The present invention is based on the discovery of NAD+ and NADP+ mediator compounds that do not bind irreversibly to thiol groups in the active sites of intracellular dehydrogenase enzymes. Such mediator compounds avoid a common mode of enzyme inhibition. The mediators can therefore increase the stability and reliability of the electrical response in amperometric electrodes constructed from NAD- or NADP-dependent enzymes.

The invention is in the general field of electrodes for amperometric biosensors. More specifically, the invention is in the field of compounds for use as mediators for the recycling of cofactors used in these electrodes.
NAD- and NADP-dependent enzymes are of great interest insofar as many have substrates of clinical value, such as glucose, D-3-hydroxybutyrate, lactate, ethanol, and cholesterol. Amperometric electrodes for detection of these substrates and other analytes can be designed by incorporating this class of enzymes and establishing electrical communication with the electrode via the mediated oxidation of the reduced cofactors NADH and NADPH.
NAD- and NADP-dependent enzymes are generally intracellular oxidoreductases (EC 1.x.x.x). The oxidoreductases are further classified according to the identity of the donor group of a substrate upon which they act. For example, oxidoreductases acting on a CHxe2x80x94OH group within a substrate are classified as EC 1.1.x.x whereas those acting on an aldehyde or keto-group of a substrate are classified as EC 1.2.x.x. Some important analytes (e.g., glucose, D-3-hydroxybutyrate, lactate, ethanol, and cholesterol) are substrates of the EC 1.1.x.x enzymes.
The category of oxidoreductases is also broken down according to the type of acceptor utilized by the enzyme. The enzymes of relevance to the present invention have NAD+ or NADP+ as acceptors, and are classified as EC 1.x.1.x. These enzymes generally possess sulphydryl groups within their active sites and hence can be irreversibly inhibited by thiol-reactive reagents such as iodoacetate. An irreversible inhibitor forms a stable compound, often through the formation of a covalent bond with a particular amino acid residue (e.g., cysteine, or Cys) that is essential for enzymatic activity. For example, glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase (EC 220.127.116.11) is stoichiometrically alkylated by iodoacetate at Cys149 with concomitant loss of catalytic activity. In addition, the enzymes glucose dehydrogenase, D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH), and lactate dehydrogenase are known to be irreversibly inhibited by thiol reagents. Thus, in seeking to develop stable biosensors containing NAD- or NADP-dependent dehydrogenases, avoidance of compounds that are reactive toward thiols is imperative, as they can act as enzyme inhibitors.
The present invention is based on the discovery of NAD+ and NADPxe2x88x92 mediator compounds that do not bind irreversibly to thiol groups in the active sites of intracellular dehydrogenase enzymes. Such mediator compounds avoid a common mode of enzyme inhibition. The mediators can therefore increase the stability and reliability of the electrical response in amperometric electrodes constructed from NAD- or NADP-dependent enzymes.
In one embodiment, the invention features a test element for an amperometric biosensor. The element includes an electrode, which has test reagents distributed on it. The test reagents include a nicotinamide cofactor-dependent enzyme, a nicotinamide cofactor, and a mediator compound having one of the formulae:
or a metal complex or chelate thereof,
where X and Y can independently be oxygen, sulphur, CR3R4, NR3, or NR3R4xe2x88x92; R1 and R2 can independently be a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or heteroaromatic group, and R3 and R4 can independently be a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, amino, alkoxyl, or aryloxyl group. In some cases, either X or Y can be the functional group CZ1Z2, where Z1 and Z2 are electron withdrawing groups.
Any alkyl group, unless otherwise specified, may be linear or branched and may contain up to 12, preferably up to 6, and especially up to 4 carbon atoms. Preferred alkyl groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl. When an alkyl moiety forms part of another group, for example the alkyl moiety of an alkoxyl group, it is preferred that it contains up to 6, especially to 4, carbon atoms. Preferred alkyl moieties are methyl and ethyl.
An aromatic or aryl group may be any aromatic hydrocarbon group and may contain from 6 to 24, preferably 6 to 18, more preferably 6 to 16, and especially 6 to 14, carbon atoms. Preferred aryl groups include phenyl, naphthyl, anthryl, phenanthryl and pyryl groups especially a phenyl or naphthyl, and particularly a phenyl group. When an aryl moiety forms part of another group, for example, the aryl moiety of an aryloxyl group, it is preferred that it is a phenyl, naphthyl, anthryl, phenanthryl or pyryl, especially phenyl or naphthyl, and particularly a phenyl, moeity.
A heteroaromatic or heteraryl group may be any aromatic monocyclic or polycyclic ring system, which contains at least one heteroatom. Preferably, a heteroaryl group is a 5 to 18-membered, particularly a 5- to 14-membered, and especially a 5- to 10-membered, aromatic ring system containing at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen, sulphur and nitrogen atoms, 5- and 6-membered heteroaryl groups, especially 6-membered groups, are particularly preferred. Heteroaryl groups containing at least one nitrogen atom are especially preferred. Preferred heteroaryl groups include pyridyl, pyrylium, thiopyrylium, pyrrolyl, furyl, thienyl, indolinyl, isoindolinyl, indolizinyl, imidazolyl, pyridonyl, pyronyl. pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, purinyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, quinoxalinyl, pyridazinyl, benzofluranyl, benzoxazolyl and acridinyl groups.
When any of the foregoing substituents are designated as being substituted, the substituent groups which may be present may be any one or more of those customarily employed in the development of compounds for use in electrochemical reactions and/or the modification of such compounds to influence their structure/activity, solubility, stability, mediating ability, formal potential (Exc2x0) or other property. Specific examples of such substituents include, for example, halogen atoms, oxo, nitro, cyano, hydroxyl, cycloalkyl, alkyt, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, amino, alkylamino. dialkylamino, formyl, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyl, alkanoyl, alkylthio, alkylsulphinyl, alkylsulphonyl, arylsulphinyl, arylsulphonyl, carbamoyl, alkylamido, aryl or aryloxy groups. When any of the foregoing substituents represents or contains an alkyl substituent group, this may be linear or branched and may contain up to 12, preferably up to 6, and especially up to 4, carbon atoms. A cycloalkyl group may contain from 3 to 8, preferably from 3 to 6, carbon atoms. An aryl group or moiety may contain from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, phenyl groups being especially preferred. A halogen atom may be a fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine atom and any group which contains a halo moiety, such as a haloalkyl group, may thus contain any one or more of these halogen atoms.
An electron withdrawing group may be any group, which forms a stable methylene group CZ1Z2. Such electron withdrawing groups may include halogen atoms, nitro, cyano, formyl, alkanoyl, carboxyl and sulphonic acid groups.
Preferably, X and Y are both oxygen atoms.
It is also preferred that R1 and R2 are independently selected from phenyl, naphtuyl, pyridyl and pyrrolyl groups with pyridyl groups being especially preferred. The term xe2x80x9cpyridyl groupxe2x80x9d also includes the N-oxide thereof as well as pyridinium and N-substituted pyridinium groups.
Preferably, R1 and R2 are unsubstituted or substituted only by one or more, preferably one or two, alkyl groups, especially methyl groups. It is especially preferred that R1 and R2 are unsubstituted.
R3 and R4, if present, are preferably independently selected from hydrogen atoms and alkyl groups.
Metal complex and chelates include complexes and chelates with transition metals, especially first-, second- and third-row transition elements such as ruthenium, chromium, cobalt, iron, nickel and rhenium, with ruthenium being particularly preferred. Other groups such as 4-vinyl-4xe2x80x2-methyl-2,2xe2x80x2-bipridyl (v-bpy) and bipyridyl (bpy) groups may also be included in such complexes and chelates as parts of a complex metal ion. Typically, such complexes and chelates will form as a result of heteroatoms in R1 and R2 coordinating with a metal ion or metal ion complex.
The test reagents can be deposited on the electrode in one or more ink-based layers. The test reagents can be screen-printed onto the working electrode in a single layer.
The element can be an amperometric dry-strip sensor that includes an elongated, electrically insulating carrier having a pair of longitudinal, substantially parallel electrically conducting tracks thereupon, and a pair of electrodes. The electrodes can each be electrically connected to a different one of the tracks; one of the electrodes can be a reference/counter electrode, while another electrode can be a working electrode. The element can also include a dummy electrode. Further, the element can include a membrane positioned to filter samples prior to their introduction onto the electrodes.
The sensor can additionally include a supporting strip of electrically insulating carrier material (e.g., a synthetic polymer such as polyvinyl chloride, or a blend of synthetic polymers).
The mediator compound can be a quinone. Examples of suitable quinones include 1,10-phenanthroline quinone, 1,7-phenanthroline quinone, and 4,7-phenanthroline quinone.
In another embodiment, the invention features an electrode strip for an amperometric sensor having a readout. The strip includes a support adapted for releasable attachment to the readout, a first conductor extending along the support and comprising a conductive element for connection to the readout: a working electrode in contact with the first conductor and positioned to contact a sample mixture: a second conductor extending along the support and comprising a conductive element for connection to the readout: and a reference/counter electrode in contact with the second conductor and positioned to contact the sample and the second conductor. The active electrode of the strip includes a mediator compound having one of the formulae:
wherein X, Y, R1 and R2 are as previously defined.
Still another embodiment of the invention features a method for mediating electron transfer between an electrode and a nicotinamide cofactor. The method includes the steps of using a mediator compound in the presence of a nicotinamide cofactor-dependent enzyme, where the mediator compound is a quinoid compound that is incapable of binding irreversibly to the thiol groups. The mediator compound can, for example, have reactive unsaturated bonds in adjacent aromatic ring. Suitable mediator compounds include those having the formulae:
wherein X, Y, R1 and R2 are as previously defined.
For example, the mediator compound can be 1,10-phenanthroline quinone, 1,7-phenanthroline quinone, or 4,7-phenanthroline quinone.
In yet another embodiment, the invention features a printing ink. The ink includes a nicotinamide cofactor-dependent enzyme, a nicotinamide cofactor, and a mediator compound having one of the formulae:
wherein X, Y, R1 and R2 are as previously defined.
For example, the mediator compound can be 1,10-phenanthroline quinone, 1,7-phenanthroline quinone, or 4,7-phenanthroline quinone. The enzyme can be, for example, alcohol dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrocenase, glucose dehydrogenase, formaldehyde dehydrogenase, malate dehydrocenase or 3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, technical manuals, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present application, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
An advantage of the new mediators is their non-reactivity with respect to active-site thiol groups in enzymes. This improves the stability and the shelf life or biosensor electrodes to an unexpected degree. Also as a result of this stability, the enzyme and mediator can be incorporated together in a printing ink or dosing solution to facilitate construction of the biosensors. The use of a mediator that is not an irreversible inhibitor of the enzyme will result in the retention of a large proportion of enzyme activity during the biosensor manufacture. NAD- and NADP-dependent dehydrogenase enzymes are generally expensive and labile and improvement of their stability is therefore highly desirable.
Advantageously, the compounds disclosed herein can also be used as mediators to the cofactors NADH and NADPH coupled with a wide range of NAD- or NADP-dependent enzymes; as labels for antigens or antibodies in immunochemical procedures; and in other applications in the field of electrochemistry and bioelectrochemistry. The mediators require low oxidation potentials for re-oxidation following the reaction with NADH or NADPH. This is of particular advantage when testing in whole blood, in which the potential for interference from exogenous electroactive species (e.g., ascorbic acid, uric acid) is particularly high. The low potential can be advantageous because it can obviate the need for a dummy electrode to remove electroactive species in the sample. Also, the oxidized native form of the mediator can decrease the background current that would be present with a reduced mediator.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

Biosensor electrode mediators for regeneration of cofactors and process for using


A wireless power system and method are provided that employ a hybrid approach to adjusting transmission power to take advantages of the best features of frequency mode adjusting and duty cycle mode adjusting. The wireless system and method attempt to modify duty cycle as a first adjustment, unless the duty cycle adjustment causes the duty cycle to be outside a predefined range. If the duty cycle adjustment causes the duty cycle to be outside a predefined range, the wireless system and method employ frequency mode adjusting to adjust transmission power.

There is currently a need for powering portable or mobile devices for use in commercial, business, personal, consumer, and other applications. Examples of such devices include cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), notebook computers, mobile email devices, music players, radios, compact disk players, video game consoles, digital cameras, electric shavers, electric toothbrushes and even electric cars. Most of these devices include a rechargeable internal battery that needs to be charged by an external power supply or charger, before the device itself can be used. Recently, there has been an interest in providing a universal wireless method for powering or charging one or several mobile devices, batteries, and/or electronics devices. These "wireless power" methods can be generally divided into conductive and inductive methods. The conductive methods use flow of current from a charger and/or power supply into the mobile devices to provide power and receive power through matching contacts on the back of a device and the pad without 'plugging in' the device. The inductive methods utilize coils or wires in a charger and/or power supply to create a magnetic field in the vicinity of the surface. A coil or wire in a receiver embedded into or on a device or battery that is in the vicinity of the surface can sense the magnetic field. Power from the charger and/or power supply can be transferred to the receiver without any wired connection through air or other media in between.
Recently, an organization has been started known as the "Wireless Power Consortium" (WPC) which is a business alliance formed to create a universal wireless power charging standard specification for inductive charging. In a wireless power system conforming to the WPC standard specification, the receiver being charged, communicates a "Control Error" signal to a transmitter that is providing charging power to the receiver. The "Control Error" signal provides an indication of a difference between the power being received and the power that the receiver desires. The transmitter generates a proportional integral derivate (PID) response to the error signal and updates the PWM output to provide the desired power to the receiver. Updating of the output has been accomplished in one of two manners traditionally through either frequency modulation or duty cycle modulation. Frequency modulation is applicable in a resonant system in which the power can be controlled by adjusting the frequency of the drive signal. The further that the frequency is from the resonant peak, the lower the delivered power. Duty cycle modulation operates at a fixed frequency (typically near resonance) and controls the output by varying the on-time/off-time ratio.
Both frequency mode control and duty cycle mode control have their own drawbacks and strengths. A drawback for frequency mode control is that the resolution of the frequency output may be limited. The frequency may be set by adjusting the number of system clock cycles in each period. As the operating frequency increases, the resolution of the adjustment decreases. The coarseness of the adjustment may not be accurate enough to meet the system requirements. Secondly, in a consortium defined specification, the supply voltage may be constrained to meet the requirement for the resultant delivered power. This limits the selection of drivers and driver topologies. Other factors besides a specification can also limit operating frequency.
Duty cycle control can have an advantage of higher output resolution compared to frequency mode control. However, with many systems, there is a lower limit at which the duty cycle can be set before the system changes modes of operation or ceases to work completely, such as the transition between continuous and discontinuous modes of operation. To maximize possible output range the duty cycle system is typically run close to resonance, which may result in substantial power for even low duty cycles. Combined with the lower limit to duty cycle, this can easily make the system unable to deliver low power loads. Another issue is that the resonance of the transmitter can shift due to manufacturing tolerances, or environmental changes. If the operating point gets too far from the resonant frequency, high power levels may become unattainable.


In a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus for performing an etching operation with a reaction gas, in which three electrodes, namely, upper, intermediate and lower electrodes, are arranged parallel to one another, and the intermediate electrode is in the form of a grid, having a number of through-holes, the axis of at least one of the through-holes in the intermediate electrode is inclined with respect to the central axis of the intermediate electrode. Accordingly, etching energy is uniformly applied to the entire surface of a material to be etched, thereby to achieve etching uniformly both in speed and in configuration.

The present invention relates to a method of detecting the end of an etching operation of electrodes of a three-electrode type dry etching unit with a detecting section of an optical end point detecting unit.
A conventional semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 4(a), has an intermediate electrode 4 having a plurality of vertical through-holes 5. Of those lo vertical through-holes 5, the one on the straight line connecting a material to be etched and the detecting section 9 of an optical end point detecting unit 8 is made larger than the others to provide a sufficiently wide optical path, or made different in configuration from the others for the purpose of end point detection. In FIG. 4(a), reference numeral 1 designates a reaction chamber; 2, an upper electrode; 3, a lower electrode; 6, a high frequency power source; and 7, a wafer. The optical end point detecting unit 8 operates to detect with the detecting section 9 the intensity of plasma light due to an etching reaction, thereby to detect the end point of the etching.
The intermediate electrode 4, as shown in FIG. 4(b), is in the forth of a disk with the through-holes 5. In the conventional apparatus, the diameter of the through-hole 5 on the straight line connecting the material to be etched and the detecting section 9 of the optical end point detecting unit is four times as large as that of the remaining through-holes 5.
Such an apparatus was used to etch a silicon oxide film under conditions and characteristics which were typically as indicated in the following Table 1:
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Gas CHF.sub.3 100 SCCM C.sub.2 F.sub.6 40 SCCM Vacuum pressure 200 mTorr RF power 800 watts Etching speed 820 .ANG./min Uniformity 7.2% ______________________________________
The above-described conventional semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus is, however, disadvantageous in the following points: As was described above, in order to provide a sufficiently wide optical path on the straight line connecting a material to be etched and the detecting section 9 of the optical end point detecting unit 8, the corresponding through-hole 5 is made larger in diameter than the others, or it is made different in configuration from the others. Hence, the etching energy is not uniformly applied to the material to be etched, and accordingly the etching of the material is not uniform in speed and in configuration.

Semiconductor device manfuacturing apparatus


A lightweight multiband, high angle sandwich radome structure for millimeter wave frequencies includes a central core layer, a reinforced laminate skin adjacent each side of the central core, and outer matching layers on each of the reinforced laminates.

Airborne satellite communication links are currently being developed for millimeter wave (K-Ka band) frequencies in order to achieve the broad bandwidths for high data rates. The K-Ka band frequencies require a radome wall design that differs radically from the thin laminate skin, low density core, sandwich design that has prevailed since World War II. For example, the thin-skin A-sandwich design for single band, centimeter wavelength airborne radomes has a typical thickness of about 0.3″, an areal weight of about 0.5 pounds per square foot (PSF), and a transmission efficiency of about 95 percent. Designs for multiband, millimeter wavelength radomes require a nominal half-wave solid laminate core with outer, quarter wave matching layers; this achieves acceptable structural and electrical performance, particularly for low profile shapes that incur high incidence angles. The thickness of these designs is about 0.25″, but their areal weight increases to 1.5 to 2.5 PSF and the transmission efficiency decreases to 80 to 60 percent. The basic multi-layer design for millimeter wavelength radomes has three layers; the addition of a fourth interior matching layer increases the minimum transmission efficiency of the multi-layer design from 60 percent to about 75 percent for the worst cases, but does not reduce the weight. The basic 3-layer, B-sandwich has received a U.S. Pat. No. 7,420,523, B1, dated 2 Sep. 2008, and assigned to Radant Technologies, Inc. and a 4-layer design is disclosed in a U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/135,263 filed by Radant Technologies, Inc. on 30 Jun. 2011 both of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference. The light weight configuration that is described in the following summary for K-Ka band radome designs also has application to Ku-K-Ka band radome designs.

Lightweight, multiband, high angle sandwich radome structure for millimeter wave frequencies


In order to prevent particles within a unit from sticking to a substrate in a substrate processing process, an ion generator charges the particles. At the same time, a direct current voltage of the same polarity as the charged polarity of the particles is applied from a direct current power source to the substrate. In order to prevent generation of particles when producing gas plasma, a high-frequency voltage is applied to the upper and lower electrodes at multiple stages to produce plasma. In other words, at a first step, a minimum high-frequency voltage at which plasma can be ignited is applied to the upper and lower electrodes, thereby producing a minimum plasma. Thereafter, the applied voltage is increased in stages to produce predetermined plasma.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device that prevents sticking of particles and restricts generation of particles. Particularly, the invention relates to a particle sticking prevention apparatus and a plasma processing apparatus that restricts generation of particles and prevents sticking of particles in a manufacturing process of semiconductors and flat display panels, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
An environment in which manufacturing apparatuses of semiconductors or liquid crystal display units are installed has hardly any problem in cleanliness due to the advanced cleaning of clean rooms. On the other hand, particles that are generated within the manufacturing apparatuses have become a problem. In other words, it is required to prevent the sticking and generation of particles in the manufacturing process.
According to a conventional module that carries a substrate of a semiconductor or a liquid crystal display unit within a manufacturing apparatus, atmospheric air is introduced into the manufacturing apparatus via a fan filter unit (FFU) to remove particles which may be a cause of dust. Invasion by the particles is prevented in this way.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an atmospheric transfer module 10 of a semiconductor substrate in a general semiconductor manufacturing device. A carrying arm 2 supports and carries a semiconductor substrate 1 to a necessary position. A driving unit 3 moves and rotates the carrying arm 2 in the vertical and lateral directions. The atmospheric transfer module 10 is isolated by gate valves 4 from the outside or from another module such as a load lock chamber. The gate valves 4 are opened only when necessary. An FFU 5 that cleans air is provided above the atmospheric transfer module 10. The FFU 5 removes particles, that influence the semiconductor substrate or a device, from the air and introduces this air into a transfer chamber.
However, because the atmospheric transfer module 10 has a robot mechanism that carries the substrate, friction between an antifriction material and a member generates particles within the module. The FFU does not remove the particles that are generated within the device or the module. Further, particles or molecules having smaller diameters, that a filter cannot remove, enter a device. The particles generated within the device and the particles invading from the outside of the device receive an inertial force, gravity, and an electrostatic force, and move and are stuck to the semiconductor substrate. When a semiconductor substrate surface is polluted because of this sticking, inconveniences, such as a reduction in the production yield of a semiconductor device, occur.
In the load lock chamber adjacent to the atmospheric transfer module, particles are scattered and are stuck to the substrate in a nitrogen purge at the time of decreasing pressure from the atmospheric pressure or at the time of returning from vacuum to the atmospheric pressure. When an adiabatic expansion occurs due to a sudden drawing of a vacuum, moisture is frozen to generate particles. The generation or scattering of particles is conventionally avoided by decreasing an introduction speed of nitrogen gas. However, this lowers the total throughput of a device.
To overcome this difficulty, a cleaner disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 9-283597 is known. This cleaner sprays ionized air while a carrying arm is not used. The cleaner blows off particles that are stuck to the device due to static electricity or the like, and absorbs the particles on a filter. The ionized air is used to prevent charging of the carrying arm and to remove the charge from the surface of the arm.
On the other hand, in a plasma processing process for processing the substrate of a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display unit, particles that are generated within the plasma processing unit cause problems.
In etching a semiconductor wafer that is positioned on a wafer stage within a vacuum processing chamber, gas is introduced from a gas shower head that is provided above the wafer. A high-frequency voltage is applied to between the wafer stage and the gas shower head. Electric power is supplied to the gas for the production of plasma, thereby producing a gas plasma. During this process, particles are generated, and these particles pollute the wafer.
When particles are stuck to the substrate, this causes a defect of a product which lowers a product yield ratio. In other words, particles that are stuck to the substrate form a mask which disables the etching device for etching a film. A particle that is stuck to the substrate forms a nucleus which causes an abnormal growth of a film in a film producing device. These particles are generated when reaction products stuck to the inside of a processing unit peel off from the internal surface of the unit for some reason. Means for effectively preventing peeling off and scattering of these particles are demanded.
In order to prevent particles falling onto the substrate, Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 7-58033 proposes a device that has an openable and closable shutter which covers the substrate after the process ends.

Particle sticking prevention apparatus and plasma processing apparatus


Systems and methods for diagnosing one or more respiration distress manifestations by implantably recognizing their occurrence and evaluating information about the same to provide an indication of present or impending worsening heart failure are discussed. Using information produced by an implantable respiration sensor circuit and an implantable physiological sensor circuit, such as at least one of a physical activity sensor circuit or a posture sensor circuit, an implantable or external processor circuit may detect a respiration disturbance and an associated subsequent arousal from stable state occurrence and thereafter evaluate over time arousal from stable state occurrences to provide the indication of present or impending worsening heart failure. In one example, information about a fluid level within a subject is used in determining the indication of worsening heart failure. In various examples, a regimen is initiated or adjusted in response to the indication of present or impending worsening heart failure.

Congestive heart failure, or simply heart failure, is a condition in which a subject's heart can't pump the needed amount of blood to the subject's other organs causing fluid to build-up behind the heart. Congestive heart failure can be conceptualized as an enlarged weakened heart muscle, which results in poor cardiac output. As blood flow out of the heart is reduced, blood returning to the heart through the veins backs up, causing congestion in bodily tissues. This congestion may cause swelling in the legs, ankles, or other parts of the body and may also result in fluid collecting in, or flowing to, the subject's thorax. Thus, congestion may be associated with heart failure.

Using respiration distress manifestations for heart failure detection


The invention provides antibody heavy chain constant regions with a hinge region modified to reduce binding to Fcγ receptors. The modification occurs within positions 233-236 by replacement of natural residues by glycine(s) and/or deletion(s). Such modifications can reduce binding of an antibody bearing such a constant region to Fcγ receptors to background levels. The constant regions can be incorporated into any format of antibody or Fc fusion protein. Such antibodies or fusion proteins can be used in methods of treatment, particularly those in which the mechanisms of action of the antibody or Fc fusion protein is not primarily or at all dependent on effector functions, as is the case when an antibody inhibits a receptor-ligand interaction or agonizes a receptor.

Antibodies of the IgG class are attractive therapeutic agents. IgGs exist as four subclasses in humans, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4. The heavy chain constant (CH) region of IgG comprises three domains, CH1, CH2, CH3, and a hinge linking CH1 and CH2. Although the role of each subclass appears to vary between species, the heavy chain constant domain is responsible for various biological effector functions. The human IgG subclasses mediate several cellular immune responses through their interaction with Fcγ (FcγRs), such as cell killing, phagocytosis and opsonization. Such interaction involves binding of at least functional CH2 and CH3 domains of a heavy chain constant region to an FcγR on the surface of an effector cell, such as a natural killer cell, an activated macrophage or the like. Complement-mediated lysis can also be triggered by the interaction of the Fc region with various complement components.
Effector functions are useful in some antibody therapies, such as treatment of some cancers or pathogens, in which effector function is primarily or at least partially responsible for killing cancer cells or the pathogen. However, other antibody therapies are mediated entirely or predominantly by effector-independent mechanisms, such as inhibiting a receptor-ligand interaction or agonizing a receptor. In such therapies, antibody effector functions serve little or no useful purpose but can result in undesired inflammation. In such circumstances, it may be advantageous to engineer the Fc receptor binding properties of an antibody so as to inhibit some or all of the available effector mechanisms, without substantially affecting the antibody's pharmacokinetic properties, immunogenicity and variable regions specificity and affinity.
IgG heavy chain constant regions have been mutated in various positions to test the effect of amino acids on IgG/FcγR interaction (see e.g. Canfield and Morrison, J Exp Med 73, 1483-1491 (1991); Chappel et al. JSC 268(33), 25124-31 (1993); and Armour et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 29, 2613-24 (1999)). Several amino acid residues in the hinge region and in the CH2 domain of a heavy chain constant region have been proposed as mediating binding to Fcγ receptors (see Sarmay et al., Mol Immunol 29, 633-9 (1992); Greenwood et al., Eur. J. Immunol, 23(5), 1098 (1993), Morgan et al., Immunology 86, 319 (1995), Stevenson, Chemical Immunology, 65, 57-72 (1997)). Glycosylation of a site (N297) in the CH2 domain and variations in the composition of its carbohydrates also strongly affect the IgG/FcγR interaction (Stevenson, Chemical Immunology, 65, 57-72 (1997); Siberil et al, Immunol. Ltrs. 106, 111-118 (2006)).
Alanine residues have usually been the preferred substituent for replacing a natural amino acid with an unnatural one so as to reduce function because alanine has a side chain without any functional groups. For example, the well-known technique of alanine-scanning mutagenesis systematically replaces every natural residue in a protein or protein domain with alanine to identify which natural residues contribute primarily to function. Replacing an amino acid with a functional group with alanine eliminates the functional group and its contribution to binding to any receptor, but the presence of the alanine side chain substantially preserves conformation, reducing the potential for immunogenicity or other complexities due to conformational changes. An alternative strategy replaces amino acids in the hinge region of one IgG isotype with corresponding amino acids from human IgG2 isotype so as to reduce FcγR binding without unacceptable conformational changes and consequent immunogenicity. The resulting chimeric Fc-containing antibodies include a substitution of EFLG at positions 232-236 with PVA (see WO14/121087).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Heavy chain constant regions with reduced binding to Fc gamma receptors


An improved drill pipe assembly that is formed as a concentric walled pipe having both an axial and an annular space therethrough, and the pipe section includes means for selectively communicating the adjoining annular spaces through the series of respective box end/pin end joints whereby equipment compartmentation, conductor traverse, ballast containment, gas pressurization and weight addition can be effectively utilized in controlled manner. The pipe is assembled by threaded engagement of the pin end joint to each of an outer pipe and an inner pipe, and subsequent threaded joinder of the concentric pipes to a box end joint while also utilizing an intermediate double-threaded sleeve between the inner pipe threads and the box end collar threads.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a form of concentric tube drill pipe assembly and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, it relates to improved drill pipe that enables wide variance in weight and buoyancy while containing space for continuous communication and electronic modules, such drill pipe being particularly adaptable for extended horizontal or deviated drilling applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dual tube concentric drill pipe has been known for a long number of years as it has been utilized for obtaining various advantages in the drilling operation. An early U.S. Pat. No. 1,024,310 proposed a concentric drill pipe intended for boring shallow oil or artesian wells with reduced danger of blocking the hole as might be caused by breaking of the drill bit downhole. A U.S. Pat. No. 1,746,132 taught a concentric drill pipe wherein an annulus portion forms a sealed chamber for air or other gas which serves to lessen the weight of the drill stem.
A U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,903 teaches a specific form of construction for concentric drill pipe using only threaded interconnector means in the assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,535 teaches yet another form of concentric drill pipe that utilizes a more basic approach wherein a conventional form of drill pipe contains a smaller diameter pipe extending axially therethrough while being concentrically spaced by a number of spacer lugs. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,091 is of interest for its teaching of concentric drill pipe that provides an annular space for carrying fluid or other material for the purpose of damping vibrations set up during drilling activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,012 in the name of McNeely provides teaching of a drill collar having inner and outer pipes with threaded pin and box ends securely affixed to the outer pipe. The inner pipe is aligned by abutment with an axial bore in the pin and box end joints, and the annular space is filled with a suitable foam plastic of selected specific gravity. This device is intended to function as a drill collar that has sufficient rigidity but lighter weight so that it is suitable for high angle deviation drilling or the like. This patent teaches mere capping or abutment of the inner tube with the opposite threaded inserts, a type of joinder that would not provide sufficient sealing capability.


A double-sided display panel and a manufacture method thereof, and a double-sided display device are provided. The double-sided display panel includes a first display layer and a second display layer which are disposed opposite to each other; the first display layer includes a plurality of first pixel units and a plurality of first light adjusting components; the second display layer includes a plurality of second pixel units and a plurality of second light adjusting components; colors of light transmitted by a first light adjusting component and a second light adjusting component which are correspondingly stacked are different.

At present, a conventional display device can only perform single-sided display, and a user can only see the display content of the display device from one side of the display device. However, a display range of the single-sided display is limited, in some special scenarios, the display range cannot meet the needs of the user. For example, in an exhibition in a large space, due to the large number of exhibitors, the display range of the single-sided display does not provide a good user experience. At this situation, the exhibitors hope to watch the video playback of the exhibits from both sides of the display device. In this case, the two-side display can only be performed by combining two display devices, and this method is not only expensive, but also requires a large space and is not beautiful.

Double-sided display panel and manufacture method thereof, and double-sided display device

FUZHOU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

BEIJING BOE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.


Among four plate 21 to 24 that make up a refrigerant container, an intermediate plate 22 in contact with a heat receiving plate 21 is so provided with semi-annular peripheral channels 221 that they surround a boiling area of a refrigerant and, at the same time, is provided with straight channels 222 extending from the peripheral channels 221 to the boiling area over substantially all around the circumference of the peripheral channels 221. According to this structure, even if the refrigerant container is used in a tilted position, a liquid refrigerant that has condensed completely is supplied to the boiling area through the straight channels 222 provided on the floor within the refrigerant container, after being stored in the lowest position of the refrigerant container through the peripheral channels 221 provided on the floor within the refrigerant container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant that cools a heat-generating member by latent heat transfer while boiling and condensing a refrigerant.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant has been proposed in prior art. The cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant of the prior art comprises a refrigerant container that receives heat through its bottom that is in contact with a heat-generating member such as a heat-generating electronic part, plural tubes that communicate the inside of the refrigerant container and attached erectly to the upper surface of the refrigerant container, and a header tank through which the plural tubes are communicated with each other.
The refrigerant container comprises a heat receiving plate to the surface of which a heat-generating member is attached and a heat radiating plate to the surface of which the tubes are attached, and there are provided two stacked intermediate plates between the heat receiving plate and the heat radiating plate, each intermediate plate having plural slit-shaped openings that penetrate through the plate in the direction of thickness. Examples of intermediate plates used in a refrigerant container that have such multilayer structures are shown in FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B.
An intermediate plate 123 shown in FIG. 9A is contiguous to a heat radiating plate, to the surface of which tubes are attached, and is provided with plural slit-shaped openings 123a in parallel, which extend in the longitudinal direction in the drawing of the intermediate plate 123, as shown schematically. An intermediate plate 122 shown in FIG. 9B is contiguous to a heat receiving plate and provided with plural slit-shaped openings 122a in parallel, which extend in the transverse direction in the drawing of the intermediate plate 122, as shown schematically.
When the intermediate plates 122 and 123 are stacked on each other between the heat receiving plate and the heat radiating plate, the slit-shaped openings 122a and 123a are arranged so that they are perpendicular to each other. Due to this, all of the openings 122a and 123a are communicated with each other and a space to store a refrigerant in a refrigerant container is formed. The area inside the refrigerant container, on which the heat-generating member attaching area is projected from the bottom to the upper side, is referred to as a boiling area and it is shown as an area 161 surrounded by an alternating long and short dashed line in FIG. 9B.
When the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant equipped with the refrigerant container cools a heat-generating member attached to the bottom outside of the refrigerant container, the refrigerant stored in the refrigerant container receives heat from the heat-generating member and boils mainly in the boiling area 161. The boiled and gasified refrigerant passes mainly through the tubes above the boiling area 161, through the header tank, and returns to the peripheral part within the refrigerant container mainly through the tubes above the area outside the boiling area 161. While moving, the refrigerant radiates latent heat to the outside and condenses into a liquid refrigerant, in the tubes.
However, in the above-mentioned cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant, when electronic equipment or the like, to which a heat-generating member such as a heat-generating electronic device to be cooled is mounted, is placed in a slightly tilted position, the surface of the heat-generating member in contact with the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant is also tilted and the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant is often used, as a result, in a state in which the bottom of the refrigerant container is tilted. In this case, the refrigerant is naturally stored in a space at a lower part within the refrigerant container.
When the heat-generating member generates heat and the boiling area 161 is mainly heated, the liquid refrigerant in this area receives heat and is evaporated into vapor, and the refrigerant that has circulated through the tubes and the header tank and condensed, as described above, returns to the lower part in the space within the refrigerant container. As the refrigerant in the boiling area is evaporated into vapor, the liquid refrigerant is moved and supplied from the lower part within the refrigerant container to the boiling area 161.
However, if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant is used in a tiled position, it is unlikely that the liquid refrigerant is smoothly moved and supplied from the lower part within the refrigerant container to the boiling area 161, and a problem occurs that the cooling performance may be deteriorated due to poor circulation of the refrigerant.
For example, when the refrigerant container is tilted so that the corner B of the intermediate plates 122 and 123, shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, is the lowest part, the liquid refrigerant is stored near the lowest part 122b in the lowest opening 122a within the refrigerant container. The liquid refrigerant stored near the lowest part 122b in the opening 122a is supplied to the boiling area 161 through the opening 122a and the opening 123awithout exception. As it is necessary for the liquid refrigerant at the lowest part 122b to move to another opening 122a through the opening 123a in the upper intermediate plate 123, which is located higher than the intermediate plate 122 by one step, the movement of the liquid refrigerant is often hampered, resulting in poor circulation of the refrigerant.
The above-mentioned problem being taken into account, the objective of the present invention is to provide a cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant that can prevent poor circulation of the refrigerant, even if used in a tilted position.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) in a first aspect of the present invention comprises a refrigerant container (2) to the bottom outside of which a heat-generating member (6) is attached and within which a refrigerant that boils when it receives heat from the heat-generating member (6) is stored, a heat radiating section (3, 5) having plural tubes (3) communicating the inside of the refrigerant container (2) and assembled almost erectly on the surface of the refrigerant container (2), and a header tank (4) through which the plural tubes (3) are communicated with each other; wherein the heat-generating member (6) is cooled by the refrigerant stored in the refrigerant container (2), which is evaporated into vapor when receiving heat from the heat-generating member (6) and radiates the latent heat of the refrigerant vapor from the heat radiating section (3, 5); wherein a boiling area (61) where the refrigerant is evaporated into vapor by the heat-generating member (6) is formed within the refrigerant container (2); and wherein on the floor within the refrigerant container (2), one or plural substantially annular refrigerant channels (221) surrounding the boiling area (61) and plural substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) extending from the substantially annular refrigerant channels (221) to the boiling area (61), over substantially all around the circumference of the substantially annular refrigerant channels (221), are formed in the same plane.
According to the first aspect, even if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) is used in a tilted position, the liquid refrigerant that has condensed completely is supplied to the boiling area (61) through the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) on the floor within the refrigerant container (2), after being stored at the lowest part through the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) on the floor within the refrigerant container (2). Therefore, it is unlikely that the movement of the liquid refrigerant is hampered, and it is possible to prevent poor circulation of the refrigerant.
Moreover, in a second aspect of the present invention it is possible to replace the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) by two substantially semi-annular refrigerant channels (221) opposed to each other.
In a third aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant container (2) is formed by arranging an intermediate plate member (22), in which slits (221, 222) that serve as refrigerant channels and penetrate through the intermediate plate member (22) in the direction of the plate member""s thickness are formed, between two external plate members (21, 24) so as to form a multilayer structure, and the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) are formed as slits in the intermediate plate member (22) arranged nearest the bottom of the refrigerant container (2).
According to the third aspect, it is easy to construct the refrigerant container (2) by stacking the intermediate plate member (22) in which the slits that serve as the refrigerant channels are formed, together with the external plate members (21, 24). Moreover, as the refrigerant channel that surrounds the boiling area (61) is substantially annular, it is possible to form the intermediate plate member (22) so as to connect the inside parts and outside parts of the refrigerant channel (221) that surrounds the boiling area (61), even if the refrigerant channel is formed by the slits penetrating through the plate in the direction of its thickness. Therefore, it is easy to handle the intermediate plate member (22) in manufacturing and assembling.
In addition, it is possible to make more secure the connection between the inside parts and outside parts of the refrigerant channel (221) that surrounds the boiling area (61), when the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) is composed of the two substantially semi-annular refrigerant channels (221) opposed to each other, in the second aspect of the present invention.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a second intermediate plate member (23) arranged adjacently to a first intermediate plate member (22) that is the intermediate plate member (22) arranged nearest the bottom, communication channels (232), through which ends (221a) of the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) are communicated with each other, are formed.
According to the fourth aspect, it is possible to form an annular refrigerant channel by the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) in the first intermediate plate member (22) and the communication channels (232) in the second intermediate plate member (23). Therefore, it is possible to prevent poor circulation of the refrigerant without fail.
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) have a symmetrical shape with respect to the boiling area (61).
According to the fifth aspect, even if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) is tilted in any direction, it is possible to supply the refrigerant to the boiling area (61) through the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222).
In a sixth aspect of the present invention, a cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) comprises a refrigerant container (2) to the bottom outside of which a heat-generating member (6) is attached and within which a refrigerant that boils when it receives heat from the heat-generating member (6) is stored, a heat radiating section (3, 5) having plural tubes (3) communicating the inside of the refrigerant container (2) and assembled almost erectly on the surface of the refrigerant container (2), and a header tank (4) through which the plural tubes (3) are communicated with each other; wherein the heat-generating member (6) is cooled by the refrigerant stored in the refrigerant container (2), which is evaporated into vapor when receiving heat from the heat-generating member (6) and radiates the latent heat of the refrigerant vapor from the heat radiating section (3, 5); wherein the boiling area (61) where the refrigerant is evaporated into vapor by the heat-generating member (6) is formed within the refrigerant container (2); and wherein on the floor within the refrigerant container (2), an annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) surrounding the boiling area (61) and the plural substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) extending from the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) to the boiling area (61), over substantially all around the circumference of the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421), are formed in the same plane.
According to the sixth aspect, even if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) is used in a tilted position, the liquid refrigerant that has condensed completely is supplied to the boiling area (61) through the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) on the floor within the refrigerant container (2), after being stored at the lowest part through the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) on the floor within the refrigerant container (2). Therefore, it is unlikely that the movement of the liquid refrigerant is hampered, and it is possible to prevent poor circulation of the refrigerant.
In a seventh aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant container (2) is formed by arranging an intermediate plate member (42), in which slits (221) that serve as refrigerant channels and penetrate through the intermediate plate member (42) in the direction of the plate member""s thickness and ditches (421) that have a floor in the direction of the plate member""s thickness are formed, between the two external plate members (21, 24) so as to form a multilayer structure, the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) are formed in the intermediate plate member (42) arranged nearest the bottom of the refrigerant container (2), and the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) is formed by the slits (221) and the ditches (421).
According to the seventh aspect, it is easy to construct the refrigerant container (2) by stacking the intermediate plate member (42) in which the slits (221) and the ditches (421) that serve as the refrigerant channels are formed, together with the external plate members (21, 24). Moreover, as the refrigerant channel (221, 421) that surrounds the boiling area (61) is formed by the slits (221) and the ditches (421), it is possible to form the intermediate plate member (42) so as to connect the inside parts and outside parts of the refrigerant channel (221, 421) that surrounds the boiling area (61) through the section where the ditches (421) are formed. Therefore, it is easy to handle the intermediate plate member (42) in manufacturing and assembling.
In an eighth aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant container (2) is formed by arranging plural plate members (51, 23, 24) so as to form a multilayer structure and an annular refrigerant channel (521) and substantially straight refrigerant channels (522) are formed in a plate member (51) arranged nearest the bottom of the refrigerant container (2) and are ditches that have a floor.
According to the eighth aspect, it is easy to construct the refrigerant container (2) by stacking the plate member (51), in which the annular refrigerant channel (521) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (522) are formed, together with other plate members.
In a ninth aspect of the present invention, the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) have a symmetrical shape with respect to the boiling area (61).
According to the ninth aspect, even if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) is tilted in any direction, it is possible to supply the refrigerant to the boiling area (61) through the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222).
In a tenth aspect of the present invention, heat radiating fins (5) are formed between the plural tubes (3).
According to the tenth aspect, it is possible to improve the heat radiation performance of the heat radiating sections (3, 5).
The symbols in the brackets attached to each means described above show the relationship of correspondence with the concrete means described in the embodiments that will be described later.
The present invention may be more fully understood from the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention set forth below, together with the accompanying drawings.

Cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant with effective performance in a tilted position


Related to is the field of light-emitting panel manufacture, and a light-emitting panel and a method for manufacturing the same are provided, which aim to improve uniformity of light emission of an Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) manufactured by Inkjet Printing (IJP). The light-emitting panel sequentially comprises an ITO substrate, a light-emitting layer, a light-shielding layer, and a cover glass. The method comprises forming a multilayer structure sequentially including an ITO substrate, a light-emitting layer, a light-shielding layer, and a cover glass. According to a size of an edge warp of a light-emitting area of the OLED, a light-shielding layer is designed at a corresponding position of the light-emitting area on the cover glass, and a position of a non-uniform edge is subjected to light-shielding processing, so that the problem of non-uniform light emission caused by the edge warp of the organic light-emitting layer is solved. A display part can thus be uniformly showed, thereby effectively improving the uniformity of light emission of the OLED manufactured by IJP.

With the development of display technologies, flat panel display devices, because of the advantages of high definition, power saving, body thinness, wide application scope, and the like, are widely applied to various consumer electronic products such as mobile phones, televisions, personal digital assistants, digital cameras, notebook computers, and desktop computers, and become mainstream display devices.
Organic light-emitting display devices have the features of self-illumination, high brightness, wide viewing angle, high contrast, flexibility, low energy consumption, and the like, and thus have attracted wide attention. As a new generation of display mode, the organic light-emitting display devices have begun to gradually replace traditional liquid crystal display devices, and are widely applied to electronic products such as mobile phone screens, computer monitors, and full-color televisions.
Compared with a display mode of a traditional liquid crystal display (LCD), the display technology of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) uses extra-thin organic material coatings and glass substrates without any backlights, and when a current flows through organic materials, these organic materials will emit light.
An active-matrix (AM) flat panel display device, a most commonly used display device currently, which controls input of data signals through a thin film transistor (TFT) switch, and thereby further controls display of images.
An existing thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) mainly comprises two glass substrates and a liquid crystal layer, wherein a surface of an upper glass substrate is provided with a color filter, and a lower glass substrate is provided with a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode. The color filter includes color photoresist and a black matrix. A position of the color photoresist corresponds to a position of the pixel electrode. The black matrix is formed among the color photoresist. In general, the black matrix is subject to the steps of coating, exposure, and development to form the surface of the upper glass substrate.
The aforementioned black matrix is indispensable in the color filter of the existing TFT-LCD. For a vertical alignment TFT-LCD, a liquid crystal, because of being in vertical state in the absence of electric field control, blocks light, so that an overall picture is rendered completely black at this moment, and no light leakage occurs. However, in the case that the pixel electrode is driven by a voltage, a liquid crystal angle on a metallic circuit connected with the pixel electrode will be changed because of transmittance of voltage signals, and thereby a light leakage problem is generated. Therefore, the black matrix is adopted for correspondingly shielding the metallic circuit around the pixel electrode so as to avoid the light leakage problem.
With the rapid development of the inkjet printing technology, more and more manufacturers manufacture OLED and organic light-emitting display devices by using the inkjet printing technology.
Inkjet printing (IJP), as a new method for manufacturing an organic layer of an Active Matrix-Organic Light-Emitting Diode (AM-OLED), has the features of high efficiency, low cost, and the like, and thus is paid much attention to by manufacturers.
In the process of manufacturing an AM-OLED by using IJP, a bank layer is required for defining a light-emitting area, but due to the hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity problem of bank materials, an organic layer manufactured through IJP will have a problem of thick edge warping.
A simple structure of an OLED device based on the inkjet printing technology in the prior art is shown in FIG. 1, and the AM-OLED includes a base 10, bank layers 11 provided on the base 10, and an organic light-emitting layer 12 disposed between the bank layers 11.
A first key step of inkjet printing is to process the bank layer 11 into a layer with surface hydrophobicity, and a second key step of inkjet printing is to jet OLED ink to a groove formed by the bank layer 11. Because most of OLED ink is hydrophilic, when the OLED ink is jetted to a bank material, due to the poor contact force of hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials, the OLED ink will roll into a groove formed by the bank layer 140. However, because a contact angle between the ink and the groove will directly affect the uniformity of the ink in the groove, when the OLED ink is jetted and the contact angle between the ink and the groove is improperly controlled (for example, the contact angle is greater than 90 degrees), the disadvantages of poor contact between an ITO base and an OLED material, existence of a clearance between the groove and the OLED material, and inhomogeneous distribution of the OLED material in a manner that a middle is thicker than two sides are caused, which is unfavorable for uniform light emission.
As shown in the figures, a situation that a surface of the organic light-emitting layer 12 is non-uniform will occur due to the edge warping of the organic light-emitting layer 12 in the AM-OLED, and the situation will eventually cause a problem of non-uniform light emission.
Current solutions focus on improvement of the uniformity through a procedure, such as adjustment of the hydrophobicity-hydrophilicity of the bank, but the method has a potential matching problem the bank and the ink, and thus has not been universally adopted.

Light-emitting panel capable of emitting uniform light and method for manufacturing the same

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A liquid crystal display device includes first and second aligning films which are respectively arranged on first and second substrates. A liquid crystal layer is provided between the first and the second aligning films. A first polarizing plate is arranged on an opposite side of the first substrate. A second polarizing plate is arranged on an opposite side of the second substrate. A viewing angle compensating film formed of at least one discotic liquid crystal, which the compensating film being arranged in at least one of a part between the first polarizing plate and the first substrate and a part between the second polarizing plate and the second substrate. At least one retardation plate is arranged in at least one of a part between the first polarizing plate and the first substrate and a part between the second polarizing plate and the second substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal layer in which liquid crystal molecules are oriented or aligned homogeneously.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to improve the viewing angle characteristics of a liquid crystal display device, a viewing angle compensating film formed of a discotic liquid crystal has been conventionally used as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-334010.
When the viewing angle compensating film formed of the discotic liquid crystal is used, contrast is improved in respective field directions, i.e., a lateral direction and a vertical direction in a display surface, thereby improving the viewing angle. However, there occurs a problem that the hue of one color varies in accordance with each field direction (which will be referred to as a hue shift in each field direction). That is, in, e.g., white display, its hue differs depending on each field direction, i.e., a vertical direction and a horizontal direction.

Liquid crystal display device having liquid crystal layer in which liquid crystal molecules are homogeneously oriented


Methods for determining cell chirality using micropatterned substrates are disclosed. Also provided are methods for diagnosing diseases such as genetic diseases or cancer by comparing the chirality of sample cells from a subject with normal cells, and determining a difference in chirality between the sample cells and normal cells.

Detecting differences at the cellular level is an ongoing problem which, if successfully addressed, could help solve several prevalent ailments, including cancers and prenatal diseases.
Normal tissue function requires appropriate cell positioning and directional motion. This property, known as chirality, can be altered by genetic and environmental factors, leading to, for example, birth defects and tumor formation.
Current methods to diagnose cancer are based on biomarkers, imaging, and analysis of tissue specimens. In most cases, the findings from one assay (such as imaging) are corroborated by other assays (such as pathological evaluation of biopsy samples).
Chirality is often known as left-right (LR) asymmetry in the development of numerous living organisms, including climbing plants (1), helices of snail shells (2), and the human body (3, 6). Genetic diseases and prenatal exposure to teratogens (4) can cause birth defects in laterality. The LR asymmetry has been studied in animal embryos, which are difficult to control and are not necessarily representative of human condition (7, 8). Recent studies focused on directional nodal flow driven by primary cilia (9-11), pH gradients resulting from asymmetric expression of ion channels (12, 13), and asymmetric vesicular transport via myosin 1D along actin cable networks (14-16).
The initiation of chirality in development is often first observed in populations of cells of the same type, such as snail embryonic cells at 4-cell and 8-cell stages and mouse cells at embryonic nodes. The establishment of chirality within such cell clusters may rely on some intracellular structure, such as the hypothetical F-molecule or actin/microtubule cytoskeleton (17, 18) that can distinguish left from right by orienting the 3rd axis with respect to predetermined dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior axes. In addition, during development, the specification and self-organization of migrating cells are mediated by physical boundaries imposed by the extracellular matrix and the surrounding cells and tissues.

THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK


A method for measuring a fracture permeability and a matrix permeability of a naturally fractured cylindrical rock sample, includes sealing both flat ends of the cylindrical sample; immersing the naturally fractured cylindrical rock sample in a fluid, and attaching an axial and a radial strain sensor to the curved surface of the sample. Furthermore, the method includes attaching a signal generator to one flat end of sample, and a signal receiver to the other flat end of the sample, and generating a harmonic excitation using the signal generator at a plurality of frequencies and recording the excitation at each of the plurality of frequencies. The method includes calculating an elastic wave propagation attribute at each of the plurality of frequencies, and inverting the elastic wave propagation attribute at each of the plurality of frequencies to determine the fracture permeability and the matrix permeability of the naturally fractured cylindrical rock sample.

Permeability is a measure of the ease with which a fluid may flow through a solid material. Fluid flows easily through materials with high permeability, and with difficulty through materials with low permeability. In the oil and gas industry, it may be frequently important to know the permeability of a rock forming a hydrocarbon reservoir to determine how easily the oil or gas will flow out of the reservoir rock and into the borehole.
It is often desirable to determine the rock matrix permeability and the fracture permeability of a core sample taken from a borehole penetrating a reservoir. These data may be used for a variety of purposes including, without limitation, reservoir simulation, planning hydraulic fracturing operations, designing drilling-mud weight schedules, and the planning the location and trajectory of future wells. For all these applications it may be desirable to measure the rock matrix permeability the fracture permeability using the same core sample.

Two methods of determining permeabilities of naturally fractured rocks from laboratory measurements


In a state where an input shaft 15a, an input side disk 2A and a loading cam device 9 are assembled together, thrust to be generated by the loading cam device 9 is measured. In case where this thrust is within a specified range, the other component parts of a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission are combined with the above assembled parts to thereby produce the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission. Accordingly it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission which is excellent in efficiency and durability.

The present invention relates to a loading cam device for a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, an apparatus for measuring the thrust of such loading cam device, and a method for assembling a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission; and, in particular, the invention relates to a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission which is used as a change gear unit for a transmission for a vehicle, or as a transmission for various industrial machines.
Conventionally, it has been studied to use, as a transmission for a vehicle, such a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. In this toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho. 62-71465, an input side disk 2 is supported concentrically with an input shaft 1 and output disk 4 is fixed to the end portion of an output shaft 3 disposed concentrically with the input shaft 1. In the inside portion of a casing in which the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission is stored, there are disposed trunnions 6, 6 which are capable of swinging about their respective pivot shafts 5, 5 situated at torsional positions which respectively lie in a direction at right angle to the direction of the input and output shafts 1 and 3 but do not intersect the axes of the input and output shafts 1 and 3, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. That is, the trunnions 6, 6 respectively include the pivot shafts 5, 5 on the outer surfaces of their respective two end portions thereof in such a manner that the pivots 5, 5 are disposed concentrically with each other. Also, on the respective intermediate portions of the trunnions 6, 6, there are supported the base end portions of shift shafts 7, 7. Accordingly, by swinging the trunnions 6, 6 about the pivot shafts 5, 5, the inclination angles of the shift shafts 7, 7 can be freely adjusted. On the respective peripheries of the shift shafts 7, 7 which are supported on the trunnions 6, 6, there are rotatably supported power rollers 8, 8. And, the power rollers 8, 8 are respectively held by and between the mutually opposing inner surfaces 2a, 4a of the input side and output side disks 2, 4. The sections of the inner surfaces 2a, 4a are respectively formed in a concave-shaped surface which can be obtained by rotating an arc about the pivot shaft 5. And, the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a of the power rollers 8, 8, which are respectively formed in a spherically convex-shaped surface, are respectively contacted with the inner surfaces 2a, 4a.
Between the input shaft 1 and input side disk 2, there is interposed a loading cam device 9. While the input side disk 2 is being elastically pressed toward the output side disk 2 by the loading cam device 9, the input side disk 2 can be freely rotated. The loading cam device 9 includes a cam plate 10 which can be rotated together with the input shaft 1, and a plurality of (for example, four) rollers 12, 12 which are rollably held by a retainer 11. On one side surface (in FIGS. 11 and 12, on the left side surface) of the cam plate 10, there is formed a drive side cam surface 13 which is an uneven surface extending in the circumferential direction of the cam plate 10; and, on the outer surface (in FIGS. 11 and 12, on the right side surface) of the input side disk 2, there is formed a driven side cam surface 14 having a similar shape to the drive side cam surface 13. And, the plurality of rollers 12, 12 are supported in such a manner that they can be freely rotated about their respective shafts extending in the radial direction with respect to the center of the input shaft 1.
When the above-structured toroidal-type continuously variable transmission is in operation, in case where the cam plate 10 is rotated with the rotation of the input shaft 1, the drive side cam surface 13 presses the plurality of rollers 12, 12 against the driven side cam surface 14 formed on the outer surface of the input side disk 2. As a result of this, at the same time when the input side disk 2 is pressed by the plurality of rollers 12, 12, the input side disk 2 is rotated due to the mutual pressing movements between the drive and driven side cam surfaces 13, 14 and the plurality of rollers 12, 12. And, the rotation of the input side disk 2 is transmitted through the plurality of power rollers 8, 8 to the output side disk 4, so that the output shaft 3 fixed to the output side disk 4 can be rotated.
To change a rotation speed ratio (change gear ratio) between the input and output shafts 1 and 3, firstly, when carrying out deceleration between the input and output shafts 1 and 3, the trunnions 6, 6 may be swung in a given direction about their respective pivot shafts 5, 5. And, the shift shafts 7, 7 may be inclined in such a manner that the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a of the power rollers 8, 8, as shown in FIG. 11, can be respectively contacted with the near-to-center portion of the inner surface 2a of the input side disk 2 and the near-to-outer-periphery portion of the inner surface 4a of the output side disk 4. On the other hand, for acceleration, the trunnions 6, 6 may be swung in the opposite direction about their respective pivot shafts 5, 5. And, the shift shafts 7, 7 may be inclined in such a manner that the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a of the power rollers 8, 8, as shown in FIG. 12, can be respectively contacted with the near-to-outer-periphery portion of the inner surface 2a of the input side disk 2 and the near-to-center portion of the inner surface 4a of the output side disk 4. In case where the inclination angles of the shift shafts 7, 7 are set in the intermediate angle between the inclination angles respectively shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, an intermediate change gear ratio can be obtained between the input and output shafts 1 and 3.
Also, FIGS. 13 and 14 show a more concrete example of a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission which is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei. 1-173552. An input side disk 2 and an output side disk 4 are rotatably supported on the periphery of a circular-pipe-shaped input shaft 15 respectively through needle roller bearings 16, 16. Also, a cam plate 10 is spline engaged with the outer peripheral surface of the end portion (in FIG. 13, the left end portion) of the input shaft 15, while a flange portion 17 prevents the cam plate 10 from moving in a direction to go away from the input side disk 2. And, the cam plate 10 and rollers 12, 12 cooperate together in forming a loading cam device 9 of a loading cam type which, in accordance with the rotation of the input shaft 15, rotates the input side disk 2 while pressing against the input side disk 2 toward the output side disk 4. To the output side disk 4, there is connected an output gear 18 through keys 19, 19 in such a manner that the output side disk 2 and output gear 18 are allowed to rotate synchronously with each other.
The respective two end portions of the pair of trunnions 6, 6 are supported on a pair of support plates 20, 20 in such a manner that they can be swung as well as can be shifted in the axial direction (in FIG. 13, in the front and back direction; in, FIG. 14, in the right and left direction) thereof. And, on circular holes 23, 23 portions which are respectively formed in the intermediate portions of the trunnions 6, 6, there are supported shift shafts 7, 7, respectively. And, these shift shafts 7, 7 respectively include support shaft portions 21, 21 and pivot sat portions 22, 22 which extend in parallel to each other but are eccentric with each other. Of these portions, the support shaft portions 21, 21 are respectively supported inwardly of their associated circular holes 23, 23 in such a manner that they can be freely rotated through radial needle roller bearings 24, 24. Also, on the peripheries of the pivot shaft portions 22, 22, there are rotatably supported power rollers 8, 8 through radial needle roller bearings 25, 25.
The pair of shift shafts 7, 7 are disposed at mutually 180.degree. opposite positions with respect to the input shaft 15. Also, a direction, in which the pivot shaft portions 22, 22 of the shift shafts 7, 7 are disposed eccentrically with respect to their associated support shaft portions 21, 21, is the same direction (in FIG. 14, in the reversed right and left direction) with respect to the rotation direction of the input side and output side disks 2 and 4. Also, this eccentric direction is a direction which intersects almost at right angles to the provision direction of the input shaft 15. Therefore, the power rollers 8, 8 are supported in such a manner that they are allowed to shift slightly in the provision direction of the input shaft 15. As a result of this, even in case where the power rollers 8, 8 tend to shift in the axial direction of the input shaft 15 (in FIG. 13, in the right and left direction; in FIG. 14, in the front and back direction) due to the elastic deformation of the component parts that are respectively elastically deformed by large loads applied thereto, such shift tendency of the power rollers 8, 8 can be absorbed without applying unreasonable forces to these component parts.
Also, between the respective outer surfaces of the power rollers 8, 8 and the respective inner surfaces of the intermediate portions of the trunnions 6, 6, there are disposed thrust ball bearings 26, 26 and thrust needle roller bearings 27, 27 sequentially in this order starting from the outer surface sides of the power rollers 8, 8. Of these bearings, the thrust ball bearings 26, 26 are bearings which, while supporting thrust-direction loads applied to the power rollers 8, 8, allow the power rollers 8, 8 to rotate. Each of the thrust ball bearings 26, 26 comprises a plurality of balls 29, 29, a circular-ring-shaped retainer 28 for holding the balls 29 in a freely rollable manner, and a circular-ring-shaped outer race 30. In each thrust ball bearing 26, its inner race raceway is formed in the outer surface of the power roller 8, while its outer race raceway is formed in the inner surface of the outer race 30.
Also, each of the thrust needle roller bearings 27, 27 includes a race 31, a retainer 32, and a plurality of needle rollers 33, 33. Of them, the race 31 and retainer 32 are combined together in such a manner that they are allowed to shift slightly in the rotation direction thereof. The thus structured thrust needle roller bearings 27, 27 respectively hold the races 31, 31 between the inner surfaces of the trunnions 6, 6 and the outer surfaces of the outer races 30, 30 while the races 31, 31 are respectively contacted with the inner surfaces of the trunnions 6, 6. The thrust needle roller bearings 27, 27 respectively support thrust loads applied from the power rollers 8, 8 to the outer races 30, 30 as well as allow the pivot shaft portions 22, 22 and outer races 30, 30 to swing about the support shaft portions 21, 21.
Further, to the one-end portions (in FIG. 14, the left end portions) of the trunnions 6, 6, there are connected drive rods 36, 36, respectively and, to the outer peripheral surfaces of the intermediate portions of these drive rods 36, 36, there are fixedly secured drive pistons 37, 37. And, these drive pistons 37, 37 are fitted into drive cylinders 38, 38 in an oil tight manner, respectively.
In the above-structured toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, the rotation of the input shaft 15 is transmitted through the loading cam device 9 to the input side disk 2. And, the rotation of the input side disk 2 is transmitted through the pair of power rollers 8, 8 to the output side disk 4, and further the rotation of the output side disk 4 is taken out by the output gear 18. To change a rotation speed ratio between the input shaft 15 and output gear 18, the pair of drive pistons 37, 37 may be shifted in the mutually opposite directions. With the shifting movements of the drive pistons 37, 37, the pair of trunnions 6, 6 are respectively shifted in the mutually opposite directions: for example, the power roller 8 situated on the lower side in FIG. 14 is shifted to the right in FIG. 14 and the power roller 8 situated on the upper side in FIG. 14 is shifted to the left in FIG. 14, respectively. This changes the direction of the tangential-direction forces that are applied to the contact portions between the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a of the power rollers 8, 8 and the inner surfaces 2a, 4a of the input side disk 2 and output side disk 4. And, with such change in these forces, the trunnions 6, 6 are swung about the pivot shaft 5, 5 pivotally supported on the support plates 20, 20 in the mutually opposite directions. As a result of this, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the contact positions between the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a of the power rollers 8, 8 and the inner surfaces 2a, 4a of the input side disk 2 and output side disk 4 are respectively changed, thereby changing the rotation speed ratio between the input shaft 15 and output gear 18.
By the way, when transmitting the rotation force between the input shaft 15 and output gear 18 in this manner, the power rollers 8, 8 are shifted in the axial direction of the input shaft 15 due to the elastic deformation of the component parts, so that the shift shafts 7, 7 pivotally supporting the power rollers 8, 8 are rotated slightly about their respective support shaft portions 21, 21. As a result of this slight rotation, the outer surfaces of the outer races 30, 30 of the thrust ball bearings 26, 26 and the inner surfaces of the trunnions 6, 6 are caused to shift with respect to each other. A force necessary for this relative shift is small because the thrust needle roller bearings 27, 27 are interposed between the outer surfaces of the outer races 30, 30 of the thrust ball bearings 26, 26 and the inner surfaces of the trunnions 6, 6. Therefore, as described above, the inclination angles of the shift shafts 7, 7 can be changed by a small force.
Further, in order to be able to increase the torque that can be transmitted, conventionally, there is also known a structure in which, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, on the periphery of an input shaft 15a, there are disposed input side disks 2A, 2B and output side disks 4, 4 by twos, and these input side disks 2A, 2B and output side disks 4, 4 are arranged in parallel to each other with respect to the transmission direction of power. In either of the structures shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, an output gear 18a is supported on the periphery of the intermediate portion of the input shaft 15a in such a manner that the output gear 18a can be freely rotated with respect to the input shaft 15a, while the output side disks 4, 4 are respectively spline engaged with the two end portions of the cylindrical portion that is formed in the central portion of the output gear 18a. And, between the inner peripheral surfaces of the output side disks 4, 4 and the outer peripheral surface of the input shaft 15a, there are interposed needle roller bearings 16, 16, while the output side disks 4, 4 are respectively supported on the periphery of an input shaft 15a in such a manner that they can be rotated with respect to the input shaft 15a as well as they can be shifted in the axial direction of the input shaft 15a. Also, the input side disks 2A, 2B are respectively supported on the two end portions of the input shaft 15a in such a manner that they can be rotated together with the input shaft 15a. The input shaft 15a can be driven or rotated by a drive shaft 51 through a loading cam device 9. By the way, between the outer peripheral surface of the leading end portion (in FIGS. 15 and 16, the left end portion) of the drive shaft 51 and the inner peripheral surface of the base end portion (in FIGS. 15 and 16, the right end portion) of the input shaft 15a, there is interposed a radial bearing 52 such as a sliding bearing or a needle roller bearing. Therefore, the drive shaft 51 and input shaft 15a are combined together in such a manner that, while they remain disposed concentrically with each other, they are allowed to shift slightly in the rotation direction thereof.
Now, in one input side disk 2A (which is located on the left side in FIGS. 15 and 16), its back surface (the left surface in FIGS. 15 and 16) is butted directly (in the structure shown in FIG. 16) or through a countersunk plate spring 45 having large elasticity (in the structure shown in FIG. 15) against a loading nut 39 to thereby substantially prevent the input side disk 2A from shifting with respect to the input shaft 15a in the axial direction of (in FIGS. 15 and 16, in the right and left direction) of the input shaft 15a. On the other hand, the input side disk 2B disposed opposed to a cam plate 10 is supported by a ball spline 40 on the input shaft 15a in such a manner that it is allowed to shift in the axial direction of the input shaft 15a. And, between the back surface (in FIGS. 15 and 16, the right surface) of the input side disk 2B and the front surface (in FIGS. 15 and 16, the left surface) of the cam plate 10, there are interposed a countersunk plate spring 41 and a thrust needle bearing roller 42 in such a manner that they are connected in series to each other. Of them, the countersunk plate spring 41 plays a role to apply a pre-load to the contact portions between the inner surfaces 2a, 4a of the input side disks 2A, 2B and the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a of the power rollers 8, 8. Also, the thrust needle roller bearing 42 has a function to allow the mutual relative rotation between the input side disk 2B and the cam plate 10 when the loading cam device 9 is in operation.
Also, in the structure shown in FIG. 15, the output gear 18a is rotatably supported by a pair of angular-type ball bearing 43, 43 on a partition wall 44 formed in the inside of the housing in such a manner that it is prevented against shift in the axial direction thereof. On the other hand, in the structure shown in FIG. 16, the output gear 18a is free to shift in the axial direction thereof. By the way, in a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission of a so called double cavity type in which, as shown in the above-described FIGS. 15 and 16, the input side disks 2A, 2B and output side disks 4, 4 are disposed by twos and arranged in parallel to each other with respect to the transmission direction of power, one or both of the input side disks 2A, 2B disposed opposed to the cam plate 10 is or are supported on the input shaft 15a by the ball spline 40, 40a so as to be free to shift in the axial direction of the input shaft 15a; and, the reason for this is to realize such condition that, while the two input side disks 2A, 2B can be rotated perfectly synchronously with each other, the two input side disks 2A, 2B are allowed to shift with respect to the input shaft 15a in the axial direction thereof in accordance with the elastic deformation of the component parts caused by the operation of the loading cam device 9.
The ball splines 40, 40a, which are disposed so as to realize the above object, respectively comprise inside diameter side ball spline grooves 46 respectively formed in the inner peripheral surfaces of the input side disks 2A, 2B, outside diameter side ball spline grooves 47 formed in the outer peripheral surfaces of the intermediate portions of the input shaft 15a, and a plurality of balls 48, 48 respectively interposed between the ball spline grooves 46, 47 in such a manner that they are free to roll. Also, the ball spline 40, which is used to support the input side disk 2B located on the loading cam device 9 side, secures a securing ring 50 to a securing groove 49 formed in the near-to-inner-surface 2a portion of the inner peripheral surface of the input side disk 2B to thereby prevent the plurality of balls 48, 48 from shifting to the inner surface 2a side of the input side disk 2B, which can thus prevent the balls 48, 48 from slipping out from between the inside diameter side and out-side diameter side ball spline grooves 46, 47. By the way, in the structure shown in FIG. 15, the ball spline 40a, which is used to support the input side disk 2A located on the side distant from the loading cam device 9, secures a securing ring 50a to a securing groove 49a formed in the outer periphery surface of the near-to-leading-end portion (in FIG. 15, the near-to-left-end portion) of the input shaft 15a to thereby prevent the plurality of balls 48, 48 from shifting to the inner surface 2a side of the input side disk 2A.
When assembling the above-structured toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, conventionally, the component parts thereof are assembled sequentially into the inside portion of a housing 53 (see FIG. 14) into which the main body of this toroidal-type continuously variable transmission is to be stored. Therefore, whether the component parts are shifted in position with respect to each other within the estimated dimensional errors thereof or not, and thus whether the component parts can function properly or not can be confirmed only after the component parts are all assembled into the housing 53.
On the other hand, to be able to secure the efficiency and durability of the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, the position relationship between the component parts thereof must be maintained with high accuracy. For example, in order to be able to secure the above-mentioned efficiency and durability, it is important that the loading cam device 9 generates a given level of thrust as the cam plate 10 is rotated. For instance, in case where the thrust generated is excessively small, there run short the pressures of the contact portions between the inner surfaces 2a, 4a of the input side disks 2A, 2B and the peripheral surfaces 8a, 8a of the power rollers 8, 8 to thereby cause slippage in these contact portions, which in turn causes the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission to idle and thus fail to carry out power transmission. On the other hand, in case where the above thrust is excessively large, the pressures of the contact portions are excessively large, thereby resulting in the shortened rolling fatigue lives of the respective surfaces 2a, 4a, and 8a, 8a.
In view of the above, in case where the thrust generated from the loading cam device 9 in accordance with the estimated dimension errors and shape errors of the component parts of the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission deviates from the design value thereof, in order to reduce such thrust deviation by using other proper parts instead of the improper ones of the component parts, the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, which has been assembled within the housing 53, must be taken apart to parts and assembled again.
In case where the assembling operation of the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission is carried out in this manner, it is troublesome to manufacture the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, which makes it impossible to reduce the manufacturing cost thereof.

Loading cam device for, an apparatus for measuring thrust of a loading cam device for, and a method of assembling a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission