A peripheral weighted, cavity back iron type golf club head having a secondary weight system formed within the cavity and attached to the peripheral mass at two separate and in-line points on the peripheral mass.

The present invention relates to perimeter weighted golf club heads having a recessed or cavity back with an improved weight distribution and configuration. To improve the effeciency and playability of a golf club head, various designs in weight configurations have been developed over the years. Many conventional club heads concentrate the weight around the periphery of the golf club head, particularly at the bottom and heel and toe areas.
Various attempts at improving this weight configuration are shown in the prior art including my U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,172 which shows a perimeter weighted golf club head with a cavity back with additional weight members formed within the cavity on opposite sides of the center of gravity (CG) or the center of percussion (CP).
The present invention provides a peripheral weighted iron type golf club head having a recessed or cavity back with additional weight members designed and positioned to provide increased control and feel without sacrificing accuracy and distance. The additional weight members are formed within the cavity and have a plurality of at least two points which intersect and are integrally connected to the peripheral weight member. Various embodiments are contemplated including additional weight members which extend from two points within the cavity, from three points within the cavity and from four points within the cavity.
An object of the present invention is provide a peripheral weight iron type golf club which provides an improved weight configuration to enable a golfer to achieve better control, improved feel and accuracy and greater distance when hitting a golf ball.
Another object is provide an iron type golf club head with an improved weight configuration that minimizes variances in a golf ball's flight when a ball is hit off-center.
Still another object is to provide a weighting of a golf club head which provides additional weight in areas where a golf ball is most often miss-hit, thereby increasing the potential for the ball to go further and straighter when struck off of the center of gravity (CG) of the club head.
These and other objects will be understood with reference to accompanying description and drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an iron type golf club head in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof. FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view thereof. FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the club head of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the club head of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view of the club head of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the club head of FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a rear elevational view of the club head of FIG. 12.


Mechanisms are provided for accessing a file of a physical storage device of a data processing system via an intelligent file system associated with the physical storage device. The mechanisms receive, in the intelligent file system of the data processing system, a file access command specifying a file access operation and an extended filename. The extended filename comprises a full filename and one or more options multiplexed with the full filename. The mechanisms parse the file access command to identify the file access operation, the full filename, and the one or more options. The mechanisms then execute the file access operation on a file of the physical storage device corresponding to the full filename using the one or more options specified in the extended filename.

The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for specifying options in filenames and multiplexing those options onto file access operations of a file system.
File systems are an integral part of modern computing systems. The file system represents a place where files are stored and provides a mechanism by which these files may be accessed. The file system can be local to a computing system, remotely located from the computing system, i.e. provided on a different computing system, such as in the case of storage area networks (SANs) and the like, or even distributed across a plurality of computing systems with parts of the file system and its corresponding files existing on different computing systems.
Regardless of the particular type or implementation of a file system, there is one common characteristic of file systems which is that all file systems allow users, applications on the computer system, the operating system of the computing system, and the like, to access files based on the use of a filename and optionally a file location. For example, a local file system of a LINUX® operating system can have a file with a filename /etc/passwd, which is the "passwd" file in the "etc" directory (file location). Similarly, /home/george/profile is the file named "profile" in the "george" directory, which itself is in the "home" directory. In this case, /home/george/profile can be described as the full filename since it comprises the full path (/home/george/) and the filename (profile).
A networked file system may have a file common:/tmp/xyz.txt, which is the "xyz.txt" file in the "tmp" directory on the "common" computing system. In the Microsoft® Windows® operating system a file c:\io.sys is the "io.sys" file in the top level directory of the "c:" drive of the computing system.
The illustrative embodiments described hereafter are directed to an improvement in the use of filenames with file systems to access files.

Specifying options in filenames and multiplexing the options onto file access operations of a file system

International Business Machines Corporation


Sound-attenuating mufflers and muffler inserts, and systems and methods for fabricating such muffler inserts. Continuous fiberglass roving is fed to a pneumatic jet head which fluffs the roving and presents the fluffed roving to a delivery wand at the exit end of the jet head. A jet head/wand assembly is moved along a three-dimensional path such that the wand delivery tip travels along a predetermined three-dimensional path inside a mold thereby depositing the continuous, fluffed fiberglass strands in the mold along the predetermined path. A terminal end portion of a liquid resin conduit is mounted to the fiberglass-dispensing wand, as part of the delivery tip, and drip-feeds liquid resin onto the fiberglass as the fiberglass is being deposited in the mold. The undulating, up and down movement of the delivery tip produces a wave-like undulating pattern in the appearance of the rovings in the resulting molded product.

This invention pertains to mufflers. In general, a muffler has an outer shell, generally steel, which encloses a medium which absorbs and/or otherwise attenuates the sound emitted by e.g. an internal combustion engine. An inlet pipe feeds exhaust gases from the engine into the muffler. An exit pipe carries the exhaust gases away from the muffler.
The medium inside the muffler can be as minimal as the air which is inherently contained inside the muffler shell. Namely, the exhaust gases and/or shock waves pass/expand from the inlet pipe into the bulk of the shell cavity, and then pass from there into the exit pipe.
In other embodiments, the medium includes a multiple-pass path of pipes and/or baffles inside the muffler shell, where such multiple-pass path carries the exhaust gases through an elongate journey through the muffler, and where the length of the path, in combination with the internal pipe configuration, and other acoustic design properties, collectively contribute to sound attenuation inside the muffler.
More commonly, the muffler shell is packed with a fibrous packing material such as fiberglass which may be separately fabricated as an "insert". The exhaust gases, and/or the shock waves in the exhaust gases, are allowed and/or directed to flow into and/or through the fibrous packing material whereby the fibrous material absorbs/attenuates a portion of the sound.
This invention pertains, specifically, not only to mufflers in general, but also to muffler inserts, and methods and apparatus for fabricating muffler inserts.
In general, the process of reducing the intensity of the sound emitted by an engine, in a fiberglass-packed muffler, relates to the ability to disburse the sound waves into the medium materials so the medium can absorb and disburse the energy of the sound waves. While fiberglass is typically used as the fibrous packing material medium, other high temperature materials can be used in place of the fiberglass.
The muffler shell, which is packed with fiberglass, may also be known as a canister. The inlet pipe, leading into the muffler, carries the exhaust gases from the engine into the muffler. The exit pipe, leaving the muffler, receives the exhaust gases after such gases have passed through the sound-attenuating portion of the muffler, and passes those exhaust gases to downstream portions of the exhaust system or to ambient air. The exit pipe leaving the muffler may be an extension of the inlet pipe which carries the exhaust gases into the muffler. In the alternative, the exhaust gases may traverse one or more additional pipes inside the muffler whereby there may or may not be additional exhaust-gas carrying pipes and/or baffles inside the muffler shell, depending on the specifications of the particular muffler; and the exit pipe may not be the same pipe as the inlet pipe.
Some or all of the space inside the muffler shell, which is not occupied by the inlet pipe, the exit pipe, or any other internal structure inside the canister, is desirably occupied by uniformly packed fiberglass, which fiberglass provides a substantial portion of the sound attenuation properties of the muffler.
While some mufflers have a plurality of internal metal baffles and/or pipes which direct the exhaust gases in a tortuous path, other mufflers, as is the case in the embodiments illustrated, attenuate the sound in the exhaust gases as the pipe carrying the exhaust gases makes a straight-line pass through the muffler. The primary means for attenuating the sound in a straight-through muffler, such as in the embodiments illustrated herein, is to surround the inlet pipe, and/or another pipe inside the muffler, with a pack/insert of fiberglass or other fibrous material. The fiberglass pack/insert is surrounded by the outer shell such that the fiberglass pack/insert is held between the outer shell of the muffler and an exhaust-gas-carrying tube.
In some instances, the fiberglass insert is packaged in a plastic bag such that the plastic layer generally protects a worker's hands from the harsh affects of the fiberglass on human skin. When a muffler containing such insert is incorporated into an engine exhaust system, and the engine is activated, the heat from the exhaust gases melts and burns off the plastic bag, and at about 600 degrees F. sustained temperature, the gases also burn off any e.g. phenolic resin/binder in the fiberglass pack, leaving only the fiberglass as the "pack" inside the muffler. Once the fiberglass is released from any such binder as the binder and plastic film are burned off, the fiberglass, in general, expands to fill the space into which the insert was inserted, namely the volumetric, three-dimensional space being occupied by the insert inside the muffler.
Restated, as a fiberglass pack/insert is fabricated, certain transverse stresses are imposed on the individual strands of fiberglass. Those transverse stresses are at least in part maintained in the insert by the combination of any cured resin and any surrounding plastic bag. Once the bag and binder are burned off inside the muffler, any residual transverse stresses on the strands cause the strands to move in transverse restoration directions until otherwise restrained by other strands, or by the muffler shell or pipes, or until the residual stresses are sufficiently attenuated that the fibers no longer experience a net directional force. Thus, when any binder and any plastic film are burned off, the fiberglass pack, as a whole, expands to a less-stressed condition, and correspondingly better fills the available space inside the muffler shell.
The efficiency with which a muffler attenuates sound depends in part on the uniformity of the density and uniformity of distribution of the fiberglass in the fiberglass pack at steady state operation of the muffler. Uniformity of fiberglass density and distribution also influences uniformity of temperature distribution inside the muffler as well as temperature at the muffler shell, thus effecting thermal stress distribution in the muffler, which influences use life of the muffler.
The extent to which the expanded fiberglass density and distribution are uniform throughout the available space inside the muffler shell depends in part on the ability of the insert to conform to the available space, and in part on the uniformity of the density and distribution of the fiberglass in the insert as the insert is being assembled into the muffler shell.
The problem addressed by the invention is that of creating a reproducible fiberglass insert which resides between an exhaust-gas-carrying tube and the outer muffler shell, starting with continuous fiberglass rovings as the raw material from which the insert is made and which provides desirably uniform density and distribution of the fiberglass during steady-state operation of the muffler, while providing suitable safety to workers who install such inserts in the process of assembling mufflers.
Some known processes by which fiberglass-based products are made and/or filled into muffler shells result in uneven distribution of the fiberglass inside the muffler shell, or distribution which is not reliably repeatable, such that, when the binder and/or plastic burn off, the fiberglass density is not reliably evenly distributed in the occupied space, which results in hot spots in the muffler, or there is variation from muffler to muffler, or from one production run to a subsequent production run.
Other known processes by which fiberglass-based products are made and/or filled into muffler shells include use of powdered binder, which is accompanied by air quality issues in the workplace where such products are made.
Thus it is desirable to provide systems, apparatus, and methods of uniformly distributing fiberglass and a binder in a muffler insert.
More specifically, it is desirable to provide systems, apparatus, and methods for uniformly distributing such fiberglass while including such binder in a mold which receives the fiberglass and binder and which provides a shape-constant core for the insert.
It is also desirable to provide systems, apparatus, and methods by which uniformity of density and distribution of such fiberglass-binder core is reliably reproducible over an extended period of time without air quality issues related to a powdered binder.
It is further desirable to provide systems, apparatus, and methods for fabricating such muffler insert article, and muffler into which the insert article has been assembled, wherein the quality of the insert product is reliably reproducible.
It is yet further desirable to provide systems and apparatus adapted to fabricate a fiberglass-based muffler insert and wherein the insert fabricated using such systems and apparatus defines a generally uniform distribution of fiberglass throughout the volume defined by such insert, and wherein the insert is reliably reproducible.
It is further desirable to provide a method of fabricating such muffler insert article, which method includes using a jet head to fluff a continuous fiberglass roving and to move a wand extension of the exit end of the jet head about, inside the mold, positively placing the fiberglass-based material in such mold at staged multiple elevations inside the mold.
It is still further desirable to place a binder, in non-powder form, in the mold simultaneously with the placement of the fiberglass in the mold.
It is still further desirable to mount a binder dispenser exit locus in close proximity to the exit end of the nozzle of the fiberglass dispenser such that the binder is placed in close proximity to the fiberglass being concurrently placed in the mold.
It is yet further desirable to provide an industrial-level computer which guides specific placement of such fiberglass and binder in the mold along a predetermined 3-dimensional path.
It is also desirable to design the predetermined three-dimensional path according to the volumetric profile of the mold cavity into which such fiberglass and binder are to be placed.

Muffler insert, and systems, methods and apparatus for making


In a motor, busbars each includes a grasping portion to grasp a conducting wire extending from a coil. A pair of arm portions in each of the grasping portions extend from a base portion to a same side in a circumferential direction. A busbar holder includes a busbar holder body, and a cylindrical first central tubular portion centered on a central axis, projecting to a second axial side from the busbar holder body. A bearing holder includes a first central hole portion centered on the central axis, and extending through the bearing holder in an axial direction. The first central tubular portion is fitted in the first central hole portion. One of the bearing holder and the busbar holder includes a hole portion recessed in the axial direction. Another one of the bearing holder and the busbar holder includes a fitting projection portion projecting in the axial direction. The fitting projection portion is fitted in the hole portion. An axial dimension of a portion of the first central tubular portion fitted in the first central hole portion is greater than an axial dimension of a portion of the fitting projection portion fitted in the hole portion.

In a known motor, a busbar holder which holds busbars is fitted to a bearing holder which holds a bearing. For example, a motor in which an insulating plate as a bearing holder and a busbar holder are fixed to each other through screws is known.
In the motor as described above, a conducting wire extending from a coil is passed through the bearing holder, and is connected to a busbar. Accordingly, an operator fits the busbar holder to the bearing holder after circumferentially positioning the busbar holder with respect to the bearing holder, and then connects the conducting wire to the busbar. However, when the busbar holder is fitted to the bearing holder as described above, a displacement of the position of the conducting wire extending from the coil or the like may make it difficult to arrange the conducting wire at a desired position with respect to the busbar. This may make it difficult to connect the conducting wire to the busbar.


An embodiment of this invention is an information storage system comprising a plurality of storage systems connected to be able to communicate. Each of the plurality of storage systems includes default storage system identification information which is the same to the plurality of storage systems, common volume identification information for uniquely identifying volumes provided by the plurality of storage systems to a host computer among the plurality of storage systems, and a controller configured to return the default storage system identification information to the host computer in response to a request from the host computer and to process a read or write request to a volume accompanying the common volume identification information from the host computer.

Recent drastic increase in the amount of information handled by computers promotes expansion of the scale of data centers hosting host computers and storage systems for processing information. Servers, storage systems, and networks installed in data centers have attained technological progress to reduce management costs on an individual apparatus basis.
For servers, with enhancement of performance in units of apparatus, an architecture implementing a virtualization mechanism in a highly-integrated blade-type apparatus is beginning to be employed to achieve load balancing among a plurality of servers. To storage systems, a design that stores consolidated massive data in a large-scaled storage system with high performance, high reliability, and high availability is applied, instead of storing massive data in a number of small storages. As to network equipment, increasing the number of connections per apparatus improves performance to bear increased traffic among systems.
In such circumstances, data centers come to face a problem of management cost for procuring individual apparatuses and constructing and operating large-scale systems. To reduce the cost, integrated systems including built-up systems with servers, storages, and networks are beginning to be proposed.
Such an integrated system includes built-up components of servers, storage systems, and networks with determined specifications; accordingly, if it is assumed to use it within the range of its specified performance, construction and operation costs can be reduced.
An issue to improve the system performance is management of storage systems. Because of difficulties in designing performance and capacity, and difficulties in building up a storage area network (SAN), a large-scale data center employs an administrator specialized in the storage system; accordingly, simplification is particularly desired and techniques are under development.
One of the techniques to achieve a large-scale storage system is a storage area network. A storage area network connects one or more storage systems to a plurality of host computers so that a plurality of host storages can share a huge capacity storage system. Such computer systems are currently widespread.
An advantage of such a computer system is an outstanding extendability: storage resources and computer resources can be easily added, deleted, or replaced at a later occasion. For a storage system that connects to a SAN, a storage system including RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disk) structured storage apparatuses are commonly used.
A fibre channel switch included in the SAN provides a zoning function. A zone is a unit of logical separation of a fibre channel network. A scheme of this fibre channel zoning configures a zone with a group of network interfaces.
The network interfaces registered in a zone do not accept data transfer to and from network interfaces which are not registered in the zone. In other words, data transfer is available only among the network interfaces registered in the zone. The fibre channel switch can manage information on equipment connected to the SAN fabric, update the statuses in response to a log-in of new equipment or a log-out, and respond to a query about connection status.
PTL 1 in the citation list below discloses a system that connects a virtual storage system to a different external storage system having storage areas to provide a host computer with a storage area in the different storage system to be used as a virtual storage area in the virtual storage system; the technique is called external storage attatchment technique.
PTL 2 discloses a storage system that transfers information in a logical unit (volume) in a migration source storage system so as to match the settings on a migration destination storage system to set configuration control information.
PTL 3 discloses a technique that assigns a global LDEV number common to a plurality of storage systems in addition to a local LDEV number within a storage system. PTL 4 discloses a thin provisioning technique that prohibits allocation of storage capacity to unwritten data areas to reduce redundancy in the storage capacity.

Information storage system including a plurality of storage systems that is managed using system and volume identification information and storage system management method for same


The present disclosure relates to system applications of multicore optical fibers. One embodiment relates to a base transceiver station for a wireless telecommunication system comprising a plurality of antenna units arranged in a MIMO configuration and adapted for transmission and/or reception of radio-frequency signals, an optical transmitter in the form of an electro-optic conversion unit for each of said plurality of antenna units, each electro-optic conversion unit adapted for converting an RF signal into an optical signal, a plurality of a single core optical fibers for guiding the optical signals, and at least one first space division multiplexing (SDM) unit adapted for multiplexing said single core optical fibers into respective individual cores of a multicore fiber, or into respective individual modes of a multimode fiber.

In order to meet the increasing demands for broadband wireless access, mobile service providers are now deploying distributed antenna multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems. MIMO systems typically use the same radio frequency spectrum for several antennas which work together to cooperatively detect the signals. This enhances reach and capacity of wireless signals at the cost of increased signal processing complexity. Multicore fibers have recently gained considerable attention within the telecom industry as a way of reducing the footprint of optical data links.
In traditional radio-over-fiber/wireless-over-fiber systems a laser is driven by the signal received from the antenna, and the optical signal is transmitted over a fiber link to the central station. For the downlink, the radio-frequency signal is generated at the central station and transmitted over the fiber link to the antenna station, where it is photodetected and amplified before being fed to the antenna. Usually, each antenna will be connected to the central station via a duplex fiber link.
Optical communication systems incorporating a MIMO configuration employing one or more multicore fibers in the backhaul link are disclosed in the prior art. US 2012/163801 discloses an optical fiber communication system enabling achievement of a large-capacity optical communication with a small number of optical fibers. The communication system includes an optical transmitter transmitting a plurality of optical signals in parallel through the respective cores of a multicore fiber, and an optical receiver receiving the optical signals output in parallel from the respective cores of the multicore fiber. The optical transmitter and the optical receiver thereby essentially form a MIMO optical communication employing a multicore fiber.


A pneumatic can crusher for compressing a metal can has a hollow pipe. A piston assembly is located inside the pipe with a head attached to a first end of a connecting rod and a bottom air cylinder connected to a second end of a connecting rod. In some embodiments, an opening is located in the pipe near the top end, for allowing the metal can to be inserted into the inside of the pipe and placed on a top surface of the head of the piston assembly. The pneumatic can crusher has a manually activated safety interlock operated by a foot of a user. Air from the air compressor pushes the air cylinder upward toward the top end of the pipe so to crush the metal can on the top surface of the head of the piston assembly.

Uncompacted debris including metal cans and plastic bottles occupies a considerable amount of space upon being discarded, making it cumbersome to store or transport. Thus, it is desirable to flatten or compact certain articles of debris having a large void area before storing or transporting so that more debris can be placed in a given space. Furthermore, crushing metal cans presents the material in a form in which is more readily handled for reuse and recycling.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pneumatic container compacting apparatus


A diesel piston with a cast bi-metallic dome and a method of making the piston. In one form, the dome may include a laminate of a relatively high-temperature material, for example, stainless steel, and a relatively low temperature material, for example, aluminum or aluminum alloys, such that the portion of the dome made from the relatively high-temperature material is directly exposed to combustion within a cylinder into which the piston is placed. In another form, an aluminum coated stainless steel ring is used to form the dome. In one form, an ablation casting process may be used to manufacture the dome.

The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for casting of engine components, and more particularly to an advanced bi-metallic piston and a way to manufacture the same.
Pistons used in internal combustion engines are typically made up of a head (also called a dome), skirts, one or more ring grooves, and lands between the grooves. While they are subjected to high combustion temperatures and pressures during engine operation, increasingly stringent emissions and efficiency requirements dictate that pistons of the future will need to be designed to withstand even more demanding operating conditions. This in turn will necessitate the use of higher-temperature capable materials and damage-resistant designs. This is especially true for pistons used in diesel engines that, in addition to being the predominant engine form for larger, commercial vehicles, are increasingly being used to power passenger vehicles.
While all of the various piston components mentioned above are expected to be subjected to additional loads as more power is extracted from smaller structures, it is the dome which, by virtue of being directly exposed to the combustion process, can be expected to be particularly vulnerable to thermo-mechanical damage. Unfortunately, light alloys typically used for pistons tend to have limited mechanical and temperature capability. For example, while aluminum alloys have conventionally been used for weight reduction in diesel engine pistons, their limited thermal and mechanical durability makes them incompatible with the higher temperature requirements of a more complete (and therefore higher temperature) combustion process. Steel pistons have the capability to endure the extreme environment; however, they are heavier than aluminum pistons. This weight problem is exacerbated by the high rate of speed and acceleration associated with piston movement, meaning that ancillary structures may additionally have to be fortified, with an even more detrimental weight impact.
Attempts have been made to combine the heat resistance of high temperature-capable materials with the lower weight of aluminum-based materials in diesel pistons. However, although composite pistons may satisfy the above objectives, the difficulties associated with their manufacture have offset many of their benefits. This is especially so because pistons have long been made as cast parts with some post-casting machining or related modifications. As such, it has been difficult to combine the inherent low-cost approach of casting with the flexibility of tailored material placement in the piston.
Currently, the piston is cast with the riser at one side of the dome, which results in property variation around the dome. The casting method may be changed to feed the piston so that the riser is in a more typical location, such as at the center of the dome. In another alternative, the bowl rim can be re-melted using TIG or lasers. While this may achieve a particularly well-refined microstructure in the dome region of interest, there is no insulation benefit from the heat of combustion.


A dedicated protocol generation unit provides the ability to detect validity of data received from a configurable logic block, such as a programmable logic device (PLD). Data valid signaling is provided by the configurable logic block, such that invalid data received from the configurable logic block is replaced with programmable insertion data prior to transmission, while valid data is allowed to be transmitted without replacement. Also, data received by Input/Output (I/O) portions of the dedicated protocol generation unit are compared to programmable data patterns. After a positive comparison, matching data is either truncated and not delivered to the configurable logic block, or the matching data is delivered to the configurable logic block with appropriate data valid signaling.

PLDs are a well-known type of integrated circuit that may be programmed to perform specified logic functions. One type of PLD, the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), typically includes an array of programmable tiles. These programmable tiles can include, for example, Input/Output Blocks (IOBs), Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs), dedicated Random Access Memory Blocks (BRAM), multipliers, Digital Signal Processing blocks (DSPs), processors, clock managers, Delay Lock Loops (DLLs), Multi-Gigabit Transceivers (MGTs) and so forth.
Each programmable tile typically includes both programmable interconnect and programmable logic. The programmable interconnect typically includes a large number of interconnect lines of varying lengths interconnected by Programmable Interconnect Points (PIPs). The programmable logic implements the logic of a user design using programmable elements that may include, for example, function generators, registers, arithmetic logic, and so forth.
The programmable interconnect and the programmable logic are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data into internal configuration memory cells that define how the programmable elements are configured. The configuration data may be read from memory (e.g., from an external PROM) or written into the FPGA by an external device. The collective states of the individual memory cells then determine the function of the FPGA.
Another type of PLD is the Complex Programmable Logic Device, or CPLD. A CPLD includes two or more "function blocks" connected together and to Input/Output (I/O) resources by an interconnect switch matrix. Each function block of the CPLD includes a two-level AND/OR structure similar to those used in Programmable Logic Arrays (PLAs) and Programmable Array Logic (PAL) devices. In some CPLDs, configuration data is stored on-chip in non-volatile memory. In other CPLDs, configuration data is stored off-chip in non-volatile memory, then downloaded to volatile memory as part of an initial configuration sequence.
For all of these PLDs, the functionality of the device is controlled by data bits provided to the device for that purpose. The data bits can be stored in volatile memory (e.g., static memory cells, as in FPGAs and some CPLDs), in non-volatile memory (e.g., FLASH memory, as in some CPLDs), or in any other type of memory cell.
Some PLDs, such as the Xilinx Virtex® FPGA, can be programmed to incorporate blocks with pre-designed functionalities, i.e., "cores". A core can include a predetermined set of configuration bits that program the FPGA to perform one or more functions. Alternatively, a core can include source code or schematics that describe the logic and connectivity of a design. Typical cores can provide, but are not limited to, DSP functions, memories, storage elements, and math functions. Some cores include an optimally floor planned layout targeted to a specific family of FPGAs. Cores can also be parameterizable, i.e., allowing the user to enter parameters to activate or change certain core functionality.
In many communication applications, for example, PLD based systems are used to balance the efficiency of Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) with the flexibility of software. In such systems, the PLD off-loads the Central Processing Unit (CPU) for specific algorithms that are not efficiently handled within the CPU. While the PLD affords the user with great flexibility of design, it may also present the user with the requirement of managing a large number of design attributes, which may or may not be of interest to the user. Such design attributes may include communication attributes that are associated with the physical, as well as the other hierarchically arranged, communication layers of an Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) based system.
In the prior art, for example, communication protocol blocks are among the many block functionalities that may be incorporated into the soft core of the PLD. Such implementations, however, utilize a substantial portion of the programmable fabric that exists within the PLD. Further, such placement of the communication protocol blocks require the user to track and maintain all of the features and specification attributes that are associated with the communication protocol. In some instances, the user may wish to be free from such a protocol management task.

Method and apparatus for automatic protocol generation


A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, and has a sensor capable of continuously detecting the thickness of an electrically conductive layer. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, and a top ring for holding and pressing the substrate against the polishing surface to polish the surface of the substrate. A sensor such as an eddy-current sensor is disposed below the polishing surface of the polishing table for measuring the thickness of a conductive layer formed on the surface of the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, and more particularly to a polishing apparatus having a sensor capable of continuously detecting, on a real-time basis, the thickness of an electrically conductive film (layer) on a polished surface of the substrate while the polished surface of the substrate, mounted on a substrate holder such as a top ring, remains unexposed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in order to form a wiring circuit on a semiconductor substrate, a conductive film is deposited over a surface of a substrate by a sputtering process or the like, and then unnecessary portions are removed from the conductive film by a chemical dry etching process using a photoresist for a mask pattern.
Generally, aluminum or aluminum alloy has been used as a material for forming a wiring circuit. However, the higher integration of integrated circuits on the semiconductor substrate in recent years requires narrower wiring to increase the current density, resulting in generating thermal stress in the wiring and increasing the temperature of the wiring. This unfavorable condition becomes more significant as the wiring material, such as aluminum, becomes thinner, due to stress migration or electromigration, finally causing breaking of the wire or a short circuit.
Hence, in order to prevent the wiring from generating excess heat while current flows, a material such as copper, having a higher electrical conductivity, is required to be used for a wiring circuit. However, since copper or copper alloy is not suited for the dry etching process, it is difficult to adopt the above-mentioned method in which the wiring pattern is formed after depositing the conductive film over the whole surface of the substrate. Therefore, one of the possible processes is that grooves for a wiring circuit having a predetermined pattern are formed, and then the grooves are filled with copper or copper alloy. This process eliminates the etching process of removing unnecessary portions of the film, and needs only a polishing process for removing unevenness or irregularities of the surface. Further, this process offers advantages in that portions called wiring holes, connecting between an upper layer and a lower layer in a multilayer circuit, can be formed at the same time.
However, as the width of the wiring is narrower, such wiring grooves or wiring holes have a considerably higher aspect ratio (the ratio of depth to diameter or width), and hence it is difficult to fill the grooves or the holes with metal uniformly by the sputtering process. Further, although a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process is used to deposit various materials, it is difficult to prepare an appropriate gas material for copper or copper alloy, and if an organic material is used for depositing copper or copper alloy, carbon (C) is mixed into the deposited film, increasing migration of the film.
Therefore, there has been proposed a method in which a substrate is dipped in a plating solution to plate the substrate with copper by an electrolytic plating or an electroless plating and then unnecessary portions of a copper layer is removed from the substrate by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. This formation of film or layer by the plating allows wiring grooves having a high aspect ratio to be uniformly filled with a metal having a high electrical conductivity. In the CMP process, a semiconductor wafer held by the top ring is pressed against a polishing cloth attached to a turntable, while supplying a polishing liquid containing abrasive particles, and thus the copper layer on the semiconductor substrate is polished.
When the copper layer is polished by the CMP process, it is necessary that the copper layer on the semiconductor substrate be selectively removed therefrom, while leaving only the copper layer in the grooves for a wiring circuit, i.e. interconnection grooves. More specifically, the copper layer on those surface areas of the semiconductor substrate other than the interconnection grooves needs to be removed until an oxide film of SiO2 is exposed. If the copper layer in the interconnection grooves is excessively polished away together with the oxide film (SiO2), then the resistance of the circuits on the semiconductor substrate would be so increased that the semiconductor substrate might possibly need to be discarded, resulting in a large loss. Conversely, if the semiconductor substrate is insufficiently polished to leave the copper layer on the oxide film, then the circuits on the semiconductor substrate would not be separated from each other, but short-circuited. As a consequence, the semiconductor substrate would be required to be polished again, and hence its manufacturing cost would be increased. This holds true for semiconductor substrates which have an electrically conductive layer of aluminum that needs to be selectively polished away by the CMP process.
Therefore, it has been proposed to detect an end point of the CMP process using an eddy-current sensor. Such end point detecting process in the CMP process will be described below with reference to FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings. FIG. 7 shows a conventional polishing apparatus incorporating an eddy-current sensor as an end point detector. As shown in FIG. 7, the polishing apparatus comprises a turntable 41 with a polishing cloth 42 mounted on an upper surface thereof, and a top ring 45 for holding a semiconductor wafer 43 as a semiconductor substrate, and rotating and pressing the semiconductor wafer 43 against the polishing cloth 42. The polishing apparatus further comprises a polishing liquid supply nozzle 48 positioned above the turntable 41 for supplying a polishing liquid Q to the polishing cloth 42 on the turntable 41.
The top ring 45 is coupled to a top ring drive shaft 49, and has an elastic pad 47 of polyurethane or the like attached to its lower surface. The top ring 45 holds the semiconductor wafer 43 in contact with the elastic pad 47. A cylindrical retainer ring 46 is disposed around and fixed to an outer circumferential edge of the top ring 45 for preventing the semiconductor wafer 43 from being dislodged from the top ring 45 while the semiconductor wafer 43 is being polished.
The retainer ring 46 which is fixed to the top ring 45 has a lower end projecting downwardly from the holding surface of the top ring 45. The semiconductor wafer 43 is held on the holding surface of the top ring 45 by the retainer ring 46 against dislodgement from the top ring 45 under frictional forces produced by frictional engagement with the polishing cloth 42. The top ring 45 houses therein an eddy-current sensor 50 which is electrically connected to an external controller (not shown) by a wire 51 extending through the top ring 45 and the top ring drive shaft 49.
The polishing apparatus shown in FIG. 7 operates as follows: The semiconductor wafer 43 is held on the lower surface of the elastic pad 47 on the top ring 45, and pressed against the polishing cloth 42 on the turntable 41 by the top ring 45. The turntable 41 and the top ring 45 are rotated independently of each other to move the polishing cloth 42 and the semiconductor wafer 43 relative to each other to thereby polish the semiconductor wafer 43. At the same time, the polishing liquid supply nozzle 48 supplies a polishing liquid Q onto the polishing cloth 42. For polishing a copper layer, as a conductive layer, on the semiconductor wafer 43, the polishing liquid Q comprises an oxidizing agent with fine abrasive particles of alumina or silica suspended therein. The semiconductor wafer 43 is polished by a combination of a chemical reaction which oxidizes the surface of the copper layer with the oxidizing agent and a mechanical polishing action which mechanically polishes the surface of the copper layer with the fine abrasive particles.
While the semiconductor wafer is being polished, the eddy-current sensor 50 continuously detects a change in the thickness of the conductive layer, i.e. the copper layer on the semiconductor wafer 43. The external controller monitors an output signal from the eddy-current sensor 50, and detects an end point of the CMP process based on a change in the frequency of the output signal when the conductive layer on the oxide film (SiO2) is removed, while leaving only the conductive layer in interconnection grooves of the semiconductor wafer 43.
However, one problem of the eddy-current sensor 50 shown in FIG. 7 is that the eddy-current sensor 50 is provided in the top ring 45, and hence only the thickness of the copper layer directly below the eddy-current sensor 50 can be detected. If a plurality of eddy-current sensors are provided in the top ring 45, then the thickness of the copper layer can be detected at a plurality of locations on the copper layer. However, the plural eddy-current sensors are only capable of obtaining discrete measured values from those separate locations, and fail to produce a continuous profile of measured values. Another drawback is that as the number of eddy-current sensors increases, the cost of the polishing apparatus increases, and the external controller is required to perform a complex signal processing sequence.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a polishing apparatus which has a polishing table with a polishing cloth or a fixed abrasive plate, and a sensor such as an eddy-current sensor mounted at the polishing table for producing a real-time continuous measured value that represents the thickness of a conductive layer such as a copper layer or an aluminum layer on a semiconductor substrate during polishing.
According to the present invention, there is provided a polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a polishing surface, a top ring for holding a substrate and pressing a surface of the substrate against the polishing surface to polish the surface of the substrate, and at least one sensor disposed below the polishing surface of the polishing table for measuring the thickness of a conductive layer formed on the surface of the substrate.
The polishing table comprises a turntable which rotates about its own axis. The polishing surface may comprise a polishing cloth or a fixed abrasive plate. If the polishing surface comprises a polishing cloth, then the sensor is mounted in the polishing table. If the polishing surface comprises a fixed abrasive plate, then the sensor is mounted in the fixed abrasive plate.
The conductive layer is polished while the surface of the substrate is brought in sliding contact with the polishing surface. The sensor, which typically comprises an eddy-current sensor, passes directly below the surface of the substrate being polished each time the polishing table makes one revolution. Since the eddy-current sensor is positioned on an arcuate path passing through the center of the substrate, the eddy-current sensor is capable of continuously detecting the thickness of the conductive layer as the eddy-current sensor moves along the arcuate path beneath the substrate.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention by way of example.


A fabric material and method of its manufacture suitable for use in electronic packages including chip carriers. High insulation resistance is exhibited when subjected to high temperatures and humidity stress conditions.

Insulative laminate materials are conventionally prepared by impregnating non-woven or woven fiber fabrics (typically glass) with thermosetting resin compositions such as epoxy or bismaleimide-triazine (BT) resins and then drying the fabric. The dried fabric is cut into sheets, referred to in the printed circuit industry as prepregs which are then laminated to solid or personalized electrically conductive layers (typically copper) in various combinations including other previously laminated structures to form single or multi layer substrates.
Holes or vias having electrically conductive walls filled with electrically conductive materials may be formed in the substrate to provide electrical contact between the conductive layers. Numerous other variations to the art of substrate manufacture are well known. The substrates are used to hold electronic components including semiconductors, passive components other substrates, and miscellaneous components such as connectors, switches, or the like and to provide electrical interconnection between appropriate contacts on these components.
The prepreg must exhibit a large number of properties to be used as a substrate material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,171 for example, lists high mechanical and thermal strength, good mechanical and thermal stability, thermal undeformabilty, and good aging resistance as requirements. Also listed are good adhesion to glass and copper, good machining properties (punchability, drillability), a low water uptake and high corrosion resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,453 notes that resistance to heat deformation is important because the substrate materials are exposed to high temperatures during processing. For example, printed circuit boards are exposed to a temperature of 270.degree. C. during flow soldering. Also temperatures of over 200.degree. C. can occur locally for brief periods during cutting and drilling. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,267 the electrically conductive layer is formed with an electrically conductive ink which for most applications would be cured at 200.degree.-230.degree. C. for 30 seconds to 1 hour. Materials with a high glass transition temperature (T.sub.G) exhibit favorable characteristics because if this glass transition temperature lies above the mentioned values, then inherent stability is guaranteed and damage such as warping is largely ruled out.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,921 mentions that use of fibers which have been surface treated with a silane coupling agent or the like is preferred from the standpoint of water resistance. A silane coupling agent is used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,101 between an electrically conductive layer and a layer of resin (benzocyclobutene). U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,345 describes resin materials for the manufacture of prepregs which can be stored.
The use of prepreg materials in the manufacture of chip carriers has become more attractive due to their cost advantage over conventional ceramic materials. Furthermore the electrically conductive layer (usually copper) is more conductive and can be processed more readily to very dense geometries than the paste materials typically applied to ceramic carriers. Chip carriers made with prepregs require many of the same characteristics of the prepregs as other substrates. All of the requirements listed above for substrates made with prepregs have been, at least to some extent, successfully addressed. However, chip carriers usually have an additional requirement for a high insulation resistance when subjected to humidity, temperature, and pressure.
When this insulation resistance requirement is added to the requirements above, no satisfactory combination of these properties has previously been achieved.
As a result, chip carriers made of prepregs must be handled in special moisture tight containers. Once a container is opened such a chip carrier must be soldered to a next level carrier such as a printed circuit board within a relatively short period of time. If such a chip carrier is not used within the time limit it must be slowly baked to remove moisture and again resealed in a moisture tight container. Industry wide specifications have been developed to allow component manufacturers to specify these time limits and handling procedures. Obviously such procedures are a burden to component assemblers because other components, e.g., ceramic, plastic encapsulated, passives, connectors, etc. have no such requirement.

Laminate and method of manufacture thereof

International Business Machines Corporation


A compound capable of acting as a cationic lipid is described. The compound comprises a cholesterol group having linked thereto a head group; wherein the head group is more positive than the head group of DC-Chol.

The present invention relates to a compound. In addition, the present invention relates to processes for making the compound and to the use of that compound in therapy, in particular gene therapy (especially gene transfer).
One aspect of gene therapy involves the introduction of foreign nucleic acid (such as DNA) into cells, so that its expressed protein may carry out a desired therapeutic function.1
Examples of this type of therapy include the insertion of TK, TSG or ILG genes to treat cancer; the insertion of the CFTR gene to treat cystic fibrosis; the insertion of NGF, TH or LDL genes to treat neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disorders; the insertion of the IL-1 antagonist gene to treat rheumatoid arthritis; the insertion of HIV antigens and the TK gene to treat AIDS and CMV infections; the insertion of antigens and cytokines to act as vaccines; and the insertion of xcex2-globin to treat haemoglobinopathic conditions, such as thalassaemias.
Many current gene therapy studies utilise adenoviral gene vectorsxe2x80x94such as Ad3 or Ad5xe2x80x94or other gene vectors. However, serious problems have been associated with their use.2 This has prompted the development of less hazardous, non-viral approaches to gene transfer.3
A non-viral transfer system of great potential involves the use of cationic liposomes.4 In this regard, cationic liposomesxe2x80x94which usually consist of a neutral phospholipid and a cationic lipidxe2x80x94have been used to transfer DNA4, mRNA5, antisense oligonucleotides6, proteins7, and drugs8 into cells. A number of cationic liposomes are commercially available4,9 and many new cationic lipids have recently been synthesised10. The efficacy of these liposomes has been illustrated by both in vitro4 and in vivo11.
A neutral phospholipid useful in the preparation of a cationic liposome is N-[1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium chloride, otherwise known as xe2x80x9cDOTMAxe2x80x9d. The structure of DOTMA is shown in FIG. 1.
One of the most commonly used cationic liposome systems consists of a mixture of a neutral phospholipid dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (commonly known as xe2x80x9cDOPExe2x80x9d) and a cationic lipid, 3xcex2-[(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl)carbamoyl]cholesterol (commonly known as xe2x80x9cDC-Cholxe2x80x9d)12. The structure of DOPE is shown in FIG. 2. The structure of DC-Chol is shown in FIG. 3.
A lipid has been synthesised by reacting spermidine and cholesterol chloroformate in CH2Cl2 in the presence of N,N-diisoprophylethylamine18. However, this resulted in a mixture of the lipid and the corresponding regio-isomeric lipid, which mixture proved inseparable by chromatography.
Despite the efficacy of the known cationic liposomes there is still a need to optimise the gene transfer efficiency of cationic liposomes in human gene therapy10.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a compound capable of acting as a cationic lipid, the compound comprising a cholesterol group having linked thereto a head group; and wherein the head group is more positive than the head group of DC-Chol; but wherein the compound is not synthesised by reacting spermidine and cholesterol chloroformate in CH2Cl2 in the presence of N,N-diisoprophylethylamine.
As indicated above, the head group of DC-Chol is Me2N(CH2)2NHxe2x80x94.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a process of preparing a compound according to the present invention comprising reacting a cholesterol group with a head group.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a compound according to the present invention or a compound when prepared by the process of the present invention for use in therapy.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided the use of a compound according to the present invention or a compound when prepared by the process of the present invention in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a genetic disorder or a condition or a disease.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a cationic liposome formed from the compound according to the present invention or a compound when prepared by the process of the present invention.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of preparing a cationic liposome comprising forming the cationic liposome from the compound according to the present invention or a compound when prepared by the process of the present invention.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a cationic liposome according to the present invention or a cationic liposome as prepared by the method of the present invention for use in therapy.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided the use of a cationic liposome according to the present invention or a cationic liposome as prepared by the method of the present invention in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of genetic disorder or condition or disease.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a combination of a nucleotide sequence and any one or more of: a compound according to the present invention, a compound when prepared by the process of the present invention, a liposome of the present invention, or a liposome as prepared by the method of the present invention.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a combination according to the present invention for use in therapy.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided the use of a combination according to the present invention in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of genetic disorder or condition or disease.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to the present invention or a compound when prepared by the process of the present invention admixed with a pharmaceutical and, optionally, admixed with a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent, carrier or excipient.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a pharmaceutical composition comprising a cationic liposome according to the present invention or a cationic liposome as prepared by the method of the present invention admixed with a pharmaceutical and, optionally, admixed with a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent, carrier or excipient.
It is believed that a key advantage of the compound of the present invention is that it can be used as a cationic lipid (amphiphile) in the preparation of a cationic liposome useful in gene therapy, in particular the transfer of nucleic acids (including genes and antisense DNA/RNA) into cells (in vitro and in vivo) to derive a therapeutic benefit.
The cholesterol group can be cholesterol or a derivative thereof. Examples of cholesterol derivatives include substituted derivatives wherein one or more of the cyclic CH2 or CH groups and/or one or more of the straight-chain CH2 or CH groups is/are appropriately substituted. Alternatively, or in addition, one or more of the cyclic groups and/or one or more of the straight-chain groups may be unsaturated.
In a preferred embodiment the cholesterol group is cholesterol. It is believed that cholesterol is advantageous as it stabilises the resultant liposomal bilayer.
Preferably the cholesterol group is linked to the head group via a carbamoyl linkage. It is believed that this linkage is advantageous as the resultant liposome has a low or minimal cytotoxicity.
Preferably the head group is a polyamine group. It is believed that the polyamine group is advantageous because it increases the DNA binding ability and efficiency of gene transfer of the resultant liposome.
In one embodiment, preferably the polyamine group is a naturally occurring polyamine. It is believed that the polyamine head-group is advantageous because the increased amino functionality increases the overall positive charge of the liposome. In addition, polyamines are known to both strongly bind and stabilise DNA14. In addition, polyamines occur naturally in cells and so it is believed that toxicological problems are minimised15.
Typical examples of suitable polyamines include spermidine, spermine, caldopentamine, norspermidine and norspermine. These polyamines are shown in FIG. 4.
Preferably the polyamine is spermidine or spermine as these polyamines are known to interact with single or double stranded DNA. An alternative preferred polyamine is caldopentamine.
Thus, a preferred compound is spermidine linked to cholesterol via a carbamate linkage. This compound is shown in FIG. 5. It is believed that the polyamino head group is advantageous for DNA condensation, the carbamate linkage is stable but biodegradable and the cholesteryl group imparts bilayer rigidity. The carbamate linkage may be part of, or an integral component of, the head group.
Another preferred compound is spermine linked to cholesterol via a carbamate linkage. Likewise, it is believed that the polyamino head group is advantageous for DNA condensation, the carbamate linkage is stable but biodegradable and the cholesteryl group imparts bilayer rigidity.
Preferably the compound is in admixture with or associated with a nucleotide sequence.
The nucleotide sequence may be part or all of an expression system that may be useful in therapy, such as gene therapy.
Preferably the process comprises at least one step utilising aza-Wittig methodology.
Preferably the process comprises the use of trimethylphosphine.
Preferably the process comprises the use of a molecular sieve.
Preferably, the cationic liposome is formed from the compound of the present invention and a neutral phospholipidxe2x80x94such as DOTMA or DOPE. Preferably, the neutral phospholipid is DOPE.
In another embodiment, preferably two or more of the amine groups of the polyamine group of the present invention are separated by one or more groups which are not found in nature that separate amine groups of naturally occuring polyamine compounds (i.e. preferably the polyamine group of the present invention has un-natural spacing).
In summation, the present invention provides a compound capable of acting as a cationic lipid, the compound comprising a cholesterol group having linked thereto a head group; and wherein the head group is more positive than the head group of DC-Chol; but wherein the compound is not synthesised by reacting spermidine and cholesterol chloroformate in CH2Cl2 in the presence of N,N-diisoprophylethylamine.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a compound capable of acting as a cationic lipid, the compound comprising a cholesterol group having linked thereto a head group; wherein the head group is more positive than the head group of DC-Chol; wherein the cholesterol group is cholesterol; and wherein the head group is a polyamine group; but wherein the compound is not synthesised by reacting spermidine and cholesterol chloroformate in CH2Cl2 in the presence of N,N-diisoprophylethylamine.
A more preferred embodiment of the present invention is a compound capable of acting as a cationic lipid, the compound comprising a cholesterol group having linked thereto a head group; wherein the head group is more positive than the head group of DC-Chol; wherein the cholesterol group is cholesterol; wherein the head group is a polyamine group; and wherein the cholesterol group is linked to the head group via a carbamoyl linkage; but wherein the compound is not synthesised by reacting spermidine and cholesterol chloroformate in CH2Cl2 in the presence of N,N-diisoprophylethylamine.
A highly preferred embodiment of the present invention is a compound capable of acting as a cationic lipid, the compound comprising a cholesterol group having linked thereto a head group; wherein the head group is more positive than the head group of DC-Chol; wherein the cholesterol group is cholesterol; wherein the head group is a polyamine group; wherein the cholesterol group is linked to the head group via a carbamoyl linkage, and wherein the polyamine group is a naturally occurring polyamine, such as any one of spermidine, spermine or caldopentamine; but wherein the compound is not synthesised by reacting spermidine and cholesterol chloroformate in CH2Cl2 in the presence of N,N-diisoprophylethylamine.

Polycationic sterol derivatives as transfection agents


An input shaft of a toroidal-type infinitely variable transmission is supported at opposite ends by respective bearings which are secured to a housing, and input and output disks and power rollers are mounted at an intermediate portion of the input shaft. The input shaft has a flange at one end which is connected to an engine, and a pressure adjusting Belleville washer is interposed between the inner end face of the flange and the outer end face of the bearing to bias the input shaft in the direction of the engine so that a predetermined pressing force is applied to the input and output disks and the power rollers during a period in which a small input torque is transmitted to the input shaft. As the input torque increases, the input shaft is moved axially together with a loading cam against the spring force of the Belleville washer, and the inner end face of the flange and the outer end face of the bearing directly abut each other so that a required reaction force is obtained. In this case, since a needle-shaped roller bearing is interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the bearing adjacent the flange and the outer peripheral surface of the inmput shaft, the sliding movement of the input shaft in the axial direction encounters a small frictional resistance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toroidal-type infinitely variable transmission used for vehicles, such as automobiles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A toroidal-type infinitely variable transmission for a fore-engine rear wheel drive car is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,744.
In this prior art transmission, an input shaft connected to an engine is rotatably supported by a housing through bearings, and an input disk and an output disk are rotatably disposed on the input shaft in successive order. Power rollers are provided between the input disk and the output disk and are rollably in contact therewith. A rotation force of the input shaft is transmitted to the input disk through a cam and sprag device. A Belleville washer is interposed between the input shaft and a shaft bearing provided on a stationary portion which supports the input shaft. The Belleville washer presses the input disk towards the output disk.
However, in the toroidal-type infinitely variable transmission mentioned above, since the input shaft is supported by the shaft bearing which is secured to the housing, in transition from a condition in which the input disk is pressed by the Belleville washer through the input shaft to a condition in which the input disk is pressed by a cam, although the input shaft moves backwardly against a biasing force of the Belleville washer, the backward movement of the input shaft is performed slowly due to a large slide resistance between the input shaft and the shaft bearing. As a result, the action of a pressing force of the cam on the input disk is delayed, and an increase in thrust cam not follow an increase in input torque. Thus, a serious problem is involved in that in the worst case, a slip is caused between the input disk and the power rollers, causing the power transmission function to be lost.
Another toroidal-type infinitely variable transmission for fore-engine front wheel drive cars and two wheelers is generally structured as shown in FIG. 3 because it is impossible to retain a large space for accommodating the transmission.
Specifically, an input shaft 1 whose right end is connected to a rotation drive, such as an engine, through a clutch is rotatably supported at opposite ends by bearings 3 and 4 which are secured to a housing 2. An output disk 5 and an input disk 6 are rotatably disposed with a predetermined interval therebetween on the input shaft 1 from the side of the rotation drive in this order. Power rollers 7 are rollably and tiltably disposed between both of the disks 5 and 6. Further, a pressing mechanism 8 is disposed at one side of the input disk 6 opposite to the output disk 5 so that no slip is caused between the input disk 6 and the power rollers 7 and between the output disk 5 and the power rollers 7.
The pressing mechanism 8 is comprised of a loading nut 9 secured to the input shaft 1, a loading cam 11 opposing the loading nut 9 through a pressure adjusting Belleville washer 10 and serration coupled to the input shaft 1, and a roller 12 interposed between the loading cam 11 and the input disk 6.
During a period in which the input torque transmitted to the input shaft 1 is small, the input disk 6 is pressed against the output disk 5 by the spring force of the pressure adjusting Belleville washer 10, and a predetermined pressing force is exerted between the input disk 6 and the power rollers 7 and between the output disk 5 and the power rollers 7 so that a reduction in the power transmission efficiency due to the slip among these elements is prevented. From this condition, when the input torque is increased and a thrust greater than the spring force of the pressure adjusting Belleville washer 10 is required, the roller 12 rides on cam surfaces formed on opposing surfaces of the input disk 6 and the loading cam 11. As a result, the loading cam 11 moves the serration portion to the left against the pressure adjusting Belleville washer 10 so that the loading cam 11 directly contacts the loading nut 9 to push it to the left. This pressing force is received by the bearing 4 through the input shaft 1, and consequently, a pressing force corresponding to the input torque is exerted to a power transmission portion between the input disk 6 and the power rollers 7.
However, in the prior art toroidal-type infinitely variable transmission described above, since the loading cam is serration coupled with the input shaft, a large frictional force is created against the axial movement of the loading cam. In particular, in a light load transient condition in which a power transmitting condition by the spring force of the pressure adjusting Belleville washer is changed to a power transmitting condition by a cam force by the loading nut, loading cam, and rollers, when the frictional force in the serration coupling is large, an increase in the thrust can not follow an increase in the input torque, and in the worst case, a slip is caused between the input disk and the power rollers resulting in the lost of the power transmission function. This fatal problem has not been solved in the prior art toroidal-type infinitely variable transmission.
In order to solve this unsolved problem, it may be considered to set the spring force of the pressure adjusting Belleville washer at a high level. However, in this case, a frictional force at the bearing receiving the axial force of the input shaft is increased, and this, in turn, lowers the power transmission efficiency and causes a reduction in a service life of the bearing. Thus, this approach is not preferable.

Toroidal-type infinitely variable transmission


The invention reduces the possibility that a state contrary to user volition will arise in a system that permits multiple masters. To accomplish this, a communication device includes a setting unit configured to set the communication device to be a master or to be a slave, a decision unit configured to decide whether to permit a plurality of masters to exist within the image sensing network, and a notifying unit configured to transmit a notification to change another master within the image sensing network to a slave. The notifying unit transmits the notification, if a plurality of masters have not been permitted to exist within the image sensing network by the decision unit and the communication device has been changed from a slave to a master by the setting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensing system constructed within a network that includes an image sensing device or an accessory of an image sensing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a multiple-flash device system in which multiple flash devices are fired synchronously or a system in which multiple image sensing devices have their shutters released in synchronized fashion, each device functions as a master or a slave. The master is referred to as the side that controls the slave and, conversely, the slave is referred to as the side controlled from the master. When such a system is constructed, there are instances where a slave is controlled by one or a plurality of masters. Further, there are also cases where one wishes to change a certain slave to a master. Accordingly, the setting of masters and slaves is required to be carried out in a planned and systematic manner.
Relevant examples of the prior art are Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-108730 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-95473.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-108730, it is disclosed that when any one of multiple cameras has its shutter released, this camera becomes the master camera and the remaining cameras are set as slave cameras and their shutters are released at least in synchronization. In addition, the images captured by the slave cameras are transferred to the master camera, and these images and the image captured by the master camera are displayed. However, a problem is that Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-108730 does not describe a control method for adopting a plurality of master cameras, and synchronized shutter release by a plurality of master cameras cannot be controlled.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-95473 describes a method for shooting at the same exposure, without the user performing any operation, even if a flash device used as a master flash device is changed over. However, there is no description regarding a method for a case where it is desired to perform control using only a single master device, and a problem is that a slave flash device desired to be controlled becomes the master flash device.

Communication device and method of controlling same


An equalizer used for an optical reproducing apparatus performs an optimal equalizing operation in accordance with the spatial frequency without needing an electrical equalizer. The optical reproducing apparatus reproduces the reproducing data in the following manner. A detector is provided for receiving reflected light from a disc. The detector is divided into a plurality of light receiving areas by a line perpendicular to the light receiving direction corresponding to the disc track direction. Then, calculations are made on the outputs from the respective light receiving areas to specifically correct the spatial frequency characteristics. The calculated signal is then decoded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an equalizer for an optical reproducing apparatus which reproduces data by suitably performing a decoding operation on signals read from a disc-like recording medium in accordance with a partial-response transmitting method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of a system using recording mediums, such as optical discs and magneto-optical discs, research is being made on increasing the recording capacity and the recording density. To achieve high density recording, it is important to shorten the laser wavelengths and to suitably set the numerical aperture (NA) of an objective lens. Moreover, the partial-response transmitting method in which the intersymbol interferences, which would disadvantageously act on high density recording, are paradoxically utilized, is also known as a digital-data transmitting method for facilitating high density recording.
Several types of partial-response transmitting methods may be classified by allocating data in accordance with the characteristics of the transfer functions. The above transmitting methods which have been put into practical use may be represented by PR0 (class 0 partial response, which is also referred to as "the PR(1) method") through PR5 (class 5 partial response, which is also referred to as "the PR (-1, 2, -1) method"), shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 12 illustrates the elements inherent in each partial response method, i.e., the response waveform, the frequency characteristics, and the output level number in response to the binary input data after PR equalization is performed.
In order to achieve even higher density recording after the laser wavelength and the NA are suitably set, it is necessary to introduce the foregoing partial-response transmitting method and also to perform an equalizing operation (correcting the frequency characteristics) on the transmitting signals by means of filtering in an electrical circuit. However, the above equalizing operation may impair the reliability of detecting the data. Thus, the electrical equalizing operation is not sufficient in order to achieve even higher density recording.
Further, in the above equalizing operation, the spatial frequency characteristics are corrected on a time axis. It is thus necessary to change the frequency characteristics in accordance with the linear velocity obtained during disc reproduction. For example, in a constant angular velocity (CAV)-type disc, or a zone CAV-type disc, the equalizing characteristics should be changed in accordance with the reproducing position in the radial direction of the disc. This inevitably increases the complexity of the configuration of the circuit and the equalizing operation.

Equalizer for optical reproducing apparatus, using partial response method


A system for rapidly producing a plastic part from a curable liquid which solidifies when subjected to ultra-violet light energy operates with a processor and computer aided design software. The system includes a receptacle and a moving mechanism which is electrically coupled to the processor. The receptacle stores the curable liquid part of which lies in a solidification plane. The system also includes an electronically erasable mask, a drawing device and a projecting system all of which are electrically coupled to the processor. The electronically erasable mask is an ultra-violet wavelength isolating image buffer. The drawing device may be a back lighted liquid crystal display or a high resolution cathode ray tube or an infrared diode laser raster scanner and electronically draws a plurality of images of successive cross-sectional laminae onto the electronically erasable mask. The projecting system projects ultra-violet light energy onto the electronically erasable mask so that the electronically erasable mask transfers frame-by-frame exposure of the plurality of images in order to reflect the ultra-violet light energy onto the curable liquid in the solidification plane thereby forming the successive cross-sectional laminae. The moving mechanism incrementally moves the cross-section laminae which are being formed in order to build up the plastic part in stepwise fashion.

1. Field of the Inventions
This invention relates to a system for rapidly producing a plastic part from a curable liquid which is capable of solidification when subjected to ultra-violet light energy and more particularly to an erasable mask for reflecting ultra-violet light energy onto the curable liquid by frame-by-frame exposure in order to produce the plastic part.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the production of a plastic part it is common to first design the plastic part, then produce a prototype of the plastic part and finally review the design of the plastic part. This involves considerable time, effort, and expense. This process is repeated until the design of the plastic part has been optimized. After design of the plastic part has been optimized it must be produced. Most plastic parts are injection molded. Since the design and tooling costs of molds are very high, plastic parts are usually only practical if the production volume is high. While other processes are available for the production of plastic parts, including direct machine work, vacuum-forming and direct forming, such methods are typically only cost effective for short run production and these plastic parts are usually inferior in quality to molded plastic parts. In recent years techniques have been developed for generating a plastic part within a curable liquid which is selectively cured by beams of radiation brought to selective focus at prescribed intersection points within a three-dimensional volume of the curable liquid.
European Patent Application No. 87304865.6, entitled Three-Dimensional Modelling Apparatus, filed on June 2, 1987, teaches a modelling apparatus which includes a part generator, a workstation and a processing center. The workstation and processing center interface with a processor and computer aided design software, such as GEOMED of General Electric/Calma, CADS of Computervision, UNIGRAPHICS of McAuto, MEDUSA of Prime Computer or CIS. In his article entitled "Engineering without Paper," published in High Technology, in Mar. 1986, John K. Krouse describes and lists these computer aided design software programs. The workstation and processing center also provide an output to the part generator. The part generator includes a receptacle for the curable liquid, a source of ultra-violet light energy, a beam modulator and deflector. A reservoir supplies the curable liquid through a digitally controlled pump so that the curable liquid continues to lie in a solidification plane within the receptacle. The source of ultra-violet light energy may be either a laser or a strong arc lamp. The beam modulator and deflector receives data in raster forms, vector form or a combination of both. The curable liquid may be any suitable radiation polymerizable liquid which is commonly used in the coating and printing industries. The source of ultra-violet light energy may project an exposure through an erasable mask. The erasable mask may be either line-by-line exposure using an electro-optical shutter, such as a light switching array, or frame-by-frame exposure using a light valve in the form of a planar array, such as a liquid crystal display array. Unfortunately there are no light valves suitable for selectively allowing ultra-violet light energy to pass through because the planar array which must record and then erase images will be damaged by ultra-violet light energy which must pass through it in order to be projected onto the curable liquid in the solidification plane. Although line-by-line exposure is much slower than frame-by-frame exposure, the lack of a suitable light valve for ultra-violet light energy inhibits implementation of frame-by-frame exposure. The source of ultra-violet light energy may also project an exposure through a segment of a strip of film so that it impinges on the curable liquid in the solidification plane. The configuration of each layer of the plastic part is photographically recorded on one of the film segments. Each film segment has a micropositioning pattern thereon, such as perpendicularly extending Ronchi rulings, to align the layer of the plastic part with its preceding layer. Although the film segments provide frame-by-frame exposure and are suitable for ultra-violet light energy the use of the strip film is slower than use of an erasable mask providing frame-by-frame exposure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,330, entitled Apparatus for Production of Three-Dimensional Objects by Stereo-lithography, issued to Charles W. Hull on Mar. 11, 1986, teaches a stereolithographic system which produces a plastic part from a curable liquid which solidifies when subjected to ultra-violet light energy. The stereolithographic system uses a source of ultra-violet light energy to provide a programmed movable spot of ultra-violet light energy on the surface of the curable liquid. The spot of ultra-violet light energy is moved either using cross-axis galvanometers with attached mirrors or an X-Y arm which moves the source of ultra-violet light energy. Each cross-sectional lamina is solidified on the surface of the curable liquid serially by scanning the spot of ultra-violet light energy directly on the curable liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,141 teaches a curable liquid which solidifies when subjected to ultra-violet light energy.
In his article entitled "Automatic Method for Fabricating a Three-Dimensional Plastic Model with Photo-hardening Polymer," published in Review of Scientific Instruments, Volume 52, Number 11, in Nov. 1981, Hideo Kodama discloses a system which automatically fabricates a plastic part by exposing a liquid photo-hardening polymer to ultra-violet light energy to create a plurality of cross-sectional solidified laminae and serially stacking the cross-sectional solidified laminae to form the plastic part. In his article entitled "Solid Object Generation," published in Journal of Applied Photographic Engineering, Volume 8, in 1982, Alan J. Herbert discloses a similar system which only fabricates a plastic part which is a solid of revolution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,476, entitled Method, Medium and Apparatus for Producing Three-Dimensional Figure Product, issued to Wyn Kelly Swainson on Aug. 9, 1977, teaches an apparatus in which a plastic part is formed in situ in a medium having two active components by causing two radiation beams to intersect in the media. The beams trace surface elements of the figure product to be produced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,229, entitled Three Dimensional Systems, issued to Stephen D. Kramer and Wyn K. Swainson on Mar. 7, 1978, teaches a method for producing plastic parts by the intersection of radiation beams.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,840, entitled Method, Medium and Apparatus for Producing Three Dimensional Figure Product, issued to Wyn K. Swainson on Dec. 9, 1980, teaches a method for forming a plastic part in situ in a liquid having two active components by causing two radiation beams to intersect in the media. The beams trace surface elements of the plastic part to be produced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,861, entitled Three-Dimensional Systems, issued to Stephen D. Kramer and Wyn K. Swainson on Sept. 8, 1981, teaches a multiple beam absorption effect which creates plastic parts from a liquid medium. Two beams of optical electromagnetic radiation of a spectral characteristic which is matched to the excited state properties of the molecules of the active liquid medium may be either simultaneously or sequentially directed to a common target location to effect a desired photochemical reaction. U.S. Pat. No. 2,381,234, U.S. Pat. No. 2,525,532, U.S. Pat. No. 2,775,758, U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,707, U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,120, U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,276, U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,514 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,080 are other relevant patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,499, entitled Image Projector, issued to William C. Whitlock on July 5, 1983, teaches an image projector which creates a three-dimensional image. The image projector includes a plurality of modules which are controllably illuminated to form the desired display. The modules are formed to be illuminated and to pass light from within through their walls and to prevent light from entering their outer walls when the modules are not illuminated.
In an article, entitled Optical Processing with the Ruticon, written by Nicholas K. Sheridon and Michael A. Berkovitz, published in SPIE, Volume 83, Optical Information Processing, Ruticons are optically addressed light valves for image storage and optical processing applications. A wide range of image storage times and sensitivities are obtainable depending upon the desired applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,359, entitled Cyclic Recording System by the Use of an Elastomer in an Electric Field, issued to Nicholas K. Sheridon on Feb. 13, 1973, U.S. No. 3,842,406, entitled Cyclic Recording System by the Use of an Elastomer in an Electric Field, issued to Nicholas K. Sheridon on Oct. 15, 1974, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,614, entitled Cyclic Recording System by the Use of an Elastomer in an Electric Field, issued to Nicholas K. Sheridon on Dec. 10, 1974, teach applications of Ruticons, which are elastomers, to various imaging techniques which may be used for the cyclic recording, storage and subsequent erasure of optical information to form images by the elastic deformation of a thin elastomer layer. The pattern of the surface deformation, in general, follows the light distribution of the optical image being recorded. This image is formed on a photoconductive layer which is adjacent to, or integral with, the elastomer layer. An electric field is placed across the elastomer and the photoconductor layers so that the field is modulated by the action of the image light on the conductivity of the photoconductor to provide the mechanical force necessary to deform the elastomers. Once the elastomer surface has deformed, it will in general remain deformed as long as the field across it is maintained. The image recorded is stored. Removing the electric field allows the elastomer to relax and the image is consequently erased. Reversing the field increases the rate at which the image is erased. A new image may now be formed and the cycle started over again. Such an elastomer material is capable of a great many recording/storage/erasure cycles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,969, entitled Deformable Elastomer Imaging Member Employing an Internal Opaque Deformable Metallic layer, issued to Nicholas K. Sheridon on May 17, 1977, teaches an imaging member of an imaging system which includes a pair of deformable layers and a deformable metallic layer which is arranged between the pair of deformable layers. At least one of the deformable layers includes an elastomer material. In operation an electrical field is established across the deformable layers to cause deformation thereof in imagewise configuration. The imaging member may include photoconductive material and may include a pair of electrodes for establishing an electrical field across the deformable layers. The electrodes include an electrical x-y matrix address system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,538, entitled Projection System of High Frequency, issued to Nicholas K. Sheridon on Sept. 5, 1978, teaches a light system for projection of images onto a visual read out surface such as a screen or photo receptor recording device such as a xerographic drum. The projection system employs a non-point light source which forms a light beam of non-uniform intensity. The light beam is passed through a conical light pipe with a high degree of internal reflection which diffuses the light beam, thereby reducing the non-uniformity of the light beam and also collimates the light beam by internal reflections. The collimated light beam is then modulated with imaging information and is focused onto a visual readout surface such as a screen or a recording device surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,025, entitled Imaging System, issued to Andras I. Lakatos and John B. Flannery on Jan. 13, 1976, teaches an imaging system which forms a plurality of images on the same surface. The imaging system includes an electro-optic imaging member which includes a voltage or current-sensitive light modulating layer, a layer of photoconductive material which exhibits persistent photoconduction properties and a layer of material capable of generating photoinjection currents when struck by radiation which it absorbs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,262, entitled Automatic Memory Control Feedback System for a Cycling Optical Imaging System, issued to Clark I. Bright on July 4, 1978, teaches a system which alters the deformation of a cyclic imaging member. The system includes a deformable member and a circuit. The deformable member has a deformable surface which has been arranged to be placed in an initial deformed position by the application of an input. The circuit is responsive to the extent of the deformation of the deformed surface for altering the deformation of the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,505, entitled Arrangement for Addressing Rays or Planes of Light in Space, issued to Paul DiMatteo on May 15, 1984, teaches an arrangement which projects a sequence of coded patterns onto an object surface and which includes a code generator and a single light source. The code generator has a plurality of addressable light attention regions. The single light source irradiates the code generator. Each region of low attenuation resulting from addressing produces illumination of a corresponding part of the projected coded pattern. The code pattern is projected onto the object surface by passing electromagnetic radiation though the code generator. The purely electrical commands address rays or planes of light in space without the need for mechanically moving parts.

System for rapidly producing plastic parts