A protective tool for a therapeutic material delivery device prevents wrong sticking of the outer needle of the device after use and prevents dissipation of blood adhering to the outer needle and comprises a cover (8xe2x80x2A) and a cap (61) or stopper (65) attached to a forward end of said cover for protecting the forward end of the outer tubular needle (2A), wherein said cover (8xe2x80x2A) is formed of a plurality of tubes (8xe2x80x2A1, 8xe2x80x2A2, 8xe2x80x2A3, . . . ) having different diameters that are formed so as to consecutively decrease from a forward place to the outer needle hub (2B) in a backward place, and said tubes are thereby connected such that the cover (8xe2x80x2A) is extendable in the longitudinal direction, and a cartridge for use with the therapeutic material delivery device permits direct calibration of a radioactive source charged therein and comprises a transparent cartridge body (8, 18, 38) that holds said therapeutic material (10) inside and permits external visual observation of the therapeutic material (10) and a shielding outer tube (9, 19, 39) that is fitted on an outer circumference of the cartridge body, is slidable in the longitudinal direction of said cartridge body and is made of a radioactive ray shielding material, said cartridge body (8, 18, 38) being exposable with said sliding of said shielding outer tube.

This application claims a priority based on Japanese Patent Application No.2000-381529 filed on Dec. 15, 2000 and No. 2001-221182 filed on Jul. 23, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in therapeutic material delivery device (vehicle) for delivering (implanting) a therapeutic material such as a coiled or capsulated radioactive source to an organism for radiotherapy, for example, of a patient suffering prostate cancer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radiotherapy (brachytherapy) refers to a treatment made by allowing a radioactive beam to radiate to a morbid tissue suffering a prostate cancer, an esophagus cancer, or the like. Radiotherapy includes high-dose, external beam radiation treatment and low-dose close-distance radiation treatment.
It is present practice to employ the latter method as a method for improving a therapeutical effect depending upon a therapeutic site and reducing side effects. In this case, there is practiced a method in which a radioactive source having radioactivity in the form of a sealed radioactive source is implanted (caused to remain) in a diseased part or a part near a morbid part with a delivery needle for the radioactive source, to treat the diseased part. The present invention is applied to the above method using the sealed radioactive source. The radioactive source for use in the present invention is selected from those containing radioactive isotopes that are clinically utilizable, and examples thereof include isotopes of cobalt, phosphorus, strontium, cesium, palladium, yttrium, iridium, rhenium, etc. Particularly preferred are isotopes that radiate xcex2 rays.
The above delivery needle is constituted of an inner needle member having a tubular needle and an outer needle member having a sticking needle formed to have a sharpened forward end, and a plurality of the capsular radioactive sources having radioactivity and having a size of approximately 5 mm are charged into the above outer needle member with tweezers. The above radioactive sources are spaced with spacers formed of a biodegradable substance, and a wax is applied to the forward end of the above sticking needle, so that the above radioactive sources do not come off the sticking needle.
When capsular radioactive sources are implanted in a diseased part with a delivery needle having the above sticking needle, approximately five radioactive sources are charged into one sticking needle as described above and are linearly implanted in the diseased part. In this manner, approximately 25 sticking needles above (corresponding to 125 radioactive sources) are embedded in different implantation positions. In the implantation, the implantation positions are secured while monitoring the positions with an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, so that the diseased part is uniformly irradiated with the radioactive sources.
Coiled radioactive sources formed by coiling rod-like or wire-like radioactive sources are recently used in place of capsular radioactive sources. That is because the coiled radioactive sources have a large surface area each and the length of the radioactive sources per piece can be increased as compared with the capsular radioactive sources, so that the number of the radioactive sources required can be decreased. The coiled radioactive sources are therefore less frequently charged into the outer needle member as compared with the capsular radioactive sources. Further, there is the merit of being free from spots that are not irradiated with a radioactive ray (cold spots), since it is not required to insert the spacers.
However, when a conventional inner needle member having a tubular needle and a conventional outer needle member having a sticking needle, which are used for implanting capsular radioactive sources, are used for implanting coiled radioactive sources in a diseased part, the coiled radioactive sources come to be curved, so that the irradiation with a uniform dose of radioactive ray can be no longer possible.
It is therefore required to prepare a medical sticking needle having a three-layered structure formed of an inner needle member through which coiled radioactive sources are to be passed or generally an inner needle member for holding a therapeutic material such as radioactive sources and extruding them forward, a middle needle member for fixing the radioactive sources and an outer needle member that is to be inserted into a diseased part or an intended portion, that is, a therapeutic material delivery device. The present invention relates to improvements in the above delivery device for delivering a therapeutic material such as radioactive sources.
Further, the delivery device may be a therapeutic material delivery device that is formed of an inner needle member for holding a therapeutic material such as radioactive sources and extruding them forward, a cartridge chargeable with the therapeutic material and an outer needle member that is to be inserted into a diseased part or an intended portion. The present invention also relates to improvements in such a delivery device using said cartridge.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective tool for a therapeutic material delivery device, which is for preventing wrong or accidental sticking of the outer needle after use and for preventing dissipation of blood adhering to the outer needle, and a delivery device having the tool.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cartridge for use with a therapeutic material delivery device, which cartridge permits direct calibration of a radioactive source charged therein, and a delivery device having the cartridge.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cartridge for use with a therapeutic material delivery device, which cartridge is free from easy breakage of a connector tube connected to an outer needle of the delivery device, and a delivery device having the cartridge.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cartridge for a therapeutic material delivery device, which cartridge permits extrusion of charged radioactive sources to the forward end of an outer needle without any resistance, and a delivery device having the cartridge.
It is further another object of the present invention to provide a cartridge for use with a therapeutic material delivery device, which cartridge permits calibration of the length of radioactive sources charged therein by easy external reading, and a delivery device having the cartridge.
Still further other objects of the present invention will be clear by descriptions to be made hereinafter.
According to the present invention, (1) there is provided a protective tool 68A or 68B for a therapeutic material delivery device comprising an outer needle 2 having an outer tubular needle 2A and an outer needle hub 2B supporting the outer tubular needle 2A, the protective tool being to be attached to said outer needle 2 for the protection thereof,
the protective tool comprising a cover 8xe2x80x2A and a cap 61 or stopper 65 attached to a forward end of said cover for protecting the forward end of the outer tubular needle 2A,
wherein said cover 8xe2x80x2A is formed of a plurality of tubes 8xe2x80x2A1, 8xe2x80x2A2, 8xe2x80x2A3, . . . having different diameters that are formed so as to consecutively decrease from a forward place to the outer needle hub 2B in a backward place, and said tubes are thereby connected such that the cover 8xe2x80x2A is extendable in the longitudinal direction.
According to the present invention, further, (2) there is provided a protective tool 68A for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in the above (1), wherein said cap 61 has an inner tube 61A formed inside, said inner tube 61A has, made in a bottom thereof, a hole 62 for inserting and passing said outer tubular needle 2A, and said inner tube 61A has, formed in an outer circumference, a groove portion 63 for inserting a forward end of said outer tubular needle.
According to the present invention, further, (3) there is provided a protective tool 68B for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in (1), wherein said stopper 65 is constituted of a tubular opening/closing portion 66 having a forward end and a connector portion 70,
said opening/closing portion 66 has slits 71 formed in the longitudinal direction, one in an upper portion and the other in a lower portion, said forward end has an opening portion 66a, and said connector portion 70 has pressing portions 67 formed, one on the right and the other on the left, and has cutout grooves 69 formed, one in an upper place and the other in a lower place.
According to the present invention, further, (4) there is provided a protective tool 68A or 68B for a therapeutic material delivery device comprising an outer needle 2 having an outer tubular needle 2A and an outer needle hub 2B supporting the outer tubular needle 2A, a middle needle 3 having a middle tubular needle 3A and a middle needle hub 3B supporting the middle tubular needle 3A and an inner needle 4 having a solid needle 4A and an inner needle hub 4B supporting the solid needle 4A, the outer needle, the middle needle and the inner needle being to be connected for use, the protective tool being to be attached to said outer needle 2 for the protection thereof,
which protective tool comprises a cover 8xe2x80x2A and a cap 61 or a stopper 65 that is attached to the forward end of said cover for protecting the forward end of said outer tubular needle 2A,
wherein said cover 8xe2x80x2A is formed of a plurality of tubes 8xe2x80x2A1, 8xe2x80x2A2, 8xe2x80x2A3, . . . having different diameters that are formed so as to consecutively decrease from a forward place to the outer needle hub 2B in a backward place, and said tubes are thereby connected such that the cover 8xe2x80x2A is extendable in the longitudinal direction.
According to the present invention, further, (5) there is provided a protective tool 68A for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in (4), wherein said cap 61 has an inner tube 61A formed inside, said inner tube has, in a bottom thereof, a hole 62 for inserting and passing said outer tubular needle 2A, and said inner tube 61A has, formed in an outer circumference thereof, a groove portion for inserting the forward end of said outer tubular needle 2A.
According to the present invention, further, (6) there is provided a protective tool 68B for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in (4), wherein said stopper 65 is constituted of a tubular opening/closing portion 66 having a forward end and a connector portion 70,
said opening/closing portion 66 has slits 71 formed in the longitudinal direction, one in an upper portion and the other in a lower portion, said forward end has an opening portion 66a, and said connector portion 70 has pressing portions 67 formed, one on the right and the other on the left, and has cutout grooves 69 formed, one in an upper place and the other in a lower place.
According to the present invention, further, (7) there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1A or 1B comprising an outer needle 2 having an outer tubular needle 2A and an outer needle hub 2B supporting the outer tubular needle 2A, wherein said outer needle 2 is covered with the protective tool 68A or 68B for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in any one of (1) to (3), and the forward end of said outer tubular need 2A of said outer needle 2 is capped with a sheath 5xe2x80x2 for protecting said forward end.
According to the present invention, further, (8) there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1A or 1B as recited in (7) wherein said sheath 5xe2x80x2 has a projection 6xe2x80x2 formed on an inner-circumference base portion thereof.
According to the present invention, further, (9) there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1A or 1B comprising an outer needle 2 having an outer tubular needle 2A and an outer needle hub 2B supporting the outer tubular needle 2A, a middle needle 3 having a middle tubular needle 3A and a middle needle hub 3B supporting the middle tubular needle 3A and an inner needle 4 having a solid needle 4A and an inner needle hub 4B supporting the solid needle 4A, said outer needle 2, said middle needle 3 and said inner needle 4 being to be connected in this order for use,
wherein the protective tool 68A or 68B for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in any one of (4) to (6) is attached to said outer needle 2.
According to the present invention, further, (10) there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1A or 1B as recited in (9), wherein said solid needle 4A is inserted in said middle tubular needle 3A, said middle tubular needle 3A is inserted in said outer tubular needle 2A and the forward end of said outer tubular needle 2A is capped with a sheath 5xe2x80x2 for protection of said forward end.
According to the present invention, further, (11), there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1A or 1B as recited in (9) or (10), wherein said outer tubular needle 2A, said middle tubular needle 3A and said solid needle 4A are formed such that said solid needle 4A has a largest length, that said middle tubular needle 3A has an intermediate length and that said outer tubular needle 2A has a smallest length.
According to the present invention, further, (12) there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1A or 1B comprising a outer needle 2 having an outer tubular needle 2A and an outer needle hub 2B supporting the outer tubular needle 2A, a middle needle 3 having a middle tubular needle 3A and a middle needle hub 3B supporting the middle tubular needle 3A and an inner needle 4 having a solid needle 4A and an inner needle hub 4B supporting the solid needle 4A,
wherein said outer needle 2, said middle needle 3 and said inner needle 4 are being to be connected for use.
According to the present invention, further, (13) there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1A or 1B as recited in (12), wherein the forward end of the outer tubular needle 2A of said outer needle 2 is capped with a sheath 5xe2x80x2 for protection of said forward end.
According to the present invention, further, (14) there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1A or 1B as recited in (13), wherein said sheath 5xe2x80x2 has a projection 6xe2x80x2 formed on an inner circumference base portion thereof.
According to the present invention, further, (15) there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1A or 1B as recited in (12), wherein said outer tubular needle 2A, said middle tubular needle 3A and said solid needle 4A are formed such that said solid needle 4A has a largest length, that said middle tubular needle 3A has an intermediate length and that said outer tubular needle 2A has a smallest length.
According to the present invention, further, (16) there is provided a cartridge 7, 17 or 37 for a therapeutic material delivery device, which cartridge permits external visual observation of the therapeutic material, the cartridge comprising a transparent cartridge body 8, 18 or 38 that holds said therapeutic material 10 inside and permits external visual observation of the therapeutic material 10 and a shielding outer tube 9, 19 or 39 that is fitted on an outer circumference of the cartridge body, is slidable in the longitudinal direction of said cartridge body and is made of a radioactive ray shielding material, said cartridge body 8, 18 or 38 being exposable with said sliding of said shielding outer tube.
According to the present invention, further, (17) there is provided a cartridge 7 or 17 for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in (16), wherein the forward end of said cartridge body 8 or 18 is provided with a head portion 5 or 5A, a connector tube 6 is supported through said head portion, and said connector tube 6 is capped with a sheath 12 having an opening portion 12A formed therein.
According to the present invention, further, (18) there is provided a cartridge 37 for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in (16), wherein the forward end of said cartridge body 38 is provided with a head portion 5E, a connector tube 36 is supported through said head portion and said connector tube 36 is capped with a cap C1 having a protection portion 21 and a spindle rod 22 supported on a central portion of inner circumference end portion of the protection portion 21.
According to the present invention, further, (19) there is provided a cartridge 7 or 37 for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in any one of (16) to (18), wherein an engagement portion 5C or 35C is formed in the backward end of the head portion 5 or 5E provided in the forward end of said cartridge 7 or 37, an engagement portion 9A or 38A is formed in the forward end of said outer tube 9 or 39, and these engagement portions are engageable with each other.
According to the present invention, further, (20) there is provided a cartridge 7, 17 or 37 for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in any one of (16) to (19), wherein a stopper 16 is attached to nearly a central portion of said head portion 5, 5A or 5E of said cartridge body 8, 18 or 38, and said cartridge body and said outer tube are engageable with each other on the basis of a frictional resistance between said stopper 16 and an inner circumference of forward end of said outer tube 9, 19 or 39.
According to the present invention, further, (21) there is provided a cartridge 7 or 17 for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in any one of (16), (17), (19) and (20), wherein an outer circumference surface of said cartridge body 8 or 18 is provided with a scale 20 for checking a length or an amount of the therapeutic material 10 charged inside said cartridge body 8 or 18.
According to the present invention, further, (22) there is provided a cartridge 37 for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in any one of (16), (18), (19) and (20), wherein an outer circumference surface of said cartridge body 38 is provided with a scale 30 having divisions starting at 0 cm at intervals of 1 cm for checking a length of the therapeutic material 10 charged in said cartridge body 38 and for calibration of the entire therapeutic material 10.
According to the present invention, further, (23) there is provided a cartridge 27 for a therapeutic material delivery device, which cartridge has a cartridge body 28 that permits external visual observation of a therapeutic material 10 held therein, wherein said cartridge body 28 is formed of material that can work as a shield against radioactive rays and has a scale 20 provided on an outer circumference of said cartridge body 28, the forward end of said cartridge body 28 has a head portion 5B, a connector tube 6 is supported through said head portion, and said connector tube 6 is capped with a sheath 12 having an opening portion 12A formed therein.
According to the present invention, further, (24) there is provided a therapeutic material delivery device 1 comprising an outer needle 2 or 32 having an outer tubular needle 2A or 32A and an outer needle hub 2B or 32B supporting the outer tubular needle 2A or 32A, the cartridge 7, 17, 27, 37 for a therapeutic material delivery device as recited in any one of (16) to (23) which cartridge is chargeable with a therapeutic material 10 and an inner needle 4 having a solid needle 4A and an inner needle hub 4B supporting the solid needle 4A,
wherein an inner circumference of said outer needle hub 2B or 32B and the forward end portion of said cartridge 7, 17, 27 or 37 are formed to have mutually engageable forms,
the therapeutic material delivery device 1 having a constitution in which said solid needle 4A is inserted through the backward end of said cartridge 7, 17, 27 or 37 thereby to extrude said therapeutic material 10 into said tubular needle 2A or 32A with the forward end of said solid needle 4A.

Protective tool for therapeutic material delivery device, cartridge for therapeutic material delivery device, and a therapeutic material delivery device


An air conditioning system for a vehicle may include a cooling module including a cooling duct, a cooling inlet formed at one side of the cooling duct, a cooling interior outlet and a cooling exterior outlet formed at an opposite side of the cooling duct, and an evaporator provided in an interior of the cooling duct, a heating module including a heating duct, a heating inlet formed at one side of the heating duct, a heating interior outlet and a heating exterior outlet formed at an opposite side of the heating duct, and a condenser provided in an interior of the heating duct, and a cooling blower and a heating blower provided in the respective interiors of the cooling duct and the heating duct.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, and more particularly to a configuration of an air conditioning system for performing air conditioning more efficiently in a specific driving environment.
Description of Related Art
An air conditioning system for cooling and heating the interior of a vehicle is installed in the vehicle. It is an important issue of the air conditioning system to always maintain the comfortable interior temperature of the vehicle.
In the air conditioning system for a vehicle, a cooling unit includes components such as a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant compressed by the compressor, an expansion value for converting the refrigerant condensed and liquefied by the condenser into a state of low temperature and low pressure, and an evaporator for cooling air using an evaporation latent heat of the refrigerant. In general, the cooling system lowers the temperature of air and adjusts the absolute humidity.
A heating unit includes a heater core for generating hot wind using heat generated when cooling water for cooling heat of an engine room retrieves heat of the engine to be heated, as a heat source, and a pump for supplying cooling water of the engine. In general, the heating system increases the temperature of air and adjusts the relative humidity.
A general existing air conditioning system supplies cooling air through a cooling unit and supplies hot air through the cooling water of the engine, but the structure of the air conditioning system can be changed according to an environment in which a vehicle travels. In particular, when the cooling water of the engine is not present, it is difficult and inefficient to configure the existing air conditioning system.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


A process for the extraction and recovery of bitumen from oil sands and a process for the treatment of tailings are disclosed. Bitumen is recovered in a process comprising contacting a polysilicate microgel with an ore sand oil to produce a froth comprising bitumen and a tailings stream comprising water, sand and clay fines. Preferably the tailings stream is dewatered and recovered water may be recycled to the extraction process. Polysilicate microgel may be carried through to a dewatering step and enhances flocculation in dewatering said tailings.

Oil sands have become an attractive source of oil recovery to support global demand for oil. Oil sands are large deposits of naturally occurring mixtures of bitumen, water, sand, clays, and other inorganic materials found on the earth's surface. Bitumen is a highly viscous form of crude oil. The largest oil sands deposits are found in Canada and Venezuela. In particular, the Athabasca oil sands deposit is equivalent to 1.6 to 2.7 trillion barrels of oil, and is located in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. About 10% of the Athabasca oil sands deposit can be mined. Once the oil sands are mined, it is processed by extracting the bitumen.
The bitumen must be extracted and separated from the water, sand and fine clays of the oil sands. Today, the oil sands are mined, crushed, then mixed with hot water, and optionally chemicals, to facilitate extracting the bitumen from the sand and clay fines. The extracted bitumen is separated from the sands and fine clays and is then refined. The remaining sand, fine clays and water, commonly referred to as "tailings", are further processed to dewater the sand and fine clays. The sand and clay fines are typically disposed, e.g., in a tailings pond and settle to become mature fine tailings. Mature fine tailings are a stable slurry comprising clay, fine sands, water and bitumen. Mature fine tailings have no strength, no vegetative potential and can be toxic to animal life, so must be confined and prevented from contaminating water supplies. The recovered water from the dewatering step may be re-used in the extraction process. Faster recovery of the water reduces heat energy requirements when this water is recycled for use in the extraction process.
The recovered bitumen from this process is in the form of a froth. The froth comprises a concentrated bitumen (typically 50% or greater), water, fine sand and clays. The froth is treated in a froth treatment unit, which may use steam (to de-aerate the froth) and a naphthenic or paraffinic solvent to recover a bitumen with greater than 95% purity. A byproduct of the froth treatment process is a froth treatment tailings. The froth treatment tailings comprise water, residual solvent, and fine solids that are primarily smaller than 44 micrometers in size. The froth treatment tailings are typically disposed of in a tailings pond. Froth treatment tailings contribute to mature fine tailings formation.
Tipman et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,592, disclose recovery of bitumen from oil sands in a process comprising adding aqueous caustic to an oil sands slurry, to create an emulsion. The emulsion is allowed to separate into 3 layers, with a top layer of a first froth comprising bitumen, bottom layer, referred to as tailings, comprising water, sand and clay fines that settled, and a middle layer, referred to as middlings, comprising residual bitumen, suspended clay fines and water. The middlings are further processed to recover additional bitumen in the same manner as the oil sands slurry, producing a second froth. The second froth may be combined with the first froth to recover bitumen by dilution with a solvent and removal of sand and clay fines.
Yuan, et al., Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 2007, vol. 46, no. 3 pp. 265-272, disclose using a multiple-step process, in a particular sequence, for removing sands and fine clays from tailings. The first step is referred to as flocculation-coagulation-flocculation (FCF), in which a flocculant is added. This allows for the flocculation of larger particles leaving fines in solution. In the second step, a coagulant is added. The coagulant destabilizes the fines causing small flocs to form. In the third step, a small amount of flocculant is added to combine the larger flocs from the first step with the smaller flocs in the second step, resulting in even larger flocs and an increase of settling rates, allowing for faster dewatering.
Acidified silicate has been used to enhance bitumen extraction by Masliyah, et al., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2005, vol. 44, pp. 4753-4761. By acidifying the silicates, divalent metal ions can be sequestered allowing for improved bitumen liberation while maintaining consistent pH. There is a similar disadvantage with this process as found in WO 2005/028592, that is, solids are dispersed.
Li, et al., Energy & Fuels, 2005, vol. 19, pp. 936-943 disclose the effect of a hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) on bitumen extraction and tailings treatment of oil sands ores. Careful control of HPAM dosage is necessary to achieve efficiency in both bitumen extraction and in flocculation of solid fines.
Separation of bitumen from sand and clay fines, as well as dewatering of the sand and clay fines for disposal, are especially difficult for so-called "poor quality ores." Generally, a poor quality ore, in reference to an oil sands ore is an oil sands ore that contains a large amount of fines that hinder, not only extraction of bitumen, but also the dewatering process of sand and clay fines. Poor quality ores are difficult to extract bitumen from at acceptable yields using conventional methods. In addition, more bitumen is retained in the tailings streams from extraction of poor quality ores, which is sent to the tailings pond as a yield loss.
Poor quality ores reduce yield by as much as 35 to 50% and are avoided when possible. Alternatively, poor quality ores are blended in limited quantities with good quality ores so they can be processed more effectively. With demand for oil increasing every year, there is a need to mine these poor quality ores and to produce high yield of bitumen. The tailings should be essentially free of bitumen and separated from water, so the water can be re-used and the solids can be returned to the environment free of bitumen, within environmental limits.
There is a desire to have lower extraction temperatures (for example, less than about 50° C.) to save heat energy. For example, when an adjacent upgrading facility to treat the extracted bitumen is not available, there is added cost to supply heat energy for the extraction water.
While there have been many advances in the oil sands extraction and tailings, there remains a need to improve bitumen recovery (yield) from oil sands, improve de-watering of the tailings (i.e., less water in the tailings) and reduce need to add fresh water bitumen recovery processes. There is also a need to improve bitumen extraction in poor quality ores, and to do so without significant capital equipment, without significant bitumen yield loss. The present invention meets these needs.


In an optical pick-up unit, there is provided with a structure for supporting a holder holding at least an objective lens through a spring support assembly so that said holder is movable in both of a focusing direction and a tracking direction, carried on a carriage capable of traveling at a high speed in the tracking direction, a spring constant of the spring support assembly is so set as to be larger in the tracking direction than in the focusing direction, whereby an amount of a positioning error of the objective lens produced in the tracking direction when the carriage is driven at a high speed is reduced. As a result, by the thus reduced amount of the positioning error of the objective lens, the optical pick-up unit is improved in access time in comparison with the conventional optical pick-up unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pick-up unit, and more particularly to one provided with a holder holding an objective lens etc. supported by spring members, the object lens being movable in both of a focusing direction and a tracking direction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An optical pick-up unit of an information recording/reading apparatus for recording or reading information from a disc-shaped recording medium (hereinafter referred to as the disc) is carried on a carriage which is rectilinearly movable in a radial direction of the disc. In general, a rotary motor is used as a prime mover for the carriage. A torque of the rotary motor is transmitted to the carriage through a suitable gear-reducer mechanism, for example such as one constructed of a rack and a pinion.
In the information recording-reading apparatus, since the rotary motor has a limitation in its responsibility, the apparatus has a limitation in its quick-access ability for driving the optical pick-up unit at a high speed to position the unit on a desired recording track of the disc. Consequently, there is a strong demand for a quick-access information recording/reading apparatus having an optical pick-up unit. In recent years, in order to realize such quick-access information recording/reading apparatus, there is employed a linear motor as a means for driving the optical pick-up unit of the apparatus, the linear motor being excellent in responsiveness.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the optical pick-up unit, a holder 1 holding therein an objective lens (not shown) is supported by a conventional biaxial-support structure constructed of a base mount 3 and four pieces of wire-like spring members 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d which are parallel to one another. The biaxial-suport structure supports the holder 1 through the spring members 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d so as to be movable in two perpendicular directions, i.e., in an optical-axis direction "A" or focusing direction and in a direction "B" or tracking direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction "A". The objective lens functions to converge an optical beam passed through a hole 3a formed in the base mount 3 toward an optical disc (not shown).
As described above, in the conventional biaxial-support structure suporting the holder 1 through the four pieces of the spring members 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d parallel to one another, a minimum resonant frequency f0 of the holder 1 in the focusing direction "A" is the same as that of the holder 1 in the tracking direction "B". However, since a focusing servo-mechanism of the optical pick-up unit moves into its retracted position in operation, it is difficult to set the minimum resonant frequency f.sub.o of the holder 1 in the focusing direction "A" at a high level. Consequently, in the conventional biaxial-support structure, it is natural to set the minimum resonant frequency of the holder 1 at a low level or low frequency.
In case that a linear motor is employed as a means for driving the optical pick-up unit having the biaxial-support structure so as to realize a quick-access information recording/reading apparatus having the optical pick-up unit, an external force exerted by the carriage acts on the holder 1 through the wire-like spring members 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d since the carriage carrying the optical pick-up unit is operated under a condition that the focusing servo is actuated while the tracking servo is not actuated. In this case, the minimum resonant frequency f.sub.o of the holder 1 in the tracking direction is low. This means that an assembly of the spring members 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d of the optical pick-up unit is low in its spring constant in the tracking direction. Consequently, the objective lens in the holder 1 is moved to a position slightly deviated from its neutral position when the quick-access operation of the optical pick-up unit is conducted, whereby a positioning error is produced at this time. Due to the existence of such positioning error or a positioning error caused in a tracking-error detection system employing a push-pull method and the like, the conventional optical pick-up unit is poor in convergency on a desired track of the disc to take much access time therefor.


A wrist mechanism including: at least three rigid elements each having an element axis, said rigid elements being connected in series so that adjacent two elements are rotatable relative to each other about a rotation axis, the rotation axis of said two adjacent rigid elements intersecting said element axes thereof, each rotation axis of each rigid element intersecting adjacent rotation axis; a first rotating mechanism for rotating every second rigid element relative to the other rigid elements; a second rotating mechanism for rotating the other rigid element relative to said every second rigid element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wrist mechanism attached to, for example, a distal end of an arm of an industrial robot.
2. Prior Art Statement
Industrial robots are usually provided with bendable wrist mechanisms. Japanese Utility Model (18-month) Publication 56-160790 discloses a representative wrist mechanism as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which a link mechanism 3 is jointed by means of a universal joint to a base member 1 attached to a robot body, the link mechanism 3 including one or more links 6 jointed by means of universal joints. Connecting rods 2 are attached to links 6 by means of universal joints mounted to the opposite ends thereof. The distal link 6 is provided with an operating tool 4. This wrist mechanism is, as shown in FIG. 2, bent by actuating a cylinder 5 of which rod is connected to the proximal link 6.
This prior art wrist mechanism is disadvantageous in that it is rather complicated in structure and large in size in spite of small rigidity since a large number of links and universal joints are used, and in that it is rather small in working area. Furthermore, the wrist mechanism necessitates a dust cover for preventing dust from entering into the connecting points.


An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a housing, a photosensitive drum, a cleaning blade, a contact portion, and a contacted portion. The housing and drum are disposed in an internal space of the main body. The blade is a plate-shaped elastic member extending in an axial direction of a rotational axis of the drum, is supported by the housing, and contacts a circumferential surface of the drum for cleaning. The contact portion is disposed opposite the housing in the main body. The contacted portion is disposed at a center portion, in the axial direction, of the housing and is contacted by the contact portion. A position of the center portion, in the axial direction, of the housing is adjusted in a cross section intersecting the axial direction by the housing being inserted into the internal space and the contact portion coming into contact with the contacted portion.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including a housing which supports a cleaning blade and is attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body.
Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus, a toner image is formed on a photosensitive drum by a developing device, and the toner image is transferred onto a sheet at a transfer portion. The image forming apparatus further includes a fixing portion. The sheet on which the toner image has been transferred is subjected to a fixing process at the fixing portion and then discharged. Untransferred toner remains on the photosensitive drum from which the toner image has been transferred. Thus, a technique is known in which a cleaning blade contacts with the surface of the photosensitive drum. The cleaning blade removes the untransferred toner from the surface of the photosensitive drum.
The cleaning blade is disposed in a housing which is attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body. In many cases, the housing integrally supports the cleaning blade and the photosensitive drum. The housing is often formed by resin molding, and there is a problem that a pressing force of the cleaning blade to the photosensitive drum partially changes due to warp of the housing after the molding. Conventionally, a technique is known in which the change of the pressing force caused due to the warp is suppressed by modifying the shape of or a fastening method for a sheet metal member which supports the cleaning blade. In addition, a technique is known in which a manner of attaching a sealing member is modified in order to prevent leak of toner collected by the cleaning blade from deteriorating due to warp of the housing.
In the above conventional techniques, when the housing has warped, it is necessary to adjust the position of the respective cleaning blade in order to uniformize the pressing force of the cleaning blade to the photosensitive drum. In addition, the pressing force changes due to part variation of the cleaning blade, environmental variation, degradation of the cleaning blade caused due to a long period of use, or the like.


The present invention relates to a trailer hitch receiver including a cross member, a hitch receiver box carried on the cross member and a pair of opposed mounting brackets. Each of the opposed mounting brackets includes a first mounting arrangement or series of apertures that secures the mounting brackets to the cross member in a first position and a second mounting arrangement or second set of mounting apertures for securing the mounting brackets to main frame member in a second position. Additionally, each mounting bracket includes a notch in the forward edge thereof which provides the necessary clearance for mounting the mounting brackets inboard of mounting flanges carried by the cross member. Accordingly, the mounting brackets may also be mounted in an inboard or outboard position as necessary to meet the needs of any particular application.

The present invention relates generally to the towing field and, more particularly, to a multi-fit trailer hitch receiver assembly providing unmatched mounting versatility so as to allow multiple application use.
It has long been known to construct trailer hitches that are mounted to vehicles in order to allow the towing of trailers or the like. In recent years, such trailer hitches have been designed to include a central frame member or crossbar carrying mounting brackets at each end thereof for mounting the trailer hitch to the frame of the towing vehicle. The trailer hitches also include a receiver box having a rearwardly directed opening or cavity for the receipt of a hitch or draw bar that carries a hitch ball or other means allowing connection to a trailer. Examples of such a structure include the 35, 36 and 37 series Custom Receivers and Titan 45 series hitch receivers manufactured by Reese Products, Inc., the assignee of the present invention.
In recent years, vehicle manufacturers have offered not only an increasing number of vehicle options but also an increasing number of vehicle models. In order to avoid the manufacturing expense of custom designing and fitting a trailer hitch receiver to each such vehicle model or each model with each available group of equipment options, it is necessary to provide a single hitch receiver with unparalleled mounting versatility to allow mounting to multiple vehicle models and vehicle models equipped with various option packages.
One effort made in the prior art to meet this need is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,122 to Helber. This adjustable hitch assembly allows one to alter the span of the frame mounting points and/or the height of the main frame or cross member. The apparatus is, however, relatively complicated and includes a number of parts to allow adjustability while providing for the mounting of the main frame member. Further, a telescoping tubular construction is used and this introduces substantial play into the arrangement resulting in a detrimental loss in rigidity.
The present invention relates to a trailer hitch receiver with heretofore unavailable mounting versatility allowing the trailer hitch receiver to be utilized on a number of different vehicle models equipped with various equipment option packages including, for example, special exhaust and suspension systems.
Specifically, the trailer hitch receiver includes selectively positionable mounting brackets adapted to provide enhanced versatility when mounting the trailer hitch receiver to the frame of a towing vehicle. Further, these brackets are relatively low profile, single-piece components that are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use. Unlike telescoping tubular components that have a relatively wide profile, these mounting brackets provide the necessary clearance to fit in tight areas around vehicle components and, as such, are more functional and suited to many more applications. While allowing the necessary adjustability, the brackets also insure a rigid connection.
Advantageously, the brackets of the trailer hitch receiver may be selectively positioned both fore or aft and inboard or outboard to provide relative adjustment in two perpendicular directions. This ability provides substantial versatility and allows the mounting of the trailer hitch assembly to a wider range of vehicles.
Additional advantages and other novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, a trailer hitch receiver is provided including a main frame member, a hitch receiver box carried on the main frame member and a pair of opposed mounting brackets. Each of the opposed mounting brackets includes a first mounting arrangement that selectively secures the mounting bracket to the main frame member in a first position and a second mounting arrangement that selectively secures the mounting bracket to the main frame member in a second position.
Preferably, the main frame member includes a cross member, a first mounting flange for engaging and holding the first mounting bracket and a second mounting flange for engaging and holding the second mounting bracket. Advantageously, the pair of opposed mounting brackets may be selectively mounted either inboard or outboard of the first and second mounting flanges. A notch is also provided in the peripheral edge of each mounting bracket. That notch provides the necessary clearance around the cross member to allow the inboard mounting of the mounting brackets.
More specifically describing the invention, each of the first and second mounting flanges includes a series of anchoring apertures. Further, the first mounting arrangement preferably comprises a first set of mounting apertures while the second mounting arrangement preferably comprises a second set of mounting apertures a spaced distance from the first set. One or more mounting apertures may be shared by the first and second sets. Additionally, the apparatus further includes fasteners for securing the pair of opposed mounting brackets to the first and second mounting flanges.
Specifically, the mounting brackets are secured either inboard or outboard of the mounting flanges with the anchoring apertures aligned with the first set of mounting apertures in order to secure the brackets in the first selected position. Alternatively, the mounting brackets are secured outboard of the mounting flanges with the anchoring apertures aligned with the second set of mounting apertures in order to secure the mounting brackets in the second mounting position. Once the anchoring apertures are aligned with either of the first or second set of mounting apertures, the fasteners are secured through the aligned apertures in order to complete the connection. Preferably, the fasteners include bolts and cooperating locknuts. It should be appreciated, however, that other appropriate fasteners of a type known in the art may be utilized for this purpose.
Of course, it is the size and shape of the vehicle frame and the presence or absence of various equipment options that determine the proper desired positioning of the mounting brackets on the mounting flanges of the main frame member. Transverse or side to side adjustment is provided by the selective mounting of the brackets either inboard or outboard of the mounting flanges. Additional side to side adjustment is provided by the reversible mounting brackets. Specifically, the mounting skirts on the mounting brackets may extend inward, toward each other or by reversing the brackets outward, away from each other.
Fore and aft adjustment is provided by the selective mounting of the mounting brackets with the anchoring apertures aligned with either the first or second set of mounting apertures. Together, the side to side or transverse and fore and aft or longitudinal adjustment provided by the trailer hitch receiver of the present invention allow a great deal of versatility in mounting the trailer hitch receiver around exhaust and suspension systems of a towing vehicle. They even allow mounting in vehicles of different frame width. Accordingly, a trailer hitch receiver of the present invention may be conveniently and effectively mounted to a wide variety of vehicle models even when those models are equipped with a wide variety of equipment options or accessories. As such, the trailer hitch receiver of the present invention provides multi-fit capability allowing its use for a wide number of towing applications. Of course, since one trailer hitch receiver meets the requirements of numerous applications, it is unnecessary to custom manufacture a hitch receiver for each such application. Thus, manufacturing costs are substantially reduced not only to the benefit of the manufacturer, but also to the ultimate benefit of the purchaser.
Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.


A position detecting device includes: a display unit having a first electrode formed of a transparent conductive film, a plurality of second electrodes, and display material interposed between the first electrode and the second electrodes; a display driver configured to drive the display unit based on a video signal input to the display driver; and a position detecting section configured to detect a position of an indicator on the first electrode and to output the detected position. The display unit may comprise, for example, an “electronic paper,” such that the display state of the display unit can be maintained even after a drive power applied between the first electrode and the second electrodes is discontinued.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a position detecting device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel position detecting device to which a display function is added without reducing transmittance.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various kinds of input devices for providing position information to a computer. Such input devices include a kind of position information input device called a "touch panel". The touch panel is an input device for operating a computer and the like by touching a flat detection surface thereof with an input tool such as a finger, a dedicated stylus pen and the like. The touch panel is configured by superimposing a position detecting device for detecting an indicated position on a display region of a liquid crystal display device. In the touch panel, the position touched by the finger or the dedicated stylus pen is detected, the detected position is indicated in the screen, and an instruction is output to the computer.
A touch panel is widely used in PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant), ATMs (Automated Teller Machines), railway ticket-vending machines and the like.
Various kinds of positional information detection technologies can be applied to a touch panel. For example, there exist a resistance film type position detecting device which detects the position based on pressure change, an electrostatic capacity type position detecting device which detects the position based on capacitance change of a film on the flat detection surface, and the like. A related art is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-020992.
In many cases, an electrostatic capacity type position detecting device is used to configure the aforesaid touch panel, especially when the position detecting device is used to detect the position indicated by a finger. When combining the electrostatic capacity type position detecting device with the display device, the position detecting device is superimposed on the display device.
A new type of display device, an "electronic paper," attracts much attention recently. In the electronic paper, darkness (between, for example, white and black) and/or color are controlled by applying a voltage to electrically-charged color powder. Since the electronic paper consumes less electrical power and can be made much thinner compared with the liquid crystal display device (which is widely used as the display device), electronic paper is becoming popular, particularly when used to display a still image, a text and the like.
There is a demand for adding other functions to an electronic paper. For example, it is desired that the electronic paper allows a note, a mark, or a label to be attached thereto, just like a normal paper. To obtain these functions, a possible method would be to superimpose an electrostatic capacity type position detecting device on an electronic paper in a similar manner to the aforesaid touch panel, so that the aforesaid functions can be added.
However, when a position detecting device, such as the electrostatic capacity type position detecting device, is superimposed on a display region of a display device, a plurality of transparent members will be superimposed on each other in the display region. As a result, transmittance of the display region would be reduced. Further, since a plurality of transparent members are superimposed on each other, thickness of the electronic paper would increase compared with an electronic paper having no aforesaid additional functions.
In view of the problems described above, one object of the present invention is to provide a position detecting device to which a display function is added without reducing transmittance and increasing thickness.

Position detecting device including display function


The present patent application discloses a method of producing nano-porous carbon, comprising mixing furfuryl alcohol or its fast-polymerizing derivatives with an aluminum-based solid polymerization catalyst, heating the mixture until a solid catalyst-carbon matrix forms, heating again under inert atmosphere and etching the powder to remove the matrix to produce a network of pores in the nano-porous carbon. The application further provides a method for making of fabricating tailor-made nano-porous carbon electrodes.

Electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs), also called supercapacitors or ultracapacitors, have received a lot of interest lately due to their potential for providing high power densities. However, they have fallen short in energy-density capabilities, which has curtailed their widespread application as an alternative, more powerful energy source to conventional batteries. Commercially available supercapacitors today are constructed from activated carbon electrodes made primarily from coconut-shell charcoal powder and have surface areas of 2000 m2/g and energy densities of ˜6 Wh/Kg (Pandolfo, A. G. et al., J. Power Sources, 2006, 157:11-27; Conway, B. E. et al., Electrochemical Supercapacitors: Scientific Fundamentals and Technological Applications, 1999, Kluwer Academic/Plenum, New York; Gamby, J. et al., J. Power Sources, 2001, 101(1):109-116; Burke, A., J. Power Sources, 2000, 91:37-50; "Basic Research Needs for Electrical Energy Storage", Report of the Basic Energy Sciences Workshop on Electrical Energy Storage, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, DOE, July 2007). Capacitance in these devices is determined by the surface area, pore size and its distribution, nature and concentration of the surface functional groups of the carbon material used to construct the electrodes, and the electrolytes (aqueous, organic or ionic solvents).
EDLC electrodes are typically constructed by mixing coconut-shell carbon powder with various binders and additives (up to 15%) to improve the mechanical and electrical properties, and then rolling and compacting the powder into sheets. Multiple sheets (with a separator to electrically isolate adjacent sheets) are then packaged, cut to size and filled with electrolyte to form the supercapacitor (example in FIG. 1). Different electrolytes like aqueous solutions (e.g. H2SO4, KOH), organic solutions (acetonitrile, propylene carbonate) or ionic liquids can be used to provide different energy density and voltage characteristics, although only organic-solvents-based devices have achieved any commercial success so far.
The key features that enable higher specific-capacitance from electrodes are the surface chemistry and the nature of the porosity of the electrodes. Several attempts are underway to fabricate electrodes using novel processing techniques that include the use of "Hard" and "Soft" templates. "Hard templating" is defined as a process in which the template and the carbon sources are made separately. The interconnecting pore structure of the template is made before the templating process. The pores are then filled with the carbon source and the template is removed after the formation of the carbon matrix. "Soft templating" is defined as a process in which the template and the carbon source are synthesized as a composite material and the template is formed as an embedded network of non-carbon material within the carbon matrix. The soft template is then removed to make the porous carbon.
Current industry efforts to make novel EDLC electrodes fall into the following three categories:                1) "Hard" templates into which the electrode materials are deposited; examples include the use of long-chain organic surfactant templates described by Nanotecture (U.S. Published Application No. 2009/0170000; Coowar) and Si-oxide templates disclosed by Nanotune (U.S. Pat. No. 8,454,918; Wang et al.);        2) "Soft" templates of non-carbon elements embedded within a carbon matrix: examples include techniques disclosed by Skelton Technologies (U.S. Pat. No. 7,803,345; Leis et al.) and YCarbon (U.S. Published Application No. 2012/0148473; Kramarenko);        3) Techniques to grow electrode surfaces (primarily in monolithic form) using exotic materials like graphene, carbon nano tubes (CNT), etc.; examples include U.S. Published Application No. 2010/0035093 (Ruoff et al.) and U.S. Published Application No. 2012/0134071 (Sadoway et al.).

Porous carbon electrodes for energy storage applications


A method and apparatus for mounting a loudspeaker within a cavity in the wall of a room to lessen the transmission of vibration to the wall comprises a weight support member coupled to the speaker cabinet and at least one flexible member extending from the speaker cabinet into engagement with wallboard or other wall sections forming opposite sides of the wall.

High-end home theaters typically include a large screen high definition television with a sound system that incorporates subwoofer loudspeakers. Stand alone high performance subwoofers may include an in-built amplifier and more than one driver which collectively require a cabinet or enclosure that is relatively large in size. Many owners of home theaters are reluctant to incorporate subwoofers of this type into their sound system for aesthetic reasons and because they take up so much space.
One solution to this problem has been the development of in-wall subwoofers which are mounted within a cavity formed in the wall of the home theater room. The cavity is defined by the space between two adjacent studs which extend between a top plate at the ceiling of the room and a bottom plate along the floor. The cavity is closed by wallboard on either side of the studs, with only a small grill area where the speaker driver is located showing in the room.
Traditionally, in-wall subwoofers and other speakers are mounted in the wall cavity using brackets, screws or other means of attachment which connect the speaker cabinet directly to the studs and/or to the top and bottom plates. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,296,280; 4,903,300; 6,098,743; 6,550,570; 6,360,842; 7,292,702 and 7,503,422. Mounting of the speaker cabinet in this fashion creates a very rigid connection to the wall structure, which allows vibration from the speaker to be directly transferred to the wall. Wall vibrations can adversely affect the sound output from the speaker, and cause noisy rattling from any items attached to the wall such as pictures, shelves and the like.
In addition to the rigid form of connection noted above, vibration can occur in prior in-wall speaker mounting systems due to the size of the speaker itself. Traditional loudspeaker cabinets have a depth dimension which is nearly the same as the width of the wall studs. As a result, the speaker driver is located very close to the wallboard forming the front and back of the wall. If the front or back of the speaker cabinet touches the wallboard, rattles and buzzes may be created while music or a movie is being played due to vibration transfer. Any noises of this sort during playback are particularly annoying to the home theater owner and can lead to extensive follow-up work for the installer.

In-wall loudspeaker mounting method and apparatus


In a control system for an information recording laser beam, an intensity of a laser beam is varied in a predetermined variation pattern during each of sequential one-pixel periods. The laser beam is periodically activated and deactivated in synchronism with a change of the one-pixel periods. A duration of the activating the laser beam within each of the one-pixel periods is controlled in accordance with a density of each of pixels of an image to be recorded.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for controlling an information recording laser beam.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In laser printers and various optical recording systems, a laser beam modulated with information is applied to a recording medium to record the information on the recording medium. Japanese published unexamined patent applications 61-277258, 61-277259, 61-26664, 59-146068, 56-91228, 62-247671, 61-124921, and 58-212256 relate to the recording of a halftone image into a recording medium by use of a laser light beam. In such halftone image recording, the intensity of a laser beam is modulated with image information, or the laser beam is subjected to pulse width modulation with the image information. In some cases, the laser beam is subjected to both intensity modulation and pulse width modulation.
In general, the above-mentioned prior art halftone image recording systems tend to be unreliable when a large number of different tone levels is required.

Control system for information recording laser beam


Disclosed is a pet sheet including a backsheet, a liquid-permeable topsheet and a liquid absorbent layer which is smaller than the backsheet and disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet. The backsheet extends beyond the liquid absorbent layer to provide side regions outside the liquid absorbent layer. A hydrophilic sheet is provided above the backsheet in the side regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pet sheet intended to absorb liquid such as urine discharged from pets such as dogs or cats.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pet sheets (absorbent sheets for pets) have been used for absorbing liquid such as urine discharged from household pets such as dogs or cats. Typically, the pet sheets employ a structure as shown in FIG. 13.
FIG. 13 shows a pet sheet 1 comprising a liquid-impermeable backsheet 2, a liquid absorbent layer 3 formed of absorbent materials such as pulp and laid on the backsheet 2, and a liquid-permeable topsheet 4 covering the upper side of the liquid absorbent layer 3. Along an end 1A of the pet sheet 1, the backsheet 2 is folded back to have its edge 2a on the upper side of the liquid absorbent layer 3, covering an end 3a of the liquid absorbent layer 3. Accordingly, urine applied to the upper side of the pet sheet 1 in a side region of a width (i) cannot readily migrate to the liquid absorbent layer 3 due to the presence of the liquid-impermeable backsheet 2. Thus, urine is liable to puddle in the side region or flow down the side region to reach a floor surface outside the pet sheet 1. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-218535 discloses a pet sheet of this construction.


An automatic document feeder includes a feeding path and a plurality of feed roller sets. Through the feeding path, an original document is fed in one direction from a paper supply port to a paper discharge port. The plurality of the feed roller sets are arranged along the feeding path to be spaced apart from each other. When one side of an original document is scanned and when both sides of an original document are scanned, the plurality of the feed roller sets nip the original document to feed the original document along the feeding path. In this case, the plurality of the feed roller sets are all involved in feeding the original document.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder. Further, the present invention relates to an image scanning device including the automatic document feeder. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for feeding an original document.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional automatic document feeder, a plurality of feed roller sets are arranged along a feeding path, and the plurality of the feed roller sets feed an original document (See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-269934). Specifically, a one side feeding path dedicated for scanning one side of an original document and a two side feeding path dedicated for scanning both sides of an original document are provided. The plurality of the feed roller sets are arranged so that an original document can be fed along such feeding paths.
In the conventional automatic document feeder, the plurality of the feed roller sets feed an original document along the dedicated one side feeding path and the dedicated two side feeding path to scan the content of the original document. However, in such a conventional automatic document feeder, the plurality of the feed roller sets are prepared for the dedicated one side feeding path and the dedicated two side feeding path, respectively. Consequentially, there have existed a feed roller set(s) that is not used to scan one side of an original document but used only to scan both sides of an original document. For example, feed roller sets 42 and 43 (of the above-referenced publication) correspond to such a feed roller set. The existence of the feed roller set that is used only to scan both sides of an original document has forced the conventional automatic document feeder to include more feed roller sets than an automatic document feeder configured otherwise. Various unsuccessful efforts have been made to reduce the number of feed roller sets.

Automatic document feeder, image scanning device, and method for feeding original document


A jumping ramp for a motorized toy vehicle including a jumping surface having an area along which the toy vehicle can travel, a frame pivotally connected to the jumping surface at one end thereof, and an arm connected to the frame and to the jumping surface for fixing the jumping surface at a desired angle with respect to the frame. A spring is connected to the frame and supports the jumping surface. The jumping surface includes a flat surface and a support structure connected to a bottom of the flat surface. The support structure is pivotally connected to the frame. First and second side rails extend upwardly from opposite sides of the flat surface and are pivotable at these sides so as to be foldable between a perpendicular position above the flat surface and an inwardly folded position at a bottom of the flat surface. A handle is rotatably connected to the frame so as to facilitate the storage and transport of the jumping ramp.

Remote controlled cars, trucks and bikes are becoming increasingly popular. With these remote controlled vehicles, the user has a remote control unit in his hand and utilizes levers so as to control the movement of the vehicle. These levers can be used so as to control the speed of the vehicle and the steering of the vehicle. Unfortunately, after a while, users of such remote controlled vehicles often become tired of the same activity. Typically, this activity will involve steering the vehicle, at a desired speed, around various obstacles. Heretofore, devices have not been provided which add to the amusement value by enabling the vehicle to carry out "jumping" activities. It is often a fun endeavor to see the remote controlled toy vehicle "jump" from one surface to another. Unfortunately, many self-designed jumps cause the vehicle to jump from a surface only to land on a rigid surface. This can often damage the structure of the vehicle, the electronics of the vehicle or the propulsion system for the vehicle. As such, a need developed so as to have a jumping ramp which allowed the motorized toy vehicle to effectively jump and land with no risk of damage to the vehicle.
In the past, various U.S. patents have issued with respect to jumping ramps. U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,574, issued on Sep. 7, 1965 to Frisbie et al. teaches a jump ramp which allows a slot car to jump from one surface into the slot of another surface. U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,920, issued on Dec. 26, 1967 to P. Iammatteo, teaches a tilt-track section for slot car racers which can turn about the axis in response to the weight of the vehicle situated on the track section between the axis and the other free end of the tilt-track acting thereon. U.S. Pat. No. 3,621,602, issued on Nov. 23, 1971 to Barcus et al., teaches a track with a simulated stunt hoop for toy vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,875, issued on Jan. 7, 1975, to Nemeth et al., describes a gap jumping toy vehicle game which includes a vehicle track and a toy vehicle adapted to move along the track and across a vehicle jump defined by a pair of ramps associated with the track. At least one of the ramps is movable with respect to the track and the other of the ramps in order to permit adjustment of the size of the gap between the ramps and to vary the degree of difficulty of the jump. U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,966, issued on Apr. 30, 1985 to Mucaro et al., describes a vehicle jump for a toy vehicle game which includes a launching ramp and a landing ramp and an adjusting device for changing the orientation of one of the ramps from an operative position to an inoperative position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,685, issued on Aug. 13, 1991 to Yoneda, describes a track apparatus for a toy racing car which includes a launching ramp over a simulated mountain. U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,668, issued on Aug. 6, 1996 to Casale et al., describes a slot track raceway which includes a ramp which allows one of the slot cars to jump over an underlying slot car. German Patent No. 1,905,263, published on Aug. 6, 1970, teaches a propulsion unit for toy cars which includes a piece of track which is mounted at one end on a horizontal pivot just above the level of the main track and a spring between the main track and the underside of the pivoted track. The pivoted track is latched down horizontally against the spring. When the trigger release is pressed, the track swings upwardly at its free end under the action of the spring.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a jumping ramp for remote controlled vehicles.
It is another object of the present invention to prevent excess damage to vehicles from the ramp jumping activity.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a jumping ramp which can be maintained in a desired position during use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a jumping ramp for toy vehicles that can easily be moved, stored and transported.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a jumping ramp for a motorized toy vehicle which has an adjustable angle.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a jumping ramp for a motorized toy vehicle which can be easily folded for storage.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a jumping ramp for a motorized toy vehicle which can close, lock and be carried by a single individual.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.


A liquid discharge head substrate has improved protection performance of protective films for protecting heaters while effective bubble-forming regions are being secured. The protective films for protecting a plurality of heating elements provided on a substrate are formed using a platinum group element and are separately provided for the respective heating elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet liquid discharge head for discharging liquid such as ink from discharge ports and a substrate therefor, the liquid being discharged by the steps of applying thermal energy thereto using heating elements provided in flow paths through which the liquid flows so as to cause film boiling in the liquid, and then discharging the liquid using bubbles formed by the film boiling.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, as a liquid discharge head, in particular, as an inkjet liquid discharge head, for example, the structure has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,493 in which thermal energy is applied to liquid filled in ink flow paths by heaters provided therein to form bubbles for discharging ink from discharge ports communicating with the ink flow paths.
In the liquid discharge head disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,493, a heat accumulating layer, which is a lower layer made of SiO2 for preventing heat generated by a heater from being dissipated, is formed on a silicon (Si) substrate, and a heater film which is a heat generating resistive layer made of HfB2 is further provided on the heat accumulating layer described above. Wires made of aluminum (Al) for supplying electricity to the heater film described above are disposed with a predetermined space interposed therebetween to form a predetermined pattern. A region between the wires disposed with a predetermined space interposed therebetween is a heat generation region which generates heat when current is supplied to the heater film. On the heater film and the wires, there are provided an insulating layer made of SiO2, which is a first upper protective layer, for isolating ink from the heater film and the wires; a protective layer made of tantalum (Ta), which is a third protective layer, for protecting the heater film from impact which is generated when a bubble formed in the ink by film boiling is defoamed; and a resinous protective layer, which is a second protective layer provided in a region other than the heat generation region, for preventing the ink from permeating through the insulating film.

Liquid discharge head having protective film for heating element and substrate therefor


A control key assembly for an electronic device includes a housing and a control key. The housing forms a receiving portion defining an opening having two spaced-apart arms. The control key is received in the receiving portion. The control key includes a first hook and a second hook. The first hook and the second hook are slidably engaged in the opening, and alternatively latch with the two arms when the control key is slid between first and second positions.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to control key assemblies, particularly to a control key assembly used in a portable electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Many portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, have a housing defining an interior compartment for receiving a printed circuit board (PCB). The devices often include a control key assembly on one side of the housing, allowing one-handed operation of the device.
Typically, the control key assembly is loosely located in a space defined in an outer shell of the portable electronic device, with a slight gap defined between the control key assembly and the outer shell. The control key moves easily in the opening, and may, under more serious forces, physically separate from the rest of the assembly.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Control key assembly for electronic device

Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.


The invention provides a DMOS transistor in which a leakage current is decreased and the source-drain breakdown voltage of the transistor in the off state is enhanced when a body layer is formed by oblique ion implantation. After a photoresist layer 18 is formed, using the photoresist layer 18 and a gate electrode 14 as a mask, first ion implantation is performed toward a first corner portion 14C1 on the inside of the gate electrode 14 in a first direction shown by an arrow A′. A first body layer 17A′ is formed by this first ion implantation. The first body layer 17A′ is formed so as to extend from the first corner portion 14C1 to under the gate electrode 14, and the P-type impurity concentration of the body layer 17A′ in the first corner portion 14C1 is higher than that of a conventional transistor.

A DMOS transistor is a MOS field effect transistor in which a source layer and a body layer to be a channel are formed by double diffusion, and is used as a power semiconductor device for a power supply circuit, a driver circuit, etc.
In recent years, there is a need to decrease the on-resistance of a DMOS transistor for a demand for smaller electronics and lower power consumption. Therefore, pitches between transistors are decreased by using a micro-fabrication technique so as to increase the number of transistors per unit area. Furthermore, lower on-resistance is realized by decreasing the channel length of a transistor by forming a body layer by an oblique ion implantation technique instead of by thermal diffusion that has been employed conventionally.
Hereafter, a structure of an N channel type lateral DMOS transistor and a method of manufacturing the same will be described referring to FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a pattern of a lateral DMOS transistor, and FIG. 13 is cross-sectional views of FIG. 12, in which FIG. 13(A) is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 along line X-X and FIG. 13(B) is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 along line Y-Y.
An N type source layer 11 is formed in the front surface of an N type semiconductor substrate 10 (e.g. a silicon single crystal substrate). The source layer 11 is made of an N type layer 11A and an N+ type layer 11B of which the concentration is higher than that of the N type layer 11A.
Furthermore, a gate insulation film 12 and an insulation film 13 for electric field reduction (a LOCOS film) connected to the gate insulation film 12 are formed next to the source layer 11 on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate 10, and a gate electrode 14 (e.g. made of a polysilicon film) is formed from on this gate insulation film 12 onto a portion of the insulation film 13 for electric field reduction. This gate electrode 14 is formed so as to surround the source layer 11 like a ring, and the source layer 11 is exposed from the tetragonal opening of the ring-like gate electrode 14. Furthermore, a spacer film 15 (e.g. made of a silicon oxide film) is formed on the sidewall of the gate electrode 14, and the high concentration N+ type layer 11B of the source layer 11 is formed by using this spacer film 15.
Furthermore, an N+ type drain layer 16 is formed in the front surface of the semiconductor substrate 10. The drain layer 16 is disposed apart from the source layer 11, and the insulation film 13 for electric field reduction is disposed between these.
Furthermore, a P type body layer 17 is formed so as to be partially superposed on the source layer 11 and extend in the front surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 under the gate electrode 14. When a voltage applied to the gate electrode 14 is a threshold voltage or more, the front surface of this body layer 17 is inverted to N type to form a conductive channel between the source layer 11 and the drain layer 16.
Hereafter, a method of forming the body layer 17 will be described. A photoresist layer 18 is formed so as to have ends on the gate electrode 14 and cover the insulation film 13 for electric field reduction and the drain layer 16.
The source layer 11 and an end of the gate electrode 14 abutting the source layer 11 are exposed from the photoresist layer 18. Oblique ion implantation of P-type impurities is performed in four directions shown by allows A, B, C and D in FIG. 12. In detail, ion beams are applied to the front surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 in oblique directions relative to the vertical direction by using the gate electrode 14 and the photoresist layer 18 as a mask.
This oblique ion implantation realizes the formation of the body layer 17 in a narrow region under the gate electrode 14, thereby decreasing the channel length of the transistor and achieving lower on-resistance.
A DMOS transistor is described in Japanese Patent Application publication Nos. hei 10-233508 and 2004-039773, for example.

DMOS transistor and method of manufacturing the same

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC


The present invention relates to compositions that contain a chimeric papillomavirus virus-like particle (VLP) in combination with a DNA molecule encoding a protein or polypeptide epitope. The chimeric papillomavirus VLP is assembled from an L1 protein or polypeptide and a chimeric protein or polypeptide containing at least a portion of the L2 protein and a protein or polypeptide including an immunogenic epitope. The composition is useful for inducing an enhanced immune response against a pathogen or a tumor.

Papillomaviruses cause warts and other hyperproliferative epithelial disorders in humans and other higher vertebrates (Howley et al., "Papillomaviruses and Their Replication," In D. M. Knipe and P. M. Howley (ed.), Fields Virology, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 4th ed, vol. 2., pp. 2197-2230 (2001) and Lowy et al., "Papillomaviruses," In D. M. Knipe and P. M. Howley (ed.), Fields Virology, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia p. 4th ed, vol. 2., pp. 2231-2264 (2001)). Thus far, more than 130 genetically distinct human papillomaviruses (HPVs) have been identified and/or partially characterized, each with a characteristic tissue tropism and variable disease potential (de Villiers et al., "Classification of Papillomaviruses," Virology 324:17-27 (2004)). Importantly, several mucosal epitheliotropic HPVs have demonstrated oncogenic potential through close association with anogenital malignancies, including uterine cervical carcinoma (Munoz et al., "Against Which Human Papillomavirus Types Shall We Vaccinate and Screen? The International Perspective," Int J Cancer 111:278-85 (2004); zur Hausen, H., "Papillomaviruses and Cancer: From Basic Studies to Clinical Application," Nat Rev Cancer 2:342-50 (2002)). An estimated 500,000 cases and 275,000 deaths from this disease occur annually among women worldwide (Parkin et al., "Global Cancer Statistics, 2002," CA Cancer J Clin 55:74-108 (2005)).
Long-term efforts by several groups to develop safe and effective vaccines for HPV prophylaxis are now bearing fruit (McNeil, C., "Coming Soon: Cervical Cancer Vaccines, and an Array of Public Health Issues," J Natl Cancer Inst 98:432-4 (2006)). A tetravalent VLP vaccine formulation (Gardasil™, Merck, Inc.) was approved recently by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and recommended by the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for universal vaccination of young females (Skjeldestad, F. E., "Prophylactic Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (HPV)(Types 6, 11, 16, 18) L1 Virus-Like Particle (VLP) Vaccine (Gardasil™) Reduces Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) 2/3 Risk," IDSA Annual Conference, October 7th, San Francisco, USA (2005)). A bivalent VLP formulation (Cervarix™, GlaxoSmithKline), which targets HPV types 16 and 18, is expected to be available soon. Wide-spread use of these vaccines can be expected to lead eventually to a marked reduction in incidence and prevalence of genital HPV disease; however, such an effect will likely require several years to occur, as public and private sector groups work to overcome challenges associated with vaccine distribution, particularly in low-resource settings ("WHO Consultation on Human Papillomavirus Vaccines," Wkly Epidemiol Rec 80:299-302 (2005)).
Clinical management of genital HPV disease now relies on multiple therapeutic modalities, but all available methods suffer more or less from variable responses to treatment, and variable recurrence rates (ACOG Practice Bulletin, "Clinical Management Guidelines for Obstetrician-Gynecologists No. 61: Human Papillomavirus," Obstet Gynecol 105:905-18 (2005)). Thus, there is a need for better therapy. The emergence of VLP technology (Hagensee et al., "Self-assembly of Human Papillomavirus Type 1 Capsids by Expression of the L1 Protein Alone or by Coexpression of the L1 and L2 Capsid Proteins," Journal of Virology 67:315-322 (1993); Kirnbauer et al., "Papillomavirus L1 Major Capsid Protein Self-assembles into Virus-like Particles that are Highly Immunogenic," Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89:12180-12184 (1992); and Rose et al., "Expression of Human Papillomavirus Type 11 L1 Protein in Insect Cells: In Vivo and In Vitro Assembly of Viruslike Particles," Journal of Virology 67:1936-1944 (1993)), which underlies the prophylactic vaccines (Rose, R. C. (ed.), "Human Papillomavirus Immunology and Vaccine Development," vol. 8. Elsevier, Amsterdam (2002)), has led to the development of several strategies for immunotherapy of established cervical HPV disease (Greenstone et al., "Chimeric Papillomavirus Virus-like Particles Elicit Antitumor Immunity Against the E7 Oncoprotein in an HPV16 Tumor Model," Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95:1800-5 (1998); Muller et al., "Chimeric Papillomavirus-like Particles," Virology 234:93-111 (1997)). Because continued expression of the viral E6 and E7 oncoproteins is required for maintenance of the transformed phenotype, such strategies generally have focused on incorporating viral early (E) proteins into VLPs to promote the induction or enhancement of E protein-specific cellular immune responses. For example, an L1-E7 fusion protein has been shown to self-assemble into chimeric VLPs (cVLPs) that can be used to enhance E7-specific cellular immune responses in mice (Schafer et al., "Immune Response to Human Papillomavirus 16 L1-E7 Chimeric Virus-like Particles: Induction of Cytotoxic T Cells and Specific Tumor Protection," Int J Cancer 81:881-8 (1999)). In a variation of this theme, L2-E7 or L2-E7-E2 fusion proteins have been generated and incorporated into chimeric VLPs (Greenstone et al., "Chimeric Papillomavirus Virus-like Particles Elicit Antitumor Immunity Against the E7 Oncoprotein in an HPV16 Tumor Model," Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95:1800-5 (1998)) that have been shown to provide similar enhancement of E7- and/or E2-specific responses (Schiller et al., "Papillomavirus-like Particle Vaccines," J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 28:50-4 (2001)).
In addition to using VLPs for delivery of viral early proteins, VLPs consisting of L1 alone have been shown to be capable of delivering plasmid DNA into cells grown in vitro (Combita et al., "Gene Transfer Using Human Papillomavirus Pseudovirions Varies According to Virus Genotype and Requires Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate," FEMS Microbiol Lett 204:183-8 (2001) and Touze et al., "In Vitro Gene Transfer Using Human Papillomavirus-like Particles," Nucleic Acids Research 26:1317-1323 (1998)), in a manner that appears to be somewhat dependent on genotype (Combita et al., "Gene Transfer Using Human Papillomavirus Pseudovirions Varies According to Virus Genotype and Requires Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate," FEMS Microbiol Lett 204:183-8 (2001)). Interestingly, more recent evidence has suggested that VLPs consisting of both the L1 major and L2 minor capsid proteins may be more efficient for DNA delivery than VLPs consisting of L1 alone (Kamper et al., "A Membrane-Destabilizing Peptide in Capsid Protein L2 is Required for Egress of Papillomavirus Genomes from Endosomes," J Virol 80:759-68 (2006)). It was shown, for example, that DNA co-delivered with L1 VLPs is retained within endosomes, and that efficient egress from this compartment is dependent on a 23 amino acid sequence located within the L2 carboxyl terminal region. Thus, a potentially important role for L2 in facilitating DNA delivery and expression has been demonstrated in vitro.
It would be desirable to develop a more efficient vaccine that can be used to treat or prevent infectious diseases and various tumors via enhancement of the immune response.
The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other deficiencies in the art.

Combined human papillomavirus VLP/gene delivery system and use thereof as a vaccine for prophylaxis and immunotherapy of infectious diseases and tumors


A communications system includes a physical layer device (PLD) and a logical link device (LLD), each having respective send and receive interfaces being substantially identical to define symmetrical interfaces for the system. Accordingly, design and manufacturing is simplified compared to conventional systems. In addition, advantages are also provided in terms of loopback capability and packaging options. The PLD comprises a PLD send interface including PLD parallel information outputs, and a PLD receive interface including PLD parallel information inputs. Similarly, the LLD comprises an LLD receive interface including LLD parallel information inputs, and an LLD send interface including LLD parallel information outputs. Parallel communications channels connect the PLD information outputs to respective LLD information inputs, and connect the LLD information outputs to respective PLD information inputs. The PLD send interface and the LLD send interface are substantially identical, and the PLD receive interface and the LLD receive interface are substantially identical to thereby define the symmetrical interfaces for the system. In view of the symmetrical interfaces, the PLD and the LLD may operate in a push-push configuration. Deskewing features are also provided.

Digital communications are widely used for the transmission of voice, data and video information. Such transmission can extend over large geographical distances, between components within a personal computer, or only between adjacent circuit portions on an integrated circuit. Certain such communications applications benefit from or require the conversion of serial data into parallel data for simultaneous transmission over parallel communications channels, or more generically, from M'ary symbols to N'ary symbols. At the receiving end, the parallel data is desirably converted back into the serial data, and with the bits or symbols in the correct order to avoid data errors.
Unfortunately, the demand for greater data transmission volumes and at ever higher speeds, may result in skew at the receiver. In other words, the parallel communications channels may introduce different delays to the parallel symbol strings they carry. Because of skew, the parallel symbol strings at the receiver can then no longer be simply reassembled into the starting data.
The skew problem with parallel communications channels has been addressed in a number of ways. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,618 to Haas et al. recognized the dispersion introduced by wavelength division multiplexed communications channels over optical fiber. This patent discloses determining the relative delays between the channels based upon detecting two bits in a given byte of data. The relative times of arrival of the remaining bits in a byte are predetermined using the relative delay between the two detected bits and the known frequency-related dispersion characteristics of the transmission medium. Certain bits in each received byte may then be delayed using clock delay lines or registers, thereby accounting for skew.
Along similar lines, U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,530 to Loeb et al. also determines and accounts for skew imparted by dispersion in fiber optic wavelength division multiplexing. Relative delays are used to control adjustable delay devices in each channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,473 to Hutchinson et al. is directed to a technique for synchronizing run-length-limited data transmitted over parallel communications channels. Block boundary synchronization is established during connection initialization by using a property of a required HALT code to detect block boundaries received in each channel. Skew compensation is effected by comparing the times of detection of the block boundaries in the two channels, and appropriately controlling a variable delay in at least one of the channels. If there is a subsequent loss of synchronization, detected transmission errors will eventually result in connection reinitialization and reestablishment of synchronization. Unfortunately, the transmission of the fixed HALT code to detect boundaries may result in false boundary detection. Moreover, since synchronization is not continuously maintained, the technique may be impractical for higher data rates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,770 to St. John et al. is directed to a high-performance parallel interface (HIPPI) to a synchronous optical network (SONET) gateway, and wherein electronic logic circuitry formats data and overhead signals into a data frame for transmission over a fiber optic channel. Stripe skew adjustment is based upon SONET framing, and, as such, the circuitry is relatively complicated, comprising as many as 20,000 logic gates, for example.
The difficulty with skew caused by parallel communications channels is also an important issue to be addressed in communications channels between integrated circuit devices. For example, higher transmission speeds increase the sensitivity to skew, as there is a smaller time window to correctly identify a received bit and have it properly align with bits received on the other parallel communications channels. To provide a higher aggregate transmission rate, the number of parallel communications channels can be increased, without increasing the speed of any given communications channel. However, this may result in significant costs for the additional communications channels. Moreover, for communications between integrated circuits, increasing the number of communications channels increases the number of pins needed for connecting the IC. The number of pins and additional packaging complexity may significantly increase the costs of such approaches.
For communications channels between physical layer devices (PLDs) or PHY devices, and logical link devices (LLDs), typical interfaces are asymmetrical and the devices are operated in a push-pull configuration. Because of the asymmetry, relatively expensive memory is required on the PLD since it is polled by the LLD, such as an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) device. Further developments and improvements in the communications interface between a PLD and LLD are also hampered by the skew difficulty described above as a result of higher bit rates over limited parallel communications channels.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Communications system with symmetrical interfaces and associated methods