Doctor blades are provided for multiple positions within a paper or board making machine. A single doctor blade of a standard length or a reel of doctor blade material has markings which permit a variety of doctor blade sizes to be readily cut. If a standard length doctor blade is used, the length of the blade is chosen to be at least as long as the longest doctor blade required for a particular papermaking machine. If the material is in a reel, the markings may be at regular numbered intervals. If a pattern of rivets is connected to the blade, and the rivets must have a given relationship with a blade holder, blade length may be marked out in such a way that some blade material is discarded in order to position the rivets when shorter blades are cut from the blade reel.

This invention relates to doctor blades used with a tissuemaking, papermaking, or boardmaking machine, and to systems for minimizing doctor blade inventory associated with a tissuemaking, papermaking or boardmaking machine.
Doctor blades are used throughout a papermaking machine. Sometimes doctor blades are used to clean the surface of a roll used within a papermaking machine, for example press rolls, drying cylinders, and idler rolls. Doctor blades also function to prevent the paper web from becoming wrapped around a roll surface over which the paper web makes direct contact. Doctor blades function during a web break to remove broke from the surface of a roll and direct the broke into a broke pit for recycling. Doctor blades are also used to crepe a paper web and remove it from a Yankee dryer roll. In the past doctor blades of different materials have been used in different locations within a papermaking machine. The environment and conditions to which a doctor blade is subject depends dramatically on where the doctor blade is used in the papermaking machine. In the wet end, doctor blades may be subjected to corrosive effects due to chemicals dissolved or suspended in the white water. In the dry end a doctor blade may be subject to high temperatures associated with the drying process. In other locations wear may be a concern.
Doctor blades used in different parts of a papermaking machine are typically also of different lengths in the cross machine direction. The doctor blades differ in the length because as the paper web travels through the papermaking machine the paper shrinks in the cross machine direction and the edges are trimmed away such that the width of the paper web in the cross machine direction decreases as the paper web approaches the reel-up at the end of the papermaking machine. In addition, within a single papermaking plant there may be a number of different papermaking machines which have different widths. Moreover, the one plant may also include paper converting machinery such as slitters which create and handle paper which is substantially narrower than the width at which the paper web is manufactured.
Doctor blade material can be suppled to the paper mill as a blade cut to a particular length or as a coil of blade material which may be used as one continuous blade or as a series of identical blades which can be broken apart at labels positioned along the coil, the labels on the reel of blade material typically indicating the blade type and number of blades remaining in the coil. If a blade coil is used it may be packaged as shown is U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,272.
The combination of doctor blades of different material and different widths means that a papermaking machine requires a substantial inventory of different blade types and lengths. Depending on the application, a doctor blade may need to be changed as often as every day or as infrequently as once a year. If a proper doctor blade is not available the papermaking machine is not operated. To be sure the papermaking machine is not out of production for want of the necessary doctor blades, a relatively large inventory of doctor blades must be maintained. Because of the very high cost associated with keeping a papermaking machine out of production, the blade inventory system must err on the side of having too many, rather than too few, blades in the inventory. If the number of different doctor blades which are needed for a particular papermaking machine could be reduced, a substantial cost savings could be effected.
New doctor blade materials such as fiber reinforcement vinylesterurethanes or polyether amides may allow doctor blades constructed of the same material to be used in multiple locations throughout a papermaking machine, however this will not substantially reduce doctor blade inventory unless a way can be found to use identical doctor blades throughout a papermaking machine.


A product, system and method for automatic testing of walkthroughs. A test of a walkthrough of an application is executed, at least in part. The test includes a sequence of automated user actions, that is configured to invoke a sequence of steps of the walkthrough. A trace display of the test execution is generated. The trace display includes a visual display of events including both steps of the walkthrough and automated user actions of the test, so as to provide an interleaved display between a visual representation of the walkthrough and a visual representation of the test.

Walkthroughs in applications can be a useful tool to improve customer and employee onboarding processes, as well as to improve productivity as a whole, improve customer retention and have other significant advantages.
WALKME® provides a DAP™ system enabling users to enhance existing Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) of existing applications. Such walkthroughs include in-application (in-app) walkthroughs that are limited to a single application; cross-application walkthroughs that guide the user through the use of several different applications; or the like. Such walkthroughs may be implemented over web-based applications, which can be processed differently depending on the execution environment (e.g., CHROME™, FIREFOX™, or the like). Additionally or alternatively, the walkthroughs may be implemented over desktop applications, running on WINDOWS™, OSX™, or the like. Additionally or alternatively, the walkthroughs may be implemented over native mobile applications, e.g., running on iOS™, ANDROID™, or the like. As another example, the application may have a web mobile version, running on mobile browsers. As yet another example, the application may have been written using a cross platform framework such as XAMARIN™, REACT NATIVE™, or the like.


With a rack-and-pinion mechanism, an impact force is absorbed and reduction in assembling performance is suppressed. An annular fitting groove (51) that extends in the circumferential direction of a rack guide (41) is formed in an outer peripheral face (41a) of the rack guide (41), and an O-ring (52) is fitted in the fitting groove (51) in a state in which the axial movement of the O-ring (52) is restricted. A communication groove (61) that provides communication between an internal space (55), defined by the fitting groove (51) and the O-ring (52), and the outside of the rack guide (41) is formed in the rack guide (41).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a rack-and-pinion mechanism and a steering system that includes the rack-and-pinion mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is an existing rack-and-pinion mechanism that converts the rotation of a pinion shaft to a reciprocating motion of a rack shaft by engaging the pinion shaft with the rack shaft. The rack-and-pinion mechanism is used in, for example, a steering system for a vehicle. The rack-and-pinion mechanism changes the steering angle of steered wheels by converting the rotation of the pinion shaft caused by a steering operation into a reciprocating motion of the rack shaft.
In this type of rack-and-pinion mechanism, the rack shaft is supported so as to be able to reciprocate in the axial direction of the rack shaft in a state in which the rack shaft is pressed to the pinion shaft by a rack guide. The rack guide is provided in a housing portion of a housing so as to be movable in a direction in which the rack guide moves toward or away from the rack shaft. The rack guide presses the rack shaft to the pinion shaft in a state in which the rack guide is pressed by an urging member provided between the rack guide and a lid member fixed to an outer opening end of the housing portion.
A clearance is formed between the rack guide and the housing portion so that the rack guide is movably housed in the housing portion. Therefore, there is a possibility that the rack guide hits the housing portion due to, for example, the movement of the rack shaft caused by a steering operation or the vibration caused when a vehicle travels. As a result, abnormal noise may be generated. Therefore, an annular fitting groove that extends in the circumferential direction of the rack guide is formed in an outer peripheral face of the rack guide, and an elastic member, for example, an O-ring is fitted in the fitting groove. In this way, an impact force generated when the rack guide hits the housing portion is reduced to suppress generation of abnormal noise (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-41251). Both axial end faces of the above-described O-ring contact side faces of the fitting groove. Thus, the O-ring is fitted in the fitting groove in a state in which the axial movement of the O-ring is restricted. With this structure, it is possible to avoid the situation where the O-ring is displaced from an appropriate position when the rack guide hits the housing portion. As a result, the impact force is reliably reduced.
In order to efficiently absorb an impact force generated when the rack guide hits the housing portion with the use of the O-ring, it is preferable to increase a bulk ratio α (=S2/S1) that is a ratio of a sectional area S2 of the elastic member to a sectional area S1 of the fitting groove. However, as shown in FIG. 6, axial end faces of an O-ring 81 contact side faces 83a and 83b of a fitting groove 82, respectively. Therefore, if the bulk ratio α is increased, air is likely to be accumulated in an internal space 84, defined by the O-ring 81 and the fitting groove 82, and the pressure in the internal space 84 may be increased when the O-ring 81 is fitted in the fitting groove 82, The pressure of the air makes it difficult to fit the O-ring 81 in the fitting groove 82 in a state in which the O-ring 81 contacts a bottom face 85 of the fitting groove 82. Therefore, part of the O-ring 81 may be pushed out of a rack guide 86.
A predetermined interference is set for the O-ring so that an outer peripheral face of the O-ring is brought into close contact with an inner face of the housing portion. Therefore, the O-ring is originally fitted in the fitting groove such that the outer peripheral portion thereof projects from the fitting groove. Accordingly, if part of the O-ring is pushed out of the rack guide by the pressure of the air as described above, the O-ring is more likely to get snagged when the rack guide is housed in the housing portion, which may reduce the assembling performance. In this regard, there is still room for improvement.

Rack-and-pinion mechanism and steering system


An apparatus and method for crowning a muzzle end of a firearm barrel includes inserting an elongated rod-like pilot stem with upper and lower ends into a barrel bore. The stem has an expandable collet slidably received thereon and a nut threadably attached to the lower end. A deformable body is attached to the nut to frictionally engage a bore wall to prevent rotation of the nut and permit rotation of the stem to expand the collet into contact with the bore wall. A cutting tool is rotated on the upper end of the stem to cut an end surface of the muzzle end.

The present invention relates generally to the reconditioning of firearms and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for crowning the barrel of a firearm.
A firearm barrel is typically an elongated steel tube with or without machined spiral grooves, or rifling, in the bore of the barrel. The crowning process is performed on an outlet face of the firearm barrel and consists of machining the face of the barrel so that the face is square, chamfering the face to a predetermined angle, and deburring the face, or removing any sharp edges caused by the machining or chamfering. The facing, chamfering, and deburring processes are performed with the use of separate cutting tools. Care must be taken to not damage the rifling in the bore when operating the cutting tools.
The present invention concerns an apparatus and method for crowning the muzzle end of a barrel of a firearm. The apparatus includes a pilot stem having an expandable collet for securing the stem in the bore of the barrel to ensure that the rifling in the bore remains undamaged during the crowning process. Various types of cutting tools can be rotatably mounted on the pilot stem. The apparatus includes an antirotation means, such as a brush or a deformable body, that frictionally engages the wall of the bore to permit the collet to be expanded and contracted. The apparatus preferably employs the use of serrated cutter blades for crowning the barrel.
The apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an elongated rod-like pilot stem with upper and lower ends, the upper end having a wrench socket formed thereon, and a downwardly facing pilot shoulder formed intermediate the upper and lower ends; a pair of expanders slidably received on the lower end of the pilot stem, one of the expanders engaging the pilot shoulder; an expandable collet slidably received on the pilot stem and disposed between the expanders; a nut threadably attached to the lower end of the pilot stem; a deformable body attached to the nut whereby when the deformable body is inserted into a bore at a muzzle end of a firearm, the deformable body frictionally engages a wall of the bore to prevent rotation of the nut and permit rotation of the pilot stem relative to the nut in an engaging direction to expand the collet into contact with the wall of the bore; and a cutting tool rotatably received on the pilot stem at the upper end for engaging an end surface of the muzzle end.
The method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: a) inserting an expandable collet on a pilot stem attached to a deformable body a predetermined distance into a bore at a muzzle end of a firearm barrel and frictionally engaging a wall of the bore with the deformable body; b) rotating the pilot stem to expand the collet into engagement with the wall of the bore; c) mounting a cutting tool on an upper end of the pilot stem and rotating the cutting tool relative to the pilot stem against an end surface of the muzzle end; d) removing the cutting tool from the pilot stem; e) rotating the pilot stem to retract the collet out of engagement with the wall of the bore; and f) removing the pilot stem, the collet and the deformable body from the bore.

Apparatus and method for crowning the barrel of a firearm


The present invention relates to a wearable terminal includes a display comprising a front side and a rear side, a first sensing unit configured to sense a biometric characteristic and disposed at the rear side of the display to be proximate to or contact a user's body, a second sensing unit configured to sense a movement of the terminal; and controller configured to execute a different function based on the movement of the terminal when a sensing strength of the biometric characteristic via the first sensing unit is greater than a threshold strength level, wherein the sensing strength is varied based on a portion of the user's body which the first sensing unit is proximate to or is in contact with.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This specification relates to a watch type terminal capable of providing various functions through biometric recognition, and a method for controlling the same.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Terminals may be generally classified as mobile/portable terminals or stationary terminals according to their mobility. Mobile terminals may also be classified as handheld terminals or vehicle mounted terminals according to whether or not a user can directly carry the terminal.
Mobile terminals have become increasingly more functional. Examples of such functions include data and voice communications, capturing images and video via a camera, recording audio, playing music files via a speaker system, and displaying images and video on a display. Some mobile terminals include additional functionality which supports game playing, while other terminals are configured as multimedia players. More recently, mobile terminals have been configured to receive broadcast and multicast signals which permit viewing of content such as videos and television programs.
As it becomes multifunctional, a mobile terminal can be allowed to capture still images or moving images, play music or video files, play games, receive broadcast and the like, so as to be implemented as an integrated multimedia player.
Efforts are ongoing to support and increase the functionality of mobile terminals. Such efforts include software and hardware improvements, as well as changes and improvements in the structural components.
In recent time, such mobile terminal is developed into a wearable device in the form of being wearable on a part of a user's body. In terms of being wearable on the part of the user's body, the wearable device may have a form which is advantageous for measuring user's biometric data (biometric information or bio-information), compared with the conventional mobile terminal. For example, a watch type terminal which is produced to be wearable on a wrist can more conveniently sense (or detect) such biometric data than the conventional mobile terminal.
Accordingly, requirements for sensing (detecting, recognizing) user's biometric data using a wearable device and performing various functions according to the sensed biometric data are gradually increasing.

Watch type terminal and method for controlling the same


A gate array macro cell combines the functions of a single SRAM bit and two ROM bits in order to fully utilize all of the transistors in two CMOS gate array core cells, therein increasing the efficiency of implementing memory on a gate array. The SRAM is a six transistor memory cell and each ROM bit is provided by a P-channel field effect transistor. The SRAM and each ROM bit may be accessed separately since each bit is provided with its own word and bit lines.

To satisfy the demand for large scale digital integrated circuits, the semiconductor industry has developed three basic approaches. These include standard, off the shelf circuits, custom circuits, and semicustom circuits. The standard, off the shelf circuit provides the lowest cost option due to the quantities manufactured, but are limited in providing the flexibility for the circuit desired. The custom circuit requires a long design cycle and is cost limiting unless the number of circuits desired is large. The semicustom circuit includes both standard cell and gate array chips. The semicustom approach provides a shorter design cycle time and lower engineering costs, but also has lower performance and transistor densities than the custom designs.
The gate array involves a standard array of a large number of predefined transistors diffused into a chip. The building block of the array is the core cell which typically includes two, four, or eight transistors arranged for maximum connectivity for forming many circuit functions. These core cells are then arranged in a plurality of rows and columns to form the array. In addition to the array, the periphery of the gate array is defined by input/output cells wherein the transistors are also predefined. A macro cell library is also designed which defines the metallization patterns necessary to interconnect the transistors within one or more core cells to form basic logic functions such as inverters, Nand and Nor gates, flip-flops, input and output cells, etc. A customer defines a design for the gate array by using macros from the macro cell library and specifying their interconnection to form the desired system functions.
The advantage of the gate array approach is in its low cost and short cycle time. And with product lifetimes decreasing there is tremendous pressure to reduce design and manufacturing times. The cost savings come from reduced engineering requirements and fewer custom mask sets required. This is because many wafers are processed up to the transistor level and then stored until they are needed for a customers design. In this way all customers share the cost of the masks required to process up to the transistor level in which case the cost becomes negligible. And since the transistors are predefined, it is not necessary to custom design and layout each of thousands of transistors. Time is saved both in design time and manufacturing since less engineering is required and the majority of the processing has been completed before a design is undertaken.
There are several disadvantages associated with the gate array design approach including lower transistor density due to inefficient transistor layout and many unused transistors which results in a larger chip, and lower performance. The cost per chip is higher, but for low volumes this is offset by the much lower engineering costs. As gate arrays evolve into larger die with more transistors it becomes possible to realize more complex systems on chip. This increases the need for more specialized macros with greater efficiency (i.e. less unused transistors). A specific problem is that of supplying memory efficiently on the gate array.
In providing Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) two options are available: providing a dedicated memory block on the chip, therein providing improved density and performance at a cost of flexibility; or providing a SRAM cell in the macro cell library which is flexible but inefficient (i.e., in a four transistor core cell, two core cells are required to implement a six transistor SRAM and thus wastes 2 transistors or 25 percent of the area). The same options and problems exist for providing Read Only Memory (ROM) on the gate array except that the problem is exacerbated by the fact that only P or N-channel transistors could be used in the ROM array, thus wasting 50 percent of the transistors in the core cells implementing the ROM array.
Thus, what is needed is a gate array macro cell having improved efficiency wherein a single SRAM bit is combined with two ROM bits to utilize all prediffused transistors in the core cell.


A computer-implemented method including receiving streaming media, wherein the streaming media is requested by a media player at a mobile device; retrieving timing information from the streaming media, wherein the timing information corresponds to real-time playback rate on the media player; framing the streaming media based on the real-time playback rate on the media player; scheduling transmission of the framed streaming media based on the framing; and transmitting the framed streaming media to the media player according to the schedule.

Client devices with wireless connectivity can generate the vast majority of data traffic on wireless networks today—typically as much as 90% on a 3G network. Most of this traffic may be generated by web browsing. With the widespread availability of multimedia content on the web and the emergence of popular multimedia-sharing sites, multimedia downloads and streams are growing dramatically faster than web browsing. In some networks, multimedia may have already surpassed browsing as the dominant form of traffic, overwhelming operators' networks.
Progressive download (PD) has become a popular technique to provide transport for network multimedia sessions. This simple mechanism effectively supports on-demand multimedia sessions over high capacity networks. A remote media player simply requests the download of a media clip, which is transferred and played progressively as audio and video frames are received at the player's end. In the Internet environment, this download is typically done over HTTP, which in addition provides effective firewall traversal features.
Progressive download, or pseudo-streaming (PS), is very effective when conducted over high-capacity networks such as the wired internet. In such an environment, it is assumed that the network connection can always be fast enough to meet or exceed the required download rate for the clip to play smoothly and without interruption. In other words, the network download rate can always be higher than the bitrate of the media file being downloaded. In addition, it is assumed that uncontrolled downloading of large media files may not affect other users sharing the network infrastructure. On the Internet, the abundance and predictability of network capacity allows for the use of uncontrolled downloading, in which as much of the media content as possible is downloaded as fast as possible.
A problem arises when progressive downloads are conducted over limited-capacity, time-variable, shared network links (for example, a wireless cellular connection). On such networks, the effective bandwidth a user sees changes with location and with the number of users sharing the same cellular infrastructure. In this environment, uncontrolled downloads of large files may result in network congestion. Moreover, multimedia servers may try to transmit media data to client devices at the highest rate permitted by the network. This may introduce bursts in traffic patterns, clogging the network and disrupting other users and applications.

Method for controlling download rate of real-time streaming as needed by media player


Radiation imaging apparatus includes first and second bodies of material capable of producing scintillations in response to bombardment by ionizing radiation, each scintillation producing body having a surface bordered in part by an edge, the edge of the first body adjacent the edge of the second body. The radiation imaging apparatus also includes joining members located between the edges of the first and second bodies for transmitting light emitted from the edges of the first and second bodies as a result of scintillations produced by the first and second bodies, a collimator for collimating the ionizing radiation, and photomultiplier tubes for converting the scintillations to electrical outputs including a plurality of scintillation sensing units on the first and second scintillation producing bodies and on the joining body.

The present invention relates to radiation imaging apparatus and more particularly to radiation imaging apparatus involving a scintillation body having a rectangular cross-section with scintillation sensing units disposed along the body.
Positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging systems are used in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures for providing images of the brain. The cost of a PET system is very high and its use in clinical studies is limited to a few institutions which can afford one. An alternative to the PET systems is the single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging system. The SPECT system includes a scintillation camera for detecting gamma rays emitted from a patient who has been administered a radiopharmaceutical. The SPECT system converts the detected gamma rays to tomographic images of the particular organ or region of the patient's body being analyzed. Although the SPECT system produces tomographic images which contain interpretable perfusion data, the low sensitivity, prolonged data acquisition times, poor resolution, and inability to perform absolute quantitation from the data makes the resulting studies less valuable than comparable PET studies. In order to overcome these deficiencies several systems have been designed and produced to improve SPECT brain imaging. Some of these systems are the Medimatic Tomomatic 564 manufactured by Medimatic Division of M.I.D., Inc., Irvine, Calif. and the Multi-X 810 manufactured by Strichman Medical Equipment Inc., Medfield, Mass. However, these systems can cost two to four times the cost of a SPECT imaging system which limits the number of institutions which can purchase one.
Another system which has been designed and produced to improve SPECT brain imaging is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,680 incorporated by reference. In this patent a radiation imaging apparatus includes a scintillation crystal which is a substantially tubular body of material such as crystalline sodium iodide. Manufacturing a tubular scintillator adds to the cost of the system as compared to using flat scintillators which are readily available.

The Curators of the University of Missouri


A sequence connector used during the testing of a control package attached to a transit car. The connector includes a display which indicates power modes in the control package which are requested by a master controller in the cab of the transit car. By comparing the power mode indicated by the connector with the functioning of the control package, the operation of the control package may be tested. The connector includes a lock-out device which prevents the transit car from being powered if the connector is inadvertantly left attached to the control package.

The present invention relates to an apparatus used in verifying that the controls for a transit car, such as a subway car, are being sequenced properly by a master controller.
The master controller for a transit car allows a train operator to manually select the proper speed and direction of the car and to control the brakes and other functions. The master controller sends signals to a control package mounted under the car. Among the functions of the control package is to control the power to the car's motors for smooth acceleration and braking.
In the past, to test the operation of the control package, one device which has been employed is a portable sequence tester which simulates master controller signals for sequencing the control package through its various functions to insure proper operation. When using the portable sequence tester, a "shorting plug" with internal jumper wires is first removed from a relay panel contained in the control package. A control wiring harness for the portable sequence tester is then used to provide an interface between the tester and the control package, and all of the testing is done by the person operating the portable sequence tester under the car. During sequence testing, the portable sequence tester is set to a desired power state, simulating signals from the master controller to be sequentially transmitted to the control package. The operation of the control package is then observed.
Safety regulations now require that testing of the control package be carried out with an operator directly controlling the car's master controller from the cab of the transit car. These regulations effectively require two maintenance workers to carry out sequence testing of the control package: one person to operate the master controller in the cab of the car to issue master controller requests to the control package and a second person under the car to verify the proper operation of the control package.
The new testing procedures using two workers, as described above, is subject to error when using currently available testing equipment which requires connection of two temporary jumper wires into the control package to provide the proper control wiring paths needed to verify the proper operation of the control package from the cab request. This works satisfactorily until human error is introduced. For example, jumper wires are not always installed in the proper location or touch adjacent electrical termination points causing damage to a propulsion logic board for the control package.

Connector for verifying sequence of transit car controls

AEG Westinghouse Transportation Systems, Inc.


Devices, systems, and methods of improving transport protocol performance in a multi-path environment are disclosed. One network device comprises a transport-layer proxy; and a multi-path traffic distributor coupled to the transport-layer proxy. The transport-layer proxy is configured to receive packets, each associated with a transport-layer connection, from a transport-layer endpoint. The proxy is further configured to deliver at least a portion of the received packets to the multi-path traffic distributor. The multi-path traffic distributor is configured to: assign each of the delivered packets to one of a plurality of data flows, and to transmit each of the delivered packets on an outbound path associated with the assigned data flow.

The transport protocol known as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) has been performing well for the past two decades as the de-facto transport protocol for reliable data delivery over the Internet. Although the algorithms used by TCP were designed to promote stability, reliability, and fairness on the Internet, these same algorithms lead to reduced TCP performance in the presence of certain conditions along the end-to-end path between the communicating systems. These characteristics, which include large bandwidth, large delay, and/or significant loss-rate, are becoming more common in today's Internet. Although the basic algorithms used by TCP have been modified over the years, significant change to these algorithms is unlikely, since there is such a large installed base of systems which use TCP.
Furthermore, despite the vast resources of most networks, the majority communicate data between two network entities in a sequential manner. For example, the widely used Internet Protocol (IP) supports only single-path routing between any two entities. Accordingly, data networks in general, and the Internet in particular, possess inherent characteristics that potentially allow for improvement in performance, cost, functionality, and flexibility by transcending the sequential data communication property. That is, performing data communication in parallel results in radical improvements in the capabilities of many packet data networks. Therefore, a need exists for these and other problems to be addressed.

Systems and methods of improving performance of transport protocols in a multi-path environment


An ink jet recording head according to the present invention ejects an ink droplet from a nozzle by applying a drive voltage to an electro-mechanical transducer located at the position corresponding to a pressure generation chamber, and deforming the electro-mechanical transducer. In the voltage wave form of the drive voltage that the ink jet recording head applies to the electro-mechanical transducer during a recording time, the rise time up to the peak voltage, and the fall time down to the basic voltage are both equal to approximately a half of the natural period To of the acoustic oscillation of the ink in an ink-flow course system, whereas the time Tw from the beginning of rising to the beginning of falling is equal to integer-times the natural period To including one.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording head drive apparatus and method thereof, which controls the diameter of an ink droplet to be ejected.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a recording head comprises a piezo-electric actuator to eject a liquid droplet for recording as necessary. Drop-on-demand-type ink jet recording heads are well-known, where a pressurized wave is generated in an ink chamber of the recording head by giving the piezo-electric actuator an electric signal, and with the help of the pressurized wave, a liquid droplet is ejected from a nozzle. Of these types of recording heads, an ink jet recording head is proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho-51-37541, for example) where the diameter of a dot is changed in order to display a gradation image such as a picture image, enabling a gradation recording. FIG. 15 shows the ink jet recording head.
In FIG. 15, 181 denotes an ink jet recording head, 182 denotes a pressure chamber, and 183 denotes an ink supply layer. 184 denotes a first nozzle to connect pressure chamber 182 to the ink supply layer 183, 1000 denotes a diaphragm, 185 denotes a piezo-electric device, and 186 denotes a second nozzle.
When some pressure signal is applied on the piezo-electric device 185, a vibration is given to the pressure chamber 182 via the diaphragm 1000. The vibration causes generation of a pressurized wave in the ink in pressure chamber 182. The pressurized wave is then propagated to the first nozzle 184. The ink in the ink supply layer 183 receives the pressurized wave being ejected as an ink droplet 188 from a second nozzle 186.
When a gradation image is recorded using the ink jet recording head 181 operated in conformity with the above principle, the number of gradation levels L is represented by the following equation: EQU L=N.sup.2 (a)
where we assume that a single pixel is made up of a matrix of N.times.N dots 151 as shown in FIG. 17A, and therein the gradation is expressed by the arrangement of the dots 151 in the matrix. However, for an image which requires a high resolution and high gradation, such as that of a picture image, the size of the matrix N has to be larger, as is apparent from the above equation. Accordingly, the image configured with such pixels seems short in the resolution per a single pixel, and quite high dot-resolution is needed. Contrary to this, if the dot diameter is changed, each dot itself is allowed to have separate gradation levels. Thus, the number of gradation levels L is expressed by the following equation: EQU L=n.times.N.sup.2 (b)
where, n denotes the number of gradation levels per single dot. For the example, n=1, and N=3, shown in FIG. 17A, the number of gradation levels L is equal to 9, which is calculated using the equation (b). In contrast, as shown in FIG. 17B, if the dot diameter can change into one of four separate levels 151a to 151d the number of gradation levels L is thirty six due to the fact than n=4 and N=3 and the image configured with such pixels seems sufficient resolution per single pixel. Thereby, according to the above approach, without improving the dot resolution, the number of gradation levels can be increased. In this case where the dot diameter is controlled to vary, the volume Q of a ejected ink droplet is represented by the following relational expression: EQU Q.varies..tau..times.v.times.A (c)
Where, .tau. denotes the wave cycle of a pressurized wave generated in the pressure chamber 8, v denotes the ink droplet ejection speed, and A denotes the cross sectional area of a second nozzle 186. The ink droplet ejection speed, v has a relation as shown in the following expression: EQU v.varies.V (d)
Where, V denotes a voltage applied to the piezo-electric device 185.
According to the above expression, the peaks Pa to Pd of the pressure applied to the ink in the pressure chamber 182 differ dependent upon the increase/decrease of the applied voltage V, as shown in the pressure response chart of FIG. 16. The changes in the peak pressure Pa to Pd cause the change in the ink droplet ejection speed, v. However, due to the fact that the cycle .tau. of the pressurized wave does not change, the expression (c) only needs the parameter, the applied voltage V. therefore, the relation is represented by the following expression:
Q.varies.V (e)
In the conventional ink jet recording head, the relational expression is used to increase or decrease the volume of ink droplet 188 (Q) to be ejected from the second nozzle 186 by increasing or decreasing the applied voltage V to be applied to the piezo-electric device 185, and controlling the pressure P of the ink in the pressure chamber 182. However, in the approach where the ink droplet ejection speed, v is changed by the increase or the decrease of the applied voltage V, the flight speed of an ink droplet, to the relative speed of the head to the recording paper changes. Accordingly, the location on a recording paper where an ink droplet falls is slipped. This location slip degrades the recording quality. For example, ejection of a minute ink droplet may cause ink to easily fall around the second nozzle 186 due to the fact that the flight speed of the ink droplet is low.
In order to solve the above problems, as is shown in FIG. 15, in conventional approach, air-flow course 189 is added along the outside of the head. Therein, an air flow 191 is generated and flows out from a third nozzle 190 prepared in front of the second nozzle 186 at a constant speed, with the help of an air pump or an accumulator (not shown in the figure) prepared externally. The ink droplet 188 to be ejected from the second nozzle 186 is then carried along with the air flow 191. This configuration enables the successful control of increasing or decreasing the speed so that the speed can be equal to that of the air flow 191. However, this approach requires the attachment of the air pump or the accumulator, as a means to generate the air flow 191, to the head. Accordingly, preparation of an air-flow course is required in the body of the head. This creates a demand for a bigger, heavier, and more complex head.
The ink jet recording head, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho-61-100469, has been proposed as a means to solve the above problems. According to the proposal, while directing the attention to the above expression (c), the wave cycle .tau. of an ink pressurized wave is changed, and therefore the volume of the ink droplet to be ejected, Q is increased or decreased with the ink droplet ejection speed, v being constant. Specifically, several separate ink-flow courses with respective natural periods are installed so that pressurized waves with respective separate cycles .tau. are generated, and thereby that independent diameters of ink droplets are ejected from respective nozzles. However, there is a problem in having several ink-flow courses as a larger size of head which is high in cost is required.
In addition to that, as shown in FIG. 18, a wave with the wave forms in several natural oscillation modes is generated in the ink-flow course. A drop-on-demand-type ink jet recording head, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho-62-174163, for example, has been proposed in order to generate a specific oscillation mode. Wherein, with a piezo-electric device being attached on a single location or each of several locations of the loops in the amplitude of a wave form in the specific oscillation mode, the piezo-electric devices are driven.
As shown in FIG. 18(a), the part enclosed by a broken line shown in an ink-flow course 171 indicates the location of a piezo-electric device 172. As is shown in FIG. 18(b), the length of the piezo-electric device 172 is between the first node 176 and the second node 177 in the third-order natural oscillation mode 74 of the ink in the ink-flow course 171, whereas the location of the piezo-electric device attached, is the same as that of a loop 175 between the nodes. When a voltage wave, the wave form which fits the third-order natural period, for example, is applied to the piezo-electric device 172, a pressurized wave of comparatively short wave length in the third mode is generated in the ink in the ink-flow course 171. The pressurized wave generated causes for ejection with a comparatively small diameter of ink droplet. In order to generate a wave in high-order mode, for example fourth-order or fifth-order mode, it is recommended that a piezo-electric device is attached on the part corresponding to the loop in the oscillation mode, and that voltage is applied, the voltage form of which corresponds to the natural period.
However, in the conventional configurations, it is difficult to generate an oscillation mode other than both the basically natural oscillation mode (the first-order mode) and another higher oscillation mode. Therefore, a problem will occur where only two types of ink droplets in the basically natural oscillation mode and another higher oscillation mode, respectively, are obtained. Accordingly, it is difficult to obtain many independent dot-diameters, and to form an image with multi-gradation levels such as a picture image.

Ink jet recording head drive device and method thereof


An injection molding machine includes a screw unit provided with a drive and mounted through a carrier on a base frame. The screw unit can be connected to a tool clamping plate in a frictionally engaging manner. The carrier includes a carriage which can be moved on the base frame by at least one moving unit fastened on the tool clamping plate. The carriage has a front carriage portion with at least one recess provided in the front carriage portion. A yoke provided at the opening side of the housing part can be placed in a positively engaging manner into the recess. The rear housing part of the plasticizing unit is connectable through support and centering elements to an undercarriage which is slidable on the base frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an injection molding machine in which a screw unit which is provided with a drive is mounted through a carrier on a base frame, wherein the screw unit can be connected to a tool clamping plate in a frictionally engaging manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
An injection molding machine of the above-described type is known, for example, from German Patent No. 32 49 092. This known injection molding machine has an injection unit which includes a screw in a heating cylinder and is supported by a housing provided on the machine bed. An axial forward or rearward movement of the injection unit presses the injection unit against the tool or moves it away from the tool. The injection molding procedure is carried out with different lengths and diameters of the plasticizing cylinders. In the known machine, different lengths of the plasticizing cylinder are compensated by appropriately increasing the displacement stroke. As a result, the machine has the disadvantage that the use is cumbersome when large differences in the lengths of the plasticizing cylinders occur. Moreover, it becomes difficult to mount plasticizing cylinders which exceed scheduled lengths.
In very long plasticizing cylinders, it may be necessary to support the front portion of the screw. An example of this type is known from DE-OS 40 04 478 in which the plasticizing unit is not only supported on the gear housing but also on a fork-type support. The fork-type support and the housing rest on a common base which is moved by a drive on sliding guide means until contact is made with the tool and away from the tool. The concept of the example described in DE-OS 40 04 478 and in German Patent No. 32 45 092 is the same, so that the disadvantages are also the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,275 discloses an injection molding machine in which the portion of the housing of the plasticizing unit with the outlet opening rests on a carriage-type stand or pedestal and the housing part at the base end is in connection with another stand which can be driven by a motor. The length of the housing of the plasticizing unit can be changed by means of coaxially arranged cylinders, wherein the screw is axially supported during the injection procedure and the plastics material compound is pressed similar to an extruder out of the plasticizing unit by telescoping the plasticizing unit together. For this purpose, in the head part of the plasticizing unit, a frame is formed of the elements crossbeam, head flange and connecting rods, wherein this frame facilitates the length changes by means of hydraulic units. These length changes can be carried out only within narrow limits and are closely linked to the injection operation. The plasticizing unit is pressed against the tool clamping plate essentially through connecting rods by means of drives which are arranged far away from the tool clamping plate.
The injection molding machine known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,275 is not capable of using plasticizing units having substantially different diameters mid lengths without reassembly, wherein simple instructional means achieve high accuracy of guidance and the possibility of introducing large drive forces.
The injection molding machine known from the aforementioned U.S. patent does not have a carriage which is engaged over the shortest distance at the front side by a moving unit fastened on the tool clamping plate and is pressed against the tool plate. Morever, the machine does not have elements which facilitate a placement of the housing part with the opening in a positively engaging manner in the front portion of the carriage which would allow a simple change of the acting point of the housing of the plasticizing cylinder which itself has a fixed length.
The machine further does not include means for connecting plasticizing housings of different lengths and different diameters to an undercarriage which is slidable on a base frame.
DE-A-15 54 768 discloses an injection molding machine for plastics materials which can be pivoted about a pivot point and whose front housing part is pressed by a screw connection against an insert of the tool clamping plate.
DE-A 15 54 768 does not disclose a carriage which facilitates in a simple manner a fastening with positive engagement of the housing part with opening. Also, there are no elements which would essentially avoid reassembly of plasticizing units even when the diameters and lengths are substantially different.


This invention provides isolated nucleic acids encoding mammalian membrane-bound and soluble LOX-1 receptors. The invention also provides methods of identifying agents that inhibit the activity of a mammalian LOX-1 receptor. This invention further provides methods of preventing or treating atherosclerosis, heart disease or stroke in a subject which comprise reducing the activity of membrane-bound LOX-1 receptor.

Throughout this application, various publications are referenced by author and year. Citations for these references may be found at the end of the specification immediately preceding the claims. The disclosures of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application to describe more fully the art to which this invention pertains.
The genetics of atherosclerosis has been the focus of intense investigation. A subset of cases is caused by uncommon Mendelian mutations that predispose individuals to atherosclerosis (Breslow 2000; Keating and Sanguinetti 1996; Lifton 1996). The mutated genes include low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) (Hobbs et al. 1992), cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) (Kraus 1999), and, in some cases, ATP-binding cassette-A1 (Bodzioch et al. 1999; Brooks-Wilson et al. 1999; Rust et al. 1999) among others. Identification of these genes has shed light on biochemical pathways involved in atherogenesis and provided the basis for current therapeutic interventions. However, the common forms of atherosclerosis are multifactorial in origin. Attempts to map the common susceptibility loci have been hampered by genetic heterogeneity, polygenic inheritance, incomplete pedigrees, and environmental influences. The fact that few of the genome-wide linkage studies have reported loci with large effects points to the existence of multiple loci each having small to moderate effects (Aouizerat et al. 1999; Hixson and Blangero 2000; Rice et al. 2000; Shearman 2000). The modest nature of susceptibility gene effects will likely require extremely large sample sizes or very densely-spaced genetic markers for successful linkage mapping (Risch and Merikangas 1996).
Mouse models offer significant advantages for genetic dissection of complex diseases. The ability to perform selective breeding, produce many offspring, determine inheritance of alleles without ambiguity, and control the environment is a critical factor. Early studies of murine atherosclerosis indicated that there was a clear genetic component. Inbred strains of mice exhibited a spectrum of aortic fatty streak lesion areas following the feeding of atherogenic diets high in cholesterol, fat, and cholic acid (Paigen et al. 1985; Qiao et al. 1994; Roberts and Thompson 1977). A number of susceptibility loci (Ath1-8) were reported based on phenotypic analyses of recombinant inbred strains derived from xe2x80x9cresistantxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csusceptiblexe2x80x9d parents (Paigen 1995; Paigen et al. 1987, 1989; Stewart-Phillips et al. 1989). Although these studies were instrumental in pointing out strain-specific variations, none of the loci have been confirmed by more rigorous analyses of large genetic crosses.
A shortcoming of the diet-fed, inbred mouse model (in terms of carrying out quantitative genetic studies) is that aortic lesion development is minimal even in susceptible strains. Recently, Dansky et al. (1999) showed that the strain-related differences in susceptibility could be accentuated when a gene-targeted disease model was employed. Thus, C57BL/6J mice homozygous for the apolipoprotein E knockout allele exhibited 7-9 fold greater aortic root lesion area relative to FVB/NJ mice homozygous for the allele without any overlap of the phenotypic values. To provide candidate susceptibility loci for human atherosclerosis, we have performed a genome scan of an interspecific cross using the low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout model (Ishibashi et al. 1993). In this model, feeding of a Western-style diet results in elevated plasma LDL levels (similar to levels in humans) and development of human-like complicated fibrous plaques (Masucci-Magoulas et al. 1997). Two significant susceptibility loci were localized to chromosome (Chr) 4 and 6. The effects of these loci were independent of common risk factors for human disease including plasma lipoprotein levels, plasma insulin levels, and body weight.
This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding a mammalian LOX-1 receptor protein, wherein the receptor protein comprises consecutive amino acids having the following sequence: xe2x80x94S, X, X, E, L, K, X, X, I, X, T, X, X, X, K, L, X, E, K, S, K, E, Q, X, E, L, X, X, X, X, X, N, L, Q, E, X, L, X, R, X, A, N, X, Sxe2x80x94 (SEQ ID NO: 39), wherein X is any amino acid.
The invention provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding a mammalian membrane-bound LOX-1 receptor protein, wherein the nucleic acid encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a LOX-1 receptor protein comprising consecutive amino acids having a sequence identical to that set forth for Isoform 1 in SEQ ID NO: 20,
(b) a LOX-1 receptor protein comprising consecutive amino acids having a sequence identical to that set forth for Isoform 3 in SEQ ID NO: 24, and
(c) a LOX-1 receptor protein comprising consecutive amino acids having a sequence identical to that set forth for Isoform 4 in SEQ ID NO: 26.
The invention provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding a mammalian soluble LOX-1 receptor protein, wherein the nucleic acid encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a LOX-1 receptor protein comprising consecutive amino acids having a sequence identical to that set forth for Isoform 7 in SEQ ID NO: 14,
(b) a LOX-1 receptor protein comprising consecutive amino acids having a sequence identical to that set forth for Isoform 8 in SEQ ID NO: 16, and
(c) a LOX-1 receptor protein comprising consecutive amino acids having a sequence identical to that set forth for Isoform 9 in SEQ ID NO: 18.
The invention provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding a mammalian LOX-1 receptor protein, wherein the nucleic acid comprises:
(a) a nucleic acid sequence given in any one of SEQ ID Nos: 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, or 28; or
(b) a nucleic acid sequence degenerate to a sequence of (a) as a result of the genetic code.
The invention provides a method involving competitive binding for identifying a chemical compound which specifically binds to a mammalian LOX-1 receptor, which comprises contacting cells expressing on their cell surface the mammalian LOX-1 receptor with both the chemical compound and a second chemical compound known to bind to the receptor, and separately with only the second chemical compound, under conditions suitable for binding of both compounds, and measuring specific binding of the second chemical compound to the mammalian LOX-1 receptor, a decrease in the binding of the second chemical compound to the mammalian LOX-1 receptor in the presence of the chemical compound indicating that the chemical compound binds to the mammalian LOX-1 receptor.
The invention provides a method of screening a plurality of chemical compounds not known to bind to a mammalian LOX-1 receptor to identify a compound which specifically binds to the mammalian LOX-1 receptor, which comprises:
(a) contacting cells expressing on their cell surface the mammalian LOX-1 receptor with the plurality of compounds not known to bind specifically to the mammalian LOX-1 receptor, under conditions permitting binding of compounds known to bind to the mammalian LOX-1 receptor;
(b) determining whether the binding of a compound known to bind to the mammalian LOX-1 receptor is reduced in the presence of the compounds within the plurality of compounds, relative to the binding of the compound in the absence of the plurality of compounds; and if so
(c) separately determining the binding to the mammalian LOX-1 receptor of compounds included in the plurality of compounds, so as to thereby identify the compound which specifically binds to the mammalian LOX-1 receptor.
The invention provides a method of identifying a compound which activates a mammalian LOX-1 receptor which comprises contacting cells expressing on their cell surface the mammalian LOX-1 receptor with the compound under conditions permitting activation of the LOX-1 receptor, and detecting activation of the LOX-1 receptor, thereby identifying the compound as a compound which activates a mammalian LOX-1 receptor.
The invention provides a method of identifying a compound which inhibits the activity of a mammalian LOX-1 receptor which comprises contacting cells expressing on their cell surface the mammalian LOX-1 receptor with the compound under conditions permitting inhibition of the activity of the LOX-1 receptor, and detecting inhibition of the activity of the LOX-1 receptor, thereby identifying the compound as a compound which inhibits the activity of a mammalian LOX-1 receptor.
The invention provides a method of screening a plurality of chemical compounds not known to activate a mammalian LOX-1 receptor to identify a compound which activates the mammalian LOX-1 receptor which comprises:
(a) contacting cells expressing on their cell surface the mammalian LOX-1 receptor with the plurality of compounds not known to activate the mammalian LOX-1 receptor, under conditions permitting activation of the mammalian LOX-1 receptor;
(b) determining whether the activity of the mammalian LOX-1 receptor is increased in the presence of the compounds; and if so
(c) separately determining whether the activation of the mammalian LOX-1 receptor is increased by each compound included in the plurality of compounds, so as to thereby identify the compound which activates the mammalian LOX-1 receptor.
The invention provides a method of screening a plurality of chemical compounds not known to inhibit the activity of a mammalian LOX-1 receptor to identify a compound which inhibits the activity of the mammalian LOX-1 receptor, which comprises:
(a) contacting cells expressing on their cell surface the mammalian LOX-1 receptor with the plurality of compounds in the presence of a known compound which activates the mammalian LOX-1 receptor, under conditions permitting activation of the mammalian LOX-1 receptor;
(b) determining whether the activity of the mammalian LOX-1 receptor is reduced in the presence of the plurality of compounds, relative to the activity of the mammalian LOX-1 receptor in the absence of the plurality of compounds; and if so
(c) separately determining the inhibition of activity of the mammalian LOX-1 receptor for each compound included in the plurality of compounds, so as to thereby identify the compound which inhibits the activity of the mammalian LOX-1 receptor.
The invention provides a method of treating or preventing atherosclerosis in a subject which comprises administering to the subject an amount of a compound effective to decrease the activity of a mammalian LOX-1 receptor and treat atherosclerosis in the subject.
The invention provides a method of determining the susceptibility of a subject to atherosclerosis, which comprises detecting soluble LOX-1 receptor in the subject""s plasma, wherein the presence of soluble LOX-1 receptor indicates an decreased susceptibility to atherosclerosis and an absence of soluble LOX-1 receptor indicates an increased susceptibility to atherosclerosis.
The invention provides a method of treating inflamation in a subject which comprises administering to the subject an amount of a soluble mammalian LOX-1 receptor effective to treat inflamation in the subject.
The invention provides a method of treating inflammation in a subject which comprises administering to the subject an amount of a compound effective to decrease the activity of a mammalian LOX-1 receptor and treat inflammation in the subject.
The invention provides a method of treating an abnormality in a subject wherein the abnormality is alleviated by decreasing the activity of a mammalian LOX-1 receptor, which comprises administering to the subject an amount of a compound effective to decrease the activity of the LOX-1 receptor, thereby treating the abnormality.
The invention provides a method of treating an abnormality in a subject wherein the abnormality is alleviated by decreasing LOX-1 signal transduction, which comprises administering to the subject an amount of a soluble mammalian LOX-1 receptor effective to bind LOX-1 receptor ligand and reduce availability of LOX-1 receptor ligand to bind to a membrane-bound LOX-1 receptor, thereby decreasing LOX-1 signal transduction and treating the abnormality.

Atherosclerosis susceptibility gene locus 1 (Athsq1) and atherosclerosis susceptibility gene locus 2 (Athsq2)

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


A seed crystal fixing apparatus for fixing the seed crystal on the seed crystal setting part of a reaction vessel with interposition of the adhesive, has a chamber configured to place the seed crystal setting part and form a hermetic atmosphere within the chamber; and a pressure part placed within the chamber for uniformly applying a pressure on the entire surface of the seed crystal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seed crystal fixing apparatus for fixing a seed crystal to a seed crystal setting part of a reaction vessel with interposition of an adhesive, and a method for fixing the seed crystal.
2. Related Art
Silicon carbides have larger band gap and more excellent in dielectric breakdown property, heat resistance, radiation resistance and the like as compared with silicon, therefore, have been noticed as electronic device materials such as portable and high output semiconductors and the like, and due to excellent optical properties, noticed as optical device materials. Among such silicon carbide crystals, silicon carbide single crystals have a merit that they are particularly excellent in uniformity of properties in wafer when applied to devices such as wafers and the like as compared with silicon carbide polycrystals.
As a method of producing the above-mentioned silicon carbide single crystal, Improved Rayleigh method (improved sublimation re-crystallization method) is known in which a graphite crucible is used, a silicon carbide powder is sublimated and a silicon carbide single crystal is grown on a seed crystal of a silicon carbide single crystal.
When the seed crystal is grown without being completely bonded to the seed crystal setting part in improved Lely method, macroscopic defects (void defects) penetrate through the seed crystal from the side of the seed crystal setting part where the seed crystal is not completely bonded into the growing crystal, and the quality of the wafer was liable to be impaired. Since the adhesive is gasified at high temperatures, it has been also conjectured that remaining bubbles of the gasified adhesive in the adhesive layer causes deterioration of the quality of the crystal.
Several techniques have been proposed for solving the above-mentioned problems (for example. see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2001-139394 and 2003-119098). Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-139394 discloses, for example, a method for fixing the seed crystal by applying a given pressure. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-119098 discloses a fixing method for press-bonding the seed crystal by mounting a weight on the seed crystal.
However, it was difficult to uniformly bond the entire surface of the seed crystal by the mechanical press-bond method which cause the surface of the seed crystal finely roughened. Uniform press-bonding with a weight was also difficult.

Seed crystal fixing apparatus and a method for fixing the seed crystal


A long acting diltiazem formulation is disclosed that comprises more than 35 percent by weight of a swellable hydrophilic polymer.. Release rate is also controlled by the application of diffusion controlled membrane to the matrix tablet containing swellable hydrophilic polymers. The diffusion rate through the membrane depends upon the composition or ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic coating agent.

Numerous references disclosure diltiazem in sustained release formulations which utilize microencapsulation technology. For example are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,042, issued to Samejima et al. on Sept. 17, 1985; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,982, issued to Samejima et al. on July 31, 1984; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,497, issued to Samejima et al. on Apr. 17, 1984; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,933, issued to Samejima et al. on Oct. 25, 1983. PA1 Belgian Application No. 900,817, published on Feb. 1, 1985 discloses a device comprising a semipermeable wall, an osmopolymer, such as poly(ethylene oxide) and an active ingredient. PA1 Belgian Application No. 900,824 also published on Feb. 1, 1985 discloses a core and a membrane having variable permeability; PA1 Belgian Application No. 898,819, published May 30, 1984, discloses a device for controlled drug delivery containing two compositions including poly(ethyleneoxide); PA1 Belgian Application No. 903,540 published Feb. 17, 1986 discloses a sustained release powder, which can be formulated into an ointment, suspension etc. PA1 Belgian Application No. 901,359 published Apr. 16, 1985 discloses a controlled release diltiazem formulation containing granules and a semipermeable external membrane. PA1 Japanese Application No. 175,144 published on Apr. 13, 1984, discloses a sustained release thermoset or thermoplastic resin; PA1 Japanese Application No. 170,440 published on Apr. 5, 1984, discloses a sustained release tablet which utilizes hardened oil; PA1 Japanese Kokai No 62/5915, published Jan. 12, 1987, discloses diltiazem in combination with an acrylic acid resin; PA1 Japanese Kokai No. 61/21517, published Sept. 20, 1986 discloses the use of diltiazem in combination with hydrogenated oils; PA1 Japanese Kokai No. 59/10512 published Jan. 20, 1984, discloses microencapsulation of diltiazem, which is coated with ethylcellulose; PA1 Panoz and Geohagan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,619 discloses an alternating arrangement (between 50 and 200 layers) of diltiazem, organic acid and lubricant layers and polymeric material layers built upon a central inert core.
Similarly, numerous publications have disclosed devices which rely upon an osmotically regulated membrane for the controlled delivery of pharmaceuticals, such as diltiazem. For example are the following:
Schor et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,393 discloses a sustained release tablet which is one or more hydroxypropylmethylcellulose or a mixture of one or more hydroxypropylmethylcelluloses and up to 30% by weight of the mixture of methylcellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose and/or other cellulose ether, and wherein at least one of the hydroxypropylmethylcelluloses has a methoxy content of 16-24 weight-%, a hydroxypropyl content of 4-32 weight-% and a number average molecular weight of at least 50,000 and wherein the carrier base material constitutes less than about one third of the weight of the solid unit dosage form.
However, none of the references disclose a long acting release diltiazem tablet formulation utilizing a uniformly dispersed hydrophilic matrix containing more than about 30 percent by weight of HPMC.


Gain cells adapted to trench capacitor technology and memory array configured with these gain cells are described. The 3T and 2T gain cells of the present invention include a trench capacitor attached to a storage node such that the storage voltage is maintained for a long retention time. The gate of the gain transistor and the trench capacitor are placed alongside the read and write wordline. This arrangement makes it possible to have the gain transistor directly coupled to the trench capacitor, resulting in a smaller cell size. The memory cell includes a first transistor provided with a gate, a source, and a drain respectively coupled to a read wordline, a first node, and a read bitline; a second transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain respectively coupled to a storage node, to a voltage source, and to the first node; a third transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain respectively coupled to a write wordline, the storage node, and a write bitline; and a capacitor having a first terminal connected to the storage node and a second terminal connected to a voltage source.

This invention generally relates to an embedded dynamic random access memory and, more particularly, to a gain cell attached to a deep trench capacitor to enable long retention time and soft error immunity for system-on-chip applications.
Typically, semiconductor memories use six transistor static memory (6T SRAM) cells or one transistor dynamic random access memory (1T DRAM) cells. FIG. 1A shows a transistor level schematic of a typical 6T SRAM cell 0 consisting of four NMOS transistors 1, 2, 5 and 6, and two PMOS transistors 3 and 4. PMOSs 3 and 4 and NMOSs 5 and 6 are linked to each other to structure a CMOS cross-coupled latch that forms a storage element for storing a data bit. NMOSs 1 and 2 respectively couple nodes (also referred to terminals) 7 and 8 to biltlines BL and bBL when a wordline WL is activated, allowing reading or writing a data bit from the bit lines BL and bBL. When the memory is in write mode, BL or bBL switches to low depending on the write data bit. This allows flipping the CMOS cross-coupled latch to overwrite the data bit in the 6T SRAM cell 0. The overwritten data bit in the cell is maintained by the CMOS cross-coupled latch after the write operation (non-destructive write). When the memory structure is in read mode, either BL or bBL is directly driven by the CMOS cross-coupled latch. The self-gain feature of the 6T SRAM cell results in a fast read access speed. The read operation does not affect the data bit in the CMOS cross-coupled latch. The 6T SRAM cell maintains the data bit after the read operation (non-destructive read). The non-destructive write and non-destructive read features for the 6T SRAM cell achieve a fast random read and write cycle times. However, the 6T SRAM cell requires six transistors, p-type and n-type well isolation, and cross-coupled wiring, resulting in a cell six to ten times larger than a 1T DRAM cell.
FIG. 1B is a transistor level schematic representation of a 1T DRAM cell 10. It consists of one NMOS transistor 11 and a capacitor 12 (1T DRAM cell). Typically, capacitor 12 may be structured as a trench, planar or stack capacitor. When wordline WL is activated, NMOS 11 links capacitor 12 to bitline BL. The charge sharing effect between capacitor 12 and BL creates a small BL voltage. This charge sharing destroys the data bit in capacitor 12 (destructive read). The small BL voltage is sensed by a sense amplifier (not shown) coupled to BL, resulting in a slower access speed than of a 6T SRAM cell. The sense amplifier drives BL depending on the outcome of the sensing operation, rewriting the read data bit in capacitor 12 (write back). When the memory is in write mode, BL is driven either low or high, depending on the data pattern. Typically, the write mode operation is enabled after a read mode operation because only selected cells remain in the write mode, the remaining cell data bits having been destroyed when activating WL (destructive write). Accordingly, the destroyed data bits need to be rewritten by the sense amplifier simultaneously with the write data bits (read modified write). The destructive read followed by the write back and the read modified write caused by the destructive write require a longer cycle time than that of a typical 6T SRAM cell. However, a 1T DRAM cell requires only one transistor and one capacitor, resulting in a cell which is one-sixth to one-tenth smaller than a 6T SRAM cell.
FIG. 2A is a transistor level schematic representation of a 3T-gain cell. During write mode, the write wordline WWL switches to high, making it possible to couple storage node 24 to write bitline WBL through NMOS transistor 23. This operation is similar to the write operation for the previously described 1T DRAM cell. During read mode, the read wordline RWL switches to high, reading out the data to read bitline RBL through the series arrangement of NMOS transistors 21 and 22. When storage node (or terminal) 24 maintains the data at high, the two NMOS transistors 21 and 22 are both on, discharging RBL. When the storage node is held at a low voltage, NMOS transistor 22 remains off which, in turn, keeps RBL at a precharged voltage. Depending on the data pattern, RBL is directly driven by the series of NMOS transistors 21 and 22. This self-gain feature results in a fast read access speed similar to the 6T SRAM cell. The read operation does not affect the data bit present in storage node 24. The 3T-gain cell holds the data bit even after the read operation (non-destructive read out), producing a fast random read access cycle. The 3T-gain cell requires three transistors, without necessitating p-type and n-type well isolation and cross-coupled wiring, and creates a cell three times smaller than a 6T SRAM cell.
FIG. 2B is a schematic of a transistor level representation of a 2T-gain cell. Unlike the 3T-gain cell, the read NMOS switching transistor 21 is altogether eliminated. During write mode, write wordline WWL switches to high, coupling storage node 27 to write bitline WBL through NMOS transistor 26. This operation is similar to a write operation for the 1T DRAM cell. The source and drain of NMOS transistor 25 are respectively coupled to the read wordline RWL and read bitline RBL. Moreover, when in standby mode, RWL and RBL are precharged to supply voltage VDD. During read mode, the read wordline RWL switches to low. If the data bit in storage node 27 is at low, NMOS 25 remains off, leaving RBL at high. When the data bit is at high, NMOS 25 remains on, forcing RBL to switch to low. Note that RBL is driven directly by RWL. This self-gain feature results in a fast read access speed, similar to the 6T SRAM cell. The read operation does not affect the data bit in storage node 27. The 2T SRAM cell holds the data bit even after the read operation (non-destructive read), thus enabling a fast read random cycle time. The 2T gain cell requires only two transistors without requiring a p-type and n-type well isolation, and/or cross-coupled wiring, all of which results in a cell four times smaller than the size of a 6T SRAM cell.
Generally both the 3T and 2T-gain cells achieve a fast read access and significantly improved cycle times. However, as the storage node 24 or 27 voltage decreases, the self-gain is, likewise, also reduced. Furthermore, as the size of the 3T and 2T gain cells shrinks, the gate capacitor of NMOS transistor 22 or 25 also decreases, resulting in a potential performance and data retention degradation as well as a poor soft error rate.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 2T and 3T-gain cell integrated with a deep trench capacitor.
It is another object of the present invention to improve the data retention by integrating a gain cell integrated with a deep trench capacitor.
It is a further object of the present invention to construct a gain cell structure having an outstanding error immunity.
In a first aspect of the invention, there is described a gain cell structure and an array configuration applicable to trench technology. The 3T and 2T gain cells include a trench capacitor in the storage node such that the storage voltage is maintained for a long retention time. The gate of the gain transistor and the trench capacitor are placed alongside the read and write wordline. This arrangement makes it possible to have the gain transistor directly coupled to the trench capacitor, resulting in a smaller cell size.
In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a memory cell that includes a first transistor provided with a gate, a source, and a drain respectively coupled to a read wordline, a first node, and a read bitline; a second transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain respectively coupled to a storage node, to a voltage source, and to the first node; a third transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain respectively coupled to a write wordline, the storage node, and a write bitline; and a capacitor having a first terminal connected to the storage node and a second terminal connected to a voltage source.
In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a memory cell that includes: a first transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain respectively coupled to a storage node, a read wordline, and a read bitline; a second transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain respectively coupled to a write wordline, a write bitline, and the storage node; and a capacitor having a first terminal connected to the storage node and a second terminal connected to a voltage source.

Gain cell structure with deep trench capacitor

International Business Machines Corporation


A cryogenically-cooled RF power amplifier utilizes a plurality of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors configured on a heat sink having at least one surface in contact with a cryogenic fluid, and having input means for coupling RF driving power into the plurality of cryogenically-cooled MOSFETs and output means for coupling an amplified level of RF power from the cooled MOSFETs to an antenna.

The present application relates to solid-state radio-frequency (RF) power amplifiers and, more particularly, to a novel cryogenically-cooled metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) power amplifier cooled by liquid nitrogen (LN.sub.2) and the like.
Several uses exist for RF power amplifiers which can provide outputs in the 10 KW-100 KW power output range at frequencies on the order of 1-10 MHz. Among such uses are recovery of oil from oil shales and tar sands, in which large potential energy resources exist in an estimated 200 trillion oil barrel equivalents in the U.S. alone. It is necessary to heat the selected oil shale volume (which may be an in-situ mass of size on the order of 20 M.times.25 M.times.150 M) to temperatures on the order of 350.degree. C. Such temperatures can be obtained in these volumes by inducing in excess of a megawatt of RF power, in the frequency range 0.5-13.5 MHz, by means of several transmitters each having outputs of about 100 KW. These amplifiers would be operated continuously over several years, so that long life, reliability and high energy conversion efficiency would be mandatory. It is desired to provide high-efficiency cryogenically-cooled RF power amplifiers, utilizing liquid nitrogen-cooled MOSFETs with efficiency levels of at least 98 %.

Cryogenically-cooled radio-frequency power amplifier


A disk apparatus 10 includes a DSP 36. The DSP 36 controls each circuit component under the instruction from an MCU 44. When a braking pulse is applied to a driver 38b at the end of a jump, a corresponding tracking actuator control voltage is supplied to a tracking actuator 16. Then a DSP core 36a determines whether the TE signal level becomes equal to or below the predetermined value within a predetermined period shorter than the zero crossing cycle of the TE signal. In case the TE signal level does not become equal to or below the predetermined value within the predetermined period, the DSP core 36a determines that the travel direction of an objective lens 14 with respect to a disk 22 is reversed and applies a correction pulse having a polarity opposite to that of the braking pulse thus accelerating the objective lens 14.

The present invention relates to a track jump controller and a track jump method, and in particular to a track jump controller and a track jump method that cause a pickup to jump by the number of target tracks in the track traverse direction by using for example a tracking actuator-driver then apply a braking pulse to stop the pickup.
An example of this type of related art track jump apparatus is disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei9-102135 [G11B 7/19, G11B 7/085] published on Apr. 15, 1997. In the control circuit of this optical disk apparatus, a braking pulse is output when the lens reaches the position one track before the target track in terminating the seek operation. The control circuit detects the zero crossing cycle of a tracking error signal when the lens reaches a half track before the target track and corrects the magnitude or width of the braking pulse to reach the target track.
Another example of track jump apparatus is disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-353324 [G11B 7/085] published on Dec. 19, 2000. In the optical recording/playback apparatus, the travel time to a point in the light beam during jump is measured in the course of focus jumping and the waveform of the deceleration pulse is changed to drive the tracking actuator. After a deceleration signal is output, the travel means is forcibly driven until the level of the tracking error signal drops below the predetermined value. This is provided a stable focus jumping performance with respect to disturbance caused by vibration on the apparatus or partial eccentricity of an optical disk, thereby assuring high-speed playback and recording.
According to such related art technologies, in the former case, a table having the magnitude (level) or width of a braking pulse corresponding to the zero crossing cycle is required. This leads to increased memory capacity. In case eccentricity of the disk is present, as shown in FIG. 10, the disk speed is temporarily greater than the travel speed of the pickup from end of braking to reaching the target track. This reverses the travel direction of the pickup with respect to the disk at the point indicated as P thus causing a tracking fault. That is, the pickup is uncontrollable and as a result, the track is not reached. In such a fault, jump must be retried from the start thus taking time before playback starts.
In the latter case, the travel time is measured during acceleration or a deceleration pulse is calculated from the measured time thus complicating the processing. The pickup is forcibly moved by using the travel means immediately after the output of a deceleration signal to retain the level of the tracking error signal below the predetermined value. The pickup is thus forcibly moved by the travel means even in case the travel direction of the pickup with respect to the disk is the same, which is needless control.
Thus, the main object of the invention is to provide a track jump controller for disk apparatus and a track jump method effective for a tracking fault caused by an eccentric disk.
The first aspect of the invention is a track jump controller for disk apparatus that causes a pickup to jump by the number of target tracks in the track traverse direction by using a tracking actuator-driver then applies a braking pulse to stop the pickup, characterized in that a kick pulse of the polarity opposite to that of the braking pulse to a tracking actuator-driver when a tracking error signal does not drop below a predetermined value within a predetermined time shorter than the zero crossing cycle of the tracking error signal after the braking pulse is applied.
The second aspect of the invention is a track jump controller including a tracking actuator-driver for driving the pickup in the track traverse direction in track jump, braking pulse application means for applying a braking pulse to the tracking actuator-driver when the number of target tracks have been jumped over, determination means for determining whether a tracking error signal drops below a predetermined value within a predetermined time after the braking pulse is applied, and kick pulse application means for applying a kick pulse of the polarity opposite to that of the braking pulse to the driver when the determination means determines that the tracking error signal drops below the predetermined value.
The third aspect of the invention is a track jump method for disk apparatus that causes a pickup to jump by the number of target tracks in the track traverse direction by using a tracking actuator-driver then applies a braking pulse to stop the pickup, including the steps of (a) jumping over the number of target tracks, (b) applying a braking pulse, (c) determining a tracking error signal drops below a predetermined value within a predetermined time after the braking pulse is applied, and (d) outputting a kick pulse of the polarity opposite to that of the braking pulse when the tracking error signal drops below the predetermined value.
In the track jump controller, when a seek instruction such as fast forwarding, rewinding, selection of music or skipping of music is given during playback of a DVD or a CD, the total number of tracks to be jumped over is calculated based on the current pickup position and the target pickup position and jump is started. That is, the pickup is caused to jump by the number of target tracks (total number of tracks) in the track traverse direction by using a tracking actuator-driver, then a braking pulse is applied to stop the pickup. After the output (application) of the braking pulse is over, it is determined whether the tracking error signal drops below a predetermined value within a predetermined time shorter than the zero crossing cycle of the tracking error signal. In case the tracking error signal does not drop below the predetermined value, it is determined that the travel direction of the pickup or objective lens with respect to the disk is beginning to be reversed, and a kick pulse the polarity opposite to that of the braking pulse, or a correction kick pulse for acceleration in the jump direction, is applied to the tracking actuator-driver. Thus, it is possible to prematurely prevent reversal of the travel direction of the objective lens with respect to the disk.
According to the invention, a correction kick pulse is output based on the level of the tracking error signal at a predetermined time after braking is over in order to prematurely prevent the travel direction of the pickup with respect to the disk from being reversed. This allows the pickup to reach the target track successfully.
The aforementioned object of the invention, other objects, features and advantages will be clear from the detailed description of the following embodiment referring to drawings.

Track jump controller and a track jump method


A sheet package body P has a first package body 1 and a second package body 2. The first package body 1 is disposed on the second package body 2 by overlapping in part, said overlapped portion L is set in a double chain stitch sewing machine and is sewn. A stitching D of chain stitch is formed said portion L. By pulling the sewing end portion 4a of the looper thread 4 forming the stitching D of chain stitch, the stitching D of chain stitch gradually unravels from the sewing end portion, and the both package bodies 1, 2 are separated from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an easy-to-open sheet package body for packaging a solid object.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, as this kind of sheet package body, a cut tape has been widely used (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. H9-175564). A cut tape is adhered to the surface of a film package body for packaging an object, and by pulling a pull portion formed an end of the cut tape, the film package body is easily cut off along the cut tape.


The present invention relates to a distributed computing system and method. Conventional distributed computing environments require complex arrangements to distribute tasks and to collate the results of any distributed processing. There has been a recent trend towards using the spare computing capacity of computers connected to the Internet to provide distributed computing resources. However, various security issues have been identified in relation to such an arrangement. Suitably, the present invention uses a power management system in which a user or system context, which is created and saved when an associated computing system enters a power management state, to provide a distributed computing platform. Once a computer system has entered a power saving state and the user system context has been saved to an HDD, the computer system is arranged to wake-up and to establish, or use, a pre-prepared distributed computing task system context. The power management system is instructed to load and restore the distributed computing task system context, rather than the conventional user system context. In this manner a distributed computing platform using the computer systems that are connected to an Intranet can be used for performing distributed computing. Since the user system context and the distributed computing task system context are not resident within the computer system concurrently, the security issues are at least partially alleviated.

Conventionally, distributed computing environments often require very complex management schemes for distributing the tasks that constitute the complete job to be performed. The complex management system is responsible for collating the processing results. Such a distributed computing environment requires a linked, dedicated cluster, of computers for performing such processing. The provision of such a purpose built cluster of computers is a relatively expensive undertaking and is typically avoided unless absolutely necessary.
It has been discovered that most computing resources within a company lie dormant for the majority of the time. Alternatively, those computing resources often have spare processing capacity; that is, the percentage utilisation of the processor within those computing resources is relatively low. Schemes have been developed in which those dormant computing resources are utilised by third party applications. For example, the SETI organisation makes software available to a participating user that will access data from a SETI server, process that data as part of a concurrent task on the user's client machine and return the processing results to the SETI server.
However, even within an Intranet, where the employees of a company are all working towards the same general goals, the use of users' machines to perform distributed computing tasks causes concern. Many relatively senior personnel will be privy to very sensitive commercial information. Also, personnel staff will have access to personal data relating to the employees. In such circumstances, the users are very reluctant to allow their computers to be used for Intranet distributed computing.
A solution that addresses these security of privacy issues is a technology that partitions the disk drives of the users' machines. This partitioning allows separate users to operate using the same physical HDD without the risk of another user being above to see or interfere with the data and applications contained within any other partitions on that machine. However, this solution requires significant modifications to be made to the operating system. Any such modifications are clearly undesirable, especially for application developers, rather the system developers, who may have sufficient technical knowledge to effect such modifications.
It is an object of the present invention at least to mitigate some of the problems of the prior art.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.


A mobility aid for quadrupeds includes a support frame having a front end and a rear end, at least one leg member having a distal end and a proximal end connected to the support by a joint, the joint permitting the leg member to pivot between an upright position and a folded position, the joint further comprising a biasing means that urges the at least one leg element toward the upright position, at least one wheel at the distal of the at least one leg member, and at least one actuator attached to the at least one leg member, the at least one actuator contacting the ground on an opposite side of one of at least one wheel from the front end of the support.

Pets can suffer from a number of conditions that lead to loss of mobility. Many of these conditions, such as degenerative myelopathy, arthritis, spondylosis deformans, and various forms of osteoarthritis, can cause the rear limbs of quadrupeds such as dogs and cats to lose some or all of the function in their hind legs. Injuries can also limit the ability to walk in the short term or long term, depending on the type and severity of the injury. Whether temporary or permanent, this incapacity can be injurious to the health of the animal, and demoralizing for both pet and owner.
Although some wheelchairs or mobile sling assemblies have been designed, the existing forms do not adapt well enough to the needs of the individual animal; either they do not give the animal the option of natural mobility or they do not easily adjust to the animal's size and body type.
Therefore, there remains a need for a mobile and flexible pet mobility aid that is also readily adjustable.


A tunable bandwidth selector is disclosed. The tunable bandwidth selector may include a plurality of spaced apart electron sheets which selectively separate a first bandwidth from an input spectrum.

The present invention relates generally to devices for detecting the presence of an object or substance, and, more particularly, to devices for detecting the presence of an object or substance with a tunable detection system.
It is known to use Fiber Bragg gratings to selectively separate a portion of a spectrum from the remainder of the spectrum. In a Fiber Bragg grating a periodic change in index of refraction is provided in the core of the fiber. Based on the indexes of refraction of the core materials and the spacing of the periodic structure a given bandwidth is separated from an input spectrum. Fiber Bragg gratings are useful in communication and sensor applications.
It is desirable to have a non-fiber based tunable detection system which may be used to identify the presence of one or more elements, molecules, chemicals, biological materials, materials, substances, and objects (collectively referred to as "targets") within an ambient environment or as part of a target of interest in a detection zone.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


An electric insulation composite sheet excelled in flexibility as well as heat resistance, crack resistance, anti-hygroscopicity and insulation property comprising as essential components epoxy compound 150-300 g/eq in epoxy equivalent, hardener consisting essentially of polycarboxylic acid polyanhydride represented by the following general formula [1] ##STR1## and a reinforcing fiber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite sheet for electric insulation using as matrix material an epoxy type resin composite which hardens to form a sheet excelled in flexibility, cracking resistance, antihygroscopicity and electric insulation property, and this composite sheet for electric insulation is useful as an insulation material for use in dry transformers, motors, generators and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Epoxy type resins with their high mechanical strength, excellent heat resistance and electric insulation property are widely used as molding materials for electric and electronic parts/components and the like. Ordinary epoxy resin, however, generally lack in flexibility and less suited as materials for films and sheets.
Meanwhile, as a sheet material for electric insulation there is known a product, "Nomex" by trade name, marketed by DuPont. This sheet material, being short-length fibers based on meta-aramid polymer of the following structural formula ##STR2## filtered and formed paper-like having an excellent heat resistance, electric insulation and mechanical strength and is being widely used as heat resistant insulation sheet.
This insulation sheet has, besides its extremely high cost, drawbacks of being hygroscopic and its electric insulation property being lowered after a relatively short period of use. Worse, made by filtering short-length fibers, the sheet has therein countless interfiber voids, this interfering with the material's electric insulation property, and has something to be desired about its dielectric breakdown strength.
The present invention has been made in view of such situation and is aimed at provision of a composite sheet excelled in anti-hygroscopicity, heat resistance, flexibility and electric insulation property having as its matrix component an epoxy-type resin composite which affords a polymer excelled in heat resistance, insulation property, anti-hygroscopicity et cetera and also in flexibility.

Flexible composite sheet for electric insulation