-chip fashion, attention has been given to fusion bonding using solder bumps.
Features of semiconductor chips having been developed in recent years include flip-chip mounting in which an electrode pad is formed on an active region, and an interlayer insulating film for which a low-k material is used. However, the use of such a mounting method and such a material reduces the reliability of semiconductor chips.
When the material of a semiconductor chip is different from the material of a circuit wiring board on which the semiconductor chip is mounted, displacement between the semiconductor device and the circuit wiring board is often caused due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion therebetween. The caused displacement causes stress-induced strains on bumps providing connection between the semiconductor device and the circuit wiring board, and the stress-induced strains result in destruction of the junction interfaces between bumps for flip-chip mounting and electrode pads. To address stress-induced strains arising from thermal expansion, surrounding regions of electrode pads are filled with an underfill material or a sealing resin material (hereinafter together referred to an underfill material).
However, the underfill material contains a filler having a strength which allows mitigation of the effect of stress-induced strains arising from thermal expansion, and a solvent. Therefore, when the shape of a region to be filled with the underfill material is complicated, the region is not uniformly filled with the filler, and thus, is filled with only the solvent. In this case, when the underfill material is cured by heat, the filler is in close contact with bumps at the contact surfaces between the filler and the bumps in the region filled with the filler, thereby forming a structure which is strong enough to withstand strains, etc. In contrast, in the region filled with only the solvent, the solvent is vaporized by heat, and thus, voids or bubbles (hereinafter together referred to as voids) are formed. As a result, cracks are formed from voids formed on the junction interfaces between the bumps and the electrode pads, and the formed cracks reduce the reliability of the semiconductor chip, i.e., the semiconductor device.
To reduce the load on semiconductor chips, a method has been presented in which in order to reduce stress concentration on a connection interface of solder bumps providing physical connection between a semiconductor chip and a circuit wiring board due to the difference in thermal expansion therebetween, an annular resist film is formed around a region on which a solder bump is formed (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-268442). When the solder bump is formed, and then, a surrounding region of the solder bump is to be filled with an underfill material, the annular resist film protects a surrounding region of an electrode pad to prevent the underfill material from penetrating the junction interface between the solder bump and the electrode pad.
As described above, a flip-chip method in which a semiconductor chip includes electrode pads formed on an active region, and is connected to an external circuit through external connection terminals called bumps has been employed in general. Furthermore, with significant progress in the semiconductor fabrication process, progress has been made also in miniaturization of the semiconductor device structure and an increase in the degree of integration thereof, and thus, a low-k film with a low dielectric constant has tended to be used as an interlayer insulating film. Thus, in order to reduce thermal stress from external connection terminals to electrode pads, efforts have been made as described in, e.g., Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-268442.
However, with further downsizing, miniaturization, and an increase in the degree of integration of semiconductor devices, situations are arising where the reliability of semiconductor chips cannot be maintained. Here, in future, there is an urgent need to reduce the load on electrode pads on which bumps are formed, in particular, to reduce the pitch between adjacent bumps, i.e., to provide a technique which can accommodate pitches of, e.g., 50-200 μm.
A semiconductor device is made of silicon (Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or any other material, and an inorganic material, such as glass, aramid fibers, or ceramic, and a metal material, such as copper (Cu), are used for a circuit wiring board. Thus, as described above, a material of the semiconductor device is different from a material of the circuit wiring board on which the semiconductor device is mounted.
A process for fabricating a semiconductor device includes a process step of heating a semiconductor substrate at approximately 250-300° C.; a semiconductor chip containing silicon as a main ingredient has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 3 ppm/° C.; and a circuit wiring board containing glass fibers as a main ingredient has a coefficient of thermal expansion of approximately 10 ppm/° C. This causes a difference in the degree of expansion between the semiconductor chip and the circuit wiring board when the semiconductor chip and the circuit wiring board are heated. Here, displacement between the semiconductor device and the circuit wiring board due to the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion therebetween causes stress-induced strains on bumps providing connection therebetween. The caused stress-induced strains result in destruction of the bumps, leading to poor electrical connection.
In Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-268442, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a semiconductor chip 101 includes an electrode pad 102 selectively formed on the semiconductor chip 101, an underlying barrier metal (UBM) 110 covering the electrode pad 102, and a solder bump 106 formed on the UBM 110. Here, the UBM 110 is formed such that an outer portion of the UBM 110 is astride the inner edge of an insulating film 109 formed around the electrode pad 102. An annular resist film 126 is formed on the insulating film 109, and the inner end surface of the resist film 126 is in contact with the end surface of the UBM 110 and the end surface of the solder bump 106. As such, the annular resist film 126 is formed outside the solder bump 106 to prevent separation of the UBM 110 due to stress caused in the vicinity of the junction between the solder bump 106 and the electrode pad 102 in a heating and cooling cycle after flip-chip mounting. Specifically, when the annular resist film 126 is formed on a region of the semiconductor chip 101 located around the electrode pad 102, this allows the solder bump 106 to be fixed, and thus, can improve the connection between the bump 106 and the UBM 110.

Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same


The invention is a method for controllably cooling at least a portion of a part-cake from a laser sintering system to minimize cool down time, maximize throughput, and minimize thermal gradients within the part-cake. The method generally comprises forming one or more thermal transfer channels within the part-cake. The thermal transfer channels can include ducts and cooling fins in the part-cake surrounding the formed part. The method can further comprise removing unfused powder from the ducts and introducing cooling media into the ducts. The invention also includes a part-cake having thermal transfer channels formed therein and a laser sintering apparatus comprising a part-cake containing cylinder having permanent fittings therein for receiving terminal portions of thermal transfer channels formed in the part-cake.

Solid freeform fabrication processes are increasingly used for producing freeform, complex geometry components. In particular, selective laser sintering is useful for creating three dimensional objects directly from digital data (e.g., computer-aided-design (CAD) databases, medical scan imaging files, etc.) in an automated fashion. An object is created through a sequential fusion buildup of cross sections of the finished part from a starting powder. The powder is fused with a scanning laser beam one layer at a time, and each scanned layer corresponds to a cross section of the final object's mathematically sectioned digital data model.
Detailed descriptions of selective laser sintering technology are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,863,538; 4,944,817; and 5,132,143, all assigned to the Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,508 to Housholder.
Laser sintering is a thermally based process. The sources of thermal energy are typically heaters for the part bed, cylinder heaters to preheat the powder in powder feed cylinders, and the laser. The laser is typically a CO2 laser that scans the fresh powder layer to selectively fuse powder particles in the desired areas. The powder is normally kept near the fusion temperature of the particular powder so that the added heat required by the laser to fuse the part is minimized. The part-cake (essentially comprising a block of fused and unfused powder) remaining after the completed layerwise build process is hot.
Before the laser sintering process can be restarted to build a new part or series of parts, the part-cake is cooled down to a handling temperature safe for the personnel handling the apparatus and acceptable for removing the built parts without damage to the parts. Powder materials commonly used in laser sintering have comparatively poor thermal conductivity and so can take a long time to cool down to workable temperatures, particularly at the interior portions of the part-cake. The time required for cool down of the part-cake is further increased as larger build areas are use (i.e., one or more of the X, Y, or Z dimension of the part cake is increased). The increased cool-down time reduces efficiency of the laser sintering process by increasing the residence time for each part build session, thereby decreasing throughput of the laser sintering system.
The cool down portion of the laser sintering process can be detrimental to the built parts if the cooling is non-uniform throughout the part-cake causing uncontrolled thermal gradients therein. Non-uniform cooling can lead to unacceptable geometric distortions of the built parts in the part-cake, as well as inconsistent mechanical properties of the built parts.

Controlled cooling methods and apparatus for laser sintering part-cake


An air assisted device for positioning or moving a limb or a joint uses compressed air as a motive force. In a first embodiment, the air assisted device is a one piece air bag with bellows or accordion-like construction to allow controlled variable degrees of abduction. The bag is placed between a limb to be positioned and a relatively fixed body part or other surface. As compressed air enters the bag, the bag expands and moves the limb away from the body part or other surface. If the bag is maintained in an expanded condition, it immobilizes the limb relative to the body part or other surface. As the bag deflates, the limb returns to its original position. In a second embodiment, the device utilizes a pneumatic piston and cylinder unit to provide the motive force for positioning two relatively movable parts. As compressed air is forced into the cylinder, the piston moves outwardly, moving one of the relatively movable parts away from the other part. Relative movement of the parts moves the limb toward or away from the body part or other surface. The air assisted device may also be used to resist motion of a limb.

The present invention relates to medical devices for use in the positioning and movement of limbs or joints. More particularly, the present invention relates to air assisted devices which are capable of providing continuous passive motion asssistance or immobilization for stabilization or fracture fixation.
Typical devices used for providing continuous passive motion for joints and limbs, such as motor and cable arrangements, are bulky and awkward. Typical devices for immobilization of joints, such as casts, orthoses, custom splints, and abduction pillows, are heavy, and difficult and uncomfortable to wear. None of the devices in current use are simple, comfortable, and inexpensive.


An exemplary gear transmission device includes a driving assembly including a driving shaft, a shaft coupling, a circular driving gear, a resilient mechanism and a driven gear engaging with the driving gear. The shaft coupling is fixed to the driving shaft and rotatable in unison with rotation of the driving shaft. The circular driving gear substantially surrounds and is operatively coupled to the shaft coupling and rotatable under urging of the shaft coupling. The resilient mechanism is held between the driving gear and the shaft coupling and is elastically deformable in circumferential directions of the shaft coupling. When the driving gear moves axially and collides with the driven gear without meshing with the driven gear, the driving gear rotates slightly relative to the shaft coupling thereby elastically deforming the resilient mechanism and the driving gear reaches a position where it can mesh with the driven gear.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to gear transmission devices, and particularly to a gear transmission device with a resilient connection between a driving gear and a driving shaft.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to adjust a camera of a video capturing device such as a video camera or camcorder, a driving gear of the video capturing device moves along a driving shaft of a driving assembly to engage with one or more driven gears. Generally, the driving gear is fixed to the driving shaft of the driving assembly, so that the driving gear cannot rotate relative to the driving shaft. When the driving gear engages with one of the driven gears, teeth of the driving gear are prone to interfere with teeth of the driven gear, which leads to the teeth of the driving gear striking against the teeth of the driven gear and can result in the teeth of the driving gear and/or the driven gear getting damaged or even destroyed.
Therefore, a need exists in the industry to overcome the described problems.

Gear transmission device with resilient connection between driving gear and driving shaft


An inclined magnetic holder comprises a magnetic base and a centrifuge tube support plate. The centrifuge tube support plate has centrifuge tube support holes. The magnetic base comprises a first bottom plate, a fixing plate, and two first-side support plates. Respective top portions of the two first-side support plates are provided with a position-locating slot. Two ends of the centrifuge tube support plate are respectively provided with a position-locating protruding block. The centrifuge tube support holes are evenly and linearly distributed on the centrifuge tube support plate. An elastic circular engagement component for holding a centrifuge tube is provided inside the centrifuge tube support holes. A block magnet is fixed to the fixing plate below and corresponding to each of the centrifuge tube support holes. A north pole or south pole surface of the block magnet faces the centrifuge tube and is parallel to an axis of the centrifuge tube.

Magnetic bead purification is to use a magnetic holder to separate magnetic beads by the magnetic field to achieve the purpose of separating and purifying cells, proteins or nucleic acids. Compared with a commonly used precipitation method, centrifugation method and column membrane method, the magnetic bead method has the characteristics of high extraction efficiency, fast separation speed, and simple equipment. A process of magnetic separation is roughly as follows: magnetic beads that can combine to-be-separated samples are added to a centrifugal tube with the to-be-separated samples, mixed well and incubated, and placed on the magnetic holder; at this time, the magnetic beads are attracted to a tube wall of the centrifugal tube on the side of the magnet under the magnetic field generated by the magnet of the magnetic holder, and non-adsorbed solution is then removed or poured to achieve separation of the to-be-separated samples from other samples.
Although the existing magnetic holder on the market can meet the demand of some customers, there are still many shortcomings, for example as follows.
1) Most magnetic holders are designed as an integrated structure; the magnetic base and the centrifugal tube supporting plate cannot be separated; when performing magnetic separation, mixing operation, and waste liquid pouring, an operator needs to repeatedly transfer a single centrifugal tube one by one. It is not easy to realize synchronous operation of all centrifugal tubes.
2) Centrifugal tubes suitable for the existing magnetic holder have a single size; to meet centrifugal tubes with different capacities, magnetic holders of different sizes are required to be employed, which increases use cost and reduces working efficiency.
3) There is no measure to prevent the centrifugal tube from loosening or falling off during the process of flipping, shaking and pouring the waste liquid inclinedly, and the safety of the experimental operation cannot be guaranteed.
4) The polarity arrangement of the magnet is unreasonable. The magnetic polarities of adjacent magnets interfere with each other, which reduces the effect of the magnetic field. As a result, the adjacent magnets will reduce the effect of magnets corresponding to neighboring centrifugal tubes absorbing the magnetic beads in the centrifugal tube.
5) The magnet and the centrifugal tube are arranged in a vertical direction, which leads to a low adsorption efficiency of magnetic beads in the centrifugal tube during the purification process.
6) The shape and position of the magnet are not optimized, making it difficult for the magnetic beads at the bottom of the centrifugal tube to be adsorbed to the magnet far above the bottom of the centrifugal tube, or making it difficult for all the magnetic beads to be absorbed to the magnet near the bottom of the centrifugal tube, or making it difficult for the magnetic beads in the liquid of the upper part of the centrifugal tube to be absorbed to the magnet away from the upper part of the centrifugal tube, leading to loss of magnetic beads when removing or pouring the waste liquid.
7) Most of the existing magnetic holder adopts a dual-row centrifugal tube layout. To improve the efficiency of removing waste liquid, when the supernatant is completely removed in a flipping manner, cross-contamination of samples between centrifugal tubes may occur.


An injection molding machine having a first mold portion and a second mold portion. The second mold portion being movable relative to the first mold portion and together defining a mold cavity. The injection molding machine includes a fluid path extending through the first mold portion. The fluid path has an inlet and a radially continuous, downwardly-extending, circumferential outlet in fluid communication with the mold cavity. The injection molding machine further having a valve ring movably coupled in the first mold portion. The valve ring includes a downwardly extending rim portion substantially disposed within the fluid path. The valve ring is positionable in a closed position where the rim portion engages the circumferential outlet to obstruct flow of the molding material from the fluid path to the mold cavity and an opened position where the rim portion is spaced apart from the circumferential outlet to permit flow of the molding material from the fluid path to the mold cavity. The injection molding machine further includes a heating assembly in thermal communication with at least a portion of the fluid path to maintain the molding material in an uncured state for thermoset rubbers and plastics, and in a molten state for thermoplastics.

As is widely known, injection molding of thermoplastic materials is often used to form a variety of parts having intricate shapes and requiring close dimensional tolerances. Such injection molding may be accomplished using a wide variety of materials, such as thermoset plastics, rubber, or similar materials.
Many conventional injection molding machines employ a stationary plastic extruder operable to pass a material through a series of runners to one or a plurality of mold cavities. These mold cavities are formed between a pair of separable mold dies and are shaped to closely conform to a predetermined shape. A sprue and a plurality of runners are used to channel material to each mold cavity. That is, once the mold dies are closed, the extruder is actuated to inject a "shot" of material (i.e. plastic or rubber) into the sprue, runners, and mold cavities. After the material has had sufficient time to solidify, the mold dies are separated and the parts ejected therefrom. Generally, when the parts are ejected from the mold dies, the runners and sprue associated therewith are also ejected coupled with the molded parts. The solidified runner and sprue material must be separated from the molded parts and finally discarded. In some instances, this discarded material may be recycled back into the manufacturing process. However, often times, customer requirements limit the amount of recycled material that may be used. As should be appreciated, when molding small parts with relatively large sprue and runner channels, the amount of discarded material can often exceed the amount of material that is permitted to be recycled. Therefore, this excess material may not be reused. This leads to increased costs associated with wasted material and disposal of the wasted material.
Similarly, it is often necessary to perform further machining of the formed parts to achieve the desired surface treatments at these gating locations. The removing of the sprue and runners material and machining is typically necessary to achieve the desired final quality. Thus, it is desirable to select a location for the gating to minimize the need for post-molding machining, yet maintain proper material flow. This is particularly necessary in the forming of ring seals and cylindrical sleeves.
One attempt to simplify injection molding of thermoplastic parts has been the use of "hot runner" systems wherein the runners from the plastic extruder to the mold cavity are maintained at an elevated temperature. With this system, the plastic in the runners is maintained above the melting temperature with only the plastic in the mold cavity being solidified. Thus, only the parts are ejected from the mold cavity with substantially no runners to remove therefrom. The step of removing the sprues and runners from the finished parts is substantially eliminated with this system.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide an injection molding machine that is capable of minimizing the amount of waste material produced during manufacturing. Additionally, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide an injection molding machine that is capable of minimizing the need for post-molding machining. In particular, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide an injection molding capable of gating a cylindrical part to minimize the need for post-molding machining. Finally, there exists a need in the relevant art to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

Valve ring gate for thermoplastic and thermoset injection molding


An apparatus for mixing vapor and liquid reactants within a column. The apparatus forms a first mixing zone into which a first reactant (e.g. vapor) is homogenized by swirl flow and flows vertically downward. The apparatus further forms a second mixing zone into which a second reactant (e.g., liquid) is homogenized by swirl flow and flows vertically downward. Additional amounts of either the first reactant, the second reactant or both may be added into or ahead of the first mixing zone or the second mixing zone as appropriate. The first reactant is directed radially to collide in crossflow with a thin sheet of the second reactant to provide intense mixing of the first and second reactants. Due to separate mixing zones for the two reactants, the mixing conditions for each can be tailored to best mix each reactant while minimizing pressure drop and minimizing the space and volume requirements for this mixing.

In fixed-bed fuels and lube hydroprocessing units, gas and liquid flow downward through multiple beds of solid catalyst. Heat is released from the catalytic reactions causing temperature to increase with distance down the bed. Cool hydrogen-rich gas is introduced between the beds to quench the temperature rise and replenish the hydrogen consumed by the reactions. Three requirements of an effective quench zone are transverse gas mixing, transverse liquid mixing, and quench gas mixing. The introduction and mixing of quench into the process gas and liquid must be carried out in the interbed space which spans the full vessel diameter, but is often shorter than one vessel radius. Support beams, piping and other obstructions also occupy the interbed region so that unique hardware is required to perform efficient two-phase mixing in what amounts to limited volume.
Poor quench zone performance manifests itself in two ways. First, the quench zone fails to erase lateral temperature differences at the outlet of the preceding bed or, in the worst cases, amplifies them. An effective quench zone should be able to accept process fluids with 50 to 75.degree. F. lateral temperature differences or higher and homogenize them sufficiently that differences do not exceed 5.degree. F. at the following bed inlet. The second sign of poor performance is that inlet temperature differences following the quench zone increase as the rate of quench gas is raised. This indicates inadequate mixing of cooler gas with the hot process fluids.
Inadequate quench zone performance limits reactor operation in various ways. When interbed mixing in unable to erase temperature differences, these persist or grow as the process fluids move down the reactor. Hot spots in any bed lead to rapid deactivation of the catalyst in that region which shortens the total reactor cycle length. Product selectivities are typically poorer at high temperatures; hot regions can cause color, viscosity and other qualities to be off-specification. Also, if the temperature at any point exceeds a certain value (typically 800 to 850.degree. F.), the exothermic reactions may become self-accelerating leading to a runaway which can damage the catalyst, the vessel, or downstream equipment. Cognizant of these hazards, refiners operating with poor internal hardware must sacrifice yield or throughput to avoid these temperature limitations. With present day refinery economics dictating that hydroprocessing units operate at feed rates far exceeding design, optimum quench zone design is a valuable low-cost debottleneck.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,989 is described a method for quench zone design. The essential feature of this design is the rotational flow created in the mixing volume which increases fluid residence time and provides repeated contacting of liquid and gas from different sides of the reactor. This design is keyed to liquid mixing. More recent studies have shown it to be only a fair gas mixer. The trend to higher conversion and higher hydrogen circulation in fuels refining translates to gas/liquid ratios for this design is not well suited. Height constrained units cannot be fitted with mixing chambers of the type described in this patent that are deep enough to effectively mix both the gas and liquid phases.
A new interbed mixing system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,719 offers some improvements over the design described above when gas mixing is paramount. This hardware is based again on a swirl chamber, but also includes at least three highly restrictive flow elements to enhance mixing, which necessarily increase pressure drop. Like the previously described system, this quench zone mixes the gas and liquid at once in a single chamber.

Interbed gas-liquid mixing system for cocurrent downflow reactors


A power battery cap structure and a power battery are provided. The power battery cap structure includes a first terminal, a second terminal and a cap assembly; the second terminal is electrically insulated from the cap assembly. The power battery cap structure further includes a resistance which electrically connects the first terminal with the cap assembly. The cap assembly includes a cap sheet, a first short circuit part and a second short circuit part; the first and second short circuit part are attached to the cap sheet, when internal pressure of the power battery exceeds predetermined threshold, the first and second short circuit part act and form a first path passing through the first terminal, the second short circuit part, the resistance and the second terminal, and a second path passing through the first terminal, the first and second short circuit part and the second terminal.

Electric vehicles and energy storage power stations and the like generally require power batteries with a high capacity as power supplies. These power batteries should have, in addition to a high capacity, good security and a long cycle life to meet the standards for employment and people's needs.
In the prior art, when a power battery is overcharged, decomposition of the electrolyte in the power battery will generate excessive heat inside the power battery, thus causing the battery to fire; or it will cause the pressure inside power battery to increase, thus resulting in explosion of the battery. Therefore, before the power battery is out of control, it needs to cut off a connecting part of a positive tab and a positive terminal with the aid of an external short circuit structure to prevent the power battery from being continually charged. Under normal circumstances, in a power battery cap structure, there is a resistance provided between a positive terminal and a cap sheet so that the positive terminal is electrically connected with the cap sheet through the resistance, while a short circuit part is provided near a negative terminal, and the short circuit part acts upwards when the pressure inside the power battery increases so that a loop is formed between the negative and positive of the power battery, and a great current is generated in the loop to melt off the connecting part so as to cut off the main loop. In order to satisfy the current for melting off the connecting part, it is required that the resistance value of the resistance between the positive and cap sheet of the power battery be small. However, in the case of nailing abuse of a power battery, if the resistance value of the resistance between the positive and cap sheet of the power battery is small, the current of the external short circuit will be too large, and the nailing situation will spark, which will ignite the electrolyte and cause the battery to catch fire. Therefore, in the case of nailing abuse, the resistance value of the resistance between the positive and cap sheet of the power battery is required to be very large.
Based on the above mentioned, the requirements for the resistance value between the positive and cap sheet of a power battery in the cases such as overcharge or nailing abuse are contradictory in the prior art, and thus the protection for both overcharge and nailing abuse of the power battery cannot be satisfied simultaneously regardless of either the value of resistance of the cap structure of the power battery is large or small.

Power battery cap structure and power battery

CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED


A traffic monitoring device mounted in a moving monitoring vehicle comprises a radar device for measuring the relative speed of a vehicle to be detected with respect to the speed of the monitoring vehicle. A speedometer measures the speed of the monitoring vehicle. By means of a releasing mechanism automatically triggered at adjustable limit speeds, a camera is released and the vehicle to be detected is photographed. The relative speed of the vehicle to be detected and the speed of the monitoring device are added in summing means. The sum then corresponds to the absolute speed of the vehicle to be detected. The camera is not released dependent on the relative speed but on the absolute speed of the vehicle to be detected. Thereby, all vehicles exceeding an allowed speed are detected without taking an unnecessary number of pictures.

It is well known that the driving speed of a vehicle can be measured by means of a stationary radar device and that a radar controlled indication device can be photographed together with the vehicle.
Because it, as a rule, is necessary to release monitoring pictures manually or by means of telecontrol, it is known that electromagnetic releasing means for the shutters exist.
Also, monitoring vehicles are used for traffic monitoring. From German Patent No. 1,139,315 it is known that the monitoring vehicle follows a vehicle with the same speed and prepares a documentary evidence of a vehicle exceeding the allowed speed by means of photographing the vehicle and the speedometer serving as vehicle speed indicator, together with photographically documenting the time and date.
From U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,748 a photographic traffic monitoring device is known, which is adapted to optionally determine the speed of a vehicle to be monitored by following it or by stationary operation by means of radar.
In the brochure TRAFFIPAX-micro speed of the company Traffipax-Vertrieb, Hildener Stra.beta.e 57, 4000 Dusseldorf 13, a traffic radar device is described, which likewise is adapted for mobile and stationary operation. The device is pivotable such that the traffic monitoring in the stationary operation can be achieved optionally from the left or the right side of the road. The traffic moving away or the approaching traffic can optionally be measured and photographically documented. In stationary operation, separately adjustable limit speeds are provided for passenger cars and motor lorries during monitoring the traffic moving away. The traffic radar device is adapted to be optionally mounted in patrol cars having fixedly mounted support for radar antenna or for mounting the radar antenna on a stand. In suitable vehicles the antenna can be mounted invisibly behind the grille and remain there during travel. For mobile operation the device is provided with an electronic speedometer having digital display. The speedometer is switched-on automatically as soon as the radar device is switched-off. Through corresponding signs at the prepared photo it can be seen whether the device has been operated with radar or with speedometer.
It is disadvantageous if the monitoring vehicle has to be driven with the same speed in the required proximity behind the vehicle to be detected, because it easily can be recognized as a police vehicle. In the brochure GATSO-meter of the company Gatsometer B.V., Tetterodeweg 10, 2050 AA Overveen, a device is mentioned, which likewise is adapted to be used in mobile or stationary operation. With this device it is furthermore possible to use the radar monitoring and the speedometer monitoring in a way that the monitoring vehicle is driven a at constant speed but more slowly than the vehicle to be detected. The speed of the monitoring vehicle and the relative speed, as measured by the radar device of the vehicle to be detected with respect to the speed of the monitoring vehicle, are reflected in a photographic picture of the vehicle to be detected.
In order to obtain evidence as irrefutable as possible, further data, e.g. date and time, are reflected in the picture.
The prior art traffic monitoring device of the above mentioned type, which is mounted in a monitoring vehicle and which serves to monitor the speed, is ineffective. On one hand, the monitoring vehicle has to be driven at constant speed and thus cannot be adapted to the given traffic. On the other hand, too many or too few pictures are taken, which means that vehicles driven too fast are possibly not detected and vehicles are photographed, which do not exceed the allowed speed. This is the case, for example, when the monitoring vehicle is, in fact, driven at constant speed but too fast. Exceeding the allowed speed is partly not recorded, because the radar device does not measure any exceeded speed. When the monitoring vehicle is driven too slowly, the device signals that the allowed speed was exceeded, which actually is not the case. The camera is released and a picture is taken, in which it later can be seen that the allowed speed.

Robot Foto und Electronic GmbH U. Co. KG


The present invention relates to therapeutic compositions and methods for treating and preventing infection by an immunodeficiency virus, particularly HIV infection, using chemokine proteins, nucleic acids and/or derivatives or analogues thereof.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) induces a persistent and progressive infection leading, in the vast majority of cases, to the development of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (Barre-Sinoussi et al., 1983, Science 220: 868-870; Gallo et al., 1984, Science 224:500-503). There are at least two distinct types of HIV: HIV-1 (Barre-Sinoussi et al., 1983, Science 220:868-870; Gallo et al., 1984, Science 224:500-503) and HIV-2 (Clavel et al., 1986, Science 233:343-346; Guyader et al., 1987, Nature 326:662-669). In humans, HIV replication occurs prominently in CD4.sup.+ T lymphocyte populations, and HIV infection leads to depletion of this cell type and eventually to immune incompetence, opportunistic infections, neurological dysfunctions, neoplastic growth, and ultimately death.
HIV is a member of the lentivirus family of retroviruses (Teich et al., 1984, RNA Tumor Viruses, Weiss et al., eds., CSH-press, pp. 949-956). Retroviruses are small enveloped viruses that contain a single-stranded RNA genome, and replicate via a DNA intermediate produced by a virally-encoded reverse transcriptase, an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (Varmus, H., 1988, Science 240:1427-1439). Other retroviruses include, for example, oncogenic viruses such as human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLV-1,-II,-III), and feline leukemia virus.
The HIV viral particle consists of a viral core, composed in part of capsid proteins designated p24 and p18, together with the viral RNA genome and those enzymes required for early replicative events. Myristylated gag protein forms an outer viral shell around the viral core, which is, in turn, surrounded by a lipid membrane envelope derived from the infected cell membrane. The HIV envelope surface glycoproteins are synthesized as a single 160 kilodalton precursor protein which is cleaved by a cellular protease during viral budding into two glycoproteins, gp41 and gp120. gp41 is a transmembrane glycoprotein and gp120 is an extracellular glycoprotein which remains non-covalently associated with gp41, possibly in a trimeric or multimeric form (Hammerskjold, M. and Rekosh, D., 1989, Biochem. Biophys. Acta 989:269-280).
HIV, like other enveloped viruses, introduces viral genetic material into the host cell through a viral-envelope mediated fusion of viral and target membranes. HIV is targeted to CD4.sup.+ cells because a CD4 cell surface protein (CD4) acts as the cellular receptor for the HIV-1 virus (Dalgleish et al., 1984, Nature 312:763-767; Klatzmann et al., 1984, Nature 312:767-768; Maddon et al., 1986, Cell 47:333-348). Viral entry into cells is dependent upon gp120 binding the cellular CD4 receptor molecules (Pal et al., 1993, Virology 194:833-837; McDougal et al., 1986, Science 231:382-385; Maddon et al., 1986, Cell 47:333-348), explaining HIV's tropism for CD4.sup.+ cells, while gp41 anchors the envelope glycoprotein complex in the viral membrane. The binding of gp120 to CD4 induces conformational changes in the viral glycoproteins, but this binding alone is insufficient to lead to infection (reviewed by Sattentau and Moore, 1993, Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London (Biol.) 342:59-66).
Studies of HIV-1 isolates have revealed a heterogeneity in their ability to infect different human cell types (reviewed by Miedema et al., 1994, Immunol. Rev. 140:35-72). The majority of extensively passaged laboratory strains of HIV-1 readily infect cultured T cell lines and primary T lymphocytes, but not primary monocytes or macrophages. These strains are termed T-tropic. T-tropic HIV-1 strains are more likely to be found in HIV-1 infected individuals during the late stages of aids (Weiss et al., 1996, Science 272:1885-1886). The majority of primary HIV-1 isolates (i.e., viruses not extensively passaged in culture) replicate efficiently in primary lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages, but grow poorly in established T cell lines. These isolates have been termed M-tropic. The viral determinant of T- and M-tropism maps to alterations in the third variable region of gp120 (the V3 loop)(Choe et al., 1996, Cell 85:1135-1148; Cheng-Mayer et al., 1991, J. Virol. 65:6931-6941; Hwang et al., 1991, Science 253:71-74; Kim et al., 1995, J. Virol., 69:1755-1761; and O'Brien et al., 1990, Nature 348:69-73). The characterization of HIV isolates with distinct tropisms taken together with the observation that binding to the CD4 cell surface protein alone is insufficient to lead to infection, suggest that cell-type specific cofactors might be required in addition to CD4 for HIV-1 entry into the host cell.
Recently, certain chemokines produced by CD8.sup.+ T cells have been implicated in suppression of HIV infection. The chemokines RANTES (regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted), macrophage-inflammatory protein-1.alpha. and -1.beta. (MIP-1.alpha. and MIP-1.beta., respectively), which are secreted by CD8.sup.+ T cells, were shown to suppress HIV-1 p24 antigen production in cells infected with HIV-1 or HIV-2 isolates in vitro (Cocchi et al., 1995, Science 270:1811-1815). Additionally, high levels of these chemokines have been found to be secreted by CD4.sup.+ T lymphocytes in individuals that have been exposed to HIV-1 on multiple occasions but, remain uninfected (Paxton et al., 1996, Nature Med. 2:412-417). While RANTES, MIP-1.alpha. and MIP-1.beta. alone or in combination, potently suppress a variety of primary HIV-1 isolates and macrophage tropic isolates, such as HIV-1.sub.BaL, some established laboratory strains, such as HIV-1.sub.IIIB, are refractory to inhibition of infection or replication by these chemokines (Cocchi et al., 1995, Science 270:1811-1815).
Chemokines, or chemoattractant cytokines, are a subgroup of immune factors that have been shown to mediate chemotactic and other pro-inflammatory phenomena (See, Schall, 1991, Cytokine 3:165-183). Chemokines are small molecules of approximately 70-80 residues in length and can generally be divided into two subgroups, .alpha. which have two N-terminal cysteines separated by a single amino acid (CxC) and .beta. which have two adjacent cysteines at the N terminus (CC). RANTES, MIP-1.alpha. and MIP-1.beta. are members of the .beta. subgroup (reviewed by Horuk, R., 1994, Trends Pharmacol. Sci, 15:159-165; Murphy, P. M., 1994, Annu. Rev. Immunol., 12:593-633). The amino terminus of the .beta. chemokines RANTES, MCP-1, and MCP-3 have been implicated in the mediation of cell migration and inflammation induced by these chemokines. This involvement is suggested by the observation that the deletion of the amino terminal 8 residues of MCP-1, amino terminal 9 residues of MCP-3, and amino terminal 8 residues of RANTES and the addition of a methionine to the amino terminus of RANTES, antagonize the chemotaxis, calcium mobilization and/or enzyme release stimulated by their native counterparts (Gong et al., 1996 J. Biol. Chem. 271:10521-10527; Proudfoot et al., 1996 J. Biol. Chem. 271:2599-2603). Additionally, .alpha. chemokine-like chemotactic activity has been introduced into MCP-1 via a double mutation of Tyr 28 and Arg 30 to leucine and valine, respectively, indicating that internal regions of this protein also play a role in regulating chemotactic activity (Beall et al., 1992, J. Biol. Chem. 267:3455-3459).
The monomeric forms of all chemokines characterized thus far share significant structural homology, although the quaternary structures of .alpha. and .beta. groups are distinct. While the monomeric structures of the .beta. and .alpha. chemokines are very similar, the dimeric structures of the two groups are completely different. An additional chemokine, lymphotactin, which has only one N terminal cysteine has also been identified and may represent an additional subgroup (.gamma.) of chemokines (Yoshida et al., 1995, FEBS Lett. 360:155-159; and Kelner et al., 1994, Science 266:1395-1399).
Receptors for chemokines belong to the large family of G-protein coupled, 7 transmembrane domain receptors (GCR's) (See, reviews by Horuk, R., 1994, Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 15:159-165; and Murphy, P. M., 1994, Annu. Rev. Immunol. 12:593-633). Competition binding and cross-desensitization studies have shown that chemokine receptors exhibit considerable promiscuity in ligand binding. Examples demonstrating the promiscuity among .beta. chemokine receptors include: CC CKR-1, which binds RANTES and MIP-1.alpha. (Neote et al., 1993, Cell 72: 415-425), CC CKR-4, which binds RANTES, MIP-1.alpha., and MCP-1 (Power et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem. 270:19495-19500), and CC CKR-5, which binds RANTES, MIP-1.alpha., and MIP-1.beta. (Alkhatib et al., 1996, Science, in press and Dragic et al., 1996, Nature 381:667-674). Erythrocytes possess a receptor (known as the Duffy antigen) which binds both .alpha. and .beta. chemokines (Horuk et al., 1994, J. Biol. Chem. 269:17730-17733; Neote et al., 1994, Blood 84:44-52; and Neote et al., 1993, J. Biol. Chem. 268:12247-12249). Thus the sequence and structural homologies evident among chemokines and their receptors allows some overlap in receptor-ligand interactions.
CC CKR-5 is the major coreceptor for macrophage-tropic strains of HIV-1 (Alkhatib et al., 1996, Science, in press; Choe et al., 1996, Cell 85:1135-1148; Deng et al., 1996, Nature 381:661-666; Doranz et al., 1996, Cell 85:1149-1158; Dragic et al., 1996, Nature 381:667-674). RANTES, MIP-1.alpha., or MIP-1.beta., the chemokine ligands for this receptor have been shown to block HIV Env-mediated cell fusion directed by CC CKR-5 (Alkhatib et al., 1996, Science, in press; and Dragic et al., 1996, Nature 381:667-674). Additional support for the role of CC CKR-5 as an M-tropic HIV-1 cofactor comes from the finding that a 32-base pair deletion in the CC CKR-5 gene found in three multiply exposed but uninfected individuals, prevents HIV from infecting macrophages (Liu et al., 1996, Cell 86:367-377). However, only three of the 25 uninfected individuals studied had this mutation.
The V3 loop of gp120 is the major determinant of sensitivity to chemokine inhibition of infection or replication (Cocchi et al., 1996, Nature Medicine 2:1244-1247; and Oravecz et al., 1996, J. Immunol. 157:1329-1332). Signal transduction through .beta. chemokine receptors is not required for inhibition of HIV infection or replication, since RANTES inhibits HIV-1 infection in the presence of pertussis toxin, an inhibitor of G-protein-mediated signaling pathways (P. M. Murphy 1994, Ann. Rev. Immunol. 12:593-633; Bischoff et al., 1993, Eur. J. Immunol. 23:761-767; and Simon et al., 1991, Science 252:802-807). CxC CKR4, a CxC (.alpha.) chemokine receptor, has been shown to be a coreceptor involved in infection by laboratory-adapted HIV-1 strains (Fong et al., 1996, Science 272:872-877). The .alpha. chemokine SDF-1, the ligand for this receptor, has been demonstrated to block infection by T-tropic HIV-1 isolates. CxC CKR4 does not bind the beta chemokines RANTES, MIP-1.alpha., or MIP-1.beta..
Recently, it has been shown that certain primary, syncytium-inducing/T-tropic isolates use both CC CKR5 and CxC CKR4 as coreceptors and are able to switch between the two. Thus, in the presence of RANTES, MIP-1.alpha. and MIP-1.beta., the chemokine ligands for CC CKR5, T-tropic strains are still able to infect cells via the CxC CKR4 coreceptor (Zhang et al., 1996, Nature 383:768).
HIV infection is pandemic and HIV-associated diseases represent a major world health problem. Although considerable effort is being put into the design of effective therapeutics, currently no curative anti-retroviral drugs against AIDS exist. In attempts to develop such drugs, several stages of the HIV life cycle have been considered aLs targets for therapeutic intervention (Mitsuya et al., 1991, FASEB J. 5:2369-2381). Many viral targets for intervention with the HIV life cycle have been suggested, as the prevailing view is that interference with a host cell protein would have deleterious side effects. For example, virally encoded reverse transcriptase has been one focus of drug development. A number of reverse-transcriptase-targeted drugs, including 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside analogs such as AZT, ddI, ddc, and d4T have been developed which have been shown to been active against HIV (Mitsuya et al., 1991, Science 249:1533-1544).
The new treatment regimens for HIV-1 show that a combination of anti-HIV compounds, which target reverse transcriptase (RT), such as azidothymidine (AZT), lamivudine (3TC), dideoxyinosine (ddi), dideoxycytidine (ddc) used in combination with an HIV-1 protease inhibitor have a far greater effect (2 to 3 logs reduction) on viral load compared to AZT alone (about 1 log reduction). For example, impressive results have recently been obtained with a combination of AZT, ddI, 3TC and ritonavir (Perelson et al., 1996, Science 15:1582-1586). However, it is likely that long-term use of combinations of these chemicals will lead to toxicity, especially to the bone marrow. Long-term cytotoxic therapy may also lead to suppression of CD8.sup.+ T cells, which are essential to the control of HIV, via killer cell activity (Blazevic et al., 1995, AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 11:1335-1342) and by the release of factors which inhibit HIV infection or replication, notably the chemokines Rantes, MIP-1.alpha. and MIP-1.beta. (Cocchi et al., 1995, Science 270:1811-1815). Another major concern in long-term chemical anti-retroviral therapy is the development of HIV mutations with partial or complete resistance (Lange, J. M., 1995, AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 10:S77-82). It is thought that such mutations may be an inevitable consequence of anti-viral therapy. The pattern of disappearance of wild-type virus and appearance of mutant virus due to treatment, combined with coincidental decline in CD4.sup.+ T cell numbers strongly suggests that, at least with some compounds, the appearance of viral mutants is a major underlying factor in the failure of AIDS therapy.
Attempts are also being made to develop drugs which can inhibit viral entry into the cell, the earliest stage of HIV infection, by focusing on CD4, the cell surface receptor for HIV. Recombinant soluble CD4, for example, has been shown to inhibit infection of CD4.sup.+ T cells by some HIV-1 strains (Smith et al., 1987, Science 238:1704-1707). Certain primary HIV-1 isolates, however, are relatively less sensitive to inhibition by recombinant CD4 (Daar et al., 1990, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6574-6579). In addition, recombinant soluble CD4 clinical trials have produced inconclusive results (Schooley et al., 1990, Ann. Int. Med. 112:247-253; Kahn et al., 1990, Ann. Int. Med. 112:254-261; Yarchoan et al., 1989, Proc. Vth Int. Conf. on AIDS, p. 564, MCP 137).
The late stages of HIV replication, which involve crucial virus-specific processing of certain viral encoded proteins, have also been suggested as possible anti-HIV drug targets. Late stage processing is dependent on the activity of a viral protease, and drugs are being developed which inhibit this protease (Erickson, J., 1990, Science 249:527-533). The clinical outcome of these candidate drugs is still in question.
Attention is also being given to the development of vaccines for the treatment of HIV infection. The HIV-1 envelope proteins (gp160, gp1120, gp41) have been shown to be the major antigens for anti-HIV antibodies present in AIDS patients (Barin et al., 1985, Science 228:1094-1096). Thus far, therefore, these proteins seem to be the most promising candidates to act as antigens for anti-HIV vaccine development. Several groups have begun to use various portions of gp160, gp120, and/or gp41 as immunogenic targets for the host immune system. See for example, Ivanoff et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,867; Saith et al., WO 92/22654; Shafferman, A., WO 91/09872; Formoso et al., WO 90/07119. To this end, vaccines directed against HIV proteins are problematic in that the virus mutates rapidly rendering many of these vaccines ineffective. Clinical results concerning these candidate vaccines, however, still remain far in the future.
Thus, although a great deal of effort is being directed to the design and testing of anti-retroviral drugs, effective, non-toxic treatments are still needed.
Citation of a reference hereinabove shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is prior art to the present invention.

Chemokines that inhibit immunodeficiency virus infection and methods based thereon

University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute


A signal transmission system and a signal transmission circuit are provided. The system includes a first chip and a second chip. A rising pulse signal (RPS) and a falling pulse signal (FPS) are generated by a transmission module on the first chip in response to a waveform of an input signal. The RPS corresponds to rising edges of the input signal, the FPS corresponds to falling edges of the input signal, and the RPS and the FPS are transmitted by a first transmission unit and a second transmission unit both located on a surface of the first chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic circuit; more particularly, the invention relates to a signal transmission system and a signal transmission circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
With the miniaturization of electronic products and the reduction of relevant costs, IC chip miniaturization and three-dimensional stack packaging have become an important trend in the development of semiconductor technologies. In the existing three-dimensional ICs, signal transmission technologies (e.g., non-contact capacitive-coupling and inductive-coupling signal transmissions) have been more and more common.
Specifically, capacitive-coupling and inductive-coupling transmissions are achieved by way of alternating current (AC) coupled interconnection (ACCI), i.e., connection of direct current (DC) electrical components is not required in case of high-frequency transmission, and the signal transmission can be completed simply by a favorable communication link. The capacitive-coupling interconnection is a wireless inter-chip communication technology, whereby signals are transmitted from one chip to a neighboring chip. Moreover, the circuit design of the capacitive-coupling chip is rather simple and merely requires a small coupling area, and therefore the capacitive-coupling technology is suitable for integrating a plurality of chips.
However, as to ACCI, the circuit design of package plays a crucial role, and the circuits and the transmission method are related to the recovery accuracy of the transmitted signals. Thus, researchers skilled in the pertinent art are devoted to the study as how to ensure the I/O signal integrity during transmission and reception.

Signal transmission system and signal transmission circuit


A nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery includes an electrode body that contains a positive electrode and a negative electrode. An upper limit operating potential of the positive electrode is 4.5 V or more based on metallic lithium. The positive electrode includes a current collector and an active material layer formed on the current collector. The current collector includes a base material and a surface layer disposed on a surface of the base material. The surface layer is disposed at least in a region where the active material layer is not formed on the surface of the base material. The surface layer is formed of an aluminum material having an aluminum content of 99.85% by mass or more. The base material is formed of a conductive material having strength larger than strength of the surface layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery, a current collector and a vehicle. In more detail, the invention relates to a nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery applicable to an on-vehicle power source, and a current collector that can be used in the secondary battery.
2. Description of Related Art
A secondary battery is used as an on-vehicle power source that uses electricity as a driving source, or as a power source that is mounted on personal computers, portable terminals and other electric products. In particular, a lithium secondary battery and other nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary batteries, which have light weight and can obtain high energy density, are preferable as an on-vehicle high output power source for electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. In such a nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery, a positive electrode includes a current collector and an active material layer, and as the current collector, typically Aluminum (Al) or an Al alloy is used. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-021205 (JP 2012-021205 A), with an object of combining the mechanical characteristics and low electric resistance performance, a current collector made of an Al foil in which Al content is 98% by mass or more and Fe and Cu are contained at specified ratios is proposed. In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-136736 (JP 2012-136736 A), a technique where in order to provide a current collector that is excellent in the tensile strength, Al plating is applied on a surface of a metal foil such as a Ni foil is proposed. In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-324143 (JP 2006-324143 A), a positive electrode terminal that is electrically connected to a positive electrode is disclosed. According to the positive electrode terminal, a part that is placed inside a battery is formed of high purity Al and other part is formed of a material having strength higher than that of the high purity Al, and it is intended to lengthen a life of the battery and to improve vibration resistance thereof thereby.
Incidentally, the nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery described above is required to further improve performance such as high energy density. As one measure for realizing the high energy density, a use of a positive electrode active material that shows a higher operating potential is under study. However, in a nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery that uses a positive electrode active material that shows an operating potential higher than 4.5 V based on metallic lithium (hereinafter, a potential based on metallic lithium is represented as "vs. Li/Li+" in some cases), when charge/discharge is repeated at a high potential, a battery capacity tends to largely decrease compared with a secondary battery of related art. It was clarified from a study of the present inventors that a degree of the decreasing tendency can vary depending on a positive electrode current collector. For example, in the secondary battery of concerned technology such as mentioned above, characteristics demanded on the current collector were mainly to combine conductivity and strength. According to the secondary battery of the related art described above, on a surface of Al or an Al alloy that mainly forms a current collector material, a coat of Al2O3 or AlF3 is formed. Since the coat is stable for a nonaqueous electrolytic solution, specified corrosion resistance is exerted. From this, in a use aspect that is assumed in a secondary battery that operates at a potential of the related art (typically, 4.2 V (vs. Li/Li+)), it was not considered that Al is eluted from the current collector and the battery capacity is decreased. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-021205 (JP 2012-021205 A) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-136736 (JP 2012-136736 A), the related arts are disclosed.
However, in a nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery that uses a positive electrode active material showing an operating potential higher than 4.5 V (vs. Li/Li+), depending on a use aspect, in spite of existence of the coat on a surface of the Al current collector, Al is eluted from the current collector, the eluted Al precipitates on the negative electrode and battery resistance increases, and the battery capacity may be decreased thereby.

Nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery, current collector and vehicle


A coupling/uncoupling device is disclosed for joining and disjoining first and second segments of a transmission and/or connection means. An end fitting of the device is arranged on the first segment. The end fitting creates a snap connection with a receiver part arranged on the second segment. The device may be adapted for use in vehicles, such as for a vehicle seat, a tailgate, an engine cover, a storage compartment, a battery pole connection, or for securing transported or loaded items.

The invention relates to a coupling/uncoupling device for a transmission means and/or connection means, in particular the Bowden cable of a vehicle seat with a crash-active headrest and a correspondingly equipped motor vehicle seat. The present invention further relates to a method for connecting and disconnecting two segments of a transmission means and/or connection means.
In the still unpublished German patent application DE 10 2006 019 176.5-16, a coupling device for a backrest with a crash-active headrest is disclosed which, in the event of an accident (rear impact), is partially displaced toward the head of the passenger by means of an activation means acted upon by the passenger. For the basic construction and function of such headrests, reference is made to the publication WO 2005/097545 A2. Both patent applications are thus used as references and are thus considered as part of the disclosure of the present invention. The coupling device connects in an unreleasable manner or a reversibly releasable manner a first segment of a transmission means, in particular a Bowden cable, to a second segment of this transmission means and after the coupling causes tension to be transmitted from the actuating means arranged in the lower backrest part to the drive device located in the headrest. The German utility models G 84 25 960.4 and DE 20 2004 019 232 as well as the unexamined German applications DE 10 2005 009 930 and DE 100 54 826 are further prior art known to the applicant. All coupling devices disclosed in the prior art are either of relatively complicated construction and/or the coupling of the two segments is unsuitable for a crash-active headrest.
It was, therefore, the object of the invention to provide a coupling/uncoupling device, which does not have the drawbacks of the prior art.

Coupling/uncoupling device for a transmission means in particular on a vehicle seat with a crash-active headrest and vehicle seat


One embodiment of the present invention is a device for attaching a polygonal baluster end to a handrail or base. This device includes a connector which is generally cylindrical. This connector also defines an internal axial channel having a polygonal cross-section. The axial channel is adapted to receive the polygonal baluster end.

The present invention generally relates to the attachment of balusters, and more particularly to the attaching of metal balusters to wood bases and handrails.
Historically metal balusters have been attached to metal handrails. When a wood handrail is desired, it is still attached to a sub-rail of metal which is subsequently attached to the metal balusters. Also, metal balusters have historically been attached to a metal base rail that is attached directly to the floor or stair, or is located several inches above the floor level and is attached at 5 to 6 foot intervals to a newel post. When metal balusters are attached directly to a floor or stair, the common method is to use a flanged base plate.
More recently, a new method of attachment has evolved. Metal balusters are glued or otherwise fastened directly to a wood handrail and base, omitting the sub-rail and base rail. This allows the components to be assembled by an installer at the job site, instead of in a metal fabricators shop. This saves significant time and money. This also puts important control of the installation schedule in the hands of the building contractor.
However, identification of simple, cost effective methods of connecting these components has provided significant challenges to the construction industry.
When portions of a baluster which contact the base and handrail are generally round, it is simple for the installer to drill a similarly sized round hole for the insertion of the baluster. However, many balusters have end cross-sections which are not round. Frequently, these balusters have generally square cross-sections.
The two most common techniques for dealing with this situation have been to chisel a square hole in the base or handrail, or to drill a round hole large enough to accept the square baluster and cover the resulting gaps with an escutcheon. Both of these methods present significant drawbacks.
The process of chiseling square holes in the wood base and handrail is both time consuming and requires significant skill to create a smooth, tight-fitting, aligned opening. In spite of these difficulties, consumer preference and certain railing styles often require installation of balusters without the use of escutcheons.
Even in those cases where the use of escutcheons is desirable, the escutcheons presently available are generally manufactured by sand casting or metal stamping. These processes have significant disadvantages. Sand castings require significant clean up before use to provide both dimensional requirements and physical appearance, while metal stamping is limited in the variations of appearance of the finished product.
In some cases it is necessary or preferable to attach the baluster to the base or handrail without drilling a hole large enough to receive the baluster into the base or handrail. Unfortunately, connection hardware presently available utilizes exposed mechanical fasteners in a flanged escutcheon which diminishes the final appearance of the railing assembly.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a device and method to attach balusters to bases and handrails which did not require chiseling or escutcheons. In addition, if escutcheons are desirable, then the escutcheons would be inexpensive, with controlled dimensions, and improved finished appearance. Finally, if large holes are not desirable in the base or handrail, then escutcheons that utilize mechanical fasteners having a substantially concealed fastening method.
One embodiment of the present invention is a device for attaching a polygonal baluster end to a handrail or base. This connector is generally cylindrical and defines an internal axial channel having a polygonal cross-section. The axial channel is adapted to receive said polygonal baluster end. Additionally, the connector is adapted to be inserted into a generally circular opening in a handrail or base. In a further embodiment, the internal axial channel has a polygonal cross-section which is substantially square. This connector can be made of wood, metal, plastic or other suitable material. If desired, the connector""s external diameter can be tapered to facilitated insertion into the generally circular opening of the handrail or base.
The present invention also envisions a railing kit which includes a baluster having at least one end with a polygonal cross-section and a connector which is generally cylindrical. This connector defines an internal axial channel having a polygonal cross-section generally the same as that of the baluster end. This channel receives the baluster end. In addition, this kit includes a handrail adapted to receive the connector.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for connecting a baluster to a base or handrail which includes the following steps. Providing a baluster having at least one end with a polygonal cross-section. Providing a connector which is generally cylindrical, where the connector defines an internal axial channel having a polygonal cross-section generally the same as that of the baluster end. Providing a suitable base or handrail with a generally circular opening with a diameter substantially that of the connector. Inserting the connector substantially into this opening, and inserting the baluster end into the internal axial channel.
An additional embodiment is a method of manufacturing a baluster escutcheon which includes the following steps. Selecting a baluster having at least one end with a polygonal cross-section. Extruding metal into an extrusion which defines an internal axial channel having substantially the same cross-sectional profile of the baluster end, and severing the extrusion at a pre-selected axial length to form a extruded part.
One may also perform the step of forming at least one substantially cylindrical axial passage placed generally about the periphery of the severed extruded part. This passage is adapted to receive a fastener.
A further embodiment is a device for attaching a baluster end to a handrail or base that includes a connector having a bottom edge, where the connector defines an internal axial channel having a polygonal cross-section which is adapted to receive a baluster end. Also included are at least one stud contacting the connector""s bottom edge to facilitate the attachment of the connector to a handrail or base.
The present invention also includes a device for attaching a baluster end to a handrail or base that comprises a connector having top and bottom ends. This connector defines a first axial recess in the connector""s top end which is adapted to receive a baluster end. The connector further defines a generally cylindrical axial orifice passing from the recess to the connector""s bottom end which is adapted to receive a fastener.
An additional embodiment includes a connector that also defines a second recess in the connector""s bottom end. The generally cylindrical axial orifice then passes from the first top end recess to the second bottom end recess and is adapted to receive a fastener.

Device and method for attaching balusters