A process for making polyester film base material comprising more than 65 mol % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) of the total glycol component in the polyester material. The film base is prepared by sequentially carrying out the following steps: (a) casting a molten polyester resin in a machine direction onto a casting surface to form a continuous sheet, (b) drafting the sheet by stretching in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of from 2 to 4, and at a temperature ranging from 70xc2x0 C. to 130xc2x0 C., (c) tentering the sheet in the transverse direction by stretching at a stretch ratio of from 2 to 4, and at a temperature ranging from 70xc2x0 C. to 130xc2x0 C. to obtain a biaxially oriented film, (d) heat-setting the oriented film at an actual temperature of from 160xc2x0 C. to 200xc2x0 C., and (e) cooling the heat-set film without substantial detentering to obtain a biaxially oriented, heat-set polyester-based film having a cutting index of 1 to 1.5 and a tensile toughness ranging from 15 to 55 MPa. The invention is also directed towards a silver halide light sensitive photographic element comprising the PET-based film base made by the present process. The photographic film base of the invention exhibits excellent dimensional stability, optical clarity and mechanical strength while also possessing a crystalline morphology that enables finishing by cutting, chopping or perforating techniques at reduced cutting index without requiring a detentering step after heat-setting.

This invention relates to a process for making a polyester photographic film base having improved properties. More particularly, the invention relates to a process involving heat-setting a biaxially stretched CHDM-containing PET-based photographic film base having improved properties with regard to cutting, chopping, and perforating.
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films exhibit excellent properties for use as photographic film base with regard to transparency, dimensional stability, mechanical strength, and resistance to thermal deformation. However, PET films are extremely tough and not well suited for finishing operations, i.e., slitting, chopping, and perforating processes, which are required in the preparation of photographic films. Moreover, such films are not well suited for cutting processes in various photofinishing steps such as notching, splicing, and sleeving.
Several polyester-based materials with improved cutting characteristics were proposed for use as photographic film base materials in commonly assigned copending U.S. Ser. No. 10/036,668, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,884, and U.S. Ser. No. 10/027,023, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,555,303, hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. This improvement was accomplished through incorporation of 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol (CHDM) either by copolymerization as a glycol comonomer or by blending with CHDM-containing copolyesters. Although significant improvement in cutting performance has been shown with these PET-modified polyesters, further improvement may be needed to meet the stringent requirements of certain cutting steps in photofinishing operations.
The process for making a polyester-based photographic film base typically comprises the steps of casting a molten polyester resin in a machine direction onto a casting surface to form a continuous sheet, drafting the sheet by stretching in the machine direction, tentering the sheet by stretching in the transverse direction, heat-setting the drafted and tentered sheet, and cooling the heat-set sheet to form a stretched, heat-set film, such as described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,735, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,385,704 and 5,607,826 disclose a method for improving the finishing characteristics of photographic materials employing a PET film base involving lowering the planar birefringence of the film base to below 0.150 by performing a detentering step which allows the tentered film to shrink in width by 2 to 20% (pref. 10-18%) after the heat-setting step during film manufacturing. Improvement in finishing characteristics of PET-based photographic film, as manifested by decrease in dirt and debris generated during finishing operations, is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,569 and U.S. Ser. No. 09/223,876 hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. These latter inventions disclose a method utilizing relatively high heat-set temperatures ( greater than 220xc2x0 C.) applied during the film manufacturing process, which substantially improves the finishing and cutting characteristics of PET-based photographic supports. However, even with the demonstrated improvements in finishability, the PET-based film is still difficult to cut in various steps of the photofinishing process. Furthermore, applying this method to the manufacture of high-CHDM PET-based photographic film base does not provide the desired improvement in cutting and finishing characteristics. Therefore, a clear need exists to further improve the cutting characteristics of high-CHDM PET-based photographic supports.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,263 to Maier et al. disclosed a laminated film comprising a PET core and, on at least one surface thereof, an overcoat of a poly(1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate) polyester, in order to allow the laminated film to be readily slit and perforated using techniques commonly employed with consumer photographic film. Maier et al. states that the CHDM component should comprise at least 70 mol % of the glycol component of the polyester. However, such laminates have been found prone to delamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,507 to Massa et al. discloses a PET film-base material having less tendency to core set, comprising polyester containing at least 30 weight % CHDM, which polyester is blended with a polycarbonate that contains bisphenol. U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,735 to Schrader et al. discloses a polyester film base having improved core-set curl, involving the use of heat tempering, in one example using poly(1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate). However, this polymer crystallizes rapidly, therefore, the making of its oriented film is difficult. Also, the polymer becomes opaque or hazy and useless for photographic applications where transparency is required.
The blending or copolymerizing of conventional polyester with other polyester constituents, in order to improve the cutting performance of a film, has also been proposed for poly(ethylene naphthalate) (PEN)-based polyester films, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,054 B1 to Okutu et al. However, PEN is generally considerably more costly and more difficult to manufacture than PET, so a clear need exists for improving the cuttability of PET-based polyester supports.
Outside the photographic field, PET and PEN are valuable commercial semi-crystalline polyesters, which are widely used for packaging materials due to the combination of desirable properties that they possess. The high oxygen barrier properties of these polyesters render them particularly valuable for packaging oxygen-sensitive food and other goods and materials. PEN has advantages over PET due to its higher Tg and higher oxygen barrier properties, although PEN, as mentioned above, is considerably more costly and is somewhat harder to process than PET.
The toughness and cutting difficulty of PET and similar polyesters is generally attributed to the crystal structure and molecular orientation of the film. It is known that changes in these factors, driven either by formulary changes or by modified process conditions, can be used to lower the toughness and improve the cutting performance of PET. Generally, the crystallinity of PET can be lowered or altogether eliminated by adding suitable crystallization modifiers. Crystallization modifiers like isophthalic acid (IPA) and CHDM are often copolymerized into PET and PEN polyesters to form copolyesters that have better processing properties. Modest levels of IPA slow down crystallization and raise the oxygen barrier properties. Higher levels of IPA break up crystallinity and lead to amorphous copolyesters with good barrier properties, but these copolyesters, are known to those skilled in the art, to possess poor impact and other mechanical properties. Modest levels of CHDM also slow down crystallization, but decrease oxygen barrier properties. Higher levels of CHDM are well known to form families of amorphous copolyesters, which are widely used in commerce in a multitude of applications including heavy gauge sheet, signage, medical packages, etc. These copolyesters have excellent impact resistance and other mechanical properties, but have lower oxygen barrier properties than IPA-modified copolyesters and lower oxygen barrier properties than PET.
Photographic film requires a strict control of the thickness uniformity and surface flatness. One method of control is through stretching of a polymer sheet into a semi-crystalline state. For CHDM-modified polyester, only when the concentration of CHDM-comonomer units relative to total glycol content is less than about 30 mol % or greater than about 65 mol % is the resulting polyester crystalline. For materials in which the content is less than about 30 mol %, however, the material does not become sufficiently crystalline for dimensional stability and thickness uniformity until the concentration of CHDM comonomer relative to total glycol content is less than 25 mol %. Amorphous polyester film or insufficiently crystalline film presents dimensional stability and thickness uniformity problems, and it possesses relatively low stiffness.
Amorphous copolyesters are generally defined as copolyesters that do not show a substantial melting point by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These copolyesters are typically based on terephthalic acid, IPA, ethylene glycol, neopentyl glycol and CHDM. It is known that amorphous copolyesters possess a combination of desirable properties, such as excellent clarity and color, toughness, chemical resistance and ease of processing. Accordingly, such copolyesters are known to be useful for the manufacture of extruded sheets, packaging materials, and parts for medical devices. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,385,773 and 5,340,907 to Yau et al. disclose polyesters of CHDM in an amount of 10-95 mol % of the glycol component, and a process for producing such copolymers by esterification. U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,848 B1 to Turner et al. discloses an amorphous copolyester comprising various amounts of comonomers derived from CHDM which, because of improved gas barrier properties, are useful for packaging perishable goods. In one embodiment, the copolyester is disclosed as a biaxially oriented sheet.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a PET-based film base with improved physical properties. In particular, it would be desirable to obtain a PET-based film base that is less tough and better suited for finishing operations, i.e., slitting, chopping, and perforating processes, which are required in the preparation of photographic films. Moreover, it would be desirable to obtain a PET-based film base that is easier to cut in various steps of the photofinishing process, such as splicing, notching, and sleeving. Additionally, it would be desirable to be able to use PET-based polyester film as a film base in certain consumer photographic film applications and in films processed in a minilab setting. It would also be desirable for such a PET-based film base to have other advantageous properties such as dimensional stability and a reduced tendency to take up high levels of curl during storage in cartridges at high temperatures and/or is better able to lower this curl during photoprocessing.
The invention provides an improved method of making a polyester photographic film base having excellent dimensional stability, optical clarity and mechanical strength while also possessing a crystalline morphology that enables finishing by cutting, chopping, or perforating techniques at reduced cutting index. This is achieved by controlling the base-making process to produce a biaxially oriented high-CHDM PET-based film having actual heat-set temperature of under 200xc2x0 C. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the film base is prepared by sequentially carrying out the following steps: (a) casting a molten polyester resin onto a casting surface to form a continuous sheet in a machine direction, (b) draffing the sheet by stretching in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of from 2 to 4, and at a temperature ranging from 80 to 130xc2x0 C., (c) tentering the sheet in a transverse direction by stretching at a stretch ratio of from 2 to 4, and at a temperature ranging from 80 to 130xc2x0 C., (d) heat-setting the tentered sheet at an actual temperature sensed by the sheet of from 160 to 200xc2x0 C., and (e) cooling the heat-set sheet without substantial detentering to obtain a stretched, heat-set polyester-based film having a cutting index of 1 to 1.5 and tensile toughness of less than 55 MPa.
The actual heat-set temperature of the film may be determined from a secondary melting endothermic peak of a DSC thermogram for the film.
A further embodiment of the invention is directed towards a method of making a photographic element comprising at least one light sensitive silver halide-containing emulsion layer and a high-CHDM PET-based film base produced in accordance with the above embodiments.
Definitions of terms, as used herein, include the following:
In the present invention, monomeric units derived from 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol (CHDM) are also referred to as xe2x80x9cCHDM repeat unitsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cCHDM-comonomer unitsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cCHDM.xe2x80x9d
By xe2x80x9cterephthalic acid,xe2x80x9d suitable synthetic equivalents, such as dimethyl terephthalate, are included. It should be understood that xe2x80x9cdicarboxylic acidsxe2x80x9d includes the corresponding acid anhydrides, esters and acid chlorides for these acids. Regarding the glycol component or acid component in a polymer or material, the mol percentages referred to herein equal to a total of 100 mol %.
xe2x80x9cPET,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cPET polymer,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cPET resin,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cpoly(ethylene terephthalate) resin,xe2x80x9d and the like refers to a polyester comprising at least 98 mol % terephthalic acid comonomer units, based on the total acid component, and comprising at least 98 mol % of ethylene glycol comonomer units, based on the total glycol component. This includes PET resins consisting essentially of about 100 mol % terephthalic acid comonomer units, based on the total acid component, and consisting essentially of about 100 mol % of ethylene glycol comonomer units, based on the total glycol component.
The term xe2x80x9cmodified PET polymer,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cmodified PET resin,xe2x80x9d or the like is a polyester comprising at least 70 mol % terephthalic acid comonomer units, based on the total acid component, that has been modified so that either the acid component is less than 98 mol % of terephthalic acid (xe2x80x9cTAxe2x80x9d) comonomer units or the glycol component is less than 98 mol % of ethylene glycol (xe2x80x9cEGxe2x80x9d) comonomer units, or both the TA and EG comonomer units are in an amount less than 98 mol %. The modified PET polymer is modified with, or copolymerized with, one or more comonomers other than terephthalic acid comonomers and/or ethylene glycol comonomers in an amount of greater than 2 mol % (including greater than 5 mol %), of either the acid component and/or the glycol component, for example, to improve the cuttability of a film base or otherwise change the properties of the film base in which it is used. The xe2x80x9cmodified PET resinxe2x80x9d does not necessarily need to contain any ethylene glycol comonomer units, and it does not necessarily need to contain any acid component other than terephthalic acid comonomer units.
In one embodiment, the modified PET polymer is a polyester comprising at least 80 mol % terephthalic acid comonomer units, based on the total acid component, and at least 35 mol % ethylene glycol comonomer units, further modified with or copolymerized with one or more additional types of comonomers, preferably in the amount of greater than 5 mol % of the acid component and/or glycol component.
The term xe2x80x9cCHDM-modified PETxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cCHDM-modified-PET polyesterxe2x80x9d refers to a modified PET polymer modified by the inclusion of at least 3.5 mol % CHDM comonomer units, based on the total glycol component.
Similarly, the term xe2x80x9cCHDM-modified polyesterxe2x80x9d refers to a polyester comprising at least 3.5 mol % CHDM comonomer units, based on total glycol component, but not necessarily comprising any specific amount of terephthalic acid component.
The term xe2x80x9chigh-CHDM-modified PETxe2x80x9d refers to a CHDM-modified PET polyester in which the level of CHDM comonomer units is equal to or greater than 65 mol %, based on the total glycol component. This includes both xe2x80x9cPCTxe2x80x9d (polycyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate) and xe2x80x9cPCTA,xe2x80x9d which is a copolymer of three monomers: terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid and CHDM, with 100 mol % of the CHDM, based on its total glycol component.
xe2x80x9cPET-based polyester materialxe2x80x9d is a semi-crystalline material comprising one or more polymers wherein at least 70 % by weight of the material is one or more polymers that are either a PET polymer or modified PET polymer. Optionally, the material may also include addenda such as silica beads, plasticizers, and the like. The addenda may include inorganic particles, which can be larger than, but may have at least one dimension describing particle size ranging from 0.1 to 100 nm.
A film base is made using a PET-based polyester material in the present invention. In one embodiment, preferably greater than 80% by weight, more preferably greater than 90% by weight, of the PET-based polyester material used in this invention are one or more polymers that are a high-CHDM PET-based polyester or a CHDM-modified PET polyester.
The film base comprising said materials may be manufactured by a process of casting, biaxial stretching and heat-setting. The process for making PET-based film base typically comprises the steps of casting a molten PET-based polyester resin onto a casting surface to form a continuous sheet along a machine direction, drafting the sheet by stretching in the machine direction, tentering the sheet by stretching in a transverse direction, heat-setting the drafted and tentered sheet, and cooling the heat-set sheet to form a stretched, heat-set polyester film, such as described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,735 to Schrader et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. Alternately, the stretching of the film in the machine and transverse directions can be performed simultaneously using appropriate machinery.
Preferably, in order to improve its dimensional stability, the multilayer film base is heat treated at temperatures from Tg xe2x88x9250xc2x0 C. up to Tg for times ranging from 1 hr to 1000 hrs, where Tg is the glass transition temperature of the polyester material.
In one particular embodiment, the process for preparing films from the resin compositions of this invention comprises the following steps:
(1) The resin is cast under molten conditions upon a cooling surface to form a continuous cast sheet. Preferably, the molten polyester resin has an inherent viscosity of from 0.5 to 0.8 dl/g, and is cast at a temperature of from 250 to 310xc2x0 C. while the casting surface has a temperature of from 40 to 70xc2x0 C. The inherent viscosity (IV) is measured at 25xc2x0 C. in a solvent mixture of phenol/chlorobenzene (60/40 by weight) at a concentration of 0.25 g/dl with an Ubbelhode glass viscometer.
(2) The continuous sheet is removed from the casting surface and passed into a drafting zone where it is first preheated and then stretched in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of 2.0 to 4.0, at a temperature of from about 80xc2x0 C. to 110xc2x0 C. The drafting zone typically includes two sets of nipped rollers, the first being the entrance to the drafting zone and the second is the exit from the drafting zone. To achieve the stretch ratios necessary for the practice of this invention, the exit nip rollers are rotated at a speed greater than the entrance nip rollers. The film may be cooled in the last stage of the drafting zone to 25xc2x0 C. to 40xc2x0 C.
(3) The film moves from the drafting zone into a tentering zone where it is preheated and stretched in the transverse direction at a stretch ratio of 2.0 to 4.0, at a temperature of from about 80xc2x0 C. to 115xc2x0 C. The tentering zone typically includes a means for engaging the film at its edges and stretching such that the final width is from 2.0 to 4.0 times that of the original width.
(4) The film is next heat-set by maintaining it at a temperature of at least 160xc2x0 C., preferably at least 160xc2x0 C. to 180xc2x0 C., while being constrained as in the tentering zone for a time sufficient to affect heat-setting. Times longer than necessary to bring about this result are not detrimental to the film; however, longer times are undesirable as the lengthening of the zone requires higher capital expenditure without achieving additional advantage. The heat-setting step is typically accomplished within a time period of 0.1 to 15 seconds and preferably 0.1 to 10 seconds. Finally, the film is cooled without substantial detentering (the means for holding the edges of the film do not permit greater than 2% shrinkage thereof).
The actual temperature sensed by the film during the heat-setting step (xe2x80x9cactual heat-set temperaturexe2x80x9d) may be determined by the DSC technique. The DSC heat-set temperature represents the actual heat-set temperature. The actual temperature sensed by the film is often different from the set heat-set temperature applied in the process due to heat transfer inefficiencies, and it sometimes depends on the position of the material sample across the web. The DSC heat-set temperature may be determined by scanning a test sample (as-received) by a conventional DSC apparatus (e.g., DuPont 990 Thermal Analyzer) at a rate of 10xc2x0 C./min from ambient to approximately 300xc2x0 C. The thermogram produced by the scan will contain two distinct endothermic peaks: (1) a high temperature peak ranging from 240 to 280xc2x0 C., which represents the primary melting range of the PET-based polyester; and (2) a much smaller peak detected at a lower temperature for films heat-set under temperatures between the glass transition and the primary melting transition for the material. The position of this secondary melting peak is closely dependent on the beat-set temperature applied in the process and it represents the actual temperature sensed by the material in the heat-set section of the film-making machine.
Photographic film requires a strict control of the thickness uniformity and surface flatness. One method of control is through stretching of a polymer sheet into a semi-crystalline state. Typically, biaxially stretching the material causes amorphous material to become semi-crystalline. In a typical embodiment, the crystallinity is at least 10%. For CHDM-modified polyesters, only when the concentration of CHDM comonomer units relative to the total glycol content is less than about 30 mol % or greater than about 65 mol % is the resulting polyester crystalline. For materials in which the content is less than about 30 mol %, however, the material does not become sufficiently crystalline for dimensional stability and thickness uniformity until the concentration of CHDM comonomer relative to the total glycol content is less than 25 mol %. Amorphous polyester film or insufficiently crystalline film presents dimensional stability and thickness uniformity problems, and it possesses relatively low stiffness.
In one embodiment of the invention, the high-CHDM-modified PET polyesters used in the film base comprise copolyesters having a dicarboxylic acid component and a glycol component, the dicarboxylic acid component comprising repeat units from at least 80 mol % terephthalic acid (or its ester) and the glycol component comprising at least 65 mol %, preferably more than 75 mol %, of repeat units from CHDM and from about 0 to 35 mol % from another glycol, preferably from 0 to 25 mol % from ethylene glycol.
The high-CHDM-modified PET polyesters used in making the articles of this invention preferably have about 100 mol % of a dicarboxylic acid portion and about 100 mol % of a glycol portion. Less than about 30 mol %, preferably not more than about 20 mol % of the dicarboxylic acid repeat units may be from conventional acids other than terephthalic acid such as those selected from succinic, glutaric, adipic, azelaic, sebacic, fumaric, maleic, itaconic, 1,4-cyclohexane-dicarboxylic, phthalic, isophthalic, and naphthalene dicarboxylic acid.
Preferably, the glycol component of the high-CHDM-modified-PET polyesters contains repeat units comprising from 65 to 100 mol % of CHDM and from about 0 to 35 mol % of ethylene glycol, based on the total glycol component. The glycol component may optionally include less than 35 mol %, preferably not more than about 10 mol % of other conventional glycols such as propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol; 2,4-dimethyl-2-ethylhexane-1,3-diol, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-ethyl-2-butyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-ethyl-2-isobutyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, neopentyl glycol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexanediol, thiodiethanol, 1,2-cyclohexanedimethanol, 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanol, 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol and the like.
In one embodiment, a preferred high-CHDM-modified PET for use in the present invention is represented by the following structure:
In Structure (I) above, the subscripts xe2x80x98axe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98bxe2x80x99 represent the mol %, based on the total acid component of the copolyester. Preferably, as indicated above, xe2x80x98axe2x80x99 is 70 to 95 mol % and b is between 5 to 30 mol %; the subscripts x and y represent the mol %, based on the total glycol component of the copolyester. Preferably, as indicated above, x is 0 to 35 mol % and y is between 65 and 100 mol %.
In the case of embodiments involving blends, a blend comprising at least one high-CHDM-modified PET polymer blended with a suitable CHDM-modified polyester, such that the total content of the CHDM-comonomer units in the blend is 65 to 100 mol %, preferably at least 75 mol %, more preferably at least 85 mol %, based on the total glycol component. In the CHDM-modified polyester, any of the above-mentioned acid components may be used and any of the above glycol components may be used in addition to the CHDM component.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a high CHDM-modified PET resin is used to prepare a biaxially stretched and heat-set film or sheet material under conditions as described above. In another embodiment of this invention, a CHDM-modified PET resin is blended using a suitable compounding method with a high CHDM-modified PET resin at a sufficient level, and this blend is then used to prepare a biaxially stretched and heat-set film or sheet material under conditions as described above.
More particularly, the film base used in the present invention comprises a PET-based polyester material comprising one or more polyester resins, in which material the level of repeat units derived from CHDM, based on the total glycol component, is 65 to 100 mol %, and the level of repeat units derived from an acid component other than terephthalic acid or its ester is in the amount of 5 to 30 mol %, preferably 10 to 20, based on the total acid component, and wherein the cutting index of the film base as defined below is preferably in the range 1.0 to 1.5, optimally in the range 1 to 1.3, and the tensile toughness is in the range 15 to 55 MPa. Preferably, the film base comprises a material in which the level of repeat units derived from CHDM is 85 mol % or greater, based on the total glycol component in the material. Also, preferably, less than 25 mol % of the total glycol units is aromatic.
The acid component other than terephthalic acid can be, for example, isophthalic acid (IPA), dimethyl isophthalate, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (1,4-CHDA), 1,4 cyclohexanediacetic acid, diphenyl-4,4-dicarboxylic acid, dimethyl-2,6-naphthalene-dicarboxylate, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, paraphenylenedicarboxylic acid (PPDA), naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (NDA), and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the other acid component is IPA, 1,4-CHDA, PPDA, NDA, and the like, and mixtures thereof.
In one embodiment, the film base used in the present invention comprises a high-CHDM modified PET-based polyester material with the following chemical structure:
In another embodiment, the film base used in the present invention comprises a blend comprising a poly(cyclohexane dimethylene terephthalate) (PCT) polymer and a CHDM-modified polymer in the ratio of 95:5 to 30:70, more preferably 95:5 to 80:20. Preferably, the level of the CHDM comonomer units in the CHDM-modified polymer is 50 to 100 mol %, based on the total glycol component. All polyester materials in the blend must be miscible, that is, the film produced from said blend must be optically clear to meet the stringent optical requirements of high transparency and low haze placed on photographic film bases.
Both of the polyester and the copolymerized polyester to be used in the support for a photographic material of the present invention may contain phosphoric acid, phosphorous acid and esters thereof, and inorganic particles (e.g. silica, kaolin, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate and titanium dioxide) during polymerization, and inorganic particles may be blended with the polymer after polymerization. The inorganic particles can be larger than, but may have at least one dimension ranging from 0.1 to 100 nm. A dye, a UV absorber or an antioxidant may also be suitably added at any stage during polymerization and after polymerization. As indicated above, the film base is useful in a photographic element comprising at least one silver-halide imaging layer over a support comprising said film base of the present invention. Such a photographic element can be a photographic film or a photothermographic film.
In addition to the PET-based layer made according to the present invention, the support can further comprise one or more photographically acceptable subbing layers, backing layers, tie layers, magnetic layers, and the like.
Subbing layers are used for the purpose of providing an adhesive force between the polyester support and an overlying photographic emulsion comprising a binder such as gelatin, because a polyester film is of a very strongly hydrophobic nature and the emulsion is a hydrophilic colloid. If the adhesion between the photographic layers and the support is insufficient, several practical problems arise such as delamination of the photographic layers from the support at the cut edges of the photographic material, which can generate many small fragments of chipped-off emulsion layers, which then cause spot defects in the imaging areas of the photographic material.
Various subbing processes and materials have, therefore, been used or proposed in order to produce improved adhesion between the support film and the hydrophilic colloid layer. For example, a photographic support may be initially treated with an adhesion promoting agent such as, for example, one containing at least one of resorcinol, catechol, pyrogallol, 1-naphthol, 2,4-dinitrophenol, 2,4,6-trinitrophenol, 4-chlororesorcinol, 2,4-dihydroxy toluene, 1,3-naphthalenediol, 1,6-naphthalenediol, acrylic acid, sodium salt of 1-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid, benzyl alcohol, trichloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, o-hydroxybenzotrifluoride, m-hydroxybenzotrifluoride, o-fluorophenol, m-fluorophenol, p-fluorophenol, chloralhydrate, and p-chloro-m-cresol. Polymers are also known and used in the subbing layer for promoting adhesion between a support and an emulsion layer. Examples of suitable polymers for this purpose are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,627,088; 2,968,241; 2,764,520; 2,864,755; 2,864,756; 2,972,534; 3,057,792; 3,071,466; 3,072,483; 3,143,421; 3,145,105; 3,145,242; 3,360,448; 3,376,208; 3,462,335; 3,475,193; 3,501,301; 3,944,699; 4,087,574; 4,098,952; 4,363,872; 4,394,442; 4,689,359; 4,857,396; British Patent Nos. 788,365; 804,005; 891,469; and European Patent No. 035,614. Often these include polymers of monomers having polar groups in the molecule such as carboxyl, carbonyl, hydroxy, sulfo, amino, amido, epoxy, or acid anhydride groups, for example, acrylic acid, sodium acrylate, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, crotonic acid, sorbic acid, itaconic anhydride, maleic anhydride, cinnamic acid, methyl vinyl ketone, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxychloropropyl methacrylate, hydroxybutyl acrylate, vinylsulfonic acid, potassium vinylbenezensulfonate, acrylamide, N-methylamide, N-methylacrylamide, acryloylmorpholine, dimethylmethacrylamide, N-t-butylacrylamide, diacetonacrylamide, vinylpyrrolidone, glycidyl acrylate, or glycidylmethacrylate, or copolymers of the above monomers with other copolymerizable monomers. Additional examples are polymers of, for example, acrylic acid esters such as ethyl acrylate or butyl acrylate, methacrylic acid esters such as methyl methacrylate or ethyl methacrylate or copolymers of these monomers with other vinylic monomers; or copolymers of polycarboxylic acids such as itaconic acid, itaconic anhydride, maleic acid or maleic anhydride with vinylic monomers such as styrene, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride or butadiene, or trimers of these monomers with other ethylenically unsaturated monomers. Materials used in adhesion-promoting layers often comprise a copolymer containing a chloride group such as vinylidene chloride. The PET-based polyester material comprising the film base of the present invention can be made by conventional synthetic processes. In general, as is well known by the skilled artisan, polyesters comprise the reaction product of at least one dicarboxylic acid and at least one glycol component. The dicarboxylic acid component can typically comprise residues of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, and/or mixtures thereof. Also suitable are the anhydrides thereof, acid chlorides thereof, and lower, e.g., C1-C8 alkyl esters thereof. Any isomers of the dicarboxylic acid component or mixtures thereof may be used. For example, cis, trans, or cis/trans mixtures of 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid may be employed. Examples of suitable naphthalene dicarboxylic acid isomers include 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 2-6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 2,7-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, or mixtures thereof.
The polyester polymers used in the present invention can be prepared by a process comprising reacting the dicarboxylic acid component and the glycol component at temperatures sufficient to effect esterification or ester exchange and polycondensing the reaction product under an absolute pressure of less than 10 mm Hg for a time of less than about 2 hours in the presence of a catalyst and inhibitor system. An example of a preferred catalyst and inhibitor system is about 0-75 ppm Mn, about 50-150 ppm Zn, about 5-200 ppm Ge, about 5-20 ppm Ti and about 10-80 ppm P, all parts by weight based on the weight of the copolyester.
Either dimethyl terephthalate (or other lower dialkyl terephthalate ester) or terephthalic acid can be used in producing the copolyester. Thus, the term xe2x80x9cterephthalic acid component, monomer, repeat unit, or portionxe2x80x9d herein is meant to include either the acid or ester form. These materials are commercially available. The glycols CHDM and ethylene glycol are also commercially available. Either the cis or trans isomer of CHDM, or mixture thereof, may be used in accordance with the present invention.
Generally, the copolyesters may be produced using conventional polyesterification procedures described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,305,604 and 2,901,460, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The amorphous or semi-crystalline copolyesters according to the invention are prepared by conventional polymerization processes known in the art, such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,093,603 and 5,681,918, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. Examples of polycondensation processes useful in making the modified-PET material of the present invention include melt phase processes conducted with the introduction of an inert gas stream, such as nitrogen, to shift the equilibrium and advance to high molecular weight or the more conventional vacuum melt phase polycondensation, at temperatures ranging from about 240xc2x0 C. to about 300xc2x0 C. or higher which are practiced commercially. Although not required, conventional additives may be added to the copolyester materials of the invention in typical amounts. Such additives include pigments, colorants, stabilizers, antioxidants, extrusion aids, slip agents, carbon black, flame-retardants and mixtures thereof.
Various modified-PET polyesters comprising repeat units from CHDM, which can be used in the present invention, are commercially available from Eastman Chemical Company (Kingsport, Tenn.) under the trademark EASTAPAK and EASTAR copolyester, as described at http://www.eastman.com.
Photographic elements of this invention can have the structures and components shown in Research Disclosure, Vol. 370, No. 37038 (Feb. 1996) and can be imagewise exposed and processed using known techniques and compositions, including those described in the Research Disclosure No. 37038 cited above.
With regard to cuttability, it is generally known in the art of sheet material cutting that the cutting process combines crack formation and propagation. To form a crack, one needs to apply cutters to cause tension on the surfaces of the sheet material until the material is deformed and its break point is reached. Once the material""s break point is reached, a crack would be formed, which starts the second stage of cuttingxe2x80x94crack propagation. One can maintain and eventually complete the cutting process by straining the sheet material further using the cutters. Eventually, the cutting would be completed as cracks propagate through the sheet thickness.
To evaluate the cuttability of a given material, one needs to evaluate how the material behaves during the crack formation and propagation stages. If the material absorbs and dissipates more mechanical energy during the crack formation and propagation processes, it is said to be more difficult to cut and will have a poorer cuttability. Two standard tests can be used to evaluate how much mechanical energy a material absorbs and dissipates during the said crack formation and propagation steps. One is the tensile test (ASTM D882) and the other is the tear test (ASTM D1938). The former can be used to evaluate the crack formation part of the cutting process, and the latter can be used to assess the crack propagation part of the cutting process.
The mechanical and cutting properties of the polyester films of the present invention were evaluated in accordance with the following procedures:
Tensile Properties: Modulus and tensile toughness can be determined using a tensile test such as that described in ASTM D882-80a. A tensile test consists of pulling a sample of material with a tensile load at a specified rate until it breaks. From the load and elongation history, a stress-strain curve is obtained with the strain being plotted on the x-axis and stress on the y-axis. The modulus is defined as the slope of the initial linear portion of the stress-strain curve. The modulus is a measure of the stiffness of the material. The tensile toughness is defined as the area under the entire stress-strain curve up to the fracture point. The tensile toughness is a measure of the ability of a material to absorb energy in a tensile deformation. Both modulus and tensile toughness are fundamental mechanical properties of the material.
Tear Strength: The resistance to tear can be determined using a tear test such as that described in ASTM D1938. The test measures the force to propagate tearing in a fracture mode III. The test sample used has a rectangular shape and a sharp long cut in the middle. The separated two arms are then fixed in a conventional tensile testing machine. The fixtures move at constant crosshead speed to prolong the preexisting cut and the steady state force of tearing is recorded.
Cutting Index: It is generally known that tensile toughness represents the energy required to initiate a crack, while fracture toughness determines the energy needed to further propagate the crack. As typical cutting processes involve both crack initiation and crack propagation, a quantity of cuttability can be defined based on these two fundamental material quantities. Tensile toughness can be evaluated through tensile testing. Fracture toughness Gc can be calculated from the tear strength:
Gc=2Pc/bxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
where Pc is the load at tear crack growth and b is the specimen thickness. (See Rivlin, R. S. and Thomas, A. G., (1953), J. Polym. Sci., 10, 291).
For practical simplicity, a dimensionless quantity of cutting index is defined as follows,
C=0.5*Wt/Wtr+0.5*Gc/Gcrxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
where C is the cutting index, Wt is tensile toughness and Gc is fracture toughness, and Wtr and Gcr are the corresponding properties of a reference material, where conventional cellulose triacetate (CTA) film is selected as the reference material of this invention. The cutting indices of commonly used film base materials such as PET, PEN and CTA correspond well to their practical cutting performance. Generally, it is desirable for C to be close to 1 (CTA value).
The polyester films having the properties set forth above and prepared by the process described above are less likely to fail and more likely to produce cleaner cut surfaces in various cutting operations. In fact, the films prepared in accordance with this invention compare favorably with CTA, which has been the traditional film base of choice in the photographic industry because of its special physical characteristics.
The present invention is described in detail below by referring to the Examples. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto.

Process for making polyester photographic film base and photographic element comprising said base


A semiconductor device fabrication apparatus having multiple processing chambers for different processes, where a substrate is carried in and out in a sophisticated manner, with their different internal ambient conditions being retained, so that the substrate is free from contamination, thereby manufacturing high-quality semiconductor devices at high throughput. The apparatus includes a movable buffer chamber having a wafer carriage means within a transfer chamber which faces a process chamber, an evacuation means which evacuates of gas the buffer chamber, transfer chamber and process chamber independently, a gas feed means, and a control means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for fabricating semiconductor devices, and particularly to a method and device for carrying a substrate into and out of multiple process chambers for different processings in the semiconductor device fabrication apparatus, and to a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For the fabrication of semiconductor devices, there is known a sequential multi-processing system, as described in Japanese patent publication JP-A-Hei-4-63414, in which multiple process chambers for cleaning, deposition, etching, exposure of latent image, etc. are laid out to surround a transfer chamber so that various processes are implemented in ambient conditions isolated from the atmosphere with the intention of preventing the contamination of substrate surface and improving the quality of semiconductor devices.
A thermal process chamber of cluster structure including a vacuum load-lock chamber, nitride film deposition chamber, oxidation/annealing chamber, amorphous silicon film deposition chamber, and wafer vapor cleaning chamber, all connected through gate valves around a vacuum chamber equipped with a wafer transfer interface mechanism for carrying a wafer, and processing the wafer in different ambient conditions under control of wafer surface condition is described in the article entitled "Innovative Semiconductor Processing Technology in 1994" in the supplement of monthly publication "Semiconductor World", pp. 237-242, particularly in FIG. 5 on page 241.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are brief plan views of the prior art apparatus, which mainly consists of a transfer chamber 21, process chambers 22 through 29, and a substrate carriage means 32. FIG. 2A shows the apparatus, with the canopy over the transfer chamber 21 being removed, in which the carriage means 32 holding a substrate 31 is directed to face a process chamber 26. FIG. 2B shows the transfer chamber 21 and process chamber 26, with their canopies being removed, in which the carriage means 32 carries a substrate 31 into/out of the process chamber 26. The transfer chamber 21 has its interior kept at a constant vacuum state of 10.sup.-6 torr, while each process chamber undergoes the evacuation of gas down to a high vacuum state of 10.sup.-8 torr and thereafter regains the same ambient condition as of the transfer chamber at each traffic of substrate.
For the conveyance of a substrate between chambers of different ambient conditions, there is known a means of carrying a substrate on a holder through a communication corridor, prior evacuation chamber, and communication corridor, as described in Japanese patent publication JP-A-Sho-62-147726.
However, the above-mentioned prior art multiprocessing system, in which the process chambers are isolated from the transfer chamber through the gate valves, necessitates a preparation time for equalizing the interior pressure of the process chamber to the pressure of the transfer chamber at each traffic of substrate, resulting in a degraded throughput. It further involves a technical problem of the overhead time for setting up the ambient condition and stabilizing the processing condition in the process chamber at each exchange of substrates.
The above-mentioned prior art of carrying a substrate into/out of process chambers while retaining individual ambient conditions in the chambers involves a technical problem of the contamination of the substrate on the holder due to the gas leaking from the process chamber or transfer chamber into the prior evacuation chamber through the clearance between the communication corridor and substrate holder.

Method and apparatus for fabricating semiconductor devices


A locking device for two units (1), (3) displaceable one inside the other, such as the handle of an implement with variable length, comprising a locking member (4) arranged at one end of the outer element (3), said locking member (4) being operated by an operating member (5) spaced from the locking member (4) in the direction of the other end of the outer element (3) via an actuating member (7) that is displaceable along, or turnable about, an axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of the outer element (3).

Many types of devices for detachably locking two telescopically movable elements in relation to each other are known, such as simple screw joints, cotter and hole joints, wedge joints, conical ring joints, eccentric joints, etc. These devices exhibit different properties and drawbacks.
Cotter and hole joints and other shape-dependent joints (e. g. SE 870387-6) provide a secure connection but only allow stepwise adjustment of the elements in relation to each other. Other joints such as screw joints, are dependent on friction and thus allow stepless setting, but they often require such high contact forces to ensure reliable locking that the contact surfaces become deformed.
SE 8203018-0 describes a device with an intermediate element 8 to spread the contact force over a larger area with the object of avoiding damage to the contact surfaces. A drawback with this device, however, is that the locking force is so great that a screw must be used, which is an inconvenience.
EP 0209756 describes a device in which a rubber ring 4 having circular cross section is used as a locking and sealing element. A drawback with this device, however, is that setting the two elements in relation to each other is complicated since the joint must be opened and the rubber ring rolled to the desired position.
DE 3143793 describes a device in which a plastic washer 40 with a conical end piece is clamped between corresponding conical surfaces on the outer and inner telescopic elements. A drawback with this, however, is that the fit between the inner telescopic element and the washer must be so accurate that it is rather difficult to move it along the inner telescopic element. Another drawback is that the washer is thus subject to wear.
Common to these known solutions is that they are generally operated by movement of the operator's hand and that the operation cannot be performed at a distance from the locking unit. In the use of telescopically adjustable handles for implements, such as cleaning handles, particularly cleaning handles for floor care such as floor mops it is, for ergonomic reasons, extremely necessary to be able to operate the telescopic function from the upper part of the handle, without the need for any turning movement. From the ergonomic aspect it is most advantageous if control can be performed by means of pressure close to the upper part of the handle, at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the handle, and for the application of this pressure via a compressive movement of the operator's hand to give rise to release of the locking device.

Method for manual adjustment of the length of a mop handle


A front end for a glass forming operation including an open channel and at least one burner. The channel surface has at least one burner port and a burner oriented in the burner port at an acute angle relative to the channel surface. The surface may be a top, side or end wall and the burner port is at an acute angle relative to the surface of the wall.

In the fabrication of glass articles, batch material is reduced to molten glass by passing the batch material through a melting furnace, which is commonly referred to as a melter. The molten glass is delivered downstream from the melter through a system of channels and forehearths. This system of channels and forehearths is referred to as a front end. The front end serves as a conduit to deliver the molten glass to one or more production points. The front end also serves to cool and condition the molten glass prior to reaching the production points. These production points are referred to as forming positions. Each forming position includes a bushing for a fiber forming operation or a gob cutter for a container forming operation. Bushings or gob cutters typically are secured to the forehearths via forehearth steel.
maintain the molten glass G at a desired operational temperature. An example of a conventional forehearth 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The forehearth 10 includes a top or crown (not shown), a bottom (also not shown), and laterally spaced sidewalls 16. Portions of the forehearth 10 above the level of the molten glass G are constructed of super structure refractory. Portions of the forehearth 10 below the level of the molten glass G are constructed of glass contact refractory.
A plurality of burner ports 18 is drilled through the sidewalls 16. The burner ports 18 are drilled through the super structure of the forehearth 10. The burner ports 18 are drilled at a right angle relative to the sidewalls 16. The burner ports 18 are adapted to receive burners 20. The burner ports 18 are spaced about four to five inches from one another. Consequently, a large number of burners, manifolds, pipes, fittings and valves (not shown) are associated with air-gas mixture burners.
In a conventional firing system, a source of air and a source of gas pass through regulators. The air and gas are mixed and then passed through a system of pipes to a plurality of burners, typically 20 to 100 burners. The burners are typically air-gas mixture burners which use the air as an oxidant for the combustion of the gas to provide heat to a zone, commonly referred to as a control zone. The front end typically has between six and sixty control zones, each complete with a gas control safety and pressure reduction system, combustion air blowers, and valves and regulators capable of controlling the temperature of the molten glass G between the melter and the forming position.
An air-gas mixture firing system is not only costly to construct, it is inefficient to operate. An air-gas mixture firing system uses 30 to 75 cubic feet per hour of gas to heat a one-foot section of channel with an air-gas mixture. It requires about 10 cubic feet of air for combustion of 1 cubic foot of natural gas. The air must be heated from an ambient temperature to the temperature of the exhaust gas stream. About 70 to 85 percent of the energy heats the air to the exhaust gas temperature, leaving 15 to 30 percent of the energy as heat available for the glass forming operation. Thus, an air-gas mixture firing system has minimum efficiency of combustion.
In addition to having a minimum efficiency of combustion, an air-gas mixture firing system is an inefficient means to heat the molten glass G. The flame temperature of an air-gas mixture burner in the air-gas mixture firing system reaches about 3500° F. However, the optical properties of the molten glass G and products of combustion limit the amount of radiant energy that penetrates the molten glass G. This causes the vertical temperature gradient of the molten glass G to be high. With air-gas burners it is difficult to control the temperature distribution in the glass by controlling the profile of the burners.
What is needed is a front end that reduces fuel consumption by using a low-cost system for firing forehearths with a combination of gas and oxygen.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An on-die termination (ODT) circuit including drive signal generators, each drive signal generator configured to generate a corresponding plurality of ODT drive signals; and ODT drive units, each ODT drive unit configured to terminate a corresponding terminal with a termination resistance in response to the ODT drive signals of a corresponding drive signal generator. The drive signal generators are configured to supply the ODT drive signals to the ODT drive units to output a plurality of ODT control signals through the terminals in a test mode.

This disclosure relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device having an on-die termination circuit capable of outputting an ODT control signal.
Semiconductor memory devices exchange data signals with a memory controller. Termination resistance can be used to improve signal integrity by minimizing signal reflections. When such a termination resistance is inside a semiconductor memory device, it can be referred to as an ODT resistance. A circuit which includes and controls the ODT resistance can be referred to as an ODT circuit.
Since the termination resistance for optimizing signal integrity can differ between operations, a dynamic ODT mode can be used. The semiconductor memory device can be configured to allow a user to select various termination resistances in each of a normal ODT mode and a dynamic ODT mode.

Semiconductor memory device and on-die termination circuit


A tandem compressor mounting system has a set of four elastomeric grommets for mounting each of the compressors to a pair of common rails. Each of the elastomeric grommets is secured to a mounting plate located on each of the two compressors and are disposed between the mounting plates and the common rails. Each of the two sets of elastomeric grommets are made from 65 durometer neoprene. A third set of four elastomeric grommets, two for each of the common rails, is disposed between the common rails and a generally horizontal mounting surface. Each of the third set of elastomeric grommets is made from 40 durometer neoprene.

Hermetic compressors comprise a motor compressor unit disposed within a hermetically sealed outer housing. An electrical connection is made via a terminal which extends through a sidewall of the housing, while fluid conduits extend through the sidewall to provide an external connection for the refrigerant fluids. When using tandem compressor units, two compressors are mounted adjacent to each other with the fluid conduits, both suction and discharge, coming together to form a single suction inlet fitting and a single discharge outlet fitting for the tandem compressor system. In addition, the tandem compressors may also be interconnected by one or a pair of equalization tubes also extending through the sidewalls of the housing. One equalization tube is normally positioned at a high elevation, above the level of oil, to provide for the equalization of the gasses within the housings. The second equalization tube is normally located at the bottom, coincident with the level of oil, to provide for the equalization of the oil levels within the housings. Tandem hermetic compressors when running singly or when running together generate undesired noise and vibration which can vibrate the fluid conduits and thus impart excessive stresses which will eventually cause breakage of the fluid conduits.
Various prior art structures have been used to mount single compressors as well as mounting each compressor of a tandem compressor system. Normally, in a tandem compressor system, each compressor is first mounted to a common pair of rails which are then mounted to an apparatus. These various prior art compressor mounting structures range from rigidly bolting the individual compressors in position to providing spring systems which attenuate noise and vibration. Sometimes, these spring systems are so soft that the excessive motion caused by starting or stopping of the individual compressors can damage the fluid tubes. The softness of spring suspensions may also require the use of a shipping constraints to prevent excessive motion of the compressors during shipment.
Accordingly, what is needed is an extremely simple and cost effective mounting system for a tandem compressor system which suppresses the vibration radiating from the housings of the individual compressors in order to avoid excessive stresses on the fluid tubes as well as avoiding the other problems associated with the aforementioned systems.


A fitting body for a sanitary fitting and a method for producing a fitting body for a sanitary fitting. The fitting body has a base body having at least one receptacle, wherein in a receiving base of the at least one receptacle at least one laterally open channel is provided. The base body is connected in the region of the at least one receptacle with at least one cover, wherein between the at least one cover and the at least one channel, at least one waterway is formed. The at least one cover is at least partially disposed in the receptacle and is mostly covered by a molding composition on a cover outer surface. The fitting body is produced easily and with a minimum of sealing points, and the course taken by the waterways is easily seen from the outside.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fitting body for a sanitary fitting and a method for producing a fitting body for a sanitary fitting. The fitting body is in particular a part or a component of a sanitary fitting.
Description of the Background Art
Sanitary fittings can include thermostat valves and/or mixing valves, in particular thermostatic mixing valves for bathtubs, wall basins, handheld showerheads or the like. To this end, the sanitary fittings regularly have a hot water inlet for hot water and a cold water inlet for cold water. In addition, the sanitary fittings regularly have an outlet for mixed water. The hot water and the cold water can be mixed within the sanitary fitting by means of a thermostatic valve to reach a predetermined water temperature. In addition, the water flow or the amount of water can be adjusted by means of a flow control valve. The valves can be actuated by means of separate actuators, or by means of a common actuator.
Water valves are known in which the water channels or waterways are formed in a base body. Such a body is made, for example, of metal, plastic or the like. In such a body, the water channels are inserted into the base body during the manufacturing process, in particular during a casting process or an injection molding process, by means of suitable shaping tools.
If complex water channels are to be realized in a molded body, it can lead to problems during demolding of such a body. When casting such a body, the complex water channels are regularly realized within the body by slide valves in contact with one another. Such slides are required if a water channel represents an undercut in the demolding direction. In such a manufacturing process, sharp geometries regularly arise which have an unfavorable influence on the water flow and the noise generation within a sanitary fixture.
To improve the demolding properties, undercuts in the demolding direction of the respective water channels or waterways should be avoided. For this purpose, however, it is usually necessary to divide the base body into a plurality of assemblies. Disadvantages in this case are the additional sealing points and junctions that arise, and the associated requirement for increased space. In addition, manufacturing tolerances should be taken into account when assembling the individual modules.
Another way to avoid undercuts in demolding is to demold in parallel the water channels or waterways in the mold. This produces, relative to a separating surface of the base body, open water channels that are not undercut in the viewing direction to the separating surface. However, such production has the disadvantage that the open water channels must be closed after demolding. To this end, for example, an appropriate cover can be applied to the separating surface. The fixing of such a cover can be realized by gluing, screwing, friction welding, vibration welding or the like. This also depends on whether the base body is formed with plastic or metal. Such a manufacturing process is generally performed in several stages because the closure of the open channels is downstream of the production of the base body and the demolding of the base body. Such manufacturing processes are subject to fluctuations, so that in the context of mass production, the result can be guaranteed reliably and uniformly only with great effort.
In particular, the fixing of the cover poses some problems in series production. In general, a one-piece cover is used to close all the channels. The fixing of the cover is relatively time consuming with the known methods of gluing, screwing, friction welding and vibration welding. If several and in particular different covers are used, the time required increases accordingly. In addition, there is the problem that the orientation of the cover relative to the open water channels is usually not very accurate with the known methods. In particular, using a one-piece cover to close all the water channels of a base body results in cumulative inaccuracies in the alignment of the base body and the cover due to manufacturing tolerances.

Fitting body for a sanitary fitting and production method


A mosquito dispersing device having means for generating a mosquito dispersing pitch pattern having a frequency in the range of at least one of a wing beat frequency of a dragonfly and a wing beat frequency of a damselfly, means for generating a signal having a frequency of the mosquito dispersing pitch pattern for use with an amplifier, and means for amplifying the signal to power at least one speaker to produce vibrations of the mosquito dispersing pitch pattern in a dispersing area to rid the area of mosquitos.

This invention relates to a device used for mosquito abatement either in conjunction with or in an environment comprising an amplifier and at least one speaker. The mosquito dispersing device of the present invention comprises means for generating a mosquito dispersing pitch pattern having a frequency in the range of at least one of a wing beat frequency of a dragonfly and a wing beat frequency of a damselfly, means for generating a signal having a frequency of the mosquito dispersing pitch pattern for use with an amplifier, and means for amplifying the signal to power at least one speaker to produce vibrations of the mosquito dispersing pitch pattern in a dispersing area. In this way, mosquitos in the dispersing area can be diminished by fleeing upon sensing the vibrations of the mosquito dispersing pitch pattern or succumbing to an increased presence of at least one of dragonflies and damselflies attracted to the dispersing area by the vibrations.
The mosquito dispersing device of the present invention is effective, in that the mosquito does not hear the sound produced so much as it feels an acoustic wave. There are two antennae located on the top of the mosquito's head that reproduce. These antennae are the target of the vibrations. Only the female has the physical apparatus to draw blood. It follows that when the mosquitoes are directly affected by the sound they are discouraged from remaining in the area. The second effect of the sound is that Dragonflies and Damselflies are attracted to the area by the sound/vibrations and act to clean up the mosquitoes and other flying insects that either wander into the area or are blown in it.
Alternative technology is available in the form of a personal mosquito repeller, a handheld device that produces an ultrasonic wave. The principal disadvantage of such a device is its apparent ineffectiveness.
The citation of the foregoing publications is not an admission that any particular publication constitutes prior art, or that any publication alone or in conjunction with others, renders unpatentable any pending claim of the present application. None of the cited publications is believed to detract from the patentability of the claimed invention.


A method of manufacturing a high Mn non-magnetic steel sheet having low permeability at a cryogenic temperature suitable for use in large scale particle accelerators, the method comprises rolling a steel material containing, on the wt % basis, from 0.05 to 0.18% of C, from 26.0 to 30.0% of Mn, from 5.0 to 10.0% of Cr, 0.05 to 0.15% of N and, optionally, from 0.50 to 5.0% of Ni, in which a rolling start temperature is from 1050 to 1200xc2x0 C. and a rolling end temperature is from 700 to 1000xc2x0 C. Further, a cold rolled sheet is annealed at an annealing temperature for cold rolled sheet of from 1050 to 1200xc2x0 C. and cooled after annealing, the annealed sheet being preferably applied with temper rolling under control for the strength by varying a draft ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a structural material for cryogenic temperature use and, more in particular, it relates to a non-magnetic structural material for cryogenic temperature use, required for constituting superconductive magnets. The steel sheet referred to this invention includes steel sheets and steel strips.
2. Description of the Related Art
In various techniques utilizing super conductivity such as nuclear fusion power generation, particle accelerators, and superconductive power storage, superconductive magnets are used in view of the requirement of supplying a large amount of current for generating strong magnetic fields. Since large electromagnetic forces are induced in the superconductive magnet and it is usually cooled to a cryogenic temperature at 2-4 K by liquid helium, structural materials supporting the superconductive magnet require high strength capable of withstanding the large electromagnetic forces under the cryogenic temperature. In addition, since it is a basic object to generate a strong magnetic field at a uniform and stable distribution and in a range as wide as possible, it is essential to minimize the effects of the structural materials on the magnetic fields. Accordingly, it is an essential condition for the materials that they are non-magnetic materials not causing interaction with the magnetic fields.
In view of the above, the structural materials used at the inside or the periphery of the superconductive magnet are required to have high mechanical characteristics and extremely low magnetic permeability at a cryogenic temperature and, further, it is also necessary to take a consideration on thermal deformation in order to firmly hold the superconductive magnet in a composite structure. Further, in the manufacture of the superconductive magnet, it is required for the structural materials that they are excellent in machinability such as punching or boring property or weldability and, further, also excellent in surface flatness or fitness required for laminating a plurality of sheets.
Existent materials considered as structural materials for supporting the superconductive magnet can include austenitic stainless steels, high Mn steels, aluminum alloys, titanium alloys and fiber-reinforced plastics. The mechanical strength, the magnetic permeability and the thermal expansion coefficient required for the structural materials for supporting the superconductive magnet vary depending on the designed intensity of the magnetic fields in the superconductive magnet to be manufactured or the aimed uniformity for the distribution of the magnetic fields and it is important for the selection of the materials that the strength is high, and the permeability and the thermal expansion coefficient are low at a cryogenic temperature.
The fiber-reinforced plastics are non-magnetic and easy to handle with being of low specific gravity and have lower thermal expansion coefficient compared with austenitic stainless steels but the strength per unit cross sectional area is lower. Further, while titanium alloys are low in the specific gravity and high in the strength and have high specific strength, they involve a problem that the toughness is low at a low temperature and is expensive.
Aluminum alloys are used in various applications at cryogenic temperatures since they are light in weight, and have high specific strength and extremely low permeability but they lack in the strength when the designed magnetic fields are applied as in large scale particle accelerators and also involve a problem in the weldability.
Since usual austenitic stainless steels are insufficient in the strength and the toughness at low temperatures, stainless steels of low carbon content with addition of nitrogen have been developed. However, since the stability in the austenitic phase is insufficient in such stainless steels, a portion of the austenitic phase is transformed into a ferromagnetic martensitic phase by deformation at a low temperature. Accordingly, this results in lowering of the toughness and involves a problem that the permeability can not be lowered sufficiently at a cryogenic temperature.
Subsequently, austenitic stainless steels with further increased Ni. content have been developed but they involve a problem of increased cost and high thermal expansion coefficient as the structural material for cryogenic temperature use.
In view of the problems described above, Japanese Patent Publications No. 11661/1984 and No. 18887/1993 propose relatively inexpensive high Mn non-magnetic steels and manufacturing methods thereof. However, the high Mn non-magnetic steels described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 11661/1984 have high permeability at a cryogenic temperature and involve problems as a large scale particle accelerator use. The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 18887/1993 involves problems of requiring long time aging treatment and lowering the productivity.
Further, in the superconductive magnet, a non-magnetic member referred to as a collar is required as fixing members for superconducting wires as conductor coils and the collar is formed by laminating a plurality of non-magnetic steel sheets. Then, the collar also requires an appropriate mechanical strength in order to withstand strong electromagnetic forces caused when it is cooled to a cryogenic temperature and a large amount of current is supplied as the superconductive magnet. However, when the mechanical strength of the non-magnetic steel sheet is excessively high or the residual stress therein is excessive, the working life of a punching die is shortened or warps are caused after punching the non-magnetic steel sheet into a predetermined shape of the collar.
In the superconductive magnet, the collar is often manufactured by precision punching such as fine blanking. With the view point as described above, the mechanical strength of the material used for the collar is determined while taking the strength and the distribution of the designed magnetic field into a consideration. Accordingly, it has been demanded for a method of manufacturing a non-magnetic steel sheet that can easily control the strength of the non-magnetic steel sheet as the material to a desired strength demanded in the design.
An object of this invention is to effectively overcome the foregoing problems in the prior art and provide a method of manufacturing a high Mn non-magnetic steel sheet for cryogenic temperature use, capable of manufacturing, with industrial stability and high productivity, and a high Mn non-magnetic steel sheet which is suitable for use in large scale particle accelerators, and has a high yield point at a cryogenic temperature and low permeability at the cryogenic temperature.
In order to attain the foregoing subject, the present inventors have investigated characteristics required for supporting structural members used in superconductive magnets for use in large scale particle accelerators and have made an earnest study for the factors giving effects on the permeability and the yield stress at a cryogenic temperature of high Mn non-magnetic steel sheets. As a result, it has been found that the permeability of the high Mn non-magnetic steel at the cryogenic temperature can be lowered by further stabilizing the austenitic phase by increasing the content of Mn. Further, it has been found that the yield stress of the high Mn non-magnetic steel at the cryogenic temperature can be controlled easily to 900 MPa or more by applying temper rolling to a steel sheet after intermediate annealing.
This invention has been constituted based on the findings described above. That is, this invention provides a method of manufacturing a hot rolled high Mn non-magnetic steel sheet for cryogenic temperature use, which comprises:
heating a steel material containing, on the weight percent basis:
from 0.05 to 0.18% of C,
from 26.0 to 30.0% of Mn,
from 5.0 to 10.0% of Cr,
from 0.05 to 0.15% of N,
from 0.01 to 0.07% of Al,
from 0.01 to 0.1% of V,
from 0.1 to 1.0% of Si and
from 0.003 to 0.02% of Ca
and hot rolling the material into a hot rolled steel sheet, in which a hot rolling start temperature is from 1050 to 1200xc2x0 C. and the rolling end temperature is 700 to 1000xc2x0 C. for the hot rolling. Further, in a preferred embodiment of this invention, the steel material preferably contains, on the weight percent basis: from 0.05 to 0.18% of C, from 26.0 to 30.0% of Mn, from 5.0 to 10.0% of Cr, from 0.50 to 5.0 of Ni and from 0.05 to 0.15% of N, from 0.01 to 0.07% of Al, from 0.01 to 0.1% of V, from 0.1 to 1.0% of Si and from 0.003 to 0.02% of Ca.
Further, this invention provides a method of manufacturing a cold rolled high Mn non-magnetic steel sheet for cryogenic temperature use, which comprises:
heating a steel material containing, on the weight percent basis:
from 0.05 to 0.18% of C,
from 26.0 to 30.0% of Mn,
from 5.0 to 10.0% of Cr,
from 0.05 to 0.15% of N,
from 0.01 to 0.07% of Al,
from 0.01 to 0.1% of V,
from 0.1 to 1.0 of Si and
from 0.003 to 0.02% of Ca
and hot rolling the material into a hot rolled steel sheet, applying hot rolled plate annealing for the hot rolled sheet then applying cold rolling to form a cold rolled sheet and then applying annealing to the cold rolled sheet, in which a hot rolling start temperature is from 1050 to 1200xc2x0 C. and a rolling end temperature is 700 to 1000xc2x0 C. for the hot rolling and, further, the annealing temperature for the cold rolled sheet annealing is from 1050 to 1200xc2x0 C.
Further, in this invention, the steel material is, preferably, a steel material containing, on the weight percent basis, from 0.05 to 0.18% of C, from 26.0 to 30.0% of Mn, from 5.0 to 10.0% of Cr, from 0.50 to 5.0 of Ni and from 0.05 to 0.15% of N, from 0.01 to 0.07% of Al, from 0.01 to 1.0% of V, from 0.1 to 1.0% of Si and from 0.003 to 0.02% of Ca. Further, in this invention, temper rolling at a draft ratio of 30% or lower is preferably applied after the cold rolled sheet annealing.
At first, the reason for defining the chemical compositions of the steel material is to be explained.
C: 0.05-0.18%, N: 0.05-0.15%
Both of C and N are interstitial solute elements, which are effective for increasing the strength of steels by solid-solution hardening. For obtaining a desired yield stress at a cryogenic temperature, it is necessary to contain C and N by 0.05% or more. On the other hand, when C exceeds 0.18%, the austenitic phase becomes instable to precipitate carbides, and the permeability can no more be kept lower at a cryogenic temperature, and the weldability and the workability are deteriorated. Accordingly, C is defined within a range from 0.05 to 0.18%. A preferred range for C is from 0.07 to 0.15%.
Further, N is an addition element useful for stabilizing the austenitic phase and increasing of the strength at a cryogenic temperature but, if the content exceeds 0.15%, the weldability is deteriorated and abrasion of a tool upon punching fabrication is accelerated, as well as the permeability is increased by precipitation of nitrides or carbonitrides. Accordingly, N is defined within a range from 0.05 to 0.15%. A preferred range for N is from 0.07 to 0.13%.
Mn: 26.0-30.0%
Mn is an important element in this invention, which is useful for stabilizing the austenitic phase and attaining an extremely low permeability even at a cryogenic temperature. In order to obtain such an effect, it is necessary to contain Mn by 26.0% or more. On the other hand, if it exceeds 30.0%, the toughness and the weldability, as well as the productivity are deteriorated, so that Mn is defined within a range from 26.0 to 30.0%.
Cr: 5.0-10.0%
Cr contributes to the increase of the strength by solid-solution hardening and also functions effectively to the improvement of corrosion resistance. Such an effect is recognized at the content of 5.0% or more but the content in excess of 10.0% hinders stabilization of the austenitic phase and results in increase of the permeability at a low temperature. Therefore, Cr is defined within a range from 5.0 to 10.0%. The circumstance in which the material as a target of this invention is used is basically at cryogenic temperature and in high vacuum where chemical reactions proceed extremely slowly, which is not so severe in view of corrosion and a sufficient corrosion resistance can be ensured by the Cr content at such a level. A preferred range for Cr is from 6 to 8%.
Ni: 0.50-5.0%
Ni contributes to the stabilization of the austenitic phase and improvement of the toughness at a cryogenic temperature, as well as improves the corrosion resistance. It can be contained optionally in this invention. Such effect is recognizable at the content of at least 0.50% or more, a great amount of content is not industrially desirable since Ni is expensive. Therefore, Ni is preferably within a range from 0.50 to 5.0%. According to this, the steel material of this invention have remarkable advantages not only in the thermal expansion coefficient but also in view of the cost, as compared with high Ni austenite stainless steels such as SUS 316LN.
Al: 0.01-0.07%
Al is an element effective as a deoxidizer and is a ferrite stabilizing element. If included excessively, it makes austenite phase unstable and consequently an extremely low magnetic permeability, which is an object of the present invention, can not be achieved. But in contrast, when Al content is small, impurities, such as Al2O3 are generated, hot workability is deteriorated, and thus, causes the generation of surface defects originated in cracks. This disadvantageously necessitates treatments such as surface grinding, resulting in decrease in product yield and increase in burdening of load in production processes. Therefore, the lowest Al content is limited to 0.01%.
V: 0.01-0.1% V
An excess amount of V over 0.1% segregates V carbide and V nitride to lessen toughness or lower workability. Also, the area surrounding carbides- or nitride-segregated portion runs short of austenite formers, C and N, and the austenite layer becomes unstable and extremely low magnetic permeability at a cryogenic temperature is difficult to achieve. Although V content should be as small as possible, too small an amount results in conspicuous embrittlement at low temperature and therefore, the lowest limit of V is defined as 0.01%.
Si: 0.1-1.0%
Si is effective as a deoxidizer and can be added as necessary because Si does not deteriorate hot workability as Al does. However, Si, like Al, is a ferrite stabilizing element and if included excessively, austenite phase becomes unstable and consequently, an object of the present invention of extremely low permeability is difficult to achieve. Too small an amount of Si results in insufficient deoxidation, therefore, the lower limit of Si is 0.05, preferably 0.1%.
Ca: 0.003-0.02%
Ca is effective in making S, mingled as an inevitable impurity, harmless and improving hot workability. Such an effect is not secured with a small Ca amount and as such, the lowest Ca content is limited to 0.003%. A preferred addition amount for S is within a range from 0.004 to 0.01%, and it is effective for ensuring the hot workability to satisfy the following equation (1)
0.8xc3x97Ca+30 greater than S+Oxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
in which the content for each of elements Ca, S and O is indicated on the weight ppm basis. As a more simple criterion for judgement, Ca/Sxe2x89xa72, preferably, Ca/Sxe2x89xa73 may also be used.
The balance other than the chemical compositions described above substantially comprises Fe and inevitable impurities. As the inevitable impurities, S: 0.005% or less, P: 0.05% or less and O: 0.005% or less are permissible with a view point of the industrial economy. Further, it is desirable that the contents for precipitates such as carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides, particularly, Fe3C and Fe4N that form ferromagnetic precipitates or deteriorate the stability of the austenitic phase are as low as possible.
In the method of manufacturing the high Mn non-magnetic steel sheet of this invention, the steel material of the chemical composition as described above is at first heated and hot rolled into a hot rolled sheet.
Since the steel material suitable to this invention contains a great amount of Mn and Mn is easily oxidized at a high temperature, it is not desired to excessively increase the temperature for heating slabs since this not only increases scale losses but also results in excessive formation of Mn fumes. Further, the hot workability of the steel material of the chemical composition described above is not always excellent.

Method of manufacturing a high Mn non-magnetic steel sheet for cryogenic temperature use


A device worn on a user's hand which sheaths for the tips of the fingers includes a housing for a water reservoir, a water pump and electrical motor and a battery pack to be secured to the user's body. An actuator is mounted is mounted on a finger sheath. When the actuator is depressed the motor drives the pump to eject water in spurts from a discharge nozzle mounted in a second finger sheath.

Water guns are popular toys which typically squirt water under pressure when a user depresses a trigger. Devices such as that proposed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,350 are known which include a battery-powered pump so that, upon actuation of the trigger, the water can be pumped automatically. Conventional water guns are typically held in the hand, and its is an object of the present invention to enhance play value by providing a battery-operated water toy which is worn on a user's hand and body rather than held in the user's hand.
In order to accomplish these and other objects, in one aspect of the present invention, the device comprises a housing adapted to be affixed to a belt worn by the user. The housing contains a reservoir fillable with a fluid, particularly water, as well as a fluid output port. An electrically driven pumping means is located in the housing and is operative for conveying the water under pressure from the reservoir through the output port an elongated flexible transport tube. An electrical power source, e.g., a battery pack, is also provided in the housing and supplies electrical power to the pumping means.
A targeting sheath is provided for securing to one of the user's fingers. The targeting sheath includes a discharge nozzle connected to the flexible transport tube for the discharge of pressurized fluid therefrom.
An actuator sheath is provided for securing to another finger of the user. The actuator sheath includes an actuating switch electrically connected between the power source and the pumping means, and is operative for selectively actuating the pumping means to eject the fluid away from the discharge nozzle mounted in the targeting sheath.
A fingerless glove is worn on the user's hand. The glove contains at least one slot for compressive retention of the flexible transport tube in order to prevent the targeting sheath and actuator sheath from falling from the user's fingers.
The targeting and actuating sheaths are snugly worn on the user's fingers and the elongated transport tube is secured in place by the glove, which is snugly worn on the user's hand. During use, the user need only point his finger on which the targeting sheath is mounted in the direction of a selected target, and depress the actuating switch. An electrical connection is made between the power source and the pumping means, thereby commencing the conveying of pressurized fluid from the discharge nozzle to the target.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Toy dispersing water from fingertip sheath


A charge based analog to digital converter includes a plurality of charge storage elements, each having a charge receive mode and a charge expel mode, and were in each of the charge storage elements is configured for storing a predetermined amount of charge. There is preferably a two to one ratio between the storage capacity of adjacent charge storage elements. A comparator includes a sensing diffusion connected to all of the charge storage elements. The comparator produces a "0" bit if the sensing diffusion is in a first condition, and a "1" bit if the sensing diffusion is in a second condition. Selection electronics connected to the charge storage elements selectively and successively set the individual charge storage elements in the charge expel mode to successively test the charge quantity stored in each charge storage element by the initial analog charge packet.

The present invention is an analog to digital converter for converting an analog charge based signal to a digital representation of the analog signal.
Conventional low-speed analog to digital converters operate by comparing a sampled analog voltage to a reference voltage, and adjusting the reference voltage until a null output is obtained. The digital device used to adjust the reference voltage is then decoded and read out as the digital equivalent. The reference voltage source used requires ultra-precision resistors, and dissipates power.
A typical successive-approximation analog to digital converter (A/D) is shown in block diagram form in FIG. 1. The input signal, usually held at a fixed level by a sample and hold circuit 31, is compared against the output of a digital to analog converter (D/A) 33. This is accomplished by inputting the sample and hold output and the D/A output into a differencing amplifier 35 and the amplifier output into a comparator 37.
At sample input time, the serial shift register and the bit latch 39 are set to all "0" by the control logic 41. The clock then advances the control logic at a fixed rate. The control logic shifts a "1" through the serial shift register. The control logic also, in combination with the comparator, sets the bit latch. The output from the shift register is ORed with the bit latch to control the D/A converter.
The A/D converter is exercised starting with the Most 10 Significant Bit (MSB). The MSB is activated in the D/A by the 11 shift register, causing comparison of the input against a 1/2 of full scale value. If the differencing amplifier output to the comparator indicates that the held input sample is more than 1/2 of full scale, as shown by the comparator 37, the MSB is left "ON", and a "1" is recorded in the bit latch for the MSB. If the differencing amplifier output to the comparator indicates that the input sample is less than 1/2 of full scale, the MSB is turned "OFF", and a "0" is recorded in the bit latch for the MSB.
The exercising of the A/D continues in order of descending bit weight, each bit weight being equal to 1/2 of the previous bit. Each bit weight is individually compared to the input sample via the D/A by summation with the D/A's output of the previous bits, if they were left "ON". The comparator therefore must be able to resolve a difference equal to the least significant bit.
FIG. 2 shows the bit weighting scheme of the typical A/D converters. The analog input signal is almost 3/4 of full scale. The MSB test produced a "1" for greater than half. This caused the D/A to be left "ON" for the MSB. The second bit equal to a 1/4 caused overflow and was set to "0" causing the D/A to be turned off for that bit. The third bit equal to 1/8 produced a "1" for a D/A sum less than the input so the D/A was left on. The fourth bit equal to a 1/16 caused overflow and was set to "0". causing the D/A to be turned off for that bit. The fifth bit equal to 1/32 produced a "1" for a D/A sum less than the input so the D/A was left "ON". The resultant output binary code was therefore 10101. The digital result can be serially output as each bit is evaluated or parallel output from the stored results. Accuracy, linearity, and speed are primarily affected by the properties of the D/A converter and the comparator.
The invention is particularly suited to converting the analog signals received from individual infrared detectors of a focal plane array to a digital form for processing by digital signal processing electronics. In that application, the output of a detector is an analog charge domain signal. This signal is sampled to produce a charge packet. Conventional voltage based analog to digital converters require that the charge packet analog signal be converted to a voltage prior to being input to the analog to digital converter. The charge packet to voltage conversion process is non-linear, and the voltage must be corrected following conversion.
Furthermore, in the infrared detector application, the signal processing electronics, including any charge to voltage and analog to digital converters, are frequently placed adjacent the detector array. Therefore, heat generated in the conversion processes may be transferred to the detectors, interfering with their operation.
The invention is also generally suitable for use with signals produced by charge coupled devices (CCD's) or other sources of charge domain signals.
The invention is further suitable for use with a voltage input, as the conversion from voltage to charge can be made quite linear.

Charge domain successive approximation analog to digital converter


A coil bobbin includes: a body portion around which a coil is wound and having a cylindrical shape; a pair of flange portions formed at both ends of the body portion respectively; and terminal portions which are formed in the pair of flange portions, respectively, the terminal portions being around which respective ends of the coil are wound. The pair of flange portions have thicker portions and thinner portions, respectively, different from each other in thickness. The pair of flange portions is formed to gradually reduce a thickness from the thicker portions toward the thinner portions, respectively. The terminal portions are formed in the thicker portions, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coil bobbin, an actuator, and a blade drive device for a camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional coil bobbin includes: a body portion around which a coil is winded and which has a cylindrical shape; a pair of flange portions formed at both ends of the body portion respectively; and terminal portions around which ends of the coil is winded and formed in the pair of flange portions. Such a coil bobbin is employed in an actuator for driving a blade, as an example of a blade drive device for a camera disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-11293.
Meanwhile, further downsizing has been still demanded for such a blade drive device for a camera as well as for the coil bobbin employed in the actuator. Downsizing of the coil bobbin is attained by forming the flange portion of the coil bobbin to be thin. However, if the flange portion is thinner, the flange portion may be deformed to be warped outwardly by the coil winded around the body portion. Additionally, since the terminal portion is formed in the flange portion, the deformation of the flange portion causes the terminal portion to be misaligned with its original position. On the other hand, when the flange portion is thicker, the deformation is hardly caused, but it is difficult to downsize the coil bobbin.

Coil bobbin, actuator, and blade drive device for camera