A ground fault circuit interrupter with a residual current device is suggested which comprises a tripping characteristic having a combined time-current curve that implements a minimum tripping time value of a first time-current curve and a second time-current curve for each current value.

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), also called residual current device (RCD), is a device that shuts off an electric power circuit when it detects that a leakage (residual) current is flowing along an unintended path. The use of some protective devices is specifically required in the National Electrical Code (NEC), which defines a ground fault circuit interrupter as "a device intended for the protection of personnel that functions to de-energize a circuit or portion thereof within an established period of time when a current to ground exceeds the values established for a Class A device." A Class A GFCI trips when the current to ground has a value in the range of 4 milliamps to 6 milliamps.
Tripping characteristics of ground fault circuit interrupters can be described by a tripping curve plotting the amount of time required for the device to interrupt the electric circuit in dependency of a detected residual current level.
More specifically, on the one hand in standard UL 2231-2 "Personnel protection systems for electric vehicle (EV) supply circuits—Particular requirements for protection devices for use in charging systems for electric vehicle charging" UL as a standards developer in the US defines a tripping characteristic the protection devices need to be compliant with.
On the other the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) as a further international standards organization has prepared the standard IEC 62752:2016 "In-cable control and protection devices (IC-CPDs) for mode 2 charging of electric road vehicles". This standard applies to portable devices performing simultaneously the functions of detection of the residual current, of comparison of the value of this current with the residual operating value and of opening of the protected circuit when the residual current exceeds this value.
Both standards are suggesting tripping characteristics for protection devices (GFCIs and RCDs) which are different from each other.
Consequently, the manufacturer of such protection devices are producing two different products each having its own tripping curve implemented: one product according to the UL standard and the other according to IEC standard.

Ground fault circuit interrupter with combined tripping curve for electric vehicle charging


A method of separating a mixture of liquid and insoluble solids in a filter press may comprise: diluting the mixture; adding a flocculating agent to the diluted mixture and stirring to form a chemically processed mixture; pumping the chemically processed mixture into a chamber between two filter plates in the filter press to form a filter cake, wherein the chamber is lined by filter cloths, and wherein, during the pumping, filtrate is forced through the filter cloths and out of the chamber; heating the filter cake in the chamber, wherein, during the heating, filtrate is forced through the filter cloths and out of the chamber; and releasing dried filter cake from the chamber. Furthermore, before the diluting, additional solids may be added to the mixture. The method may be used to dewater drilling mud, and mixtures of drilling mud with drill cuttings.

Drilling boreholes in the earth, for oil wells for example, involves the use of drilling mud and generates drill cuttings. Drilling muds, or fluids, typically comprise: a base fluid (such as water, oil, or a synthetic compound); weighting agents (such as barium sulfate); bentonite clay to help remove cuttings from the well and to form a filter cake on the walls of the borehole; lignosulfonates and lignites to keep the mud in a fluid state; and various additives, as required. Drill cuttings are solids removed from the borehole while drilling the well. Although sand and shale make up the majority of cuttings for oil wells, depending on the location, other geological formations may be encountered. Drill cuttings are usually removed from the drilling mud by flowing the drilling mud over shale shakers. Multiple shale shakers with progressively finer mesh screens may be used to remove enough of the drill cuttings to permit reuse of the drilling mud. However, in some circumstances, after flowing over shale shakers the drilling mud may still retain too many fine particulates for reuse.
After separation from the drilling mud in a shale shaker, the drill cuttings often retain a significant amount of drilling mud, which it may be desirable to recover. Furthermore, it may be necessary to recover some of the drilling mud from the drill cuttings before the drill cuttings can be properly disposed of according to local environmental regulations. There is a need for efficient methods and equipment for recovery of drilling mud from drill cuttings.
When drilling mud becomes too contaminated, or it is no longer needed, it must be reclaimed or disposed of in a way that satisfies local environmental regulations. To satisfy these regulations, and/or to reduce the weight of material that must be hauled off to certified disposal facilities, processing of the drilling mud may be necessary. This processing may include dewatering of the drilling mud. There is a need for efficient methods and equipment for dewatering of drilling mud.
In conclusion, there is a need for environmentally friendly methods of disposing of drill cuttings and drilling muds, and for equipment for implementing these methods.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dewatering of drilling mud using a filter press


An apparatus may include a memory to store a set of triangle vertices in a triangle, a processor circuit coupled to the memory and a cache to cache a set of triangle vertex indices corresponding to triangle vertices most recently transmitted through a graphics pipeline. The apparatus may also include an autostrip vertex processing component operative on the processor circuit to receive from the memory the set of triangle vertices, compare an index for each vertex of the set of triangle vertices to determine matches to the set of cached triangle vertex indices, and shift a single vertex index into the cache, the single vertex index corresponding to a vertex miss in which a given vertex of the set of triangle vertices does not match any vertex index of the set of cached triangle vertex indices when exactly two matches to the set of cached triangle vertex indices are found.

In processing data to generate an image, graphics processor (GPU) performance and power consumption is directly related to the choice of input topology used to model the objects presented in an image. In the present day, graphics processors typically render images using triangles as primitives. A major factor that defines the efficiency of image generation is the number of vertices required to describe the scene, e.g., the average number of vertices required to define a triangle. This is based on several factors, but is primarily due to the fact that GPUs typically transmit one vertex along a fixed-function geometry pipeline every clock. The practice of passing multiple vertices down the geometry pipeline in one clock is generally prohibitive with respect to semiconductor die area and power consumption. This is due to the amount of information associated with each vertex, the considerable length of the fixed-function geometry pipeline, and the complexity of processing input topologies to packets of a fixed number of vertices. In addition, the ability to process multiple vertices per clock is not always required, and therefore such practice may unnecessarily consume power and processor real estate.
Because of these considerations, the use of triangle strips to render images provides distinct advantages. A triangle strip is a series of connected triangles that share vertices, where each new vertex implicitly defines a new triangle. Triangle strips are used to accelerate the rendering of objects represented as triangle meshes. If the triangle strip (tristrip) topology is used, except for the first two vertices, each subsequent vertex defines a complete triangle. This contrasts with the so-called triangle list (trilist) topology, which renders each triangle separately and thereby requires three vertices to define a single triangle. Thus, in principle, the number of vertices sent to the GPU to define n triangles in a mesh may be reduced from 3n to n+2 in the best case.
Nonetheless, current graphics processing applications including 3D graphics almost exclusively use trilist input topologies even though there is generally a high-level of connectivity between triangles in the trilists. There are several reasons for the persistence of trilist topology including but not limited to the following: 1) tristrip topologies only allow subsequent triangles to connect to the strip at the last submitted edge and this restrictive adjacency limits their usefulness in modeling complex shapes; 2) tristrip topologies tend to be rather short (few vertices) when used to directly model objects, which may yield poor performance due to driver and GPU overhead Draw-Call overhead and the limited opportunity to amortize this overhead over the few triangles typically generated within each object of the topology; 3) Historically, 3D application programming interfaces (APIs) did not directly support packing multiple, variable-length tristrips in a draw call.
On the other hand, use of trilist topologies typically lead to performance and power consumption issues, including but not limited to the following: 1) Most GPUs incorporate VertexShader (VS) cache in order to limit redundant vertex shading. Although vertices in a trilist topology with significant spatial coherency benefit from this VS cache, each triangle requires three VS cache lookups that consume power; 2) vertices that hit in the VS cache still need to be buffered within the vertex shader stage until the shading of all preceding "miss" vertices has completed, which buffering consumes die area and power; 3) Vertices that hit in the VS cache also require updates to the corresponding vertex reference counts to account for the additional vertex references sent down the pipeline, which further consumes power; 4) Each vertex passed down the pipeline consumes some amount of dynamic power due to buffering within/between stages, etc; and 5) Following the vertex shading stage of the pipeline, complete triangles need to be assembled for per-triangle operations such as clip-testing, cull-testing and triangle setup stages; 6) Finally, as noted use of trilist topologies lead to maximum processing rate of one triangle per three clocks as vertices arrive at a rate of one triangle per clock.
Given the tradeoffs mentioned above there may be a need for improved techniques and apparatus to solve these and other problems.

Techniques for efficient GPU triangle list adjacency detection and handling


The invention relates to substance combinations comprising (1) at least one substituted, preferably polysubstituted, pyrimidine, (2) at least one monoalkylurea, (3) at least one C3 to C5 aminoalkyldiol, and optionally (4) at least one benzotriazole, preferably a benzotriazole which is substituted on the benzene ring. The components may be mixed together or dispersed in water or pre-mixed in a solubiliser that is miscible in any ratio with mineral oils and synthetic oils, such as for example a phenyl alkyl alcohol or an alkylated phenol. Such substance combinations can be used as vapour phase corrosion inhibitors in packagings or during storage in closed spaces for protecting customary utility metals, such as iron, chromium, nickel, tin, zinc, aluminium, copper and alloys thereof, against atmospheric corrosion.

The present invention relates to substance combinations as vapour phase corrosion inhibitors (corrosion inhibitors capable of evaporating or sublimating, vapour phase corrosion inhibitors VPCI, volatile corrosion inhibitors VCI) for protecting customary utility metals, such as iron, chromium, nickel, tin, zinc, aluminium, copper, magnesium and alloys thereof, against corrosion in humid climates.
Already for several decades, use has been made of corrosion inhibitors which tend to evaporate or sublimate even under normal conditions and thus can pass via the gas phase onto metal surfaces that are to be protected, for the temporary corrosion protection of metal objects within closed spaces, e.g. in packagings, switch cabinets or display cases. Protecting metal parts in this way against corrosion during storage and transport is known to be the clean alternative to temporary corrosion protection using oils, greases or waxes.
These corrosion inhibitors which preferably act via the vapour phase are usually selected depending on the type of metal to be protected and are used as a powder, packaged in bags made from a material that is permeable to the VCIs in vapour form (cf. for example: E. Vuorinen, E. Kalman, W. Focke, Introduction to vapour phase corrosion inhibitors in metal packaging, Surface Engng. 29 (2004) 281 pp.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,934 B2).
Modern packaging materials for corrosion protection contain the VCIs either as powder or tablets inside gas-permeable containers (e.g. paper bags, plastic capsules), coatings on paper, cardboard, foams or textile nonwovens, or incorporated directly within polymeric carrier materials. For instance, the patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,836,077, 3,967,926, 5,332,525, 5,393,457, 4,124,549, 4,290,912, 5,209,869, JP 2002253889 A, EP 0,639,657, EP 1,219,727, U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,934 B2, US 2009/0111901 A1 and DE-OS 102007059 726 A1 propose different variants for introducing the VCIs into capsules, coatings or gas-permeable plastic films so that in each case there is obtained a product from which the VCI components can continuously evaporate or sublimate.
The production of VCI-containing packaging materials by dissolving the VCI components in a suitable solvent and applying to a suitable carrier material is particularly obvious and has already been practised for a long time. Methods of this type using different active substances and solvents are described for example in JP 61,227,188, JP 62,063,686, JP 63,028,888, JP 63,183,182, JP 63,210,285, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,481 and 5,958,115.
Finally, there is an increasing requirement to provide VCI-containing oils. In this case, the films of oil applied to metal surfaces are intended to protect against corrosion not only the metal substrate in question but rather also surface regions of the metals in question which could not be coated with a film of oil due to their geometry (e.g. holes, narrow notches, folded metal-sheet layers), since the VCI components emitted from the oil pass via the vapour phase to the oil-free surface regions within closed spaces (e.g. packages, containers, cavities) and form thereon an adsorption film which protects against corrosion.
Such VCI oils are described for example in the patents GB 919,778, GB 1,224,500, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,398,095, 3,785,975 and JP 07145490A. Since these VCI oils emit volatile corrosion inhibitors and protect against corrosion via the gas phase even the regions of metal surfaces that are not covered with an oil, they differ considerably from preserving oils in which the corrosion protection properties are improved by the incorporation of non-volatile corrosion inhibitors which are thus effective only in direct contact. Such corrosion protection oils are described for example in the patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,681,506 and 7,014,694 B1.
It is known that all measures for the temporary corrosion protection of metals against the effect of neutral aqueous media or condensed water films have the aim of preserving the primary oxide layer (POL), which always exists on utility metals after first contact with the atmosphere, against chemical and mechanical degradation (cf. for example: U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,934 B2 and DE-OS 102007059 726 A1).
Since many amines already have a relatively high vapour pressure or sublimation pressure under normal conditions and are adsorbed in particular onto ferrous materials which are covered with a POL, they have already been put to early use as VCIs and said use is described in many patents. Mention is made primarily therein of the cyclic amines dicyclohexylamine and cyclohexyl-amine. However, in the patents GB 600,328, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,419,327, 2,432,840, 4,051,066 and 4,275,835 cited by way of example, account is already taken of the fact that no reliable temporary corrosion protection can be obtained using amines alone, and therefore the use of amines is combined with further volatile active substances. One group of substances used for this includes oxidation agents which can act as passivators. Using such passivators, it is possible to achieve the situation whereby the POL is spontaneously recreated as an oxidic top layer on metal substances when it has been destroyed by partial chemical disintegration or local mechanical removal (abrasion, erosion) (cf. for example: E. Vuorinen et al., loc. cit. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,934 B2).
As such passivating oxidation agents, the nitrites as salts of nitrous acid have proven useful in practical corrosion protection. They have therefore also already been used for a long time as VCIs. In particular, the relatively readily volatile dicyclohexylammonium nitrite has already been used as a VCI for more than 60 years (cf. for example Vuorinen et al., loc. cit.) and is mentioned as a constituent of VCI compositions in numerous patents (for example: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,419,327, 2,432,840, 2,534,201, 4,290,912, JP 62109987, JP 63210285 A and U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,934 B2).
However, its effect is more or less limited to the protection of ferrous materials, while the stability of the passive oxide layer of zinc and aluminium materials is often impaired.
With the aim of creating VCI packaging materials which can be used not only for ferrous metals but rather at least also for zinc-plated steels and aluminium materials, it has been proposed to combine nitrite/amine mixtures with further substances capable of sublimating, such as for example the salts of medium to weak, saturated or unsaturated carboxylic acids, cf. for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,419,327, 2,432,840. As a result, an improved protection of the customary Al and Zn materials is obtained when these are in contact with an aqueous medium or condensed water film, but at the same time the passivator properties of the nitrite are reduced by these species. It is known that the carboxylates in question build up pH buffer systems with a relatively high buffer capacity in aqueous media or condensed water films on metal surfaces with or without the simultaneous presence of an amine, depending on the respectively present carboxylic acid/salt system, and thus usually hinder the reducibility of oxidation agents. The passivation effect can then be achieved only when the concentration of the oxidation agent in question is set in comparative terms to be much higher than the amounts of the other active substances.
Since nowadays the practical use of said oxidation agents is regulated due to their more or less damaging effect on humans and the environment that has become known, and since there are occupational exposure limits (OELs) which must be adhered to with regard to the concentration in preparations (cf. for example classification of substances and preparations according to EC Directive 67/548/EEC including annual updates), VCI combinations containing excessive amounts of passivator can no longer be used.
Most of the VCI systems known to date, which contain simultaneously a nitrite and an amine, are also unable to provide the necessary reliability since they consume one another through chemical reactions. For instance, it has in the meantime been found that in particular the secondary amines and the compounds containing a cyclic nitrogen, such as for example morpholine and piperidine, which are introduced as VCI components are easily converted to N-nitroso compounds. These N-nitrosamines usually act as weak oxidation agents and promote the corrosion of the metals. Much more disadvantageous, however, is their carcinogenic effect, which prevents these VCI systems from being used on an industrial scale.
Specifically, when incorporating VCI combinations in mineral oils or synthetic oils, oxidation agents such as the nitrites are unsuitable in any case since they would cause a relatively quick oxidative decomposition of the base oil in question. Furthermore, the salts of the customary aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids which are known as VCIs are also not sufficiently soluble in oils. The formulations of VCI oils that have become known have therefore until now been limited mainly to the use of amines as VCI components (cf. for example: GB 919,778, GB 1,224,500, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,398,095, 3,785,975 and JP 07145490 A). For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,095 claims mixtures which contain, besides sulphurised oleic acids, C6 to C12 alkylcarboxylic acids and C20 to C22 alkylsuccinic acids, additionally also dicyclohexylamine, morpholine, piperidine, hexylamine and/or phenyl-alpha-naphthylamine, while U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,975 highlights amine salts of diesters of ortho-phosphoric acid combined with alkenyl-substituted succinic acids, esters of unsaturated fatty acids, alkylcarboxylic acids, such as octanoic acid and morpholine as corrosion-inhibiting additives. Finally, JP 07145490 A claims preparations containing ethanolamine carboxylates, morpholine, cyclohexylamine and various sulphonates. However, since it is certain nowadays that said longer-chain carboxylic acids, like the esters of fatty acids and the sulphonates, do not evaporate from the customary mineral oils and synthetic oils at temperatures<80° C. under normal conditions, only the amines can be emitted from such preparations and become active as VCI components.
However, VCI oils from which only amines are emitted in the temperature range of interest of up to 80° C. are suitable only for the VCI corrosion protection of iron-based materials. In the case of zinc and aluminium, they are known to cause together with condensed water usually an excessive alkalisation of the surfaces, as a result of which considerable corrosion appears with the formation of zincates or aluminates, before finally the hydroxides and basic carbonates appear, which are usually known by the term "white rust". By contrast, copper materials under the effect of amines frequently suffer from corrosion with the formation of Cu-amine complexes.

Compositions of vapour phase corrosion inhibitors, method for the production thereof and use thereof for temporary protection against corrosion


This invention provides a belt profile and profiled belt that can be easily mounted to and detached from a toothed belt. Specifically, a profile body and a claw section are integrally formed via a connection section. A side edge section of the toothed belt is inserted between the profile body and the claw section from an inner side in the belt width direction. The profile body is arranged on a rear surface side of the toothed belt. The claw section is arranged at the side edge section, on the tooth surface side. The connection section passes outside the side surface of the toothed belt. The profile is mounted on the toothed belt by engaging the claw section with a belt tooth while the profile body and the claw section sandwich the side edge section. The profile is removed from the toothed belt by performing these procedures in reverse order.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a belt profile that is mounted on a toothed belt for use and a thus profiled belt.
2. Background Art
In general, in belt conveying, when a conveyed object is one that is liable to roll, or when the object is inclined at a large angle in the conveying direction with respect to the horizontal plane, a profile for press feeding the conveyed object in the conveying direction is attached to the rear surface of the belt. In many cases, the profile is attached to the rear surface of the belt by welding or bonding with an adhesive, and in some cases the belt and profiles are integrally molded.
However, when welding or bonding with an adhesive or the like is employed as a method for attaching a profile to a belt, the selection of the material of the profile is liable to be restricted. Furthermore, since the profile cannot be detached, the state of the joint cannot be checked by observing only the outer appearance, and it is therefore difficult in many cases to judge the lifespan of the profile. Further, to integrally mold a belt and profiles it is necessary to use a die in which the shape of the profiles is engraved into a belt mold, and consequently the amount of investment increases and it is also difficult to deal with dimensional changes.
Regarding the above described circumstances, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a profile is attached to a toothed belt by screwing the profile via a generally C-shaped fixture or a pair of L-shaped fixtures that protrude to the rear surface side at a side surface of the toothed belt, in a state in which the profile is fitted into a tooth bottom of the toothed belt.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-59272 (paragraph number 0006 to 0009)
However, because the profile disclosed in Patent Document 1 is attached to the toothed belt by screwing, mounting and detachment thereof is troublesome, and once the profile has been mounted to the toothed belt, the profile is liable to remain mounted thereto without the user detaching the profile from the toothed belt to check the lifespan thereof or the like.


A molecular sieve that has high selectivity and enables high-speed molecular permeation is provided. The molecular sieve has a nanowindow formed lacking a portion of carbon atoms in graphene, and one or more heteroatoms substituting for one or more carbon atoms that constitute a rim of this nanowindow, in which an electrostatic field is induced within the nanowindow by the heteroatoms, the rim of the nanowindow is relaxed in cooperation with a permeating molecule having a van der Waals' radius larger than the nanowindow, and the molecular sieve becomes permeable to the permeating molecule.

In the gas separation industry, distillation is widely used in order to obtain high-purity products and supplies N2, O2, and noble gases of high purity to other industries; however, distillation is accompanied by a phase change of converting a liquid to a gas, and the energy consumed for this phase change is huge.
Separation processes account for 40% to 70% of both capital cost and operating cost in modern industry, and in advanced industrial countries (the United States), 8% of the total energy consumption is consumed in distillation.
Therefore, instead of molecular separation based on phase change, such as distillation, there has been a new demand for a fundamentally alternative separation technology such as membrane-based molecular separation. Membrane-based separation technologies require small installation areas for equipment and have reduced mechanical complexity compared to conventional technologies based on phase separation. In particular, energy is reduced by 90% compared to distillation, and CO2 emissions can be reduced to a large extent.
One of the most promising membranes is a single-layer graphene membrane having nanoscale-sized windows (nanowindows), and since the periphery of nanowindows is composed of a single layer of carbon atoms and is a very thin film, when substances permeate the nanowindows, the nanowindows bring about ultrafast permeation without becoming an obstacle to permeation.
Graphene, which is a two-dimensional material formed from a hexagonal crystal network of closely covalently bonded carbon atoms, is considered ever increasingly important in the field of new materials. Since synthesis processes are being continuously improved, it is expected to achieve mass production of almost defect-free graphene in the near future. Due to the one-atom thickness, fastness properties, chemical stability, and a property of being easily processable to a sieve, one of the most important use applications of graphene is the use as a separation membrane.
Since a defect-free graphene sheet is impermeable even to the smallest gases such as He, it is necessary to introduce nanowindows in order to enable transportation and separation of molecules. Since a graphene having nanowindows has a single-layer structure, the resistance occurring when molecules permeate can be almost neglected, and therefore, such a graphene exhibits ultrafast molecular permeation. Accordingly, the separation efficiency exceeds the separation efficiency based on the conventional separation technologies that use membranes. There are many methods for producing a graphene-like layer including nanowindows, such as ion bombardment, template-synthesized mesh, and high-temperature oxidation. High-temperature oxidation simply requires heating up to about 600 K in an oxidizing environment, and therefore, high-temperature oxidation is simple, is capable of easily expanding the size of nanowindows, and is inexpensive (Patent Literatures 1 and 2).
Graphene with nanowindows has potential to become the most selective and highly energy-efficient membrane for molecular separation.
Furthermore, graphene having nanowindows can realize permeation resistance with which the single-atom-thick wall thereof is almost negligible, and can therefore realize ultrafast molecular permeation.

Graphene nanowindow structure and method for producing highly pure gas


A device for clearing an obstructed airway of a subject comprising: an airway interface adapted for positioning over a mouth and/or nose of the subject; and a pump in fluid communication with the airway interface and being activatable to generate suction at the airway interface, wherein the device is adapted for activation of the pump to generate the suction when the airway interface is pushed against the mouth and/or nose of the subject.

Choking due to an obstructed airway is a leading cause of accidental death. One type of aid for choking subjects is abdominal thrusts (also called the Heimlich maneuver) a procedure in which pressure is exerted on the bottom of the diaphragm of the choking subject to compress the lungs and force out any object lodged in the airway (typically trachea).
Devices designed for generating low pressure or a vacuum in an airway above the obstruction to thereby suction and dislodge an object lodged in a person's airway are known in the art. Such devices typically employ manual mechanisms for creating and/or applying suction to an airway of a choking subject. While such devices can be effective in clearing obstructions they typically require several operational steps to create and apply suction and thus it would be difficult for the choking subject to self-operate such devices or for persons providing assistance to operate on infants or subjects. Some devices require repeated pumping of the vacuum mechanism, making operation more complex and also resulting in more complex devices that require one-way valves since the device is being "reset" while in position on the subject.
For example, the LifeVac manufactured by LifeVac LLC of Nesconset, N.Y. is a manual suction device for resuscitating choking subjects that includes a suction bulb connected to an airway mask via a one way valve. When utilized on a choking subject, the LifeVac device creates a one-way suction force to dislodge any food or object lodged in the airway. Although the LifeVac device can be used to dislodge objects present in an airway it requires manual suctioning using both hands and would be difficult to either self-operate or operate on a patient that requires additional assistance such as an infant, when choking.
There is thus a need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, an airway clearing device that can be easily and quickly operated by the choking subject and/or persons administering first aid to the choking subject.
The description above is presented as a general overview of related art in this field and should not be construed as an admission that any of the information it contains constitutes prior art against the present patent application.

Device and method for clearing an obstructed airway


A valve device includes a valve housing (2) and a valve piston (4) axially displaceably in a housing bore (3). By valve piston movement, load connections (A, B) can alternately be connected to a pressure connection (P) and to a tank connection (T1, T2) by solenoid magnets (5, 6). Pilot control chambers (8, 10) pressurize piston back sides (9, 11). The control chambers (8, 10) are connectable via fluid-conducting connections (12, 13) to the pressure connection (P). Pilot control pistons (14, 15) release or close fluid-conducting connections (16, 17) between control chambers (8, 10) and the tank connection (T1, T2). One pilot control piston (14, 15) includes a ring channel (19) controlling a fluid-conducting connection (16, 17) between a pilot control chamber (8, 10) and a tank connection (T1, T2).

Valve devices are available in a plurality of embodiments, for example, as multiport valves. In conjunction with an electromagnetic actuation, they are an important component of proportional valve technology. This technology is essentially characterized in that an electrical input signal as voltage is converted into an electrical current with an electronic amplifier of the corresponding voltage level. A proportional solenoid as a switching magnet generates the output quantities force or path proportionally to this electrical current.
These quantities are used as the input signal for the valve device or the hydraulic valve and, correspondingly proportional thereto, for a specific volumetric flow or a specific pressure. For the respective actuated load and a working element that has been actuated with it on a machine, in addition to influencing the direction of movement, the possibility of continuously influencing the speed and force occurs. At the same time, according to a corresponding time characteristic, for example, change of the volumetric flow over time, acceleration or deceleration can be continuously influenced. Depending on the function that is being emphasized, that is, the path function, the flow function, and/or the pressure function, proportional hydraulics is used in directional valves, flow control valves, or so-called pressure valves.
The technical advantages of the proportional valve technology include controlled actuation transitions, continuous control of the setpoints, and the reduction of the hydraulic apparatus for certain control tasks. Furthermore, with proportional valves, prompt and exact sequences of motion are possible with simultaneously improved accuracy of the control processes.
The known valve device solutions still leave something to be desired in the field of proportional valve technology for some control tasks, such as in double-acting hydraulic working cylinders in which the triggering takes place for positioning tasks while avoiding mechanical coupling elements, especially with respect to the operational reliability of the overall system as well as prompt response behavior.
DE 43 19 162 A1 discloses a valve device with two opposing solenoids connected to a valve housing, with fluid connection sites mounted in the valve housing in the form of at least one pump connection P, at least two load or user connections A, B, and at least two tank connections T1 and T2. A valve piston has radial projections that can each be assigned to one fluid connection site A, B, P, T1, T2 at a time in the valve housing. Fluid-conducting paths are between the projections. In a piston neutral position, the path to the respectively assignable user connection A, B is blocked in part or in full, or with the user connections A, B cleared and the respective pump connection P completely blocked by the assignable projection. The known solution relates to a hydraulic valve that can be used for controlling a hydraulic actuator in a roll stabilization system of a motor vehicle. In the known solution, however, possible disturbance variables may adversely affect the hydraulic valve system.
DE 31 19 445 A1 discloses an electrohydraulic control valve with a main housing as a valve housing that surrounds an axial bore in which a valve element as valve piston can be moved. The ends of the valve piston are of a magnetizable material. Solenoid devices are assigned to the housing part as the actuating apparatus on the outer ends of the axial bore to pull the valve element in the direction of one end of the axial bore or the other by excitation of one solenoid device or the other. For compensation of disturbance variables, this known solution has pressure detecting pistons that extend through the valve piston on its two ends. In spite of the possibility of influencing the disturbance variables via the respective pressure detecting piston, this known solution leaves much to be desired with respect to complete compensation for such disturbances.
DE 600 16 510 T2 describes a piloted directional valve with position determination, with a housing that has a number of connections and a piston bore in which each connection discharges. A valve piston is guided to be able to move axially in the piston bore to change the flow paths between the connections. To some extent complex controls for control the valve piston, with the control comprising a piston on each side of the valve piston and one or two pilot valves for setting the valve piston by control of the pilot fluid acting on the pistons. A magnet is attached to one side of the valve piston such that it can be moved in synchronous operation with the valve piston. The magnet is arranged such that it borders at least one site of the valve piston. A magnetic sensor is installed such that it detects the magnetic force of the magnet over the entire displacement path of the valve piston.
The known partially generic valve devices require path sensors and analysis and control electronics. They are thus overall complex in structure, and disturbances in operation are possible.
DE 102 24 739 A1 discloses a valve device of the initially described type. In the known valve device, the pilot valve and the pilot chamber are each located in a control cover located on a side surface of the valve housing. The object of providing a valve control apparatus that requires little installation space in the longitudinal direction of the control valve is achieved here in that the pilot valve and/or the actuator are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the control valve in the control cover. The actuator is located on a side surface of the control cover in this case. An adjusting device of the control valve can be on an opposite side surface of the control cover.


A multilayered high frequency module includes inductor conductor patterns each defined by a linear conductor having a coiled shape on intermediate insulator layers of a multilayer body. A first spiral inductor with its axis extending in the stacking direction is defined by the inductor conductor patterns on respective layers connected through conductive via holes. Overlapped portions of inner regions of the individual inductor conductor patterns within the coiled shape define an air core portion of the first inductor. A capacitor conductor pattern is provided on one layer lower than the insulator layers on which the inductor conductor patterns are provided. The capacitor conductor pattern is a flat plate and located at a position not overlapping with the air core portion when looking at the multilayer body in a plan view.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high frequency module including an inductor that is provided inside a multilayer body by a conductor pattern, and a capacitor that is connected to the inductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, various types of high frequency modules have been devised in which conductor patterns are provided in insulator layers constituting a multilayer body, to thereby form an inductor and a capacitor inside the multilayer body. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-271420 discloses a high frequency module in which an FET switch including a common terminal connected to an antenna and a plurality of switching terminals is mounted on a surface of the multilayer body, and a low pass filter connected to the FET switch is constituted by an inductor and a capacitor formed inside the multilayer body.
The interior of the multilayer body of the above-mentioned high frequency module of the related art generally has a structure illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary inner configuration of a multilayer body 100P constituting the related-art high frequency module, when looking at the multilayer body 100P from the lateral surface side thereof. FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary configuration of inner conductors in the multilayer body 100P constituting the related-art high frequency module, when seeing through the multilayer body 100P from the top surface side thereof. It is to be noted that, while the high frequency module includes the multilayer body 100P and mount-type components, such as a switch element, which are mounted to the top surface of the multilayer body 100P, the mount-type components are not illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13.
The multilayer body 100P is formed by stacking a plurality of insulator layers 101. In upper one of the insulator layers, layout conductors 200 are mainly formed to connect the mount-type components to circuit elements formed inside the multilayer body 100P. In a layer under the upper insulator layer where the layout conductors 200 are formed, an inner ground conductor pattern 300U is arranged to extend substantially over an entire surface of the layer.
Inductor conductor patterns 401P and 402P constituting respective inductors are provided on intermediate layers of the multilayer body 100P. The inductor conductor patterns 401P and 402P are each provided on a spiral shape with a spiral axis extending in a stacking direction. Thus, respective axial directions of the inductors formed by the inductor conductor patterns 401P and 402P extend in the stacking direction.
Capacitor conductor patterns 501P, 502P and 503P constituting capacitors are provided on layers under the intermediate layers of the multilayer body 100P where the inductor conductor patterns 401P and 402P are formed. The capacitor conductor patterns 501P, 502P and 503P are each a conductor in the form of a flat plate that is parallel to the corresponding layer and that has a predetermined area.
Just above a lowermost layer of the multilayer body 100P, an inner ground pattern 300D is arranged to extend substantially over an entire surface of the layer.
Meanwhile, in the related-art high frequency module described above, miniaturization is demanded, and the spacing between the inductor conductor patterns 401P, 402P and the capacitor conductor patterns 501P, 502P and 503P is inevitably narrowed with further size reduction.
For example, in the case of the structure where the inductor conductor patterns 401P and the capacitor conductor pattern 501P are arranged, as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, in overlapped relation for size reduction when looking at the multilayer body 100P in a plan view (i.e., when looking at the multilayer body 100P in a direction perpendicular to the top surface thereof), a distance G0 (taken along the stacking direction) between the inductor conductor patterns 401P and the capacitor conductor pattern 501P is shortened.
Thus, because the axial direction of the inductor formed by the inductor conductor patterns 401P is parallel to the stacking direction, the distance from the inductor formed by the inductor conductor patterns 401P to the flat-plate conductor constituting the capacitor conductor pattern 401P is shortened.
In the above-described structure, a magnetic field generated from the inductor is blocked off by the capacitor conductor pattern. As a result, a Q value of the inductor deteriorates, and circuit characteristics of a filter, including the inductor, and of the high frequency module degrade.


A photographic material and a preparing method thereof are disclosed, the material comprising a photographic print and a protective layer provided on an image layer of the photographic print by coating latex comprising a resin having a glass transition temperature of 30.degree. to 70.degree. C.

It is widely known that an image layer of a photographic print contains gelatin, and therefore, it is easily affected by water, showing degeneration caused even by few waterdrops, fingerprints stay thereon easily, and sticking of the image layer to another photogaphic print also takes place. Further, even when a thermal transfer image is formed on the image layer of the photographic print by the use of heat-fusible thermal transfer material, the transferred image is caused by waterdrops to come off, which is a problem.
Heretofore, therefore, an image layer has been provided with a protective layer. It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection (hereinafter referred to as Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication) Nos. 201248/1986 and 21150/1987 that radiation hardenable resin is coated and hardened by radiation to beaprotective layer. It is also disclosed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 62360/1987 and 259570/1988 that a photographic print is laminated. However, photographic prints obtained through the methods mentioned above are extremely deteriorated in portraying texture.
It is further described in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 247370/1987 that a protective resin layer for a photographic print is obtained by coating resin latices, drying and heating them under pressure. However, resin latices are not specified in particular, and heating under pressure is required after coating and drying.
In recent years, in a method for replenishing developing solutions, water and tablets of developing agents (developing agents tableted with water-soluble polymer) are used for replenishing, and replenishment of water for water evaporation as well as ion exchange for unnecessary salts are conducted, so that no waste solutions may be drained out. In this case, water-soluble polymer stays in a photographic print and causes a problem of sticking.

Photographic material comprising protective layer and preparing method thereof


A sensor (10) comprises a waveguide (20) having a longitudinal axis and an end face (21), the waveguide (20) comprising a Bragg grating (23). The sensor comprises at least one reflector (24) on the end face (21) of the waveguide (20). An optical resonator (25) is formed by the Bragg grating (23), the at least one reflector (24), and an inner portion of the optical resonator (25) between the Bragg grating (23) and the at least one reflector (24). The inner portion of the optical resonator (25) extends within a portion of the waveguide (20). The sensor (10) comprises a detector (32) configured to detect at least one spectral characteristic of the optical resonator (25) or a change of at least one spectral characteristic of the optical resonator (25).

There is an ever increasing demand for waveguides and optical resonators that lend themselves for new fields of application. For illustration, acoustic sensing, e.g. in the ultrasound frequency range, has frequently been performed using piezoelectric detectors. The current demand for high performance ultrasound sensors cannot be met by such traditional piezoelectric detectors. For illustration, non-destructive testing in harsh environments and the emerging fields of optoacoustic endoscopy and optoacoustic/photoacoustic hybrid microscopy require sensors that are extremely small, flexible and immune to electromagnetic interference, and exhibit high bandwidth. The latter is particularly important as the bandwidth and central frequency of ultrasonic signals generated by the optoacoustic effect is proportional to the optical absorber size.
It would be desirable to have high bandwidth sensors that then could be used to, e.g., differentiate and label absorbers according to their size, such as vasculature under and in the skin. Such improved sensors can help in, e.g., studying and monitoring tumors by studying angiogenesis, and conditions like diabetes, hypertension, etc.
Sensors based on optical resonators are a promising alternative.
WO 2010/043876 A2 discloses a combined pressure and temperature sensor. The sensor comprises at least one first optical sensing element of a first type and at least one second optical sensing element of a second type. The sensor is adapted to compensate for temperature and/or pressure effects in the first or second optical sensing element using a response of the other of the second or first optical sensing elements. An optical cavity may be formed in a gap between two fiber ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,054,011 B2 discloses a fiber optic sensor that has a hollow tube bonded to the end face of an optical fiber, and a diaphragm bonded to the hollow tube.
G. Wissmeyer et al., "All-optical optoacoustic microscope based on wideband pulse interferometry," Optics Letters, Vol. 41, Issue 9, pp. 1953-1956 (2016) discloses an all-optical optoacoustic microscope based on a π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (π-FBG) with coherence-restored pulsed interferometry (CRPI) used as the interrogation method.
A. Rosenthal et al., "Embedded ultrasound sensor in a silicon-on-insulator photonic platform," Appl. Phys. Lett. 104, 021116 (2014) discloses a miniaturized ultrasound sensor that is based on a π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating formed by waveguide corrugation.
A. Rosenthal et al., "Sensitive interferometric detection of ultrasound for minimally invasive clinical imaging applications," Laser Photonics Rev., Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 450-457 (2014) discloses miniaturized optical detectors.
C. Zhang el al., "Review of Imprinted Polymer Microrings as Ultrasound Detectors: Design, Fabrication, and Characterization," IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL, Vol. 15, No. 6 (June 2015) discloses ultrasound detectors suitable for photoacoustic imaging.
R. Nuster et al., "Photoacoustic section imaging using an elliptical acoustic mirror and optical detection," JBO Letter, Vol. 17(3), 030503 (March 2012) discloses a method that combines an optical interferometer with an acoustic mirror.
US 2002/0166955 A1 discloses an ultrasonic receiving apparatus including an ultrasonic detecting element for modulating light.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,292,755 B discloses a planar optical waveguide having at least two reflectors.
US 2014/0180030 A1 discloses an intravascular blood pressure and velocity wire.
While the sensors disclosed in these documents provide various benefits over conventional sensors that are based, e.g., on piezoelectric detectors, there is still a need for waveguides and sensors that allow sensing to be performed with good sensitivity, while affording a small cross-section and that, due to their miniaturization, increase the detection bandwidth and angle.

Sensor comprising a waveguide with optical resonator and sensing method


The invention relates to valve system for controlling a process fluid within a liquid processing system. The valve system comprises a valve arrangement, a pneumatic control system, and a connector unit. When the valve arrangement is connected to the connector unit, two or more valves are formed, such that the pneumatic control system controls an open/close or pressure control mode of the valves. A pump diaphragm system is disclosed, as well as a system for purifying a biological material that comprises the valve system or the pump diaphragm system. Also discloses are methods of using the valve system or the pump diaphragm system in a process for the purification of a biological material.

Biopharmaceuticals have become an increasingly important part of modern medicine. The production of these biopharmaceutical drugs poses unique challenges. These products are in general obtained by culturing a host cell in a bioreactor to produce the drug substance of interest, followed by a number of liquid treatment steps such as clarification of the cell culture, filtration and chromatography steps. Effective liquid handling thus is a major requirement for any system that processes these products. Many workflows are also required to be run under controlled and contained conditions, which may involve aseptic handling in closed fluid handling systems and the use of pre-sterilized components, which is another major requirement for such systems.
Recently, automated biological liquid handling systems based on single-use flow paths have become available on the market. Single use flow path components offer the advantage that time- and labor consuming pre- and post-use cleaning of the wetted flow path is eliminated, thus increasing overall process efficiency and thereby reducing cost. The elimination of equipment cleaning and associated cleaning validation also greatly reduces the risk for cross-contamination in between different campaigns and drug substances, thus increasing overall process and drug safety. As the single-use components are utilized as consumables that are to be disposed after a process run or campaign, a design of systems and consumables to achieve overall cost efficiency and flexibility is a key interest to suppliers, users in the biopharma industry and eventually patient care. Flexibility is required to adapt the system and its single-use components to the liquid processing task of interest, such as for example chromatography, filtration etc. Depending on the sample and the specific process regimes required, flexibility is also required with regard to specific configuration within a selected processing task. A chromatography separation task may for example involve a larger or smaller number of inlets, outlets and components required, such as sensors, pumps etc.
ÄKTA ready (GE Healthcare) is a single-use liquid chromatography system built for process scale-up and production for early clinical phases. The system is intended to be used with ready-to-use, disposable flow paths that are deployed as consumables and disposed of after processing. The system uses 18 re-usable pinch valves installed in a fixed pattern at the instrument to manage fluid control in an interchangeable, single-use fluid path assembly. Flexible tubing of the fluid path assembly is fitted to the re-usable pinch valves according to a fixed installation scheme. The tubing and flow path is removed after processing to allow for disposal and installation of a new flow path.
The ÄKTA ready system controls the pinch valves with a "pneumatic distributor" mounted inside the instrument, the pneumatic distributor comprising a common air inlet for pressurized air and a control valve arrangement distributing and regulating the air pressure towards the pinch valves for control of the process liquid at side of the consumable, the single use flow path. Each pneumatic pinch valve is connected via a pneumatic conduit to its respective control valve at the pneumatic distributor in a fixed configuration and layout.
Millipore's FlexReady chromatography system uses a "clamshell" design, which is a cassette comprising the consumable flow path, which is made up from a flexible bag with welded conduits forming the flow path. The clamshell also comprises required valving to open or close the fluid conduits of the disposable parts. Further, the clamshell comprises the "pneumatic distributor" that controls the pressurization of the fluid driven (pneumatic) valves controlling the flow of process liquid inside the conduits of the single-use consumable. The "pneumatic distributor" is again a control valve arrangement fed by a common pressurized air supply. The clamshell is interchangeable and different clamshells configured for different unit operations such as chromatography or filtration can be fitted to the instrument. In this regard, flexibility is provided to adapt to different liquid processing tasks by replacement of the clamshell. Each clamshell is however dedicated to a specific configuration of the consumable that is used for example for either chromatography or filtration. Therefore, the pneumatic controller in the clamshell will operate solely the specifically configured clamshell, other clamshells do require their own pneumatic distributor. Further, the pneumatic distributor in a given clamshell is configured to solely interact with and control the valve arrangement for a specific configuration of the single-use fluid flow path, the consumable. This design has also a need for multiple, fixed configured pneumatic distributors, which will impact overall cost of system hardware, complexity, as well as weight, size and ease of use for each clamshell. See WO2011154885 and US20130240065A1.
Pneumatically controlled valve arrangements have also been proposed for simulated moving bed chromatography. Examples of such valves are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,846,335B2, U.S. Pat. No. 8,196,603B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,790,040B2.
US20110005984A1 proposed a two part valve. A separate, and potentially single-use valve part contacts the medium, and a reusable pneumatic actuator forms a separate part that is positioned adjacent to the valve part. The two parts may be connected to become a working valve. These valve arrangements are however bulky and inflexible as the seizing and positioning of the consumable parts and flow conduits adjacent to the latter cannot be selected independently from the size, position or configuration of the pneumatic actuator part.
While the fixed configurations in between valve manifolds and their pneumatic control systems described above is industry standard for single-use biological liquid processing systems, there are a number of disadvantages of fixed configurations with regard to limited flexibility, increased cost and a large physical size and weight involved in handling of the systems and its single-use consumables.
There is a need for better valve design that offers low cost and high flexibility for biological liquid handling, especially for the production of biopharmaceuticals.

Remotely actuated valve for a biological liquid treatment system


A bypass type prefilled syringe has a tubular body formed with a bypass for establishing communication between front and rear compartments for preliminarily storing medicament and pharmaceutical liquid, respectively. A gasket for dividing interior space of the tubular body into the front and rear compartments includes a plurality of circumferential ribs . A plurality of annular recesses are each formed between neighboring ones of the circumferential ribs. First and second axial slots are formed on the circumferential ribs so as to define a bent outflow path for the pharmaceutical liquid at the time of communication between the front and rear compartments via the bypass.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a bypass type prefilled syringe in which a bypass for establishing communication between front and rear compartments for preliminarily storing two components, for example, powdery medicament and pharmaceutical liquid, respectively is formed on a tubular body, and more particularly to a gasket for dividing interior space of the tubular body of the bypass type prefilled syringe into the front and rear compartments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIGS. 6 and 7 show a sealing state and a communication state between a front compartment 6 and a rear compartment 7 of an elongated hollow tubular body 1 of a conventional bypass type prefilled syringe, respectively. A front assembly 15 includes an injection needle 10 and a cap 11 for covering the injection needle 10 so as to protect the injection needle 10 and is mounted on an outer periphery of a front end portion of the tubular body 1. In FIG. 6, the conventional bypass type prefilled syringe includes a first sealing member 3 which is mounted in the front end portion of the tubular body 1, a second sealing member 4 which is attached to a front end of a plunger rod 2 and is disposed at a rear end portion of the tubular body 1 and a gasket 5 which is slidably inserted between the first and second sealing members 3 and 4 in the tubular body 1 and divides interior space of the tubular body 1 into the front and rear compartments 6 and 7. Powdery medicament P and pharmaceutical liquid L are preliminarily, respectively, stored in the front and rear compartments 6 and 7 so as to interpose the gasket 5 therebetween.
A bypass 1a is formed by bulging a peripheral wall of the front compartment 6 of the tubular body 1 radially outwardly. On the other hand, a finger grip 12 is mounted on an outer periphery of the rear end portion of the tubular body 1. By forwardly depressing the plunger rod 2 in the direction of the arrow a in FIG. 7 from the state of FIG. 6 to the state of FIG. 7, the gasket 5 is advanced by the second sealing member 4 by way of the pharmaceutical liquid L so as to be disposed between a front end portion and a rear end portion of the bypass 1a. At this time, a gap for directly linking the front and rear compartments 6 and 7 is defined between the gasket 5 and the bypass 1a, so that the front and rear compartments 6 and 7 are communicated with each other by the bypass 1a and thus, the pharmaceutical liquid L is introduced from the rear compartment 7 into the powdery medicament P in the front compartment 6 along a flow path indicated by the arrow b in FIG. 7. Then, when the powdery medicament P is sufficiently dissolved or dispersed in the pharmaceutical liquid L by shaking the tubular body 1, injection liquid is formed.
At the time of communication between the front and rear compartments 6 and 7 through the bypass 1a in this conventional bypass type prefilled syringe, the pharmaceutical liquid L is fed under pressure into the front compartment 6 in a state where the injection needle 10 is mounted on the tubular body 1. At this time, the gasket 5 is disposed between the front end portion and the rear end portion of the bypass 1a and the gap for directly linking the front and rear compartments 6 and 7 is defined between the gasket 5 and the bypass 1a as described above. Thus, in case a user forcibly depresses the plunger rod 2 from the state of FIG. 6 to the state of FIG. 7, a so-called squirt phenomenon in which the pharmaceutical liquid L spouts from the bypass 1a vigorously may happen, thereby resulting in such an inconvenience that the pharmaceutical liquid L impinges on the first sealing member 3 and then, leaks out of the injection needle 10.
Meanwhile, FIG. 8 shows a sealing state between the front and rear compartments 6 and 7 of the tubular body 1 of a known bypass type prefilled syringe disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,082. In this known bypass type prefilled syringe, a gasket 20 is employed. As shown in FIG. 9, the gasket 20 has a front end face 20a and a rear end face 20b and includes ribs 24, 26 and 27. Meanwhile, an annular recess 25 is provided between the ribs 24 and 26 and a plurality of grooves 28 extending obliquely relative to an axis of the gasket 20 are formed on the rib 24 so as to open to the front end face 20a. In order to improve agitation and mixing of the pharmaceutical liquid L and the powdery medicament P at the time of communication between the front and rear compartments 6 and 7 via the bypass 1a, the pharmaceutical liquid L is introduced from the grooves 28 into the powdery medicament P obliquely relative to the axis of the gasket 20.
However, in contrast with the conventional construction shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in which the injection needle 10 is mounted on the front end portion of the tubular body 1, this known bypass type prefilled syringe has a construction in which a distal end cap 35 is mounted on a distal end 34 of the tubular body 1. Thus, as described at column 8, lines 3 to 9 of the above mentioned U.S. Patent, mixing operation of the pharmaceutical liquid L and the powdery medicament P is performed by depressing a plunger rod in a state where the distal end 34 of the tubular body 1 is directed upwardly after the distal end cap 35 has been removed from the distal end 34 of the tubular body 1. Therefore, the gasket 20 merely serves to improve agitation and mixing of the pharmaceutical liquid L and the powdery medicament P and thus does not serve to prevent leakage of the pharmaceutical liquid L from an injection needle due to the squirt phenomenon.
Accordingly, an essential object of the present invention is to provide, with a view to eliminating the above mentioned drawbacks of prior art, a gasket for a bypass type prefilled syringe which prevents a squirt phenomenon of pharmaceutical liquid at the time of communication between front and rear compartments of a tubular body by way of a bypass such that powdery medicament can be sufficiently dissolved or dispersed in the pharmaceutical liquid.
In order to accomplish this object of the present invention, a gasket for a bypass type prefilled syringe having a tubular body formed with a bypass for establishing communication between front and rear compartments for preliminarily storing medicament and pharmaceutical liquid, respectively, according to the present invention divides interior space of the tubular body into the front and rear compartments and includes a plurality of circumferential ribs which include at least first, second and third circumferential ribs disposed sequentially further away from the front compartment. A plurality of annular recesses are each formed between neighboring ones of the circumferential ribs and include at least a first annular recess formed between the first and second circumferential ribs and a second annular recess formed between the second and third circumferential ribs. A first axial slot extends through the first circumferential rib and the first annular recess, while a second axial slot is formed at a circumferential position of the second circumferential rib deviating from the first axial slot so as to bring the first and second annular recesses into communication with each other. At the time of communication between the front and rear compartments via the bypass, a bent outflow path for delivering the pharmaceutical liquid into the front compartment in a state where the tubular body at a front end side of the bypass is closed by a front end portion of the gasket is sequentially formed by the second annular recess, the second axial slot, the first annular recess and the first axial slot.

Gasket for bypass type prefilled syringe


An energy damping and displacement control device is disclosed. The energy damping and displacement control device can include a contact protrusion and an energy damping pad constructed of a resilient material. The energy damping pad can have a first face oriented along a first plane. The energy damping pad can also have a second face oriented along a second plane transverse to the first plane, and toward the contact protrusion. In a static condition, the first and second faces of the energy damping pad can be separated from the contact protrusion. In a dynamic condition, displacement motion of the contact protrusion relative to the energy damping pad can be limited by contact with at least one of the first or second faces of the energy damping pad, which provides energy damping and motion displacement control of the contact protrusion in multiple axes.

Many mechanical systems require energy absorption devices or motion displacement and isolators for dissipating the kinetic energy of a component element in the system. Such mechanical systems include, for example, shipping cases, skids and containers, shipboard electronics and navigational equipment, pumps, generators and compressors, chemical processing equipment, avionics, and various other such systems. Shock and vibration may be caused by a variety of sources, such as seismic events, wind storms, blast levels, vehicle operation, among others. Shock and vibration affect the performance of all types of mechanical and electrical equipment contained in these systems. If such shock and vibration are left uncontrolled, they can cause premature equipment failure and costly downtime.
One particular example is a shipboard, heavy enclosure with sensitive electrical and computer equipment, which may be used for weapon systems, navigation systems, etc. The enclosure may be mounted on a ship deck and subject to high shock load, wind and wave loads, environmental conditions, and ship motion in all directions. Motion isolators, such as typical wire rope coiled motion isolators, are typically used to isolate the enclosure from the ship's combined loading effects.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.

Multi-axial energy damping and displacement control


An angled endgate assembly adapted to produce an edge on an asphalt mat. The preferred angled endgate assembly comprises a frame that is adapted to be attached to an item of asphalt paving equipment. The preferred angled endgate assembly also comprises an edger assembly that is attached to the frame and has an asphalt contacting surface. The preferred asphalt contacting surface tapers from a minimal compaction portion to a maximum compaction portion. The preferred angled endgate further comprises a means for moving the edger assembly relative to the frame. The method of the invention comprises providing an angled endgate assembly adapted to produce an edge on an asphalt mat. The method also comprises compacting the edge of the asphalt mat.

It is known to provide asphalt paving equipment with an endgate adapted to form the outer edge of an asphalt mat. Conventional endgates, however, suffer from one or more disadvantages. For example, conventional endgates are not adapted to provide an angled or sloped outer edge to an asphalt mat. Conventional endgates are also bolted to the front of a screed assembly. In addition, conventional endgates are not adjustable or spring-loaded. Further, conventional endgates do not include heating elements. Still further, conventional endgates do not sufficiently compact the edge of an asphalt mat such that the edge requires subsequent compaction. Conventional endgates are disposed in front of the screed plate and not outside the width of the screed plate, and therefore the screed plate alters the edge produced by conventional endgates.
It would be desirable, therefore, if an apparatus and method could be provided for an angled endgate assembly adapted to provide an angled outer edge to an asphalt mat. It would also be desirable if such an apparatus and method could be provided that is integrated into a screed assembly. It would be further desirable if such an apparatus and method could be provided that is adjustable while in operation and spring-loaded. It would be still further desirable if such an apparatus and method could be provided that has a heating element. It would also be desirable if such an apparatus and method could be provided that sufficiently compacts the edge of an asphalt mat. It would be further desirable if such an apparatus and method could be provided that is located outside the width of the screed plate on a screed assembly so that the screed plate does not alter the edge produced by the angled endgate assembly.

Apparatus and method for an angled endgate


A function for exchanging a game item for other unpredictable game item is provided so that a game is given an unpredictable aspect. For game item exchange, a bottle mail function is provided. In order to apply the bottle mail function, two game devices are connected for communication via a communication cable, and so on; one of the game items owned by its own game character is designated; and game item specifying information specifying the designated game item is exchanged between two game devices. While using the game item specified by the game item specifying information obtained from the other game device as an exchange source game item, an exchange object game item correlated with that exchange source game item is read from the item exchange table. The player character then owns the game item read in the place of the game item originally designated for the exchange.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game device, a game device control method, and an information storage medium. In particular, the present invention relates to a game device having a function for exchanging a game item owned by a game character for other game item, and a game device control method and an information storage medium for the item exchange.
2. Description of the Related Art
Popular game software may be associated with a role playing game (RPG) and so on, in which a game character having various game items e.g., a weapon, a ward, and so on, attempts to clear a game using such game items. According to some of such game software, two game devices, such as his own and his friend""s, may be connected for communication via, for example, a communication cable so that game items can be exchanged between the connected game devices. With this arrangement, a game character in one game device can possess not only a game item which the game character legitimately obtained or purchased in a game space but also other new game item. This can diversify the way of enjoying the game.
However, the above-mentioned conventional game software supports only simple exchange of game items with a friend, in which the player can know what he will obtain in exchange before the exchange actually takes place. That is, according to such game software, only items approved by the players are exchanged.
The present invention has been conceived in the above situation, and aims to provide a game device having a function for exchanging a game item for an unpredictable game item so that the game is given an unpredictable aspect. The present invention also aims to provide a game device control method and an information storage medium to achieve such a game device.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game device, comprising game item storage means for storing game items owned by a game character; state judgement means for judging whether or not a game is in a game item exchange state; game item selection means for selecting, in response to a judgement result that the game is in a game item exchange state, at least one of the game items stored in the game item storage means; table storage means for storing a game item exchange table in which an exchange source game item corresponds to at least one exchange object game item; exchange object game item determination means for determining at least one exchange object game item according to the game item exchange table; and game item exchange means for storing the at least one exchange object game item determined in the game item storage means in a place of the at least one game item selected by the game item selection means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for a game device, comprising a game item storing step of storing game items owned by a game character in a memory; a state judging step of judging whether or not a game is in a game item exchange state; a game item selecting step of selecting, in response to a judgement result that the game is in a game item exchange state, at least one of the game items stored in the memory; an exchange object game item determining step of determining at least one exchange object game item according to a game item exchange table in which an exchange source game item corresponds to at least one exchange object game item; and a game item exchanging step of storing the at least one exchange object game item in the memory in a place of the at least one game item selected in the game item selecting step.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information storage medium storing a program for having a computer to execute a game item storing step of storing game items owned by a game character in a memory; a state judging step of judging whether or not a game is in a game item exchange state; a game item selecting step of selecting, in response to a judgement result that the game is in a game item exchange state, at least one of the game items stored in the memory; an exchange object game item determining step of determining at least one exchange object game item according to a game item exchange table in which an exchange source game item corresponds to at least one exchange object game item; and a game item exchanging step of storing the at least one exchange object game item in the memory in a place of the at least one game item selected in the game item selecting step.
As described above, according to the present invention, game items are stored in the game item storage means (e.g., a memory), and at least one of the stored game items is selected upon determination of a game item exchange state. Here, a game item exchange table is pre-provided. The game item exchange table is a table in which an exchange source game item corresponds to at least one exchange object game item. Therefore, at least one exchange object game item is determined according to the game item exchange table, and stored in the place of the at least one game item selected in the storage means (e.g., a memory). This arrangement allows a player without the knowledge of the content of the game item exchange table to exchange the selected game item for other unpredictable game item, contributing to giving an unpredictable aspect to the game thereby making the game more attractive.
The game device according to the present invention may further comprise connection judgement means for judging whether or not connection for communication is established with other game device. In this game device, the state judgement means judges whether or not a game is in a game item exchange state based on a result of judgement made by the connection judgement means. This arrangement allows counting connection with other device for communication as one of the conditions to conduct game item exchange. Therefore, connection with other game device may be encouraged so that the player can enjoy a sense of solidarity with his friend.
Still further, the exchange object game item determination means may include game item specifying information obtaining means for obtaining, from the other game device, game item specifying information specifying at least one game item, and determine, using the at least one game item specified by the game item specifying information as at least one exchange source game item, at least one of the exchange object game items corresponding to the at least one game exchange source game item recorded in the game item exchange table, as the at least one exchange object game item.
In the above, the game item specifying information is obtained from other game device so that at least one game item specified by the game item specifying information is used as at least one exchange source game item. At least one of the exchange object game items corresponding to the at least one exchange source game item according to the game item exchange table is selected as at least one actual exchange object game item. This arrangement allows the game item specified by the game item specifying information to be exchanged for other unpredictable game item.
Yet further, the exchange object game item determination means may determine, using the at least one game item selected by the game item selection means as at least one exchange source game item, at least one of the exchange object game items corresponding to the at least one exchange source game item recorded in the game item exchange table, as the at least one exchange object game item.
In the above, the game item selected by the game item selection means is used as an exchange source game item, and at least one of the exchange object game items corresponding to the exchange source game item according to the game item exchange table is selected as an actual exchange object game item. This arrangement allows a game item selected by, for example, a player to be exchanged for other unpredictable game item.
Yet further, the state judgement means may judge that the game device is in a game item exchange state when the game device is connected to other game device for communication, and the other game device is in a game item exchange state. This arrangement allows the player of the game device to exchange game items together with the player of the other game device, and resultantly contributes to enhancing the player""s sense of solidarity with the player of other game device.
Yet further, the exchange object game item determination means may include game item exchange time counting means for counting a number of times where the game item exchange means exchanges game items, and determine the at least one exchange object game item based on the number of times. This arrangement allows determination of an exchange object game item based on the number of exchange times. As a result, for a large number of exchanges, a game item which is unpredictable to an extent commensurating with that large number of exchanges can be set as an exchange object game item. This can contribute to imparting a further unpredictable aspect to the game.
Yet further, the exchange object game item determination means may include random number generation means for generating a random number, and determine at least one exchange object game item based on the random number generated. This arrangement enables to determine a still unpredictable exchange object game item.

Game device, game device control method and information storage medium


Novel imidazole compounds are disclosed, which are represented by the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein: R.sub.1 represents a cyano group or a --CSNHR.sub.5 group, wherein R.sub.5 represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-4 alkyl group, or a --COR.sub.6 group, wherein R.sub.6 represents a C.sub.1-4 alkyl group, a halogenated C.sub.1-4 alkyl group, or a phenyl group;. R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 each represents a hydrogen atom; a halogen atom; a nitro group; a cyano group; a trimethylsilyl group; a C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl group; a naphthyl group; a C.sub.1-12 alkyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, acetoxy groups, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy groups, halogenated C.sub.1-4 alkoxy groups, phenyl groups, halogenated phenyl groups, or C.sub.1-4 alkylated phenyl groups; a C.sub.2-10 alkenyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms; a C.sub.1-6 alkoxy group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms; a phenyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups, halogenated C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy groups, halogenated C.sub.1-4 alkoxy groups, C.sub.1-4 alkylthio groups, halogenated C.sub.1-4 alkylthio groups, nitro groups, cyano groups, or 3,4-methylenedioxy groups; a furyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms or C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups; a thienyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms or C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups; a pyridyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms or C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups; an --SO.sub.n R.sub.7 group, wherein R.sub.7 represents a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group, a C.sub.2-6 alkenyl group, a phenyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, a benzyl group, a pyridyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups, or halogenated C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups; or an --NR.sub.8 R.sub.9 group, wherein R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 each represents a C.sub.1-4 alkyl group, and n is 0, 1, or 2; or a --CO(NH).sub.m R.sub.10 group, wherein R.sub.10 represents a C.sub.1-4 alkyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, a C.sub.1-4 alkoxy group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, or a phenyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms; and m is 0 or 1; and PA0 R.sub.4 represents a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms; a C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl group; a phenyl group; a thienyl group; or an --NR.sub.11 R.sub.12 group, wherein R.sub.11 and R.sub.12 each represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-4 alkyl group which is optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, a C.sub.2-4 alkenyl group, or R.sub.11 and R.sub.12 are combined with each other together with a nitrogen atoms adjacent thereto to form a pyrrolidinyl group, a piperidinyl group, a morpholino group, or a thiomorpholino group, provided that R.sub.11 and R.sub.12 are not simultaneously a hydrogen atom;. provided that R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are not simultaneously a halogen atom. The compounds are effective as biocides.

Imidazole type compounds proposed so far are exemplified below.
Belgian Patent No. 852313 (published Sept. 12, 1977) discloses (4,5)-dichloro-imidazole(2)-carboxylic acid derivatives having the formula ##STR2## wherein CXYZ represents a C atom with 3 bonds attached to hetero atoms, and Japanese Patent Publication No. 15625/85 (published Apr. 20, 1985) discloses the following reaction scheme, ##STR3## while no compound having other substituents than chlorine atoms at the 4 and 5-positions in the imidazole ring and having a substituted sulfonyl group in the imidazole ring is disclosed in both of the above references.
Recl. Trav. Chim. Pays-Bas, 1973, 92(3), 449-59 discloses ##STR4## etc.;
DT-OS No. 2317453 (published Oct. 11, 1973) discloses quaternary ammonium salts of ##STR5## etc.; J. Org. Chem., Vol. 44, No. 16, 1979, 2902-2906 discloses ##STR6## (R: H, CH.sub.3), etc.; EP No. 31086 (published July 1, 1981) discloses ##STR7## (R': --CQZR, CN) J. Org. Chem., Vol. 51, No. 10, 1986, 1891-1894 discloses 2-cyano imidazole, etc.; and Research Disclosure, June (1986), 323-324 (C.A., 106, 49942e) discloses ##STR8## etc.; while no compound having a substituted sulfonyl group in the imidazole ring is disclosed in any of the above-described references.
Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 4303/80 (published Jan. 12, 1980) (the term "OPI" as used herein means a "published unexamined patent application") discloses 1-(N,N-dimethylsulfamoyl)-4,5-dicyanoimidazole ##STR9## C.A., 95: 7283q [Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 157570/80 (published Dec. 8, 1980)] discloses sulfamoylimidazole derivatives of ##STR10## C.A., 101: 7092u (J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 1984, (3), 481-6) discloses ##STR11## etc.; and C.A., 106: 138324x (Tetrahedron, 1986, 42(8), 2351-8) discloses ##STR12## etc.; while no compounds having other than a hydrogen atom, a lithium atom, or an --Si(Et).sub.3 group at the 2-position in the imidazole ring as a substituent are disclosed.
Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 142164/87 (published June 25, 1987) discloses 4,5-dichloro-imidazole compounds having the formula ##STR13## while no compounds having other substituents than chlorine atoms at the 4 and 5-positions in the imidazole ring are disclosed.
References listed below disclose imidazopyridine compounds and/or benzimidazole compounds in which the compounds contain a condensed ring of an imidazole ring with a benzene ring and/or a pyridine ring in their chemical structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,157 (issued Sept. 28, 1971) PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,369 (issued Aug. 1, 1972) PA0 Belgian Patent No. 830719 (published Dec. 29, 1975) PA0 Belgian Patent No. 845641 (published Feb. 28, 1977) PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,502 (issued Aug. 20, 1985) PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,853 (issued Apr. 1, 1986) PA0 French Patent No. 2559150 (published Aug. 9, 1985) PA0 Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 103873/86 (published May 22, 1086) PA0 Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 22782/87 (published Jan. 30, 1987) PA0 EP No. 219192 (published Apr. 22, 1987) PA0 Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 195379/87 (published Aug. 28, 1987) PA0 EP No. 239508 (published Sept. 30, 1987)

Imidazole compounds and biocidal composition comprising the same for controlling harmful organisms


This invention relates to an insulating material for a wiring substrate and to a method of producing a multi-layered wiring substrate, and is directed to put into practical application a multi-layered wiring substrate suitable for processing high speed signals. The production method of the multi-layered wiring substrate of this invention uses an insulating material prepared by allowing voids of a porous perfluorocarbon polymer film to be impregnated with a thermosetting resin containing a benzocyclobutene ring, and thermally setting the resin, and comprises laminating alternately a wiring layer and an insulating layer made of the insulating material for the wiring substrate on a rigid support substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an insulating material for a wiring substrate and a method of producing a multi-layered wiring substrate using the insulating material.
To reduce the size of an electronic device and to improve its operation speed, a higher density wiring substrate, to which a semiconductor integrated circuit is to be mounted, is necessary with the improvement in the integration density of the semiconductor integrated circuit.
The integration density of the wiring substrate has been improved from a single layer printed board at the outset to a multi-layered printed board and to a surface package, and a multi-chip module (MCM) capable of coping with a semiconductor chip package and capable of attaining a higher density has been developed.
Although a ceramic wiring substrate produced by a thick film formation method can be used as a substrate of the MCM, a thin film multi-layered wiring substrate using a polyimide having a lower dielectric constant than ceramics as an insulating layer and alternately laminating a layer of copper (Cu) wirings on this insulting layer has been developed and put into practical application in the field of large scale computers where higher speed of signals are required. (Refer, for example, to "Nikkei Micro-Device", December, 1989, pp 50-55.)
2. Description of the Related Art
The polyimide which has been developed and put into practical application as an insulating material for a wiring substrate has high heat resistance and a low dielectric constant ( =3.4).
However, this material is not devoid of the problem that it has high hygroscopicity due to its imide ring having high polarity, so that an apparent dielectric constant increases upon absorption of moisture and the insulating properties deteriorate.
Since a signal propagation speed is inversely proportional to .sup.1/2, the demand for materials having a lower dielectric constant than polyimides has increased.
A perfluorocarbon polymer (such as polytetrafluoroethylene (abbreviated to "PTFE")) is known as a material having low hygroscopicity, high heat resistance and an extremely low dielectric constant.
The perfluorocarbon resin as typified by PTFE is a material with a dielectric constant ( ) which is as low as about 2.0, and exhibits excellent heat resistance because the bond energy between carbon and fluorine is very high.
Furthermore, since this material has extremely low hygroscopicity and excellent chemical resistance, it has already been used as a substrate of a printed wiring board.
According to a thin film formation method it alternately laminates a wiring layer and an insulating layer individually, however, a rigid support substrate made of ceramics or a metal and the insulating layer, the insulating layer and a wiring metal, and the insulating layer and the insulating layer, must be adhered with one another. For this reason, PTFE has not been used as the insulating material for a multi-layered wiring substrate because adhesion of PTFE other than fusion has been difficult.
To apply PTFE to the thin film formation method, a method has been devised which renders PTFE porous by biaxial stretching, or the like, and then allows this porous film to be impregnated with a resin having high adhesion.
In other words, a dielectric constant and hygroscopicity can be reduced while retaining necessary adhesion and heat resistance by making PTFE composite with a resin.
The essential condition of the impregnation resin for PTFE according to this method is that porous PTFE can be impregnated with the resin and can be bonded by heat treatment, or the like.
As material satisfying this condition, a prepreg material "Gore-tex GTM-051 Series" (products of Japan Gore-tex Inc.) prepared by allowing porous PTFE to be impregnated with a bis-maleimide triazine resin (abbreviated to the "BT resin") as a low molecular weight thermosetting resin has been available commercially.
However, the BT resin has a considerably low heat resistance of not higher than 300.degree. C. and considerably high dielectric constant ( ) of more than 3.5. Therefore, even when this resin is made composite with porous PTFE, the dielectric constant of the resulting composite film cannot be reduced to 3.0 or less.
The perfluorocarbon polymers typified by PTFE are insulating materials having a low dielectric constant, but cannot as such be used for an inter-level insulating film of a multi-layered wiring substrate because their adhesion is extremely low.
On the other hand, a prepreg material prepared by allowing porous PTFE to be impregnated with the BT resin is commercially available for improving the adhesion of PTFE, but the heat resistance of the BT resin is up to about 300.degree. C. and the dielectric constant of the composite film is as great as about 3.0.
It is therefore a technical problem to obtain a thermosetting resin having excellent heat resistance but a low dielectric constant and capable of impregnation, to put an excellent multi-layered wiring substrate material into practical application by allowing porous PTFE to be impregnated with such a resin, and to form a multi-layered wiring substrate using an insulating material.
One of the important technical problems when forming a thin film multi-layered wiring is to form via holes of an inter-level insulating layer.
The thin film formation method employs the step of laminating a wiring layer individually in the same way as in the case of the formation of a semiconductor integrated circuit. For this reason, the use of reactive ion etching (RIE) has been examined for the formation of the via holes, too.
In the thin film circuit, however, the insulating layer is incomparably thicker than the semiconductor. To etch this thick insulating layer, a metal film having high dry etching resistance must be used as a resist layer. For this reason, a complicated process comprising the steps of: formation of the metal film.fwdarw.coating of a photoresist.fwdarw.exposure.fwdarw.development of the photoresist.fwdarw.etching of the metal resist.fwdarw.etching of the insulating film.fwdarw.removal of the metal resist.
In a thin film circuit using the polyimide as the insulating layer, therefore, a method that applies photosensitivity to a polyimide precursor and forms a via hole by utilizing photosensitivity of the material has been examined in order to simplify the fabrication process.
Nonetheless, the via hole cannot be formed by utilizing photosensitivity in the material impregnated with the thermosetting resin having adhesion to porous PTFE, and for this reason, the use of RIE requiring complicated steps becomes necessary.
Accordingly, a method of forming the via holes by a simple process must be accomplished for porous PTFE impregnated with the thermosetting resin.
As already described, the formation of the via holes utilizing photosensitivity cannot be carried out for those materials that are prepared by allowing porous PTFE to be impregnated with the adherable resin.
It is therefore important to materialize a method of forming the via holes by a simple and practical method.

Insulating material for wiring substrate and method of producing multi-layered wiring substrate