A method is disclosed for the preparation of non-stringy hydrogels that are comprised of a homogeneous uniform mixture of water and at least one water-soluble high molecular weight polymer. Suitable mixtures may be derived from poly(ethylene oxide) and water or poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), a viscosity enhancing hydrophilic polymer and water, and further, may optionally contain an effective amount of a water-soluble electrolyte to provide conductive non-stringy materials. These polymeric mixtures are crosslinked by exposure to radiant energy to provide gel-like solids which are sufficiently tacky and adhesive to adhere to the subjects' skin and yet are substantially non-stringy and non-aggressive such that contact with such hydrogels imparts less discomfort to the user. In addition, the consumer utilizing the products of this invention would not experience the objectionable sticky, stringy sensation associated with existing adhesive gels.

This invention relates to non-stringy adhesive hydrophilic gels, their highly conductive formulations and medical electrode assemblies adapted for application adhesively to the skin to provide electrical contact therewith.
Medical electrodes comprising, as a conductive member interfacing with the skin of a patient, a sheet or film of a hydrophilic gel are well known in the art. Hydrogel sheets adapted for use in medical electroderelated applications are commercially produced by Promeon, a Division of Medtronic, Inc. (Brooklyn Center, Minn.); Valley-labs, Inc., a Division of Pfizer (Boulder, Colo.) Biostim, Inc. (Princeton, N.J.); Lectec Corp. (Eden Prairie, Minn.); and Conmed (Utica, N. Mex.).
Numerous U.S. patents disclose hydrophilic gels and medical electrodes employing them. The following illustrate the early state of the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,930 (electrically conductive transparent films comprising a polymeric matrix in gel form, a plasticizer therefor, an ionized electrolyte soluble in the plasticizer, and an ionizable solvent, e.g., solid polyvinyl alcohol, glycerine, lithium chloride and silica).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,906 (electrode with skin interfacing film of a pressure sensitive adhesive containing fine electrically conductive particles, e.g., an acrylic copolymer containing carbon powder).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,049 (electrode comprising a pliant patch of a formaminated material covered on the side adapted to be placed on the skin with a salt-containing adhesive).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,302 (stimulating electrode in which the skin contacting element is an ion-exchange material, e.g., a vinyl pyridine grafted to a polyethylene base).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,215 claims an electrically conductive pad which employs a hydrogel impregnated with a fibrous carrier. The polymers disclosed herein as operable require a chemical crosslinking agent. The commercial version thereof sold by the patentee (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.) has poor skin adhesion and contains bubbles (the latter presumably due to the viscosity of the starting gel and/or the technique employed to impregnate the fibrous carrier with the starting polymer solution). Bubbles in the conductive pad are undesirable because they create local areas of altered electrical properties.
Since the issuance of U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,215, numerous other patents employing a hydrophilic gel as an electrically conducting means which interfaces with the skin of the patient have issued. The following are illustrative of such patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,721 (tape electrode comprising a skin-contacting layer of adhesive material, e.g., acrylic copolymer).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,714 (electrically conductive adhesive useful for binding together surfaces of electronic devices, comprising a polymeric binder, conductive particles whose surfaces are a noble metal and a normally liquid polyhydric alcohol).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,342 (tape electrode for transmission of electrical signals into the body through the skin employing a tape having a surface of a conductive material combined with an adhesive e.g., acrylic polymer adhesive, and a second surface with the conductive material comprising a magnetic substance).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,822 (electrode having a cup, which is taped to the skin, containing a semi-solid adhesive polymeric material, e.g., a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol, boric acid, CMC, glycerol and water and an electrolyte, e.g., AgCl or a zinc salt).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,078 (electrode with a skin interfacing film having adhesive, plastic and hydrophilic properties, e.g., produced from an interpolymer comprising (a) 10-90 parts of an ester of an .alpha., .beta.-olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid and a mono- or polyhydric alcohol; (b) 90-10 parts of an .alpha., .beta.-olefinically unsaturated comonomer; and (c) at least 0.02 parts of a crosslinking agent comprising a difunctional monomer).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,985 (disposable electrode comprising an elastically stretchable layer of water permeable porous webbing permeated with a high water content liquid or semisolid conductive medium).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,648 (electrode assembly comprising a self-supporting body of hydrogel, e.g., hydroxyethyl methacrylate polymerized with ammonium persulfate and sodium metabisulphite around graphite fiber).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,110; Re 31,454 (electrode comprising as a skin interfacing substrate, a colloidal dispersion of a naturally occurring hydrophilic polysaccharide such as karaya, and a salt in an alcohol as a continuous phase).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,366 (electrode for transmitting electrical signals through the skin employing a normally "dry" adhesive which is activated at the time of application by a suitable solvent).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,135 (an essentially dry electrode employing as the conductive interface a cohesive, conformable, nonionic hydrophilic synthetic polymer plasticized with a monomer, e.g., glycerol. The electrode is applied to abraded skin wet with normal saline solution or water). This patent contains a detailed description of prior art electrodes in addition to those described and claimed (herein).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,420 (an electrode similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,110 in which the adhesive substrate comprises a karaya gum matrix supporting an electrically conductive fluid).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,575 (an electrode with a conductive element composed of karaya, carbon black, isopropyl alcohol and karaya gum conductive solution).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,317,278; 4,318,746 and 4,362,165 electrodes comprising an annulus of foam with an electrode gel in the central region of the annulus, which gel is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,746 and is composed of two polymers, one of which is hot water soluble, e.g., kappa carrageenan, and the other is not, e.g., hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and which contains a potassium salt to enhance the gel's conductivity.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,365,634; 4,393,584; and 4,522,211 (electrodes with adhesive layer secured to a semi-flexible plastic-like sheet, and formed from a known electrically conductive adhesive, e.g., Johnson & Johnson Co.'s "Bioadhesive", disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,078, or in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,008,721; 3,998,215; 3,993,049; and 3,911,906; preferably a hydrophilic material disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,822,238, 4,156,066 and 4,156,067).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,529 (iontophoretic electrode device with a semi-solid hydrophilic hydrated gel formed, e.g., from agar, a protein or a synthetic polymer, e.g., methyl cellulose).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,696 (TENS electrode with an extensible inter facing layer of up to 10 mils, thickeners comprised of a carrier portion coated with an electrically conductive adhesive, preferably a 75:25 butyl acrylate-acrylic acid copolymer neutralized with methyl diethanolamine to which are added a water-soluble plasticizer and tackifier, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,065,770).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,162 (electrode pad comprising a tacky crosslinked hydrogel adhered to an electrode terminal plate, e.g., a polyacrylic acid and a polyacrylic acid salt, water, and a compound containing at least two epoxy groups, as crosslinking component, and optionally a tackifier, e.g., glycerine, propylene glycol or polyethylene glycol, an electrolyte material, e.g., sodium chloride or potassium chloride, a pH controlling agent, a flexibility imparting agent, an antifungal agent, and the like).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,087 (electrode with a conductive adhesive thereon which is swellable, dermally-nonirritating conformable, coadhesive, ionic hydrophilic polymer, e.g., produced by UV polymerizing a mixture consisting of triethyleneglycol-bis-methacrylate dissolved in acrylate acid to which is added glycerol and potassium hydroxide in water, using a free radical initiator to initiate polymerization, e.g., a photoinitiator).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,958 (electrodes with conductive adhesive film comprising a naturally occurring karaya gum, e.g., available in sheet form from Lectec Corp. or as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,357,930; 3,993,049; 4,066,078; and 4,141,366).
European Published Patent Application 83 305 770.6 (Publication No. 0107376) discloses poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) gel dressings which are non-rigid, sterile, tacky, transparent and absorbent, which have been crosslinked by ionization radiation and which are useful in the treatment of wounds, skin disorders and burns. These gel dressings are formed from 10% to 25%, preferably 15-20% and most preferably 20%, crosslinked poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and water and irradiating with 1-3 Mrads radiation. Other patents also describe hydrophilic polymers crosslinked into gels, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,215 which has poly(vinyl alcohol) as the relevant polymer in concentrations up to 30%.
Furthermore, hydrophilic gels derived from crosslinked polyethylene oxide polymers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,264,202; 3,419,006; 3,898,143; 3,993,551; 3,993,552; 3,993,553 and 3,900,378. These references do not disclose hydrogels with the unique characteristics of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,750,482 and 4,699,146, both issued to Sieverding, describe irradiated poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) formulations to yield hydrophilic elastomeric adhesives. The conductive formulations contain low molecular weight (300-600 MW) polyethylene glycols as plasticizers for the adhesives and require high doses of irradiation to achieve preferred results. The non-stringy characteristic of the present invention is not disclosed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,684,558, 4,706,680 and 4,777,954 all issued to Keusch et al., describe tacky adhesive poly(ethylene oxide) gels which may be formulated to also be conductive. The hydrophilic PEO solutions are crosslinked by irradiation. These references also disclose the utility of polyvinyl pyrrolidone as the crosslinked polymer and include an example of PVP (MW=360,000) in a conductive formulation. Like the Sieverding references, cited above, these patents do not disclose or teach the desirable characteristics possible in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,053, issued to Jevne et. al., describe hydrophilic gel compositions including those comprised of PVP and poly(vinyl alcohol). Chemical crosslinking agents are used, however. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,827, issued to Mueller et. al., describes hydrophilic gels which utilize relatively exotic comonomers or copolymers which are not crosslinked by irradiation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,539,996 and 4,554,924, both issued to Engel, discloses conductive adhesive electrodes which utilize adhesive precursors comprised of water-soluble polyhydric alcohols and additional components which are crosslinked via a chemically initiated free-radical process. These patents give no guidance as to the methods of formulation of a crosslinked absorbent flexible adhesive polyethylene oxide (PEO) gel.
Not only does each type of polymer behave differently, even with PEO itself, certain formulations irradiated with a given dose were generally regarded as being non-tacky and non-adhesive. The usefulness of these non-tacky, non-adhesive materials in adhesive applications was believed to be quite limited. Indeed, very few water-soluble crosslinkable polymers can meet all of the requirements of strength, absorbency, flexibility, substantial non-stringiness and sufficient adhesiveness possessed by the PEO gels of this invention. Past teachings and uses of crosslinked PEO hydrogel sheets emphasized either the smoothness and ease of removal of the sheet from a surface or the highly tacky adhesive stringy compositions described by Keusch et. al. Although the materials used in this earlier work included PEO, the highly desirable properties and characteristics of the PEO hydrogels of the present invention were not recognized.
In conclusion, the previous teachings on dose versus polymer concentration for PEO in water may be summarized as follows: (1) the dose to achieve a crosslinked PEO hydrogel is inversely proportional to concentration (U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,006); (2) the dose should be greater than 0.52 Mrads (U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,202, claim 6); and (3) at certain doses a tacky adhesive hydrogel can be obtained from a formulation having a given polymer concentration. However, at doses which exceed the levels of (3), above, these same formulations were believed to provide non-tacky, non-adhesive PEO hydrogels of limited utility (U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,558). The non-stringy properties of the PEO hydrogels of the present invention were not contemplated.
Each of these criteria would not be helpful in synthesizing a non-stringy adhesive PEO gel and would, in fact, be misleading. Polyethylene oxide water systems also have a unique response to high energy radiation. At low concentrations, crosslinking occurs by indirect effects, i.e., initiated with the solvent, whereas at high concentrations (the limit being PEO in solid form) the polyethylene oxide does not crosslink at all. This behavior makes it even more difficult to predict the conditions to achieve effective combinations of absorbency, strength, flexibility, non-stringiness and adhesiveness.
Although there exists many examples of cohesive and/or conductive hydrophilic gels, none embody the unique combination of properties disclosed herein. In particular, previous gels were non-tacky and non-adhesive. Yet others may have had tacky, aggressively adhesive, cohesive, or sticky characteristics useful in self-adhesive applications. This latter group of hydrogels, when applied to the skin of a human subject, can be extremely sticky and gluey such that most individuals compare the sensation associated with their use with coming into contact with a freshly used piece of chewing gum. This sensation is particularly evident and uncomfortable when removing the previous adhesive gels from the skin due to tendril-like strings which remain tenaciously adhered to the skin before the hydrogel separates completely. Yet other formulations yield such a high degree of adhesiveness (i.e., are aggressively adhesive) that skin or hair may be damaged upon removal of the gel sheet. Consequently, a self-adhesive hydrogel which is substantially non-stringy, more comfortable to use and one which may be formulated to be sufficiently conductive would be of significant utility.
Hence, none of the currently available hydrogels meet all the criteria of the non-stringy adhesive hydrophilic gels of this invention, viz., which are formed from a polymeric material which is dermatologically inert, i.e., one which contains no organic solvents, residual monomer, chemical crosslinking agents or substantial quantities of uncrosslinked polymer; which is a viscoelastic solid, i.e., readily conforms to non-flat areas of the skin; which is sufficiently adhesive to adhere firmly to the skin, so that there is little likelihood of it falling off during use, yet is not so adhesive that it causes pain and/or damage to the skin upon removal; which is substantially non-stringy or non-sticky such that its application, use, or removal is more comfortable and is not associated with an objectionable sticky, stringy sensation akin to handling freshly masticated chewing gum; which is adequately adhesive to moist as well as to dry skin and to soiled as well as to clean skin, so that skin pre-preparation with organic solvent or detergent or abrasive is not required; and which has a good shelf life in a sealed container which does not transmit water vapor through its walls; and whose properties do not readily deteriorate between the time the container bearing the adhesive sheet is sealed and the time at which the container is opened. The non-stringy adhesive sheets of this invention possess all of these and many other advantageous properties.

Methods for the preparation of non-stringy adhesive hydrophilic gels


A semiconductor memory device is manufactured by: forming a hole by etching an interlayer insulation film formed over a semiconductor substrate; forming a barrier film over the interlayer insulation film including a surface of the hole; forming a first metal film over the barrier film so as to fill in the hole; forming a bit line contact plug in the hole by removing the first metal film and the barrier film so as to expose the interlayer insulation film; carrying out a gas treatment to a surface of the interlayer insulation film including the bit line contact plug so as to promote a growth of metal nucleation; forming a second metal film over the gas treated interlayer insulation film; and forming a bit line in contact with the bit line contact plug by etching the second metal film.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, which is capable of reducing a parasitic bit line capacitance due to an increase in a thickness of a barrier film of a bit line.
Bit lines in a semiconductor memory device such as a dynamic RAM (DRAM) supply current through a channel for storing electric charge in the memory capacitors and transfer differing amounts of electric charges between capacitors to a sense amplifier so that the electric charges stored in the capacitors can be converted into data. Typically, the bit lines were formed using a Ti/TiN barrier film and a tungsten conductive film.
Hereinafter, a method for forming the conventional bit line contact plug and the bit line using the tungsten film as a bit line material will be briefly described.
After an interlayer insulation film is formed over upper portion of a semiconductor substrate formed with a desired base structure, the interlayer insulation film is etched to form a hole for a bit line contact plug. Ti/TiN film is formed as a barrier film over the interlayer insulation film including the surface of the hole. A tungsten film is formed as a conductive film over the barrier film to fill the hole. A hard mask made of a nitride film defining a bit line forming area is formed on the tungsten film.
The conductive film and the barrier film are etched using the hard mask as an etching mask to form a bit line contact plug in the hole and also to form a bit line over the interlayer insulation film such that the bit line is in contact with the bit line contact plug.
The conductive film serves to transfer most of the electric flows when the semiconductor is operating, and the barrier film serves to improve the contact resistance and protects the junction area by inhibiting chemical reaction between the tungsten film and any of the base structure during the deposition of the tungsten film.
However, the thickness ratio of the barrier film and the conductive film has reached to almost 1:1 when fabricating a highly integrated semiconductor device, causing various problems.
A conventional bit line structure in a semiconductor device, for example, has a bit line contact plug and a bit line 130 including a barrier film and a conductive film respectively, and the thickness for each of the barrier film and the conductive film is almost same.
When the thickness for each of the barrier film and the conductive film is almost same, the subsequent photo and etching processes are difficult to carry out, and the parasitic capacitance of the semiconductor increases, thereby degrading the device properties and lowering the production yield.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device capable of reducing parasitic bit line capacitance


An apparatus for separating wing tips from poultry carcasses includes a suspended conveyor device and a support guide for guiding the neck and shoulder region. The guide extends in the transport direction and is arranged below the carcass, and has at least one support surface to support the neck and shoulder region. A lower arm guide is configured for guiding the poultry lower arm and wing tip and is arranged at the side of the support guide. A first hold-down guide holds down the poultry upper arm under pretension and is arranged stationarily. A second hold-down guide is arranged downstream of the first hold-down guide and has at least two guiding elements for holding down the upper arm. The guiding elements are movable in deflection against a return force. A separating device is configured for separating the wing tip and is arranged in the region of the second hold-down guide.

Such apparatuses and methods for separating wing parts are known for example from document WO 92/07470 A1. The wing parts are brought into a cutting position by means of wing holders which hold the poultry wing with its constituent parts—the poultry upper arm, poultry lower arm and wing tip—and separate these on both sides simultaneously by means of rotating knives.
A further apparatus and a method for cutting poultry are disclosed in document EP 3 205 213 A1, in which wings or wing parts are separated only on one side of the poultry carcass.
The known apparatuses and methods have the disadvantage that because of the variations in size and anatomy of poultry carcasses, it is not always possible to guarantee a precise cutting path and observation of a predefined separating position, or the apparatus necessary for this entails a high constructional cost.

Device, method and assembly for separating wing tips from poultry carcasses


A constant-velocity joint 1 includes an outer ring with three raceway grooves formed therein, a tripod member having three tripod shaft portions, and roller units each having a cylindrical inner roller externally fitted over the corresponding tripod shaft portion and an outer roller. The outer roller has an annular surface facing a ceiling surface of a raceway groove. The ceiling surface includes first and second contact portions and that come into contact with an outer edge of the annular surface when the roller unit is tilted. When an outside diameter of the annular surface is represented as a roller end surface diameter A, a width of the outer roller in an axial direction is represented as a roller width B, and an interval between the first and second contact portions is represented as a contact portion interval H, a relational expression (A+B)/H≧2.5 is satisfied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sliding constant-velocity joint used for a driving-force transmission path in a vehicle and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional sliding constant-velocity joint is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-197803 (JP 2012-197803 A). The sliding constant-velocity joint includes an outer ring shaped like a bottomed tube and having three raceway grooves, a tripod member with three tripod shaft portions extending in a radial direction, and double-roller-type roller units respectively supported by the tripod shaft portions so as to be pivotal. Each of the double-roller-type roller units has an outer roller that can roll through the corresponding raceway groove in the outer ring, an inner roller pivotally supported on an outer peripheral surface of the corresponding tripod shaft portion, and a plurality of rolling members (needle rollers) interposed between the outer roller and the roller so as to be able to roll. The tripod shaft portion is arranged so as to be able to swing with respect to the roller unit.
In the sliding constant-velocity joint described in JP 2012-197803 A, when a shaft fitted in the tripod member is tilted and rotated with respect to the outer ring, the roller unit is tilted in the raceway groove (pitching) to cause the outer roller and a ceiling surface of the raceway groove (a bottom surface of the raceway groove on the outer peripheral side in the outer ring) slide on each other. Thus, sliding friction occurs between these sliding portions. Furthermore, the outer roller rolls with an axial direction of the rolling elements tilted with respect to a direction in which the raceway groove extends. Consequently, sliding friction also occurs on an outer peripheral surface of the outer roller. Such sliding friction caused by the tilt of the roller unit is a factor in occurrence of a compelling force (inducing thrust force).


Mammalian xcex13(V) pro-collagen and collagen polypeptides and variants thereof are encoded by exemplified polynucleotides. Investigative, diagnostic and therapeutic methods employ the polypeptides, polynucleotides and related materials, such as antibodies, sense- or antisense oligonucleotides and polynucleotides, and the like.

Fibrils of the abundant collagen types I and II incorporate monomers of the low abundance fibrillar collagen types V and XI, respectively, which play a role in regulating type I collagen fibrillogenesis in vivo (1,2). Type V collagen helps regulate the size and shape of type I/V heterotypic fibrils (3-5). In some cases of classical Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a heritable connective tissue disorder, mutations in type V collagen genes (6-10) give rise to type I collagen fibrils of abnormal shape and diameter and cause connective tissue fragility, particularly in skin and joints. In chondrodysplasia, defects in a type XI collagen gene give rise to abnormal type II collagen fibrils (11).
Fibrillar collagens are synthesized as procollagen precursors with N- and C-propeptides that are proteolytically processed to yield mature monomers. Type V collagen is widely distributed in vertebrate tissues as an xcex11(V)2xcex12(V) heterotrimer (12,13) that helps regulate the diameters of fibrils of the abundant collagen type I. Previously, mutations in the human COL5A1 and COL5A2 genes, which encode the pro-xcex11(V) and pro-xcex12(V) chains, respectively, have been identified as the underlying defects in cases of the heritable connective tissue disorder classical EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) (formerly EDS types I and II, see Reference (Ref.) 76). However, both COL5A1 and COL5A2 have been excluded in some cases of classical type I (EDS I), while a locus has yet to be identified for the hypermobility type of EDS (formerly EDS type III), a condition marked by gross joint laxity, recurrent joint dislocation, and chronic diffuse musculoskeletal pain not attributable to joint involvement.
Another type V collagen is an xcex11(V)xcex12(V)xcex13(V) heterotrimer, isolated primarily from placenta (17,18), but also reported in uterus, skin, and synovial membranes (12,19-21). The xcex11(V)xcex12(V)xcex13(V) heterotrimer has remained poorly characterized but has a lower melting temperature than the xcex11(V)2xcex12(V) heterotrimer and may be incorporated into heterotypic fibrils. Type XI collagen, in the form of an xcex11(XI)xcex12(XI)xcex13(XI) heterotrimer (22), was first characterized as a minor collagen of cartilage. However, findings of type XI chains in noncartilaginous tissues (23), of type V chains in cartilage (24), and of cross-type heterotrimers composed of xcex12(V) and xcex11(XI) chains (25,26) now suggest that type V and type XI chains constitute a single collagen type in which different combinations of chains associate in a tissue-specific manner.
Complete primary structures of the type V/XI procollagen chains pro-xcex11(V), pro-xcex12(V), pro-xcex11(XI), and pro-xcex12(XI) are known (27-35). The pro-xcex13(XI) chain is thought to be an alternatively spliced product of the gene that encodes the pro-xcex11 chain of type II collagen (13, 24). Full-length cDNA sequences have provided not only the inferred primary structure of each chain, but have also provided probes that have allowed fine mapping of the expression domains of cognate mRNAs (27,36-41). Such studies are important, as the low levels of collagen type V/XI chains have limited biochemical and histochemical analyses of expression in developing and adult tissues. Nucleic acid probes have also enabled those studies which established the causal links between defects in type V/XI chains and genetic diseases (6-11).
Of the fibrillar procollagen chains, only the pro-xcex13(V) remains largely uncharacterized at the nucleotide and amino acid level. The xcex13(V) chain exhibits only limited distribution in mammals and is believed to be the least abundant fibrillar (type V/XI) collagen chain. The limited distribution may reflect a more specialized role than those of the other type V/XI chains. It is the only fibrillar (type V/XI) collagen or procollagen chain for which neither complete primary structure nor nucleic acid probes are available. About a third of the amino acid sequence of the major collagenous domain of the xcex13(V) chain was determined by N-terminal sequencing of proteolytic fragments (42). Nevertheless, a true understanding of the nature of mammalian type V/XI collagen and its roles in development, physiology, disease and treatment requires characterization the pro-xcex13(V) and xcex13(V) chains.
The present invention is summarized in that mammalian xcex13(V) polypeptides and variants thereof are disclosed, as are recombinant materials, including genetic constructs, and methods for their production. The invention is further summarized in that polynucleotides that encode the polypeptides and the variants are also disclosed. The invention is still further summarized in that investigative, diagnostic and therapeutic compositions and methods employing the polypeptides, polynucleotides and related materials, such as antibodies, sense- or antisense oligonucleotides and polynucleotides, and the like, are also disclosed. The chromosomal map positions in humans and mice of the polynucleotides that encode the mammalian xcex13(V) polypeptides are also disclosed.
It is an object of the present invention to enable production of large quantities of mammalian xcex13(V) polypeptide chains for research, diagnostic and therapeutic use.
It is an advantage of the present invention that collagen comprising mammalian pro-xcex13(V) or xcex13(V) chains can be synthesized for any such use.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Not applicable.
As used herein, a xe2x80x9cmammalian xcex13(V) polypeptidexe2x80x9d refers to a modified or unmodified polypeptide having an amino acid sequence characteristic of those shown in SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:4, or a novel fragment thereof, especially a fragment that is antigenic or has a biological activity. Preferably, a mammalian xcex13(V) polypeptide exhibits at least one biological activity of mammalian xcex13(V) procollagen or collagen. A mammalian xcex13(V) polypeptide can be a mature protein or a larger protein that can include native or non-native amino acid sequences at the N- or C-terminus or both, a propeptide sequence, or other sequence attached to the mature polypeptide sequence. These sequences can include amino acid sequences that assist in purification, detection, or stabilization of the mammalian xcex13(V) polypeptide.
Within the scope of the invention are polypeptides that have at least 80% amino acid identity to that of either SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4 over its entire length, and more particularly polypeptides having at least 90% identity, or more preferably at least 95% identity, to that of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4, when the sequences are aligned to obtain the highest order match using published techniques. Most preferred are polypeptides having between 97 and 99% amino acid identity to that of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4. The term xe2x80x9cidentityxe2x80x9d is given its art recognized meaning. Sequence identity can be determined, for example, using the methods disclosed by Devereux et al. (83), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
An polypeptide is, e.g., 80% xe2x80x9cidenticalxe2x80x9d if it contains up to 20 amino acid sequence differences, changes or alterations (including substitutions, deletions, or insertions) per each 100 amino acids in reference sequences SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4. The differences, changes or alterations can be at any position in the amino acid sequence of either polypeptide and can be interspersed as individual changes or contiguous differences.
A xe2x80x9cmammalian xcex13(V) polynucleotidexe2x80x9d refers to a polynucleotide that encodes any mammalian xcex13(V) polypeptide, or a polynucleotide fragment thereof, or a complement of any of the foregoing. A polynucleotide can be modified or unmodified DNA or RNA, whether fully or partially single-stranded or double-stranded or even triple-stranded. A modified polynucleotide can be chemically or enzymatically induced and can include so-called non-standard bases such as inosine. A preferred polynucleotide comprises any sequence that can encode a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4, where the number of such polynucleotides is substantial, in view of the well-known degeneracy in the genetic code. In a most preferred embodiment, the polynucleotide comprises a sequence of polypeptide-encoding nucleotides shown in SEQ ID NO:1 (bases 82 to 5298) or SEQ ID NO:3 (bases 87 to 5321), or is a polynucleotide fragment or complement of any of the foregoing.
Within the scope of the invention are polynucleotides that comprise nucleotide sequences having at least 80% identity to that of any of the foregoing over its entire length, and more preferably polynucleotides comprising sequences having at least 90% identity, or more preferably at least 95% identity, to that of SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3, when the sequences are aligned to obtain the highest order match using published techniques. A polynucleotide sequence is, e.g., 80% identical if it contains up to 20 nucleotide differences, changes or alterations (including substitutions, deletions, or insertions) per each 100 nucleotides in reference sequences SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3. The differences, changes or alterations can be at any position in the nucleotide sequence of either polynucleotide and can be interspersed as individual changes or contiguous differences.
Identified herein are certain fragments of the mouse and human polypeptides that were not previously known. These include SEQ ID NO:2 between amino acids 1 and 477, SEQ ID NO:2 between amino acids 564 and 663, SEQ ID NO:2 between amino acids 709 and 721, SEQ ID NO:2 between amino acids 758 and 785, SEQ ID NO:2 between amino acids 819 and 923, SEQ ID NO:2 between amino acids 1008 and 1052, SEQ ID NO:2 between amino acids 1086 and 1245, SEQ ID NO:2 between amino acids 1287 and 1310, SEQ ID NO:2 between amino acids 1334 and 1739, SEQ ID NO:4 between amino acids 1 and 478, SEQ ID NO:4 between amino acids 565 and 664, SEQ ID NO:4 between amino acids 710 and 722, SEQ ID NO:4 between amino acids 759 and 786 , SEQ ID NO:4 between amino acids 820 and 924, SEQ ID NO:4 between amino acids 1009 and 1053, SEQ ID NO:4 between amino acids 1087 and 1246, SEQ ID NO:4 between amino acids 1288 and 1311, and SEQ ID NO:4 between amino acids 1335 and 1745. Polypeptides having at least 80% identity to those polypeptide fragments, and preferably having at least 90%, 95%, 97% and 99% identity, are also within the scope of the invention, as are polynucleotides that encode any such polypeptide fragment.
The invention also includes polynucleotides that hybridize to any of the aforementioned polynucleotides under stringent conditions, such as overnight incubation at 42xc2x0 C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5xc3x97SSC (150 mM NaCl, 15 mM sodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.6), 5xc3x97 Denhardt""s solution, 10% Dextran Sulfate, and 20 micrograms/ml denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA, followed by washing the filters in 0.1xc3x97SSC at about 65xc2x0 C. Polypeptides encoded by any of the foregoing polynucleotides are also within the scope of the invention.
The polynucleotide can also be a variant of any of the foregoing. A xe2x80x9cvariantxe2x80x9d as the term is used herein, is a polynucleotide that differs from a reference polynucleotide but retains essential properties. Generally, differences are limited so that the sequences of the reference polypeptide or polynucleotide and the variant are closely similar overall and may be identical in part. A variant and reference polypeptide may differ in amino acid sequence by one or more substitutions, additions, deletions in any combination. A substituted or inserted amino acid residue may or may not be one encoded by the genetic code. A variant of a polynucleotide differs in nucleotide sequence from a reference polynucleotide. A variant polynucleotide may or may not encode an amino acid sequence that differs from the amino acid sequence encoded by the reference polynucleotide. Nucleotide changes can, but need not, result in amino acid substitutions, additions, deletions, fusions and truncations in the polypeptide encoded by the reference sequence. A variant of a polynucleotide or polypeptide can be a naturally occurring allelic variant, or can be a variant that is not known to occur naturally. Non-naturally occurring variants of polynucleotides may be made by mutagenesis techniques or by direct synthesis or other method.
In keeping with the present invention, exemplary amino acid sequences of mammalian pro-xcex13(V) proteins, precursors of mammalian xcex13(V) proteins, are disclosed, as are cDNA sequences that encode the exemplified human and murine amino acid sequences. Patterns of expression in developing and adult tissues are examined, and the chromosomal locations of the cognate mouse Col5a3 and human COL5A3 genes are mapped. Full length mammalian pro-xcex13(V) cDNA sequences from mice and humans are disclosed in SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:3, respectively. Pro-xcex13(V) chain encoded by the exemplified murine and human nucleic acid sequences are disclosed in SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:4, respectively. The full-length mouse pro-xcex13(V) cDNA and amino acid sequences will be available at GenBank Accession No. AF176645. The full-length human pro-xcex13(V) cDNA and amino acid sequences will be available at GenBank Accession No. AF177941.
The disclosed amino acid sequences have all of the indicia of procollagen chains. Signal peptide cleavage sites, predicted by the method of Nielsen et al. (82), are after amino acid residue 30 (Ala) in the mouse protein and after amino acid residue 29 (Ala) in the human protein. Pro-xcex13(V) is closely related to the xcex11(V) precursor, pro-xcex11(V), but with marked differences in N-propeptide sequences, and collagenous domain features that provide insights into the low melting temperature of xcex11(V)xcex12(V)xcex13(V) heterotrimers, lack of heparin binding by xcex13(V) chains and the possibility that xcex11(V)xcex12(V)xcex13(V) heterotrimers are incorporated into heterotypic fibrils.
In a related aspect, any polynucleotide sequence of the present invention, or an antisense version thereof, can be provided in a vector or genetic construct in a manner known to those skilled in the art. A polypeptide-encoding polynucleotide so provided in a vector can, but need not, be under the transcriptional control of one or more regulatory elements which can include a promoter not natively found adjacent to the polynucleotide such that the encoded polypeptide can be produced when the vector is provided in a compatible host cell or in a cell-free transcription and translation system. Such cell-based and cell-free systems are well known to the skilled artisan. Cells comprising a vector containing a polynucleotide of the invention are themselves within the scope of the invention.
Collagen and derivatives of collagen (gelatin) have been used in medical, pharmaceutical and consumer products for about 40 years. Examples of approved use of collagen include hemostats, vascular sealants, tissue sealants, implant coatings, injectable for plastic surgery, food additives, dental implants, artificial dura, wound dressings, antiadhesion barriers, antibiotic wound dressing, and platelet analyzer reagents. Human and animal collagen can be recombinantly reproduced. The disclosure of the full-length mouse pro-xcex13(V) cDNA and the full-length human pro-xcex13(V) cDNA in the present invention makes it possible to recombinantly reproduce human and animal collagen xcex13(V), which can be used in the applications described above. In addition, human pro-xcex13(V) has been found to express in many tissues including mammary gland, placenta, uterus, brain, fetal lung, and fetal and adult heart. The present invention allows the reproduction of collagen xcex13(V) for the purpose of matching its natural role in the body. Thus, if any of the above tissue is damaged, collagen xcex13(V) can be produced and used in the tissue repairing process.
The polynucleotides of the invention can also be employed as diagnostic reagents in assays for diagnosing a disease or susceptibility to a disease associated with xcex13(V) chains in human or non-human animals. Assays for detecting mutations in protein-encoding sequences are well known to the skilled artisan and can include assaying for changes in primary structure of a fragment by nucleotide sequence analysis, by digesting mismatched hybrids with RNase or by measuring changes in hybrid melting temperatures. Changes in sequence length resulting from insertion or deletion can be observed as a change in electrophoretic mobility of amplified fragments. The present invention also enables other methods for diagnosing changes in an xcex13(V)-encoding polynucleotide, such as nuclease protection assays, for one of ordinary skill in the art. A skilled artisan understands that such assays for diagnosing genetic changes at a fine scale in polynucleotides that encode xcex13(V) chains can be facilitated by providing an array of fragments of the polynucleotides of the invention for systematic screening in parallel for changes at any of a plurality of positions. This methodology enables an association between one or more mutations and a susceptibility to a disease such as classical or hypermobility type of EDS or diseases of other tissues in which xcex13(V) expression is noted such as diseases of female reproductive tissues or the heart as well as various other genetic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, connective tissue or skin.
The present invention also enables one to diagnostically determine whether a human or non-human animal exhibits an altered (e.g., increased or decreased) amount of an xcex13(V) chain or an mRNA that encodes xcex13(V) in one or more tissues of interest. Methods for measuring polynucleotide levels are well known in the art and include quantitative PCR, Northern blotting, dot blotting and others. Methods for measuring protein levels are also known and include ELISA, radioimmunoassay, competitive-binding assays and Western blotting.
Thus, the invention is also embodied in a diagnostic kit comprising one or more of any polynucleotide of the invention, a complementary sequence (antisense) to any polynucleotide of the invention, a polypeptide of the invention, or an antibody or single chain antibody against a polypeptide of the invention or against an immunogenic fragment thereof. An antibody can be obtained in any of several well-known methods such as hybridoma or trioma techniques and can also have utility in purifying xcex13(V) polypeptides or in treating diseases associated with the presence of xcex13(V).
An immunological response effective to protect a human or non-human mammal against undesired activities of wild type or mutant xcex13(V) polypeptides can also be raised in vivo by administering to the mammal an immunogenic polypeptide (either directly or by administering to the mammal a genetic vector comprising sequences that direct expression of the polypeptide under the control of a transcriptional promoter). A vaccine of this type can also include a suitable carrier or adjuvant and can be administered at standard dosages according to standard protocols. The vaccine is preferably administered parenterally by injection, but can also be administered by any route known to be effective for inducing an immune response.
The polypeptides of the invention also enable a skilled artisan to screen for agonists and antagonists of the polypeptides that can be selected using standard screening protocols that include the steps of expressing the polypeptide in or on suitable host cells, exposing the cells to various test compounds, and observing whether any test compound binds to the polypeptide or stimulates or inhibits any biological activity of the polypeptide relative to the binding or activity of the polypeptide in or on untreated control cells. The host cells can be any cells capable of expressing the polypeptide and can include mammalian cells, insect cells, yeast cells, or bacterial cells. Envisioned agonists and antagonists can include, but are not limited to, fragments of the full-length pro-xcex13(V) or xcex13(V) polypeptides that compete biologically with the full-length polypeptides as well as ligands, enzymes, receptors and the like that block active sites on the polypeptides and prevent their interaction with other molecules.
In another aspect, then, the invention extends to a screening kit for identifying agonists or antagonists of the polypeptides of the invention, where the kit contains at least one polypeptide of the invention, an isolated cell or portion of a cell (such as a cell membrane) that contains a polypeptide of the invention, or an antibody to a polypeptide of the invention. In yet another aspect, agonists and antagonists so obtained are within the scope of the invention.
In a therapeutic method, an agonist or antagonist can also be administered along with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to enhance or inhibit, respectively, a biological activity of the pro-xcex13(V) or xcex13(V) polypeptides. If the agonist or antagonist is itself a polypeptide or oligopeptide, it can be administered directly (with or without a suitable pharmaceutical carrier) or can be produced in vivo after administration of an expressible genetic vector that encodes the agonist or antagonist or a cell that contains the expressible genetic vector. Alternatively, expression of the pro-xcex13(V) or xcex13(V) polypeptides can be inhibited by administering an antisense sequence of the present invention to interfere with normal polypeptide expression. The antisense sequence can be administered directly (with or without a carrier) or can be produced in vivo after administration of a genetic vector capable of transcribing antisense genetic sequences. Appropriate dosages of an agonist or antagonist will vary depending upon the route of administration and the activity of the administered compound, but can readily be determined and optimized by a skilled artisan. Dosages in the range of between about 0.1 and 100 xcexcg/kg are generally appropriate.

Mammalian pro-xcex13(V) collagen chain genes


Cell culture devices are described herein that have notched lids, notched lids with corresponding gripping pads included on their bases, or gripping tabs included on their bases to minimize or eliminate the need for a user to contact a lid when attempting to lift or move a lidded cell culture device. In addition, methods for using the cell culture devices are also described herein.

Current cell culture devices (e.g. cell culture plates, cell culture dishes) are designed as lid and base systems wherein a separate base and lid are paired together to provide a cell culture environment. The base provides the cell culturing area of the device while the lid acts as a cover to protect the cell culturing area from particulate and microbiological contamination and, in some applications, to limit evaporation of media from the cell culturing area. Current cell culture devices include lid designs with a full skirt that generally inhibit the user from gaining easy capture of the base between a thumb and finger to allow the device to be easily picked up. The low profile (i.e. low side wall height) of the base of these devices when combined with the relatively long skirt of the lid often result in a situation where the lid is presented as the major contact surface for the user as they attempt to pick the device up from a storage location, a work surface, or a stack of like devices. In the best case outcome, the user exercises extreme care to capture the lid and base as a pair in order to move the pair from one place to another. In a less ideal outcome, the user inadvertently removes the lid during the device manipulation which, in turn, can result in cell culture contamination. In the worst case outcome, the full skirt of the lid inhibits the user from making robust contact with the base and leads to the user dropping the device during manipulation. Hence, there is a need for an improved design of lidded cell culture devices and this need is more readily apparent in view of the following detailed discussion about current cell culture devices and some of the additional problems associated with current cell culture devices.
Typically, cell culture plates have square or rectangular footprints. Examples of cell culture plates are multiple well assay plates, microwell plates, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) plates. In contrast, cell culture dishes typically have circular footprints. An example of a cell culture dish is the common petri dish which has been used in the laboratory environment since the 1880s. FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) provides a representation of an exemplary traditional petri dish 100. The traditional petri dish 100 has a circular base 102 and a circular lid 104. The circular base 102 has a flat bottom panel 106 and a base sidewall 108 extending substantially perpendicularly upward from the flat bottom panel 106. The circular lid 104 has a lid panel 110 and a lid sidewall 112 extending substantially perpendicularly downward from the lid panel 110. The inner diameter of the of the lid sidewall 112 is greater than the outer diameter of the base sidewall 108 such that the circular lid 104 when set on the circular base 102 covers the circular base 102 with the lid sidewall 112 extending over and covering the top of the base sidewall 108. The base sidewall 108 is of greater height than the depth of the lid sidewall 112.
Lidded cell culture devices (e.g. cell culture plates, cell culture dishes) are used in various fields including, for example, microbiology, cell culturing, tissue culturing, cell assays, and IVF. The currently marketed designs for cell culture dishes include fully skirted lids that have larger diameters than their respective bases. The currently marketed designs for cell culture plates include fully skirted lids with overall widths and lengths greater than their respective bases. The fully skirted design approach provides a lid that wraps over the side wall of the base to keep the lid located over the base. However, this lid design when combined with the standard low profile base design typically results in the lid skirt obscuring the base sidewall making it difficult to lift the plate or dish concurrent with its mounted and paired lid. Oftentimes the lid must be removed from the plate or dish in order lift and move the plate or dish base. Alternately, the user must carefully pinch both the lid and base between their thumb and finger concurrently to lift both the lid and base as a pair. As the overall dimension of the lid is greater than the overall dimension of the base and as the profile of the base is typically low, trying to concurrently capture both the lid and base by pinching a thumb and finger against them is very difficult. Often the user will rock the cell culture device off of the work surface slightly to gain contact of their thumb or finger to a small portion of the height of the base that is not obscured by the lid. This is especially true for cell culture dishes, as currently marketed dish designs include lid skirts of greater diameter than their paired base skirt diameter. Media spillage can readily occur as the user rocks the cell culture device in their attempt to capture both the lid and base. Hence, improved designs of cell culture devices are needed to address this problem.
Most current cell culture plate designs include a base skirt of sufficient height to allow the user to pick up the base and lid concurrently by capturing the base skirt between their thumb and finger. These plate designs, however, require the total height of the base to be greater than is absolutely required, include a lower profile lid skirt, or provide a lid skirt that is shorter than the ideal height to allow easy gripping by a thumb and finger. Even with this base skirt design, plate users often experience difficulty moving the cell culture plate without risk of inadvertently removing its paired lid. Or, avoiding this issue, the user has to make a concerted effort to capture the base skirt between their thumb and finger due to the relatively low profile of the base skirt. Current designs for cell culture dishes do not include a base skirt, but rather depend on the manual agility of the user to pinch a portion of both the lid skirt and base wall concurrently in order to lift a paired base and lid. The difficulty of capturing the lid and base concurrently in all of these cell culture dish and plate designs is compounded by the fact that the user is typically wearing plastic gloves and manipulating the cell culture device within the tight confines of a laboratory laminar flow hood. Hence, improved designs of cell culture devices are needed to address this problem.
Further, it is well understood that effective cell culturing entails the minimization of the potential introduction of contaminants such as particulate or unintended microbes to the cell culturing area within the cell culture devices. As the probability of contaminating the cell culturing area within a cell culture device is directly proportional to the number of times that the device lid is removed during the cell culturing process, it is evident that cell culture device designs should minimize the frequency that lids are unnecessarily removed from their bases. However, current cell culture devices are designed with lids that protrude beyond the base walls of the devices and this common lid and base design makes it difficult for the user to lift the lidded pair concurrently. As a result, current cell culture devices often experience unnecessary lid removal and, therefore, unnecessary exposure to contaminants when simply trying to transfer the device from one place to another within the laboratory environment. Hence, improved designs of cell culture devices are needed to address this problem.
Additionally, the user often performs other operations (e.g. pipetting, visual inspection of cells, microscopic inspection of cells) during cell culturing operations. During pipetting, the user typically holds a pipettor in their dominant hand while manipulating stacks and individual cell culture devices with their other, i.e. non-dominant, hand. This leaves the user in the undesirable position of handling a cell culture device that is often small and difficult to lift as a lid and base pair using their non-dominant hand. Hence, improved designs of cell culture devices are needed to address this problem.
Finally, though not necessarily a best practice during cell culturing processes, there are occasions when the user may place the lid of the cell culture device on a laboratory work surface. Current lid designs include a full skirt that leads to the potential that the lid becomes stuck to the laboratory work surface due to the creation of an area of lower air pressure (i.e. a relative vacuum) beneath the lid. This is especially true when the lid is removed from the base and set down such that the lid skirt is placed in contact with a wetted work surface. Hence, improved designs of cell culture devices are needed to address this problem.
Designers and manufacturers of cell culture devices have tried to address at least some of these problems by, for example, designing higher profile (i.e. higher side wall height) bases and/or shorter skirts on lids so as to minimize the lid skirt profile in comparison to the base sidewall profile. However, improved designs are still needed to address the aforementioned problems associated with the current lidded cell culture devices (e.g. cell culture plates, cell culture dishes).

Lidded cell culture devices with improved handling performance and methods for using same


The present invention relates to the use of block copolymers based on OH-, COOH- or amino-functionalized polyolefins and polyesters as binders in coating compositions, preferably paints, especially for improving the adhesion of coatings, especially coil coatings on metals, and to coating compositions comprising the block copolymers mentioned.

Polyester polyols and polyether polyols nowadays have many uses as raw materials, including for production of paint resins which are utilized, for example, for the preliminary coating of metals. For this purpose, the polyols are generally dissolved in solvents and, after application to the metal, crosslinked with melamine while heating, in the course of which the crosslinked polyester adheres to the metal and the solvent evaporates.
An essential factor for the adhesion is the nature of the substrate, i.e. generally the nature of the metal. In many cases, the metals are soiled owing to processing steps, for example by oil residues. Residues of this kind lead to a distinct reduction in adhesion and wetting of the paint system on the metal. For this reason, in the current standard processes, intensive cleaning of the metals is required before the actual coating with the paint system. This additional cleaning is generally very inconvenient and laborious.
The problem addressed was thus that of providing systems which get around the disadvantages of the prior art mentioned.
Said problem is solved through the use of block copolymers according to the present invention. The present invention accordingly firstly provides for the use of block copolymers formed from OH-, COOH- or amino-functionalized polymers and polyesters as binders in coating compositions, preferably paints, especially for improvement of the adhesion of coatings, especially coil coatings on metals.
The present invention accordingly firstly provides for the use of block copolymers formed from OH-, COOH- or amino-functionalized polymers and polyesters as binders in coating compositions, wherein the OH-, COOH- or amino-functionalized polymers are selected from NH2- or NHR- or NR2-functionalized polyamides, NH2- or NHR- or NR2-functionalized polyamines, OH- or COOH-functionalized polystyrene or OH- or COOH-functionalized polyolefins, where R is identical or different organic radicals, preferably aliphatic or aromatic radicals having preferably 1 to 20 and more preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms.


A data interpolating system by which the operating quantity can be decreased and no truncation error is produced. A data processor comprises a discrete value extracting section 10, a sampling function operating section 20, and a convolution operating section 30 so as to perform interpolation between discrete values. The discrete value extracting section 10 extracts just previous four value from successively inputted discrete data, and the sampling function operating section 20 calculates, when the data interpolating position is specified, the value of the interpolating position based on the distances between the data interpolating position and the discrete values by using a sampling function of local support which can be differentiated only once over the whole region. The convolution operating section 30 multiplies the values of the four sampling functions by the discrete values, and adds up the products, thus performing convolution operation and outputting the interpolation value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data interpolating system interpolation a value between discrete data such as sounds and images. In this specification, it is assumed that a case where function values have finite values except zero in a local region and becomes zero in regions different from the region is called a xe2x80x9clocal support.xe2x80x9d
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a method of performing data interpolation by using a sampling function is known as a data interpolation for obtaining a value between sample values that are given beforehand.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a sampling function called a sinc function conventionally known. This sinc function is obtained when a Dirac delta function is inverse-Fourier-transformed, and becomes one only at a sample point, where t=0, and zero at all other sample points.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of data interpolation by using the sampling function shown in FIG. 5.
By the way, in case where a conventional data interpolation system by using the sinc function as a sampling function, it is theoretically possible to obtain an accurate interpolation value by adding values of respective sampling functions, corresponding to sample points from xe2x88x92∞ to +∞, with convolution. Nevertheless, when the above-described interpolation operation is actually attempted with one of various types of processors, a truncation error arises due to the truncation of processing within a finite interval. Therefore, this system has a problem that sufficient accuracy cannot be obtained if the interpolation operation is performed with a small number of sample values. For example, so as to obtain 96 dB of dynamic range of S/N ratio in a sample signal, 1024 sample points should be considered, and hence, in case of using sample points less than the quantity, it is not possible to obtain sufficient sound quality. Furthermore, it is similar in consideration of image data, it is not possible to obtain sufficient image quality in case of performing interpolation processing with a small number of sample points, and the operation quantity becomes huge in case of increasing sample points, which become objects of calculation, on the contrary. Therefore, this is not practical.
The present invention is created in consideration of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a data interpolation system that can reduce operation quantity and has a small error.
A data interpolation system of the present invention performs interpolation operation between plural of discrete data by using a sampling function that can be differentiated and has values of a local support. Therefore, since it is good enough only to make discrete data, included in this local support interval, be objects of the interpolation operation, the operation quantity is few, and it is possible to obtain good interpolation accuracy because of no truncation error arising.
In particular, it is preferable to use a function of the local support, which can be differentiated only once over the whole range, as the sampling function described above. It is considered that it is necessary that various signals existing in the natural world have differentiability because the signals change smoothly. Nevertheless, it is considered that it is not necessary that the differentiability is not always infinite, and that it is possible to sufficiently approximate natural phenomena so long as the signals can be differentiated only once.
In this manner, although there are many advantages by using a sampling function of the local support that can be differentiated finite times, conventionally, it was considered that a sampling function fulfilling these conditions did not exist. Nevertheless, by the present inventor""s research, a function fulfilling the conditions described above is found.
Concretely, letting a third order B spline function be F(t), a sampling function H(t) to which the present invention is applied can be obtained by equation, xe2x88x92F(t+xc2xd)/4+F(t)xe2x88x92F(txe2x88x92xc2xd)/4. This sampling function H(t) is a function of a local support that can be differentiated only once in the whole region and whose value converges to zero at t=xc2x12, and fulfills two conditions described above. By performing the interpolation between discrete data by using such a function H(t), it is possible to perform the interpolation operation whose operation quantity is few and whose accuracy is high. Therefore, in case of using, discrete data that are obtained by sampling sounds or images for example, it becomes possible to perform real-time processing whose accuracy is high.
In addition, the three order B spline function F(t) can be expressed as (4t2+12t+9)/4 in xe2x88x92{fraction (3/2)}xe2x89xa6t less than xe2x88x92xc2xd, xe2x88x922t2+{fraction (3/2)} in xe2x88x92xc2xdxe2x89xa6t less than xc2xd, and (4t2xe2x88x9212t+9)/4 in xc2xdxe2x89xa6txe2x89xa6{fraction (3/2)}. Therefore, it is possible to perform calculation of the sampling function, described above, by such a piecewise polynomial expressed in quadric functions. Hence, it is possible to reduce the operation quantity due to comparatively simple operation contents.
In addition, it is possible to express the sampling function in quadric piecewise polynominals without expressing the sampling function by using the B spline function as described above. Concretely, it is possible to perform the above-described interpolation processing by using a sampling function defined in (xe2x88x92t2xe2x88x924t xe2x88x924)/4 in xe2x88x922xe2x89xa6t less than xe2x88x92{fraction (3/2)}, (3t2+8t+5)/4 in xe2x88x92{fraction (3/2)}xe2x89xa6t less than xe2x88x921, (5t2+12t+7)/4 in xe2x88x921xe2x89xa6t less than xe2x88x92xc2xd, (xe2x88x927t2+4)/4 in xe2x88x92xc2xdxe2x89xa6t less than xc2xd, (5t2xe2x88x9212t+7)/4 in xc2xdxe2x89xa6t  less than 1, (3t2xe2x88x928t+5)/4 in 1xe2x89xa6t less than {fraction (3/2)}, and (xe2x88x92t2+4txe2x88x924)/4 in ⅔xe2x89xa6txe2x89xa62.
In addition, the data interpolation system of the present invention includes discrete data extracting unit, sampling function operating unit, and convolution operating unit so as to perform the above-described interpolation operation. The discrete data extracting unit extracts a plurality of discrete data, which exists so as to sandwich a data interpolating position, and which is an object of interpolation operation. The sampling function operating unit calculates a value of the sampling function H(t) for each of a plurality of discrete data extracted in this manner, letting distance between the data interpolating position and discrete data be t. Furthermore, the convolution operating unit performs convolution operation to a plurality of values of the sampling function that is obtained by the calculation. In this manner, just by calculating values of the sampling function corresponding to a plurality of discrete data extracted and performed the convolution operation to this result, it is possible to perform data interpolation between discrete values and to drastically reduce processing volume necessary for interpolation processing. Furthermore, since no truncation error arises by using a sampling function of a local support as described above, it is possible to increase processing accuracy.


A goods handling facility having a storage rack with vertically aligned sves, storage containers disposed within the racks, a shelf conveying device movable alongside the storage rack, a support frame disposed within the shelf conveying device, and at least one transport frame supported in the support frame with shelves for the storage containers. A charging device for collecting individual storage containers from the storage racks is mounted at the support frame and is displaceable relative to the support frame. Lot forming takes place at a stationary goods removing station from a transport frame deposited thereat. The charging device is adapted to transfer storage containers from the transport frame into the storage rack, and vice versa. At the goods removing station a transport frame is removed from the support frame of the shelf conveying device permitting an exchange of transport frames. The exchanged transport frame is then moved alongside the storage rack. Then individual storage containers for another given lot are collected from the storage racks into the next transport frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a goods handling facility for a storage depot having shelves and including storage containers which are retrievable thereout, and having at least one means for conveying shelves and operative to transport storage containers between the storage depot and a goods removing station. The invention relates further to a method of operating said goods handling facility.
Facilities of such design are generally in practical use, for instance, in consignment procedures, i.e. for a readying of articles of a goods or wares depot according to a client's order for a later shipping or for feeding such goods to the production line, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a commonly known facility of the kind mentioned above a shelf conveying means fetches one respective storage container after the other according to the prevailing order from the depot and conveys it to a goods removing station, at which station such goods are removed and whereby the storage container is deposited thereafter again at the same location. Obviously it is also possible to remove complete containers out of the depot, which containers completely leave the facility.
Such goods handling facilities which are termed also small parts depots incorporate a limited handling facility capacity due to the relatively long passages from the respective deposit location to the goods removing station.
Due to the general trend in the logistic goods chains of the producing and goods distributing industry to reduce the inventories and to carry out the supply within as short as possible time and on time, there is a desire for goods storage facilities having a high handling capacity and a relatively low storage volume.
According to the present state of the prevailing art a high handling capacity necessitates high investment costs because a correspondingly higher number of means for conveying shelves (RFZ) must be employed.

Goods handling facility and a method of operating same

Gesellschaft fur Roboter und Logistiktechnologie, Rollotec AG


A toy projectile apparatus and method are disclosed in which the apparatus may include an elongated body having a wall defining an open interior, a closed end and an open end. A base member may be positioned in the open interior and configured to be moveable along the length thereof. A spring may also be positioned in the interior of the body with one end contacting the closed end of the body and another end contacting the base member so that the base member is biased toward the open end of the body. A resilient member or cap may also be mounted on an exterior of the body at the closed end. One or more toy accessories may also be used in conjunction with the toy projectile apparatus.

Popping or jumping toys have been available in the marketplace for more than a century. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 202,990 (1878) to Chinnock disclosed a jumping toy in the form of a doll. In 2002, U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,969 to Spector disclosed a figure that may be launched by inserting a post into the figure to engage an elastic spring concealed in the figure. And, in 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,392 to Fortunato disclosed a toy rocket and launching assembly in which a post was inserted into a rocket body that engaged a rubber band for propelling the rocket. However, while popping toys have been available for some time, considerable room remains for advancement in the art.


Methods and well treatment fluids for fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore are provided, the method comprising injecting a well treatment fluid into the well bore at a pressure and flow rate sufficient to fracture the subterranean formation, wherein the well treatment fluid comprises an iron-containing breaker compound. The methods can be used to reduce viscosity of well treatment fluids.

Fluids exhibit a measurable property known as viscosity, a term which may be broadly defined as the internal friction or molecular attraction of a given material which manifests itself in resistance to flow. It is measured in liquids by standard test procedures and is usually expressed in poise or centipoise (cP) at a specified temperature, although in oil technology it is sometimes expressed in seconds required for a given volume to flow through a specified orifice at a definite temperature. The viscosity of a fluid is an indication of a number of behavior patterns of the liquid at a given temperature including pumping characteristics, rate of flow, wetting properties, and a tendency or capacity to suspend an insoluble particulate material.
There are a number of industrial operations wherein it is desirable to employ viscous aqueous solutions. For example, viscous aqueous solutions are employed to fracture subterranean formations penetrated by a borehole for increasing the production of petroleum fluids, namely crude oil and natural gas. Viscous aqueous solutions are also employed in the secondary recovery of oil from oil bearing subterranean formations by fluid drive processes.
It is common practice to treat subterranean formations to increase the permeability or conductivity of such formations by procedures that are identified generally as fracturing processes. For example, it is a conventional practice to hydraulically fracture a well bore in order to produce one or more cracks or "fractures" in the surrounding formation by mechanical breakdown of the formation. Fracturing may be carried out in wells that are completed in subterranean formations for virtually any purpose. The usual candidates for fracturing, or other stimulation procedures, are production wells completed in oil and/or gas containing formations. However, disposal wells and injection wells used in secondary or tertiary recovery operations, for example, for the injection of water or gas, may also be fractured in order to facilitate the injection of fluids into such subterranean formations.
Hydraulic fracturing is accomplished by injecting a well treatment fluid into the well bore and applying sufficient pressure on the well treatment fluid to cause the formation to break down with the attendant production of one or more fractures. The well treatment fluid may include a suspended proppant such as sand or other particulate material. The proppant may be deposited in the fractures and functions to hold the fractures open after the pressure is released and the well treatment fluid flows back to the surface. The well treatment fluid must have a sufficiently high viscosity to retain the proppant in suspension or at least to reduce the tendency of the proppant to settle out as it flows along the created fracture. Viscosifiers, such as a polysaccharide or a polyacrylamide, are often used to gel the well treatment fluid to provide the high viscosity needed to retain the proppant in suspension.
After the high viscosity well treatment fluid has been pumped into the well bore and fracturing of the formation and deposition of the proppant has occurred, it is desirable to remove the fluid from the formation to allow hydrocarbon production through the new fractures. Generally, the removal of the highly viscous well treatment fluid is realized by "breaking" the gel, i.e., converting the well treatment fluid into a low viscosity fluid. Breaking the gelled well treatment fluid has commonly been accomplished by adding a "breaker," that is, a viscosity-reducing agent, to the well treatment fluid prior to pumping the well treatment fluid into the subterranean formation.
Acrylamide-containing polymers are often added to well treatment fluids in oilfield applications to reduce friction or to modify rheological properties of the fluid. Such polymers may persist in the fluid or formation for an extended period of time. The polymer residue may plug some of the permeability of the rock, hinder recovery of the water used in the well treatment fluid, or reduce the availability of a source of nitrogen that can support the growth of bacteria in the well. In order to facilitate removal of these polymers after the task has been completed, treatments involving oxidizer-based breakers, for example persulfate salts, may be applied. Breakers can be used in this manner to generate smaller polymeric fragments with more benign environmental profile.

Breakers containing iron compounds and their methods of use


For preventing frequent use of auto-focus control and also for acquiring stable in-focus positions for target-objects, this invention comprises system control section 60 having a second mode to drive magnification adjustment lens 11 or focus adjustment lens 12 upon a user command, and a third mode to transition to a first mode under pre-determined conditions in the second mode, and to set in-focus states of a lens group, wherein system control section 60 stores a reference target-object distance in reference target-object distance storage section 43 when focus adjustment lens 12 is driven by user commands in the second mode, drives focus adjustment lens 12 not based on a current target-object distance but the lens in-focus trajectory data to retain the reference target-object distance when the magnification adjustment lens 11 is driven by user commands, and re-transitions to the second mode without updating the reference target-object distance, after the third mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensing device, more particularly, to an image sensing device which is capable of switching an auto-focus control and a manual control.
2. Description of the Related Art
In image sensing devices such as surveillance cameras, video cameras, or the like, the auto-focus control and the manual control are extensively utilized. Further, the manual control includes two types which are a manual-focus control and a manual-focus-trace control. Incidentally, in this specification, the auto-focus control is denoted by a first mode, and the manual control is denoted by a second mode.
The auto-focus control is a control for performing focus adjustment automatically by driving a focus-lens automatically. To the contrary, the manual-focus control is a control for a user to drive a focus-lens manually for performing focus adjustment. The manual-focus-trace control is a control for a user to drive the zoom-lens manually and then to drive the focus-lens automatically so as to maintain the in-focus state for the identical target object, even after the zoom-lens is traveled.
In the case of the manual-focus-trace control, when the zoom-lens is traveled, the focus-lens needs to be traveled to an exact corresponding position in order to perform focus adjustment on a target object which is located in the identical target object distance. Here, a lens in-focus trajectory data, which indicates a position of the zoom-lens and a position of the focus-lens, is utilized.
Here, the lens in-focus trajectory data is explained with reference to FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a graph of the lens in-focus trajectory data.
As shown in FIG. 4, a horizontal axis on the graph represents the position of the zoom-lens, and a vertical axis shows the position of the focus-lens. The diagram shows in-focus positions of both lenses for the identical target object distance. A plurality of curves, in accordance with the target object distance, are shown in the diagram on the tele-side position of the zoom-lens. Based on this diagram, the position of the focus-lens is determined in accordance with the position of the zoom-lens determined by the user.
On the other hand, in the case of surveillance cameras which perform a long-time video-shooting, in consideration of a life of driving the focus-lens, the manual control is mainly utilized, and is changed to the auto-focus control only if an in-focus position adjustment is required with a high precision. One example is a control method to switch from the manual control to the auto-focus control when the user issues a command or manipulates a button, thereafter, to switch back to the manual control after the in-focus position adjustment is completed. Furthermore, the other example is a control method to perform the manual control while the zoom-lens is being traveled, then subsequently to switch from the manual control to the auto-focus control immediately after the zoom-lens is traveled, thereafter to switch back to the manual control after the in-focus position adjustment is completed.
(For example, see JP 2005-62665 A, JP 2006-215285 A and JP H11-281869 A.)
JP 2005-62665 A discloses a technique to switch from the auto-focus control to the manual control immediately after the in-focus position adjustment is completed in the auto-focus control.
JP 2006-215285 A discloses a control technique to determine whether the zoom-lens is being traveled or not, to prohibit the auto-focus control while the zoom-lens is being traveled, and to enable the auto-focus control while the zoom-lens is not being traveled. Moreover, JP 2006-215285 A also describes that, in the case of performing focus adjustment on the required target object by traveling the zoom-lens to the tele-side before starting the shooting, the in-focus position can be adjusted, by disabling the auto-focus control in the wide-side, even if the zoom-lens is traveled to the tele-side.
JP H11-281869 A discloses a technique to travel the focus-lens onto an infinity tracking curve (a curve to indicate the zoom-lens position and the focus-lens position) and to fix the focus-lens when a zoom-lens operation command is issued, subsequently, to travel the zoom-lens and the focus-lens along the infinity tracking curve, then, to perform focus adjustment by the auto-focus control once the zooming operation is completed, and thereafter, to turn off the focus motor.

Image sensing device, image sensing device control method, and program for the control method


In various embodiments, electronic devices containing switchably conductive silicon oxide as a switching element are described herein. The electronic devices are two-terminal devices containing a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact in which at least one of the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact is deposed on a substrate to define a gap region therebetween. A switching layer containing a switchably conductive silicon oxide resides in the gap region between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. The electronic devices exhibit hysteretic current versus voltage properties, enabling their use in switching and memory applications. Methods for configuring, operating and constructing the electronic devices are also presented herein.

Transistors have long been a bulwark of modem electronics due to their extreme reliability, ease of use, and high ON/OFF ratios of 10.sup.4-10.sup.5. Transistors are three-terminal devices that include source, drain, and gate electrode terminals. Two-terminal electronic devices, having only source and drain electrodes, typically have displayed much smaller ON/OFF ratios that have largely precluded their use in electronic switching and memory applications. However, such two-terminal electronic devices can be used in switching and memory applications, provided the devices can be made to display a non-linear current versus voltage response with sufficiently high ON/OFF ratios that are reproducible over operational cycling. In addition, two-terminal devices are desirable in electronics applications, since removal of the gate electrode terminal allows for continued device miniaturization to take place.
For many years, passive two-terminal electronic devices were thought to be limited to resistors, capacitors and inductors. However, based on theoretical considerations, a fourth two-terminal electronic device, a memristor, was proposed, and a nanoscale two-terminal electronic device having memristive properties was discovered in 2008. In macroscale devices, memristive effects are typically minimal. Simply put, a memristor is a passive two-terminal electronic device that continues to "remember" its last resistance state even when there is no bias voltage being applied to the device. On a more fundamental level, a memristor links the magnetic flux to charge. To function as a memristor, a two-terminal electronic device has to display a hysteresis in its current versus voltage profile.
Throughout the history of the semiconductor industry, silicon oxides [including silicon monoxide SiO, silicon dioxide SiO.sub.2 and non-stoichiometric silicon oxide SiO.sub.x (1<x<2)]] have long been considered to be a passive, insulating component in the construction of electronic devices. However, under appropriate conditions described herein, silicon oxides may become conductive and exhibit a hysteretic current versus voltage response. Such hysteretic behavior makes possible the construction of two-terminal electronic devices containing silicon oxides as a switching component. Such two-terminal electronic devices can be functional as memristors and other memory elements if their ON/OFF ratios can be made sufficiently high.
In view of the foregoing, two-terminal electronic devices containing silicon oxides exhibiting a hysteretic current versus voltage response would be of benefit in the electronics arts. Specifically, such two-terminal electronic devices may have functionality as memristors and other memory elements for switching and memory applications. In addition, two-terminal electronic devices containing silicon oxides are readily compatible with existing semiconductor manufacturing techniques, thereby facilitating their implementation in conventional electronics.

Electronic devices containing switchably conductive silicon oxides as a switching element and methods for production and use thereof


Systems and methods for providing an improved multiradio system. An exemplary system includes first and second antennas and a first receiver that receives a signal from the first antenna, filters the received signal based on bandwidths associated with a traffic collision-avoidance system (TCAS), a transponder, and a universal access transceiver (UAT). The system digitizes the filtered signal and digitally downconverts the digitized signal. A second receiver receives a signal from the second antenna, filters the signal received from the second antenna based on the TCAS, the transponder, the UAT, and distance-measuring equipment (DME), separates the filtered signal into a first signal having a bandwidth associated with the TCAS, the transponder, the UAT and the lower half of the DME RF band, and into a second signal having a bandwidth associated with the upper half of the DME RF band, digitizes the first and second signal, and digitally downconverts the digitized first and second signals.

Currently, up to four radio systems are required to implement traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS), air traffic control (ATC) transponder, distance-measuring equipment (DME), and universal access transceiver (UAT) avionics functions on an aircraft. This would require four different transceivers. This implementation is not optimal in terms of weight, cost, volume, and power consumption.
Some systems have attempted to resolve this problem. In one current embodiment of an L-band receiver system, a DME receiver is included along with a receiver for the TCAS, transponder, and UAT. This prior-art design still includes all the analog circuitry for generating three separate narrowband signals for the TCAS, transponder, and UAT intermediate frequency (IF) outputs. The DME IF output is separately generated.

Multichannel, multimode, multifunction L-band radio transceiver


An object of the present invention is to provide a graft copolymer that is usable as various functional materials, that is stimulus responsive, and that is soluble in water at ordinary temperatures; and to provide an aqueous coating composition that comprises the graft copolymer as a thickener. The present invention also provides a rheology modifier for an aqueous coating composition comprising a graft copolymer consisting of (A) a main chain comprising an N-substituted (meth)acrylamide compound and having a lower critical solution temperature in water of 40° C. or higher, and (B) a hydrophobic side chain.

There has been extensive investigation of the use of stimuli-responsive materials as industrially applicable functional materials. Among these, many organic materials, such as thermochromic leuco dyes and heat-sensitive liquid crystal materials, are in practical use for thermal response, i.e., response to heat, which is the most common form of stimulation.
Non-patent Literature 1 and 2 are a review on stimuli-responsive polymers and also mention graft polymers.
In addition, patent applications that have a technical feature of using stimuli-responsive polymers with a controlled structure have been filed. Patent Literature 1 discloses a polymer gel film made of a thermally responsive graft polymer. Patent Literature 2 discloses a composition that comprises an ABC-type block polymer including at least one stimuli-responsive block, and also discloses use of the composition as an ink composition, an image-forming method using the composition, and the like.
Further, Patent Literature 3 discloses that the use of an aqueous solvent, in particular, in the composition disclosed in Patent Literature 2, provides materials having excellent dispersion stability. Patent Literature 2 and 3 also disclose in the detailed description that the state of a system undergoes a "critical change" in response to stimuli, and disclose causing a temperature-induced sol-gel transition as an example of preferred change. Additionally, it is disclosed that the temperature that causes the critical change is about 20° C. in polyethoxyethyl vinyl ether and about 70° C. in polymethoxyethyl vinyl ether.
As a patent application that employs heat-thickening action of thermally responsive polymers, in particular, Patent Literature 4 discloses using a graft polymer in which one of a main chain segment and side chain segments has an LCST of 30 to 80° C. and the other is water-soluble, as a heat-thickening composition for coating of paper. Patent Literature 5 discloses an aqueous composition comprising a water-soluble polymer chain to which a polymer chain with an LCST is block-linked or grafted. Patent Literature 6 discloses a block copolymer thickener consisting of a hydrophilic polymer and a polymer having an LCST of 0 to 50° C. The compositions disclosed in Patent Literature 5 and 6 are used as cosmetics.
Meanwhile, Patent Literature 7 discloses a graft copolymer consisting of a hydrophilic main chain and a hydrophobic side chain. The graft copolymer disclosed in Patent Literature 7 is used as an aqueous ink pigment dispersion, and N-alkyl-substituted (meth)acrylamide is exemplified as a constituent monomer of the side chain. However, Patent Literature 7 nowhere discloses an LCST of the main chain and is also silent about thermal sensitivity and the function provided thereby.

Flow modifier for water-based coating material and water-based coating composition containing same


The present invention relates to a gaming machine, methods of gaming systems. In particular, a gaming machine which provides a spinning reel game of chance is provided. Certain symbols are controlled to expand to cover other symbols of virtual spinning reels, in order to provide the player with a dynamic visual game appearance.

While gaming equipment provides players with enjoyment, a need exists for alternative gaming equipment in order to maintain or increase player enjoyment. Accordingly, offering a range of different and unique spinning reel games of chance in slot machines can assist in maintaining and increasing player enjoyment. Gaming equipment, such as a slot machine, incorporating an embodiment(s) of the present invention can offer a spinning reel game of chance in which certain symbols are capable of expanding to thereby provide the player with a dynamic visual game appearance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Gaming machines and methods of gaming providing enhanced presentation of an expandable symbol

Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited


A shock absorber has a rebound stop assembly. The rebound stop assembly is mounted to the piston rod and includes an outer housing assembly slidably disposed within the working cylinder of the shock absorber and an inner housing member secured to the piston rod and slidably disposed in the outer housing member. The housing members define a damping chamber therebetween for receiving damping fluid therein. The rebound stop assembly also includes a damping device associated with the inner and outer housing members for creating a damping force in the shock absorber after a predetermined amount of rebound stroke of the piston within the working cylinder. A restrictive passage controls the flow of fluid from the damping chamber and this restrictive fluid flow provides additional damping at the end of the rebound stroke.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rebound stop for a shock absorber and, more particularly, to a hydraulic assisted rebound stop assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, shock absorbers are designed such that the damping rate of the shock absorber becomes higher at the extreme ends of the rebound and compression strokes. The additional damping provided at these extreme ends prevents an abrupt halt to the piston rod travel as well as jarring metal-to-metal contact between the various parts in the shock absorber. A variety of mechanisms have been proposed to provide a higher damping rate at the two extremes. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,527,674 and 4,397,452, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention, disclose a rebound stop assembly including an elastomeric ring interposed between two collars, forming an annular chamber therebetween. At the end of the rebound stroke of the piston rod, the rebound stop assembly is compressed between the shoulders of the piston rod and the rod guide of the shock absorber until the elastomeric ring deforms to abut the inner wall of the working cylinder of the shock absorber. As the elastomeric ring deforms, the annular chamber decreases in volume. A restrictive passage formed between the elastomeric ring and the working cylinder of the shock absorber restricts the fluid flow from the annular chamber. The compression of the elastomeric ring and the restricted fluid flow provides additional damping at the end of the rebound stroke. It has been found, however, that after prolonged use under extreme temperatures not typically encountered in normal driving conditions, the elastomeric ring may degrade and the effectiveness of the rebound stop assembly maybe reduced or completely eliminated.
Secondary pistons also have been proposed to provide additional damping at the extreme end of the shock absorber. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,703 discloses the use of an additional piston fixed to the piston rod within the working cylinder of the shock absorber to provide additional damping at the end of the rebound stroke. As the piston rod nears the end of the rebound stroke in the '703 patent, the additional piston is forced into a fixed, tubular cylinder secured to the closed end of the shock absorber. Additional damping is provided by forcing hydraulic fluid from this tubular cylinder around the periphery of the additional piston. A similar type of rebound stop assembly is shown in GB 2,158,181, wherein a spring loaded additional piston is disposed above the main piston of the shock absorber. An elongated tubular cylinder extending the entire length of the working cylinder of the shock absorber is provided in a location opposite the outer surface of the additional piston. The additional piston travels within this fixed cylinder and additional damping is provided by forcing fluid from above the piston to below the piston. These types of rebound stop assemblies require elongated cylindrical tubings contained within the working cylinder of the shock absorber and are difficult and expensive to manufacture. The tolerances required to create effective damping are difficult to ensure.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic mechanical rebound stop assembly which effectively dampens motion of the piston at the end of its stroke while being economical to manufacture and assemble.

Hydraulic rebound stop assembly for a shock absorber