There is provided a foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition which can remarkably improve an expansion ratio. There is used a foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition comprising 100 parts by weight of (A) a poly(vinyl chloride) resin, 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of (B) a processing aid, and 0.5 to 15 parts by weight of water and 0 to 20 parts by weight of a thermal decomposition foaming agent as a foaming agent (C), wherein the processing aid is obtained by adding and polymerizing 0 to 50 parts of a monomer mixture (b) comprising 0 to 50% by weight of methyl methacrylate, 50 to 100% by weight of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate, and 0 to 20% by weight of a vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith, in the presence of a latex of a (co)polymer obtained by emulsion polymerizing 50 to 100 parts by weight of a monomer mixture (a) comprising 50 to 100% by weight of methyl methacrylate, 0 to 50% by weight of a monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate, and 0 to 20% of a vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith in an amount that a total amount of (a) and (b) is 100 parts by weight.

The present invention relates to a foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition. Particularly, it relates to a foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition which is excellent in processability and can provide a foamed article having a high expansion ratio.
Because a vinyl chloride resin provides articles which are excellent in physical properties such as impact resistance and heat resistance, and chemical properties such as solvent resistance, acid resistance and alkali resistance, it is widely used in construction materials and other various fields. Recently, a foaming method is paid attention to as a means for reducing weight of a vinyl chloride resin and lowering molding costs, and the market requires strong demand for foamed articles of a vinyl chloride resin having a high expansion ratio.
In the foaming of the vinyl chloride resin, there is generally known a method in a combination use of a processing aid mainly comprising methyl methacrylate and a foaming agent.
If a foaming agent comprising an easily volatile organic solvent such as an aliphatic hydrocarbon and an aliphatic hydrocarbon halide are used as the foaming agent, it is known that foaming in a high expansion is possible.
For example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 10540/1985 and No. 40986/1983 disclose that foamed articles having a high expansion ratio of tens times can be obtained by impregnating organic solvents with a boiling point of at most 90xc2x0 C., such as butane and dichloro fluoromethane, into a vinyl chloride resin, or by directly feeding into an extruder during an extrusion process.
However, the foaming agent of the organic solvent is more disadvantageous than a substance generating water or steam by heating from the viewpoint of cost, since it requires an equipment for impregnation, explosion proof, and the like in a foaming process.
On the other hand, if thermal decomposition foaming agents such as a thermal decomposition organic foaming agent and a thermal decomposition inorganic foaming agent are used as a foaming agent, it is difficult to increase an expansion ratio to about 3 to 4 times at least, to uniform the molding surface and keep the foamed cell uniform and fine.
For example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 9540/1988 discloses a foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition which is obtained by adding a methacrylate resin (poly(methyl methacrylate) having polymerization degree of 2,000 to 30,000 and a weight average molecular weight of 200,000 to 3,000,000), a thermal decomposition organic foaming agent such as azodicarbonamide, a thermal decomposition inorganic foaming agent such as sodium bicarbonate, and filler such as calcium carbonate into a vinyl chloride resin having an average polymerization degree of 500 to 800. If the foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition is used for forming, foamed articles can be obtained, which have uniform and fine foamed cells and are excellent in surface smoothness and surface hardness. But the expansion ratio thereof is about 3 to 4 times.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9813/1994 discloses a foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition, which is obtained by adding a methacrylate resin and a bicarbonate salt having at most 10 xcexcm size as a thermal decomposition foaming agent to a vinyl chloride resin. If the foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition is used for molding, foamed articles can be obtained, which have uniform and fine foamed cells, and are excellent in thermal stability and weatherability, but there is no description of an expansion ratio.
And Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 151269/(1997) discloses a foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition, which is obtained by mixing a poly(methyl methacrylate) resin having a weight average molecular weight of 4,500,000 to 7,000,000 and a thermal decomposition foaming agent into a vinyl chloride resin. If the foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition is used for molding, it is described that foamed articles can be obtained which have uniform foamed cells and cause no resin decomposition. But the expansion ratio thereof is about 2 to 3 times.
Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 278336/(1995) discloses that a foamed article having a high expansion ratio is obtained by adding water to a thermoplastic elastomer and foaming. As the thermoplastic elastomer, there is used a resin which is obtained by copolymerizing poly(vinyl chloride) with a rubber component such as NBR, and a general vinyl chloride resin is not used.
In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 194620/1997 discloses a foamed article which is obtained by irradiating micro wave to the thermoplastic resin composition obtained by adding a substance containing water to thermoplastic resin. But the expansion ratio thereof is about 2 to 5 times.
The object of the present invention is to provide a foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition which can greatly improve an expansion ratio without using any foaming agent of an organic solvent, but by using a substance generating water or steam by heating, or by using a thermal decomposition foaming agent in a combination use of the substance in the foaming process.
Investigation is carried out in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is discovered that an expansion ratio can be remarkably improved by using a vinyl chloride resin in a combination use of the particular (meth)acrylate copolymer and water, or water and a thermal decomposition foaming agent, compared with the conventional composition to complete the present invention.
Namely, the present invention relates to
a foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition comprising 100 parts by weight of (A) a poly(vinyl chloride) resin, 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of (B)a processing aid, and 0.5 to 15 parts by weight of water and 0 to 20 parts by weight of a thermal decomposition foaming agent as a foaming agent (C),
wherein the processing aid is obtained by adding and polymerizing 0 to 50 parts by weight of a monomer mixture (b) comprising 0 to 50% by weight of methyl methacrylate, 50 to 100% by weight of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate, and 0 to 20% by weight of a vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith,
in the presence of a latex of a (co)polymer obtained by emulsion polymerizing 50 to 100 parts by weight of a monomer mixture (a) comprising 50 to 100% by weight of methyl methacrylate, 0 to 50% by weight of a monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate, and 0 to 20% by weight of a vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith in an amount that a total amount of (a) and (b) is 100 parts by weight.
In the foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition, the water is preferably steam generated by heating 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of a substance.
In the foamable poly(vinyl chloride) resin composition, the processing aid (B) is preferably a (meth)acrylate copolymer which is obtained by adding and polymerizing 0 to 50 parts by weight of a monomer mixture (b) comprising 0 to 50% by weight of methyl methacrylate, 50 to 100% by weight of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate, and 0 to 20% by weight of a vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith and wherein specific viscosity at 30xc2x0 C. of the solution containing 0.1 g of the polymer mixture in 100 mL of chloroform is at least 0.5, in the presence of a latex of a (co)polymer which is obtained by emulsion polymerizing 50 to 100 parts by weight of a monomer mixture (a) comprising 50 to 100% by weight of methyl methacrylate, 0 to 50% by weight of a monomer selected from a group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate, and 0 to 20% of a vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith in an amount that a total amount of (a) and (b) is 100 parts by weight and wherein specific viscosity at 30xc2x0 C. of the solution containing 0.1 g of the polymer mixture in 100 mL of chloroform is at least 0.7.
The present invention comprises a (co)polymer obtained by emulsion polymerizing a monomer mixture (a) containing a major amount of methyl methacrylate as a component at the first step, and then a (co)polymer obtained by adding and polymerizing a monomer mixture (b) containing a major amount of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate (hereinafter also referred to as xe2x80x9cpolymer at the second stepxe2x80x9d). Particularly, the present invention is characterized in that a polymer mixture obtained by two step polymerization is used as a processing aid of a vinyl chloride resin, in which specific viscosity at 30xc2x0 C. of a solution consisting 0.1 g of a (co)polymer containing a major amount of methyl methacrylate (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cpolymer at the first step) in 100 mL of chloroform is at least 0.7, and specific viscosity at 30xc2x0 C. of a solution containing 0.1 g of a polymer at the second step in 100 mL of chloroform is at least 0.5. By using the polymer mixture obtained by two step polymerization as a processing aid of a vinyl chloride resin and using water or water and a thermal decomposition foaming agent as a foaming agent in a combination use thereof, effects of improving an expansion ratio at foaming can be remarkably expressed by adding them in a small amount thereof without loosing excellent physical and chemical properties which a vinyl chloride resin originally has.
There is no particular limitation for the vinyl chloride resin (A) used in the present invention, and there can be used any vinyl chloride resin which has been conventionally used. The vinyl chloride resin is preferably a (copolymer comprising 80 to 100% by weight of a vinyl chloride unit and 0 to 20% by weight of the other monomer unit copolymerizable therewith.
Examples of the other monomer copolymerizable with poly(vinyl chloride) are vinyl acetate, propylene, styrene, acrylate (alkyl acrylate with 1 to 8 carbon atoms of the alkyl group such as methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate and octyl acrylate), and the like. These may be used solely or in a combination use of two or more thereof.
There is no particular limitation for an average polymerization degree of the vinyl chloride resin, but those having about 400 to 800 are generally used.
Examples of the vinyl chloride resin are poly(vinyl chloride), a copolymer comprising at least 80% by weight of a vinyl chloride monomer unit and at most 20% by weight of a monomer unit derived from vinyl acetate, propylene, styrene and acrylate, post-chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride), and the like. These may be used solely or in a combination use of two or more thereof.
The processing aid (B) used in the present invention comprises a two-step polymer mixture obtained by adding and polymerizing a monomer mixture (b) in the presence of a latex of polymer at the first step obtained by emulsion polymerizing a monomer mixture (a). This is a component used for improving foamability without lowering properties of the vinyl chloride resin such as the excellent transparency.
The monomer mixture (a) need contain 50 to 100% by weight of methyl methacrylate, and the amount is preferably 60 and 90% by weight, and more preferably 70 to 85% by weight. The monomer mixture (a) need contain 0 to 50% by weight of a monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate, and the amount is preferably 10 to 40% by weight, and more preferably 15 to 30% by weight. If the amount thereof in the monomer mixture (a) is less than 50% by weight, transparency and foamability become low. If the amount of the monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate is more than 50% by weight, transparency and foamability become low.
The monomer mixture (a) need contain 0 to 20% by weight of a vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith. An upper amount thereof is preferably 10% by weight, and more preferably 5% by weight. If the amount thereof is more than 20% by weight, transparency and foamability become low.
Examples of the methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate in the monomer mixture (a) are alkyl methacrylates with 2 to 8 carbon atoms of an alkyl group such as ethyl methacrylate, propyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate and 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate. Examples of the acrylate are alkyl acrylates with 2 to 8 carbon atoms of an alkyl group such as methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. These methacrylates excluding methyl methacrylate and acrylate may be used solely or in a combination use of two or more thereof.
Examples of the vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith in the monomer mixture (a) are aromatic vinyl compounds such as styrene and xcex1-methyl styrene, and unsaturated nitrile compounds such as acrylonitrile. These may be used solely or in a combination use of two or more thereof.
There is no particular limitation for specific viscosity of the solution measured at 30xc2x0 C., which is obtained by dissolving 0.1 g of (co)polymer (polymer at the first step) obtained by emulsion polymerizing the monomer mixture (a) in 100 mL of chloroform. But it is preferably 0.7 to 1.9, more preferably 0.8 to 1.8, more preferably 0.8 to 1.7, and particularly preferably 0.9 to 1.6. If the specific viscosity is less than 0.7, expansion ratio can not be improved. If it is more than 1.9, foamability and processability tend to become low.
It is necessary to form a (co)polymer comprising the mixture (b) on the outer layer of the polymer at the first step by polymerizing the monomer mixture (b) in the presence of polymer latex at the first step. By forming the a (co)polymer comprising the mixture (b) on the outer layer of the polymer at the first step, gelation is promoted and ungelated substance can be prevented from generating, if the processing aid is added to the vinyl chloride resin. As a result, viscosity and elasticity can be efficiently imparted to the vinyl chloride resin.
The monomer mixture (b) need contain 0 to 50% by weight of methyl methacrylate, preferably 20 to 49% by weight, more preferably 30 to 45% by weight. The monomer mixture (b) need contain 50 to 100% by weight of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate, and acrylate, preferably 51 to 80% by weight, and more preferably 55 to 70% by weight. If the amount of methyl methacrylate in the monomer mixture (b) is more than 50% by weight, satisfactory gelation property is lost, ungelated substance tends to be generated, and foamability becomes low. If the amount of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate, and acrylate is less than 50% by weight, the same thing occurs.
The monomer mixture (b) need contain 0 to 20% by weight of vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith, and the upper limit thereof is preferably 10% by weight, more preferably 5% by weight. If the amount thereof is more than 20% by weight, transparency and foamability become low.
Examples of the methacrylate excluding methyl methacrylate in the monomer mixture (b) are alkyl methacrylates having 2 to 8 carbon atoms of an alkyl group such as ethyl methacrylate, propyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate. Examples of the acrylate are alkyl acrylates having 1 to 8 carbon atoms of an alkyl group such as methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. These methacrylates excluding methyl methacrylate, and acrylate may be used solely or in a combination use of two or more thereof. Among those, butyl acrylate is preferable from the viewpoint that a polymer with a low glass transition temperature can be obtained.
Examples of the vinyl monomer copolymerizable therewith in the monomer mixture (b) are aromatic vinyl compounds such as styrene and xcex1-methylstyrene, and unsaturated nitrile compounds such as acrylonitrile. These may be used solely or in a combination of two or more thereof.
With respect to a ratio of the monomer mixture (a) to the monomer mixture (b) used for preparing the processing aid of the present invention, the monomer mixture (a) need be mixed with 50 to 100 parts by weight thereof, preferably 60 to 95 parts by weight, and more preferably 65 to 90 parts by weight, if two mixtures are mixed in a total amount of 100 parts by weight. On the other hand, the monomer mixture (b) need be mixed in an amount of 0 to 50 parts by weight, preferably 5 to 40 parts by weight, and more preferably 10 to 35 parts by weight.
When the monomer mixture (a), namely, the polymer at the first step is less than about 50 parts by weight, gelation property of a vinyl chloride resin can not be sufficiently improved and sufficient foamability can not be obtained. When the amount of the monomer mixture (b), that is, the (co)polymer obtained from the monomer mixture (b) is more than about 50 parts by weight, gelation property, transparency and foamability are lost in case that the vinyl chloride resin is made from the materials. The (co)polymer obtained from monomer mixture (b) can particularly improve gelation property, processability, and foamability by forming the polymer at the first step on the outer layer thereof. As a result, effects of adding the processing aid of the present invention can be remarkably improved.
The processing aid (B) of the present invention is prepared by the following method.
Firstly, the monomer mixture (a) is emulsion polymerized in the presence of a suitable medium, an emulsifier, a polymerization initiator, a chain transfer agent etc. to obtain the polymer latex at the first step from the monomer mixture (a). As a polymerization method, emulsion polymerization need be used from the viewpoint that it can increase specific viscosity thereof. Then, the monomer mixture (b) is successively added to the polymer latex at the first step to carry out polymerization. By successively polymerizing each mixture in this way, polymer at the first step is formed into an inner layer and the (co)polymer from the monomer mixture (b) is formed into an outer layer to prepare a polymer prepared by two-step polymerization.
The dispersion medium used for the emulsion polymerization is generally water.
As the emulsifier, there may be used the conventional emulsifier. Examples thereof are anionic surfactants such as a fatty acid ester, an alkylsulfate, an alkylbenzensulfonate, an alkylphosphorate and sulfosuccinate diester, and nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene alkyl ether and polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, and the like.
As the polymerization initiator, there may be used water soluble or oil soluble polymerization initiators. For example, there may be solely used inorganic polymerization initiators such as a conventional peroxosulfate, an organic peroxide and an azo compound. But these initiators may be used as a redox system in a combination use of sulfite, thiosulfate, primary metal salt, sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate and the like. Examples of the preferable peroxosulfate are sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate and the like, and examples of the preferable organic peroxide are t-butyl hydroperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide, benzoyl peroxide, lauroyl peroxide ant the like.
There is no particular limitation for the chain transfer agent, but, for example, t-dodecylmercaptan, t-decylmercaptan, n-dodecylmercaptan, n-decylmercaptan, etc. can be used. A specific viscosity can be suitably adjusted by a ratio of the monomer to the polymerization initiator or the kind of the mercaptan.
There is no particular limitation for a temperature or time at the emulsion-polymerization reaction, and these may be suitably adjusted to achieve the predetermined specific viscosity and particle size depending on application purpose.
The monomer mixture (b) need be added after confirming completion of polymerization at the previous step, in order to carry out polymerization at each stop without mixing with the monomer mixture (a) at the previous step.
Polymerization at the following step carried out by adding the monomer mixture (b) is preferably an emulsion polymerization method from the viewpoint that it can increase specific viscosity thereof. There is no particular limitation for an emulsifier, a polymerization initiator and a chain transfer agent used in the following step polymerization. And reaction conditions such as time and a temperature at polymerization reaction may be suitably adjusted depending on application purpose.
The polymer mixture latex obtained by two step polymerization has an average particle size of 100 to 3000 xc3x85, preferably 100 to 2000 xc3x85. And it can be removed according to salting out by adding a conventional electrolyte, coagulation, or spraying in hot air for drying. Cleaning, dehydrating, drying, etc. are carried out by the ordinary method, if necessary.
There is no particular limitation for specific viscosity of the polymer mixture prepared by two step polymerization measured at 30xc2x0 C. by using 0.1 g thereof in 100 ml of chloroform. But it is preferably 0.5 to 1.7, more preferably 0.6 to 1.6, and more preferably 0.7 to 1.5. If the specific viscosity is less than 0.5, an expansion ratio can not be improved. If it is more than 1.7, foamability and processability become low.
The polymer mixture prepared by two step polymerization is usually added to the vinyl chloride resin as a processing aid in the form of white powder having 30 to 300 xcexcm of an average particle size.
The processing aid (B) of the present invention is added to a vinyl chloride resin according to the ordinary method to prepare the foamable vinyl chloride resin composition of the present invention.
An amount of the processing aid is 0.5 to 30 parts by weight based on 100 parts of the vinyl chloride resin, preferably 5 to 25 parts by weight, and more preferably 8 and 25 parts by weight. If the amount thereof is less than 0.5 part by weight, effects of adding the processing aid can not be sufficiently revealed. If it is more than 30 parts by weight, the excellent mechanical properties of the vinyl chloride resin become low.
An amount of water as the forming agent (C) is 0.5 and 15 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the vinyl chloride resin, preferably 1 to 10 parts by weight, and more preferably 2 to 8 parts by weight. If the amount thereof is less than 0.5 part by weight, a foamed article having a sufficient expansion ratio can not be obtained. If it is more than 15 parts by weight, a uniform molded article can not be obtained easily, and shrinkage of the article immediately after extrusion becomes high.
The amount of water added as the foaming agent (C) may be changed depending on an amount of the processing aid (B). For example, if 10 parts by weight of the processing aid are added based on 100 parts by weight of the vinyl chloride resin, 0.5 to 10 parts of water are preferably added. And if 20 parts by weight of the processing aid are added, 2 to 15 parts by weight of water are preferably added.
There is no particular limitation for a method of adding water used as the foaming agent (C) in the present invention to the vinyl chloride resin composition. But water may be gradually added while a vinyl chloride resin, a processing aid, and the other compounding agents other than water are stirred with a mixer, or water may be fed by pressure in an extruder. Or water may be previously impregnated in the (meth)acrylate copolymer as the processing aid, and a water content may be adjusted by gradually drying dehydrated slurry of the (meth)acrylate copolymer after emulsion polymerization.
As the foaming agent, the substance generating steam by heating is preferable from the viewpoint that it can be blended in a dry state in case of blending in a mixer and it is easy to feed it into a hopper of an extruder.
Examples of the substance generating steam by heating used as the foaming agent (C) are an inorganic substance with crystallization water, an inorganic substance generating steam by thermal decomposition, water-absorbing resin and the like. They are preferable from the viewpoint that it is easy to mix them with a mixer and to feed them into a hopper of an extruder, since they are in a dry state at a room temperature.
Examples of the inorganic substance having crystallization water are zeolite, zinc sulfate, alumina white, aluminum sulfate, aluminum silicate, ammonium alum, sodium sulfite, calcium nitrate, gypsum, potassium alum, ammonium tungstate, iron (II) sulfate, iron (II) chloride, sodium ferocyanide, sodium tetraborate, magnesium chloride, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium sulfate, manganese sulfate, sodium hypophosphite, sodium diphosphate, zirconium oxychloride, hydrotarsite and the like.
Examples of the inorganic substance generating steam by thermal decomposition are boric acid, aluminum hydroxide, tin hydroxide and the like.
Examples of the water absorbing resin are poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(sodium acrylate), poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and the like.
The substance generating steam by heating may be used solely or in a combination of two or more thereof. Among those, boric acid, zeolite, tin hydroxide and the like are preferable from the viewpoint of foaming efficiency and cost.
An amount of the substance generating steam by heating is 0.5 to 30 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the vinyl chloride resin, preferably 1 to 25 parts by weight, and more preferably 1 to 20 parts by weight. If the amount thereof is less than 0.5 part by weight, a foamed article having a sufficient expansion ratio can not be obtained. If the amount is more than 30 parts by weight, a uniform foamed article can not easily obtained.
The amount of the substance generating steam by heating may be changed depending on the amount of processing aid. For example, if 10 parts by weight of the processing aid are added to 100 parts by weight of vinyl chloride resin, it is preferable to add 1 to 15 parts by weight of the substance generating steam by heating. If 20 parts of the processing aid are added, it is preferable to add 2 to 20 parts of the substance generating steam by heating.
Examples of the thermal decomposition foaming agent used as a foaming agent (C) in the present invention are thermal decomposition inorganic foaming agent and thermal decomposition organic foaming agent. Examples of the thermal decomposition inorganic forming agent are sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, and the like. Examples of the thermal decomposition organic foaming agent are nitroso compounds such as N,Nxe2x80x2-dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine and N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-N,Nxe2x80x2 dinitrosoterephthalamide, azo compounds such as azo dicarbonamide and azo bisisobutylonitril, sulfonylhydrazide compounds such as benzenesulfonyl hydrazide, toluenesulfonyl hydrazide, and the like. These may be used solely or in a combination use of two or more thereof. Among those, sodium bicarbonate and azo dicarbonamide are preferable from the viewpoint of foaming efficiency and cost.
The thermal decomposition foaming agent is added in an amount of 0 and 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of a vinyl chloride resin, and the upper limit thereof is preferably 15 parts by weight, and more preferably 12 parts by weight. If the amount thereof is more than 20 parts by weight, a uniform foamed article can not easily obtained.
To the foamable vinyl chloride resin composition of the present invention can be solely added the other additives such as a stabilizer, a lubricant, an impact modifier, a plasticizer, a pigment, and filler or in a combination use of two or more thereof, if necessary.
In the preparation method of the foamable vinyl chloride resin composition of the present invention, for example, a vinyl chloride resin, the processing aid, water, the thermal decomposition foaming agent and the other additives may be added with stirring by a mixer, or they may be pressure-fed in an extruder. In addition, after water is previously impregnated in a (meth)acrylate copolymer as the processing aid, it may be mixed with the vinyl chloride resin, the processing aid, the thermal decomposition foaming agent, and the other additives. Or they may be mixed after adjusting the water content by gradually drying the dehydrated cake of the (meth)acrylate copolymer after emulsion polymerization.
There is no particular limitation for molding method of the foamable vinyl chloride resin composition of the present invention, and a generally used molding method such as extrusion method may be applied.

Foamable vinyl chloride-base resin compositions


A circuit system includes an interposer that has a first clock network and first and second integrated circuit dies that are mounted on the interposer. The first integrated circuit die includes a phase detector circuit, an adjustable delay circuit that generates a second clock signal in response to a first clock signal received from the first clock network, and a second clock network that generates a third clock signal in response to the second clock signal. The second integrated circuit die comprises a third clock network that generates a fourth clock signal in response to the first clock signal received from the first clock network. The phase detector circuit controls a delay provided by the adjustable delay circuit to the second clock signal based on a phase comparison between phases of the third and fourth clock signals.

In leading-edge process technologies that are used to manufacture integrated circuits, the parasitic resistance and capacitance in the metal layers do not improve as silicon features shrink (e.g., transistor device scaling). Techniques such as the promotion of one metal layer to multiple metal layers can be used to accommodate routing in smaller process technologies. Clock networks, for example, benefit from ideal metal characteristics. Previous solutions have used top-metal layers that are coarser and that enable better clock distribution characteristics at the cost of routing densities.

Techniques for clock signal transmission in integrated circuits and interposers


A DC voltage converter produces an output voltage (VS) at an output terminal from an energy source. The DC voltage convert includes a selector switch includes a first input coupled to the energy source, a second input coupled to a ground, and an output coupled to a first terminal of an inductor. A second terminal is coupled to the output terminal of the converter and a capacitor is coupled between the output terminal and the ground. A regulator produces a control signal as a function of a result of a comparison of the output voltage with a reference voltage. A control circuit couples the output of the selector switch to the first or second input of the selector switch, as a function of the control signal. The converter may also include a means of inhibition adapted to inhibiting the control circuit when a current flowing in the inductor gets cancelled.

FIG. 1 shows a prior art regulated inductive DC/DC converter producing an output voltage VS from an energy source VBAT and comprising:                a selector switch 10 comprising a first input coupled to the energy source VBAT, a second input coupled to a ground GND, and an output coupled to a first terminal of an inductor L, a second terminal of which is coupled to an output terminal S of the converter to which a load CH and a capacitor C are parallel-coupled,        a regulator 20 to produce a control signal COM as a function of a result of a comparison of an output voltage VS with a reference voltage VREF,        a control circuit 25 to couple the output of the selector switch 10 to the first or second input of the selector switch, as a function of the control signal COM.
The selector switch 10 comprises in practice two switches T1, T2 series-coupled between the first input and the second input of the selector switch, a common point of the switches T1, T2 forming the output of the selector switch.
From the signal COM received from the regulator 20, the control circuit 25 produces two control signals PWM1, PWM2 suited to controlling the switches T1, T2 of the selector switch so as to impose the voltage VBAT on the first terminal of the inductor for a time T0 and impose the voltage GND on the first terminal of the inductor for a time T-T0. The inductor L and the capacitor C thus store energy during the time T0 and restore it during the time T-T0. The current given by the inductor to the load is proportional to the cyclical ratio T0/T. The capacitor C is used to maintain the output voltage VS at a constant level.
For the control of the selector switch, the regulator uses a pulse-width modulation (PWM) which causes the cyclical ratio T0/T to vary. If the output voltage is lower than the reference voltage, the cyclical ratio increases. Inversely, if the output voltage is greater than the reference voltage, the cyclical ratio falls.
A converter of this kind works in a continuous mode of operation when the current flowing in the inductor L is never cancelled out during a period T. This is the case especially when the current given to the load is substantial or when the quantity of energy given to the load is substantial. The converter works in a discontinuous mode of conduction when the current in the inductor gets cancelled out during a part of the period T. This is the case especially when the quantity of energy required by the load is low enough to be transmitted to the load in less than one change-over switching period T.
A converter such as this has high efficiency, of the order of 90 to 98%, especially when the output current given to the load is in a range of about 30% to 70% of a maximum current IM for which the converter has been sized.
However, the efficiency of the converter may fall sharply when the output current diminishes and becomes low or very low when it is of the order of some milliamperes. The efficiency of the converter is thus, for example, of the order of 30% to 40% when the output current is below 30% of the maximum current IM. This is due to the fact that the switching losses in the selector switch become non-negligible relative to the energy given to the load with low output current.

DC/DC converter controlled by pulse width modulation with high efficiency for low output current


The present invention provides a safety cap for sharps which includes a handle which extends away from the sheath holding and covering the sharp.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety devices for sharps such as the needles and blades of medical devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Accidental penetration of the skin from sharp instruments is one of the most common modes of transmission of fatal or debilitating infectious diseases to health care workers. Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV (the AIDS virus) in the health care environment are typically transmitted from needle sticks and result in years of debilitating illness, loss of productivity, workman's compensation payments, medical expenses, and accelerated mortality. Groups of health care workers most susceptible to needle sticks include nurses and laboratory workers, but physicians, dentists, dialysis workers, oral surgeons, medical waste workers, and animal handlers are also exposed. Using a standard cap, recapping a hypodermic needle is an extremely dangerous procedure, entailing a significant risk of needle stick per capping attempt. OSHA requires regular instruction of health care workers in techniques to prevent accidental needle sticks, yet needle sticks, especially those from recapping, remain an important mechanism for transmission of virulent infectious agents to health care workers. Any advances in medical instrument design that would limit or prevent needle sticks would markedly reduce the health risks from infectious diseases for health care workers and would result in considerable savings from lost productivity, medical costs, litigation, and compensation payments. Most importantly, the health and safety of health care workers would be improved.


Methods and Systems are disclosed for allocating a time-frequency resource of a large cell base station either to a selected first user equipment associated with the base station, or to a selected self-backhaul link associated with a small cell within the coverage area of the large cell base station. In embodiments, data is provided representing target allocation proportions of the time-frequency resource, for each of the first user equipment(s) and the one or more backhaul link(s). Allocations are made, for each of a series of time units or intervals, either to a selected first user equipment or backhaul link based on the target data.

Future technologies for mobile communications propose higher bandwidths and spectrum efficiencies to handle increasing demand. The use of so-called small cells is considered an important part of future Long Term Evolution (LTE) and 5G mobile networks. Small cells are low-powered cellular access points that have a smaller range than conventional 'macro cell' base stations. A small cell is likely to have a range of approximately ten metres to a few kilometres. They are small compared to macro cells, partly because they have a shorter range and partly because they will typically handle fewer concurrent calls or sessions.
Large scale ad-hoc deployment of small cells is expected to improve coverage and spectrum reuse. This is especially the case in 5G higher bands due to the limited coverage of cm-wave and mm-wave bands, and the challenging propagation conditions in these bands. The need for high cost optical fibre, or similar wired connectivity for the backhaul links between the small and macro cells may be mitigated by using a radio access network (RAN) for the backhaul links. This so-called in-band self-backhauling allows the formation of cost-efficient and highly dense small cell networks by sharing the available radio spectrum between access and backhaul links.
For downlink transmission, the macro base station forwards data destined for small cell user equipment (UE) to the small cell for its own scheduling decision. Small cells with self-backhauling act as decode-and-forward relays.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Resource allocation in cellular networks


A sheet is produced by (i) producing a sheet by entangling woven or knitted material including a thread composed of a composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity are stuck together in a side-by-side type along the fiber length direction and/or of a core-in-sheath type composite fiber such that two kinds or more of polyethylene terephthalate polymers different in intrinsic viscosity form an eccentric core-in-sheath structure, with a fiber capable of converting into ultra fine fibers composed of two kinds or more of polymeric substances different in solubility in solvent, (ii) developing an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent to thereafter provide elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet, or of providing elastomer having polyurethane as a main component by impregnating and solidifying solvent solution of elastomer having polyurethane as a main component into the sheet to thereafter develop an ultra fine fiber with an average single fiber fineness of 0.001 dtex or more and 0.5 dtex or less by treating the sheet with a solvent, and (iii) rubbing and shrinking the woven or knitted material under the condition of 110° C. or more.

A sheet mainly composed of ultra fine fiber and elastomer has an excellent characteristic not exhibited by natural leather, and has been used for clothing, chair upholstery and automobile interior materials more widely year by year. Recently, a sheet excellent in stretchability has been demanded particularly from the viewpoint of comfortability to wear in clothing use and moldability in material use. Various studies have been made for such demand.
For example, a method for inserting woven or knitted material using polytrimethylene terephthalate fiber into textile for artificial leather as described above is described in Patent Document 1. Although this method utilizes stretchability due to the crystal structure of polytrimethylene terephthalate, the stretchability is low because of high-density nonwoven fabric with single fibers entangled with each other and allowed polyurethane to constrain the woven or knitted material from moving firmly. In addition, the fiber length of an ultra fine fiber for forming the nonwoven fabric is as short as 20 mm or less that repetitive stretching untangles the entanglement to bring deterioration in grade.
Also, a method for inserting woven or knitted material using potential crimping fiber composed of high shrinkage polyester and low shrinkage polyester is described in Patent Document 2. This method imparts stretchability, in which the woven or knitted material composed of potential crimping fiber is heat-treated to develop crimp, and the crimp is integrated with a fiber capable of converting into ultra fine fibers by needle punching. In the woven or knitted material made of the fiber having developed crimp, the crimped fiber is so easily hooked on a needle as to be cut when integrated with a fiber capable of converting into ultra fine fibers. Thus, the woven or knitted material with the cut fiber develops stretchability with difficulty. Polyurethane is provided after developing crimp in the woven or knitted material, and so the form of the sheet itself is fixed and stretchability thereof is developed with difficulty.
In addition, a method for inserting woven or knitted material using polyurethane fiber into nonwoven fabric for artificial leather is described in Patent Document 3. However, it is known that polyurethane is deteriorated with time, and the fabric by the method vanishes in stretchability due to use for many years. As in Patent Document 1, the fiber length of an ultra fine fiber is so short that repetitive stretching untangles the entanglement in the ultra fine fibers themselves to bring deterioration in grade.
That is to say, a method for obtaining a sheet excellent in surface appearances, touch, stretch ratio and stretch-back ratio has not been obtained so far.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-269751
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-336581
Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-91999

Stretchable sheet and method for producing the same


The release by trichomonads of a hydrolase that hydrolyzes a narrowly defined class of substrates at a low pH without interference from hydrolases that are unrelated to trichomoniasis is the basis for a selective diagnostic assay for trichomoniasis that measures hydrolysis of any of these substrates by vaginal fluid at a low pH. Selective assays for trichomoniasis are also obtained by removing particulate matter from a sample of vaginal fluid to extract a fraction devoid of particles greater than a selected size, and where desired, combining the extracted fraction with any of certain specified hydrolase inhibitors, then testing the fraction for enzymatic hydrolase activity. These qualities of trichomoniasis are the basis for a series of diagnostic tests and test devices that produce results that are detectable by visual and other means with a high degree of accuracy.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention resides in the field of hydrolases (i.e., hydrolytic enzymes), and in particular, methods and devices for the detection of hydrolase activity in a sample or specimen and the diagnosis of disease based on the detection of hydrolase activity. A specific area of interest of this invention is the detection of trichomoniasis in female subjects by assaying for the presence of enzymatically active trichomonal hydrolases in a vaginal fluid specimen.
All literature cited in this specification, including patents, technical articles and books, are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Trichomoniasis is a clinically important Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) caused by the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis. In 1955, the World Heath Organization estimated approximately 170 million new cases of trichomoniasis would arise annually among adults worldwide, with higher prevalence and incidence rates in both developing and industrialized countries than for any other sexually transmitted disease. Trichomoniasis is frequently undetected because most infected men and approximately 50% of infected women are asymptomatic. Trichomoniasis in women may cause discomfort or a foul smelling vaginal discharge, and can be associated with adverse clinical sequelae. Trichomoniasis can increase the risk the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and infection (Laga et al., AIDS 7(1):95-102 (1993) and WHO Press Release WHO/64 (1995)).
Trichomonads produce specific hydrolases called proteinases that hydrolyze proteins including, but not limited to, IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies (Provenzano and Alderete, Infect. Immun. 63(9):3388-3395 (1995)). These proteinases also damage secretory leukocyte hydrolase inhibitor (SLPI), a protective factor normally present in vaginal fluid that inhibits HIV viral entry into human monocytic cells (Draper et al., J. Infect. Dis. 178(3):815-819 (1998)). Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) is also thought to play a role in promoting cervical cancer (Yap et al., Genitourin. Med. 71(6):402-404 (1995)). Pregnant women infected with T. vaginalis at mid-gestation are more likely to have a low birth weight infant or to deliver preterm (Cotch et al., Sex. Transm. Dis. 24:353-360 (1997)).
The most common method for diagnosing trichomoniasis is wet mount microscopy, a microscopic examination of vaginal fluid specimens for T vaginalis. This is a labor-intensive method which requires a microscope and a skilled technician, and fails to detect approximately half of the infected women (Baron et al., Laboratory Diagnosis of Female Genital Tract Infections, Cumitech 17A, American Society for Microbiology (1993)). Trichomoniasis can be diagnosed with high sensitivity by culturing vaginal fluid specimens, but this method requires culture media and long-term growth in a controlled-temperature incubator, in addition to the use of a microscope and a skilled technician. Due to the labor involved, the expense of culture media and supplies, the training required, and the delay of up to a week to detect trichomonal growth, few clinics or laboratories routinely use culture to diagnose trichomoniasis.
A diagnostic test based on DNA amplification and detection has recently been developed by Lawing et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 38(10):3585-3588 (2000). This test is sensitive but, like culture, not rapid enough to produce the results during the patient's visit to the clinic. Due to the cost of the DNA-based test kits and the training and laboratory equipment required to perform these tests, this methodology is not widely used in clinics or in medical practice in general, particularly in the parts of the world where the need for a trichomoniasis test is greatest.
Thus, to date there is no rapid, accurate, cost-effective and simple method or test device for point-of-care diagnosis of trichomoniasis. Numerous studies have demonstrated that T. vaginalis produces a variety of hydrolases; see for example Garber et al., Can. J Microbiol 35:903-909 (1989). Two studies have demonstrated that vaginal fluid specimens from women with trichomoniasis contain detectable levels of hydrolases that disappear after infected women are treated and cured of the infection (Alderete et al., Genitourin. Med. 67(6):469 (1991), and Garber and Lemchuck-Favel, Parasitol. Res. 80(5):361-365 (1994)) Unfortunately, the laboratory-based hydrolase detection methods used in the studies reported by these authors required equipment, skill and training and were labor-intensive and slow, so that the results were obtained only after several hours. For example, the method used by Aldrete et al. for detecting trichomonal hydrolases involved a four-step process to produce gelatin-acrylamide zymograms: first, trichomonal hydrolases were electrophoretically concentrated into discrete bands in a sheet of polyacrylamide gel; second, the hydrolases were allowed to digest gelatin which had been immobilized within the polyacrylamide gel; third, the gel was stained with a general protein stain; and fourth, the gel was destained in a lengthy washing process which eventually revealed the hydrolase-digested gelatin which appeared as clear bands on the darkly stained background gel (the zymogram). Trichomonal hydrolases were detected in the Garber et al. study by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by immunoblotting, a similarly complex procedure that involved the use of rabbit antibodies to visualize a specific hydrolase band. Both methods require a high level of expertise and costly equipment and take many hours to complete, and are therefore unsuitable for point-of-care testing.
The zymogram procedure described above can also be performed by using synthetic fluorogenic substrates to detect the trichomonal hydrolases once the hydrolases have been separated by gel electrophoresis. These substrates typically contain one or more amino acids linked to a fluorogenic reporter group that becomes fluorescent only after it is enzymatically cleaved from the peptide group by a hydrolase. Unfortunately, this procedure still entails the unwieldy polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis step prior to testing for hydrolase activity with the fluorogenic substrates. Moreover, hydrolysis of the substrate can be observed only by examining the electrophoretic gels for bands that fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Both the gelatin-digestion method and the fluorogenic substrate method were utilized in a study of intracellular and secreted T. vaginalis hydrolases reported by North et al., Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 39:183 (1990). Several fluorogenic substrates were identified which could be used to detect trichomonal hydrolases. Unfortunately, the methods used in this study are impractical for a point-of-care clinical diagnostic test, since gel electrophoresis is slow and cumbersome and observation of fluorescence requires instrumentation or a darkroom and ultraviolet illuminator. The difficulty is that vaginal fluid contains many different hydrolases secreted by a variety of sources, including bacteria, which are present at extremely high levels, white blood cells, vaginal epithelial cells, and others. Each method relies on electrophoretic separation to achieve selective detection of the trichomonal hydrolases. Without electrophoretic separation, it could not be determined if the hydrolytically active bands were derived from trichomonads or from some other source of hydrolytic activity in a vaginal fluid specimen.
A trichomoniasis test is therefore needed that can be performed by attending clinicians quickly, simply, inexpensively and accurately while the patient is still present. It would be particularly beneficial to be able to perform the test with a disposable device that is inexpensive and easy to use and one that rapidly produces accurate results.

Assays for trichomonal and other hydrolases


A remote control system includes a display device providing a graphic user interface and a touch screen for inputting a control command. A macro editing is realized through the graphic user interface and the touch screen and steps provided for the macro are arranged in rows and columns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control system and an information process system, and more particularly, to a remote control system and an information process system, which can easily edit macro so that a variety of functions can be consecutively realized in a remote control system remotely controlling a plurality of electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, there are two types of remote control systems are well known. One is a self-update type remote control system that is designed to control a variety of electric devices by receiving and storing infrared signals. The other one is a pre-memory type remote control system that is designed to store key codes of electronic devices and manufacturer thereof so that a user identifies and selects a manufacturer and a model name to remotely control the devices.
In recent years, a remote control system has been designed to have an LCD screen formed of a touch panel and a plurality of hard buttons and to transmit infrared and RF signal, providing a graphic user interface (GUI) through the LCD screen.
That is, the user can control the electronic devices using the GUI displayed on the touch panel and can edit the GUI according to his/her liking.
In addition, it is possible to emulate through a computer and to edit and program the constitution and operation state of the remote control system on the computer.
As such a remote control system, "Pronto" of Phillips Company is widely known.
This remote control system is designed to edit macro that is a stream representing commands of specific steps.
That is, when the user generates the macro by inputting steps and inputs specific buttons relating to the macro, the remote control system operates the steps in regular sequence.
For example, when the user pushes a macro-setting button, the remote control system transmits infrared or RF signal so that a series of steps (i.e., TV ON, speaker ON, volume 30 (adjust of volume to a level 30), channel 18 (change the TV channel to the No. 18 channel) can be processed.
Accordingly, by push the key one time, a variety of operations can be realized.
Such a macro function can be edited by GUI of the remote control system and stored in the same. The edited macro may be uploaded to the computer. Alternatively, the macro function can be edited through a computer and then downloaded to the remote control system.
The edited macro function is stored in the memory so as to operate the edited functions when the user pushes the button relating to the macro function.
However, such a prior remote control system cannot provide easy macro editing function to the user.
For example; the prior GUI used for the macro editing vertically arranges the steps of the macro so that user can edit the desire functions. There are 255 steps the user can edit.
That is, as shown FIG. 1, the functions the user wants are vertically arranged in time sequence.
However, since the screen size that can display the edited state is limited, when the macro is edited to be complicated, it is very difficult for the user to identify if the macro is correctly edited.

Remote control system and information process system


A semiconductor device comprises a conductor film and a capacitor comprising a lower electrode provided on the conductor film. The conductor film includes a first conductive film containing a first metal, a second conductive film containing a second metal on the first conductive film, and an oxide film of the second metal on the second conductive film. The oxide film of the second metal has a lower electric resistivity than an oxide film of the first metal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memories) has been used as semiconductor storage devices. The DRAM includes a plurality of memory cells each of which is formed of a transistor and a capacitor. The capacitor includes a capacitive insulating film between a lower electrode and an upper electrode. Charge is held in the capacitive insulating film to store information.
FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 in JP2011-204751A disclose forming an aluminum oxide film and a zirconium oxide film by an ALD method respectively. The ALD method forms one molecular layer of an aluminum oxide film or a zirconium oxide film by carrying out a cycle including supplying material gas, purging the material gas, supplying O3 gas, and purging the O3 gas. Then, the cycle is repeated a plurality of times to form an aluminum oxide film and a zirconium oxide film with respective desired film thicknesses.
JP2000-31404A discloses that a metal oxide film such as an IrO2 film, an ITO film, an RHO2 film, an RuO2 film, or an MoO3 film is used as a part of the lower electrode (Paragraph [0013]).
In the DRAM, the connection between the lower electrode of the capacitor and a capacitive contact plug positioned under the lower electrode is established via a pad in order to ensure a pitch aligning margin (hereinafter occasionally referred to as a "contact pad"). The pad needs to have reduced resistance, and thus a metal layer, particularly tungsten, is used as a common pad material. Furthermore, as a method for forming the lower electrode, there is used the ALD method, which is excellent in step coverage and which can deal with miniaturization. When a metal oxide film is formed as the lower electrode by the ALD method, as described in JP2000-31404A, O3 gas, which has high oxidizability, is used to oxidize a metal material. However, the O3 gas oxidizes the pad formed of tungsten or the like to increase the electric resistivity thereof, thereby inhibiting the electric continuity between the lower electrode and the pad.

Semiconductor device manufacturing method


A converter apparatus and method for operating the converter apparatus are provided for producing a plurality of output voltages or a plurality of output voltage potentials at corresponding outputs. The converter apparatus includes a plurality of setting units, which are each associated with one of a plurality of input voltage sources, Each of the setting units is configured to vary an input voltage which is produced by the associated input voltage source, and to provide an intermediate voltage. The converter apparatus also includes a plurality of selection elements to which intermediate voltage potentials are each applied. The intermediate voltage potentials are defined by the intermediate voltages. Each selection element is configured to select one of the intermediate voltage potentials for outputting as the respective output voltage potential.

A wide range of forms of voltage converters, such as inverters for producing one or more AC or phase voltages, are known. Examples of inverter topologies are ANPC (active neutral point clamped), NPC (neutral point clamped) or MPC, cascaded H-bridges and the like, which each have specific characteristics. In many topologies of inverters, a switching unit exists in which high voltages are switched in the range of the voltage shift to be provided in the output voltage, at a high frequency, in order to produce the desired voltage waveforms at the outputs of the inverter. This requires corresponding design of the power components used, as a result of which the conventional topologies of inverters are complex to implement.
Furthermore, some of the conventional inverters have intermediate circuit capacitors in order to produce intermediate point voltages, by means of which a plurality of voltage levels can be produced for operation of the inverter. These capacitors are in general susceptible to ageing, thus limiting the life of such inverters.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,624 discloses a conventional converter apparatus which has two selection elements. Only a single intermediate voltage potential is applied to each of these two selection elements, and each selection element can then select only this one intermediate voltage potential for outputting as the respective output voltage potential.

Converter device and method for controlling a converter device


A laminated electronic component includes a first magnetic material portion, a low-magnetic-permeability portion laminated on the first magnetic material portion, a second magnetic material portion laminated on the low-magnetic-permeability portion, at least one annular or spiral coil disposed within the low-magnetic-permeability portion, and a plurality of columnar magnetic material portions disposed within the low-magnetic-permeability portion so as to extend through inside of the coil and connecting the first magnetic material portion to the second magnetic material portion.

In a conventional electronic component such as a common mode choke coil, a wire is generally wound on a core made of ferrite or the like. However, downsizing is a significant challenge also for coil components, and laminated electronic components which include a coil therein and are manufactured using ceramic lamination technology have widely been used in recent years. As an example of such a laminated electronic component, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-268455) discloses a common mode choke coil. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a conventional common mode choke coil 200.
The common mode choke coil 200 has a structure in which a low-magnetic-permeability portion 102 is laminated on a first magnetic material portion 101 and a second magnetic material portion 103 is laminated on the low-magnetic-permeability portion 102.
The first magnetic material portion 101 has a structure in which a plurality of magnetic material sheets 101a are laminated.
The low-magnetic-permeability portion 102 has a structure in which a plurality of low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a are laminated and spiral coil conductors 104a, 104b, 104c, and 104d are each interposed between the two low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a adjacent in the lamination direction. Each low-magnetic-permeability sheet 102a has a rectangular hole 102b extending therethrough in the lamination direction. In the magnetic material sheet 102a, the hole 102b is formed in a portion corresponding to the inside of the coil conductors 104a to 104d. In addition, predetermined sheets among the low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a have via conductors 108a and 108b formed in predetermined portions for electrically connecting front and back sides.
Within the low-magnetic-permeability portion 102, the coil conductors 104a and 104b are connected to each other via the via conductor 108a to form a first coil 105a. In addition, the coil conductors 104c and 104d are connected to each other via the via conductor 108b to form a second coil 105b. Then, the first coil 105a and the second coil 105b are electromagnetically coupled to each other to constitute a common mode choke coil.
The second magnetic material portion 103 has a structure in which a plurality of magnetic material sheets 103a are laminated.
On the surface of the common mode choke coil 200, external electrodes 106a, 106b, 106c, and 106d are formed. The external electrode 106a is connected to an end of the coil conductor 104a, the external electrode 106b is connected to an end of the coil conductor 104b, the external electrode 106c is connected to an end of the coil conductor 104c, and the external electrode 106d is connected to an end of the coil conductor 104d.
The common mode choke coil 200 having such a structure is manufactured, for example, through the following processes. First, unfired magnetic material sheets 101a, unfired low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a, and unfired magnetic material sheets 103a are prepared. Among them, in the low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a, the holes 102b, the via conductors 108a and 108b, and the coil conductors 104a to 104d are previously formed. A predetermined number of such magnetic material sheets 101a, a predetermined number of such low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a, and a predetermined number of such magnetic material sheets 103a are laminated in a predetermined order and then press-bonded. The laminate formed thus is fired at a predetermined profile. Then, the external electrodes 106a to 106d are formed on the surface of the fired laminate by burning a conductive paste. In the above manner, the common mode choke coil 200 is manufactured.
When the magnetic material sheets 101a, the low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a, and the magnetic material sheets 103a are laminated and press-bonded to form the laminate, the magnetic material sheet 101a on the lower side and the magnetic material sheet 103a on the upper side enter the holes 102b formed in the low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a due to the pressure. In addition, the magnetic material sheet 101a on the lower side and the magnetic material sheet 103a on the upper side are connected to each other within the holes 102b. In other words, the common mode choke coil 200 has a structure in which the first magnetic material portion 101 and the second magnetic material portion 103 are connected to each other by extending in a columnar manner through the low-magnetic-permeability portion 102 present therebetween and the coil conductors 104a to 104d are arranged around the columnar magnetic materials extending through the low-magnetic-permeability portion 102.
However, the common mode choke coil 200 disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that when the amounts of the magnetic material sheet 101a on the lower side and the magnetic material sheet 103a on the upper side which enter the holes 102b of the low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a are insufficient, both sheets are not connected to each other. In other words, the common mode choke coil 200 does not have a structure in which the first magnetic material portion 101 and the second magnetic material portion 103 are connected to each other by extending through the low-magnetic-permeability portion 102 present therebetween, and thus the common mode choke coil 200 becomes defective.
As a solution to this problem, a solution of previously filling a magnetic material into the holes 102b of the low-magnetic-permeability sheets 102a is conceivable. Such a solution is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-321341). Specifically, a magnetic material is previously filled into holes formed in low-magnetic-permeability sheets (nonmagnetic material sheets). Then, a coil conductor (coil pattern) is inserted between the two low-magnetic-permeability sheets adjacent in a lamination direction. A plurality of lower magnetic material sheets, a plurality of the low-magnetic-permeability sheets between which the coil conductors have been interposed, and a plurality of upper magnetic material sheets are laminated and press-bonded. The laminate formed thus is fired. As a result, a coil is formed within the laminate.
For manufacturing the coil disclosed in Patent Document 2, for example, the following method may be used to fill the magnetic material into the holes formed in the low-magnetic-permeability sheets.
First, a plurality of retaining sheets to be processed are prepared.
Next, a low-magnetic-permeability slurry, namely, a material obtained by kneading a low-magnetic-permeability material, a binder, and a solvent, is applied onto each retaining sheet with a constant thickness, thereby forming a plurality of low-magnetic-permeability sheets.
Next, a frame-shaped blade is pressed against the low-magnetic-permeability sheet on each retaining sheet and separated therefrom. Then, only a low-magnetic-permeability sheet portion corresponding to inside of the blade is removed. By so doing, a hole is formed in each low-magnetic-permeability sheet. In addition, a hole for a via conductor is also formed in some of the low-magnetic-permeability sheets.
Next, a magnetic material slurry, namely, a material obtained by kneading a magnetic material, a binder, and a solvent, is filled into the hole formed in each low-magnetic-permeability sheet. Specifically, from one principal surface side of the low-magnetic-permeability sheet, the magnetic material slurry is applied to the hole formed in the low-magnetic-permeability sheet and the periphery of the hole, thereby filling the magnetic material slurry.
In addition, a conductive paste is filled into the above-described hole for a via conductor.
Next, coil conductors having a predetermined shape are formed on surfaces of predetermined sheets among a plurality of the low-magnetic-permeability sheets by printing a conductive paste. The coil conductors may be formed prior to forming the holes in the low-magnetic-permeability sheets.
At the end, the low-magnetic-permeability sheet in which the magnetic material has been filled is peeled off from each retaining sheet.
A coil manufactured by using the low-magnetic-permeability sheets obtained through such processes has a structure in which a first magnetic material portion and a second magnetic material portion are assuredly connected to each other via a columnar magnetic material formed so as to extend through a low-magnetic-permeability portion.

Laminated electronic component and method of manufacturing laminated electronic component


A nonaqueous electrolytic solution which may suppress the overcharge of a battery and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the solution are provided. The overcharge of the battery is suppressed by undergoing the electrolytic polymerization in the solution when the battery is overcharged, and simultaneously more effectively suppressed by increasing the internal resistance of the battery. The nonaqueous electrolytic solution comprises a polymer which undergoes the electrolytic polymerization in the range of 4.3V or more to 5.5V or less at the lithium metal standard voltage, having a repeating unit represented by the formula (1), an electrolytic salt and a nonaqueous solvent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonaqueous electrolytic solution and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the solution.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a lithium-ion secondary battery using a nonaqueous electrolytic solution (that is, nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery: or referred to "battery", hereinafter), if the battery is overcharged using a voltage larger than a normal operating voltage (normally, 4.2V at full charge if LiCoO2 is used as a cathode), excess lithium-ions may be released from a cathode, and simultaneously an excess amount of a lithium metal is generated in an anode to produce a dendrite thereof. Accordingly, the cathode and the anode become chemically unstable, whereby carbonates generally included in the nonaqueous electrolytic solution may react with the lithium metal to undergo the decomposition, resulting in causing a rapid exothermic reaction. The exothermic reaction may excessively heat the whole battery, thereby to spoil the safety of the battery.
Generally, a battery comprises a protection circuit or the like so that such a protection circuit prevents the battery from being overcharged. As a result, the above mentioned accident may not be happened. However, assuming that a charger or a protection circuit goes out of order, it is demanded to secure the high safety of the battery, even if the battery is overcharged. In particular, such a demand is growing more and more as long as an energy density or a capacity of the battery is increasing.
For responding to the demand as mentioned above, a method for securing the safety against the overcharge is disclosed, in which a small amount of an aromatic compound is added to an electrolytic solution as an additive agent. See the Japanese Patent Publication No. 3275998, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. H09-171840, H10-321258, and H07-302614, and Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, 9(1), A24-A26 (2006). More specifically, for example, the Japanese Patent Publication No. 3275998, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. H09-171840 and H10-321258 disclose that the overcharge of the battery is suppressed by operating an internal electricity shutdown device through generating a gas, or generating a conductive polymer, inside the battery when overcharged. Herein, the method is conducted by using cyclohexylbenzene, biphenyl, 3-R-thiophene, 3-chrolothiophen, and furan or the like which are dissolved in the electrolytic solution. Further, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H07-302614 discloses that an anisole derivative with MW of 500 or less is used as an additive agent for the electrolytic solution. Further, the overcharge may be suppressed, if an electroactive thiophene based polymer with several thousands MW such as poly(3-butylthiophene) and poly(3-phenylthiophene) are added to the electrolytic solution, as disclosed in Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, 9(1), A24-A26 (2006).
Herein, each compound such as cyclohexylbenzene disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication No. 3275998, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. H09-171840, H10-321258, and H07-302614, and Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, 9(1), A24-A26 (2006), has the effect of suppressing the overcharge of the battery through the electrolytic polymerization thereof in the nonaqueous electrolytic solution. However, after the compound is completely consumed through the electrolytic polymerization in the nonaqueous electrolytic solution, the overcharge of the battery may be caused again. In such a case, if the product formed through the electrolytic polymerization of the above mentioned compound has the effect of increasing the internal resistance of the battery, the effect of suppressing the overcharge may be enhanced. However, the product formed through the electrolytic polymerization of each compound described in the Japanese Patent Publication No. 3275998, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. H09-171840, H10-321258, and H07-302614, and Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, 9(1), A24-A26 (2006) respectively, has little effect of increasing the internal resistance of the battery.
Further, thiophene derivatives such as 3-R-thiophene and 3-chlorothiophene are electrochemically unstable, thereby to be easily decomposed in the battery, resulting in the decrease of the battery performance. In particular, thiophene undergoes the electrolytic polymerization at 4.0V or less at the lithium metal standard voltage. Accordingly, it is very difficult to use thiophene for the battery of which operating voltage is generally 4.0V or more.

Nonaqueous electrolytic solution and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the same

Abstract: [where, A is a functional group which undergoes the electrolytic polymerization in the range of 4.3V or more to 5.5V or less at the lithium metal standard voltage, R and R′ are each independently an hydrogen atom or a methyl group]


An adjustable shower assembly has a housing provided with a water-supply tube defining a seat, a core element fixed in the seat and having a stem extending from the seat along an axis and having an outer end formed with a noncircular boss generally centered on the axis, and a diverter formed with a central bore fitted over the stem and provided with at least two throughgoing passages. The diverter is at least limitedly rotatable on the stem. An end plate is formed with at least two sets of nozzles associated with the respective passages in respective angular positions of the diverter on the core element and formations on the end plate and diverter axially and rotationally fix the end plate on the diverter. A washer having a central hole complementary to and interfitting with the boss of the stem bears axially backward on the diverter and a screw threaded axially into the stem and bearing axially backward on the washer retains the diverter and end plate axially on the core element.

A standard hand shower has a handle-forming housing whose rear end is connected to a water-supply hose and whose front end is provided with a shower head which can be rotated to switch the device between different spray modes. The shower head is a relatively complex subassembly that is mounted in the front housing end. While on the one hand it must be fairly complex to provide different spray modes, on the other hand it must be ruggedly and simply built so that it can have a long service life and be produced at low cost.


Apparatus for removing oil from the surface of a liquid using an endless belt partially submerged in the liquid, the belt passes over a primary roller having a vertical axis and pressure rollers squeeze the belt on the primary roller removing oil from the belt which flows by gravity to a collection receptacle mounted upon a frame supporting the primary roller and its drive structure. The belt twists whereby its lower portion submerged in the liquid defines a reversing loop whose configuration is maintained by a weight roller having a horizontal axis of rotation.

As oil is lighter than water skimming devices for separating oil from a heavier body of liquid, such as water, are available for collecting and removing the surface oil from the body of liquid. Such devices are commonly used to recover oil from machine tool coolants, and may also be employed to recover tramp oil and remove oil from large bodies of water as occurs during an oil spill.
It has been discovered that oil and similar floating material can be removed from the surface of a body of water by the use of an endless belt, web, or rope which passes through the liquid surface wherein the oil will adhere to the rising belt or rope and can be removed therefrom by scraping or squeezing actions. United States patents disclosing oil separating devices of the endless belt or web type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,314,545; 3,508,663; 3,640,394; 3,709,369; 4,154,683; 4,274,957; 4,652,372 and 4,582,604. The devices shown in these patents employ pressure rollers or scrapers to remove the oil from the belt or web, and while the prior art devices are capable of collecting oil from the surface of a liquid the efficiency of operation is low, and problems are encountered in effectively removing the oil from the belt or strand and collecting the same without reintroducing a significant amount of oil back into the body of liquid being treated.
Flexible belt, web and strand oil skimmers have the advantage over oil removers utilizing rotating discs which are partially submerged in the liquid in that the flexibility of belts and strands permits the apparatus to be relatively concise in configuration and adaptable to various configurations of installation, particularly with respect to accommodating machine tool configurations when removing oil from cutting tool coolants. However, belt and strand skimmers using doctor and scraper blades to remove the oil from the moving belt or web wear the belt requiring frequent belt and blade replacement, and such devices require frequent maintenance attention for efficient operation.
Belt, web and strand skimmers utilizing the pressure of rollers to squeeze the oil from the belt do not wear the belt to the extent of a scraper blade, but the use of rollers creates a "puddle" at the entrance of the belt into the rollers and as such roller type skimmers employ horizontally disposed rollers it is difficult to dissipate or drain off the puddle efficiently which causes a relatively high percentage of oil to remain on the belt adversely affecting the efficiency of the apparatus.
It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus of the oil removing or skimming type utilizing a flat belt or web by removing the oil from the belt by rollers and yet the oil removed by the rollers is quickly drained from the location of oil removal to produce high efficiency oil removal.
A further object of the invention is to provide oil skimming apparatus of the endless belt type wherein minimum belt wear occurs while high oil removal efficiencies are obtained in apparatus which requires a minimum of maintenance and servicing.
Another object of the invention is to provide oil skimming apparatus of the endless belt type wherein oil is removed from the belt by rollers and the rollers are substantially vertically oriented wherein the oil removed from the belt quickly falls under gravitational force away from the belt and roller.
An additional object of the invention is to provide oil skimming apparatus of a concise configuration which may take a portable form and may be readily employed in a wide variety of installations, and is particularly suitable for removing oil from the coolant of machine tools.
A further object of the invention is to provide oil skimming apparatus of concise configuration wherein the operating components may be readily vertically adjusted relative to a portable reservoir for collecting the removed oil.
Another object of the invention is to provide oil skimming apparatus of the endless belt type wherein removal and installation of the belt is readily accomplished requiring no special skill on the part of the operator.
The apparatus of the invention includes a frame which may be associated with an oil receiving reservoir. The frame includes a housing vertically mounted upon and adjustable above the reservoir and the housing supports an electrical motor driven primary cylindrical roller having a vertically oriented axis of rotation. The lower end of the roller is free and unsupported whereby an endless belt may be readily slipped under the roller and passed thereabout.
A plurality of pressure rollers having axes of rotation parallel to the vertical primary roller axis are located upon opposite sides of the primary roller and are biased by springs toward the primary roller maintaining the belt thereon and compressing the belt to the primary roller.
The belt is of such length that its lower portion extends below the primary roller and naturally twists to define a reversing loop at its lowermost portion having a horizontal axis defining the reversal of direction of the belt. A weight roller is preferably located in the belt reversing loop to help maintain the belt taut. The lower belt portion is submerged in the body of liquid being treated and as the belt moves upwardly through the surface of the body oil on the body surface will adhere to the belt and be removed by the compression of the belt between the primary roller and the pressure rollers.
A collection receptacle is located directly below the primary and pressure rollers receiving the oil removed from the belt. The collection receptacle includes an outlet in communication with the reservoir and as the frame housing and its associated components are vertically adjustable relative to the reservoir the conduit connection between the receptacle and reservoir telescopes to accommodate the vertical position of the receptacle.
Preferably, the motor circuit includes a timer and other controls wherein the operation of the apparatus may be regulated so that the oil removing procedure need occur no longer than necessary to accommodate a particular situation thereby achieving maximum belt life and efficiency of power consumption.
As the axes of rotation of the primary and pressure rollers are vertical, the "puddle" of oil that occurs as the belt enters the primary and initial pressure rollers is quickly drained away by gravity into the collection receptacle, and the use of two pressure rollers, both being vertically oriented, quickly removes a very high percentage of the oil from the belt minimizing the amount of oil adhering to the belt for reintroduction into the liquid and producing a very high efficiency of operation.
No guide rollers are necessary to achieve the twisting of the belt which occurs between the primary and weight rollers, and the apparatus of the invention produces a minimum of belt wear assuring low maintenance and a low cost of operation.


Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring the time it takes to perform a write operation, and based on the time it takes, a determination is made whether to retire a block that is a recipient of the write operation. The time duration of the write operation for a page or a combination of pages may indicate whether any block or blocks containing the page or combination of pages is experiencing a physical failure. That is, if the time duration of the write operation for a particular page exceeds time threshold, this may indicate that this page requires a larger number of program cycles than other pages. The longer programming cycle can be an indication of cell leakage or a failing block.

Non-volatile memory (NVM) such as Nand Flash NVM have a limited lifespan. That is, the NVM can only endure a limited amount of write and erase cycles before the physical structure starts to break down and is unable to store data. Techniques such as wear leveling can be used to distribute the write and erase cycles among the NVM so that it wears out evenly. This technique can leverage erase counts or other data to determine how best to evenly wear out the NVM. However, there may be instances in which a portion (e.g., a physical block) of the NVM fails prior to experiencing a predetermined number of write and erase cycles. What are needed are techniques for detecting whether a portion of the NVM is failing or at least exhibiting traits of pending failure.

Methods and systems for monitoring write operations of non-volatile memory


A flexible wired circuit board for temperature measurement that can provide an accurate temperature measurement even when placed in a high-temperature atmosphere and can also be provided at a reduced cost. In the flexible wired circuit board for temperature measurement, a conductor layer formed from a metal foil, such as a stainless foil, having a proportional relation between temperature and specific electric resistance is formed on a base insulating layer. Also, a single thin sensor wiring in a sensor portion exposed from a cover insulating layer is formed into a certain pattern by folding back the sensor wiring in a continuous S-shaped form, such that adjacent parts of the wiring extending in parallel are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval in a widthwise direction of the conductor layer. The flexible wired circuit board for temperature measurement thus constructed can prevent occurrence of errors in measured temperature even when used in high-temperature atmosphere, thus achieving accurate measurement of temperature, different from the flexible wired circuit board having the conductor layer comprising a copper foil.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible wired circuit board for temperature measurement and, more particularly, to a flexible wired circuit board for temperature measurement used as a temperature sensor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a thermocouple used for an automotive engine control is disposed in the vicinity of fuel combustion chamber of an automotive engine, for calculating combustion time, angles of valve heads, a mixing ratio between air and fuel (an air-fuel ratio), etc.
The thermocouple is usually disposed at a front end of a wired circuit board and covered with a cover member formed of heat-resistant material to protect the thermocouple from high-temperature atmosphere around the engine, so as to prevent errors caused by thermal electromotive force generated from parts other than points of contact for measuring temperature.
A variety of control methods have been proposed for providing improved temperature measurement accuracy of the thermocouple (e.g. Japanese Laid-open (Unexamined) Patent Publication No. 2001-188547).
To take a more accurate measurement of the temperature of the fuel combustion chamber of the engine by using the thermocouple, it is necessary that the thermocouple is positioned to be as close to the fuel combustion chamber as possible. However, since a conductive pattern of the wired circuit board is formed from copper foil, the conductive pattern, when used in a high-temperature atmosphere, changes in crystal structure, resulting in failure of a proportional relation of specific electric resistance of the conductive pattern to temperature. The changes in electric resistance cause errors in measured temperature. Due to this, the thermocouple is obliged to be spaced apart at a certain distance from the fuel combustion chamber of the engine, so that it is unavoidable that the temperature measurement accuracy of the thermocouple is reduced to that extent.
On the other hand, the temperature measurement accuracy of the thermocouple may be improved by use of a control, as mentioned above, but there is a limit to the improvement of the temperature measurement accuracy of the thermocouple by use of the control.
Further, covering the thermocouple with the cover member as mentioned above causes increase in manufacturing cost by the provision of the cover member.

Flexible wired circuit board for temperature measurement


A system includes a rotary isobaric pressure exchanger (IPX) configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and second fluid. The rotary IPX includes a first end cover including a first fluid aperture configured to route the first fluid. The rotary IPX also includes a first piston integral with the first end cover. The first piston includes a first hydraulic path configured to route the first fluid to or from the first fluid aperture.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to fluid handling equipment such as hydraulic fracturing equipment.
Well completion operations in the oil and gas industry often involve hydraulic fracturing (often referred to as fracking or fracing) to increase the release of oil and gas in rock formations. Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping a fluid containing a combination of water, chemicals, and proppant (e.g., sand, ceramics) into a well at high pressures. The high-pressures of the fluid increases crack size and propagation through the rock formation releasing more oil and gas, while the proppant prevents the cracks from closing once the fluid is depressurized. Fracturing operations use high-pressure pumps to increase the pressure of the frac fluid. Unfortunately, certain components of the fluid handling equipment may be exposed to fluids with differing pressure, which may cause a pressure imbalance across the respective components.

Pressure exchanger system with integral pressure balancing system


An integrated circuit has an analog output circuit for outputting an analog signal and a leadless terminal for connecting an output line of the analog output circuit to a circuit board by soldering, and measures and transfers an analog output voltage of the leadless terminal in a state in which it is mounted on the circuit board. A measuring unit has a switching unit for connecting the analog output circuit to the measuring unit upon failure diagnosis, and an AD converter for measuring the analog output voltage of the leadless terminal in a failure diagnosis state obtained by the switching unit; and causes the analog output voltage of the leadless terminal to be determined whether it is a normal voltage or an abnormal voltage by transferring the voltage measured by the AD converter to a determination unit through serial transfer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit and a circuit board for connecting analog input/output lines to the circuit board side by solder connection of leadless terminals, and in particular, relates to an integrated circuit and a circuit board for self-diagnosing failure of signal lines including leadless terminals which externally connect analog input/output lines caused by manufacturing defects.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Conventionally, downsizing of parts and high density mounting are underway for electronic devices such as information processing devices, in order to realize requirements for downsizing the devices and for high-speed signal transmission. In order to realize such high-density mounting, elaborated structures are used for packages of integrated circuits. Conventionally, ball grid arrays (Ball Grid Array) and QFN packages (Quad Flat Non-Leaded Package) are known as leadless package structures which are suitable for high-density mounting of integrated circuits. A ball grid array, so-called BGA, is a package in which leadless terminals composed of solder balls are arranged in a grid with predetermined gaps therebetween on the bottom surface of the package which is in contact with a printed board, and the leadless terminals are soldered on the corresponding pattern of the printed board. Since the leadless terminals are on the bottom side of the package and in the narrow space sandwiched between the package and the printed board, solder paste for joining is applied in advance on the pattern of the printed board in a printing process, and the entire package is heated so as to perform soldering by melting the solder for joining which is in contact with the terminal part. Meanwhile, the QFN package is a package having a structure in which leads are removed and merely electrode pads for soldering are formed, wherein the electrode pads are positioned on the bottom surface of the package.
If failure of decreasing operating margins is present in a circuit device on which an integrated circuit using the ball grid array or QFN is used as a package structure, particularly, in an analog circuit part of a motor rotation speed control loop including a PLL, i.e., a charge pump circuit or the circuit part of a loop filter; a feedback loop is formed, therefore, the rotation control thereof can be generally performed. However, the rotation variation and rotation speed do not always satisfy specifications. In a method for narrowing down the failure location in such a case, the loop is opened so as to precisely measure and examine gains and linearity of operations of each block and operation points (offset); however, since normal operations cannot be performed when the loop is opened, specifying the location of the cause is extremely difficult, and requires advanced skills and many man-hours. When the location of failure is to be found out, it is required to see the state of the leadless terminals on the package bottom surface from which analog output signals are output to the circuit of the circuit board side; however, since the terminal part is hidden behind the package, it is difficult to detect short circuit failure, etc., which is due to abnormality in soldering part, poor connection, or adhesion of foreign conductive substance, by appearance examination by means of visual observation, therefore, obstacles for specifying the location of failure are caused. According to the present invention to provide an integrated circuit and a circuit board capable of readily diagnosing failure which is due to the terminal state of the integrated circuit having a package structure in which analog input/output lines are soldered on the circuit board side by leadless terminals which cannot be seen or difficult to be seen from outside in a mounted state.