The present invention provides a bone marrow biopsy device 10 that includes a handle, an outer cannula, a stylet, and an inner member. The outer cannula is secured in the handle. The outer cannula defines a distal tip that is tapered to provide a distal cutting edge. The stylet is designed to be inserted in the outer cannula. The stylet defines a sharp distal tip. The inner member is designed to be inserted in the outer cannula. The inner member defines a cutting finger.

The present invention relates to medical instruments utilized in securing marrow tissue samples from bone structures.
A biopsy medical instrument is an instrument which is designed to take samples of tissue. Typically, a biopsy device that is utilized to obtain samples from bone consists of a hollow cannula that is surrounding a stylet. The stylet includes a sharp distal tip which extends outwardly from the cannula when the stylet is secured inside the cannula. The combined cannula and stylet is used to penetrate through the outer layer of the bone, called the cortex, which is considerably harder than the trabecular bone layer and the tissue within the bone that is sampled, referred to as the marrow. Once the stylet is removed and the cannula is extended further into the medular cavity, thereby capturing marrow tissue for a sample.
The architecture of the tissue sample that is removed by the biopsy device is critical in several respects. Initially, the size of the sample is important, with larger tissue sample sizes representing better samples for subsequent testing to be performed on the tissue. However, the larger the cannula and stylet that are inserted into the bone, the more pain is generated at the site of the penetration for the patient. In addition, it is important that the sample be taken without damaging the marrow tissue. However, in removing the tissue sample the tissue must be excised from the remaining tissue. This removal can result in compromising the tissue sample by damaging the tissue sample.
Several approaches have been taken to secure large, undamaged tissue samples using bone marrow biopsy devices. However, each of these approaches has significant drawbacks which limit commercial and clinical usefulness. For example, one such approach utilized suction provided at the proximal end of the cannula. The suction is designed to pull the tissue sample into the cannula and retain the tissue sample inside the cannula. While in theory such suction would help secure larger tissue samples, in practice exposure to such suction forces results in damage to the marrow tissue when the sample is removed from the patient.
Another approach utilizes a snare in the form of a coil at the distal end of the cannula. When rotated, the coil decreases in diameter to secure the biopsy tissue sample in the cannula. Examples of such devices are disclosed in Goldenberg et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,398 and Goldenberg et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,473. While again in theory such a device would help secure larger tissue samples, in practice it subjects the tissue sample to compression forces which causes damage to the sample.
Other approaches include the use of inwardly projecting members such as scallops within the cannula. Such devices are disclosed in Rubinstein et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,062 and Rubinstein et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,226. The theory behind such devices is that when the tissue sample is inserted into the cannula, the inward direction of the scallops allows the tissue sample to slide over such projecting members but when the tissue sample is removed from the patient the projecting members latch onto the tissue sample to secure the tissue sample in the cannula. Again, however, this theory fails in practice as it causes trauma to the tissue when the tissue sample is removed from the patient.
Other approaches include providing apertures on the side of the cannula which, in theory, allow tissue to expand into such apertures to help secure the tissue sample in the cannula. Likewise, one approach, such as that disclosed in Goldenberg U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,001, utilizes a screw member in the cannula which is designed to urge the tissue inwardly and retain the in the cannula. Once again, providing a cavity for the tissue sample that is not smooth results in damage to the tissue when the tissue sample is removed from the patient.
Yet another approach at securing the biopsy sample within the cannula involves the use of a pair of coaxial cannulas, such as that disclosed in Rubinstein et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,186. One of the two cannulas includes a curved section that acts as a cam to compress the inner cannula around the tissue sample when the inner cannula is withdrawn from the outer cannula. Once again, in theory this would help to secure the tissue within the cannula, but in practice it subjects the tissue sample to such compression forces that damage to the sample is caused. In addition, the use of dual cannulas acts to either decrease the size of the tissue sample or to increase the size of the biopsy device causing increased pain to the patient. A similar approach disclosed by Swaim U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,277 utilizes an additional coaxial hollow cannula designed to sheer or cut-off the tissue when the two cannulas are rotated relative to each other. However, because such devices require additional hardware in the cannula, either the size of the tissue sample is decreased or the size of the biopsy device is increased.
Mittermeier et al. published International Patent Application No. WO 00/10454 discloses a bone biopsy device comprising an outer cannula and inner cannula, wherein the distal end of the inner cannula contains a resilient deformable wall which constricts during the sampling. One drawback of this design is that the interruptions in the tissue receiving portion of the inner cannula facilitate wall deformation thereof, but also compress the obtained sample while compromising the structural integrity of the receiving portion of the inner cannula in operation.
Difficulty has been encountered in the art in the balancing between the structural properties of bone biopsy devices and desired sampling attributes. The ability for bone biopsy devices to sample in a consistent manner without unnecessary damaging forces exerted upon the sample taken has especially proven challenging. In addition to these problems, accommodating patient comfort by reducing the need for multiple site sampling is another challenge.
There exists a need in the art for bone biopsy devices that have improved operative designs and characteristics. What would be desirable is a bone marrow biopsy device that is able to consistently secure a large tissue sample while avoiding increasing the size of the biopsy device thereby minimizing the pain experienced by the patient during the procedure. Also desirable would be a device that avoids subjecting the tissue sample to undue forces, whether such forces be compression, suction, etc. Reducing trauma to the patient from multiple sampling would also be desirable.
The present invention is able to secure a large tissue sample while avoiding increasing the size of the biopsy device thereby minimizing the pain experienced by the patient during such procedure. The present invention further avoids subjecting the tissue sample to undue forces, whether such forces be compression, suction, etc., thus reducing damage to the tissue following removal of the sample from the patient. Yet another advantage of the invention is that multiple samples can be obtained from a single penetration episode into the bone, thereby reducing the trauma of the biopsy procedure to the patient and increasing patient comfort.
The present invention provides a bone marrow biopsy device that includes a handle, an outer cannula, a stylet, and an inner member. The outer cannula is secured in the handle. The outer cannula defines a distal tip that is tapered to provide a distal cutting edge. The stylet is designed to be inserted in the outer cannula. The stylet defines a sharp distal tip. The inner member is designed to be inserted in the outer cannula. The inner member defines a cutting finger and has a tip which is beveled. When the inner member and outer cannula are assembled, the distal tip of the cutting finger of the inner member terminates at a position proximal to the distal tip of the outer cannula.
Thus, there is disclosed a bone marrow biopsy device comprising a handle; an outer cannula secured in the handle, the outer cannula defining a distal tip that provides a distal cutting edge; a stylet designed to be inserted in the outer cannula, the stylet defining a sharp distal tip; and an inner member designed to be inserted in the outer cannula, the inner member defining a cutting finger.
Thus, there is further disclosed a member for use with a bone marrow biopsy device comprising a proximal end formed with a hub that secures the member; and a distal end that defines a cutting finger.
In a preferred embodiment, the inner member further comprises markings on the surface of the proximal portion thereof to indicate the length of the sample to be obtained relative to the outer cannula. In another preferred embodiment, the cutting finger has a width designed such that the cutting finger is wide enough to maintain the structural integrity of the cutting finger while being sufficiently narrow to avoid subjecting a tissue sample to compression forces. In one embodiment, the width of the cutting finger is from about 60% to about 75% of the circumference of the inner member. In a further preferred embodiment, the cutting finger of the inner member has a length of up to about 4.0 cm.
There is further disclosed a kit for use in obtaining a bone marrow biopsy comprising a handle having an outer cannula secured therein, the outer cannula defining a distal tip that provides a distal cutting edge; a stylet designed to be inserted in the outer cannula, the stylet defining a sharp distal tip; and an inner member designed to be inserted in the outer cannula, the inner member defining a cutting finger.
There is disclosed a method for sampling bone marrow tissue comprising: inserting a stylet into an outer cannula; penetrating the bone cortex with the stylet and the outer cannula; removing the stylet; further inserting the outer cannula into a medular cavity, thereby trapping bone marrow tissue within the outer cannula; extending an inner member into the outer cannula, the inner cannula defining a cutting finger; rotating the inner member to shear off the specimen with the cutting finger; and removing the specimen from the patient.


Techniques are disclosed for dynamically managing a cache. Certain techniques include clustering I/O requests into a plurality of clusters by a machine-learning clustering algorithm that collects the I/O requests into clusters of similar I/O requests based on properties of the I/O requests. Further, certain techniques include identifying, for a received I/O request, a cluster stored in the cache. Certain techniques further include loading a set of blocks of the identified cluster into the cache.

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is a desktop virtualization approach in which a desktop operating system (OS) runs and is managed in a data center and delivered over the network to a client device, such as a laptop computer or mobile device, so to the user it appears as if the desktop is running locally. The VDI helps in efficiently managing hardware and software resources and ultimately reduces cost.
One of the biggest problems VDI faces is the end-user performance issues. Some issues, such as poor performance due to boot storms, have been addressed with solutions such as a Content Based Read Cache (CBRC) in VDI deployments. However, CBRC works well in a VDI environment with static workloads as the CBRC is aimed at reducing the cost of I/O incurred in loading the same blocks from storage for use by multiple virtual computing instances (VCIs). A new solution is needed for workloads that are variable.


Methods, systems, devices, and apparatus, including computer program products, for adjusting a graphical user interface. A motion of a device is detected. A graphical user interface of the device is adjusted in response to the detected motion.

The subject matter of this specification relates generally to graphical user interfaces.
Some of today's portable devices include a touch-sensitive display. A graphical user interface can be displayed on the touch-sensitive display. A user of a device can interact with the graphical user interface by making contact with the touch-sensitive display. The device, being a portable device, can also be carried and used by a user while the user is in motion. While the user and the device is in motion, the user's dexterity with respect to the touch-sensitive display can be disrupted by the motion, detracting form the user's experience with the graphical user interface.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Variable device graphical user interface


A frequency-division duplexing (FDD) transceiver includes a first mixer to up-convert a transmit signal and a first switch, coupled to the first mixer, to selectively provide a transmit local oscillator signal or a receive local oscillator signal to the first mixer. The transmit local oscillator signal has a first frequency and the receive local oscillator signal has a second frequency distinct from the first frequency. The FDD transceiver also includes a second mixer to down-convert a receive signal and a second switch, coupled to the second mixer, to selectively provide the transmit local oscillator signal or the receive local oscillator signal to the second mixer.

Frequency-division duplexing (FDD) transceivers use distinct frequencies to transmit and receive data. Calibrating FDD transceivers is challenging: because the transmitter and receiver units in the transceiver use different frequencies, transmit data cannot simply be looped back to the receiver.
FDD transceivers may be implemented using Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) transceivers that are sensitive to various signal impairments that affect the quality of the transmitted and received signals. Signal impairments may result from non-idealities in the RF front-ends of the transceivers. For example, mismatched active and passive elements (e.g., quadrature mixers, filters, and/or analog-to-digital converters) in the I and Q (in-phase and quadrature) signal paths introduce I/Q mismatch impairments in transmitted and received signals. I/Q mismatch is present in both the transmitter and receiver.
Accordingly, there is a need for techniques to calibrate FDD transceivers to compensate for signal impairments such as I/Q mismatch.

Methods and systems for calibrating a frequency-division duplexing transceiver


A system is provided having a first LLC power converter and a second LLC power converter. The first LLC power converter comprises a first LLC voltage source. The second LLC power converter also comprises a second LLC voltage source. The first LLC power converter also comprises a first resonant inductor, a first magnetic inductor, and a first resonant capacitor coupled to the first voltage source of the first LLC power converter. The second LLC power converter comprises a second resonant inductor, a second magnetic inductor, and a second resonant capacitor coupled to the second voltage source of the second LLC power converter. The first LLC power converter and the second LLC power converter are both magnetically couplable to a common load. A resonance of the first LLC power converter substantially matches a resonance of the second LLC power converter.

LLC power converters are an ever-increasingly important part of power conversion systems. LLC power converters have a number of advantages when compared to other power converters. These advantages can include zero voltage switching when cycling between a no-load to a full load on primary switches, lower electromagnetic emissions. LLC power converters can also operate at higher switching frequencies than many other forms of power converters, which can in turn lower the size of magnetics in LLC power converters.
However, disadvantages also arise when employing LLC power converters. One disadvantage can include a high output ripple current. This is especially problematic when attempting to interleave LLC power converters. For example, FIG. 1 shows that the output of interleaved LLC power converters can exhibit significant ripple current. The magnitude of the ripple current effectively prevents LLC power converter from being used in many power system topologies, especially when a plurality of LLC power converters are coupled to a common load.

Interleaved LLC power converters and method of manufacture thereof


The present invention relates to a recombinant vector and a transgenic mouse for expressing human ferritin in a tissue non-specific manner, and more particularly, to a vector prepared by operably linking a human ferritin gene to a promoter including a cytomegalovirus (CMV) early enhancer element and a β-actin promoter, and a transgenic mouse expressing human ferritin in a tissue non-specific manner, which is transformed with the vector. Further, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a transgenic mouse, and a method for monitoring cell or tissue therapy using the transgenic mouse.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recombinant vector and a transgenic mouse for expressing human ferritin in a tissue non-specific manner, and more particularly, to a vector prepared by operably linking a human ferritin gene to a promoter including a cytomegalovirus (CMV) early enhancer element and a β-actin promoter, and a transgenic mouse for expressing human ferritin in a tissue non-specific manner, which is transformed, with, the vector. Further the present invention relates to a method for generating a transgenic mouse, and a method for monitoring cell or tissue therapy using the transgenic mouse.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ferritin is a bioactive molecule present in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow of mammals. Ferritin, first isolated from the spleen and liver of horse by Lauflberger in 1937, is composed of 24 protein subunits surrounding a central iron core (diameter: 120-130 A.U., inner cavity diameter: 75 A.U.) according to X-Ray and electron microscopy. That is, each ferritin molecule is composed of a spherical protein shell with an average molecular weight of 450,000, called apoferritin, which consists of 24 protein subunits with a molecular weight of approximately 19,000 and contains 20˜30% Fe as a ferric hydroxyphosphate polymer form. Thus, ferritin is a physiological active molecule as a sole source of iron which is released from the protein and utilized in the body when demanded. When fully loaded with Fe, ferritin can store up to 4,500 iron atoms per molecule, which is equivalent to an iron concentration capable of producing 1200 hemoglobin molecules.
Meanwhile, ferritin, the iron storage protein essential for life, was recently suggested to be a candidate reporter for the detection of gene expression by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Ferritin is a metalloprotein containing iron atoms, and thus functions as a nanomagnet to be utilized as an MRI reporter. Relying on signals derived from hydrogen protons produced by water-molecules exposed to a magnetic field, regular MRI converts the signals into images. In ferritin-applied MRI, however, the nanomagnet directly stimulates surrounding protons to generate signals. Therefore, ferritin allows non-invasive MRI without injection of coutrast agents.
The ferritin heavy polypeptide subunit (FTH) has a potent, ferroxidase activity that catalyzes the oxidation of ferrous iron. The magnetic resonance (MR) properties of FTH were the focus of extensive research and showed abnormality with high relaxivity at very low iron loading on the magnetic field. The overexpression of FTH could augment R2 relaxivity upon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by redistribution of iron among more ferritin complexes as well as by increased total cellular iron level.
It was reported that the TET-mFTH transgenic mice overexpressing HA-tagged mouse FTH and EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) were generated in a tissue specific and tetracycline inducible manner by using the MR properties of ferritin (Cohen, B., Ziv, K., Plaks, V., Israely, T., Kalchenko, V., Harmelin, A., Benjamin, L. E. and Neeman, M. (2007). MRI detection of transcriptional regulation of gene expression in transgenic mice, Nat Med 13, 498-503.). The above report suggested the possibility for MR application of ferritin as a reporter gene in multiple organs and the safety of chronic overexpression of FTH for applications for long-term tracking. According to the known technologies, however, ferritin cannot be applied to MR imaging of multiple organs because of its tissue specific expression, and there is also no report on the technologies of expressing the ferritin gene in a tissue non-specific manner.
The present inventors have made an effort to find a technology for expressing the ferritin gene in a tissue non-specific manner. As a result, they developed the transgenic mouse (C5BL/6-β-actin-hFTH) expressing human ferritin (hFTH) under the control of ubiquitous CAG promoter, which allows broader expression. The hFTH expression was detected in most tissue such as the brain, heart, liver, lung, spleen, pancreas and kidney by RT-PCR and Western blot. The histological changes in tissues with overexpression of hFTH were not detected. They evaluated hFTH expression as a functional MR reporter by performing noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of transgenic mice using 9.4 T. Expression of the hFTH in the brain and liver tissues of mice leads to a significant decrease in T2* relaxation time. Based on this study, the present inventors also demonstrated that hFTH can be used as an MR reporter and the transgenic mice of the present invention would be an available model of hFTH-based molecular imaging to study potential therapies for the cell and tissue graft, thereby completing the present invention.

Transgenic mouse for expressing human ferritin in tissue non-specific manner and use thereof


An adhesive composition comprising as principal components, a polymerizable component, an ambient temperature radical polymerization catalyst system and a photoinitiator. The adhesive may optionally comprise an adhesion promoter, a toughener, an epoxy, and a filler material. Further, a two-part reactive adhesive comprising, a first part comprising, (i) at least one free radical-polymerizable monomer, (ii) at least one reducing agent, and (iii) a photoinitiator, and a second part comprising an oxidizing agent that is reactive at ambient temperature with the reducing agent to produce free radicals that are capable of initiating and propagating free radical polymerization.

Redox-activated acrylic structural adhesives are well known articles of commerce which are used commercially for bonding metal to metal, and for cross bonding two dissimilar substrates materials. Acrylic structural adhesives have found growing use in the automotive industry where the adhesive bonding of metal parts is replacing welding and mechanical fastening techniques. However, these applications give rise to unique requirements not easily met by previously available adhesives. These requirements include high bond strength and improved failure mode.
Redox cured acrylic adhesives typically comprise a mixture of one or more olefinic reactive monomers such as methyl methacrylate or methacrylic acid and curing agents, with cure or polymerization being effected through an ambient temperature redox initiation mechanism employing an oxidizing agent and reducing agent. Typical reducing agents are tertiary amines. Di-substituted derivatives of aniline are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,879 (3,-4-disubstituted aniline). U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,638 discloses p-halogen with 3,4-disubstitution, and is shown to overcome the incidence of air inhibition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,834 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,235, both incorporated herein by reference, disclose combinations of isocyanate capped olefinic-terminated polyalkadiene. The composition also includes a free radical-polymerizable monomer such as an olefinic monomer and, optionally, a second polymeric material. In a preferred embodiment the composition is an adhesive that also includes a phosphorus-containing compound and an ambient temperature-active redox catalyst.
Additional important features of acrylic adhesives are surface tack and open time. As used herein, "surface tack" means the amount of adhesive on an exposed surface of the applied adhesive that does not undergo curing. Such uncured adhesive can be transferred to other parts of the assembly or to the application equipment resulting in increasing clean-up costs. A common cause of surface tack is referred to as "air inhibition" since atmospheric oxygen is a powerful inhibitor of free radical reactions. Accordingly, the amount of surface tack can be measured by determining the thickness of any uncured adhesive on the surface.
In typical applications of two-part reactive adhesive systems, the two parts are mixed together, the mixed material is applied to a first substrate for bonding then a second substrate is contacted to the adhesive-applied first substrate. The time required for such mixing, applying and contacting is referred to herein as "open time".
A variety of approaches have been used in the art to overcome residual tackiness in the adhesive which has been subject to air inhibition. U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,249 discloses a pre-adhesive which is combined with a packaging material and further polymerized to form a packaged hot melt adhesive composition which is subsequently used in bonding. The adhesive comprises a) 50 to 100 parts by weight of a polymerizable component comprising at least one acrylic or methacrylic ester of a non-tertiary alkyl alcohol in which the alkyl group contains 1 to 20 (e.g., 3 to 18) carbon atoms; (b) 0 to 50 parts by weight of a polymerizable component comprising at least one modifying monomer, other than said acrylic or methacrylic ester, copolymerizable with component (a), the sum of (a) and (b) amounting to 100 parts by weight; (c) an effective amount of a polymerization initiator; and (d) an effective amount of a chain transfer agent. The polymerization initiator is preferably a photoinitiator or a thermal initiator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,682 relates to a method for fabricating a structural assembly comprising the steps of providing at least two articles, each article having a surface; applying a dual-cure adhesive mixture to at least a portion of at least one of the surfaces; joining the at least two articles such that the adhesive mixture is positioned between the at least two articles; at least partially curing a first portion of the adhesive mixture by irradiating at least one of the articles with electron-beam energy such that a structural assembly is formed wherein the at least two articles are adhesively bonded together by the at least partially cured first portion of the adhesive mixture and a remaining portion remains uncured by the electron-beam energy while the first portion is curing; and allowing the remaining portion of the adhesive mixture to become cured thermally.
It would be advantageous to provide an adhesive which does not require any additional heat to initiate the cure, especially where the assembled structure is made from materials that distort under application of heat, such as most rigid thermoplastics. It would also be advantageous to avoid the use of special reducing agents to overcome problems of air inhibition, while providing a rapid elimination of surface tackiness in the adhesive which is exposed to air.


An active matrix substrate (20a) includes a gate electrode (25) formed on an insulating substrate (10a), and a planarizing film (26) formed on the gate electrode (25) and made of a baked SOG material. The gate electrode (25) is a multilayer film including a first conductive film (27) formed on the insulating substrate (10a) and made of a metal except copper, a second conductive film (28) formed on the first conductive film (27) and made of copper, and a third conductive film (29) formed on the second conductive film (28) and made of the metal except copper.

An active matrix substrate includes, e.g., thin film transistors (hereinafter also referred to as "TFTs") as switching elements, one for each pixel, which is the smallest unit of an image.
In order to improve the reliability of an active matrix substrate, TFTs, interconnects, and other components need to be accurately formed on a substrate. For such an active matrix substrate, e.g., patterns of electrodes and interconnects are formed on an insulative substrate to form an uneven surface, and a planarizing film that is an insulating film is formed to cover and planarize the uneven surface. The planarizing film is typically made of, e.g., a spin-on glass (SOG) material, SiO2 in liquid form, or a polymeric film.
Typically, an active matrix substrate includes a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode forming portions of a TFT described above, and in order to prevent the electrodes from being excessively etched in an etching step in a manufacturing process, the electrodes are multilayer films each including a plurality of conductive films. For example, a titanium film is formed as a first conductive film that is a lower film of the gate electrode, and a copper film is formed as a second conductive film that is an upper film of the gate electrode. Then, a planarizing film described above is formed on the surface of the gate electrode (see, e.g., PATENT DOCUMENT 1).

Active matrix substrate, and display panel


A method for the continuous manufacturing of complex cast articles utilizing one or more fluidized beds for heat treatment and aging purposes is herein disclosed. The inventive method contemplates in-line casting, heat treating, quenching, aging and machining of a complex cast aluminum alloy article, such as an engine block or engine block head. Specific advantages of the heat treatment and aging stops of the method of the present invention are herein disclosed.

Lost foam and permanent mold casting processes are often utilized to cast complex metal articles, such as engine blocks. It is well documented that the lost foam casting process is an efficient and effective casting process for forming such articles. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,854,368; 5,014,764; 5,058,653; 5,088,544; 5,161,595; and 5,960,851. Likewise, permanent mold casting is an effective means for the production of complex metal articles, and is well known in the art of molten metal casting.
One of the advantages of the lost foam casting process is that it is capable of forming complex internal passageways during casting, such as the complex internal passageways of an internal combustion engine. In lost foam casting, a pattern is produced from a polymeric foam material, such as polystyrene, and has a configuration identical to the metal article to be cast. A porous ceramic coating is subsequently applied to the outer surface of the pattern and one or more patterns are placed within an outer vessel. A polymeric foam gating system connects each pattern to a sprue in order to supply the molten metal to the pattern. The space between the patterns and the vessel is filled with a finely divided inert material, such as sand, and the finely divided inert material also fills the internal cavities within the pattern.
In the lost foam casting process, as molten metal is fed into the sprue, the heat of the molten metal acts to decompose or ablate the polymeric foam material comprising the pattern and the gating system. The molten metal occupies the void created by ablation of the foam material, with the decomposition products of the foam passing through the porous ceramic coating of the pattern and becoming trapped within the interstices of the sand. Upon solidification of the molten metal, the resulting cast article has a configuration identical to the original polymeric foam pattern. However, due to the decomposition products becoming trapped within the interstices of the sand, a lost foam cluster or bonded cluster surrounds the cast article after solidification. While there is marginal difficulty in removal of the lost foam cluster surrounding the cast object, there is significant difficulty in removal of the residual ceramic coating from the complex internal passageways of the casting.
For this reason, permanent mold casting is often used instead of lost foam casting for the production of complex cast articles. Permanent mold casting allows for articles to be cast in "dies" that are used time and again for casting articles. While permanent mold casting does not necessitate the intensive clean-up associated with the lost foam casting process, problems arise with cast articles "sticking" to the dies. Further, limits on the complexity of the article to be cast exist, and complex articles are often cast in separate sections using permanent mold casting, which requires later assembly of the sections and may cause variation in the metallographic structure of the separate sections.
A significant thrust of the complex casting industry is directed to the production of engine blocks or engine block heads, particularly, with the advent of aluminum alloy engine blocks having high tensile and yield strengths along with desirable elongation percentages (i.e., heightened ductility). In order to achieve such desirable characteristics in the final cast article, precipitation strengthening of aluminum alloys is performed on the cast articles.
Precipitation strengthening of an aluminum alloy is generally accomplished by a three step process: solution heat treatment, quenching and aging. With most cast articles it is desirable to solution heat treat the articles after they are cast. In general, solution heat treating is the process by which an alloy is elevated to a high temperature, thereby changing its microstructure to improve its properties. Though this thermal treatment, the resulting properties and performance of a component may be manipulated. Specifically, when dealing with aluminum silicon alloys, solution heat treatment changes the alloy's microstructure by spherodizing and coarsening eutectic silicon particles, and homogeneously redistributing precipitate forming elements in solid solution. It is known in the art that the heat-up rate and the time spent at solution heat treatment temperature are important factors in obtaining the properties which will increase performance of a heat treated article.
Quenching refers to the rapid cooling of a cast object. Quenching is traditionally done in water. However, new quenching techniques have been developed where other types of fluids are used for quenching. Quenching momentarily "freezes" the eutectic structure, and renders the alloy workable for a short period of time.
The aging process generally follows quenching to allow for slow precipitation of alloy constituents to create a stronger final structure. In traditional, natural aging, a cast object is held at a low temperature (e.g., room temperature) for an extended period of time to allow for precipitation of constituents. When dealing with aluminum silicon alloys, it is known in the art to place cast objects into an air furnace at a relatively higher temperature (e.g., 250 to 450° F.) for a relatively long period of time (e.g., 4 to 72 hours) after quenching. This traditional aluminum silicon alloy aging process is called artificial aging, and this very practical and popular aging process also allows for the formation of fine strengthening precipitates which creates a stronger final cast article.
The traditional aging process for aluminum silicon alloys, described above, follows thermodynamics and Ahrenious kinetics. Such principles teach that the maximum strength of an alloy is obtained by aging at a lower temperature (thermodynamic consideration) for longer times (kinetics consideration—i.e., slower reaction rates at low temperatures). In a commercial setting, however, this traditional aging method causes a large capital cost and productivity hindrance, as it ties up a substantial amount of furnace capacity during production. Additionally, this traditional aging method uses more energy and would be desirable in order to obtain statistically guaranteed levels of strength in manufactured aluminum alloy parts.
Many attempts have been made in the aluminum industry to create alloys with fine strengthening participates using modified aging processes. Metallurgists have attempted to raise the temperature and/or shorten the time for aging, but such attempts have resulted in a large variability in levels of strength from production lot to production lot. Therefore, the traditional aging methods described above remain commonplace in the industry.
In accordance with the present invention, the use of a fluidized bed has been found to advantageously and economically solution heat treat and age cast aluminum alloy articles. The economy and efficiency of the present invention is achieved through the use of a heated, fluidized bed of an inert material, such as sand, because such beds allow for excellent temperature control which, in turn, provides excellent temperature stability at elevated temperatures. The fluidized beds contemplated for use in conjunction with the present invention is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,369 which is incorporated herein by reference. The fluidized aging bed, as well as the fluidized bed used for quenching, has the same construction as the heat treatment bed 4 and, preferably, is the heated fluidized sand bed described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,369. The fluidized beds, as described therein, are very accurate and deviate very little from the desired heat treatment or aging temperature. Thus, one may obtain statistically guaranteed strength in cast articles by heat treating and aging such articles at an elevated, stable temperature for a shorter period of time when compared to conventional solution heat treating and aging processes.
Accordingly, in the aluminum alloy casting industry, the method of the present invention allows one to realize significant production efficiencies while maintaining very high product quality. Specifically, an article may be cast in the morning, solution heat treated around noon, and machined in the afternoon. It is estimated that a minimum of 2 to 4 days of work in process can be eliminated, while quality is improved because the method of the present invention is a continuous process that yields higher statistically guaranteed properties due to excellent temperature control. Thus, the net result is a significant amount of energy savings in conjunction with improved product quality.
A further advantage of the method of the present invention is realized because it has been found that the fluidized action of the beds efficiently and effectively cleans residual ceramic coatings from complex cast articles to a degree that cannot be realized with prior cleaning methods. Even further, it has been found that the lost foam cluster can be directly transferred from the lost foam casting vessel to the fluidized bed to allow for greater economy in the overall casting process.
Therefore, the present invention provides generally for a method of manufacturing a complex aluminum alloy article in a refined time period and further comprises a continuous manufacturing process for engine blocks. The process generally comprises casting a complex aluminum alloy article, solution heat treating the complex article in the first fluidized bed, quenching the complex article, aging the complex article in a second fluidized bed and machining the complex article.
More specifically, the method of the present invention provides for continuous manufacturing of engine blocks and/or engine block heads using the lost foam casting process, wherein the bonded clusters that surround the cast articles resulting from the lost foam casting process are transferred directly into a first fluidized bed. The cast engine blocks and/or engine block heads are solution heat treated in the first fluidized sand bed while, simultaneously, the bonded clusters are removed from around the engine blocks and/or heads and the internal passageways of the engine blocks and/or heads are cleaned. The engine blocks and/or heads are then removed from the first fluidized bed and quenched, preferably in a separate fluidized bed. The quenched engine blocks and/or heads are then transferred to yet another fluidized bed where the engine blocks and/or heads are aged at a desired aging temperature, preferably about 385° F. The engine blocks and/or heads are removed from the aging fluidized bed after a time period from 30 to 60 minutes and are subsequently machined to form a finished product.
One of ordinary skill in the art will realize that this streamlined process provides a multitude of efficiencies in the manufacturing process of complex aluminum alloy articles. Most importantly, production efficiencies are realized through time savings, as well as energy savings, resulting in a more lean manufacturing environment.

Method for continuous manufacturing of cast articles utilizing one or more fluidized beds for heat treating and aging purposes


A tool consists of a combination engine in the form of a two-cycle engine, and a motion conversion device which is connected to said combustion engine and which is located in a housing. The housing is filled with oil for lubricating the motion conversion device. A conveying device with which the oil is conveyed from the housing to the combustion engine is provided, said combustion engine being lubricated exclusively with oil from the housing and having no separate oil supply.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a tool in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tools, in particular hand-held tools, such as e.g. a rammer for ground compaction purposes, which comprise a combustion engine as the drive are known in various forms. Two-cycle engines have proven to be particularly suitable as combustion engines and have a high specific output and are not dependent upon position when using suitable carburettors so that they can even be used in a steeply inclined position.
In essence, two principles are known for the lubrication of two-cycle engines, namely petroil lubrication, in which oil is already admixed beforehand to the fuel at a mixing ratio of 1:25 to 1:100, and separate-lubrication, in which oil is pumped from a separate oil tank by means of an oil pump into the crank housing or the carburettor nozzle. Both lubricating methods help make it possible to utilise two-cycle engines in any position and also serve to keep the weight of such engines low.
Whereas during petroil lubrication the oil must be added to the fuel during each fuelling procedure, it is necessary in the separate-lubricating process to top up the separate oil tank at regular intervals, as in the case of two-cycle engines there is basically a loss lubrication, i.e. there is no oil circulation. Apart from the weight of the additional oil tank, the requirement for regular cleaning and also the provision of an oil tank indication, safety devices are required which prevent the engine from starting-up if oil supplies are not sufficient. These devices increase considerably the complexity and the weight of the essentially simple and robust two-cycle engine.
DE 198 00 904 A1 discloses a combustion engine for a tool, wherein a cam drive for a valve control of the engine is lubricated by means of an oil sump. The rotational movement of the toothed wheels which are associated with the cam drive serves to generate an oil mist which can be guided into a crank housing of the engine where it lubricates the moving parts.
It is the object of the invention to provide a tool having a lubricating system for the combustion engine, wherein the complexity is reduced with respect to lubricating systems which are known from the prior art.
The tool is characterised in that the combustion engine can be lubricated by the oil from the housing.
With respect to the invention, it is assumed that the tool is already provided with a large quantity of oil, namely for the purpose of lubricating the movement-conversion device, i.e. the transmission in the housing. In accordance with the invention, this oil is then also used for the purpose of lubricating the combustion engine. The oil from the transmission is consequently consumed over the course of time. An additional oil tank as in the case of the known separate-lubricating procedure is thus not required nor is it necessary to fill the tool with an oil-fuel mixture.
In an advantageous manner, the combustion engine can be lubricated exclusively with the oil from the housing and the oil quantity provided in the housing is such that it is sufficient for the purpose of lubricating the movement-conversion device and the combustion engine during a predefined servicing interval. This relieves the operator of the obligation of checking the oil level at regular intervals, of topping up the oil or supplying a mixture. On the contrary, topping up the oil into the housing which accommodates the movement-conversion device is performed by a specialist within the scope of a service inspection which must be carried out at regular intervals in any case for such highly stressed tools.
In an advantageous manner, a conveying device is provided for the purpose of conveying oil from the housing, which surrounds the movement-conversion device, to the combustion engine.
Since the quantity of oil present is thus limited, it is necessary to use the oil extremely economically during lubrication of the oil-consuming combustion engine.
Thus, in the case of a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the oil which is supplied to the combustion engine is provided in the form of an oil aerosol, i.e. as oil mist. The oil aerosol is generated in the housing by means of the movement-conversion device, in which numerous components move at high speed, whereby the oil provided in a sump is extensively centrifuged in the form of droplets and very finely atomised.
In the case of an advantageous development of the invention, the oil or oil aerosol is collected by means of a collecting device, which is coupled to the conveying device, in the housing. In order to assist the collecting procedure, it is expedient if the conveying device comprises a suction device. In order to be able to transport the oil to the combustion engine, it is also advantageous if the conveying device comprises a pressure-generating device for the purpose of generating a pressure gradient between the housing-side and the combustion engine-side. The pressure-generating device can also serve to pressurise the oil or the oil aerosol and to inject it at the combustion engine.
In the case of a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the pressure-generating device comprises a pressure reservoir which is coupled to a combustion chamber of the combustion engine. Upon ignition of the air-fuel mixture, there is a sudden increase in the pressure in the combustion engine, wherein some of the high pressure passes in the form of pressurised exhaust gas from the combustion chamber into the pressure reservoir.
As already discussed above, the oil or oil aerosol provided must be used extremely sparingly, so that the oil supply is sufficient over the servicing interval. It has proven to be particularly advantageous, if the oil or the oil aerosol can be discharged in a region of a contact surface between a piston and a cylinder of the combustion engine. The contact surface is the region of the combustion engine which in tribological terms is loaded to the greatest extent and is thus in greatest need of lubrication.
In the case of a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, there is provided an oil outlet which is fed by the conveying device and through which the oil or oil aerosol can be discharged, depending upon the position of the piston in the cylinder, on to a running surface of the piston shaft and on to a running surface of the cylinder lying opposite the oil outlet. As a consequence, the contact surface between the piston and the cylinder can be wetted in a controlled manner with oil or the oil aerosol.
The conveying device which guides the oil from the housing to the combustion engine can be controlled in an advantageous manner in dependence upon the operating state of the engine. For example, it has been shown that the combustion engine does not require lubrication in the no-load state, whereas in the full-load state there is an increased requirement for lubrication. The controllability of the conveying device again considerably enhances the ways of utilising the limited oil supplies economically.

Lubrication system for a tool with a combustion engine


An engine of a straddle-type vehicle includes first, second, and third cylinders arranged, in this order, from right to left in a front view of the vehicle; first, second, and third intake pipes in communication with the first, second, and third cylinders, respectively; and first, second, and third exhaust pipes in communication with the first, second, and third cylinders, respectively. The first, second, and third exhaust pipes have different lengths and the first, second, and third intake pipes have different lengths.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to straddle-type vehicles.
The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-108645 filed in Japan on May 23, 2013, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A straddle-type vehicle including an engine in which three cylinders are arranged in alignment with each other in a lateral direction of the vehicle, i.e., a "parallel three cylinder engine", is conventionally known. JP 2007-83849 A discloses a motorcycle including a parallel three cylinder engine.
The parallel three cylinder engine disclosed in JP 2007-83849 A includes three exhaust pipes in communication with three cylinders. The exhaust pipes are first extended forward and then bent leftward and downward in a front view of the motorcycle so as to be connected to a bundle portion into which the exhaust pipes are collected. A muffler is connected to the bundle portion.
In a parallel three cylinder engine, when an attempt is made to equalize lengths of three exhaust pipes, flexibility of locating the three exhaust pipes is disadvantageously reduced. Besides, the resulting exhaust pipes might unfavorably be complicated in shape. A conceivable solution to these problems is to allow the three exhaust pipes to have different lengths.
However, merely allowing three exhaust pipes to have different lengths causes combustion variations between cylinders, thus making it impossible for a parallel three cylinder engine to deliver its original performance. Another conceivable solution is to devise an engine control method so as to reduce combustion variations, but devising such a method results in complicated control.


Automated modular physical health testing systems and associated devices and methods are disclosed herein. A modular system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a housing, a communications hub, and a plurality of physical health testing devices. The housing integrates the communications hub and stores the plurality of physical health testing devices. The physical health testing devices are in wired and/or wireless communication with the communications hub. Each physical health testing device is configured to generate physical health data of a user and to transmit generated physical health data to the communication hub and/or a user's mobile device. The modular physical health testing system provides an automated physical exam that can be performed at user's homes or other convenient locations.

A physical exam, or "physical," is a screening test that is executed by a healthcare professional, such as a primary care provider, in a medical office to assess a person's overall health. A physical exam evaluates patient vitals and other diagnostic parameters to detect various medical conditions, identify potential medical issues that may be of concern in the future, track changes in a person's physical health over time, and/or determine whether an individual requires further medical tests. As such, routine physical exams (e.g., once or twice per year) are essential for tracking an individual's medical history and detecting potential health concerns in early stages.
Despite the clear benefits, many individuals do not undergo routine physical exams for a variety of reasons. These include, among other reasons, travel time to physician's office, inconvenience of scheduling and going to a doctor's appointment, difficulty getting time off work, financial uncertainty of the cost of a hospital visit, and/or low urgency or priority, especially when the individual currently feels fine. Furthermore, physicals are not always prioritized by healthcare providers and systems due to the inherent lack of acuity, the overall needs of medically underserved areas, and/or low reimbursement rates. Delaying or eliminating routine physical exams, however, decreases the likelihood of early diagnosis and intervention, and decreases patient medical history that can be important for diagnosis and treatment when it becomes necessary.
Furthermore, the complexity and high costs associated with portable and/or home-use diagnostic testing equipment is prohibitive for many. Further, the ability to understand the diagnostic test results, identify whether the at-home diagnostic test was performed properly, and accurately aggregate the results of multiple tests in a meaningful manner to provide a picture of their overall health limit the utility of portable, at-home diagnostic tests.

Modular automated physical health testing systems and associated devices and methods


The present disclosure provides a system and method for processing a semiconductor substrate wherein a substrate is received at a load lock interface. The substrate is transferred from the load lock interface to a process module using a first module configured for unprocessed substrates. A manufacturing process is performed on the substrate within the process module. Thereafter, the substrate is transferred from the process module to the load lock interface using a second module configured for processed substrates.

Recent advances in semiconductor performance have been driven in no small part by increased manufacturing precision and reduced device geometries. As feature size shrinks, the associated circuits become more sensitive to contamination during the manufacturing process. The cluster tool has been an important development in semiconductor manufacturing. By providing multiple tools within a single chassis, several manufacturing procedures can be performed on a semiconductor substrate without exposing it to the outside environment. The seals within the cluster tool can be used to create different atmospheric zones. For example, the process modules and the central transfer chamber may operate in a vacuum while the load lock and substrate transport carrier operate in an inert gas atmosphere. Furthermore, because the substrate is never directly exposed to the fab environment, a low particle atmosphere can be maintained around the substrate while the rest of the fab operates with less stringent controls.
The sealed design of the cluster tool protects the substrate from outside contaminants, but outside contaminants are not the only threat to the substrate. Many of the manufacturing procedures carried out within the cluster tool may result in residues that are capable of damaging the substrate. For the purposes of this disclosure, residue may refer to a liquid film, a solid contaminant with or without the potential to outgas, particulate matter, any combination thereof, and/or any other undesirable compound in solid, liquid, or gaseous form. Examples of manufacturing procedures that may leave a residue on the substrate include wet etching, dry etching, ashing, stripping, metal plating, CMP, and/or any other suitable procedure. To illustrate, wet etching procedures apply etchants (e.g., HNO3, HF, KOH, and/or TMAH) to the substrate 12. These etchants may remain on the substrate 12 after etching is completed. Dry etching process gases can include an oxygen-containing gas, fluorine-containing gas (e.g., NF3, CF4, SF6, CH2F2, CHF3, and/or C2F6), chlorine-containing gas (e.g., Cl2, CHCl3, CCl4, and/or BCl3), bromine-containing gas (e.g., HBr and/or CHBr3), iodine-containing gas, other suitable gases or plasmas, and/or combinations thereof. Sulfur, fluorine, chlorine, bromine and other reactive atoms may bond to the photoresist during dry etching and later outgas to form destructive compounds including SO2 and HF. Stripping processes can leave residues of cleaning solutions including H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) and H202 (hydrogen peroxide).
Residue damage is not limited to direct harm to the substrate through such processes as hazing, erosion, and corrosion. Residue may trap particulate matter, distort lithographic imaging, and prevent other process chemicals from performing a desired effect. Residues can form directly on substrates through manufacturing procedures, can condense on substrates from the ambient environment, and can be deposited by other mechanisms.
Systems and methods to reduce residue and residue vapor have the potential to dramatically improve yield and are of significant value.

Integrated apparatus to assure wafer quality and manufacturability

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


In a method for coating substrates with materials to be vaporized in a vacuum coating system, the vaporization material is deposited on the substrate by double vaporization using an intermediate carrier. The intermediate carrier is continuously moved and cylindrical.

The invention relates to a method for coating substrates with materials to be vaporized in a vacuum coating system, wherein the material to be vaporized is heated in a vaporization device, vaporized and deposited on a substrate. The vaporization material is deposited on the substrate by double vaporization using an intermediate carrier, and the intermediate carrier is moved continuously.
The invention furthermore relates to a device for coating substrates with materials to be vaporized, comprising a vaporization device for vaporizing the materials to be vaporized inside a vacuum coating system. The vaporization device is in this case arranged for vaporizing vaporization materials in a first position. Opposite the side of the intermediate carrier intended to receive vapor deposition, a heating apparatus is arranged in a second position in spatial proximity to the substrate. An intermediate carrier is arranged movably between the first and second positions, means being provided for continuous movement of the intermediate carrier.
The coating of substrates with materials to be vaporized, in particular organic materials, in vacuum coating systems is conventionally carried out by means of point sources in which the organic materials are vaporized at a large distance of for example 50 cm from the substrate. In this way, a homogeneous layer thickness of the material deposited on the substrate is achieved.
For instance, DE 10 2005 013 875 A1 discloses a vacuum coating system comprising a heating apparatus, which is suitable for vaporizing organic materials.
Disadvantages with this, however, are primarily the low yield of the vaporization material, which often ranges only in the region of a few percent. This is unacceptable particularly for the case of organic materials, which constitute the main cost factor in the production of OLEDs and organic solar cells.
Methods and devices for co-vaporization of organic materials for the production of OLEDs are furthermore known.
In production systems, line sources are also used which are normally composed of nozzles arranged in a row in a vapor tube. For homogeneous layer deposition, a minimum distance in the centimeter range between the substrate and the vaporizer source is also required in this case, so that the yields usually lie in the range of between 50% and 70%.
DE 101 28 091 C1 discloses a device for coating a flat substrate by using such a line source.
For the production of layers of organic materials on a substrate, devices are known in which layers from different vaporization sources are deposited successively on the substrate.
The various materials are vaporized in different vaporization devices, and introduced into the process chamber through a gas inlet. The composition of the gas phase in the process chamber can be regulated by supplying inert gas or by pumping out. Disadvantages with this device and the associated method are, again, the low yields due to the separation between the vaporizer source and the substrate, particularly when a plurality of materials are vaporized simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,313 A discloses a method for vaporizing inorganic materials, wherein two rotating drums are used. In a first step, the inorganic material is vaporized and deposited on the surface of the first rotating drum. In relative proximity to this rotating drum, a second rotating drum is arranged on which the substrate to be coated, for instance a film, is arranged. In the region of the shortest distance between the two drums, an electron beam gun is arranged inside the first drum, so that the deposited material is vaporized and deposited on the substrate on the second drum. The disadvantage with this arrangement consists primarily in the use of the electron beam gun, which is unsuitable for use when vaporizing organic materials. Furthermore, it is not possible to coat flat substrates with the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,313 A.
EP 1 391 532 A1 discloses a method for producing a compact organic pellet for OLED production, the pellet being provided in a roll form. The pellet is subsequently transferred into a vaporization device, where it is heated and vaporized by the heating apparatuses arranged in the heating apparatus while rotating about its own axis. The material thus vaporized is then deposited on the substrate to be coated. A disadvantage in this case is, in particular, the elaborate production of the pellet from the organic materials.
US 2005/0281050 A1 discloses a method and a device for producing OLEDs. The substrates to be coated are conveyed along a transport path through a plurality of coating chambers. At the same time, the vaporization source is moved on a separate transport path between the individual coating chambers, so that a plurality of substrates can be coated in a shorter time. The disadvantage with this device resides primarily in the fact that the device proposed in US 2005/0281050 A1 and the associated method are unsuitable for ensuring continuous coating with the required throughput rates.
WO 2010/045974 A1 discloses a method and a device for coating substrates, wherein the organic material is vaporized and deposited on a carrier. The carrier is subsequently introduced into the vacuum coating chamber, where the organic material is vaporized for a second time and deposited on the substrate to be coated. The carrier is in this case configured in a strip shape from a flexible material. The disadvantage with using strip-shaped intermediate carriers resides primarily in the materials that can be used for the required flexibility, which leads to a great restriction in terms of the organic materials to be deposited.
German Patent Application No. 10 2009 007 587.9 provides a method and a device, the material to be vaporized being deposited on the substrate by double vaporization using an intermediate carrier. In this way, the material to be vaporized is not formed directly on the substrate by vaporization, but instead an intermediate carrier is used.
The material to be vaporized is vaporized for a first time by the vaporization device in a first position and deposited on the intermediate carrier, which is arranged position-variably in spatial proximity to the vaporization apparatus. This coated intermediate carrier is subsequently brought into a second position which lies in spatial proximity to a substrate to be coated, and the vaporization material deposited on the intermediate carrier is vaporized for a second time in the second position and deposited on the substrate. The intermediate carrier is in this case used for receiving the vaporized material and for deposition on the substrate to be coated. By using the intermediate carrier, it is possible to achieve greater yields in the range of 90% or more owing to the shorter separation. In contrast to known line sources, the high yields can even be achieved for narrow substrates and a plurality of simultaneously vaporized materials.
As intermediate carriers, German Patent Application No. 10 2009 007 587.9 indicates endless bands, for example steel bands, as well as circular disk-shaped intermediate carriers.
However, it has been found that endless bands made of steel cannot be produced in a form suitable for use as intermediate carriers. This is primarily because chemically inert steel bands, which are not meant to enter into a reaction with any of the organic materials deposited, are too brittle and therefore appear unsuitable for production as a steel band. Furthermore, it has been found that circular disk-shaped intermediate carriers for use in continuous coating systems with a diameter of more than 1 m cannot be produced with the required accuracy, or if so only with high outlay.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device which make it possible to coat substrates with materials to be vaporized, in particular organic materials, with high yields.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and a device which permit simultaneous coating of a substrate with materials to be vaporized, while ensuring a reproducible stoichiometry, which is constant inside the deposited layer, of the individual constituents throughout the coating process.
These objects are achieved by a method and a device according to the independent claims. Advantageous configurations of the invention are specified in the other claims.

Method and device for coating substrates from the vapor phase


The present invention provides devices for treating functional mitral regurgitation and methods of use thereof. The devices translocate a subject's mitral valve in an apical direction. The devices thereby treat mitral regurgitation while preserving a subject's original mitral valve and chordae tendinae.

There is presently no reliable, durable mitral valve repair option for patients with functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). In patients with FMR, the mitral valve is usually normal, but left ventricular dysfunction (due to coronary artery disease, idiopathic myocardial disease, or nonischemic cardiomyopathy) is present. The abnormal and dilated left ventricle causes papillary muscle displacement, which results in leaflet tethering with associated annular dilation that prevents coaptation (generally defined as abutment of the edges of the two mitral valve leaflets). Thus, fundamental geometric issues of FMR include annular dilation, annular flattening, leaflet tethering, and increased interpapillary distances.
Although restrictive mitral annuloplasty (RMA) is usually initially effective in abrogating mitral regurgitation, there is clear data that these repairs are not as durable as replacing the mitral valve with a prosthetic (tissue or mechanical) valve. RMA involves suturing a semi-rigid ring around the perimeter of the mitral valve (the annulus) to decrease the area of the mitral orifice and increase the amount of coaptation of the two leaflets. The frequent progressive ineffectiveness of RMA is generally due to continued adverse remodeling and enlargement of the left ventricle, with continued geometric distortion—including continued restriction of the leaflets into the ventricular cavity with resulting failure of coaptation.
For example, in the ACORN trial (see J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2011 September; 142(3):569-74) that included mostly patients with idiopathic FMR, the recurrence rate of severe mitral regurgitation (MR) was 19 percent at 5 years. Recent data from a randomized trial that compared repair and replacement of the mitral valve for severe FMR demonstrated that nearly 60 percent of patients with mitral valve repairs or replacements suffered recurrence of moderate or greater MR at 2 years. Importantly, the group of patients with recurrence also showed less favorable ventricular reverse remodeling (i.e. they had bigger ventricles) compared to a repair group that had durable treatment of MR. Fundamentally, a restrictive mitral annuloplasty does not leave an adequate surface area for coaptation. A variety of techniques have been tried to repair FMR in a more durable fashion than current techniques, but none have had widespread adoption or success.
While replacing the mitral valve with a prosthetic valve is the most durable current technique, prosthetic valves have significant downsides, including risks of thromboembolism, prosthetic valve infection, degeneration of bioprostheses, mandatory anticoagulation of mechanical valves, and a higher perioperative mortality risk. While there are clear benefits to mitral valve repair compared to replacement for patients with degenerative mitral valve disease, annuloplasty insertion for treating FMR is associated with a very high rate of early recurrence of mitral regurgitation (e.g., 58% at two years in a randomized CTSN trial, NEJM 2016).
Common techniques often use a MitraClip®, and are based on a surgical approach (the "Alfieri" stitch) that is known to be only variably effective. The MitraClip® procedure involves placing a Dacron®-covered titanium clip such that the middle portion of the anterior and posterior leaflets are joined, which forms the mitral valve into a "double orifice" valve. Results from treatment of FMR with the MitraClip® have been suboptimal and a substantial number of patients have either residual or recurrent mitral regurgitation.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for improved devices and methods for treating functional mitral regurgitation. The present invention addresses this need.

Valve translocation device and method for the treatment of functional valve regurgitation

University of Maryland Medical System LLC


A scratch-off lottery ticket includes a substrate having at least one play area with play indicia provided thereon. A scratch-off layer is disposed over the play indicia. A luminescent material is disposed relative to the scratch-off layer and the play indicia such that unauthorized removal of the scratch-off layer in an attempt to reveal the underlying play indicia is rendered optically apparent upon subsequent excitation of the play area with an excitation source that excites the luminescent material.

"Instant play" lottery tickets are well known in the art. These tickets typically relate to a game theme and include a scratch-off layer or coating (e.g., a removable latex coating) that covers the play indicia printed on the ticket. After purchasing a ticket, a player scratches off the coating and is instantly presented with an indication as to whether the ticket is a winning ticket.
Unfortunately, the scratch-off lottery games tempt certain unscrupulous individuals to "prescreen" tickets to determine which tickets are winners. For example, such individuals look for ways to covertly determine the play indicia under the scratch-off layer without leaving an indication that the ticket has been tampered with. If a store clerk or other individual can determine a winning ticket in this manner, he can easily remove the ticket from sale to the general public for later "purchase" by an accomplice. Such events seriously degrade the integrity and public perception of the lottery game as a fair game of chance.
One approach to overcoming the problem of prescreening of unsold tickets is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,405. This patent describes a system and method for electronic verification of tickets. Electronic circuits are printed on the tickets, for example as a component of the scratch-off coating, and any attempt to alter the coating in order to determine the underlying play indicia results in a change in the electronic signature of the ticket. A verification machine is used to apply an excitation signal to the ticket, and a validation circuit is used to determine if the returned signal is a valid signal.
Despite efforts to prevent it, fraudulent prescreening of tickets is still a problem in the industry. The present invention relates to a novel approach of detecting whether attempts have been made to prescreen tickets by focusing on whether the scratch-off material covering the play indicia or security codes has been tampered with.

System and method for detecting compromised instant lottery tickets


A bicycle headlamp including: a rotor having a plurality of magnet plates attached to spokes of a bicycle wheel, each magnet plate including a plurality of magnets disposed at regular circumferential spacings with alternating south and north poles; and a stator including a power-generating coil disposed in a fixed position to face the magnetic pole faces of the magnet plates. A case includes at least a headlamp electrical circuit for establishing resonance with a certain relative speed of the magnets by means of the power-generating coil and a capacitor connected in series, and for rectifying, smoothing out, and outputting electric power obtained from the power-generating coil. Also included are a light-emitting diode and a condenser lens for focusing light emitted from the light emitting diode in front of the bicycle and for illuminating the roadway.

Conventional bicycle headlamps using an incandescent lamp receive power for providing illumination sufficient for nighttime cycling from a rotary generator, to which a rotary motion is transferred by a roller pressed against a side of a tire. This method exerts a large frictional resistance on the rotary motion, and the cyclist feels a drag while pedaling. Accordingly, cycling at night requires extra power. The conventional generator using the roller to be pressed against the side of the tire, however, must be turned on manually, and thus a trouble-free simple device has been needed.
The conventional method of pressing the roller against the side of the tire has problems. A first problem is that the roller pressed against the side of the tire while cycling at night incurs a frictional resistance on the rotary motion, causing the cyclist to feel that the pedals have become heavy.
A second problem is that illumination will decrease when cycling on a muddy road because mud getting in between the tire and the roller causes the roller to slide along the tire.
A third problem is the need to manually turn on and turn off the generator for cycling at night.
An object of the present invention is to provide a contactless, light-load bicycle headlamp and a headlamp electrical circuit that can solve the problems described above by adopting new technologies.

Generator powered bicycle headlamp and electrical circuit


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element, first and second leads, and a sealing resin. The semiconductor element includes first and second electrodes. The first lead includes a mounting base having a main face to which the first electrode is bonded and a back face, and includes a first terminal connected to the first electrode. The second lead includes a second terminal connected to the second electrode. The sealing resin includes a main face and a back face opposite to each other, and includes an end face oriented in the protruding direction of the terminals. The back face of the mounting base is exposed from the back face of the resin. The sealing resin includes a groove formed in its back face and disposed between the back face of the mounting base and a boundary between the second terminal and the end face of the resin.

Various configurations have been proposed regarding a semiconductor device. For example, patent document 1 discloses an example of conventional semiconductor devices. The semiconductor device disclosed in the above document includes a semiconductor element, a die pad (with a Ni-plated surface), a plurality of leads (drain lead, source lead, and gate lead), and a sealing resin. A source electrode and a gate electrode are formed on the main face, and a drain electrode is formed on the back face, of the semiconductor element. The semiconductor element is mounted on the main face of the die pad, the drain electrode being electrically connected to the die pad. The drain lead is formed integrally with the die pad, and electrically connected to the drain electrode. The source lead and the gate lead are respectively connected to the source electrode and the gate electrode, via a wire. The sealing resin covers the semiconductor element and a part of each lead. The back face of the die pad is exposed from the sealing resin.
In the semiconductor device configured as above, when a high voltage (e.g., thousands of volts) is applied between the drain lead and the source lead, a discharge takes place on the surface of the sealing resin, and between the exposed back face of the die pad and the source lead, which may cause a short circuit between the drain lead and the source lead. Accordingly, there still is room for improvement with the existing semiconductor device, from the viewpoint of improving the withstand voltage.


A system and method for facilitating both in-order and out-of-order packet reception in a SAN includes requestor and responder nodes that maintain local copies of a message sequence number. Each request packet includes an ordering field specifying whether the packets must be received in-order. The request node includes a copy of the local sequence number in each packet transmitted and increments its local copy of the sequence number only for packets that must be received in order. The responder node includes the received message sequence number in all response packets and increments its local copy of the message sequence number only if the ordering field specifies that the packets must be received in order.

Traditional network systems utilize either channel semantics (send/receive) or memory semantics (DMA) model. Channel semantics tend to be used in I/O environments and memory semantics in processor environments.
In the channel semantics model, the sender does not know where data is to be stored, it just puts the data on the channel. On the sending side, the sending process specifies the memory regions that contain the data to be sent. On the receiving side, the receiving process specifies the memory regions where the data will be stored.
In the memory semantics model, the sender directs data to a particular location in memory utilizing remote direct memory access (RDMA) transactions. The initiator of the data transfer specifies both the source buffer and destination buffer of the data transfer. There are two types of RDMA operations, read and write.
The virtual interface architecture (VIA) has been jointly developed by a number of computer and software companies. VIA provides consumer processes with a protected, directly accessible interface to network hardware, termed a virtual interface. VIA is especially designed to provide low latency message communication over a system area network (SAN) to facilitate multi-processing utilizing clusters of processors.
A SAN is used to interconnect nodes within a distributed computer system, such as a cluster. The SAN is a type of network that provides high bandwidth, low latency communication with a very low error rate. SANs often utilize a fault-tolerant network to provide continued message communications in the event of failure.
It is important for the SAN to provide high reliability and high-bandwidth, low latency communication to fulfill the goals of the VIA.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a SAN maintains local copies of a sequence number for each data transfer transaction at the requestor and responder nodes. Each data transfer is implemented by the SAN as a sequence of request/response packet pairs. An error condition arises if a response to any request packet is not received at the requesting node. Each request packet includes an ordering field which specifies whether or not the packets must be received at the responder in the order that they were sent. At the requestor and responder nodes, the local copy of the sequence number is incremented only if the ordering field in the packet sent or received, respectively, specifies that the packets must be received in the order sent.
According to another aspect of the invention, a sliding window protocol is utilized that allows a requester to continue to send a specified number of request packets before receiving the matching response packets.
According to another aspect of the invention, RDMA transactions may be implemented utilizing multiple paths to increase bandwidth.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in view of the following detailed description and appended drawings.

System and method for implementing multi-pathing data transfers in a system area network

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A system of attaching a ski binding to a ski allowing quick interchange of bindings to other skis, and without the use of any hand tools. A first fastener is permanently attached to a ski, while the binding is permanently attached to a binding carrier plate that includes a mating, second fastener. The first and second fasteners are engaged by a quick release mechanism that is longitudinally shorter than a typical direct mounting system for a binding, resulting in reduced scrub area at the mounting to the ski. The binding mounting plate can extend longitudinally beyond the binding to provide mounting area for vibration dampers and camber adjusters.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to land vehicles of the type broadly considered to be skates, which can be defined as devices to be secured to the feet of the rider whereby he may propel himself over land, ice or snow. The invention is particularly directed to shoe attaching means of the type referred to as ski fasteners, which are more commonly referred to in the art of skiing as ski bindings. According to the present invention, a ski binding may be of substantially any description but may consist of toe and heel fasteners. The binding is mounted on a common support plate or first element, wherein the plate is movable or releasable from the ski. A second element installed on the ski mates with the first element in response to compressive forces applied between them. The invention provides the ability to install and remove one's ski bindings from various sets of ski's without the use of hand tools.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Conventional ski bindings are used to attach a pair of ski boots to a pair of alpine skis. These bindings generally have a mounting area that creates a large flat spot in the natural bending arc of the ski. This flat area can be in excess twenty linear inches along the length of the ski. This area can degrade the cutting effect in the turning pattern of the ski while a skier is attempting to make an aggressive turn. When the skier applies force while turning, the ski is bent into an arc by three points on the ski: the tip, the tail, and the middle. The flattened area will create a scrub portion that is not in line with the rest of the natural arc. This scrub degrades the ability of the skier to make the tightest, most accurate turn possible. This scrub also creates a loss of energy and forward momentum.
Conventional ski bindings are generally used at fairly high speeds, on a variety of terrain. In certain situations, the ski can vibrate and generate a bounding effect that the skier feels. There are no vibration-damping systems incorporated into modern ski binding systems. When vibration is encountered on choppy terrain, it can cause numbness, fatigue, and pain to the skier. The bouncing affect can also cause ski chatter, where portions of the ski are not cutting into the snow, which results in a loss of traction and hinders the skier from performing an accurate, efficient, and safe turn.
Generally, conventional ski bindings are permanently mounted to a set of skis. A ski binding is quite costly, with cost increasing with quality and protective ability. As bindings are designed to protect the skier from injury, the skier has strong motivation to purchase highest quality, most expensive binding he can afford. When a skier purchases a new set of skis, he has the option to reuse his old set of bindings by transferring them to his new set of skis. This option results in the old set of skis having no bindings and for that reason becoming worthless. The skier's other option is to purchase a new set of bindings, which then are permanently mounted to the new set of skis. This option can be costly and, of course, results in the new set of bindings being permanently committed to the new set of skis. A set of ski bindings must be accurately mounted to a pair of skis in order to use them safely. Installing or transferring a set of bindings tends to be a professional job for a technician at a ski shop, using proper tools, which adds both monetary cost and significant time delay to any installation. Current bindings are meant to be affixed in a manner such that the skier, himself, does not have the ready ability to swap them from one set of skis to another. The practical result of the current situation is that a skier must have a number of ski bindings equal to the quantity of his functional skis.
A typical ski is manufactured with a set camber. This curvature profile dictates the overall handling characteristics of the ski. There are currently no methods in place to alter this manufactured profile, to thereby change the handling characteristics of the ski. Current ski models are designed with one specific profile for one specific type of skiing/terrain.
It would be desirable to create an engagement between a ski binding and ski that substantially eliminates the scrub portion of the ski's curvature during turns. According to the invention, this can be achieved by mounting a ski binding to a ski via an intermediate binding mounting plate that is connected to the ski on a footprint that is substantially shorter than the length of the binding. The shorter footprint results in a reduced length of the scrub portion.
It would also be desirable to create a ski binding that is capable of selectively controlling vibration and bounce in the operational characteristics of a ski. It would further be desirable to enable the vibration and bounce control system to be variable in effect, to be adaptable to skis of different performance characteristics. According to the invention, this can be achieved by employing an intermediate binding mounting plate to carry the binding and to be mounted to the ski on a shorter footprint than the length of the binding. The binding mounting plate provides end portions beyond the small footprint, and these end portions can be mounts or holders for vibration damping elements.
It would be desirable to create a ski binding that is capable of selectively altering the handling characteristics of a ski. More specifically, it would be desirable to create a ski binding that can selectively alter the camber of a ski. According to the invention, this can be achieved by employing an intermediate binding mounting plate to carry the binding and to be mounted to the ski on a shorter footprint than the length of the binding. The binding mounting plate provides end portions beyond the small footprint, and these end portions can be mounts or holders for camber altering elements.
Finally, it would be desirable to create a quick release mounting device that permits quick mounting of a binding onto a ski, and quick release of a binding from a ski. Such a quick release mounting device would enable an entire binding to be moved from one pair of skis to another, preferably in a short time frame such as a minute or less, and preferable without the use of tools.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the method and apparatus of this invention may comprise the following.

Quick release ski binding mounting system


3-substituted thiophene compounds contaminating the analogous 2-substituted thiophene compounds, e.g. 3-acetylthiophene contaminating 2-acetyl thiophene, are removed by a selective electrophilic substitution process, e.g. bromination, followed by fractional distillation. It has been found that electrophilic substitution as exemplified by bromination is highly selective towards the 3-substituted thiophenes, yielding compounds of significantly higher molecular weights for separation purposes, to give high purity 2-substituted thiophene compounds.

Thiophene compounds substituted at the 2-position, especially 2-acyl-substituted thiophenes such as 2-acetylthiophene, 2-thiophenecarboxylic acid and 2-thiophenecarbonyl chloride, are used as intermediates in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. For example, 5-chloro-2,3-dihydro-2-oxo-3-(2-thienylcarbonyl)-1H-indole-1-carboxamide ("tenidap") involves, as one of its synthetic steps, the reaction of a 2-carbonyl-substituted thiophene such as 2-thiophenecarbonyl chloride with an appropriate indole compound. 2-Thiophenecarbonyl chloride is most simply prepared from 2-acetylthiophene first by the halo form reaction to produce 2-thiophenecarboxylic acid followed by transformation to the acid chloride using thionyl chloride or an equivalent reagent, thus: ##STR1##
2-Acetylthiophene is normally prepared by Friedel-Crafts acetylation of thiophene with acetic acid or an activated form thereof such as acetic anhydride. The product is normally purified by distillation and it regularly contains from 1-2% of the 3- acetylthiophene as an impurity. This by-product cannot easily be removed, because the substances boil within a few degrees of each other. For most purposes, 2-acetylthiophene of 98-99% purity is adequate.
However, when 2-thiophenecarbonyl chloride is used in the synthesis of the drug tenidap, it has been found that even a low level of 3-thiophenecarbonyl chloride contaminating the 2-thiophenecarbonyl chloride in this synthesis leads to an unacceptable quality of the final product, requiring further purification. The final product is purified only with difficulty, and with attendant losses of expensive product.
The 2-thiophenecarboxylic acid and the 2-thiophenecarbonyl chloride produced from 2-acetylthiophene by the above reaction are still contaminated with the corresponding 3-substituted products. These impurities are so similar to the desired 2-substituted products that they cannot effectively be removed therefrom without suffering substantial losses of the desired product.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel process for preparing 2-substituted thiophenes essentially free from the corresponding 3-substituted thiophene impurities.

Process for the preparation of pure thiophene derivatives


A light-emitting structure, a backlight module, a display module, and a display device are provided. The light-emitting structure includes a circuit substrate, including a first surface and a second surface sequentially arranged along a light-exiting direction of the light-emitting structure. The circuit substrate also includes a light-transparent substrate and a wiring structure located on a side of the light-transparent substrate in a thickness direction. The light-emitting structure also includes a plurality of light-emitting elements, arranged in an array on one of the first surface or the second surface of the circuit substrate. The plurality of the light-emitting elements is electrically connected to the wiring structure. The light-emitting structure also includes a heat sink, located on a side of the first surface of the circuit substrate. The heat sink is configured for dissipating heat generated by the plurality of the light-emitting elements.

To realize light-emitting display of a display device, the display device may include a light-emitting element. The light-emitting display of the display device may be realized by light emission of the light-emitting element.
With development of display devices, users may have higher requirements for light-emission efficiency of display devices. During a light-emitting display process of a display device, if a structure of the display device is not properly configured, heat may be accumulated at the light-emitting element of the display device, and the light-emission efficiency of the display device may thus be affected.
The disclosed structures and methods are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems in the art.

Light-emitting structure, backlight module, display module, and display device

Shanghai AVIC OPTO Electronics Co., Ltd.


A center alignment mechanism of a cavity thickness adjustable mold for continuous casting, comprises a guide mechanism which supports a spindle of a carriage device of each narrow face unit of the mold slidably in the wide face-wise directions of wide face units of the mold, and a driving mechanism which moves the guide mechanism in the narrow face-wise directions of the narrow face unit. The guide mechanism comprises a guide block in which the distal end portion of the spindle is slidably supported, a guide groove formed in the wide face units so as to support the guide block slidably in the narrow face-wise directions of the narrow face unit, a bracket in which the proximal end portion of the spindle is slidably supported, and another guide groove formed in the wide face units so as to support the bracket slidably in the narrow face-wise directions of the narrow face unit. The driving mechanism comprises worm jacks provided between the guide block and the fixed wide face unit and between the bracket and the fixed wide face unit, and a driving source of the worm jacks. Thus, there can be provided a cavity thickness variable mold in which narrow face units are not distorted when they are moved, so that wide face copper plates will not be damaged.

1. Industrial Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thickness adjustable mold for continuous casting. More specifically, it relates to an improvement of a thickness adjustable mold in which the mold cavity is selectively defined to have a desired thickness by replacing only narrow face units held between a pair of wide face units.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional thickness adjustable mold, one of the wide face units constituting the mold is fixed, and the other wide face unit opposite to the fixed one is movably disposed. Narrow face units of a size corresponding to a desired thickness of a cast piece (hereinafter referred to as integral-type narrow face units) are replaceably held between those two wide face units.
With this structure, the whole narrow face units must be detached from the wide face units and replaced by new narrow face units for a desired cavity thickness. Also, various kinds of narrow face units for replacement which have sizes corresponding to predetermined thicknesses of cast pieces must be prepared in advance. Consequently, there are induced a problem that it takes a long time to change the mold size and a problem that expenses for such an equipment are high.
The inventors of the present invention have already proposed a thickness adjustable mold which enables on-line quick replacement of narrow face units (Japanese Patent Application No. 2-418217). As shown in FIG. 4, the basic structure of this adjustable mold comprises a fixed wide face unit 1, a movable wide face unit 2, and a pair of narrow face units 3 and 4 held between these two wide face units 1 and 2. A spindle 5 of a narrow face unit carriage device is connected to each of the narrow face units 3, 4. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the narrow face units 3, 4 are each divided into a base narrow face unit member 11 and a replaceable narrow face unit member 12 (hereinafter referred to as separate-type narrow face units). The above-mentioned spindle 5 is connected to the base narrow face unit member 11, and a wide face copper plate 13 is secured on the replaceable narrow face unit member 12. When the thickness of a cast piece is changed, only the replaceable narrow face unit member 12 is detached by unfastening a bolt 16 and disengaging a hook 15, and a new replaceable narrow face unit member 12 for a desired cavity thickness is attached. In this method, replaceable narrow face unit members 12 for different cavity thicknesses, i.e., having different widths, are merely exchanged, and the base narrow face unit members 11 to which the spindles 5, water supply pipes and so forth are connected need not be detached. Consequently, the cavity thickness changing operation can be carried out relatively easily.
By the way, in the cavity thickness adjustable mold described above, the position of connection of each spindle 5 is unchanged. As shown in FIG. 4, therefore, once the spindle 5 is connected in alignment with the center of a specific narrow face unit 3, the spindle 5 must be connected to a narrow face unit 3 having a different width at an eccentric position.
With the above-described structure, however, when a narrow face unit 3 other than that specific narrow face unit is transferred in the wide face-wise direction, the narrow face unit 3 is distorted owing to eccentricity of the connecting portion, which results in a problem that the distorted narrow face unit 3 damages wide face copper plates 6. In order to solve this problem, the spindle 5 must be always aligned with the center of the narrow face unit 3 irrespective of the width of the narrow face unit 3. However, the structure for this alignment is complicated, and adjustment for such alignment is extremely troublesome.

Thickness adjustable mold for continuous casting