A disc brake, in which a force-redirecting device is arranged between an actuator and the brake caliper for transmitting an input force from the actuator to a brake caliper of the brake actuation mechanism.

In this connection the invention shall include disc brakes which either comprise a sliding caliper or a fixed caliper, which overlap one or more brake discs. Mainly but not exclusively the invention relates to disc brakes of the spot-type.
Disc brakes, in particular for heavy load trucks, are known with different configurations, both with respect to the type of the actuation mechanism, with respect to the way of the transmission of the braking force onto one or several brake discs and with respect to the type of the adjustment for compensating the brake lining wear.
With respect to the brake actuation mechanism, the present invention shall preferably, but not exclusively, relate to a single tappet design as it is known e.g. from International patent application WO 2011/113554 A2 of the applicant, in which the elements of the return mechanism and the adjustment mechanism are incorporated into the tappet design and surrounded by the unit consisting of the outer and inner sleeves, which both form part of the adjustment mechanism and thus brake actuation mechanism. The adjustment mechanism incorporated therein is driven by a rotatable lever, which introduces the clamping force from an actuator into the brake actuation mechanism. The rotatable lever is arranged such that the introduction of the clamping force into the elements of the brake actuation mechanism, e.g. the thrust element and the adjuster, is directed more or less in axial direction in relation to the brake disc, i.e. in a direction substantially parallel of the rotation axis of the brake disc; the lever thus basically rotates towards the brake disc. In this regard, the present invention shall refer to disc brakes of the axial type.


This device will train an individual to strike a baseball or softball using a machine that is suitable for all outdoor and indoor applications and can be operated either manually or remotely. A ball feed rack has been incorporated into the original device to make the operation of the device as automatic as possible while still maintaining the features of the original patent.

A. Field of the Invention
This is a device which relates to a hitting training device and specifically a device to teach an individual to hit a baseball or softball. A stream of air is used to suspend the ball or direct the travel of the ball using a stream of air through a nozzle. In the prior patent the nozzle would only travel between one hundred forty degrees and one hundred and eighty degrees of arc and the ball would need to be placed above the nozzle after each swing. In this application an automatic ball feeder has been added to that the machine can be as automatic as possible. A remote control feature has been added to insure that the operator can operate the device remotely.
B. Prior Art
These are four improvements over the prior patent that was issued to the same applicant with U.S. Pat. No. 7,294,071. The prior patent was compromised of a housing, which contains a blower and a nozzle that enabled the ball to be directed to a certain area.
This patent improves by allowing the nozzle to rotate completely around in a circle and the addition of a ball feeding machine to make the operation of this device as automatic as possible. The movement of the joint tube and nozzle is approximately one-hundred eighty degrees to direct the flow of air to further simulate a pitch and a remote control device for ease of operation.

Device for improving a user's baseball swing


A seat assembly includes a seat including a back and an armrest assembly. The armrest assembly includes a fastener supported on the back of the seat and that defines an axis. A fixed spacer is disposed about the fastener, and a spring bushing is disposed about the fixed spacer. An armrest includes a frame having a rotating bushing supported on the spring bushing. As a result, the frame and the armrest can pivot relative to the fastener and the back of the seat. The spring bushing applies a radial force against both the rotating bushing and the fixed spacer.

This invention relates in general to seats, such as are commonly provided in vehicles. In particular, this invention relates to an improved structure and method for pivotably supporting an armrest on a seat.
Seats in vehicles and other environments are commonly provided with one or more armrests to facilitate the comfort of an occupant of the seat. In many instances, the armrest is pivotably supported on a back of a seat so that it may be moved between a retracted position, wherein the armrest extends generally parallel to the back of the seat to facilitate ingress and egress thereto, and an extended position, wherein the armrest extends generally perpendicular to the back of the seat for use by the occupant of the seat. It has been found desirable to support the armrest on the seat in such a manner that a generally uniform and constant force can be used to move the armrest between the retracted and extended positions. Additionally, it has been found desirable to support the armrest on the seat in such a manner that it is capable of handling any laterally directed forces that may be applied thereto, such as by a person who is using the armrest as a handle to get into or out of the seat.
Typically, one or more Belleville or wave washers have been used to apply an axial load on the armrest, which functions to maintain the armrest in a desired position until affirmatively moved by the occupant of the seat to another position. Although these structures have functioned effectively, an undesirably large amount of variation in the amount of the axial load applied thereby can occur as a result of tolerance stack-up. Also, when a laterally directed force is applied to the armrest, the armrest may undesirably move in the lateral direction. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved structure for an armrest that avoids these issues.

Structure and method for pivotably supporting an armrest on a seat


Methods, systems and computer program products for customizing one or more advertisements are described. Specifically, advertisements may be customized using information from content of a web page prior to viewing by a user. For example, the rendering of the text of an advertisement may be in a same size, color, and font type as the text on the web page into which the advertisement is integrated. In addition, the advertisement may be displayed using a same color scheme as that used by the web page such that the advertisement may be enhanced in terms of notice and interaction by the user.

The World Wide Web uses a growing variety of media, styles and elements arranged in the form of web pages. These web pages contain various types of content including text, pictures and other compelling visual formats. A web page may designate one or more content areas for placement of an advertisement ("ad"). The ad may be in the form of a graphical ad, such as a banner ad, text only ad, image ad, audio ad, video ad, ad combining one of more of any of such components, executable code, or any other media, content, or interactive advertisement and the like. The ad may also include embedded information, such as links, meta-information, and/or machine executable instructions.
The ad also may have various intrinsic features. Such features may be specified by an application and/or by an advertiser, often depending on the type of ad. For example, in the case of a text ad, ad features may include a title line, ad text, and an embedded link. In the case of an image ad, ad features may include images, executable code, and an embedded link.
When an ad is displayed on a web page, the serving conditions of the ad may not be easily combined with the existing conditions serving the web page. For example, an ad might include rendered text using an "Arial" font, whereas the text displayed on the web page containing the ad may be rendered using a "Times New Roman" font. For example, the text in an ad may be rendered in font size "24" whereas the text displayed on the web page serving the ad may be rendered in font size "12". For example, the text in an ad may be rendered in one color (e.g., red) and the text displayed on the web page serving the ad may be rendered in another color (e.g., blue). To improve the "look and feel" of an ad, a publisher is generally supplied with various display options to ensure, for example, color, style, and format consistency between the ad and the content being published by the publisher. The publisher can manually specify the features of the ad, in addition to any advertiser or application specifications for the ad. For example, the publisher can select the color(s) used for rendering the text in an ad. This process, however, is time and labor intensive, and often tedious in nature.


A side view mirror adjusting system for vehicles of the type having inner and outer semispherical segments nested one within the other for restricted movement one relative to each other is provided with an electromagnet secured to the mounting bracket and operably coupled to the outer segment, an electrical power source coupled to the electromagnet, and an electrical switch arranged between the power source and the electromagnet operable to energize and deenergize the electromagnet for controlling the relative movement of the inner and outer semispherical segments so that the semispherical segments are locked against relative movement upon the energization of the electromagnet.

This invention relates generally to adjustable side view mirrors for vehicles and, more particularly, provides a side view mirror adjusting system having means for electromagnetically locking the mirror glass so that the mirror glass is maintained at the adjusted condition not withstanding vehicular vibrations and/or ambient conditions.
Conventionally, side view mirror assemblies for vehicles include a housing, a mirror frame mounting structure secured within said housing, a mirror glass and a mirror glass adjusting mechanism secured to said mirror frame mounting structure and the mirror glass for selectively adjusting the orientation of the mirror glass and includes a pair of supporting members nested one within the other, the outer one of said supporting members being fixedly secured to the mounting frame and the inner supporting member being frictionally coupled to said outer supporting member and resiliently biased clamping means arranged to effect the frictional coupling and mirror means, including a mirror glass secured to said inner supporting member, said clamping means being capable of exerting sufficient force to maintain the orientation of said mirror glass against unintentional change from a set condition yet capable of being relaxed selectively to permit adjustment or resetting of such orientation.
One type of mounting arrangement comprises a pair of nested shells, the outer shell being fixed and secured to the frame or the like within a housing capable of being mounted to the vehicle body. The mirror glass is seated within a mirror bed seated within the inner shell so that the mirror has its reflective surface facing outwardly. Spring biased clamp means are provided to maintain the shells in fixed assembly yet are sufficiently resilient to permit movement of the inner shell relative to the outer shell and hence permit adjustment of the orientation of the mirror glass.
Characteristically, the clamp means may loosen with resultant displacement of the mirror glass from its desired or adjusted orientation. In normal use, vibrations from engine operation, wind, road surface conditions, etc. may fully or partially overcome the spring bias sufficiently to permit vibration of the inner shell and hence complementary vibration of the mirror bed with the mirror glass seated therein, resulting in blurring or like distortion of the mirror image, misorientation of the mirror bed, or involuntary adjustments of the mirror bed from a set orientation. Attempts to overcome these effects by increasing the friction between the sliding surfaces of the shells and minimizing the backlash between the mechanical elements of the assembly may reduce the effect of the vibratory motion but have the undesired result of increasing the torque load required to be overcome in making the desired positional adjustments. In instances where remotely directed manipulation of the mirror bed is provided, as by electric motors arranged to cause positional adjustments, the increased torque load results in material reduction in the durability thereof. Efforts to reduce these forces, while maintaining sufficient force to hold the mirror bed and mirror in an adjusted condition after adjustment has been made, have been less than satisfactory.

Electromagnetically locking mirror glass adjusting system

Navistar International Transportation Corp.


Disclosed are a support device and a folding furniture having the support device. The support device includes a base, a support mechanism, a fixed seat, and a force providing mechanism installed to the base. The support mechanism includes a support element and a rotating element rotatably installed to the base. The support assembly has an end hinged to the fixed seat and the other end having a disassembling structure for detachably connecting the rotating element. The rotating element abuts the force providing mechanism, and the force providing mechanism is provided for supporting the rotating element. The support device has an ingenious structural design, so that the support element and the rotating element can be installed or removed conveniently, and the operation is simple and labor-saving, and the lifting operation of the support element has the features of stable operation, low noise, and high practicality.

Boxes, cabinets, tables, and other furniture are essential household items for every family. At present, the door support device applied to furniture such as boxes, cabinets, and tables mainly has the following deficiencies: 1. Both installation and removal of the door support device are inconvenient, and often require a special tool to install and remove the door support device. 2. It takes much effort to open and close a door, and thus the use of furniture is not user-friendly or convenient. 3. A certain noise is produced when opening or closing the door and such noise is definitely a nuisance. 4. The working is unstable, and the operation is inconvenient.

Support device and folding furniture having the same


A semiconductor device having a molded package includes a semiconductor chip, a thick-film lead electrode to which the semiconductor chip is die-bonded, a thin-film lead electrode having a thickness smaller than that of the thick-film lead electrode, a wire which electrically connects the semiconductor chip to the thin-film lead wire, and a molding material in which the semiconductor chip and the wire are encapsulated. A portion of a lower surface of the thick-film lead electrode is exposed at a package lower surface as a heat dissipating electrode. A portion of an upper surface of the thin-film lead electrode is exposed at a package upper surface as an input/output electrode. A portion of an upper surface of the thick-film lead electrode is exposed at the package upper surface as a grounding electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a molded package operating at a high frequency or a high output and, more particularly, to a molded package having an improved heat dissipation effect and improved high-frequency characteristics and capable of performing electrical grounding and heat dissipation separately from each other.
2. Background Art
FIG. 12 shows an example of a conventional molded package operating at a high frequency or a high output (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-213536). As illustrated, thin-film lead electrodes 51 are bent downward to form input/output lead electrodes 52. Also, the thin-film lead electrodes 51 are bent upward to form die pad portions 53 to which a semiconductor chip 54 is bonded, for example, by soldering. The semiconductor chip 54 is connected to the input/output lead electrodes 52 through metal wires 56. The semiconductor chip 54 and the metal wires 56 are encapsulated in a molding material 57 such as a plastic. Some of the lead electrodes 51 are exposed on the die pad portion 53 to form a grounding electrode 55. In this way, the ground inductance is reduced and an improved heat dissipation effect is achieved.
FIG. 13 shows another conventional molded package using thin-film lead electrodes 51 like the above-described one. As illustrated, input/output lead electrodes 52 and a grounding electrode 55 are formed so as to contain a plane common with each other.
In these molded packages, however, the lead electrodes usually have a small thickness of about 0.2 mm and a small heat capacity and, therefore, the heat dissipation effect is low and there is a need for a heat sink of a large heat capacity for limiting the increase in temperature of the semiconductor chip. Also, the high-frequency characteristics cannot be improved because the parasitic inductance and parasitic capacitance are increased.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view of an example of a conventional molded package having an improved heat dissipation effect and improved high-frequency characteristics (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-174547). FIG. 15 is a top view of the molded package shown in FIG. 14. As illustrated, a semiconductor chip 54 is die-bonded to a grounding electrode 58 formed of a thick lead electrode and an upper surface of the grounding electrode 58 is exposed from molding material 57 to improve the heat dissipation effect.
FIG. 16 is a sectional view of another molded package having an improved heat dissipation effect and improved high-frequency characteristics (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-61396).
In the conventional molded packages, however, it is difficult to perform electrical grounding and heat dissipation separately from each other.

Semiconductor device having a molded package


A switch cabinet which has a plurality of vertical frame profiles, whereby outer vertical planes (V) are defined, wherein at least one side panel of the switch cabinet is arranged in at least one of the vertical planes (V), characterized in that the side panel consists at least partially of a fabric with metallic or metallically coated threads or fibers. Furthermore, a related method and a related bay of cabinets are described.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
The side panels of a switch cabinet are usually formed as flat parts of a bent sheet metal. In the baying situation, where several switch cabinets form a bay of switch cabinets, this represents a disadvantage in that the material thickness of the side panels makes baying difficult. On the other hand, in applications that require shielding against electromechanical radiation, it is also not possible to forgo the adjacent side panels of the bayed switch cabinets.

Switch cabinet with a side panel, a related method and a related bay of switch cabinets


A nonvolatile memory and a method of operating the memory are described. The memory includes memory cells that may each include a magnetoresistive memory bit. The memory includes toggle circuitry for altering the resistive states of memory cells within the memory without changing the logical states of the memory cells. The memory may be toggled to balance resistive decay associated with operating a memory bit under certain conditions or in extreme environments.

The discovery of the giant magnetoresistive (GMR) effect has led to the development of a number of spin-based electronic devices. The GMR effect is observed in certain thin-film devices that are made up of alternating ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic layers. In a typical device, the relative orientations of magnetic directions of the ferromagnetic layers define a binary state of the device. The resistance across a device is generally lowest when the magnetic directions of the ferromagnetic layers are in a parallel orientation and highest when the magnetic directions are in an antiparallel orientation. In a related device, the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), the nonmagnetic metal layer is replaced by a thin insulating layer. The tunneling current through this insulating layer can also be measured as a resistance that changes depending on the relative magnetization state of the two layers. The MTJ device generally produces a much larger resistance change than the GMR device.
One type of magnetoresistive device is commonly referred to as a "spin valve." Such devices can be used as data storage elements in magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices. In this regard, exemplary MRAM applications of magnetoresistive devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,147,922; 6,175,525; 6,178,111; 6,493,258, and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2005/0226064, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A spin valve or an MTJ device typically includes two or more ferromagnetic layers that are separated by a thin layer of a non-magnetic material (either a metal or insulator) and also includes an antiferromagnetic layer that "pins" the magnetization direction of one of the ferromagnetic layers. FIG. 1A illustrates (in a simplified form) the layers in a typical spin valve 10 as seen from a side view. As shown in FIG. 1A, the spin valve 10 includes ferromagnetic layers 12 and 14 separated by a nonmagnetic layer 16. In a typical arrangement, one of the magnetic layers is configured to be a fixed layer 14. The fixed layer 14 is adjacent to an anti-ferromagnetic layer 18, such that the magnetization direction of the fixed layer 14 is "pinned" in a particular orientation. The arrow in the fixed layer 14 indicates an exemplary pinned orientation, though, in general, the orientation could be pinned in either direction. Thus, the magnetization direction of the fixed layer 14 remains relatively fixed when operational magnetic fields are applied to spin valve 10. A second magnetic layer 12 is termed a free layer 12. In contrast with the fixed layer 14, the magnetization direction of the free layer 12 is free to switch between parallel and antiparallel orientations, as indicated by the double-arrow symbol in the free layer 12. By applying an appropriate magnetic field to the spin valve 10, the magnetization direction of the free layer 12 can be inverted while the magnetization direction of the fixed layer 14 remains the same.
FIG. 1B shows a three-dimensional view of the spin valve 10 of FIG. 1A. As shown, the spin valve 10 has a hard-axis (short-axis) and an easy-axis (long-axis). In the absence of an applied magnetic field, the magnetization directions of both the free layer 12 and the fixed layer 14 run substantially parallel to the easy-axis.
Typically, a magnetic memory, such as a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) or a magnetic read only memory (MROM), comprises memory cells that include a GMR or MTJ based memory bit. In general, the resistive state of a bit will be associated with one of two logical states: a binary value of "0" or a binary value of "1."
Unfortunately, as a memory is operated over time, the resistive states of a memory bit may degrade, causing a degree of uncertainty within a memory bit. For example, temperature variations may cause the resistance of a memory bit to shift. In addition, if the memory is exposed to an extreme environment, such as a radiation environment, the resistance of the memory bit may increase over time. If the resistance of a particular memory bit degrades too much, the memory bit may be indicative of an incorrect logical state. Consequently, if this fault is not corrected, the memory may produce a deleterious influence on downstream circuitry and applications that use the memory. Therefore, it is desirable to produce a memory that supports reliable data clearing and sanitization.

Nonvolatile memory with data clearing functionality


A process for forming a triarylamine compound includes reacting a halogenated aryl alcohol with an alcohol protecting agent and a first base to form a halogenated protected aryl alcohol compound, and reacting the halogenated protected aryl alcohol compound with an amine in the presence of a suitable catalyst and a second base.

In electrophotography, an electrophotographic substrate containing a photoconductive insulating layer on a conductive layer is imaged by first uniformly electrostatically charging a surface of the substrate. The substrate is then exposed to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, such as, for example, light. The electromagnetic radiation selectively dissipates charge in illuminated areas of the photoconductive insulating layer while leaving behind an electrostatic latent image in non-illuminated areas of the photoconductive insulating layer. This electrostatic latent image is then developed to form a visible image by depositing finely divided electroscopic marking particles on the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer. The resulting visible image is then transferred from the electrophotographic substrate to a necessary member, such as, for example, an intermediate-transfer member or a print substrate, such as paper. This image developing process can be repeated as many times as necessary with reusable photoconductive insulating layers.
In image-forming apparatus such as copiers, printers, and facsimiles, electrophotographic systems in which charging, exposure, development, transfer, etc., are carried out using electrophotographic photoreceptors have been widely employed. In such image-forming apparatus, there are ever-increasing demands for speeding up of image-formation processes, improvement in image quality, miniaturization and prolonged life of the apparatus, reduction in production cost and running cost, etc. Further, with recent advances in computers and communication technology, digital systems and color-image output systems have been applied also to the image-forming apparatus.
Electrophotographic imaging members (such as photoreceptors) are known. Electrophotographic imaging members are commonly used in electrophotographic processes having either a flexible belt or a rigid drum configuration. These electrophotographic imaging members sometimes comprise a photoconductive layer including a single layer or composite layers. These electrophotographic imaging members take many different forms. For example, layered photoresponsive imaging members are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990 to Stolka et al. describes a layered photoreceptor having separate photogenerating and charge-transport layers. The photogenerating layer disclosed in Stolka is capable of photogenerating holes and injecting the photogenerated boles into the charge-transport layer. Thus, in the photoreceptors of Stolka, the photogenerating material generates electrons and holes when subjected to light.
More advanced photoconductive photoreceptors containing highly specialized component layers are also known. For example, a multi-layered photoreceptor employed in electrophotographic imaging systems sometimes includes one or more of a substrate, an undercoating layer, an intermediate layer, an optional hole- or charge-blocking layer, a charge-generating layer (including a photogenerating material in a binder) over an undercoating layer and/or a blocking layer, and a charge-transport layer (including a charge-transport material in a binder). Additional layers such as one or more overcoat layer or layers are also sometimes included.
In view of such a background, improvement in electrophotograpic properties and durability, miniaturization, reduction in cost, and the like, in electro-photographic photoreceptors have been studied, and electrophotographic photoreceptors using various materials have been proposed.
Production of a number of arylamine compounds, such as arylamine compounds that are useful as charge-transport compounds in electrostatographic imaging devices and processes, often involves synthesis of intermediate materials, some of which generally are costly and/or time-consuming to produce, and some of which involve a multi-step process.
One such class of compounds are triarylamines. Certain triarylamine compounds may be produced by reaction of an aniline with an aryliodide under traditional Ullman conditions (copper catalyst, high temperature, long reaction time) or the so-called ligand-accelerated Ullman reaction that uses lower reaction temperatures but is still limited to the use of aryliodides (see Goodbrand et al: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,902,901; 5,723,671; 5,723,669; 5,705,697; 5,654,482; and 5,648,542). Aryliodides tend to be very expensive reagents. Furthermore, both of these reactions usually require lengthy and costly purification processes.
Further, such reactions that start with an Ullman reaction are often followed by multi-step reaction processes that use dangerous or reactive reagents or catalysts, and often involve dangerous reduction processes. For example, typical reaction schemes for producing triarylamines utilize Vilsmeier reagents such as POCl3 or POBr3 that are very corrosive, and/or use hydrogen reduction reactions that can be very dangerous. These drawbacks, while nominal in a laboratory scale, pose significant challenges in scaling up a reaction to commercial level.
Accordingly, improved processes providing safe, cost-effective, and efficient methods for triarylamine production are desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cost effective method for synthesis of triarylamine compounds


A method and apparatus for encoding and decoding an image using a plurality of reference pictures. In an exemplary embodiment, the method of encoding an image comprises: generating information about transforms between a first picture and a second picture; generating a reference picture by transforming the second picture based on the generated information about transforms; predicting a current block of a current picture based on at least one of the reference picture and the first picture; and encoding the current block based on the predicting. Therefore, prediction encoding based on more accurate prediction is possible, thereby increasing a compression ratio of image encoding.

1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to encoding and decoding an image, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding an image by performing inter prediction using a plurality of reference pictures that are most similar to a current picture.
2. Description of the Related Art
In image compression methods such as Moving Picture Experts Group-1 (MPEG-1), MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding (AVC), a picture is divided into a predetermined image processing unit, for example, a block having a predetermined size. Then, each of the blocks is encoded using inter prediction or intra prediction. An optimum encoding mode is selected in consideration of a data size and a data distortion of the blocks, and the blocks are encoded according to the selected optimum encoding mode.
Here, inter prediction compresses an image after eliminating temporal redundancy between pictures. An example of inter prediction includes motion prediction encoding, which uses at least one reference picture to predict motion of a current picture to obtain a block unit, and predicts each block based on the result of motion prediction.
In order to predict the current block, in motion prediction encoding, a block that is most similar to the current block is searched for in a determined searching range of the reference picture. When the similar block is found, only residual data existing between the current block and the block that is similar to the current block in the reference picture is encoded and transmitted, thereby increasing a compression rate of data. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional method of predicting blocks 112, 114, and 116 of a current picture 110 using a plurality of reference pictures 120, 130, and 140.
Referring to FIG. 1, the plurality of reference pictures 120, 130, and 140 are referred to predict the blocks 112, 114, and 116 included in the current picture 110 (P(n)). The reference picture 120 (P(n−1)) is located directly before the current picture 110 and is temporally the nearest to the current picture 110. The time gaps between the current picture 110 and the reference pictures 130 (P(n−2)) and 140 (P(n−3)) are greater than the time gap between the current picture 110 and the reference picture 120 (P(n−1)), and the time gap between the current picture 110 and the reference picture 140 (P(n−3)) is greater than the time gap between the current picture 110 and the reference picture 130 (P(n−2)).
Since the plurality of reference pictures 120, 130, and 140 are searched for prediction encoding the blocks 112, 114, and 116 included in the current picture 110, reference blocks 122, 132, and 142 may be used to predict the blocks 112 114, and 116 of the current picture 110 that may respectively exist in the plurality of reference pictures 120, 130, and 140.
In FIG. 1, prediction is performed with reference to the plurality of reference pictures 120, 130, and 140 that temporally precede the current picture 110. However, when the current picture 110 is a Bi-directional predictive picture (a B picture), pictures that temporally follow the current picture 110 can be also used in the prediction of the current picture 110, in addition to the plurality of reference pictures 120, 130, and 140 that temporally precede the current picture 110.
The blocks 112, 114, 116 included in the current picture 110 are predicted and residual blocks thereof are generated. Then, the residual blocks, a motion vector, and a reference picture index of each of the blocks 112, 114, 116 are encoded, thereby encoding the blocks 112, 114, 116 included in the current picture P(n) 110. Here, the reference picture index is information for specifying which reference picture is used from among a plurality of reference pictures in inter prediction.
According to a conventional art, the encoded motion vector includes relative location differences between the blocks 112, 114, 116 included in the current picture 110 and the reference pictures 122, 132, and 142; in other words, information about motion of the blocks on a two-dimensional (2D) plane. Since the motion vector only reflects movement with respect to an x-axis and y-axis on a 2D plane, that is, a translational transform, various transforms such as an expansion/reduction and a rotation of an image object existing between the current picture 110 and the plurality of reference pictures 120, 130, and 140 cannot fully be reflected.
In addition, in encoding or decoding according to conventional prediction encoding and decoding using various transforms of an image, a large amount of bits is used to encode information about various transforms, such as the expansion/reduction and the rotation, and thus a compression ratio for image encoding decreases.
Therefore, a method and apparatus capable of efficiently prediction encoding the current picture 110 by reflecting various transforms of an image are needed.

Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding an image based on plurality of reference pictures


An electronic device (20) includes a liquid crystal display (10) capable of being viewed from opposing sides. The display includes a liquid crystal display glass layer (2) selectively coated with a polarizer layer (4) and a transflective layer (6) on portions of a first viewable side (3) and selectively coated with another polarizer layer (7) and another transflective layer (5) on an opposing second viewable side (8) of the liquid crystal display glass layer such that the respective polarizer layers and transflective layers would oppose each other on the opposing sides of the liquid crystal display glass layer. Additionally, the device includes a liquid crystal display driver (18) capable of generating images on opposing sides of the liquid crystal display.

The present invention is directed to liquid crystal displays, and more particularly to liquid crystal displays viewable from opposing sides.
Electronic products are providing consumers with more information than ever before. Cost and design particularly drive portable electronic products in the consumer segment. Some portable electronic products such as cellular phones are now beginning to see multiple liquid crystal displays (LCDs) on one product. An example of this is the Nokia 9000 Series phone which uses two LCDs on opposing sides of a flip or lid. The use of multiple LCDs adds cost and complexity to a product. Typically, two independent liquid crystal displays would require separate glass, LCD drivers and possibly other components. Thus, a need exists for a single LCD that can be viewable from opposing sides that would enable part reductions in products requiring such opposing views.

Method and apparatus for a dual sided liquid crystal display


The new and distinct Brugmansia plant named xe2x80x98Snowbankxe2x80x99 is characterized by its extremely showy white, wide leaf margins and large leaf size.

Botanical name: Brugmansia sp.
Cultivar name: xe2x80x98Snowbankxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Brugmansia hybrid, and given the cultivar name xe2x80x98Snowbankxe2x80x99. Brugmansia is in the family Solanaceae.
The new cultivar origination as a mutation in tissue culture from Brugmansia xe2x80x98Sunsetxe2x80x99, a variegated form of Brugmansia xe2x80x98Charles Grimaldixe2x80x99. Both are unpatented plants.
This new Brugmansia hybrid is unique in its extra wide margin of white.
This plant is characterized by the following:
1. Large, beautifully variegated leaves.
2. Upright habit.
3. Large, pendulous flowers that change in color from light yellow to cream to peach.
4. Excellent vigor.
5. Fragrance.
This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.


A universal inkjet cartridge usable in an inkjet printer the inkjet cartridge having an inkjet tank, the inkjet tank storing ink and having an upper surface and a lower surface is disclosed. Mounted on the lower surface are configurable color identification tabs and mounted on the upper surface are printer identification fins, the configurable color identification tabs are configured to allow the universal inkjet cartridge to be used in multiple inkjet cartridge locations within the inkjet printer identified by the printer identification fins.

Printer cartridges are typically designed to provide the consumer a certain number of print copies before the toner or ink is exhausted. The total number of prints varies depending on the type, quality and density of the print provided by the printer. After all of the toner or ink is spent, the cartridges are either thrown away or recycled.
Within an inkjet printer, there may be four or more inkjet cartridges. Each of the inkjet cartridges may contain a specific color of ink. There may be up to seven color inkjet cartridges for each color inkjet printer, including black, magenta, yellow and cyan color cartridges. In some inkjet printers, the basic shape of the various inkjet cartridges may be very similar with only slight differences. For instance, all the cartridges may use the same print head or nozzle. The shape of the ink tanks may also be very similar. However, the printer manufacturers have developed a keying system to prevent the wrong inkjet cartridge from being installed into the incorrect cartridge location within the printer. Typically these keys may be a protrusion on the outside of the inkjet cartridge which may match up with a recess or set of recesses in the inkjet cartridge compartment. If a black inkjet cartridge is attempted to be inserted into a cyan location, the cyan keys prevent the black inkjet cartridge from being inserted.
Additionally, the inkjet cartridges may be designed to fit into one type of printer or family of printers. For instance, the various Hewlett Packard (HP) 83 inkjet cartridges (black, magenta, cyan, light cyan, light magenta, and yellow) may not be compatible for use in with other HP printer types such as the HP Edgeline family of printers, even though the cartridges may look very similar. The printer manufacturers may alter one or more physical characteristics of the inkjet cartridges. In some cases the differences may be an entirely new shape or the printer manufacturer may only change a minor detail such as an indentation or a protrusion in addition to the color keying for the individual color inkjet cartridge.
Commonly on some inkjet cartridges, there may be color indication tabs indicating the particular color of ink contained within the inkjet cartridge. In addition, there may also be printer identification fins which differentiate which printer or printer family the inkjet cartridge is compatible with. Because the color identification tabs line up with certain recesses within the printer as well as printer identification protrusions that line up with printer identification keys, the printer manufacturer may have to produce a different inkjet cartridge for each color for all of the various printers or printer families. This may be an inefficient way of offering inkjet cartridges when the inkjet cartridges may be very similar.


A polysiloxane-modified epoxy-based encapsulation composition comprising an epoxy resin, a curing agent for the epoxy resin, a polylactone-polysiloxane block copolymer, and a filler is described. The powder molding compositions provide a low internal stress epoxy composition without significantly sacrificing T.sub.g.

This invention relates to polysiloxane-modified epoxy resin compositions. In a specific aspect the invention relates to molding powder formulations from such compositions, suitable for use as encapsulates for semiconductor devices, and articles made from such formulations.
Encapsulation of semiconductors and other components with an epoxy resin, is widely used in the electronics industry to provide physical integrity and environmental protection to electrical components.
Encapsulation is generally a process in which an electrical component, or an assembly of small discrete units, is cast with, or imbedded in, a molten film, sheath, or foam of an encapsulation composition, which is then subjected to conditions effective to solidify the composition. Once the encapsulation composition is solidified, the encapsulated component will have physical integrity and environmental protection. The most commonly used encapsulation technique is transfer molding. In this process, the component to be encapsulated is placed into the cavity of a mold and an encapsulation composition, liquefied by heat and pressure, is forced into the cavity where it solidifies to encapsulate the component.
An encapsulating composition must not soften during the normal usage of the encapsulated component, must not develop excessive internal stress during the encapsulation process, and must have minimal moisture gain. An encapsulation composition that softens during the normal usage of the encapsulated component will jeopardize the integrity of the encapsulated component. The softening of the encapsulation composition during the normal usage of the encapsulated component can be prevented by incorporating into the composition an encapsulation resin with a sufficiency high glass transition temperature (T.sub.g). Encapsulation compositions that develop high internal stress tend to break apart during normal usage. The trend in electronics technology is toward larger die sizes, increased capacity, smaller packages with higher pin counts and finer pitches, which in turn requires resins with low internal stress properties for very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuit chip encapsulation. Thus in encapsulation, as in many other epoxy applications, it is important that the composition used have low internal stress and high T.sub.g.
The internal stress (.sigma.) of a composition can be estimated by the following equation: EQU .sigma.=k.intg.E.alpha.dT
wherein E is the modulus of the material, k is a constant, T is temperature, and .alpha. is the coefficient of thermal expansion. Since the internal stress is proportional to both the modulus and the coefficient of thermal expansion, this suggests that the internal stress can be lowered by reducing the coefficient of thermal expansion, the modulus or both.
The common approach towards lowering internal stress has been to modify the epoxy resin with an elastomer. However, with increasing amounts of elastomer modifier, with filled or unfilled material, the modulus tends to decrease while the coefficient of thermal expansion tends to increase. Thus the reduction in internal stress is marginal due to the opposing trends of the modulus and the coefficient of thermal expansion. In addition, the T.sub.g, which for encapsulation must generally be at least about 150.degree. C., will many times vary proportionally with the modulus. Sometimes the lowering of the modulus results in too great a reduction in the T.sub.g for encapsulation application.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an epoxy-based encapsulation composition. In one embodiment, it is an object of the invention to provide a low internal stress epoxy composition without significantly sacrificing T.sub.g. It is another object to provide molding powders and articles made therefrom.

Polysiloxane-polylactone block copolymer modified thermostat compositions


In a combine harvester having a tangential-flow threshing unit installed transversely to the direction of travel and comprising a drum (6) and a concave which has a frame (14) and a removable sieve lining (25), an inclined conveyor (3) protruding into the threshing unit housing through the front wall (1) of the latter and an opening in this wall (1) being arranged above the inclined conveyor (3), it is proposed, in order to facilitate the installation and removal of the sieve lining (25), that the said sieve lining be divided into a plurality of longitudinally abutting lining sections which are supported at the butt joints by arcuate webs and that the sieve lining (25) and the frame (14) be designed in such a way that the sieve lining (25) is removable in the circumferential direction from the frame (14) and can be removed through the opening in the wall (1) without dismounting the inclined conveyor (3). Particularly expedient embodiment features are given for a frame (14) having, in particular, a three-part sieve lining (cf. drawing).

The invention relates to a combine harvester having a threshing unit housing, a tangential-flow threshing unit installed transversely to the direction of travel and comprising a drum and a concave, an inclined conveyor entering the threshing unit housing and an inspection flap arranged in the front wall of the threshing unit housing above the inclined conveyor, the concave surrounding the drum over an arc having a sieve lining and a frame supporting the latter and comprising two longitudinal strips and two arcuate end strips. The arrangement of the threshing unit in a combine harvester of this kind is known from German Patent 1,287,843.
In this and in present-day combine harvesters having a correspondingly installed tangential-flow threshing unit, the concave can only be replaced or serviced if the cutting unit, including the inclined conveyor, is detached from the threshing unit housing, freeing access to the concave through the inlet opening for the material to be threshed. The outlay in terms of assembly is thus considerable.


A non-axisymmetric electromagnet coil used in plasma processing in which at least one electromagnet coil is not symmetric with the central axis of the plasma processing chamber with which it is used but is symmetric with an axis offset from the central axis. When placed radially outside of an RF coil, it may reduce the azimuthal asymmetry in the plasma produced by the RF coil. Axisymmetric magnet arrays may include additional axisymmetric electromagnet coils. One axisymmetric coil is advantageously placed radially inside of the non-axisymmetric coil to carry opposed currents. The multiple electromagnet coils may be embedded in a molded encapsulant having a central bore about a central axis providing the axisymmetry of the coils.

Sputtering, alternatively called physical vapor deposition (PVD), has long been used for the deposition of metals such as aluminum to form horizontal interconnects in a semiconductor integrated circuit. More recently it has been adapted to deposit thin liner layers in high aspect-ratio via holes used to form vertical interconnects between metallization layers in the integrated circuit. Examples of liner layers include barrier layers such as of titanium and tantalum and their nitrides and copper seed layers subsequently used in filling the via holes with copper by electrochemical plating (ECP).
DC magnetron sputtering is the preferred sputtering method in commercial fabrication. It has been adapted to sputtering into high aspect-ratio via holes by increasing the fraction of sputter metal atoms that are ionized and by electrically biasing the wafer so that the ions are accelerated towards the wafer at high energy and penetrate deep within the via hole.
Even more recently, it has been found that a plasma sputter chamber can be used to sputter etch the wafer, also called resputtering, so that the same sputter chamber can be used in a multi-step process to both sputter deposit material onto the wafer and to remove material from the wafer. The geometry associated with high aspect-ratio via holes allows the two steps to be controlled such that on net material is deposited on only some portions of the via hole. This selective deposition is particularly useful in depositing a metal nitride barrier layer, which is somewhat resistive, onto the sidewalls of the via hole but not depositing it on the bottom of the via hole so that the underlying lower-level metallization can be directly contacted by the vertical metallization.
A conventional DC magnetron sputter chamber includes a metallic target, for example, having at least a surface layer composed of tantalum or copper, which is selectively negatively biased with respect to the chamber sidewalls or protective sidewall shields so that a sputter working gas of argon is discharged into a plasma. The magnetron placed in back of the target projects a magnetic field to the other face of the target to concentrate the plasma adjacent the sputtering surface of the target. The argon ions are energetically attracted to the target and sputter metal atoms from it, some which strike the opposed wafer and deposit a metal layer on it. Such a sputter chamber can be adapted to perform sputter etching of the wafer, for example, by including an RF coil around the space between the target and the wafer to inductively coupled RF power into the chamber. In the sputter deposition phase, the RF coil is typically not significantly powered. However, in the sputter etch phase, the RF coil is powered while the DC power applied to the target is significantly reduced. The RF coil inductively couples RF energy into the chamber to excite argon into a plasma in the space above the wafer. The electrical bias applied to the wafer, which is typically a negative DC bias induced by another RF source, energetically attracts the argon ions to the wafer so that they preferentially etch horizontal surfaces, in particular the bottom of the via holes, while not significantly etching the via sidewalls.
A typical configuration of the RF coil system is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. An RF coil 10 is positioned inside the sidewall sputter shields coaxial with the chamber's central axis 12. For economic and operational reasons, it is typically formed as a single-turn coil in a plane perpendicular to the central axis 12 wrapped generally symmetrically about the central axis 12 but having a junction 14 with two electrical leads to an external biasing circuit. The junction 14 creates an azimuthal gap in the RF coil of less than 15° although the location of the electrical contacts increase the effective gap to about 18°. Two coupling capacitors 16, 18 electrically couple the RF coil 10 between an RF power source 20 and ground. Additionally, a matching circuit 22 matches the 50 ohm coaxial cable from the RF source 20 to the impedance of a plasma 24 excited from the argon gas inside the coil 10. The argon ions from the plasma 24 are attracted towards the negatively biased wafer to sputter etch it.
It has been found that the plasma 24 tends to diffuse to the grounded shields or chamber sidewalls so that the radial distribution of argon ion striking the wafer is stronger at the wafer center than at the wafer edge. Accordingly, it is known to position a DC electromagnetic coil outside the chamber and coaxial with the central axis 12 to create a magnetic barrier to the diffusing plasma, specifically the plasma electrons but the plasma ions substantially redistribute themselves to neutralize the plasma ions. The charged plasma particles interact with the magnetic field B according to the Lorentz forceF=qv×B, where q is the charge of the plasma particle, v is the particle's vector velocity, and F is the Lorentz force exerted on the charged particle by the magnetic field B. The Lorentz force F deflects the charged particle transversely to its velocity v. The radius of curvature r of the deflection is related as
                    mv        2            r        =          qv      ×      B        ,where m is the mass of the charged particle. In the limit of a charged particle trapped in a uniform magnetic field, the radius r becomes the cyclotron radius. A magnetic field B extending parallel to the central axis near the sidewalls of the chamber deflects the charged particles, particularly the lighter electrons, diffusing outward from the central axis back towards the central axis. To maintain charge neutrality inside the plasma, the charged ions follow the electrons and thus are also effectively deflected back towards the center. Gung et al. discloses a more complicated magnet array in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/119,350, filed Apr. 29, 2005, incorporated herein by reference and published as U.S. patent application publication 2005/0263390. Their magnet array includes two pairs of coaxial electromagnet coils, in which each pair includes coils at a same height but different radii from the chamber center.
While these electromagnet arrays have been effective at producing a more radially uniform sputter etch, further investigation has revealed that the etch rate is also azimuthally non-uniform and the magnitude of the azimuthal asymmetry nears that of the reduced radial asymmetry enabled by the electromagnet coils. That is, despite the apparent geometric symmetry about the central axis including the time-averaged rotated magnetron, the etch rate has been observed to significantly vary in the azimuthal or circumferential direction. It is greatly desired to reduce the azimuthal non-uniformity for the increasingly more stringent uniformity requirements imposed by advanced integrated circuits.

Offset magnet compensation for non-uniform plasma


A multilayer ceramic substrate includes a ceramic laminated body including a plurality of ceramic layers stacked on each other, a resistor, and a resistor connecting conductor with a portion overlapping the resistor and an overcoat layer that covers the resistor located on a principal surface of the ceramic laminated body. An overcoat layer is made relatively thick during firing, thereby making cracks less likely to be caused, and after the firing step, the thickness of the overcoat layer is reduced by physically scraping down the surface of the overcoat layer, thereby reducing the trimming time. In the overcoat layer, a region that covers a portion in which a resistor overlaps a resistor connecting conductor is thicker than a region that covers the other portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer ceramic substrate and a method for producing the same, and more particularly relates to a multilayer ceramic substrate which includes a resistor located on at least one principal surface, and further an overcoat layer located thereon, and a method for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a resistor composed of a thick film is formed on a principal surface of a multilayer ceramic substrate, the resistor is overcoated with a glass-based material for the purposes of protecting this resistor and improving environmental resistance. In addition, the resistor is typically subjected to trimming after firing to adjust the resistance value.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-234726 discloses a method for forming a thick film resistor circuit, which includes the steps of: printing and burning a resistor onto a substrate; printing and burning a conductor in a predetermined position on the resistor; forming an overcoat layer on the resistor; and performing laser trimming to the resistor from the top of the overcoat layer to adjust a resistance value.
However, according to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-234726, the substrate, the resistor, the conductor, and the overcoat layer are formed separately by firing or burning, there is thus a problem that the frequent firing or burning promotes sintering of the substrate, resistor, and conductor, thereby resulting in an excessively sintered state, and thus in characteristic degradation.
Therefore, techniques have been known for obtaining a substrate, a resistor, a conductor, and an overcoat layer by co-firing. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-39164 discloses a method for producing a glass ceramic wiring substrate, which includes the steps of: preparing an unfired ceramic green laminated body of a plurality of glass ceramic green sheets stacked on each other; forming a resistor, a conductor, and an overcoat layer on one principal surface of the ceramic green laminated body; then preparing an unfired composite laminated body by stacking a constraining green sheet along both principal surfaces of the ceramic green laminated body; firing the unfired composite laminated body; and then removing a constraining layer derived from the constraining green sheet.
However, it has been discovered that the following problem is caused in the case of forming the resistor and the overcoat layer by co-firing with the ceramic green laminated body, and then carrying out trimming for the resistor as in the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-39164.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of a multilayer ceramic substrate 51. FIG. 6 illustrates a ceramic laminated body 52 which is provided for the multilayer ceramic substrate 51, and a resistor 54, a resistor connecting conductor 55 with a portion overlapping with the resistor 54, and an overcoat layer 56 covering the resistor 54, which are each formed on a principal surface 53 of the ceramic laminated body 52.
To explain with reference to FIG. 6, there is a demand for the overcoat layer 56 to be formed as thinly as possible in order to shorten the trimming time after firing. However, when the overcoat layer 56 is formed thinly, the film thickness is likely to vary, and thus, it is difficult to form the overcoat layer 56 so as to have a uniform thickness.
In addition, when the overcoat layer 56 is formed thinly, cracks are likely to be caused in the overcoat layer 56 due to stress generated by factors such as differences in sintering behavior and coefficient of thermal expansion during firing between each of the ceramic laminated body 52, the resistor connecting conductor 55, and the resistor 54, and the overcoat layer 55. In particular, as in the case of portions 57 and 58 surrounded by dashed lines in FIG. 6, cracks are likely to be caused in portions in which the interface between dissimilar materials is present. The above-described cracks cause the problem of decreased reliability, such as variations in the resistance value of the resistor 54 through the ingress of a plating solution below the overcoat layer 56 in a plating step carried out subsequently.

Multilayer ceramic substrate and method for producing the same


A method of ordering a custom prosthetic or orthopedic device includes manually moving a portable scanner about an anatomical part of a patient to generate three-dimensional information representative of the anatomical part. The portable scanner is coupled to a mobile device routinely carried by a user. The method involves obtaining order information associated with the patient on the mobile device and transmitting an order with the mobile device to an intended recipient. The order contains at least a portion of the three-dimensional information and at least a portion of the order information.

Many functions in the conventional ordering and design of custom prosthetic and orthopedic devices are performed by hand. For instance, a patient will typically have a prosthetic socket made through a provider (e.g., a prosthetist) having the expertise to assure that the socket fits properly. The patient is typically required to travel to the provider's facility where a handmade plaster cast of the patient's residual limb is created. The patient's personal information is then recorded and both the handmade plaster cast and the patient's personal information are then transported or mailed to a fabricating facility.
At the fabricating facility, the patient's personal information is entered into the fabricator's system and the plaster cast is processed and used to generate fitting information. The fabricator then forms the custom prosthetic socket according to the fitting information obtained from the plaster cast. Similar processes are used by orthotist and fabricators in the ordering of custom orthopedic devices or orthosis where patient information is obtained, handmade plaster casts are created, transported, and processed to generate fitting information.
Conventional systems such as these tend to suffer from a number of drawbacks. For instance, the casting and fitting process can require significant travel and/or require the patient to be at the provider's facility for lengthy periods of time. This can be both inconvenient and expensive for the patient. In addition, forming a custom prosthetic or orthopedic device based on a handmade plaster cast can be uncomfortable and imprecise, resulting in a poor and potentially damaging fit. These systems also can take days, weeks, or even months to fabricate the custom device and can include postal delays. Moreover, handmade plaster casts have a tendency to deform during transport, which in turn, can generate faulty fitting information and a poor fit. These systems also require manual data entry at multiple locations and times, which is often tedious and susceptible to human error.
Some efforts have been made to use computer animated design and scanners at dedicated facilities to generate patient fitting information for ordering purposes; however, such systems are stationary, expensive, limited geographically, uncomfortable, and inconvenient for the patient.
There is a need for a method and system for ordering custom prosthetic and/or orthopedic devices that is versatile, affordable, portable, and provides more accurate fitting information.

Method and system for ordering custom prosthetic and orthopedic devices


Managing contact transfer requests in a contact center with a processor of the contact center receiving a request to transfer a contact to a destination within the contact center. Next, the processor determines in real time, one or more first characteristics related to a source of the request and one or more second characteristics related to the destination of the request. Ultimately, based on the one or more first characteristics and the one or more second characteristics, the processor performs one of: a) transferring the contact to the destination, or b) preventing transfer of the contact to the destination.

The present disclosure relates generally to contact transfer requests in a contact center, and, more particularly, to dynamically determining whether or not to reject the transfer request.
Two conventional ways of transferring a contact include a "blind transfer" and an "announced transfer"; the latter is sometimes referred to as an "consultative transfer".
In an announced transfer, the originating resource that is in communication with the contact transfers the contact by initially placing the contact in a queue for a particular contact center resource or in a queue for a particular customer service workgroup. The originating resource stays on the line with the contact until a receiving contact center resource is reached. The originating resource then informs the receiving resource of the reason for the transfer (e.g., a need for particular services of the receiving resource). At this point the originating resource can complete the transfer by disconnecting from the contact.
In a blind transfer, the originating resource transfers a contact to a receiving agent queue or workgroup queue and releases or disconnects from the contact. The originating resource does not stay on the line with the contact being transferred. In this way, the originating resource becomes available for a next incoming contact and can immediately receive and handle another contact.
Each type of transfer has some drawbacks that can result in work items/contacts being assigned and routed in a contact center in a manner that adversely impacts the operation of the contact center efficiently and accurately handle incoming contacts. Thus, a need exists for improved methods and systems within the computer architecture of a modern contact center to dynamically allow or disallow transfers of contacts based on configured or real-time parameters of the contact center's operation.

Systems and methods for controlling transfer of contacts in a contact center


There is provided a process for preparing a polyimide film by a method of casting a film, wherein bubble inclusion and unevenness in thickness are prevented without decrease in mechanical strength at the same time. It is an object of the present invention to provided a process for preparing a polyimide film characterized by extruding, casting and forming into a film a composition of a resin solution obtained by adding, to low viscosity varnish obtained by polymerizing a tetracarboxylic dianhydride component with a diamine component in a molar ratio of 1:1.01 to 1:1.05, or 1:0.95 to 1:0.99, a dehydrating agent in a molar ratio of at least one time and a chemically-imidizing catalyst in a molar ratio of at least half time based on 1 mole of the amic acid of the poly(amic acid) varnish.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a polyimide film by a casting process with a T-die in extrusion. Specifically, the present invention relates to a process for preparing a polyimide film, wherein bubbles are prevented from being mixed into a resin solution (referred to as xe2x80x9ccurtainxe2x80x9d in the present specification) which is extruded from a die in a T-die method, and unevenness in thickness is controlled, and wherein mechanical properties, especially tensile strength, of the polyimide film to be obtained are prevented from decreasing.
Among plastic materials, polyimides have excellent properties in heat resistance, insulating properties, solvent resistance and low temperature resistance, and are used as a material for electrical and electronic parts. Specifically, they are used for flexible print circuit, base films in TAB carrier tape, coating materials of electric cables for aircraft and the like, base films in magnetic recording tape, coating materials of superconducting coil wire, and the like. A polyimide film suitable for each purpose is selected appropriately for the above various purposes.
In accordance with miniaturization and thin filming in electrical and electronic parts, line thinning of circuit is in progress. Dimensional change of materials during use may cause accidents such as disconnection and short-circuit in thinly lined circuit structure. Therefore, highly accurate dimensional stability is required for materials used for electrical and electronic parts.
Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 1, a polyimide film is prepared as follows. A polyimide precursor, i.e., a composition of poly(amic acid) solution is mixed with a chemically-imidizing catalyst in an extrusion machine 2; the mixture is spread from the extrusion machine 2 in the cross direction; and then the mixture is extruded continuously into a smooth, thin film through a die lip 6, namely, a narrow slit space set on a slit die 4 on an endless belt 10. Then, in the progress of imidizing the above composition of poly(amic acid) solution, a resin film 8 is hardened by drying and cooling to such a degree that the resin achieves self supportability; and further, the hardened resin is heat-treated to prepare a polyimide film.
However, in the above process for preparing a polyimide film, an acid dianhydride component and a diamine component are normally mixed in almost equimolar amount, specifically in a component ratio ranging from about 1:0.095 to 1:1.005 as raw materials of a poly(amic acid) composition to obtain the poly(amic acid) composition. The poly(amic acid) composition is usually a viscous liquid whose viscosity is adjusted to at least 2,500 poise. The viscosity of a liquid or slurry composition of a resin solution is usually in the range of 500 to 2,000 poise when it is extruded from the slit die after mixing the above poly(amic acid) composition and the chemically-imidizing agent.
Also, a polyimide film is obtained by casting a poly(aimic acid) composition which is a polyimide precursor according to a casting method with a T-die. Thereafter, imidization is completed through film forming, heating and drying, to obtain a polyimide film. During the casting step, if imidizing reaction of the poly(amic acid) composition proceeds rapidly, a resin film is partially imidized, leading to problems with generation of gel defect parts in a film as well as formation of coating streaks since the slit die is clogged with the gel generated by the partial imidization of the poly(amic acid)composition. Therefore, in order to control the imidizing reaction of the poly(amic acid)composition, the composition of poly(amic acid) solution is generally cooled to at most 0xc2x0 C. Viscosity of the composition of poly(amic acid) solution tends to become considerably high due to the cooling.
A composition of a resin solution has elasticity when it has a relatively high viscosity such as the above, namely, 500 to 2,000 poise. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, curtain 22 which is a fluid composition of a resin solution extruded from the die lip 6 is drawn to machine direction as the speed of an endless belt 210 accelerates. Once the curtain 22 is drawn to the machine direction, an angle xcex8 formed when the curtain 22 reaches the endless belt 10 becomes smaller. Accordingly, when the curtain 22 reaches the surface of the endless belt 10, air is easily included between the curtain 22 and the endless belt.
As a result, air can be included between the prepared resin film 8 and the endless belt 10, and foamed projection parts having large and small sizes may remain on the surface of the resin film 8. The inclusion of bubbles causes to deteriorate surface properties of resin film remarkably. For example, in the drying step of the above resin film, the film thickness of the projected part becomes thin, the included air is expanded to break some part of the resin film, and defective parts are generated.
Further, since the above-mentioned high viscosity curtain has stronger elasticity and larger adhesive strength to the belt than low viscosity curtain, it is drawn to the machine direction depending on the movement of the belt. However, when the curtain is drawn to the machine direction for at least a certain distance, the reaching point of curtain varies periodically since reverse force is generated against the machine direction due to the elasticity of the resin film. The periodic variance causes variation in thickness of the resin film to be prepared, and therefore periodic unevenness in thickness is generated in the machine direction, resulting in the problem that such unevenness appears as striping on the surface of the film as the final product.
In response to this problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 198157/1999 discloses a process for casting a film in which viscosity of a composition of a resin solution in a die is lowered. The process aims at preventing bubble inclusion at casting a resin film, improving uneven thickness and promoting production efficiency of the film even in a process for casting a film at high speed. As a process for lowing viscosity of a composition of a resin solution in a die, there are disclosed a process for decreasing polymerization degree of a composition of a resin solution and a process for increasing the ratio of the solvent in the composition of a resin solution.
However, a polyimide film prepared according to the process for lowering the polymerization degree disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 198157/1999 had a problem that mechanical properties of the film are significantly reduced compared with a polyimide film prepared from equimolar diamine component and tetracarboxylic dianhydride component. Also, in the process for increasing the ratio of the solvent in the composition of a resin solution disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 198157/1999, temperature of the belt needs to be raised high in order to dry the resin on the endless belt to such a degree that self supportability is achieved, and in consequence, mechanical properties of the polyimide film to be obtained is lowered.
As mentioned above, in the process for casting a film in which inclusion of bubbles are prevented at casting a resin film and uneven thickness is improved, there is a problem that mechanical properties of the polyimide film to be obtained are lowered significantly. The lowering of the mechanical properties causes to disturb stable production due to generation of waviness made by film extension in the process of producing flexible printcircuit, base films in TAB carrier tape, coating materials of electric cables for aircraft and the like, base films in magnetic recording tape, coating materials of superconducting coil wire, and the like. Also, mechanical properties of products made therefrom are lowered even to make the products unreliable.
The present invention is to provide a process for preparing a polyimide film wherein inclusion of bubbles are prevented at resin film casting, and uneven thickness is improved especially in such a cast film forming process for preparing polyimide film at high speed as the above without the lowering of mechanical properties as seen in the process for casting a film disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 198157/1999 at the same time.
The present invention has been carried out to solve the above problems. The process for preparing a polyimide film of the present invention relates to a process for preparing a polyimide film by extruding and casting a composition of a resin solution containing a poly(amic acid) varnish, which comprises a step for preparing the poly(amic acid) varnish which is a varnish having low viscosity by polymerizing a tetracarboxylic dianhydride component with a diamine component in a molar ratio of 1:1.01 to 1:1.05, or 1:0.95 to 1:0.99, and a step for preparing the composition of a resin solution by adding, to the poly(amic acid) varnish, a dehydrating agent in a molar ratio of at least 1 time and a chemically-imidizing catalyst in a molar ratio of at least half time based on 1 mole of the amic acid of the poly(amic acid) varnish.
It is preferable that viscosity of the poly(amic acid) varnish is at most 2,000 poise at 20xc2x0 C.
It is also preferable that viscosity of the poly(amic acid) varnish is at most 1,500 poise at 20xc2x0 C.
It is preferable that viscosity of the poly(amic acid) varnish is 100 to 1,500 poise at 20xc2x0 C.
It is preferable that the composition of a resin solution is obtained by adding the dehydrating agent of at least 1.2 to 5 times and the chemically-imidizing catalyst of at least 0.6 to 2.0 times in molar ratio based on 1 mole of the amic acid of the poly(amic acid) varnish.
It is preferable that the chemically-imidizing catalyst is a tertiary amine.


A battery pack is disclosed. In one aspect, the battery pack includes a battery unit including a plurality of main battery cells and an additional battery cell. The battery pack also includes a battery management system (BMS) configured to receive voltage information about the battery unit and control charging and discharging of the battery unit. The BMS includes at least one voltage measuring terminal configured to receive main voltage information about the main battery cell and an analog to digital converting terminal configured to receive additional voltage information about the additional battery cell.

Field
The described technology generally relates to a battery pack, and particularly, to a battery pack including a battery management system (BMS).
Description of the Related Technology
The use of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, and notebook computers is increasingly widespread, and thus, research into developing improved batteries which power these devices is ongoing. Further, high-capacity battery systems such as those used in electric vehicles, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS s), or energy storing systems are also undergoing active research and development.


A coupling device includes a first coupling section having a large bore, a small bore, and a valve seat between the large and small bores; a second coupling section having a second bore opening at a contact surface which is opposed to the first coupling section; a valve having a valve head normally resting on the valve seat and a tubular body snugly fitted in the small bore and having an axial opening with a mouth at an end and a plurality of radial openings at the other end; a drain passage provided along the small bore and having an end opening at a bottom of the large bore and the other end opening at a lower side of the first coupling section; and a drain valve provided in the drain passage and having a cylindrical hole intersecting the drain passage and a piston snugly fitted in the cylindrical hole and having a circumferential channel for opening the drain passage and a land portion for closing the drain passage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to coupling devices for coupling fluid passages of a machine such as a press or injection molding machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A coupling device of this type, which is disclosed in Japanese U.M. Patent Application Kokai No. 60-167,888, is shown in FIG. 11. A coupling device 53 attached to a first member 50 is useful for connecting the first bore 54 to the second bore 54' of a second member 55. The coupling device 53 consists Of a body 51 and a valve 52 snugly fitted in the body 51. The body 51 has a large bore 56 communicating with the first bore 54 and a small bore 57 in which the valve 52 slidably fitted. A truncated conical surface 58 between the large bore 56 and the small bore 57 serves as a valve seat.
The valve 52 has a tubular body 70 and a valve head 63 secured to an end wall 73 (with inner and outer surfaces 71 and 72) of the tubular body 70 (with inner and outer surfaces 76 and 77). The valve head 63 is pressed against the valve seat 58 by a compression spring 64 which is provided in the large bore 56. The valve head 63 has a gasket 62 secured to the end wall 73 with a bolt 74. The tubular body 70 has an opening 60 which communicates with the large bore 56 when the valve head 63 leaves the valve seat 58. An axial fluid passage 59 communicating with the opening 60 opens at a front end 75 of the tubular body 70 to form a mouth. An annular elastic gasket 61 is bonded to an annular front surface 78 of the tubular body 70.
In operation, the flow of compressed air from the first bore 54 is blocked in the large bore 56 by the seal made by the valve head 63 and the valve seat 58. When the first member 50 is moved toward the second member 55, the elastic gasket 61 of the valve 52 abuts upon a contact surface 65 of the second member 55. If the force applied to the first member 50 is greater than the sum of the pressure of the compressed air and the push of the compression spring 64, the valve 52 is moved rearwardly with respect to the body 51. Since the gasket 62 of the valve head 52 leaves the valve seat 58, the opening 60 of the tubular body 70 starts to communicate with the large bore 56. As a result, the pressure of compressed air on the valve head 63 disappears, leaving only the push of the compression spring 64.
When the first member 50 is further moved toward the second member 55, the degree of communication between the opening 60 and the large bore 56 increases with the traveling distance of the first member 50. When an edge 66 of the opening 60 reaches the large bore 56, the coupling between the first and second bores 54 and 54' is completed.
When there is no coupling action for a long period of time, the vapor of the compressed air remained in the large bore 56 condenses on the inner surface of the large bore and/or the compression spring 64, forming a considerable amount of "drain" in the large bore 56. An example is a case where the metal mold of a press and external conduits are replaced. The press generally has several extruding cylinders for taking a molding from the metal mold in which air passages to the cylinders are provided. The number of extruding cylinders depends on the type and shape of a molding and thus the metal mold to be replaced. Consequently, the number of coupling devices used for the press should be equal the maximum number of cylinders for the metal mold. When the number of cylinders is small, there are some unused coupling devices, in which drains accumulate. When such coupling devices are used, the drains enter the air passages of the metal mold, eroding the passages, causing clogs and impairing the operation of the extruding cylinders.


A device for the transport of fluids through a biological barrier includes a number of microneedles projecting from the front face of a substrate. A conduit is associated with each of the microneedles to provide a fluid flow path for transport of fluid through a hole in the biological barrier formed by the corresponding microneedle. Each of the microneedles is configured to provide a penetrating tip, and each conduit terminates at an opening which is proximal with respect to the microneedle tip. Also described are microneedle-based devices with integrated MEMS pumping configurations for withdrawal and/or delivery of fluids, and remote healthcare systems based on such devices.

The present invention relates to drug delivery and diagnostic sampling and, in particular, it concerns systems and methods for the transport of fluids through a biological barrier and production techniques for such systems.
Various techniques are known for drug delivery. A first set of techniques employ oral delivery in the form of pills or capsules. Many drugs cannot, however, be effectively delivered orally due to degradation in the digestive system, poor absorption and/or elimination by the liver.
A second set of techniques deliver drugs directly across the dermal barrier using a needle such as with standard syringes or catheters. These techniques, however, require administration by one trained in their use, and often cause unnecessary pain and/or local damage to the skin. The withdrawal of body fluids for diagnostic purpose using a conventional needle suffers from the same disadvantages. The use of a conventional needle is also undesirable for long term, continuous drug delivery or body fluid sampling.
An alternative delivery technique employs a transdermal patch, usually relying on diffusion mechanisms. The usefulness of transdermal patches, however, is greatly limited by the inability of larger molecules to penetrate the dermal barrier. Transdermal patches are not usable for diagnostic purposes.
Many attempts have been made to develop alternative devices for active transfer of pharmaceutical materials, or for biological sampling, across the dermal barrier. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,023 to Lee et al. discloses a drug delivery device which includes a plurality of non-hollow microneedles having a diameter of 50-400 micron which perforate the skin to facilitate transfer of larger molecules through the dermal barrier. The microneedles are disclosed as being made of stainless steel.
More recently, much research has been directed towards the development of microneedles formed on chips or wafers by use of micro-machining techniques. This approach promises the possibility of producing numerous, very small needles which are sufficient to form small perforations in the dermal barrier, thereby overcoming the molecular size limitations of conventional transdermal patches, while being safe for use by unqualified personnel. Examples of such work may be found in PCT Publication No. WO 99/64580 to Georgia Tech Research Corp., as well as in the following scientific publications: "Micro machined needles for the transdermal delivery of drugs", S. H. S. Henry et al. (MEMS 98, Heildelberg, Germany, January 1998); "Three dimensional hollow micro needle and microtube arrays", D. V. McAllister et al. (Transducer 99, Sendai, Japan, June 1999); "An array of hollow micro-capillaries for the controlled injection of genetic materials into animal/plant cells", K. Chun et al. (MEMS 99, Orlando, Fl., January 1999); and "Injection of DNA into plant and animal tissues with micromechanical piercing structures", W. Trimmer et al. (IEEE workshop on MEMS, Amsterdam, January 1995). The more recent of these references, namely, the Georgia Tech application and the Chun et al. reference, disclose the use of hollow microneedles to provide a flow path for fluid flow through the skin barrier.
While hollow microneedles are potentially an effective structure for delivering fluids across the dermal barrier, the structures proposed to-date suffer from a number of drawbacks. Most notably, the proposed structures employ microneedles with flat hollow tips which tend to punch a round hole through the layers of skin. The punched material tends to form a plug which at least partially obstructs the flow path through the microneedle. This phenomenon is clearly visible in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) image identified as FIG. 11 of the Chun et al. reference and reproduced here as FIG. 1. This is particularly problematic where withdrawal of fluids is required since the suction further exacerbates the plugging of the hollow tube within the microneedle. The flat ended form of the needles also presents a relatively large resistance to penetration of the skin, reducing the effectiveness of the structure.
A further group of proposed devices employ microneedles formed by in-plane production techniques. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,139 to Lin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,057 to Smart et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,207 to Pisano et al. The use of in-plane production techniques opens up additional possibilities with regard to the microneedle tip configuration. This, however, is at the cost of very limited density of microneedles (either a single microneedle, or at most, a single row of needles), leading to corresponding severe fluid flow rate limitations. The very long proposed needle (about 3 mm) of Smart et al. suffers from an additional very high risk of needle breakage.
A further shortcoming of microneedle structures made by micromachining techniques is the brittleness of the resulting microneedles. Microneedles made from silicon or silicon dioxide are highly brittle. As a result, a significant proportion of the microneedles may fracture due to the stresses occurring during penetration, leaving fragments of the material within the tissue. Furthermore, oblique insertion by an unskilled person could lead to fracture of a very large proportion of the needles, resulting in malfunction of the device.
There is therefore a need for devices and methods based on micro-machining technology for the transport of fluids through the dermal barrier which would reduce or eliminate the problems of blockage by the layers of skin. I would also be highly advantageous to provide devices of this type with highly flexible microneedles to avoid leaving fragments of the microneedles within the skin tissue. Finally, there is a need for practical devices and corresponding systems for implementing diagnosis and treatment of various conditions based on such technology.

Systems and methods for the transport of fluids through a biological barrier and production techniques for such systems


A device for detachably affixing a piece of luggage to a person includes a belt plate that can be affixed to a belt and a shaft that is movably affixed to the belt plate and that has a threaded portion that accommodates a nut. A clamp that includes a bottom clamp element and a top clamp element may secures attach a handle of a piece of luggage to the device, ensuring ease of movement and hands-free operation. The bottom clamp element may be rigidly affixed to the bottom of the shaft or may be adjustable by use of a second nut that may support the bottom clamp element in a particular position. A top clamp element may be configured about the shaft and linearly movable about the shaft, held in place by the first nut to secure a luggage handle in the area between the top clamp element and the bottom clamp element.

The integration of wheels into luggage, suitcases, and other types of bags commonly used in travel has made such items much easier to transport by individual users. A person can now easily pull a piece of luggage through an airport, parking lot, or any other large area without having to lift the piece of luggage, and therefore the piece of luggage can be moved more easily be moved farther and faster than if the piece of luggage had no wheels. However, in order to move wheeled luggage, a user has to grasp a handle that is typically affixed to such luggage, thereby preventing that user from making use of one of their hands. In the modern travel environment, the amount of time a user may be required to transport his or her luggage has become greater than ever. Heightened security requires earlier arrival at airports and other transportation hubs and has introduced numerous and thorough security checkpoints and other obstacles between a traveler and his or her destination. To overcome such obstacles and increase the comfort of a traveler, the use of both hands, for example, to purchase a snack or retrieve documents required at a security checkpoint, is increasingly important. Thus, what is needed in the art is a device and methods to retain the convenience of using wheeled luggage while allowing a user full mobility and use of both hands.


An electrical contactor draw out tray has a movable frame and a stationary frame in which the movable frame carries the electrical components for an electrical feeder circuit. The stationary frame is preferably housed within a power distribution center and has input terminals for the incoming electrical power and output terminals for delivering electrical power to equipment operating on the feeder circuit. The movable frame carries the contactors that control the flow of electricity through the apparatus as well as the electrical components to monitor conditions of the apparatus and various parameters for the electricity carried therein to for conditions such as short circuits, overloads, ground faults, overvoltages and undervoltages. A disconnect mechanism locks the movable frame relative the stationary frame and provides a primary means for disengaging electrical flow through the apparatus.

In electrical supply and power distribution systems and more particularly to underground mining applications utilizing the same, the repair of power distribution centers, such as longwall power centers and longwall starters is presently a difficult task. Due to the rugged and demanding environments where this equipment is normally employed, the industry has traditionally relied upon solid bolted type or hardwired connections for the operative components and circuitry in these systems. The underlying logic behind these methods is the desire to eliminate any potential weak point in the circuitry that may be compromised due to the prevalence of dust, dirt, moisture and other environmental factors.
These same environmental considerations make repair and maintenance of the equipment a difficult task. Due to the extensive size of such equipment, it is impractical to evacuate defective equipment to the surface in order to provide a clean environment for the technician to effectuate the necessary repairs. Accordingly, repairs are made on site, thereby providing further opportunity for the infiltration of contaminants into the system as the technician must open the various access panels, leaving them open for extended periods of time. Moreover, the technician is left to effectuate the repairs in the austere environment. In such conditions and as a consequence of such bolted connections, repairs remain a time consuming, labor intensive proposition. Similarly, because the equipment remains in an inoperable condition for an extended period of time, there is a concomitant loss in productivity as the equipment reliant on the electrical power is rendered useless.
While there have been efforts in the industry to modularize critical components in these systems to improve the maintainability of the systems, their use remains limited.