A rinse aid composition containing: (a) a hydroxy mixed ether corresponding to formula I:

This invention relates to rinse agents for dishwashing machines containing hydroxy mixed ethers and alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides, optionally other nonionic surfactants, water and other auxiliaries and additives, to the use of such mixtures in rinse agents and to a process for rinsing and cleaning hard surfaces.
Today, machine-washed tableware has to meet stricter requirements than hand-washed tableware. Thus, even tableware completely free from food residues is regarded as unsatisfactory when, after dishwashing, it still has whitish stains which are attributable to water hardness or other mineral salts and which come from water droplets that have remained on the tableware through lack of wetting agent and dried.
Accordingly, to obtain bright, spotless tableware, rinse agents have to be used. The addition of liquid or solid rinse agent ensures that the water drains completely from the tableware so that the various surfaces are bright and free from residues at the end of the dishwashing program.
Commercially available rinse agents are mixtures of nonionic surfactants, solubilizers, organic acids and solvents, water and optionally preservative and perfumes. The function of the surfactants in these compositions is to influence the interfacial tension of the water in such a way that it is able to drain from the tableware as a thin, coherent film so that no droplets of water, streaks or films remain behind during the subsequent drying process (so-called wetting effect). Another function of the surfactants is to suppress the foam generated by food residues in the dishwashing machine. Since the rinse agents generally contain acids to improve the clear drying effect, the surfactants used also have to be relatively hydrolysis-resistant towards acids.
Rinse agents are used both in the home and in the institutional sector. In domestic dishwashers, the rinse agent is added after the prerinse and wash cycle at 40 to 65xc2x0 C. Institutional dishwashers use only one wash liquor which is merely replenished by addition of the rinse agent solution from the preceding wash cycle. Accordingly, there is no complete replacement of water in the entire dishwashing program. Because of this, the rinse agent is also expected to have a foam-suppressing effect, to be temperature-stable in the event of a marked drop in temperature from 85 to 35xc2x0 C. and, in addition, to be satisfactorily resistant to alkali and active chlorine.
It is known from hitherto unpublished DE 19851453 that alkoxylated fatty acid lower alkyl esters and in particular mixtures with other nonionic surfactants, such as hydroxy mixed ethers and alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides, satisfy the performance requirements a commercial product is expected to meet. However, no preferred mixing ratios of hydroxy mixed ethers and alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides are disclosed in that document.
DE-A 19738866 describes surfactant mixtures of hydroxy mixed ethers and nonionic surfactants, such as optionally end-capped fatty alcohol polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol ethers, which have favourable foaming behavior and show good clear rinse effects in rinse agents.
The problem addressed by the present invention was to provide rinse agents which, at one and the same time, would show favorable drainage behavior through improved wetting behavior, would have a foam-suppressing effect and would be distinguished by high material compatibility and in particular by very good plastic compatibility of the rinsed surfaces.
The problem stated above has been solved by a combination of hydroxy mixed ethers and alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides in the ratio by weight according to the invention. High plastic compatibility andxe2x80x94through the very favorable wetting behaviorxe2x80x94a spotless shine of the surfaces to be rinsed are obtained in this way. It should be emphasized that the rinse agents according to the invention generate little foam of their own despite the alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides which are known to be highly surface-compatible, but have no foam-suppressing effect. It has also been found that the use of the petrochemical solubilizer, cumenesulfonate, can be reduced by up to 75% through the use of hydroxy mixed ethers, particularly in combination with alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides.
The present invention relates to rinse agents containing
a. hydroxy mixed ethers (HMEs) corresponding to formula (I):
R1O[CH2CHR2O]x[CH2CHR3O]yCH2CH(OH)R4 xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
in which R1is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing 4 to 22 carbon atoms,
R2 is hydrogen or a methyl or ethyl group,
R3 is hydrogen or a methyl or ethyl group,
R4 is an alkyl group containing 2 to 22 carbon atoms,
x=0 or 1 to 30,
y=0 or 1 to 30, x+y greater than =1,
b. alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides (APGs) corresponding to formula (II):
R5Oxe2x80x94[G]p xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(II)
in which R5 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing 4 to 22 carbon atoms,
G is a sugar unit containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms,
p is a number of 1 to 10,
c. other nonionic surfactants,
d. optionally water,
e. optionally auxiliaries and additives,
HMEs and APGs being present in the rinse agents in a ratio by weight of 10:0.1 to 1:10.
Hydroxy Mixed Ethers
Hydroxy mixed ethers corresponding to formula (I) are known from the literature and are described, for example, in German patent application DE 19738866. They are prepared by reaction of 1,2-epoxyalkanes (R4CHOCH2), where R4 is an aliphatic saturated, linear or branched alkyl group containing 2 to 22 and more particularly 6 to 16 carbon atoms, with alkoxylated alcohols. Hydroxy mixed ethers preferred for the purposes of the invention are those derived from alkoxylates of monohydric alcohols with the formula R1xe2x80x94OH containing 4 to 18 carbon atoms, R1 being an aliphatic, saturated, linear or branched alkyl group, more particularly containing 6 to 16 carbon atoms. Examples of suitable straight-chain alcohols are butan-1-ol, caproic alcohol, oenanthic alcohol, caprylic alcohol, pelargonic alcohol, capric alcohol, undecan-1-ol, lauryl alcohol, tridecan-1-ol, myristyl alcohol, pentadecan-1-ol, palmityl alcohol, heptadecan-1-ol, stearyl alcohol, nonadecan-1-ol, arachidyl alcohol, heneicosan-1-ol, behenyl alcohol and the technical mixtures thereof obtained in the high-pressure hydrogenation of technical methyl esters based on fats and oils. Examples of branched alcohols are so-called oxo alcohols which generally contain 2 to 4 methyl groups as branches and are produced by the oxo process and so-called Guerbet alcohols which are branched in the 2-position by an alkyl group. Suitable Guerbet alcohols are 2-ethyl hexanol, 2-butyl octanol, 2-hexyl decanol and/or 2-octyl dodecanol.
The alcohols are used in the form of their alkoxylates which are prepared in known manner by reaction of the alcohols in any order with ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide. Alkoxylates of alcohols formed by reaction with 10 to 50 mol ethylene oxide (R2 and R3=hydrogen and x+y=1-50) are preferably used. Both alkoxylates obtained by reaction of alcohol with 1 to 10 mol propylene oxide (R2=methyl, x=1-10) and 10 to 30 mol ethylene oxide (R3=hydrogen, y=10-30) and those obtained by reaction of alcohol with 10 to 30 mol ethylene oxide (R2=hydrogen, x=10-30) and 1 to 10 mol propylene oxide (R3=methyl, y=1-10) are preferred.
Particularly suitable hydroxy mixed ethers are those corresponding to formula (I), where R2 is a methyl group and R3 is hydrogen, which have advantageously been produced by reaction of alcohol with 1 to 3 mol propylene oxide (x=1-3) and then with 10 to 25 mol ethylene oxide (y=10-25).
Alkyl and/or Alkenyl Oligoglycosides
The rinse agents according to the invention contain alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides corresponding to formula (II) as compulsory components. They may be obtained by the relevant methods of preparative organic chemistry. The synoptic articles by Biermann et al. in Starch/Stxc3xa4rke 45, 281 (1993), B. Salka in Cosm. Toil. 108, 89 (1993) and J. Kxc3xa4hre et al. in Sxc3x96FW-Journal, No. 8, 598 (1995) are cited as representative of the extensive literature available on the subject.
The alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides may be derived from aldoses or ketoses containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably glucose. Accordingly, the preferred alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides are alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglucosides.
The alkyl group R5 may be derived from primary saturated alcohols. Typical examples are butan-1-ol, caproic alcohol, oenanthic alcohol, caprylic alcohol, pelargonic alcohol, capric alcohol, undecan-1-ol, lauryl alcohol, tridecan-1-ol, myristyl alcohol, pentadecan-1-ol, cetyl alcohol, palmityl alcohol, heptadecan-1-ol, stearyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, nonadecan-1-ol, arachidyl alcohol, heneicosan-1-ol and behenyl alcohol and the technical mixtures thereof obtained, for example, in the hydrogenation of technical fatty acid methyl esters or in the hydrogenation of aldehydes from Roelen""s oxo synthesis.
The alkenyl group R5 may be derived from primary unsaturated alcohols. Typical examples of unsaturated alcohols are undecen-1-ol, oleyl alcohol, elaidyl alcohol, ricinolyl alcohol, linoleyl alcohol, linolenyl alcohol, gadoleyl alcohol, arachidonyl alcohol, erucyl alcohol, brassidyl alcohol, palmitoleyl alcohol, petroselinyl alcohol, arachyl alcohol and the technical mixtures thereof obtainable in the manner described above.
Alkyl or alkenyl groups R5 derived from primary C6-16 alcohols are preferred. Alkyl oligoglucosides having a chain length of C8 to C10, which are obtained as first runnings in the separation of technical C8-18 coconut fatty alcohol by distillation and which may contain less than 6% by weight of C12 alcohol as an impurity, and also alkyl oligoglucosides based on technical C9/11 oxoalcohols are preferred. In addition, the alkyl or alkenyl group R5 may also be derived from primary alcohols containing 12 to 14 carbon atoms.
The index p in general formula (II) indicates the degree of oligomerization (DP), i.e. the distribution of mono- and oligoglycosides, and is a number of 1 to 10. Whereas p in a given compound must always be an integer and, above all, may assume a value of 1 to 3, the value p for a certain alkyl oligoglycoside is an analytically determined calculated quantity which is generally a broken number. Alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides having an average degree of oligomerization p of 1.1 to 2.0 are preferably used. Alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides having a degree of oligomerization of less than 2.0 and, more particularly, between 1.2 and 1.7 are preferred from the applicational point of view.
In a preferred embodiment, hydroxy mixed ethers corresponding to formula (I) and alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides corresponding to formula (II) are used in a ratio by weight of 10:0.1 to 1:10, preferably 10:0.5 to 1:5 and more particularly 10:1 to 1:4.
Nonionic Surfactants
The rinse agents according to the invention may contain other nonionic surfactants. Typical examples of nonionic surfactants are alkoxylates of alkanols, end-capped alkoxylates of alkanols with no free OH groups, alkoxylated fatty acid lower alkyl esters, amine oxides, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, fatty acid polyglycol esters, fatty acid amide polyglycol ethers, fatty amine polyglycol ethers, alkoxylated triglycerides, mixed ethers and mixed formals, fatty acid-N-alkyl glucamides, protein hydrolyzates (more particularly wheat-based vegetable products), polyol fatty acid esters, sugar esters, sorbitan esters and polysorbates. If the nonionic surfactants contain polyglycol ether chains, they may have a conventional homolog distribution although they preferably have a narrow homolog distribution.
The other nonionic surfactants are preferably selected from the group consisting of alkoxylates of alkanols, more particularly fatty alcohol polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol ethers (FAEO/PO) corresponding to formula (III) or fatty alcohol polypropylene glycol/polyethylene glycol ethers (FAPO/EO) corresponding to formula (IV), end-capped alkoxylates of alkanols, more particularly end-capped fatty alcohol polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol ethers or end-capped fatty alcohol polypropylene glycol/polyethylene glycol ethers, and fatty acid lower alkyl esters and amine oxides.
Fatty Alcohol Polyethylene Glycol/Polypropylene Glycol Ethers
A preferred embodiment is characterized by the use of optionally end-capped fatty alcohol polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol ethers corresponding to formula (III):
R6O(CH2CH2O)n[CH2(CH3)CHO]mR7 xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(III)
in which R6 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing 8 to 22 carbon atoms, R7 is H or an alkyl group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, n is a number of 1 to 40, preferably 1 to 30 and more particularly 1 to 15 and m is 0 or a number of 1 to 10.
Fatty Alcohol Polypropylene Glycol/Polyethylene Glycol Ethers
Optionally end-capped fatty alcohol polypropylene glycol/polyethylene glycol ethers corresponding to formula (IV):
R8O[CH2(CH3)CHO]q(CH2CH2O)rR9 xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IV)
in which R8 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing 8 to 22 carbon atoms, R9 is H or an alkyl group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, q is a number of 1 to 5 and r is a number of 0 to 15.
In a preferred embodiment, the rinse agents according to the invention contain fatty alcohol polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol ethers corresponding to formula (III) in which R6 is an aliphatic saturated, linear or branched alkyl group containing 8 to 16 carbon atoms, n is a number of 1 to 10, m is 0 and R7 is hydrogen. These compounds (III) are products of the addition of 1 to 10 mol ethylene oxide onto monohydric alcohols. Suitable alcohols are the above-described alcohols, such as fatty alcohols, oxo alcohols and Guerbet alcohols. Other suitable alcohol ethoxylates are those which have a narrow homolog distribution.
Other suitable representatives of non-end-capped representatives are those corresponding to formula (III) in which R6 is an aliphatic, saturated, linear or branched alkyl group containing 8 to 16 carbon atoms, n is a number of 2 to 7, m is a number of 3 to 7 and R7 is hydrogen. These compounds (III) are products of the addition of monohydric alcohols of the type already described alkoxylated first with 2 to 7 mol ethylene oxide and then with 3 to 7 mol propylene oxide.
The end-capped compounds of formula (III) are terminated by a C1-8 alkyl group (R7). In the literature, such compounds are also commonly referred to as mixed ethers. Suitable representatives are methyl-group-terminated compounds of formula (III) in which R6 is an aliphatic, saturated, linear or branched alkyl group containing 8 to 16 carbon atoms, n is a number of 2 to 7, m is a number of 3 to 7 and R7 is a methyl group. Compounds such as these may readily be prepared by reacting the corresponding non-end-capped fatty alcohol polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol ethers with methyl chloride in the presence of a base.
Suitable representatives of alkyl-group-terminated compounds are those of formula (III), in which R6 is an aliphatic, saturated, linear or branched alkyl group containing 8 to 16 carbon atoms, n is a number of 5 to 15, m is 0 and R7 is an alkyl group containing 4 to 8 carbon atoms. The end capping is preferably carried out with a linear or branched butyl group by reacting the corresponding fatty alcohol polyethylene glycol ether with n-butyl chloride or with tert.butyl chloride in the presence of bases.
Optionally end-capped fatty alcohol polypropylene glycol/polyethylene glycol ethers of formula (IV) may be present instead of or in admixture with the compounds of formula (III). Compounds such as these are described, for example, in DE-A1-43 23 252. Particularly preferred representatives of the compounds of formula (IV) are those in which R8 is an aliphatic, saturated, linear or branched alkyl group containing 8 to 16 carbon atoms, q is a number of 1 to 5, r is a number of 1 to 6 and R9 is hydrogen. Compounds such as these are preferably products of the addition of 1 to 5 mol propylene oxide and 1 to 6 mol ethylene oxide onto monohydric alcohols which have already been described as suitable in connection with the hydroxy mixed ethers.
Alkoxylated Fatty Acid Lower Alkyl Esters
Suitable alkoxylated fatty acid lower alkyl esters are surfactants corresponding to formula (V):
R10COxe2x80x94(OCH2CHR11)wOR12 xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(V)
in which R10CO is a linear or branched, saturated and/or unsaturated acyl group containing 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R11 is hydrogen or methyl, R12 represents linear or branched alkyl groups containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms and w is a number of 1 to 20. Typical examples are the formal insertion products of on average 1 to 20 and preferably 5 to 10 mol ethylene and/or propylene oxide into the methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl and tert.butyl esters of caproic acid, caprylic acid, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, isotridecanoic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, petroselic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, elaeostearic acid, arachic acid, gadoleic acid, behenic acid and erucic acid and technical mixtures thereof. Normally, the products are obtained by insertion of the alkoxides into the carbonyl ester bond in the presence of special catalysts such as, for example, calcined hydrotalcite. Reaction products of on average 5 to 10 mol ethylene oxide into the ester bond of technical coconut fatty acid methyl esters are particularly preferred.
Amine Oxides
Compounds corresponding to formula (VI) and/or (VII):
may be used as amine oxides. The amine oxides corresponding to formula (VI) are produced by oxidation of tertiary fatty amines having an least one long alkyl chain in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. In the amine oxides of formula (VI) suitable for the purposes of the invention, R13 is a linear or branched alkyl chain containing 6 to 22 and preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms and R14 and R15 independently of one another have the same meaning as R13 or represent an optionally hydroxysubstituted alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Preferred amine oxides of formula (VI) are those in which R13 and R14 represent C12/14 or C12/18 coconut alkyl groups and R15 is a methyl or hydroxyethyl group. Other preferred amine oxides of formula (VI) are those in which R13 is a C12/14 or C12/18 coconut alkyl group and R14 and R15 represent a methyl or hydroxyethyl group. Other suitable amine oxides are alkylamidoamine oxides corresponding to formula (VII) where the alkylamido group R23CONH is formed by the reaction of linear or branched carboxylic acids preferably containing 6 to 22 and more particularly 12 to 18 carbon atoms, more particularly from C12/14 or C12/18 fatty acids, with amines. R24 is a linear or branched alkenyl group containing 2 to 6 and preferably 2 to 4 carbon atoms and R14 and R15 are as defined for formula (VI).
In a preferred embodiment, the rinse agents according to the invention contain 0.01 to 30% by weight, preferably 0.025 to 20% by weight and more particularly 0.5 to 15% by weight, based on rinse agent, of hydroxy mixed ethers corresponding to formula (I) expressed as active substance (active substance is defined as pure substance present in the rinse agent).
In another embodiment, the rinse agents according to the invention contain 0.01 to 30% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 20% by weight and more particularly 0.2 to 15% by weight, based on rinse agent, of alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides corresponding to formula (II) expressed as active substance.
The other nonionic surfactants may be present in the rinse agents according to the invention in quantitiesxe2x80x94expressed as active substancexe2x80x94of 0.1 to 20% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 8% by weight and more particularly 1 to 6% by weight, based on rinse agent.
Water, Auxiliaries and Additives
The rinse agents may be formulated both as aqueous solutions and in solid form, for example encapsulated in wax, or in gel form. In a particularly preferred embodiment, they are aqueous solutions.
The rinse agents according to the invention may contain, for example, solubilizers, such as cumenesulfonate, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butyl glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol monobutyl ether, polyethylene or polypropylene glycol ethers with molecular weights of 600 to 1,500,000, preferably with a molecular weight of 400,000 to 800,000, or more particularly butyl diglycol as auxiliaries and additives. In addition, organic acids, such as mono- and/or polybasic carboxylic acids, preferably citric acid, and preservatives and perfumes may be used.
The present invention also relates to the use of hydroxy mixed ethers in combination with alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycosides and other nonionic surfactants in rinse agents, preferably for the home and the industrial and institutional sectors.
The present invention also relates to a process for the washing and cleaning of hard surfaces in which the rinse agents according to the invention are applied to the surfaces in admixture with water.

Abstract: wherein R1 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing from about 4 to 22 carbon atoms, R2 is hydrogen or a methyl or an ethyl group, R3 is hydrogen or a methyl or an ethyl group, R4 is an alkyl group containing from about 2 to 22 carbon atoms, x is a number up to 30, y is a number up to 30, and x+y is greater than or equal to 1; (b) an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside corresponding to formula II:

Abstract: wherein R5 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing from about 4 to 22 carbon atoms, G is a sugar unit containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms, and p is a number from 1 to 10; and (c) a nonionic co-surfactant, and wherein (a) and (b) are present in the composition in a ratio by weight of from about 10:0.1 to 1:10.


There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including forming a metal nitride film substantially not containing a silicon atom on a substrate by sequentially repeating: (a) supplying a metal-containing gas and a reducing gas, which contains silicon and hydrogen and does not contain a halogen, to the substrate in a process chamber by setting an internal pressure of the process chamber to a value which falls within a range of 130 Pa to less than 3,990 Pa during at least the supply of the reducing gas, wherein (a) includes a timing of simultaneously supplying the metal-containing gas and the reducing gas; (b) removing the metal-containing gas and the reducing gas that remain in the process chamber; (c) supplying a nitrogen-containing gas to the substrate; and (d) removing the nitrogen-containing gas remaining in the process chamber.

A tungsten (W) film, for example, is used for a control gate of a NAND-type flash memory having a three-dimensional structure, and a tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) gas containing W is used for forming the W film. Further, a titanium nitride (TiN) film may be formed as a barrier film between the W film and an insulating film. The TiN film serves to enhance adhesion between the W film and the insulating film, and also to prevent fluorine (F) contained in the W film from diffusing into the insulating film and the film formation is generally performed using a titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) gas and an ammonia (NH3) gas.
As described above, the TiN film used as the barrier film is formed using the TiCl4 gas and the NH3 gas, and there is hydrochloric acid (HCl) as a byproduct generated in the film-forming process. This HCl is adsorbed on the surface of the TiN film which results in reducing a deposition rate, or the like.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium


Provided is a composition that may include a mixture of an ionic liquid and a surfactant in an aqueous composition, where a carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation has a wettability value and comprises hydrocarbons, where there is an interfacial tension value between the aqueous composition and hydrocarbons present in the carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation, where the aqueous solution may be configured to modify the wettability value of the carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation from a first value to a second value that is more water-wet than the first value, and where the presence of the ionic liquid in the aqueous composition may not substantially impact the value for interfacial tension between the hydrocarbons in the carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation and the aqueous composition. Further provided is a method that may introduce the aqueous composition into a carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation.

Oil, natural gas, and other petroleum products are found in carbonate reservoir rock. The porosity of sedimentary carbonate rock reservoirs comprising oil and natural gas is controlled by processes including post-deposition during formation of the rock. These reservoir rocks are known to cement quickly. The quick cementing process is partly due to carbonate minerals in the rock that can form a sediment. New porosity in carbonate reservoirs can be created by processes that also may form sediment, such as dolomitization, dissolution, fracturing, matrix acidification, and other known methods.
Fractured carbonate reservoirs include natural fractures and induced fractures. Fractured carbonate reservoirs are not limited to rocks or minerals including carbonate, limestone, and chalk. Natural fracking networks within the rock can enhance permeability. Induced fracturing can also enhance permeability. Induced fracturing can include hydraulic fracking.

Ionic liquid enhanced surfactant solution for spontaneous imbibition in fractured carbonate reservoirs


A vibration reliability calculation apparatus 10 is provided with an image acquisition unit 11 that acquires time-series images of an object that are output by an image capturing apparatus that shoots the object, and a reliability calculation unit 12 that calculates, for a vibration waveform of the object that is derived from a result of comparing one image and another image that constitute the acquired time-series images, a reliability level indicating a reliability of the vibration waveform.

Heretofore, technologies for measuring mechanical vibration of an object from a remote location have been proposed. According to such technologies, attachment and removal of sensors for vibration detection is no longer necessary and efficient vibration measurement becomes possible, and thus there is demand particularly in fields such as maintenance management and anomaly detection of infrastructure such as bridges, roads, buildings and facilities.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vibration measurement apparatus that uses an image capturing apparatus. The vibration measurement apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 acquires time-series images of an object from the image capturing apparatus, derives a displacement distribution of the surface of the object from the acquired time-series images, and measures vibration of the object based on the derived displacement distribution.
Patent Document 2 discloses a vibration measurement apparatus that is also provided with a distance measurement apparatus such as a laser range finder or an ultrasonic range finder, in addition to an image capturing apparatus, in order to also measure the vibration component in an optic axis direction of the image capturing apparatus, in addition to the vibration component in two-dimensional directions within an image. According to the vibration measurement apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2, since the vibration component in the optic axis direction of the image capturing apparatus can also be measured by the distance measurement apparatus, in addition to the vibration component in two-dimensional directions within an image, vibration of an object in three-dimensional directions can be measured.
Incidentally, since the measured value is not measured directly in the case of mechanical vibration of an object measured by non-contact method in this manner, there are calls to guarantee how reliable the measured value is using a technique of some sort. Although it is generally difficult to evaluate the reliability of a vibration waveform, Patent Document 3, which focuses on this point, proposes a technology that calculates a reliability level, which is a value indicating the reliability of a vibration waveform measured by a non-contact vibration sensor at a measurement point, based on the distance from the measurement point to a measurement target point on the object. According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 3, it conceivably becomes possible to evaluate the reliability level of a vibration waveform obtained by such non-contact vibration measurement.

Vibration reliability calculation apparatus, vibration reliability calculation method, and computer readable recording medium


A mounting fixture for an optical instrument, such as an optical correlator, providing for the precise mounting and positional adjustment therein of an element, such as a multiple holographic lens, at least along two transverse x and y axes, and also rotationally along .theta. in roll about the z axis, .gamma. in pitch about the x axis, and .beta. in yaw about the y axis. The mounting fixture enables the holographic lens plate in an optical correlator to be positionally adjusted and then fixed stably in the optical correlator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mounting fixture for an optical instrument such as an optical correlator, with the mounting fixture providing for the precise mounting and positional adjustment therein of an element at least along two transverse x and y axes, and also rotationally along .theta. in roll about the z axis, .gamma. in pitch about the x axis, and .beta. in yaw about the y axis.
More particularly, the subject invention pertains to a mounting fixture as described providing for the precise mounting and decoupled positional adjustment of an element, such as a glass plate upon which a multiple holographic lens is recorded, or a multiple matched filter, in an optical correlator. The mounting fixture of the present invention enables precise x and y, and roll, pitch and yaw (.theta.,.gamma.,.beta.) positional adjustments and alignments to be made for an element, and then fixedly mounts the element stably in position in the optical correlator.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A matched filter optical correlation system is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 814,209, filed Dec. 27, 1985, relative to which the mounting fixture of the present invention was designed and developed. The optical correlation system disclosed therein optically compares an input image with optical information stored in multiple matched filters to provide identification, position, and aspect information about the input image. In one disclosed embodiment, the input image is directed onto a spatial light modulator to spatially modulate a coherent beam of radiation. The spatially modulated radiation beam is directed onto a glass plate having recorded thereon a multiple holographic lens which performs a multiple number of Fourier transformations thereon to obtain an array of a multiple set of Fourier transforms of the spatially modulated radiation beam. A corresponding array of matched filters has the array of Fourier transforms incident thereon, with each matched filter comprising a Fourier transform hologram of a scale or an aspect view of an object of interest. Each matched filter passes an optical signal in dependence upon the degree of correlation of the Fourier transform of the spatially modulated radiation beam with the Fourier transform hologram recorded thereon. An inverse Fourier transform lens receives the optical outputs of the array of matched filters, and performs an inverse Fourier transformation on the optical outputs. A detector detects the inverse Fourier transform of the optical outputs, and produces an electrical output signal representative thereof. This signal is called the correlation signal, and the plane of the signal, the correlation plane.
One problem with this type of optical correlator is that of obtaining a proper and precise positional alignment and mounting of the glass plate having recorded thereon the multiple holographic lens. A typical matched filter optical correlator as described hereinabove is normally initially set or adjusted such that the multiple holographic lens is properly positioned along x and y coordinates and also properly angularly positioned with respect to roll, pitch and yaw (.theta.,.gamma.,.beta.) angular adjustments. The present state of the art of optical correlators has improved to the point that the multiple holographic lens can be designed to be fixed in place and not require a z adjustment along the optical axis. Moreover, it should be pointed out that in the present state of the art, the mounting fixture of the present invention is designed for relatively fine translational and angular adjustments and alignments, not for gross positional alignments. The mounting fixture of the present invention could also be utilized to mount a matched filter or multiple matched filter in the optical correlator, in which case the axial distance along the z axis (optical axis), the .gamma., pitch adjustment, and the .beta. yaw adjustment are normally initially properly set. Moreover, these adjustments generally remain properly set and aligned in particular embodiments of the optical correlator, and do not require re-adjustment each time a new matched filter is placed therein.

Mounting fixture for an optical instrument


A method of scavenging air and oil from a component (3) of an aircraft for returning the oil to a reservoir (4) for recirculation to the component involves the use of a gear pump (1) for scavenging the oil and gas. The gear pump centrifugally separates oil from the air and returns only the separated oil to the reservoir through outlets located upstream of the mesh zone of the gears while the air is discarded whereby lower discharge pressure of the gear pump is attained and there is no longer a need for a separate air-oil separator.

Aircraft lubrication and scavenge systems provide oil for lubrication of aircraft components. The oil is scavenged through the use of pumps which return the oil to a reservoir for recirculation. The oil scavenged by the pumps can have a high air content in an air-oil mixture. Before recirculating the oil from the main reservoir it is preferred to remove the air from the air-oil mixture to avoid plugging and slugging, e.g. pressure pulsations and slugs of air, then slugs of oil in the fluid provided to the aircraft components. These pressure fluctuations can cause damage to the aircraft components. Cooling with oil is also more effective than with an air-oil mixture, as in an heat exchanger, for example.
It is known to employ gear pumps for scavenging the air-oil mixture in aircraft lubrication and scavenge systems before returning the oil to a reservoir for recirculation. In these known systems an air-oil separator is employed downstream from the gear pump for removing air. These gear pumps are required to pump various air-oil ratios at pressure ratios ranging anywhere from 1 to over 50. At the higher pressure ratios the carryover and leakage of air from discharge to inlet of the pump degrades the inlet vacuum and partially fills the potential volume of the pump. One of the reasons for high discharge pressure in these pumps is the necessity to run the two phase mixture through an air-oil separator.
It has been recognized that in gear pumps having intermeshing gears which are used to pump aerated liquid, liquids containing gases or emulsions of liquids and gases, that the liquids are centrifuged to the perimeter of the gears and the gaseous phase becomes trapped in a void formed at the delivery side of the pump in the lee of the intermeshing gears. To prevent the entrapped gas from becoming highly compressed and being forced through the intermeshing gears back to the inlet side of the pump at extremely high velocities, it is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,970 to provide a vent pipe at the outlet side of the pump close to the nip of the intermeshing gears. However, this known arrangement does not prevent return of a portion of the air to the reservoir or eliminate the need for a separate air-oil separator downstream of the gear pump.
Rotary positive displacement type pumping apparatus for centrifugal separation of liquid and gaseous fluids are, per se, known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,137,234 and 3,242,867. U.S. Pat. No. 2,619,911 discloses a pump with intermeshing gears for centrifugal separation. An addition of supercharged liquid is employed to forcibly exhaust air and accumulated vapor from the inner portion of the interdental space or pocket.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,477,850; 2,180,771; and 2,458,452 disclose examples of serially arranged pumps wherein the downstream pump is of less capacity than the upstream pump and also the use of relief valve between the pumps in order to divert excess fluid flow. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,526,470; 4,631,009; and 4,697,995 further show the state of the art.

Method of scavenging air and oil and gear pump therefor


The present invention relates to a hydrocatalytic process for treating vacuum gas oils, residual feedstocks or mixtures thereof in the presence of up to 100 ppm of V and Ni at moderate hydrogen partial pressures. The process consists of two or more stages: (a) demetallization of feedstock to levels below 10 ppm of V and Ni, and (b) hydrodenitrogenation and hydroconversion of catalysts using a combined bed, and catalytic cracking of the 370.degree. C..+-. fraction to obtain gasolines. This process applies also to vacuum gas oils obtained from other processes, such as FCC, Flexicoque, etc.

Since residual fuel consumption is continuously decreasing, there is a pressing need to find a way to convert high-residual gas oil feedstock into more-marketable products, such as diesel fuel and gasoline. Proposed alternatives include several fixed-bed catalytic treatments, such as the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,779 relates to a process for hydrotreating hydrocarbons containing metals and asphaltenes. It provides a first stage of demetallization of feedstock in the presence of a macroporous catalyst on a silica-gel matrix, and a second stage of desulfurization of feedstock in the presence of another suitable catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,060 also presents a two-stage hydrotreatment process which initially uses a microporous catalyst for desulfurization, and thereafter employs a larger pore diameter catalyst for subsequent demetallization.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,166,026 and 4,191,636 refer to one- or two-stage hydrotreatment processes (for heavy hydrocarbons with high asphaltene and metal contents) consisting of hydrometallization and selective catalytic cracking of asphaltenes in a first reaction zone, and then hydrodesulfurization of products in a second reaction zone.
On the other hand, catalysts have been developed to attempt to improve demetallization and hydrodesulfurization processes, as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,127 (which relates to a combination of Co and Mo supported on alumina with a specific pore volume and distribution), and by U.S. Pat. 3,630,888 (which refers to a microporous structure having access channels interstitially distributed therethrough).
In the foregoing processes fairly severe operation conditions (pressures above 1500 psi and temperatures above 380.C) are required to attain acceptable demetallization (HDM), desulfurization (HDS), and hydroconversion (HC) levels. Even use of hydrogen partial pressures below 1800 psi causes a higher deposition of coke on an active surface and thus reduces life cycles of previously-developed catalysts to less than one year.

Hydrocracking high residual contained in vacuum gas oil


A vehicle interior component includes a board base and a skin. The board base includes a first surface to be on an interior side of a vehicle and a second surface to be on an exterior side of the vehicle when the vehicle interior component is installed in the vehicle. The board base includes a component mounting portion including a through hole extending through the board base and openings in the first surface and the second surface. The skin covers the first surface of the board base and includes flaps and a communication hole. The flaps are folded along an inner peripheral wall of the component mounting portion. The communication hole is defined by creases of the flaps and undersized relative to the mounting hole by a thickness of the skin.

In a vehicle, a component may be fixed to a synthetic resin component via a hole. The synthetic resin component having a design surface may include a notch at a center of a hole that is to be formed on a back surface opposite from the design surface and surrounding walls that protrudes from the back surface to surround at least parts of the notch. The surrounding walls are curved to define a round area having a diameter greater than an outer diameter of a drill. The notch and the surrounding walls may function as aids for positioning the drill.
In recent years, demands for improving quality in appearance of interiors of vehicles are increasing. Surfaces of bases of interior components of vehicles may be covered with skins. To form holes in the interior components, holes need to be formed not only in the bases but also in the skins.
To form a hole in an interior component, a mounting hole may be formed in a base of the interior component and a skin is placed over an interior-side surface of the base and a communication hole may be formed in the skin to communicate with the mounting hole. If the communication hole is formed in the skin by cutting out an area of the skin covering the mounting hole, residues may be produced. The residues may unexpectedly enter a space between the interior component and a component to be fixed to the interior component. The residues may become obstacles for the fixing of the component to the interior component. Furthermore, if the communication hole is formed in size that does not fit the mounting hole, parts of the skin may be caught between the interior component and the component to be fixed and thus the component may not be properly fixed to the interior component.

Vehicle interior component and method of producing the same


A delay circuit includes the following: an input module, configured to receive a target input signal and output the target input signal to a first node, the target input signal being a rising edge signal or a falling edge signal of a pulse signal; an output module, configured to output a target output signal, the target output signal being a delayed signal of the target input signal; and a delay control module, connected to the input module through the first node, and connected to the output module through a second node. The delay control module includes at least one delay capacitor unit, and the delay control module is configured to control a connection between the at least one delay capacitor unit and the first node according to a rising edge delay duration or a falling edge delay duration.

A delay circuit is used for delaying a rising edge and/or a falling edge of a pulse signal. In some implementations, a capacitor is generally arranged between an input terminal and an output terminal of the delay circuit, to extend a time for a rising edge signal or a falling edge signal to reach the output terminal.
In some designs, an inverter and a feedback circuit may be arranged between the input terminal and the output terminal, to clip an output waveform, improve a state restoration speed and avoid affecting processing of a next signal.
It should be noted that information disclosed in the background section is merely used for enhancing the understanding of the background of the disclosure, and it may include information that does not form prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


In an aerosol valve the flow path includes a compartment having an inlet into the compartment and a valve seat at the upper end of the compartment, a pocket is disposed downward from the seat opening, the pocket containing a gravity-responsive ball. When the valve is being used in dispensing and is tipped in a direction which brings the ball closer to the flow through the compartment, the ball becomes entrained in the fluid flow and flies up to seat on the valve seat to block it off, precluding further discharge. When the aerosol valve is released, a bypass raises the pressure inside the valve body so that the ball will fall away from the seat. The purpose is to avoid the escape of propellant which might occur in tipping if the lower end of the dip tube is exposed to the head space.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an aerosol valve having means to cut off the discharging flow when the container is tipped.
There has always been a need to cut off discharging flow when an aerosol can is tipped. The need is greater now. With the environmentally mandated prohibition of chloroflorocarbons and hydrocarbons propellants, the aerosol industry bas turned to pressurized gas propellants, especially nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Nitrogen and other pressurized gases, having relatively high vapor pressure, are not as ideal as some chloroflorocarbons or hydrocarbons because they do not change from liquid phase to gaseous phase and permit the pressure to recover as part of the propellant is used up or lost. Nitrogen and carbon dioxide do not go into liquid phase at practical pressures used in aerosol containers.
To permit the tilting of the container during dispensing runs the risk of the bottom of the dip tube being exposed to the head space above the liquid which would let the pressurized gas above the product escape. Any such escape cannot be tolerated a compressed gas system.
2. Description of Related Art including Information Disclosed under .sctn..sctn.1.97 to 1.99
While the aerosol valve art is extensive, there is no satisfactory answer to the problem described above.
The U.S. Pat. No. to Braun 3,315,693 which issued Apr. 25, 1967, discloses an attachment structure in which a gravity-responsive ball normally blocks a passage in an aerosol valve to the outside of the valve body, but, when the can is inverted, the ball drops to permit passage of the product into the valve body. With the valve body filled with and submerged in product, there is no way for the gas pressure in the head space to escape, and it performs its normal function of pressuring the product out through the valve outlet. This is an example of an "invertible valve".
There are other examples of such structures, one being the U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,692 to Meurescb et al issued Feb. 9, 1988. In this patent a one-piece valve body with conventional appearance from the outside has an inside chamber for a ball-operated valve also accessible to the outside of the valve body for when the aerosol can is inverted. The operation is the same as in the Braun structure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,904 which issued Oct. 4, 1960 to Potoczky an overcap is provided which connects to the aerosol valve stem by way of a flexible diaphragm under a flexible top panel of the cap. A ball is disposed between the diaphragm and the top panel, both the diaphragm and top panel being downwardly inclined toward their centers. In normal vertical disposition of the can, the ball rolls toward the center of the overcam immediately above the stem, and when it is desired to operate the aerosol valve therebelow, below, one merely presses the center of the overcap top panel and the depressing force acts through the ball to depress the center of the diaphragm and the valve stem. Such an arrangement is fine for assuring that the can be vertical when the aerosol is operated. However, it does not serve to function as a cut-off if the operation is commenced while the can is vertical and the can is then tilted to a position, say, where the bottom of the dip tube is exposed to the head space.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,605 to Potoczky issued Jun. 1, 1965 shows a functionally similar but differently structured arrangement.

Aerosol valve having means to shut off flow if valve is tipped beyond a certain inclination from vertical


The invention relates to a modular transport platform (MTP) configured to penetrate a target cell, deliver the MTP into the target cell, provide a pH dependent membrane disruption activity, direct intracellular transport into a target subcellular compartment of the target cell, and couple the active agent within the modular platform. The modular transport platform includes: (1) a ligand module to target a specific receptor on the surface of the target cell; (2) an endosomolytic module that provides pH-dependent membrane disruption activity within the target cell; (3) an intracellular transport module to cause delivery of the MTP to a particular subcellular compartment; (4) a module for intracellular retention; (5) a module for subcellular recognition; (6) a substance to be transported by the MTP; and (7) a carrier module for unifying the modules and coupling the modules with the transported substance.

A major problem in the treatment of cancer and some other conditions is poor or of negligible efficiency of the specific targeting of drugs to the diseased abnormal cells and not to other unaffected cells. Ideally, such a drug should act over short distances to minimize damage to healthy cells and target subcellular compartments that have the highest sensitivity to the drug. Many pharmaceuticals bind to cell surface receptors and reveal their action via receptor-induced processes. Pharmaceutical agents, however, often do not localize directly within the subcellular compartments of the cell which are the key sites of their action, however, meaning that the most potent action of the drug may not be achieved.
One method to target subcellular compartments that is in development attempts to target the nucleus of the cell. For example, Dinara G. Gilyazova et al. [Targeting Cancer Cells by Novel Engineered Modular Transporters, Cancer Res. 2006; 66:(21): 10534-10540], describe modular recombinant transporters that target photosensitizers to the nucleus, where their action is most pronounced, of cancer cells overexpressing ErbB1 receptors. The described transporters consist of (a) epidermal growth factor as the internalizable ligand module to ErbB1 receptors, (b) the optimized nuclear localization sequence of SV40 large T-antigen, (c) a translocation domain of diphtheria toxin as an endosomolytic module, and (d) the Escherichia coli hemoglobin-like protein HMP as a carrier module.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,800 [Sobolev et al.] describes a composition for causing photodynamic damage to target cells. The composition includes a photosensitizer, a photosensitizer carrier component, a component which enables target cell recognition and transport of the photosensitizer toward the interior of the target cell by specific receptor-mediated endocytosis, and a component capable of effective targeted transport of the photosensitizer within the target cells. The composition is used to cause photodynamic damage to target cells according to the following steps: adding the composition to the cells; keeping the cells at a temperature of normal vital activity of cells with the composition for causing photodynamic damage to the target cells, the composition including the above components; and exposure of the cells to light.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,655,753 to Deonarain et al. is directed to a polypeptide comprising at least one alpha-helix having synthetically attached thereto a plurality of therapeutic or diagnostic moieties. The therapeutic or diagnostic moieties may be the same or different and are spatially oriented on the polypeptide so as to minimize interactions between the moieties. Further aspects of the '753 patent relate to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide; a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide; an expression vector comprising said polynucleotide sequence; and a host cell transformed with said expression vector. The '753 patent also provides a method of treatment comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of the polypeptide.
The '753 patent appears to disclose a system that includes an alpha-helix polypeptide to which is attached a plurality of therapeutic or diagnostic moieties. The polypeptide may include two or more alpha-helical polypeptides in the form of a multi-helix bundle. The alpha-helix polypeptide of the '753 patent differs from the MTP disclosed herein in a number of respects. For example, the construct of the '753 patent appears to require assembly non-covalently from several different alpha-helix polypeptides. In contrast, the MTP disclosed herein is a single polypeptide. Further the '753 patent appears to consider only mutant forms of the ROP protein, namely the variant with four alpha-helices where at least one of them may be used for joining of an acting principle.
The '753 patent also appears to disclose the targeting protein and polypeptide being linked directly or indirectly via a linker moiety. With indirect linkage the linker moiety bonds the targeting protein to the fusion protein. Direct linkage may occur through any convenient functional group on one of the proteins, such as a hydroxy, carboxy or amino group. Indirect linkage will occur through a linking moiety. The functional groups on the linker moiety are used to form covalent bonds between the alpha helix and targeting protein.
At col. 9, lines 56-67, the '753 patent explains that the linker moiety is used for a chemical reaction via "bi- and multi-functional alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or peptidic moieties, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl aldehydes acids esters and anyhdrides, sulphydryl or carboxyl groups, such as maleimido benzoic acid derivatives, maleimido proprionic acid derivatives and succinimido derivatives or may be derived from cyanuric bromide or chloride, carbonyldiimidazole, succinimidyl esters or sulphonic halides and the like. The functional groups on the linker moiety used to form covalent bonds between the alpha helix and targeting elements may be two or more of, e.g., amino, hydrazino, hydroxyl, thiol, maleimido, carbonyl, and carboxyl groups, etc. The linker moiety may include a short sequence of from 1 to 4 amino acid residues." Such a linker moiety differs from the use in the instant invention of a spacer between a module and the rest of the MTP of the present invention. In one aspect of the present invention, the spacers (e.g., flexible amino-acid inserts) are used to achieve higher MTP affinity to a receptor.
The polypeptide in the '753 patent further includes a sub-cellular targeting peptide and a membrane active peptide. The sub-cellular targeting peptide may be attached either to the targeting element or to the alpha helix of the polypeptide, or to both. Examples of sub-cellular targeting peptides include nuclear localization sequences (NLS). The additional sequences can also be membrane-active peptides which function to disrupt the endosomal compartment containing the fusion protein after internalization. This will facilitate the release of the therapeutic agent into the cytosol of the cell where it can have a potent action. However, the '753 patent does not disclose a pH dependence of action of the peptides in disrupting the endosomal compartment.
As described herein, the MTP of the instant invention may include a special module which becomes membrane active only under special conditions, namely, in a slightly acidic milieau. For example, the activity of the module may have an activity maxima at pH 5.5. This action of this module is proved experimentally, described below, and has been shown to give a pore formation in lipid bilayers by the MTP of the present application under these conditions. Moreover, it should be understood that the pore formation as well as an endosomal/lysosomal activity at pH 3-pH 6 is a result of combined actions of two MTP modules, namely the endosomolytic module and the carrier module.
In one aspect, the invention described herein may have a necessity of combined action of a carrier module, HMP, and an endosomolytic module in order to make pores in lipid membranes at acidic pH's for subsequent MTP release from endosomes. It also should be added that the MTP can include a special module not only for specific subcellular targeting but also for retaining in the specific subcellular compartment of target cells (i.e., the nuclei of cancer cells).
The '753 patent also describes the therapeutic or diagnostic agent being attached directly to the polypeptide, or by virtue of a linker group. One of the properties of the MTP described herein is its ability to include an agent to be transported non-covalently, into the hydrophobic pocket of the carrier module. As described below, this can be done (i) either directly, into the porphyrin moiety that can be then inserted into the pocket, or (ii) indirectly, i.e. linked to the porphyrin derivative that can be then inserted into the pocket.
Another relevant patent is U.S. Pat. No. 6,821,948 to Braun et al, which relates to conjugates for mediating a cell-specific, compartment-specific or membrane-specific to methods of active substances. The conjugates include: a transport mediator for the cell membrane, a cell-specific, compartment-specific or membrane-specific address protein or peptide, and an active substance to be transported. In contrast to the invention described herein, the '948 patent does not disclose a module with a retention function or a non-covalent attachment of drugs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,977 to Gariepy relates to a branched synthetic peptide conjugate which can be designed to bind to a target cell surface receptor, to penetrate into target cells, and to deliver a diagnostic probe or cytotoxic functionality to a desired site of action. The invention provides a relatively small molecule of flexible design having a branched structure for systematically incorporating a desired number of cytotoxic functions, peptide-based localization signals or diagnostic probes. Gariepy describes his invention as addressing problems associated with protein-based therapeutic or diagnostic agents. In contrast to the MTP of the instant invention, Gariepy's system, does not have a pH-dependent endosomolytic function; a module with a retention function; or a non-covalent attachment of drugs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,233 to Wels et al. relates to a nucleic acid transfer system including a translocation domain of toxins, especially of diphtheria toxin suitable for targeting a nucleic acid, e.g., a gene, to a specific cell, and obtaining expression of the nucleic acid. The nucleic acid transfer system includes a multidomain protein component and a nucleic acid component. Wels also relates to the multidomain protein, a nucleic acid encoding the protein, suitable amplification and expression systems for the nucleic acid, and processes for their preparation and uses. In contrast to the invention described herein, Wels does not disclose a compartment-specific function, a retention function, or a function for transport of nucleic acids. In one aspect of the inventions described herein, the MTPs of the instant application may have an endosomolytic module representing a truncated diphtheria toxin translocation domain. This truncation (202-384 aa) was made to discard the cleavable protease site after 194 amino acid as well as 186 and 201 Cysteins, which subtend the cleavable amino acid loop.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,406 to Murphy is directed to a recombinant DNA molecule encoding a hybrid protein comprising a first part, a second part, and a third part. The first part comprises a portion of the binding domain of a cell-binding polypeptide ligand effective to cause said hybrid protein to bind to a cell of an animal. The second part comprises a portion of a translocation domain of naturally occurring protein selected from the group consisting of diphtheria toxin, botulinum neurotoxin, ricin, cholera toxin, LT toxin, C3 toxin, Shiga toxin, Shiga-like toxin, pertussis toxin and tetanus toxin, which translocates said third part across the cytoplasmic membrane into the cytosol of the cell. The third part comprises a polypeptide entity to be introduced into the cell. The third part is non-native with respect to the naturally occurring protein of the second part.
In contrast to the MTP described herein, the '406 patent does not disclose a compartment-specific function, a retention function, or the non-covalent attachment of drugs. Further, the MTPs described herein generally will have at least four modules necessary for targeted intranuclear delivery and, are not restricted to only a concrete translocation domain or a domain from the toxin group. In addition, as described above, the MTPs of the instant application may have an endosomolytic module representing a truncated diphtheria toxin translocation domain.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,950 to Murphy, similarly discloses a hybrid molecule comprising a first part, a second part, and a third part connected by covalent bonds. The first part includes a portion of the binding domain of a cell-binding polypeptide ligand effective to cause said hybrid protein to bind to a cell of an animal. The second part comprises a portion of a translocation domain of naturally occurring protein which translocates said third part across the cytoplasmic membrane into the cytosol of the cell. The third part comprises a chemical entity to be introduced into the cell. The first part and third part are non-native with respect to the naturally occurring protein, and further the covalent bond connecting the second part and the third part is a cleavable bond. When the second part comprises a portion of a translocation domain of Pseudomonas exotoxin, the third part is not a polypeptide. The description notes that MSH can selectively bind to melanocytes, rendering hybrids, once labelled with a detectable label, useful in the diagnosis of melanoma and the in vivo and in vitro detection of metastic melanoma loci. Such a hybrid, when attached to an enzymatically-active portion of a toxin molecule instead of to a detectable label, could be utilized to deliver that toxic activity specifically to the target melanoma cells
In contrast to the MTP described herein, the '950 patent does not disclose a retention function, the non-covalent attachment of drugs or any modules/functions for translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane into the cytosol of the cell.

Modular transport platform for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents


A method for distilling a starting material that includes a liquid Fd to be distilled, uses a gas-tight container system that is resistant to excess and/or negative pressure. The container system includes a condenser for condensing the liquid Fd, which has turned to vapor and whose temperature can be adjusted, to give the condensation product, and a vapor chamber connecting the evaporator and the condenser. The pressure and temperature in the vapor chamber are monitored and controlled so that distillation is always carried out in a range close to the saturation vapor pressure of the liquid Fd to be distilled. If the pressure is too high, it is reduced so that especially foreign gas is removed. An installation includes a container for distillation according to method.

Distillation methods using such installations are suitable for the separation of liquids, which are mixed with further liquids and/or solids for example to give dispersions or emulsions and which are mutually soluble. One known application is alcohol distillation. In this case, the liquid to be distilled is alcohol, in many other applications it is water.
Mostly, known methods use complex devices as condensers, comprising interconnected piping systems such as are known from the distillation of alcohol. On the one hand, such systems have the disadvantage of a complex assembly of apparatuses, and on the other hand the requirement of a high temperature difference between the starting material and the condenser, which is necessary to achieve a sufficient yield of the method. The achievement of such a high temperature difference is very expensive.
It has been shown that the efficiency of the distillation method may be improved if the vapor chamber is free from foreign gas as much as possible. In WO 02/09837, a distillation installation is described, in which foreign gas has to be removed from the vapor chamber. This is achieved by means of a vacuum pump with high performance and long operation times which sucks off the medium from the bath. Unfortunately, by using this method a huge amount of vapor is sucked off together with the condensate. On the one hand, this unnecessarily affects the pump, and on the other hand very much condensate is sucked off by said permanent suction, which then is no longer available for the recovery of energy.
In EP 0563628 another distillation installation is presented, which generates a suction action by means of a continuously operating vacuum pump in the condenser, to suck off the vapors from the evaporator to the condenser. On the one hand, this method also needs much operation energy, on the other hand the condensate is also sucked off from the vapor chamber here, whereby additionally energy is lost in the form of heat.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for distilling a starting material and installation for carrying out said method


A vehicle spring suspension system comprising a primary spring and a secondary spring attached to the primary spring for aiding the primary spring to restore vehicle height and to carry increasing loads placed on or in the vehicle. The secondary spring is connected at one end by an assembly which can have serveral different arrangments for varying the load supporting function of the secondary spring on the primary spring, depending on the need for more or less load carrying cooperation between the primary and secondary springs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to helper or secondary spring for use in combination in a vehicle suspension system with a primary leaf spring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In vehicles equipped with leaf springs as the source of primary suspension, it very often happens that higher than average loads are transported, contrary to the more typical presumed load limits usually encountered. Increased loading of primary leaf springs accelerates the process of permanent deformation of such springs which, in turn, allows the vehicle body to lose its trim height, and that creates a loss of handling and further reduction in load carrying capacities.
Many different solutions have been proposed and tried, such as the overload spring disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,826,407 of Mar. 11, 1958 for one example. Another example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,656 of June 27, 1972. Then there are leaf springs formed from composite and non-metallic materials such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,357 of Aug. 19, 1975 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,033 of Nov. 22, 1988. These last two patents disclose primary leaf springs using non-metallic materials. Even with primary springs using composite non-metallic materials, it is useful to provide secondary springs to help carry added loads that may be unintentionally or intentionally loaded on. In this class is the overload spring of U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,759 of June 19, 1962.

Variable rate secondary spring for a primary leaf suspension spring


Switching nodes of a communications network are assigned subnetworks and are interconnected to one another in any desired fashion. Stored in a source switching node is at least topology information on the node's own subnetwork and on the interconnection of the subnetworks. In addition, the source switching node is provided with the communications conditions which are required for the communications link to be set up. By reference to the topology information, a subset of switching nodes and connecting lines which satisfies the communications conditions is selected and a route to the destination switching node is determined. Included in this process is a route which, in the direction from the source switching node to the destination switching node, leaves at least one subnetwork once and returns to the subnetwork again in the further course of the route. The routing information is then formed from the route which has been determined.

When links are routed in communications networks such as narrowband or ATM networks (ATM=Asynchronous Transfer Mode), for example, there are basically two alternative approaches, namely the "hop-by-hop routing method", in which each transit node itself decides how to the forward the connection set-up request, and source routing in which the source node S (to which the subscriber initiating the connection request is connected) adds a route description to the connection set-up message, which description has to be followed by the transit nodes in order to arrive at the destination node D (to which the requested terminating subscriber is connected). This route description information is also referred to as routing information or source routing information or, specifically in the case of ATM-PNNI networks, is referred to as DTL stack (=stack of Designated Transit List information elements).
Said ATM communications networks can be organized into numerous subnetworks ("peer groups"), comprising physical switching nodes and physical connecting lines ("physical links"). According to the PNNI protocol, the nodes of a (hierarchically lowest) peer group determine from among them a so-called representative node ("peer group leader") which represents the entire peer group in the form of a single, logical, model-like node (referred to as "logical group node" or else "parent node") in a peer group which is of a hierarchically higher level.
A hierarchically higher peer group is formed, comprising a plurality of such parent nodes and the connecting lines which interconnect these in a model-like fashion, in which case a model-like connecting line (also referred to as "higher-level logical link") between two such parent nodes thus represents all those physical connecting lines which connect in each case two physical boundary nodes from the hierarchy region of the two adjacent parent nodes and, in doing so, have assigned to them, thanks to administrative specifications and an agreement algorithm, the same code in each case, referred to as aggregation token.
The hierarchy can continue recursively in further hierarchy levels: a peer group leader selection can also take place again in the hierarchically higher peer group. The peer group leader which is selected here represents again the entire hierarchy region established under it in a peer group which is hierarchically at the next highest level, as if this hierarchy region were a single node. In this peer group there are also logical, model-like connecting lines which are formed repeatedly, as described above.
A hierarchical model-like network in accordance with the PNNI protocol (for illustration purposes: 3-dimensional grid) is completed by adding further, purely logical connecting lines, the so-called "uplinks" which each connect, in accordance with the PNNI protocol, two nodes to one another (physically--if the node at the lower end of the uplink is a physical node--or logically) from peer groups which are at hierarchically different levels.
Thus, an uplink (also referred to as "initial uplink") leads from the boundary node of a hierarchically lowest peer group, which node is connected to a boundary node in an adjacent peer group, to a representative node, the so-called "upnode", i.e. to that representative node "ancestor node" (i.e. parent node, grandparent node or great . . . grandparent node) of the adjacent boundary node which is a directly neighboring node of precisely one specific ancestor node of the boundary node on this side in a common peer group of a hierarchically higher level. Such an (initial) uplink results in all the ancestor nodes (of the boundary node on this side) which however each belong to a hierarchically lower peer group than the aforesaid common hierarchically higher peer group, also each contribute an uplink (also referred to as "induced uplink") to the aforesaid upnode [lacuna] the hierarchy pattern.
The hierarchical structure, which is ultimately based on corresponding configuration data of the individual nodes, can be handled very flexibly here. In particular, the individual nodes of a great . . . grandparent peer group can have different numbers of subhierarchy levels together with the relevant peer groups.
The exchange, in accordance with PNNI protocol, of data packets, "hello packets" and PNNI topology status data packets ("PNNI topology state packets"--PTSPs) via so-called routing control channels ensures that each physical switching node of a hierarchically lowest peer group acquires the same knowledge of the topology of this group and of all the peer groups, including all the uplinks, which are located at a hierarchically higher level than it in the hierarchy, and also the same knowledge of the usage factor of all the nodes and connecting lines contained in it as well as the same knowledge of its properties (accessibility, capabilities, features, costs).
The knowledge of the topology which is acquired can be stored in a node in the form of a graph G1. In it, the respective current switching node (which has produced this graph G1 for itself) is not marked in particular as the source node S.
If a terminal which is connected to the source node then requests to be connected to the terminal of a specific destination address, the data in the graph G1 which are exchanged per PNNI routing protocol make it possible to determine that destination node D which indicates the accessibility of the destination terminal and at the same time belongs to the hierarchically lowest possible peer group. On the basis of the graph G1 it is possible to determine, in terms of a suitable minimization criterion, the best route from the starting node S to the destination node D.
The ATM Forum Technical Committee Private Network Node Interface (PNNI) in the specification, version 1.0, Annex H does not, however, provide the possibility of also including in the route search advantageous bypasses via one or more peer groups with a return to the peer group which has already been passed through, and as a result it is in the meantime not possible to fulfill a switching request appropriately.
These problems also occur in other communications networks, for example narrowband networks with source routing for implementing a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). The topology information is evaluated only to the extent that routes are determined with the avoidance of bypasses.


A networked firmware management system is operable to manage firmware in one or more target devices by receiving one or more firmware target specifications from one or more target devices, the firmware target specifications each identifying a firmware target in the target device. The server stores the one or more received firmware target specification, associated with the one or more firmware targets in the target device. When the server receives a firmware update, the server matches a firmware attribute of the received firmware update against the one or more firmware target specifications stored in the server, and sends the received firmware update to any firmware targets in the target device having a firmware target specification that matches the received firmware update attribute.

Although computer networks have become relatively common both in office and in home networking environments, such networks are typically fairly sophisticated and require significant processing power, electrical power, and infrastructure to work well. Some networking applications do not require as robust a network environment, but can benefit from the ability to provide electronic communications between devices.
One such example is the Bluetooth technology that enables a cell phone user to associate and use an earpiece in what is sometimes referred to a personal area network or PAN. Another example is a mesh network, in which a number of devices work together to form a mesh, such that data can be sent from a source device to a destination device via other devices in the mesh network.
Mesh networks are often controlled by a gateway or coordinator device that acts as an interface between the mesh network and the Internet. Many networks such as these are large, comprising tens or hundreds of nodes spread out over a wide area. The gateway device and network nodes in many embodiments are inactive or asleep most of the time, and become active based on a coordinated schedule to perform various operations and communicate with other network nodes.
Further, a variety of node and gateway devices are often employed in complex network installations, including devices from a variety of manufacturers and that perform a variety of different monitoring and control functions. The variety of smart energy, fleet management, medical device networking, and other sensors, controllers, actuators, meters in a network are further often distributed across a wide area, and include geographically remote locations that make centralized control desirable.
Managing and updating gateway and other such devices distributed over large or complex networks such as these is therefore desired.


The present invention relates to a light emitting diode fixture assembly, having at least one component made out of thermally conductive thermoplastic which is comprised of a thermally conductive thermoplastic composition which is comprised of at least one thermoplastic polymer and at least one thermally conductive filler. The light emitting diode fixture assembly is comprised of (1) at least one light emitting diode, (2) a lens covering a portion of the light emitting diode, (3) a back plate to which the light emitting diode is affixed, (4) the housing for the light emitting diode and the base plate, and (5) electrical connectors which are in electrical communication with the light emitting diode and an electrical supply source with a enclosing cup/sleeve.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on solid state lighting technology are likely to replace incandescent and fluorescent bulbs in housing and commercial markets. The modules, bulbs, and fixtures made out of the LEDs/solid state lighting have distinct advantages such as, they are brighter, require less energy, and extend the light's lifetime. Some of the electricity in an LED becomes heat rather than light and if the heat is not removed, the LEDs run at high temperatures, which not only lowers their efficiency, but also makes the LED less reliable and cost effective alternate to current lighting industry. In order to solve the difficult problem in this field, the LED industry has developed many different methods and solutions in addressing key problems such as heat dissipation, shape, luminance, product life and cost. The high power LED illumination still faces a lot of technological challenges at present with regards to improving its efficiency in heat transfer.
The current solution in thermal management involves materials acting as a heat sink made from aluminum, although copper may be used as well. New classes of materials including thermoplastic compounds that are used when heat dissipation requirements are lower than normal or have a complex shape would offer improvements by molding and extrusion which would offer better thermal transfer than copper with a lower weight than aluminum. The improved thermoplastic composition further offers the advantage of being able to be formed into complex two-dimensional parts and can also be easily mass produced.
The present invention relates to a heat dissipating thermoplastic compound composition acting as a both external and internal heat sink which can be easily customized for any given shape and size via regular melt processing techniques in a LED part design. Such a composition can solve the problems of light decay, heat dissipation, and shape adoption in next generation high brightness LEDs.
Another aspect of the current invention is that the thermally conducting composition can be formulated to provide a superior surface finish which provides superior thermal radiation of heat especially at higher temperatures. This is particularly useful in cases where heat is dissipated by radiation and the thermally conductive composition is acting as a reflector. Moreover, a perfectly fused contact area or good interface allows the use of a thinner layer of thermal compound, which will reduce the thermal resistance between the heat sink and LED source.
The prior art in thermally conductive thermoplastic compounds uses boron nitride as a conductive filler. Thermally conductive fillers do not only have to be limited to boron nitride. The prior art also teaches that there are a variety of other fillers available for compounding with thermoplastics that will impart thermal conductivity to a polymer compound. These materials include but are not limited to metals and their alloys, such as copper, aluminum, bronze, gold, silver, iron, lead, stainless steel, titanium, brass, nickel coated fibers, aluminum coated fibers, and metal oxides, such as zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, beryllium oxide, magnesium oxide, iron oxide, and aluminum nitride. The use of ceramics and minerals as thermally conductive fillers is also described in the prior art. These thermally conductive materials include granite, silicon carbide, zirconium silicate, limestone, marble, quartz, and sandstone. Thermally conductive fillers that are known in the prior art also include carbon rich materials such as carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, diamond, natural and synthetic unexpanded graphite, natural and synthetic expanded graphite, carbon black, diamond powders (synthetic and natural), and graphene.
A limitation of some of the fillers known in the prior art, including boron nitrides, is that thermal conductivity is only realized uni-directionally and therefore through-plane thermal conductivity is delivered at a level which is less than that needed in some important commercial applications. However, prior art teaches that the thermal conductivity of thermoplastic compositions can be increased by the addition of another filler having a low aspect ratio. There is accordingly a need for a composition which can increase through plane thermal conductivity over the levels provided by boron nitride and other conventional thermally conductive fillers.
In addition to having thermal conductivity in some applications it is also critical for thermoplastic compound formulations to impart additional performance characteristics including electrical conductivity, electrical insulativity, processability and flame retardancy. In many cases, enhanced electrical conductivity facilitates electroplating, electroless plating, and primer free electrostatic painting of thermally conductive polymer parts. These plating/painting processes are typically performed by moving ions in an electrolytic solution by an electric field over a given conductive substrate in order to coat said substrate with a thin layer of the material, typically a metal. Thermoplastic material that can be electroplated yields also generally benefits by providing improved wear and mar resistance, lubricity, aesthetics, and corrosion resistance.
The improvement of electrical insulation characteristics also normally contributes to a higher break down voltage of thermally conductive polymer parts. This property is very desirable in numerous electrical and electronic applications. For example in LEDs, an electrically insulative and thermally conductive polymer compound can be used in place of electrically conductive aluminum for making housings, back plates, connectors and sleeves with better results. In these parts, a higher breakdown voltage is typically desired.
Flame retardant chemicals, compounds, and fillers can also be introduced into thermoplastic compounds to improve their flammability ratings. Introducing flame retardants into the thermally conductive thermoplastic compounds helps impart ignition resistance and inhibits or resists the spread of fire. This added property allows for the thermally conductive thermoplastic compound to be utilized safely where a potential for fire exists, meeting the requirements of Underwriter Labs UL-94 and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) IEC 60707, IEC 60695-11-10, and IEC 60695-11-20.
Processability is a very important criterion in manufacturing most articles via conventional molding and extrusion techniques. Good processability is a beneficial characteristic for thermoplastics that are used in almost all applications ranging from conventional injection molding to complex techniques used in specialty applications. However, excellent processability can be critical in many complex molding applications that require a very fine balance of performance properties along with low temperature melting point and easy flow.

Thermally conductive thermoplastic for light emitting diode fixture assembly

Ovation Polymer Technology and Engineered Materials, Inc.


This invention provides organic biomolecule markers (e.g., proteins) useful for differentiating minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) from focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FCS), membranous nephrothropy (MN), and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). This invention also provides organic biomolecule markers useful for evaluating the therapeutic value of agents for treating kidney disease.

Idiopathic nephrotic syndromes due to primary glomerular diseases include the minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS), the focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FGS), the membranous nephropathy (MN), and the membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). Patients with these diseases fall into hypoproteinemia due to the loss of substantial amounts of protein in the urine during the nephrotic stage, and in order to compensate for the loss, protein synthesis is accelerated in the liver.
The four disease types above are finally diagnosed by taking a sample of the kidney (renal biopsy), and testing the sample with a light microscope and an electron microscope, and also testing the sample through the immunofluorescent antibody method. This diagnostic process is a large burden on the patient and requires time and labor for the histological examination.
Therefore, there has been a demand for a diagnosis method for the nephrotic syndromes by using blood serum or urine, which are relatively easily available. The present invention aims at providing a new diagnosis method. Through this method, the patient can be relieved of the biopsy. At the same time, this method enables the distinction between the MCNS and the FGS, in which the clinical feature is similar to MCNS.


Gearshift console (2) with one gearshift lever (3) for shifting a gearbox (1) of group design, primarily for farm tractors, wherein the gears (G1 through G4) formed in the basic transmission (11) are shifted manually and mechanically in an H pattern and two drive gear groups (L, S) and one reverse group (R) are additionally shifted. To achieve this, gearshift lever (3) is provided with a shifting knob (4) which can be turned into three shifting positions and shifts the three groups of the gearbox (1) with power assist, and in a gear selected in the basic transmission (11), the shifting knob (4) is locked directly in the gearshift console (2). The group shifting is blocked in a simple manner via guide webs (22) arranged on the gate plate (21) by means of two pawls (33) in each direction of drive which can be rotated via said shifting knob (4).

A gearshift console related to the present invention is known from EP 0 052 794. As is apparent from FIG. 3 of this document, four gears of the basic transmission are shifted with manual shift lever 20 from the gearbox manually and mechanically according to an H pattern. Furthermore, two drive gear groups and one reverse gear group are shifted via a second gearshift lever 40. Such devices, or, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, with a gear splitting that can be shifted up or down under load, have proved to be successful in farm tractors. However, the mechanical two-lever shifting requires additional space in the driver's cab, and it generally does not any longer meet the requirements imposed on modern farm tractors.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to further develop a gearshift console which requires less space, is easier to operate, and with which shifting of the transmission groups is possible only in the neutral position of the manual gearshift lever for the basic transmission.


A gunner protection apparatus for a tactical or armored vehicle having a turret or hatch opening that exposes crewmembers to enemy threats. The gunner protection apparatus includes a turret portion attached to the vehicle's turret, the turret portion comprising a substantially circular base plate fixed to the vehicle's turret; a plurality of vertical supports fixed to the base plate; a plurality of clamps connected to the plurality of vertical supports, respectively; and a plurality of curved glass panels having ends fixed between the clamps and the vertical supports; a gun support disposed in a bearing sleeve hole and rotatable about a vertical axis of the bearing sleeve hole; and a front shield fixed to the gun support, the front shield having a gun opening and at least one window, the front shield being rotatable with the gun support.

The invention relates in general to protective armor and in particular to protection for top gunners in tactical vehicles and armored vehicles.
Armies have utilized metal and ceramic armor to protect troops from incident projectiles and explosive fragments. Soldiers situated behind these types of armor, however, have little visibility and are thus unable to locate threats, leaving them exposed to further attack. Viewing the battlefield is currently done by rising above the armor, engaging the enemy while above the armor, and then dropping down when fired upon. This method leaves the soldier exposed while engaging the enemy and does not lend itself to giving him both protection and battlefield awareness.
Traditional ballistic windows are used to mitigate lack of visibility, but no arrangement has been devised that provides high visibility and overall armor protection, without compromising the structural integrity of the armor system. Commonly used "flat" ballistic windows are fitted into traditional armor packages to help increase visibility. This solution suffers from the tradeoff of reducing protection while providing only a small increase in visibility. Providing a soldier with a full 360 degrees of visibility would dramatically increase his ability to rapidly identify and engage targets on the battlefield.

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


A capacitive feed is disclosed for the lower electrode in a parallel plate plasma reactor. One plate of the capacitor comprises the lower electrode or a contact to the lower electrode. The other plate of the capacitor comprises an annular member insulated from the lower electrode, or the contact. There are no RF connections directly to the lower electrode.

This invention relates to plasma reactors and, in particular, to coupling radio frequency (RF) energy into the reactor volume.
In the prior art, plasma reactors have been used for dry chemical treating of a variety of products, including semiconductor wafers. In all of these processes, whether for etching or depositing, RF power must be coupled into the reactor to create a plasma discharge. The plasma discharge creates the reactive species which are used to treat the wafer. The RF power can be coupled into the reactor either inductively or capacitively. Virtually all current reactors use capacitive coupling for RF energy.
As with any other system handling RF energy, the efficiency of the coupling depends upon the impedance match of the components. In a typical plasma reactor, RF energy is coupled to the lower electrode. The lower electrode is moveable to facilitate loading and unloading wafers. Thus, the RF power is necessarily coupled to the electrode by way of a coaxial cable which is much longer than the actual distance between the RF amplifier and the reactor chamber and is subject to frequent flexing as the reactor is operated. Further, as the result of operating the reactor, even with etch processes, deposits form on the electrode which precludes a simple mechanical contact as a reliable means of exciting the moveable electrode. Because of the length of the coaxial cable and the flexing, it is quite likely to leak RF, which must then be contained by the enclosure of the reactor. These problems are made more difficult by the fact that a plasma reactor looks like a high impedance which results in a high VSWR in the flexible cable with resulting power loss, heating of the cable, and spurious radiation.
In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved RF coupling to a chamber.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for capacitively coupling RF energy into a plasma reactor.
A further object of the present invention is to capacitively couple RF energy to a moveable electrode.
Another object of the present invention is to eliminate coaxial cable connections to a moveable electrode.
A further object of the present invention is to automatically disable a plasma reactor upon opening the chamber.
The foregoing objects are achieved in the present invention wherein a plasma reactor chamber contains a coupling ring electrically insulated from the conductive chamber walls. A conductive lower electrode, when moved into position to close the chamber, is adjacent the ring and separated therefrom by an insulator. The electrode and ring have an annular area of overlap and thus form two plates of a capacitor and form a coupling capacitor for applying RF energy to the chamber. When the chamber is opened the capacitor no longer exists and no RF power is coupled to the lower electrode.