Disclosed herein is a sample holder which holds a sample such that a surface is exposed and can be mounted in each of multiple measurement devices that perform measurement based on different measurement principles so that properties of the sample can be measured by each of the measurement devices. The sample holder includes: a main body that surrounds the sample; alignment marks that are arranged at each of two or more different positions in a surface of the main body and can be detected by the measurement devices; and a sample-retaining portion that is disposed within the main body and retains the sample such that a height difference between a mark surface of the alignment mark and the surface of the sample is set to a predetermined value.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a sample holder and a sample holder set each holding a sample thereon and being installed inside a measurement device such as a scanning electron microscope or a scanning probe microscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various measurement devices (analyzer) that perform measurement based on different measurement principles. For example, a probe microscope uses a cantilever for measurement and can perform mapping of physical properties such as current, viscoelasticity, frictional force, and absorptivity as well as obtain information about sample's surface topography. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) uses an electron beam for measurement and can perform atom-mapping as well as analyze a sample's surface topography. An optical microscope, an optical coherence microscope, or a laser microscope uses a light beam or a laser for measurement and can analyze sample's surface topography.
In order to measure properties of an identical portion of a sample with various measurement devices that perform measurement based on different measurement principles, it is required to install a sample in a single complex measurement device in which various measurement devices are combined with each other. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology by which an SEM and an optical lens column are arranged in a V-shaped pattern, a first measurement is performed on a portion of a sample by the SEM, and a second measurement is performed on the identical portion of the same sample by another measurement device. This device changes the direction of the sample using a tiling mechanism so that the surface of the sample is disposed to be perpendicular to axes of the SEM and the optical lens column.
However, the technology of Patent Document 1 has a problem that it is difficult to precisely align optical axes between different kinds of measurement devices, precision in the order of a micrometer. To be specific, there are two focal points on different observation axes (an optical axis of an SEM and an optical axis of an optical microscope), and it is very difficult to achieve a precise positional alignment of the focal points. Specifically, it is necessary to cross the two focal points within a range of micrometers and align the crossed focal points with an observation (measurement) point of the sample on which the observation (measurement) is performed. This is because, in an actual focusing process, a deviation from an ideal linear axis during a mechanical adjustment or a displacement of an observation axis occurs along an arc.
Furthermore, the device of Patent Document 1 can perform only two kinds of measurements (a measurement based on an SEM and a measurement based on an optical microscope). Therefore, when it is necessary to perform another kind of measurement apart from the measurements based on an SEM and an optical microscope, the device cannot meet the demand. In this case, it may be necessary to use a more complex measurement device equipped with an additional measurement device as well as an SEM and an optical microscope.


A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a hydrogen-deuterium exchange cell. Isomeric ions having different conformations but substantially similar ion mobilities can be differentiated by subjecting the ions to hydrogen-deuterium exchange. Two ions having similar ion mobilities can be differentiated more effectively if they have different surface conformations by determining the relative degree of hydrogen-deuterium exchange.

The present invention relates to a method of mass spectrometry and a mass spectrometer.
It is known to separate ions according to their ion mobility in an ion mobility spectrometer.
A mass filter may be provided upstream of an on mobility spectrometer and may be set to transmit only ions having a certain mass to charge ratio. In some circumstances two ions having slightly different ion mobilities can be partially resolved by the ion mobility spectrometer suggesting that the ions comprise two isomers having, different conformations and with the difference in ion mobility being due to the different conformations. However, conventional ion mobility separation techniques provide limited information about the different conformations and it may be desired to have both a greater degree of understanding concerning the nature of the two different conformations and also a greater degree of confidence that the observed ion peaks in an ion chromatogram do in fact represent ions having different conformations.
In other circumstances the ion mobility spectrometer may be unable to resolve ions having different conformations so that a single ion peak is observed in a resulting ion chromatogram. However, it may be desired to see whether a single ion peak in an ion chromatogram actually comprises two (or more) isomers having different conformations.
Conventional ion mobility spectrometry techniques provide only a limited amount of information and a limited degree of certainty when seeking to analyse isomeric ions.
It is desired to provide an improved method of mass spectrometry and mass spectrometer.

Mass spectrometer incorporating hydrogen-deuterium exchange


A method for reversibly, or irreversibly, altering the permeability of cells, tissues or other biological barriers, to molecules to be transported into or through these materials, through the application of acoustic energy, is provided. The acoustic energy is applied indirectly to the cells or tissue whose permeability is to be altered, at a frequency and intensity appropriate to alter the permeability to achieve the desired effect, such as the transport of endogenous or exogenous molecules and/or fluid, for drug delivery, measurement of analyte, removal of fluid, alteration of cell or tissue viability or alteration of structure of materials. In the preferred embodiment, the method includes applying the ultrasound in combination with devices for monitoring and/or implementing feedback controls.

The present invention is in the field of controlled application of acoustic energy to tissue and cells, and more particularly to assessment and control of acoustic energy as a means of enhancing the permeability of cells and tissue for administration of chemical or biological agents.
Ultrasound-mediated administration of drugs, genes, and other therapeutic compounds into and across cells and tissues has shown significant potential in target drug delivery. For example, studies have shown that appropriately applied ultrasound can reversibly permeability viable cells so that exogenous material can enter those cells without killing them. Ultrasound-enhanced delivery to cells has been demonstrated in vitro by uptake of extracellular fluid (Williams, J. Cell Sci. 12: 875-85 (1973)); drugs (Saad and Hahn, Ultrasound Med. Biol. 18: 715-23 (1992)); and DNA into both cells (Fechheimer, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84: 8463-67 (1987); Kim, et al., Human Gene Ther. 7; 1339-46 (1996); Bao, et al., Ultrasound Med. Biol. 23: 953-59 (1997); Wyber, et al., Pharm. Res. 14: 750-56 (1997)) and plant tissues (Zhang, et al., Bio/Technology 9: 996-97 (1991)).
Similarly, acoustic effects of lithotripters have been shown to permeability cell membranes. (Holmes, et al., J. Urol. 147: 733-37 (1992); Gambihler, et al., J. Membr. Biol. 141: 267-75 (1994)). Ultrasound also has been shown to increase transport of small drugs and proteins across skin, which is of interest for topical and systemic transdermal drug delivery (Kost and Langer, "Ultrasound-mediated transdermal drug delivery" in Tropical Drug Bioavailability, Bioequiavalence, and Penetration (Shan & Maibach (eds.)) pp. 91-104 (Plenum Press, New York 1993); Mitragoti, et al., Pharm. Res. 13: 411-20 (1996); (Mitragotri, et al., Science 269: 850-53 (1995); Prausnitz, "Transdermal delivery of proteins: recent advances by modification of skin's barrier properties" in Therapeutic Protein and Peptide Formulation and Delivery (Shahrokh, et al., eds.) pp. 124-53 (American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. 1997).
Ultrasound has been a well established diagnostic and therapeutic tool in medicine for decades (Stewart and Stratmeyer, eds., An Overview of Ultrasound: Theory, Measurement, Medical Applications, and Biological Effects (FDA 82-8190) (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Md. 1983); Suslick, ed., Ultrasound: Its Chemical, Physical, and Biological Effects (VCH, Deerfield Beach, Fla. 1988)). Ultrasound imaging is widely used at high frequency and low intensity conditions, which are believed to cause no or minimal effects on cells (Barnett, et al., Ultrasound Med. Biol. 20: 205-18 (1994)). Ultrasound also is used therapeutically at somewhat greater intensities to heat tissues for physical therapy and other hyperthermia treatments (Exposure Criteria for Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound: I. Criteria Based on Thermal Mechanisms (NCRP Report No. 113), National Councel on Radiation Protection and Measurements (Bethesda, Md. 1992)). Under a very different conditions (that is, a spectrum of lower frequencies and high intensity), routine lithotripsy procedures use focused acoustic energy to noninvasively shatter kidney stones so the fragments can be excreted by the body without surgery (Coleman and Saunders, Ultrasonics 31: 75-89 (1993)). Kidney stone destruction by lithotripsy is believed to be mediated by cavitation. Tachibana, et al., Cancer Lett. 78(1-3):177-181 (1994); Cancer Lett. 72(3):195-199 (1993) have reported on the use of topically applied ultrasound in combination with a photosensitizer to kill tumor cells and on the combination of topically applied ultrasound in combination with gas containing microspheres to enhance lysis of thrombi, in Circulation 92(5):1148-1150 (1995) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,998 to Tachibana, et al.
Acoustic cavitation involves the creation and oscillation of gas bubbles in a liquid (Leighton, The Acoustic Bubble (Academic Press, London (1994)). During the low-pressure portion of an ultrasound wave, dissolved gas and vaporized liquid can form gas bubbles. These bubbles then shrink and grow in size, oscillating in response to the subsequent high- and low-pressure portions of the ultrasound wave, a process referred to as stable cavitation. Transient cavitation occurs at greater acoustic pressures, where bubbles violently implode after a few cycles. This implosion can have a number of effects, including transiently raising the local temperature by hundreds of degrees Celsius and the local pressure by hundreds of atmospheres, emitting light by a poorly-understood phenomenon called sonoluminescence, creating short-lived free radicals, and launching a high-velocity liquid microjet. Cavitation also is believed to be responsible for ultrasonic permeabilization of cells and tissues of interest for pharmaceutical applications (Wyber, et al., Pharm. Res. 14: 750-56 (1997); Mitragotri, et al., Pharm. Res. 13: 411-20 (1996); Barnett, et al,. Ultrasound Med. Biol. 20: 205-18 (1994)). Nonetheless, the effects of ultrasound parameters on cavitation and cell membrane permeabilization are not sufficiently understood for development and optimization of acoustic techniques in, for example, controlled drug delivery.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide quantitative assessment and control of acoustic tissue effects.
It is another object of this invention to provide means for enhancing the controlled transportation of molecules into or across cell or tissue barriers.
It is still another object of this invention to provide means for reversibly or irreversibly altering cell or tissue permeability, thereby regulating transport or cell or tissue properties such as viability or structure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of applying acoustic energy effective to alter transport or cell viability


Low profile reamers and methods of use are provided which can, in general, allow a hole to be drilled in bone. In one embodiment, a low profile retractable bone reamer is provided having an elongate shaft with a cutting element disposed on a distal end of the elongate shaft that can be configured to drill a hole in bone. The elongate shaft and cutting element can have first and second longitudinally separated portions that are movably coupled to each other. The reamer can be configured to move between a retracted configuration, in which a the reamer has a reduced, low profile configuration, and a non-retracted configuration, in which both longitudinally separated portions of the cutting element can be positioned adjacent to one another to form a single cutting element.

Ligaments are tough bands of tissue which serve to connect the articular extremities of bones, or to support or retain organs in place within the body. Ligaments are typically composed of coarse bundles of dense white fibrous tissue which are disposed in a parallel or closely interlaced manner, with the fibrous tissue being pliant and flexible, but not significantly extensible.
In many cases, ligaments are torn or ruptured as a result of accidents or overexertion. Accordingly, various procedures have been developed to repair or replace such damaged ligaments. For example, in the human knee, the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments (i.e., the ACL and PCL) extend between the top end of the tibia and the bottom end of the femur. The ACL and PCL cooperate, together with other ligaments and soft tissue, to provide both static and dynamic stability to the knee. Often, the ACL is ruptured or torn as a result of, for example, a sports-related injury. Consequently, various surgical procedures have been developed for reconstructing the ACL so as to restore normal function to the knee.
In many instances, the ACL may be reconstructed by replacing the ruptured ACL with a graft ligament. More particularly, with such procedures, bone tunnels are typically formed in the top end of the tibia and the bottom end of the femur, with one end of the graft ligament being positioned in the femoral tunnel and the other end of the graft ligament being positioned in the tibial tunnel. The two ends of the graft ligament are anchored in place in various ways known in the art so that the graft ligament extends between the femur and the tibia in substantially the same way, and with substantially the same function, as the original ACL. This graft ligament then cooperates with the surrounding anatomical structures so as to restore normal function to the knee.
Two popular approaches to ACL reconstruction include a transtibial approach and an anteromedial approach. In the transtibial approach, a surgeon will first drill a tunnel through a tibia and insert a guide pin through the tunnel and through intra-articular space between a femur and the tibia to locate and drill an aligned femoral tunnel. Once the guide pin is placed, a reamer overdrills the guide pin and passes into the femur to create a final diameter of the femoral tunnel in which a ligament graft can be positioned and secured. Such an approach, however, can be difficult as the femoral tunnel entrance can be constrained by the position and trajectory of the tibial tunnel.
In the anteromedial approach, a surgeon inserts the guide pin directly into the femur through an Anterior Medial ("AM") portal, which renders initial drilling of the tibia unnecessary. By reaming a femoral tunnel through the AM portal, the femoral tunnel entrance can be located closer to where the ACL was attached to the femur and thus, can result in a more anatomical ACL reconstruction. However, due to the "shallow" angle of approach directly into the femur, the trajectory brings the guide pin much closer to articular cartilage in the intra-articular space than in the transtibial approach. Since the reamer will have a larger diameter than the guide pin, it can be challenging to place the reamer over the guide pin without scraping or damaging the articular cartilage of the medial femoral condyle because of inadequate clearance in the anteromedial approach.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved methods and devices for creating tunnels in bone.


A prefabricated load-bearing header. An outer frame in the form a rectangle has four 2 by 4 boards joined together at their meetings ends at 45 degree angles. Within the inner perimeter of the outer frame are two sets of grooves extending lengthwise of each frame member. Two webbing supports extends across the opened formed inner perimeter of the frame and are joined to the inner interior of the frame near its mid point at one end and the corners at the other ends. These webbing supports provide increased strength to the frame structure. Covering the webbing supports are two sheets of chip board material cut to fit within the two sets of formed framing member grooves along the edges of the sheets. The grooves have a width approximately the same as the thickness of the sheets of chip boards which fit into them. The length of the framing members can be made to any desired length. After the framing members are joined together at their ends and the webbing supports are fixed to their joined inner perimeter, the two sheets of chip boards are fixed within the grooves of the frame to form an inexpensive, strong, light weight header using much less material than the conventional 2 by 12 headers commonly used above door and window openings in construction.

This invention relates to a prefabricated header used in the construction industry. Headers are load bearing devices that are installed on the top of building openings. They may be used over openings for doors, windows or wherever there is a need to provide strength to support the wall, floor, roof and other structural elements above the opening.
For years headers have commonly been constructed by workmen on the job site. One widely used method has been to cut two 2 inch by 12 inch boards to the length required and then to nail the two boards together with a 1/2 inch chip board of the same length sandwiched between. The resulting load bearing header is a board 3.5 inches thick which is the normal thickness of the wall. Another reason 2 by 12 boards (actually 1.5 inches by 11.5 inches) are used to construct headers is that the 11.2 inch height when nailed flush to the top of an eight foot high wall gives a height opening suitable for a standard sized manufactured door.
Other prior art bulkheads or headers have metallic moldings with a series of sections whose edges are overlapped by an edge of an adjacent section with a retaining member between the edges. With one other prior art reference the header for a door frame is prefabricated with a horizontal lintel bar and vertically spaced strips joined by several short strips. Side bolts through the side strips are used to attach the lintel bar to the upper ends of stud sections.
Another prior art reference discloses a one piece light-gauge metal load-bearing header with a tube-shaped box beam. Still another prior art reference has a header with interlocking side end flanges, one of which is one each vertical studs, which sides end flanges can be joined together.


A toy train box car includes an electrically operated miniature motor and gear drive which initially actuates a shuttle mechanism to open a sliding door and cause cargo items to be moved from a storage bin for loading onto a hand cart. As the door opens, a cold mist generator is energized to simulate cargo being unloaded from a refrigerated box car. The shuttle mechanism includes a rack and pinion which moves a figure pushing the hand cart out of the fully open door and an ejector arm offloads the cargo items onto an external loading ramp. The operating cycle then returns the hand cart into the car to receive another cargo item when the door is fully closed. The cycle is then completed and the motor inactivated until a new cycle is initiated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a toy train box car having an operating mechanism for opening a door and unloading cargo. A sliding door is opened to permit discharge of items received from an internal cargo bin onto a handcart which is rotated out of the door and offloaded onto an external ramp. The handcart is returned and the door is closed to prepare for a repeat of the cycle to unload additional cargo items.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Previous devices for simulating a train car having the capability for opening a door and having a mechanism extending from the door to retrieve or deliver an item such as a mailbag include U.S. Pat. No. 2,260,460 to Klingebiel which utilizes springs and solenoids to control a bag catcher.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,551 to Smith relates to a toy train car storing round objects for delivery onto an unloading platform. An electromagnetic mechanism releases one article at a time onto a hand truck which shifts from the inside of the car to an edge. The hand truck has a moveable wall which is released when passing beyond the car edge so that the article rolls away from the car down the wall onto the unloading platform. Upon deenergization of the magnet, a spring returns the truck with the wall elevated into the car for release of the next item.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,813,648 to Pettit shows a toy train car which carries toy barrels to be discharged by a remote control device. A longitudinally sloping electromagnetically operated vibratory ramp shifts the barrels for ejection onto the ramp. A lockable cam controls the release of one barrel at a time.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,864 to Herman illustrates a toy figure on a train car simulating a baggage man moving a loaded hand truck out to a platform alongside the car. A ramp moves from an upright position when the figure is inside the car to a horizontal position when the figure and hand truck are outside the car. A solenoid, plunger and crank mechanism control movement of the figure and hand truck.
While these prior art devices show various mechanisms for simulating the unloading of cargo items from a toy train car onto an external ramp, none of these utilize a motor and gear drive to operate a sliding door of a toy box car or an internal cargo bin to discharge items onto a hand cart which is rotated out of the door with an ejector arm to off load the cargo onto the ramp. There also is no other device which returns the hand cart while closing the door to receive other items from the bin for another loading cycle.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism for simulating the unloading of cargo items from a toy train box car.
It is another object of the invention to provide a unique mechanism for opening and closing a sliding door of a toy train box car.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an internal cargo bin which stores items to be loaded onto a hand cart.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a mechanism for loading the cargo items onto the hand cart.
Yet another object is to provide a mechanism for moving the hand cart out onto the loading ramp.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a mechanism for ejecting a cargo item from the hand cart onto the loading ramp.
A still further object is to provide a return mechanism for the hand cart upon closing of the door to receive another cargo item for the next unloading cycle.
An additional object is to provide a device for generating a cold mist to simulate unloading of cargo from a refrigerated box car upon opening of the car door.
These objects are achieved with a unique system including a push button control activating a microswitch and motor gear drive mechanism which moves a shuttle structure to open a sliding door and initiate transfer of cargo items from a storage bin for loading onto a hand cart. The shuttle drives a rack and pinion to move the hand cart out of the door and an ejector arm off loads the cargo item onto the external loading ramp. The cold mist generator operates in synchronism with the door opening for simulating cargo unloading from a refrigerated box car. The hand cart is returned into the car for receipt of another cargo item when the door is closed until activation of another operating cycle. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A fixing device for a hub and a tube of a baby stroller frame includes a hub including an axial hole having two ends, each end of the hub having a bearing mounted therein. A tubular shaft of an appropriate length includes a longitudinal hole having two ends, each end of the shaft including a compartment having a diameter greater than that of the longitudinal hole of the shaft. One of the ends of the shaft includes an outer periphery with an outer threading formed thereon. The other end of the shaft is extended beyond the hub and includes two radial holes, a ball being partially received in each radial hole and partially exposed beyond the radial hole. A core rod includes an enlarged first end and a second end with a neck portion and a groove. A spring is mounted around the core rod. A dust cap is a soft cap made of plastic material with resiliency to provide a chamber for receiving the enlarged first end of the core rod that is extended beyond the shaft. The dust cap includes a dome that forms a push portion and a skirt that forms a connecting portion having a diameter smaller than that of the dome, the dust cap preventing entrance of dust into the axial hole of the hub. The balls on the shaft are biased outward by the core rod and thus exposed at a position bearing against an end of the fixing sleeve, thereby completing assembly of the baby stroller frame and the hub.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device for a baby stroller frame and a hub, and more particularly to a quick-release fixing device for reliably connecting a hub to a baby stroller frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional fixing device 1 for a baby stroller frame and a hub. The fixing device 1 includes a quick-release rod 11 having a front end connected to an end (with a lobe) of a lever 12. The quick-release rod 11 is extended through a plastic block 13, a washer 14, and a tube 15 with outer threading. The rod 15 is then extended through two bearings 17 in a hub 16, and two nuts 18 are respectively mounted to two ends of the rod 15. A sleeve 19 is threadedly engaged with one of the ends of the threaded rod 15 that extends beyond the hub 16. A threaded distal end 111 of the quick-release rod 11 extends beyond the sleeve 19 and engages with a resilient block 20 and a pressing block 21 and then fastened in place by a nut 22. The pressing block 21 is biased leftward with its conic section 211 bearing against a conic hole 201 in the resilient block 20. Thus, the resilient block 20 expands radially outward to tightly bear against an inner periphery of a tube 23 of the stroller frame. The stroller frame and the hub are thus securely engaged together. When the lever 12 is pivoted upward (FIG. 2), the quick-release rod 11 is moved rightward such that the pressing block 21 no longer presses against the resilient block 20. As a result, the resilient block 20 shrinks inward and thus does not bear against the inner periphery of the tube 23, thereby allowing rapid detachment of the hub 16 from the tube 23.
Nevertheless, the lever 12 might be inadvertently impinged and thus cause undesired detachment of the hub 16 during movement of the baby stroller.

Fixing device for a baby stroller frame and a hub


A sintered composite comprises capsule-like powder composite particles composed of core particles and an electrically conductive covering material which covers said core particles. The capsule-like powder composite particles are sintered in a sintering mold while pulsed voltages are being applied to the powder composite particles.

The present invention relates to a sintered composite composed of sintered powders of different materials and a method of manufacturing such a sintered composite.
It has long been practiced to heat metal powder or nonmetal powder into a sintered product. It is also customary in various fields of art to sinter powders of different materials into sintered composites having improved heat resistance, abrasion resistance, rigidity, and sliding capability.
For example, aluminum powder and aluminum alloy powder or copper powder and copper alloy powder are mixed and sintered into a sintered composite for use as a sliding component material such as a bearing material. It is however difficult to mix such different powders uniformly and hence to make a uniform composite material from the powders. If powder of a softer material such as lead or tin is mixed when iron-base metal powder is sintered into a sliding component such as a bearing, then the produced sliding component has an improved sliding ability because its sliding surface can well slide against other objects. However, the softer material such as lead or tin cannot easily be dispersed uniformly in the iron-base metal powder. In addition, since the melting points of lead and tin are lower than the melting point of iron, if the powder mixture were sintered at a sintering temperature for iron, e.g., 1000.degree. C., in an inert gas atmosphere or a reducing atmosphere according to the normal sintering process, then lead or tin would completely be melted and flow downwardly.
There has been developed a metallic material which has a repulsive capability like a rubber ball. However, any metallic material which is viscoelastic at normal temperature, like rubber, is not available yet. If such a viscoelastic metallic material were developed, it would be soldered or spot-welded to an existing metallic material, and would find a wide variety of applications. Therefore, demands for the material are growing in the art.
A sintered composite of synthetic resin and metal would be lightweight and highly rigid, could be formed easily into desired shapes, and would be of high machinability. There is also a strong demand for such a sintered composite.

Sintered composite and method of manufacture


Service support gateway 1 is connected to network 2. Service provider 3 having ASP 31 and CP 32 provides a service relating to location of locating target person 4 by using network 2. Service supporting gateway 1 provides service provider 3 with a service of obtaining location information indicating the location of locating target person and a service of sending the location information to a specified destination.

With the spread of various kinds of mobile devices such as a mobile phone, various services using mobile devices are available. One such service is a location information service providing a service relating to the current location of a locating target person who may be or may not be a user of this service. This location information service is for example a current location searching service of a PHS phone, a current location searching service of locating a locating target person such as a senior person or a child, and a service of delivering information relating to the current location.
To carry out this kind of location information service, it is necessary to locate the current location of the locating target person. This location is usually conducted by giving a locating target person a mobile device such as a mobile terminal, a Personal Handy-phone System (PHS) phone, or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) with GPS function and by exchanging signals for locating between a location device and the mobile device.
However, the locating methods differ depending on the mobile devices of locating target persons. Hence, location information service providers at present are able to provide a location information service to only locating target persons having a particular kind of mobile device. Therefore, to provide location information service to many locating target persons having various kinds of mobile device, a service provider has to prepare location means for various mobile devices; this increases costs for providing location information service. Also, there are cases where necessary representing format of location information is different depending on the content of the location information service. For example, location information expressed by latitude and longitude is preferable when providing one kind of service, and location information expressed by address (character string) is preferable when providing another kind of service. In this case, the service provider has to have means for generating location information with suitable representing format for each service.
As described above, provision of location information services places a great burden on service providers.
Although the contents of service provided by various service providers are different, there are only limited kinds of obtaining methods for location information necessary to service providers, and it is conceivable that there are many methods that can be shared by service providers. However, service providers install facilities for obtaining and managing location information of users, resulting in investing in the same facilities.

Method and apparatus for assisting positional information service


The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods for managing commerce-related communications within a social networking system. For example, systems and methods described herein can identify a particular social networking system post and can generate an optimized version of that particular post. In one or more embodiments, systems and methods described herein can also identify additional social networking system posts that are related to the particular social networking system post.

1. Technical Field
One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to user-to-user commerce within a social networking system. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to managing commerce-related communications within a social networking system.
2. Background and Relevant Art
While commercial settings are commonly utilized for the purchase of goods, people also buy and sell goods in non-commercial settings. For example, garage sales, yard sales, and estate sales provide a setting where individuals can negotiate the sale and purchase of a wide range of goods. These informal, non-commercial settings embody the notion that "one man's trash is another man's treasure," and provide individuals with ways to sell things they no longer want, or purchase things they need for less than they would typically spend in a commercial setting.
It is not surprising that the garage sale format of buying and selling goods has transitioned online via social networking systems. A social networking system generally allows for the formation of forum-like groups. Social networking system users can join a social networking system group to participate in discussions, ask questions, post articles, etc. In some cases, a social networking system group can function like a neighborhood garage sale and allow users to submit sale listings that advertise goods they would like to buy or sell. Users can utilize the functionality of the social networking system to inquire after a particular item they would like to buy, or sell a particular item that they no longer need.
Additionally, users can also buy and sell items within a social networking system independent of social networking groups. For example, a user's personal newsfeed can include social networking posts from other users of the social networking system (e.g., the user's "friends"). The user can also create posts, which may be included in the newsfeeds of other social networking system users. Thus, for example, a user can create a social networking system post advertising an item for sale or inquiring after an item the user would like to purchase, and submit the social networking system post to the social networking system for inclusion in the newsfeeds of other users.
Problems arise when a user utilizes a social networking system to advertise that the user wants to buy a particular item. For example, a user may compose a "want to buy" social networking system post (otherwise known as an "in search of" or "ISO" post) that describes the particular item the user is looking to purchase, and asking whether another social networking system user may be willing to sell the particular item or have information for purchasing the particular item. Want to buy posts, however, are generally not uniform because each post is simply composed in whatever manner that the author sees fit. Furthermore, social networking systems conventionally treat want to buy posts with little to no regard for their unique nature. This makes it difficult for users to distinguish between a standard post and a want to buy post. In addition, social networking systems do not conventionally optimize the delivery of want to buy posts to other social networking system users. For example, the social networking system may not deliver the want to buy post to users that would be most interested in the posts. Thus, both potential buyers and sellers may lose out on transaction opportunities made available through want to buy posts because of the nature and treatment of typical social networking communications.
Thus, there are several disadvantages to current methods for managing commerce-related communications within a social networking system.

Managing commerce-related communications within a social networking system


A vehicle seat sliding device for sliding a seat includes a fixed rail, a movable rail, a rolling element, and at least one rolling element holder. The fixed rail is for a floor of a vehicle. The movable rail is slidably engaged with the fixed rail and is mounted to the seat. The rolling element includes an outer circumferential surface for abutting an abutment surface of the fixed rail. The at least one rolling element holder is mounted to the movable rail and holds the rolling element so as to be rotatable and slidable along a longitudinal direction of the movable rail. The at least one rolling element holder is configured such that a distance between a rotation axis of the rolling element and the abutment surface becomes smaller as the rolling element slides toward one side in the longitudinal direction of the movable rail.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle seat sliding device.
A vehicle seat sliding device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-036609 (Patent Document 1) comprises a lower rail and an upper rail. The lower rail is provided on a floor of a vehicle. The upper rail is slidably engaged with the lower rail. The upper rail is mounted to a seat.
The upper rail comprises a rolling element capable of rolling. An outer circumferential surface of the rolling element contacts the lower rail. When the upper rail slides with respect to the lower rail, the rolling element rolls.
In a vicinity of the rolling element in the upper rail, a concave stepped portion is provided. A bearing portion made of resin is mounted to the concave stepped portion. The bearing portion is slidable in the concave stepped portion in a longitudinal direction of the upper rail. When sliding in the concave stepped portion in a first direction, the bearing portion contacts the rolling element. When sliding in the concave stepped portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the bearing portion recedes from the rolling element. Also, an upper end of the bearing portion always abuts the lower rail.
When the upper rail slides in the second direction, a force in the first direction is applied from the upper rail to the bearing portion. As a result, the bearing portion slides in the first direction in the concave stepped portion. Thus, the bearing portion contacts the rolling element, and a rolling resistance of the rolling element is increased. Consequently, a resistance force when sliding the upper rail is increased.
In contrast, when the upper rail slides in the first direction, the bearing portion slides in the second direction in the concave stepped portion. Thus, the bearing portion recedes from the rolling element, and the rolling resistance of the rolling element is not increased. Consequently, the resistance force when sliding the upper rail is not increased.
According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, therefore, when the upper rail slides in the second direction, the resistance force during sliding is great, whereas when the upper rail slides in the first direction, the resistance force during sliding is small.


A connection component is provided. The connection component includes (1) a first interposer having a first surface to which a microelectronic may be mounted and a second surface opposite from the first surface, (2) a second interposer that is more flexible than the first interposer and that is disposed under the second surface of the rigid interposer, and (3) a plurality of conductive parts that may be positioned in the first and second interposers and that may be exposed at the first surface of the first interposer, a bottom surface of the second interposer, or both the first and bottom surfaces. The electrically conductive parts may include leads. A socket assembly or a microelectronic element such as semiconductor chip may be mounted onto the first surface of the rigid interposer. The connection component may be mounted onto a support substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of electronic packaging, and more specifically to components useful for mounting and/or testing semiconductor chips and related electronic components. The present invention also relates to semiconductor chip assemblies and electronic devices incorporating such components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern electronic devices utilize semiconductor components, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cintegrated circuitsxe2x80x9d which incorporate numerous electronic elements. These chips are mounted on substrates that physically support the chips and electrically interconnect each chip with other elements of the circuit. The substrate may be part of a discrete chip package, such as a single chip module or a multi-chip module, or may be a circuit board. The chip module or circuit board is typically incorporated into a large circuit. An interconnection between the chip and the chip module is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cfirst levelxe2x80x9d assembly or chip interconnection. An interconnection between the chip module and a printed circuit board or card is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9csecond levelxe2x80x9d interconnection. In xe2x80x9cchip on boardxe2x80x9d packaging, the chip is mounted directly on the printed circuit board. This type of interconnection has been referred to as a xe2x80x9c1xc2xd levelxe2x80x9d interconnection.
One relatively common packaging scheme is called a xe2x80x9chybrid circuitxe2x80x9d. A hybrid circuit typically contains a semiconductor chip that has been mounted and electrically interconnected to a circuit that has been formed on a thin layer of a rigid ceramic material. The method used to electrically interconnected the chip to the circuit is generally any of the methods that are known for use in first level bonding, such as wire bonding, tab bonding and flip chip bonding. In some cases it is desirable to mount and electrically interconnect the hybrid circuit to a printed circuit board. Solder is typically used to form the interconnection. It is difficult, however, to rework a hybrid circuit that has been soldered to a printed circuit board. In order to rework the assembly, the hybrid circuit must be removed from the printed circuit board. When the hybrid circuit is separated from the printed circuit board, part of the solder mass is removed from the contacts on the hybrid circuit. Non-uniform partial solder masses remain on the hybrid circuit contacts, the printed circuit board or both. When the hybrid circuit is resoldered to the printed circuit board, the non-uniform partial solder masses can cause short circuits and alignment problems.
Another problem associated with the assembly process is testing. In a typical assembly process, each hybrid circuit is tested before it is soldered to a printed circuit board. Testing involves clamping the hybrid circuit to a socket to engage the solder balls of the hybrid circuit with the test contacts of the test assembly. When the solder balls are engaged with the test contacts, the solder tends to creep and to deform, especially if the hybrid circuit is equipped with high-lead solder. The testing process, like the rework process, can lead to short circuit and alignment problems. To overcome these problems, it is desirable to use solid core solder balls to interconnect the ceramic substrate to a printed circuit board.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,303,393, which issued on Feb. 7, 1967, Hymes et al. disclose a semiconductor chip assembly with flip-chip connections, which incorporates copper core solder balls. One solid core solder ball is provided between each contact on the chip and each contact pad on the substrate. Although these connections work well for small devices, with larger devices, the rigid connections provided by the solid core solder balls tend to crack at the soldered junctions between the balls and the opposing surfaces. Warpage or distortion of the chip or substrate, furthermore, make it difficult to engage all of the solid core solder balls between the chip and substrate simultaneously, or to engage all of the solid core solder balls between the chip and a test fixture. Although it is desirable to use solid core solder balls to interconnect a hybrid circuit to a printed circuit board, such an interconnection would be subject to similar problems.
The electrical power that is dissipated when a microelectronic device is in operation tends to heat up that device. When the device is no longer in operation, it tends to cool down. Over a period of time, the device tends to undergo a number of heating up and cooling down cycles as the device is repeatedly turned on and off. These cycles, which cause an associated expansion and contraction of the device, are commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cthermal cyclingxe2x80x9d.
A device in which a hybrid circuit is bonded to a printed circuit board using solid core solder balls would be subject to substantial strain, caused by thermal cycling, during operation of the device. Electrical power dissipated within the hybrid circuit during operation would tend to heat up the hybrid circuit and, to a lesser extent, the printed circuit board. The temperature of the hybrid circuit, therefore, and, to a lesser extent, the printed circuit board would rise each time the device is turned on and fall each time the device is turned off. Since the hybrid circuit and the printed circuit board are normally constructed from different materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion, the hybrid circuit and printed circuit board would normally expand and contract by different amounts. This is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cthermal mismatchxe2x80x9d. The thermal mismatch causes the electrical contacts on the hybrid circuit to move relative to the electrical contact pads on the printed circuit board as the temperature of the hybrid circuit and printed circuit board change. The relative movement would deform the electrical interconnections between the hybrid circuit and the printed circuit board and place them under mechanical stress. Since these stresses would be applied repeatedly with repeated operation of the device, they would cause breakage of the electrical interconnections. Thermal cycling stresses may occur even where the hybrid circuit and printed circuit board are formed from like materials having similar coefficients of thermal expansion. This is because the temperature of the hybrid circuit may increase more rapidly than the temperature of the printed circuit board when power is first applied to the hybrid circuit. Unfortunately, solid core solder balls are neither flexible nor strong enough to withstand the strain generated by differential rates of thermal expansion.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,148,265; 5,148,266; 5,518,964; 5,659,952; 5,929,517; 5,679,977; 5,685,885; 5,848,467; 5,852,326; 5,950,304; 6,133,627; 5,801,441; 6,104,087; 5,798,286; 5,830,782; 5,959,354; 5,913,109; 6,080,603; and 5,688,716; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/271,688, filed on Mar. 18, 1999, the specifications of which are incorporated by reference herein, provide substantial solutions to the problems of thermal stresses and component testing. Nonetheless, still further improvement is desirable.
One aspect of the present invention provides a flexible chip carrier. The flexible chip carrier of this aspect of the present invention includes a rigid interposer having first and second surfaces. The rigid interposer is preferably adapted to mount and electrically connect a semiconductor chip onto the first surface of the rigid interposer. An interconnection between the rigid interposer and a semiconductor chip is a xe2x80x9cfirst levelxe2x80x9d interconnection. The rigid interposer may be adapted to interconnect a semiconductor chip using any of the known methods of creating xe2x80x9cfirst levelxe2x80x9d interconnections. Some conventional xe2x80x9cfirst levelxe2x80x9d interconnection methods include wire bonding, tape-automated bonding and flip-chip bonding. The second surface contains a plurality of contacts disposed in a pattern. The area encompassed by the contacts is defined as a xe2x80x9ccontact pattern areaxe2x80x9d. The rigid interposer is preferably a thin, sheet-like layer material. The rigid interposer may be composed of any rigid dielectric material. Preferred rigid dielectric materials include ceramic materials, such as alumina, beryllia, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, forsterite, mullite, and glass-ceramics; composite materials, such as polyester/fiberglass, polyimide/fiberglass, and epoxy/fiberglass; and silicon. More preferred rigid dielectric materials are the ceramic materials listed above. The preferred ceramic material is alumina. On preferred embodiments, the rigid interposer contains an electrical circuit. Although the coefficient of thermal expansion, hereinafter xe2x80x9cCTExe2x80x9d, of the rigid interposer is generally greater than the CTE of a semiconductor chip and generally less than the CTE of an epoxy-polyimide printed circuit board, the CTE of the rigid interposer may be roughly equal to the CTE of the semiconductor chip. This is because other sub-components of the present invention, specifically the flexible interposer and/or the optional compliant layer can compensation for the CTE mismatch between chip and the rigid interposer and the CTE mismatch between the rigid interposer and the flexible interposer.
The flexible chip carrier also includes a flexible interposer that overlies the second surface of the rigid interposer. The flexible interposer has a top surface that faces toward the second surface of the rigid interposer, and a bottom surface that does not. The flexible interposer preferably is a thin, flexible sheet of a polymeric material such as polyimide, a fluoropolymer, a thermoplastic polymer or an elastomer. In preferred embodiments, the flexible interposer contains an electrical circuit. The flexible interposer may have one or more apertures, extending from the top surface of the flexible interposer to the bottom surface.
A plurality of electrically conductive terminals is disposed on the flexible interposer in a pattern on at least one surface selected from the group consisting of the top surface and the bottom surface. In preferred embodiments, either all of the terminals disposed on the top surface or all of the terminals are disposed on the bottom surface of the flexible interposer. At least some of the terminals, and preferably most or all of the terminals, are disposed within the area of the flexible interposer overlying the contact pattern area on the rigid interposer. Generally, each terminal is associated with one contact on the rigid interposer.
The flexible chip carrier also includes a plurality of electrically conductive leads connecting at least some of the contacts on the rigid interposer with at least some of the terminals on the flexible interposer. Each lead has a contact end connected to the associated contact on the rigid interposer and a terminal end connected to the associated terminal on the flexible interposer. The leads and the flexible interposer are constructed and arranged so that the contacts ends of the leads are moveable relative to the terminals at least to the extent required to compensate for differential thermal expansion between the components. The interconnection between the contacts on the rigid interposer and the terminals on the flexible interposer is a second xe2x80x9cfirst levelxe2x80x9d interconnection. The leads are preferably flexible so that the terminals are moveable with respect to the contacts to accommodate movement caused by differential thermal expansion.
The flexible interposer is flexible to facilitate movement of the contact ends of the leads relative to the terminals and thus to contribute to the ability of the chip carrier to withstand thermal cycling. Each flexible lead may extend through an aperture in the flexible interposer. The flexible leads may be formed integrally with the terminals on the flexible interposer, or else may be separately formed fine wires. Preferably, the leads are curved to provide increased flexibility. The leads may be generally S-shaped. Each lead may be formed from a ribbon of conductive materials having oppositely-directed major surfaces, the ribbon being curved in directions normal to its major surfaces to form a curved configuration of the lead In a preferred embodiment, the lead is S-shaped.
Some preferred arrangements of leads connecting the contacts to the terminals include a xe2x80x9cfan-inxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cfan-outxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cfan-in/fan-outxe2x80x9d, and area array. In a xe2x80x9cfan-inxe2x80x9d arrangement, the contacts on the rigid interposer are typically disposed on the periphery of the rigid interposer. The terminals are generally disposed inside the region that overlies the region bounded by the contacts on the rigid interposer. The leads connecting the terminals to the associated contacts fan inwardly. In a xe2x80x9cfan-outxe2x80x9d arrangement, the contacts on the rigid interposer are again generally disposed on the periphery of the rigid interposer, and the terminals on the flexible interposer are generally disposed in a region that is outside the region that overlies the region bounded by the contacts. The leads connecting the terminals to the associated contacts fan outwardly. In a xe2x80x9cfan-in/fan-outxe2x80x9d arrangement, some terminals on the flexible interposer are disposed inside the region bounded by the contacts and some are disposed outside the region. Some leads, therefore, fan-in and some fan-out. The rigid interposer contacts typically are disposed in single rows and columns on the second surface and the leads are interdigitated. By the term xe2x80x9cinterdigitatedxe2x80x9d, it is meant that that fan-in and fan-out leads are interspersed with one another. The preferred interdigitated fan-in/fan-out arrangement is where each lead that is adjacent to a fan-in lead is a fan-out lead and each lead that is adjacent to a fan-out lead is a fan-in lead. In an xe2x80x9carea arrayxe2x80x9d arrangement, the contacts on the rigid interposer may be disposed on the periphery of the rigid interposer or may be disposed in a so called area array, i.e., a grid like pattern covering all or a substantial portion of the bottom surface of the rigid interposer. For the leads to be in an area array arrangement, however, the terminals on the flexible interposer must be disposed in area array.
The flexible chip carrier further includes a plurality of joining units. In certain preferred embodiments, each joining unit includes a solid core which is preferably spherical. Each joining unit is disposed on the bottom surface of the flexible interposer, is electrically interconnected to one terminal, and extends downwardly from such terminal. If any terminals are disposed on the bottom surface of the flexible interposer, one of said joining units is preferably disposed directly on each of such terminals. The solid cores are preferably electrically conductive. Preferably, the solid cores are made from copper or nickel.
The flexible chip carrier also includes a unit bonding material. The unit bonding material extends between the terminal and the solid core. Preferably, the unit bonding material is standard lead/tin solder and is provided as a part of the joining unit, as a coating extending over the solid core. The unit bonding material may be used to bond the flexible chip carrier to a printed circuit board or another support substrate.
The flexible chip carrier may also include a compliant layer covering the flexible leads in whole or in part. The compliant layer comprises a dielectric material having a low modulus of elasticity, such as an elastomeric material. Preferred elastomeric materials include silicones, flexiblized epoxies, and thermoplastics. Silicone elastomers are particularly preferred. The dielectric material may be provided in the form of a layer, with holes in the layer aligned with the terminals on the flexible interposer. In preferred embodiments, the compliant layer is formed in at least a two-step process. The first step involves dispensing a controlled amount of a thixotropic or non-slumping silicone elastomer on a portion, but not all, of the bottom surface of the rigid interposer and/or a portion, but not all, of the first surface of the flexible interposer, to create a compliant spacer. The compliant spacer controls the separation between the rigid interposer and the flexible interposer. The second step involves dispensing a second silicone elastomer over the thixotropic or non-slumping silicone elastomer. Compliant spacers and their use in microelectronic assemblies is more fully described in commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,952, the specification of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
One aspect of the present invention provides a semiconductor chip assembly. The semiconductor chip assembly of the present invention includes the flexible chip carrier described above and at least one semiconductor chip that has been connected to the first surface of the rigid interposer of the flexible chip carrier. The semiconductor chip assembly of the present invention may contain a plurality of semiconductor chips.
If the semiconductor chip assembly contains a plurality of chips, each chip is mounted on and electrically interconnected to the rigid interposer of the flexible chip carrier. Such assemblies may be referred to as multichip modules. Such a multichip module may, for example, comprise a monolithic microwave integrated circuit and a high frequency digital integrated circuit on one rigid interposer that is part of a flexible chip carrier. If both of these high frequency elements are on one rigid interposer, the high frequency elements of the circuit can be isolated from the lower frequency elements. In another embodiment, an integrated circuit in the form of a central processing unit, sometimes referred to as a xe2x80x9ccpuxe2x80x9d, and one or more memory chips may be mounted on a rigid interposer of the present flexible chip carrier to form a semiconductor chip assembly of the present invention. Such an assembly would also be a multichip module.
Preferred methods of connecting the one or more semiconductor chips to the flexible chip carrier include wirebonding, flip chip bonding and tab bonding, with wire bonding and flip chip bonding being more preferred. If the semiconductor chip is to be wire bonded, the rigid interposer should have as plurality of electrically conductive pads disposed in a ring-like pattern. The chip is secured to the first surface of the rigid interposer at the center of the ring-like pattern, so that the contact pads on the rigid interposer surround the chip. The chip is mounted on the first surface of the rigid interposer. The chip is mounted on the rigid interposer in a face-up disposition, with the back surface of the chip confronting the first surface of the rigid interposer, and with the front surface of the chip facing upwardly, away from the rigid interposer so that the electrical contacts on the front surface of the chip are exposed. Fine wires are connected between the electrical contacts on the front surface of the chip and the contact pads on the first surface of the rigid interposer. These wires extend outwardly from the chip to the surrounding contact pads on the first surface of the rigid interposer.
If the semiconductor chip is to be connected to the rigid interposer using flip chip technology, the electrical contacts on the front surface of the chip are provided with bumps of solder. The first surface of the rigid interposer should include a plurality of contact pads arranged in an array corresponding to the array of electrical contacts on the chip. The chip, with the solder bumps, is inverted so that its front surface faces towards the first surface of the rigid interposer, with each electrical contact and solder bump on the chip being positioned on the appropriate contact pad on the first surface of the rigid interposer. The assembly is then heated so as to liquefy the solder and, upon resolidification of the solder, bond each contact on the chip to the confronting contact pad on the first surface of the rigid interposer.
The semiconductor chip assembly of the present invention has at least two xe2x80x9cfirst levelxe2x80x9d interconnections in the flexible chip carrier. The first xe2x80x9cfirst levelxe2x80x9d interconnection is the interconnection between the semiconductor chip and the rigid interposer and second xe2x80x9cfirst levelxe2x80x9d interconnection is the interconnection between the rigid interposer and the flexible interposer.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a test assembly for semiconductor chips. Current semiconductor chip manufacturing techniques do not result in 100% yields, some chips, therefore, will be defective. Often, the defect can not be detected until the chip is operated under power in a test fixture or in an actual assembly. A single bad chip can make a larger assembly, which may include other chips or other valuable components, worthless, or can require painstaking procedures to extricate the bad chip from the assembly. The chips and the mounting components used in a semiconductor chip assembly should, therefore, permit testing of the chips and replacement of the chips before the chips are fused to a substrate.
Semiconductor chips can be tested in the test assembly of the present invention. The test assembly of this aspect of the present invention includes the flexible chip carrier as described above. The test assembly further includes a sheet socket assembly or connector. Preferred sheet socket assemblies and connectors are those described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,824; U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,631; U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,699; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,386, the specifications of which are incorporated by reference herein.
In preferred embodiments, the sheet socket component or connector includes a planar or sheet like dielectric body having first and second major surfaces and also having a plurality of holes open to the first major surface. The second major surface faces toward the first surface of the rigid interposer of the flexible chip carrier. The holes are disposed in an array corresponding to an array of bumped leads on a semiconductor chip or microelectronic device which is to be tested. The sheet socket assembly further includes an array of resilient contacts secured to the first major surface of the dielectric body in registration with the holes so that each such resilient contact extends over one hole. Each resilient contact is adapted such that it can resiliently engage a bumped lead that has been inserted into the associated hole. The sheet socket assembly also includes a plurality of socket terminals electrically connected to these resilient contacts. Typically, the socket terminals are disposed on the second major surface of the dielectric body in an array corresponding to the array of contact pads on the first surface of the rigid interposer. The socket terminals are electrically connected to the associated resilient contacts. Preferably, each socket terminal is electrically connected to an associated resilient contact by an electrically conductive via, such as a blind via or a through hole via. The sheet socket assembly is mounted and electrically interconnected to the flexible chip carrier by bonding the socket terminals to the associated contact pad on the rigid interposer.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a semiconductor chip assembly comprising the test assembly described above and a semiconductor chip having solder bumps which have engaged and are in physical and electrical contact with the resilient contacts of the test assembly. In preferred embodiments of the semiconductor chip assembly of this aspect of present invention, the semiconductor chip is soldered to the test assembly.
If the semiconductor chip assembly of this aspect of the invention contains more than one chip, the assembly can be described as a multichip module assembly. Each chip of the multichip module can be individually plugged into the test socket assembly of the present invention and the system can be tested. If the system works properly, each of the chips can be soldered in permanently. In the alternative, a module containing at least two chips can be plugged into the test socket assembly and tested. If the system works properly, each of the chips can be soldered in permanently.
The semiconductor chip assembly of the present invention may be incorporated into a larger assembly to form an electronic device. Another aspect of the present invention, therefore, provides an electronic device. The electronic device includes the semiconductor chip assembly described above and a support substrate having pads. The pads are electrically conductive contact pads and are preferably disposed in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of solid core joining units, wherein each pad is associated with a solid core joining unit. The semiconductor chip assembly is positioned on the support substrate such that the bottom surface of the flexible interposer faces toward the support substrate and, preferably, such that the solid core joining units on the bottom surface of the flexible interposer are aligned with the pads on the support substrate. Generally, each solid core joining unit is physically and electrically interconnected to an associated pad on the support substrate.
The flexible chip carrier of the present invention may be incorporated into a larger assembly to form an electronic component. Another aspect of the present invention, therefore, provides an electronic component. The electronic component of the present aspect of the invention includes the flexible chip carrier described above and a support substrate having pads. The pads are electrically conductive contacts pads and are preferably disposed in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of solid core joining units, wherein each pad is associated with a solid core joining unit. The flexible chip carrier is positioned on the support substrate such that the bottom surface of the flexible interposer faces toward the support substrate and, preferably, such that the solid core joining units on the bottom surface of the flexible interposer are aligned with the pads on the support substrate. Generally, each solid core joining unit is physically and electrically interconnected to an associated pad on the support substrate. A semiconductor chip may be bonded to the electronic component to form an electronic device. Preferred bonding methods include wire bonding, flip chip bonding and tab bonding with wire bonding and flip chip bonding being particularly preferred.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a flexible chip carrier or connection component that includes a first, or rigid, interposer, a second, or flexible, interposer, a plurality of conductive structures and a plurality of planar leads. The first interposer has first and second surfaces that are oppositely facing, and the second interposer has top and bottom surfaces that are oppositely facing. The second surface of the first interposer is disposed over the top surface of the second interposer. It should be noted that terms such as xe2x80x9ctopxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cbottomxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cverticalxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9chorizontalxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cfrontxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9crearxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9coverxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cunderxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cbelowxe2x80x9d and the like as used in this present disclosure should be understood as referring to an arbitrary frame of reference, rather than to the ordinary gravitational frame of reference. Thus, the upward vertical direction of a component or assembly may extend upwardly, downwardly or horizontally in the normal gravitational frame of reference. In preferred embodiments the second surface also faces toward the top surface.
The conductive structures of this aspect of the flexible chip carrier are exposed at the first surface of the first interposer. In certain preferred embodiments, the conductive structures include parts (1) that positions within the first interposer but are accessible via the first surface of the first interposer or (2) that are partially embedded in the first interposer and are extended above the first surface of the first interposer. In other preferred embodiments, such parts are disposed on the first surface of the first interposer. The conductive structures also preferably extend through both the first and second interposers.
The planar leads of this aspect of the flexible chip carrier are exposed at the bottom surface of the second interposer. In certain preferred embodiments, the planar leads are positioned within the first interposer but are electrically accessible via the first surface of the first interposer. In other preferred embodiments, the planar leads are partially embedded in the first interposer and are extended below the bottom surface of the second interposer. In yet other preferred embodiments, the planar leads are disposed on the bottom surface of the second interposer. Each planar lead is electrically connected to at least one of the conductive structures. Each planar lead may include a terminal end that is electrically connected to one of the conductive structures and a tip end that is offset from such terminal end. In alternative embodiments, additional interposers may also be disposed between the first and second interposers of this aspect of the present invention so that the electrically conductive paths between the conductive structures and the planar leads may be routed or redistributed as desired.
In preferred embodiments, the flexible chip carrier may further include joining units such as solder balls. Each of the joining units is electrically connected to one of the tip ends.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a connection component that is similar to the above-described flexible chip carrier except the planar leads are not present and the joining units are directly connected to the conductive structures. Additional interposers may also be disposed between the first and second interposers of this aspect of the present invention so that the electrically conductive paths between the conductive structures and the joining units may be routed or redistributed as desired.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a microelectronic component comprising a connection component of the present invention and a microelectronic element having a front surface and a plurality of contacts exposed at the front surface. The microelectronic element is disposed over the connection component, and each of the contacts is electrically connected to one of the conductive structures. The microelectronic element may be, for example, a semiconductor chip, a packaged semiconductor chip, a semiconductor wafer or a multi-chip module.
In one preferred embodiment of the microelectronic component of the present invention, the front surface of a first microelectronic element faces the first surface of the first interposer, and contacts exposed on such front surface are flip chip bonded to the conductive structures. Further processing of this microelectronic component may yield a microelectronic component having one or more microelectronic elements. For example, a second microelectronic element having second contacts may be attached to the rear or back side of the first microelectronic element and such second contacts, which face away from the first microelectronic element, may be electrically connected to additional conductive structures by wirebonds to form a microelectronic component having stacked microelectronic elements.
In another preferred embodiment of the microelectronic component of the present invention, the contacts are wire bonded to the conductive structures. In preferred embodiments, the first surface of the first interposer includes a central region and a peripheral region surrounding the central region. The microelectronic element is disposed over the central region such that the front surface of the microelectronic element faces away from the first surface of the first interposer. Wirebonds are used to electrically connect the contacts to the conductive structures. The microelectronic component of this embodiment may also include one or more additional microelectronic elements that are stacked or otherwise connected to the first microelectronic element.
In preferred embodiments of the microelectronic component of the present invention, the CTE of the first interposer and the CTE of the microelectronic element are substantially similar.
Another aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device comprising the microelectronic component of the present invention and a support substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive contact pads. In preferred embodiments, the support substrate is a printed circuit board having contact pads that are disposed in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the joining units. The microelectronic component is positioned such that the bottom surface of the second interposer faces the printed circuit board, and each joining unit of the microelectronic component is electrically connected to one of contact pads of the support substrate. Preferably, at least one of the joining units is disposed or positioned below the microelectronic element of the microelectronic component.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of making a microelectronic component. Such method has the following steps that may be performed preferably, but not necessarily, in the order presented below to make the microelectronic component. A first interposer having first and second surfaces that are oppositely facing and a second interposer having top and bottom surfaces that are oppositely facing are provided. This second interposer is more flexible than the first interposer. The top surface of the second interposer is positioned or disposed below the second surface of the first interposer. In preferred embodiments, the top surface of the second interposer faces the second surface of the first interposer. A layer of a metal is provided on the bottom surface of the second interposer and is circuitized so that a plurality of planar leads are formed. In preferred embodiments, each planar lead has a tip end and a terminal end. A plurality of openings are formed. These openings extend through both the first and second interposers and expose the terminal ends of the planar leads. An electrically conductive material is disposed in such openings. A microelectronic element such as a semiconductor chip having a front surface and a plurality of contacts exposed at its front surface is disposed over the first surface of the first interposer, and each contact is electrically connected to one of the terminal ends by the electrically conductive material.
Another aspect of the present invention provides another method of making a microelectronic component. In this method, a microelectronic element is disposed over the first surface of the first interposer of one of the connection components of the present invention such that the front surface of the microelectronic element faces away from the first surface. Each of the contacts exposed at the front surface of the microelectronic element is electrically connected to one of the conductive structures exposed at the first surface. In preferred embodiments, the contacts are electrically connected to the conductive structures by wirebonds.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Microelectronic component with rigid interposer


Photographic products and processes for the imagewise generation of a dye from a color shifted dye precursor of a preformed image dye, said precursor having at least one ##STR1## group, wherein R is hydrogen, alkyl, provided that the .alpha.-carbon does not have a hydrogen atom attached thereto, aryl such as phenyl or substituted phenyl, e.g. p-nitrophenyl, or heterocyclic such as pyridine; R.sub.1 -R.sub.6 are hydrogen, alkyl, preferably having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or aryl; n is 0 or 1; and T is a moiety containing a thiazolidin-2-yl group which upon silver-assisted cleavage of said thiazolidin-2-yl group results in the formation of a ##STR2## group, which may be protonated under the reaction conditions, followed by cleavage of said ##STR3## which cleavage is anchimerically assisted or accelerated by said ##STR4## to provide after protonation, an ##STR5## group in a dye chromophore. In a preferred embodiment the precursor is a substantially colorless compound.

This application relates to photographic products and processes for forming a dye image from a colorless precursor of a preformed image dye and to novel compounds which are useful in such products and processes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,489 describes and claims photographic processes employing initially photographically inert compounds which are capable of undergoing cleavage in the presence of the imagewise distribution of silver ions made available during processing of a silver halide emulsion to liberate a reagent, such as, a photographically active reagent or a dye in an imagewise distribution corresponding to that of said silver ions. In one embodiment disclosed therein, color images are produced by using as the photographically inert compounds, color providing compounds which are substantially non-diffusible in the photographic processing composition but capable of undergoing cleavage in the presence of the imagewise distribution of silver ions and/or soluble silver complex made available in the undeveloped and partially developed areas of a silver halide emulsion as a function of development to liberate a more mobile and diffusible color-providing moiety in an imagewise distribution corresponding to the imagewise distribution of said ions and/or said complex. The subsequent formation of a color image is the result of the differential in diffusibility between the parent compound and liberated color-providing moiety whereby the imagewise distribution of the more diffusible color-providing moiety released in the undeveloped and partially developed areas is free to transfer. Color-providing compounds useful in the above processes form the subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,783, a continuation-in-part, of said U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,489.
Compounds disclosed in the aforementioned patents as useful in liberating a reagent in the presence of said silver ions and/or silver complex are sulfur-nitrogen compounds containing the group ##STR6## or --S--X--N.dbd. wherein X is ##STR7## These sulfur-nitrogen compounds may be linear or cyclic in structure, and in a particularly preferred embodiment are cyclic compounds, such as thiazolidine compounds which comprise a colored dye radical having a chromophoric system of an azo, anthraquinone, phthalocyanine or other dye and a thiazolidine-2'-yl moiety which may be bonded directly to said dye radical or indirectly through an appropriate linking group. For example, the linking group may be --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O-- as in compound (33) at line 10, column 22, of said U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,489, or it may be CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N< as in compound (34) in column 35 of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,783.
Copending commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 500,414, filed June 2, 1983 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,450 discloses photographic processes and products for forming an image in dye from a colorless precursor of a preformed image dye which is substituted with a moiety containing a thiazolidinyl group, said thiazolidinyl group (a) being capable of undergoing cleavage imagewise in the presence of an imagewise distribution of silver ion and/or soluble silver complex and (b) possessing a substituent on the carbon atom in the 2-position which, upon cleavage of the thiazolidinyl group, undergoes a .beta.-elimination reaction followed by an intramolecularly assisted displacement reaction, which moiety maintains the precursor in its colorless form at least until said thiazolidinyl group undergoes cleavage.
For a definition of a .beta.-elimination reaction see J. March, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Reactions, Mechanisms and Structure, 2nd Ed., 1977, McGraw Hill, N.Y., pp. 895-922, particularly pp. 904-908. For a discussion of anchimeric assistance see J. March, op cit pp. 280, 310 and 311.
The present invention relates to photographic products and processes which exploit another sequence of reactions to form image dyes from a color shifted dye precursor of a preformed image dye. According to the present invention the acyl group which color shifts or decolorizes the dye chromophore is independent of the assisting group thereby being capable of providing surprisingly faster generation of the image dye in the photographic process.


A driver circuit in an integrated circuit includes a flip-flop circuit and a plurality of AND gates. The flip-flop circuit causes an external control signal which is supplied externally to synchronize with a clock signal, and produces an internal control signal. The AND gates control a plurality of outputs based on a data signal in accordance with the internal control signal. Since the internal control signal is synchronized with the clock signal, changes in the outputs from the AND gates are delayed from the timing of the clock signal. Thus, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of malfunction caused by a switching current to flow in transient of changes in the outputs.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driver circuit of an integrated circuit for driving light emitting elements such as light emitting diodes (LED) or fluorescent display elements, and more particularly to a driver circuit having a plurality of driving outputs.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional driver circuit of the kind to which the present invention relates is shown by a block diagram in FIG. 1. As shown therein, a 4-bit shift register 1 is provided with a DATA terminal for receiving a data signal (hereinafter referred to as "DATA signal") and a CLK terminal for receiving a clock signal (hereinafter referred to as "CLK signal"), and outputs an output signal of 4-bits in synchronization with the CLK signal. A 4-bit latch 2 is provided with a LAT terminal for receiving a latch signal (hereinafter referred to as "LAT signal"), and latches the 4-bit output signal outputted from the shift register 1 in response to the LAT signal. There are four AND gates 3 each having two input terminals to one of which a blank signal (hereinafter referred to as "BLK signal") is externally inputted as an external control signal and to the other of which the output signal from the latch 2 is inputted. The respective AND gates 3 perform logical AND operations on the two inputted signals and output their output signals from respective output terminals Q.sub.0 through Q.sub.3.
The operation of the conventional driver circuit described above is explained with reference to a timing chart shown in FIG. 2. The DATA signal serially inputted to the DATA terminal is loaded in or inputted to the 4-bit shift register 1 in response to the respective leading edges of the CLK signal, and is parallelly outputted from the 4-bit shift register 1. The output signals from the 4-bit shift register 1 are latched by the 4-bit latch 2 when the LAT signal is at a "High" level (hereinafter referred to as "H"), and are supplied to the AND gates 3. When the BLK signal is at a "low" level (hereinafter referred to as "L"), since the AND gates 3 are in their OFF state, the output signals from the output terminals Q.sub.0 -Q.sub.3 are always at "L". Contrary to the above, when the BLK signal turns to "H", since the AND gates 3 become ON, the output signals from the latch 2 are transferred to the output terminals Q.sub.0 -Q.sub.3 through the AND gates 3. In this case, when the BLK signal turns to "H", the output signals from the output terminals Q.sub.0 -Q.sub.3 change from "L" to "H" and, when the BLK signal turns to "L", the output signals from the output terminals Q.sub.0 -Q.sub.3 change from "H" to "L". Consequently, during the transient state of changes in the output signals from the output terminals Q.sub.0 -Q.sub.3, there flows a switching current which causes noise to be produced in signal lines. This switching current is proportional to the number of the outputs so that, where the number of the outputs is N, such current is N times the switching current of a single output.
In the conventional driver circuit, a large switching current to flow during the transient state of changes in the outputs from the output terminals Q.sub.0 -Q.sub.3 causes a voltage drop due to wiring resistance, so that the potentials of the power source voltage and the ground line which are inherently constant become unstable or unavoidably fluctuate. Here, since the BLK signal which is used such as for controlling the luminance of an LED or a fluorescent display element is supplied independently from or asynchronously with the CLK signal, there is a possibility for the potential fluctuations of the power source voltage and the ground line to overlap the leading edge timings of the CLK signal. The overlapping or coincidence of the potential fluctuations of the power source voltage and the ground line with the leading edge timings of the CLK signal leads to the problem that the data signal is erroneously loaded in or inputted to the shift register 1. This is a problem in the conventional driver circuit, which is to be solved by the invention.

Driver circuit for a plurality of outputs


A self-cleaning filter comprises a filter element in a housing. A cleaning unit, movable with respect to the filter element, removes filtered-out solids from the upstream face of the filter element. The cleaning unit includes an axially movable cleaning element engageable with the filter element.

Self-cleaning pressure filter systems are known.
In systems of this kind available from the assignee of this invention, liquid to be filtered enters the interior of a circular cross section, cylindrical filter element, is filtered by passing radially outward through the perforate wall of the filter element and exits as a filtered liquid from the housing containing the filter element. A rotary cleaning unit orbits a longitudinally extending doctor and wiper circumferentially along the inner face of the filter element for the purpose of reducing the build-up of filtered-out solids on the inner face of the filter element. The purpose is to reduce the amount of backwashing required to maintain filtering efficiency, and thereby to reduce the percentage of down time of the filter system.
Although this prior system works well, the present Applicant has found that continuous cleaning can be achieved without need for cleaning elements extending axially the length of the filter element.
Accordingly, the objects and purposes of the present invention include provision of a self-cleaning filter system in which a cleaning element axially reciprocable along the unfiltered liquid side of the filter element cleans filtered-out solids therefrom, in which the same size axially reciprocable cleaning element can be used in filter elements of any length, in which several cleaning elements may be located to simultaneously clean the filter element, in which the build-up of filtered-out solids is minimized on the entire circumference of the filter element, in which the filter element may be cleaned by doctoring and/or wiping actions, in which the filter element and cleaning element are readily removed from the filter housing for repair or replacement, and in which the cleaning apparatus can be constructed at relatively low cost from commonly available materials without special tools.
Further objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with apparatus of this general type upon reading the following description and inspecting the accompanying drawings.


A vehicle includes a right front wheel, a left front wheel, a brake operator, grips, and a steering force transmission which transmits a steering force to the right front wheel and the left front wheel. The steering force transmission includes a steering shaft, a handlebar, and a tie rod. Brake operators, which operate the brakes, and the grips are located on the handlebar, and a rubber damper located on the steering force transmission significantly reduces or prevents vibrations from being transmitted to the grips, wherein the vibrations are due to a difference between a frictional force generated between the right front wheel and a corresponding road surface and a frictional force generated between the left front wheel and a corresponding road surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle including a body frame that is able to lean and two front wheels.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle is known and described in International Publication No. 2012/007819. This vehicle includes a right front wheel and a left front wheel, and a body frame that leans.
The vehicle includes a steering force transmission which controls steering angles of the right front wheel and the left front wheel by turning a handlebar. The steering force transmission includes the handlebar, a steering shaft and a tie rod. Grips are located at both ends of the handlebar. The handlebar is fixed to an upper portion of the steering shaft. The steering shaft is connected to the right front wheel and the left front wheel via the tie rod. The right front wheel and the left front wheel are connected together via the tie rod. When a rider turns the handlebar, the tie rod is displaced via the steering shaft, and the right front wheel and the left front wheel which are connected to the tie rod turn about a right turning axis and a left turning axis, respectively. This movement enables the rider to control the turning angles of the right front wheel and the left front wheel.
In a vehicle with a right front wheel and a left front wheel, since the right front wheel and the left front wheel pass over different road surfaces, a frictional force generated between the right front wheel and the corresponding road surface may differ from a frictional force generated between the left front wheel and the corresponding road surface. Since road surfaces on which the right front wheel and the left front wheel pass change moment by moment while the vehicle is traveling, the frictional forces acting on the right front wheel and the left front wheel also change moment by moment. When a frictional force generated between the right front wheel and the corresponding road surface differs from a frictional force generated between the left front wheel and the corresponding road surface, vibration is generated in a tie rod which is connected to the right front wheel and the left front wheel. This vibration is transmitted to grips via a steering shaft and a handlebar, which may cause a rider discomfort. Since the rider grips the grips when the brakes are applied, the vibration due to different behaviors of the right front wheel and the left front wheel when the brakes are applied tends to be transmitted to the rider.


A sensor for exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine includes a sensing element enclosed in a sensor housing. The sensor housing includes a protective cap having a plurality of openings formed therein for allowing flow of exhaust gases through the protective cap towards the sensing element. The sensor further includes at least one heating element for burning exhaust gas deposits on the sensor.

Internal combustion engines may be provided with sensors for monitoring exhaust gases. Generally, sensors are provided with a sensing element located within a sensor housing intended to be exposed to exhaust gases. Typically, sensors are arranged at the exhaust pipes of an exhaust system by screwing the end portion of the sensor in a threaded bore provided on the exhaust pipe. As a result, the sensing element is exposed to exhaust gases so that sensors can collect exhaust gas data such as temperature, pressure, chemical composition, etc. of the exhaust gases.
Exhaust gas data can be useful for controlling emissions and to improve the efficiency of the engine. For example, sensors like Lambda sensors or oxygen (O2) sensors can be used for closed looped control of the fuel quantity to be injected by injectors to obtain an optimal air/fuel ratio. Such sensors are provided with a sensing element (typically a ceramic element) for detecting the residual oxygen in the exhaust gases. In this way, a precise indication of whether combustion is complete or not is given by the exhaust gas sensor, allowing to improve the efficiency of combustion and to reduce the amounts of both unburnt fuel and nitrogen oxides (NOx) entering the atmosphere. In other words, by monitoring the composition of exhaust gases (e.g. by detecting the residual oxygen in exhaust gases), it is possible to determine if the air/fuel mixture during the combustion was rich or lean and based on this information the air/fuel ratio can be adjusted to obtain an optimal value (in most cases close to stoichiometric).
Normally, the sensing element is arranged in a sensor housing provided with a protective cap (or protective tube) for providing a mechanical protection for the sensing element during shipping. The protective cap is also provided with openings designed to allow gas contact with the sensing element.
During the operation of an internal combustion engine, exhaust products (soot, unburned hydrocarbons, ashes, etc.) are generated which can flow through the exhaust pipe line. As a result, exhaust gas deposit can accumulate so as to partially, or completely, covering the protective cap and/or obstruct the related openings. In this condition the functionality of the exhaust gas sensor (accuracy, response time) is limited or null. Replacement or maintenance of the exhaust gas sensor is thus needed, with consequent waste of time and money.
Furthermore, some exhaust gas sensors (e.g. Lambda sensors) are provided with a sensing element that must be heated up to an operative temperature. In these sensors, a heater is integrated in the sensing element. Thus, after an engine cold start, the sensing element is ready to operate after a time period called "light-off time" during which the sensing element reaches the operating temperature. In some cases, the light-off time can be very long due to the presence of condensed water inside the protective cap. In particular, in order to avoid the contact of condensed water with the hot sensing element, which may damage the sensor and lead to failure, the sensing element is heated slowly, or it is not heated, when the engine is cold. The sensing element reaches the operative temperature and starts its operation only when exhaust gases reach the end of the dew point, so that condensed water is completed removed from the exhaust gas.
During the light-off time, signals coming from exhaust gas sensors cannot be used for regulating the engine operating values (e.g. the air/fuel ratio) and thus only an open loop control can be provided based on predetermined values stored in a map. In this situation, emissions and efficiency of the engine are not optimal.

Exhaust sensor for internal combustion engines