The present invention provides a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of achieving the speeding-up of reading and a reduction in layout area. A control gate electrode of each of memory cell transistors employed in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to the present invention is configured so as to be capable of assuming a first power supply potential (VCC) and a second power supply potential (VPP) higher than the first power supply potential upon its operation. A second NMOS transistor is provided between the gate of a first NMOS transistor that drives a control gate electrode (WL) to the first power supply potential (VCC) and a control signal (/ER) connected to the gate thereof. The source of the second NMOS transistor is inputted with the control signal (/ER) and the drain thereof is connected to the gate of the first NMOS transistor. A PMOS transistor is provided in parallel with the first NMOS transistor. A transfer gate comprising these NMOS and PMOS transistors drives the control gate electrode (WL).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor nonvolatile memory, and particularly to a decode circuit suitable for an electrically data reprogrammable flash memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
An EEPROM has been known as an electrically erasable programmable semiconductor nonvolatile memory. A general EEPROM takes a stacked structure in which a memory cell transistor has a floating gate electrode and a control gate electrode. Upon data erasure, a boost or step-up level (VPP: about 12V) higher than a power supply level (VCC) used in a normal circuit is applied to a control gate electrode (WL) to pull or draw out electrical charges from a flowing gate electrode, thereby controlling the amount of the electrical charges in the floating gate electrode. That is, the amount of the electrical charges in the floating gate electrode is reduced to thereby bring the memory cell transistor into conduction when the power supply level (VCC) is applied to the corresponding control gate electrode (WL). Upon reading, the control gate electrode (WL) is set to the power supply level (VCC) and a decision as to whether data is 1 or 0 is made according to conduction and non-conduction of the memory cell transistor. Thus, two cases arise in which the power supply level (VCC) is applied to the control gate electrode (WL) according to an operation mode and the step-up level (VPP) is applied thereto according to an operation mode.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control gate electrode type decode circuit (decode circuit) of a batch erasable programmable EEPROM (Flash EEPROM). FIGS. 2 through 5 are respectively configurational diagrams of respective circuits used in the decode circuit.
The decode circuit 1 comprises a predecode circuit 18 which inputs address signals A<1:0> and a control signal /CHIP brought to a ground level (VSS) at batch erasure, a redundant element 10 which holds and outputs a redundancy replacement flag (RDDEN) and redundant relief addresses (RA) set to a power supply level (VCC) where redundancy replacement is required, a redundancy determination circuit 12 which inputs the outputs (RA<1:0> and /RA<1:0>) of the redundant element and the outputs (XA<1:0> and /XA<1:0>) of the predecode circuit 18, a redundancy selector 14 which inputs the outputs (RXA<1:0>) of the redundancy determination circuit 12, the outputs (XA<1:0> and /XA<1:0>) of the predecode circuit 18 and the control signal /CHIP, a decoder array 16 which inputs the outputs (XEN and RXEN) of the redundancy selector 14, the outputs (XA<1:0> and /XA<1:0>) of the predecode circuit 18 and a control signal (ERASE), and a charge pump circuit 20 which supplies a boost or step-up level (VPP) to a boost or step-up power supply line (VEP) when the control signal ERASE is of the power supply level (VCC), and supplies the power supply level (VCC) to the step-up power supply line (VEP) when the control signal ERASE is of the ground level (VSS).
The decoder array 16 comprises a plurality of decoders (XDEC) 50 through 56 each of which inputs one of the outputs XA<0> and /XA<0> of the predecode circuit 18 and one of the outputs XA<1> and /XA<1> thereof, and the output XEN of the corresponding redundancy selector 14, a redundant decoder (RXDEC) 58 which inputs the output RXEN of the redundancy determination circuit 12, and a level shifter (LS1) which inputs the control signal (ERASE).
Each of the decoders (XDEC and RXDEC) comprises a logic gate (NA) which decodes each address, an inverter (INV) which inputs the output of the logic gate (NA), a transfer gate (CM00) of which the source is connected to the output of the inverter (INV) and the drain is connected to its corresponding control gate electrode (WL), a level shifter (LS0) which inputs the output of the logic gate (NA) and the output of the inverter (INV), and a transfer gate (CM01) of which the source is connected to the output of the level shifter (LS0) and the drain is connected to its corresponding control gate electrode (WL).
The transfer gate (CM00) comprises a PMOS transistor whose gate is configured as the output (ER) of the level shifter LS1, and an NMOS transistor whose gate is configured as the output (ER) of the level shifter LS1.
The transfer gate (CM01) comprises a PMOS transistor whose gate is configured as the output (ER) of the level shifter LS1, and an NMOS transistor whose gate is configured as the output (ER) of the level shifter LS1.
The operation of the conventional decode circuit 1 will be explained below with being divided into a read operation (a), an erase operation (b) and a batch erase operation (c).
(a) Read Operation
When data is read from the EEPROM-(Flash EEPROM), a control signal /CHIP is set to a power supply level (VCC) and a control signal ERASE is held at a ground level (VSS) In this condition, address signals A<1:0> are inputted. Owing to the setting of the control signal /CHIP to the power supply level (VCC) at this time, a step-up power supply line (VEP) assumes the power supply level (VCC) and the control signal ERASE is set to the ground level (VSS). Thus, the output ER of the level shifter LS1 results in the ground level (VSS) and the output /ER thereof assumes the power supply level (VCC)
The outputs (RDDEN, RA<1:0> and /RA<1:0>) of the redundant element 10 respectively hold a predetermined logic level. That is, when no redundancy replacement is required, the RDDEN is held at the ground level (VSS), whereas when the redundancy replacement is required, the RDDEN holds the power supply level (VCC) and redundancy relief address data holds a potential corresponding to a control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3) that needs replacement.
When address signals A<1:0> are inputted, the predecode circuit 18 converts the address signal A<n> (where n=0 and 1) into complementary address signals XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) and /XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) and outputs them.
If the value of the output RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) of the redundant element 10 is of the power supply level (VCC), then the redundancy determination circuit 12 outputs the address signal XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) to the corresponding redundant address RXA<n> (where n=0 and 1), whereas if the value of the output RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) is of the ground level (VSS), then the redundancy determination circuit 12 outputs the address signal /XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) to the corresponding redundant address RXA<n> (where n=0 and 1).
That is, when the value of the output RXA<n> (where n=0 and 1) of the redundancy determination circuit 12 is of the power supply level (VCC), the value of the RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) assumes the power supply level (VCC) and the address signal XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) is brought to the power supply level (VCC). Alternatively, the value of the /RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) assumes the power supply level (VCC) and the address signal /XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) assumes the power supply level (VCC). Thus, the input address A<n> (where n=0 and 1) and the redundant relief address RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) are brought into coincidence.
When information (based on XA<1:0> and /XA<1:0> outputted from the predecoder 18 and RXA<1:0> outputted from the redundancy determination circuit 12) about the coincidence of the input addresses A<1:0> and the redundant relief addresses RA<1:0> is transmitted to the redundancy selector 14, the redundancy selector ANDs all the redundant addresses RXA<1:0> and the redundancy replacement flag RDDEN to thereby make a decision as to whether or not redundancy replacement is required. When the redundancy replacement is required, the redundancy selector outputs the power supply level (VCC) and the ground level (VSS) to the RXEN and XEN respectively. When no redundancy replacement is required, the redundancy selector outputs the ground level (VSS) and the power supply level (VCC) to the RXEN and XEN respectively.
Each of the decoders constituting the decoder arrays 50 through 58 ANDs one of the address signals (XA<0> and /XA<0>), one of the address signals XA<1> and /XA<1>, and the output XEN of the redundancy selector and thereby selects the corresponding control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3). Further, the corresponding redundant control gate electrode RWL is selected according to the output RXEN of the redundancy selector.
When no redundancy replacement is required, for example, that is, the XEN is of the power supply level (VCC) and the RXEN is of the ground level (VSS), the input addresses A<1:0> are transmitted from the predecoder 18 to the decoders, and the result of a decision as to whether the redundancy replacement is required, is transmitted to each corresponding decoder via the predecoder circuit 18 and the redundancy determination circuit 12, whereby the control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3) corresponding to the input addresses A<1:0> is selected.
When the redundancy replacement is required, that is, the XEN is of the ground level (VSS) and the RXEN is of the power supply level (VCC), the result of a decision as to whether the redundancy replacement is required, is transmitted to the corresponding decoder via the predecoder 18, redundancy determination circuit 12 and redundancy selector 14 so that the corresponding redundancy control gate electrode RWL is selected.
Since, at this time, the result of the decision as to whether the redundancy replacement is required, is transmitted to the corresponding decoder via the predecoder 18, redundancy determination circuit 12 and redundancy selector 14, the control gate electrodes WL<3:0> are brought to non-selection.
In the decoder which drives the selected control gate electrode, the output of a logic gate NA changes from the power supply level (VCC) to the ground level (VSS), and the output of an inverter INV changes from the ground level (VSS) to the power supply level (VCC). Since, at this time, a gate signal ER of a PMOS transistor constituting the transfer gate (CM00) and a gate signal /ER of an NMOS transistor constituting the transfer gate (CM00) are of the ground level (VSS) and the power supply level (VCC) respectively, the selected control gate electrode WL is driven to the power supply level (VCC) by the transistors constituting the transfer gate (CM00).
During the above operation, the control signal ERASE holds the ground level (VSS), and the charge pump circuit 20 inputted with the control signal ERASE supplies the power supply level (VCC) to the step-up power supply line (VEP).
(b) Erase Operation
When the data stored in the EEPROM (Flash EEPROM) is erased, a control signal /CHIP is set to a power supply level (VCC) and a control signal ERASE is held at a ground level (VSS). In this condition, address signals A<1:0> are inputted. Owing to the setting of the control signal /CHIP to the power supply level (VCC) at this time, a step-up power supply line (VEP) assumes the power supply level (VCC) and the control signal ERASE is set to the ground level (VSS). Thus, the output ER of the level shifter LS1 takes the ground level (VSS) and the output /ER thereof assumes the power supply level (VCC). The outputs (RDDEN, RA<1:0> and /RA<1:0>) of the redundant element 10 respectively hold a predetermined logic level.
When no redundancy replacement is required, the RDDEN holds the ground level (VSS)). When the redundancy replacement is required, the RDDEN holds the power supply level (VCC)), redundancy relief address data holds a potential corresponding to a control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3) that needs replacement.
When the address signals A<1:0> are inputted, the predecode circuit 18 converts the address signal A<n> (where n=0 and 1) into complementary address signals XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) and /XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) and outputs them.
If the value of the output RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) of the redundant element 10 is of the power supply level (VCC), then the redundancy determination circuit 12 outputs the address signal XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) to the corresponding redundant address RXA<n> (where n=0 and 1), whereas if the value of the output RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) is of the ground level (VSS), then the redundancy determination circuit 12 outputs the address signal /XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) to the corresponding redundant address RXA<n> (where n=0 and 1).
When the value of the output RXA<n> (where n=0 and 1) of the redundancy determination circuit 12 is of the power supply level (VCC), the value of the RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) assumes the power supply level (VCC) and the address signal XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) is brought to the power supply level (VCC). Alternatively, the value of the /RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) assumes the power supply level (VCC) and the address signal /XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) assumes the power supply level (VCC). Thus, the input address A<n> (where n=0 and 1) and the redundant relief address RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) are brought into coincidence.
When information about the coincidence of the input addresses A<1:0> and the redundant relief addresses RA<1:0> is transmitted to the redundancy selector 14 via the predecoder 18 and the redundancy determination circuit 12, the redundancy selector 14 ANDs all the redundant addresses RXA<1:0> and the redundancy replacement flag RDDEN to thereby make a decision as to whether or not redundancy replacement is required. When the redundancy replacement is required, the redundancy selector outputs the power supply level (VCC) and the ground level (VSS) to the RXEN and XEN respectively. When no redundancy replacement is required, the redundancy selector outputs the ground level (VSS) and the power supply level (VCC) to the RXEN and XEN respectively.
Each of the decoders constituting the decoder array 16 ANDs one of the address signals XA<0> and /XA<0>, one of the address signals XA<1> and /XA<1>, and the output XEN of the redundancy selector 14 and thereby selects the corresponding control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3). Further, the corresponding redundant control gate electrode RWL is selected according to the output RXEN of the redundancy selector 14.
When no redundancy replacement is required, for example, that is, the XEN is of the power supply level (VCC) and the RXEN is of the ground level (VSS), the input addresses A<1:0> are transmitted from the predecoder 18 to the decoders, and the result of a decision as to whether the redundancy replacement is required, is transmitted to the corresponding decoder via the predecoder 18, the redundancy determination circuit 12 and the redundancy selector 14, whereby the control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3) corresponding to the input addresses A<1:0> is selected.
When the redundancy replacement is required, that is, the XEN is of the ground level (VSS) and the RXEN is of the power supply level (VCC), the result of a decision as to whether the redundancy replacement is required, is transmitted to the corresponding decoder via the predecoder 18, the redundancy determination circuit 12 and the redundancy selector 14 so that the corresponding redundancy control gate electrode RWL is selected.
since, at this time, the result of the decision as to whether the redundancy replacement is required, is transmitted to the corresponding decoder via the predecoder 18, redundancy determination circuit 12 and redundancy selector 14, the control gate electrodes WL<3:0> are brought to non-selection.
When the control signal ERASE is next raised from the ground level (VSS) to the power supply level (VCC), the charge pump circuit 20 inputted with the control signal ERASE supplies a step-up level (VPP) to its corresponding step-up power supply-line (VEP), and the output /ER of the level shifter (LS1) is changed to the ground level (VSS) and the output ER thereof is transitioned to the step-up level (VPP).
Owing to the supply of the step-up level (VPP) to the step-up power supply line (VEP), the output of the level shifter (LS0) in the decoder which drives the selected control gate electrode, is changed to the step-up level (VPP) and the output /ER thereof is brought to the ground level (VSS), whereby the selected control gate electrode is driven to the step-up level (VPP) through the corresponding level shifter (LS0) and transfer gate (CM01).
(c) Batch Erase Operation
When the data of the EEPROM (Flash EEPROM) is collectively erased, a control signal /CHIP is first set to a power supply level (VCC) and a control signal ERASE is held at a ground level (VSS). Owing to the setting of the control signal /CHIP to the power supply level (VCC) at this time, a step-up power supply line (VEP) assumes the power supply level (VCC) and the control signal ERASE is set to the ground level (VSS). Thus, the output ER of the level shifter LS1 takes the ground level (VSS) and the output /ER thereof assumes the power supply level (VCC). The outputs (RDDEN, RA<1:0> and /RA<1:0>) of the redundant element respectively hold a predetermined logic level.
When no redundancy replacement is required, the RDDEN holds the ground level (VSS). When the redundancy replacement is required, the RDDEN holds the power supply level (VCC), redundancy relief address data holds a potential corresponding to a control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3) that needs replacement.
When the control signal /CHIP is transitioned to the ground level (VSS) in this condition, the predecode circuit 18 outputs the power supply level (VCC) to both of complementary address signals XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) and /XA<n> (where n=0 and 1).
since both of the complementary address signals XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) and /XA<n> (where n=0 and 1) are of the power supply level (VCC), the redundancy determination circuit 12 outputs the power supply level (VCC) to the redundant addresses RXA<1:0> without depending on the output RA<n> (where n=0 and 1) of the redundant element 10. Since the control signal /CHIP is of the ground level (VSS), the redundancy selector 14 outputs the power supply level (VCC) to both of the XEN and RXEN.
On the other hand, each of the decoders constituting the decoder array 16 ANDs one of the address signals XA<0> and /XA<0>, one of the address signals XA<1> and /XA<1>, and the output XEN of the redundancy selector 14 and thereby selects the corresponding control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3). Further, the corresponding redundant control gate electrode RWL is selected according to the output RXEN of the redundancy selector 14. However, all the control gate electrodes WL<3:0> and the redundant control gate electrode RWL are selected to bring all of the inputs of the decoders and redundant decoder to the power supply level (VCC).
In the decoder which drives the selected control gate electrode, the output of a logic gate NA changes from the power supply level (VCC) to the ground level (VSS), the output of an inverter INV changes from the ground level (VSS) to the power supply level (VCC), and the output of a level shifter (LS0) is transitioned to the power supply level (VCC).
When the control signal ERASE is next raised from the ground level (VSS) to the power supply level (VCC), the charge pump circuit 20 supplies a step-up level (VPP) to its corresponding step-up power supply line (VEP), and the output /ER of a level shifter (LS1) is changed to the ground level (VSS) and the output ER thereof is transitioned to the step-up level (VPP).
Owing to the supply of the step-up level (VPP) to the step-up power supply line (VEP), the output of the level shifter (LS0) in the decoder which drives the selected control gate electrode, is changed to the step-up level (VPP) and the output /ER thereof is brought to the ground level-(VSS), whereby the selected control gate electrode is driven to the step-up level (VPP) through the corresponding level shifter (LS0) and transfer gate (CM01).
since the control gate electrode is driven to a step-up level (VPP: about 12V) higher than a power supply level (VCC) used in a normal circuit upon data erasure in the EEPROM (Flash EEPROM), all the MOS transistors connected to the control gate electrodes and the boost or step-up power supply line (VEP) need a withstand voltage greater than the step-up level (VPP: about 12V).
In general, high withstanding of each MOS transistor is realized by thickening a gate oxide film and lengthening a gate length to thereby relax an electric field between respective terminals of the MOS transistors. However, a problem arises in that the MOS transistors are reduced in drive capacity.
In the conventional decode circuit, the level shifters (LS0 and LS1) and the transfer gates (CM00 and CM01) are respectively made up of high-withstand MOS transistors. However, the control gate electrode at reading is driven through the transfer gate (CM00). Thus, the reduction in the drive capacity of each of the MOS transistors constituting the transfer gate (CM00) incurs a delay in the operation of the control gate electrode. This delay is noticeable in particular upon the rise of a control gate electrode (WL) by a P type MOS transistor lower in channel mobility.
As a method of suppressing the delay in the rise of the control gate electrode, there has been known a method of expanding a gate width of each of P type MOS transistors constituting a transfer gate (CM00) to thereby ensure drive capacity of the transfer gate (CM00). Since, however, the transfer gate (CM00) needs a long gate width for the purpose of its high withstanding and is required for each control gate electrode, an increase in layout area cannot be avoided.
Even in the case of either a case in which the control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3) is selected or a case in which the control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3) is not selected, the conventional decode circuit needs the transfer of the result of a decision as to whether redundancy replacement is required, to the corresponding decoder via a predecoder, a redundancy determination circuit and a redundancy selector in addition to a path through which the input address A<n> is transmitted. Therefore, a delay in reading occurs in the path.
In the conventional decode circuit, all the control gate electrodes (WL<3:0> and RWL) are driven to the step-up level (VPP) upon batch erasure regardless of whether the redundant relief is required. There is, however, a possibility that when a defect with a leak has occurred in the control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3), for example, the control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3) having such a leak will be driven to a step-up level (VPP), thus causing a reduction in the step-up level (VPP) due to the leak from the control gate electrode WL<m> (where m=0, 1, 2 and 3).
On the other hand, since a control gate electrode WL<i> (where i≠m) having no defect is also driven to the step-up level (VPP), there is a possibility that a failure will occur even in the control gate electrode WL<i> (where i≠m) having no defect where the step-up level (VPP) is reduced.


A data storage device (DSD) includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) media for storing data. A last resort zone of the NVM media is associated with a higher risk of data loss or data corruption than other portions of the NVM media and is reserved as unavailable for storing data. It is determined whether a current data storage capacity and/or an environmental condition for the NVM media has reached a threshold. The last resort zone is set as available for storing data if it is determined that the threshold has been reached and data is written in the last resort zone.

Data Storage Devices (DSDs) are often used to record data onto or to reproduce data from a storage media. One type of storage media includes a rotating magnetic disk where a magnetic head of the DSD can read and write data in tracks on a surface of the disk.
Data stored on the disk may become susceptible to corruption or data loss due to a variety of conditions. For example, data stored on a particular area of the disk surface may become unreadable if the DSD is dropped and components of the DSD contact the disk surface. In another example, contaminants or surface defects may also cause loss or corruption of data written on the disk.

Data management for a data storage device using a last resort zone


The invention generally relates to containers for cell and tissue culturing with multiple compartments in fluid communication with each other to provide a common culture environment in each of the compartments while maintaining physical separation of cells and tissue therein. The invention further relates to culture containers providing a sterile culture environment with detachably coupleable lids and open access to each compartment within a container.

While certain tissues in the human body, such as skin, are capable of self-repair (e.g., wound healing), there are many tissues that are not. For example, articular cartilage has no innate ability to repair itself, rendering any damage thereto permanent. Articular cartilage lines opposing bone surfaces in diarthrodial joints and provides a smooth, lubricated surface for articulation. Accordingly, defects in articular cartilage tend to expand and worsen over time. Damage to the articular cartilage in joints such as the knee can lead to debilitating pain.
Typical treatment choices, depending on lesion and symptom severity, are rest and other conservative treatments, minor arthroscopic surgery to clean up and smooth the surface of the damaged cartilage area, and other surgical procedures such as microfracture, drilling, and abrasion. All of these may provide symptomatic relief, but the benefit is usually only temporary, especially if the person's pre-injury activity level is maintained. For example, severe and chronic forms of knee joint cartilage damage can lead to greater deterioration of the joint cartilage and may eventually lead to a total knee joint replacement. Approximately 200,000 total knee replacement operations are performed annually. The artificial joint generally lasts only 10 to 15 years and the operation is, therefore, typically not recommended for people under the age of fifty.
An alternative treatment is implantation of cultured neo-cartilage (i.e., immature hyaline cartilage) which can be grown in-vitro to a desired size and shape on a 3D scaffold from chondrocyte cells biopsied from the patient (autologous) or from another individual (heterologous). Examples of this process are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,949,252; 7,537,780; 7,468,192; 7,217,294; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/208,931. An exemplary method for 3D culture of neo-cartilage is shown in FIG. 8 and includes the steps of isolating chondrocyte cells from a biopsy, 2D growth of cells, seeding of a 3D scaffold, and two culturing steps. The first culturing step takes place under controlled pressure, oxygenation, and perfusion conditions to mimic the joint environment while the second culturing step is a 3D static culture.
Along with the neo-cartilage for implantation, multiple other surrogate tissues are simultaneously cultured in the same vessel in order to permit pre-implantation testing and verification procedures without damaging the neo-cartilage to be implanted.
Current culture containers include narrow opening flask-type containers with a sealing cap with a gas-permeable filter membrane but the 3D static culture procedure presents multiple challenges which are unmet by current culture containers. For example, the surrogates and the neo-cartilage to be implanted need to be cultured in the same conditions in a common fluid to enable validation through surrogate testing. However, in current containers, the surrogates and neo-cartilage can grow into one another as they mature and then require separation which can damage the cells and scaffolds. Another problem stems from the fact that the tissues must be submerged in fluid during the 3D static culture but the buoyancy of the cultures varies during tissue growth. The 3D static culture process takes 2 weeks and requires incubation throughout the process, taking up space in expensive incubators and limiting production efficiency and capacity using bulky flask-type containers. Additionally, the surrogates and the neo-cartilage to be implanted must be transferred from one container to another during the 2 week process and then must be removed from the container before final packaging for distribution and implantation. Manipulation of the neo-cartilage to be implanted and the surrogates through the narrow opening of the current culture containers is difficult and can cause damage to the cells. These challenges are not unique to 3D static culturing of neo-cartilage and apply to a variety of cell and tissue culturing procedures.


An electrophotographic photoreceptor is disclosed. It comprises a photosensitive layer on an electrically conductive support and the photosensitive layer contains at least one compound of 0.001 to 10 weight percent selected from dioxolan and dioxolan derivatives, and titanylphthalocyanine or titanylphthalocyanine/vanadylphthalocyanine mixed crystal.

In recent years, research and development have increasingly been conducted on electrophotographic photoreceptors having a photosensitive layer comprising a variety of organic photoconductive compounds as the main component. Particularly, a number of investigations have been carried out on the function-separating type photoreceptors in which a charge generation function and a charge transport function are shared with different materials, respectively, because each of the materials may be selected from a wide range of materials, and photoreceptors having optional performance can rather readily be prepared and many of them have been put into practical use.
These photoreceptors are manufactured by coating, on an electrically conductive support in the layered structure, compounds having the charge generating function and the charge transport function. Accordingly, the photoreceptor has generally a multilayer structure, and a coating composition, prepared by dissolving solid compounds in a solvent, is coated in the presence of the solvent.
Many organic solvents, having high dissolving power and an appropriate boiling point, particularly suitable for industrial use are, harmful. Solvents having excellent properties such as, for example, halogen based solvents exhibit a more adverse trend.
Solvents are employed for the production of the photoreceptors. Therefore, they cannot be employed if they possess neither good dissolving power nor appropriate boiling point, or if they adversely affect characteristics required for the electrophotographic photoreceptor. Thus, a solvent which meets all these requirements is urgently needed.
Titanylphthalocyanine having a maximum peak at 27.2.degree..+-.0.2.degree. of Bragg 2.theta. for Cu--K.alpha. line contains several water molecules per titanylphthalocyanine molecule in the crystal. These water molecules assist the dissociation process of the ion pair formed from the excited state of S1 in the course of the generation of a carrier to a free carrier with borrowing an electric field force. Accordingly, it has been known that in this crystal, a high quantum yield is obtained which is not found in the other crystal form. (Kinoshita, Summaries of Electrophotographic Society Third Technical Course, page 22, 1991) Therefore, in order to consistently take out the characteristics of titanylphthalocyanine having a maximum peak at 27.2.degree..+-.0.2.degree. of Bragg 2.theta. for Cu--K.alpha. line, it is important that water molecules are capable of being abundantly present in the crystal. Due to this, there has been a problem of great variation in sensitivity under environments of low temperature and humidity, which reduce water content in the photoreceptor upon drying. In order to solve this problem, conventionally, a moisture maintaining technique has been investigated in which diol is incorporated in a carrier generating layer. However, when a compound comprising an OH group having high polarity, such as diol, is abundantly present in the photosensitive layer, there have been associated problems in which variation in electric potential is large during usage and no sufficient durability is obtained.

Electrophotographic photoreceptor, and an image-forming apparatus and method of using the same


Disclosed herein is a method for drawing a strip initially cast by means of a twin roll strip casting apparatus. The method comprises a roll gap maintenance step where roll gap is maintained, a casting initiation step where a stopper is disengaged from a tundish hole so that molten metal is poured into a space between the rolls, and the rolls are rotated at speed v0 of each of the rolls if the position of the stopper is higher than the actually poured position of the molten metal, a casting speed acceleration step where a roll repulsive force is detected when the molten metal is solidified to the leader strip and passes between the rolls, and the casting speed is accelerated if the roll repulsive force reaches a load threshold, and a normal control step where the casting speed is detected, and if the casting speed reaches a target value.

As well known to those skilled in the art, molten metal maintained at a prescribed temperature passes between rotating rolls of a twin roll strip casting apparatus so that a strip having a thickness desired by users is manufactured. In the case of casting a strip having such desired thickness, it is very important to accurately control a gap defined between the rolls of the twin roll strip casting apparatus. Moreover, it is very important to safely draw the cast strip to a coiler.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a strip casting process in a general twin roll strip casting apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, the strip casting process is carried out from a molten metal receiving space 7 defined between two rolls of the twin roll strip casting apparatus, which are rotated in opposite directions, such as a stationary roll 1 and a movable roll 2. When a stopper 5 is moved upward so that the stopper 5 is disengaged from a tundish hole 6 of a tundish 3, the molten metal is supplied from the tundish 3 to the molten metal receiving space 7 defined between the stationary roll 1 and the movable roll 2 through the tundish hole 6 and a nozzle 4. The molten metal supplied to the molten metal receiving space 7 is solidified between the rolls 1 and 2 within 0.2 second. The solidified metal is rolled to form a strip 10, which is wound onto a coiler 12 via a discharge line 11. The height of the molten metal is detected by means of a height-detecting sensor 8 for detecting the height of the molten metal. It is basically considered that the height of the molten metal reaches a target value immediately after the strip casting process is initiated.
According to the conventional method for drawing a strip initially cast by means of the twin roll strip casting apparatus, the strip having passed between the rolls of the twin roll strip casting apparatus is drawn via the discharge line 11. When the strip casting process is initiated, the stopper 5 is moved upward so that the stopper 5 is disengaged from the tundish hole 6 of the tundish 3. Consequently, the molten metal is supplied from the tundish 3 to the molten metal receiving space 7. At this time, a first portion of the molten metal passes between the rolls 1 and 2 while being solidified. Subsequently, the solidified strip 10, which follows the first solidified portion of the molten metal, is successively rolled between the rolls 1 and 2, drawn along the discharge line 11, and wound onto the coiler 12.
In the conventional method for drawing the initially cast strip, however, timing of the drawing is not accurately established. In the case that a solidification transition procedure of the molten metal is unstable as described above, all subsequent normal operations may not be carried out. Especially when excessive solidification of the strip occurs in the course of initial solidification, the rolls may be damaged. When the strip is not appropriately solidified, on the other hand, the strip may be broken, or the molten metal may flow out, which leads to suspension of the operations. Furthermore, a leader strip may be molten due to the molten metal having a high temperature in the case that the above-mentioned procedure is not smoothly carried out.
The process of drawing the initially cast strip, which is carried out when the strip casting process is initiated, is very important, and therefore a method for efficiently carrying out the above-mentioned process is increasingly required.

Method of startup procedure of strip in the twin roll strip casting process


A blur correction camera system includes a blur correction lens driven based upon the vibration detection signal detected by an angular velocity sensor, that corrects an image blur, a point-image function computing unit that computes a point spread function, and an image restoration computing unit that corrects an image blur by executing image restoration through image processing on a captured image by using the point spread function. The image blur that cannot be completely corrected by the blur correction lens is further corrected through image restoration so as to obtain a high quality image.

There are cameras known in the related art, that have a blur correcting function for preventing an unsteady hand movement during a photographing operation from lowering the quality of the captured image. Blurring is corrected in such a camera by adopting one of the following two primary methods.
The first method is an optical blur correction method in which a vibration of the camera is detected by using a vibration detection sensor such as an angular velocity sensor or an acceleration sensor and a blur is corrected by driving an optical system such as a photographic lens or a variable apex-angle prism in correspondence to the extent of the detected vibration (see, for instance, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. S61-240780).
The second method is an electronic blur correction method in which the extent of blur is determined based upon the difference between the captured image and a previous image having been stored in memory on a temporary basis and the blur is corrected when reading out the image (see, for instance, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. S63-187883). Through either of these two methods, the blur is corrected in real-time when the image is photographed.
There is another technology known in the related art which is used as an alternative blur correction method to those described above, through which a degraded image is restored as a blur-free image, unaffected by any unsteady hand movement. For instance, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. S62-127976 discloses a method in which degradation of an image caused by a vibration occurring during the photographing operation is expressed as a point spread function and the image is restored as a blur-free image based upon the point spread function. There is also a technology known in the related art adopted in conjunction with a camera equipped with a vibration detection means alone, through which hand movement information is recorded and a blur is corrected by executing image restoration processing based upon the information when reproducing the image (see, for instance, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. H 6-276512).
A specific method adopted in the image restoration processing is now explained. The term "image restoration" refers to a restoration of a blurred image, achieved by processing the blurred image based upon blur-related information so as to obtain an image manifesting a lesser extent of blurring.
With (x, y) representing positional coordinates on an image plane, o(x, y) representing an image obtained without experiencing any vibration (hereafter referred to as a raw image), z(x, y) representing an image degraded due to vibration (hereafter referred to as a blurred image) and p(x, y) representing information of a point image having become spread due to vibration (hereafter referred to as a point spread function), o(x, y), z(x, y) and p(x, y) achieve a relationship expressed as follows;z(x,y)=o(x,y)*p(x, y,)  (1)In the expression above, "*" indicates a convolution (convoluted integration) arithmetic operation, which is expressed specifically as follows;z(x, y)=∫∫σ(x, y)p(x−x′, y−y′)dx′ dy′  (2)When the relationship is transformed into a relationship in a spatial frequency (u, v) range through a Fourier transform, expressions (1) and (2) are rewritten as follows;Z(u, v)=O(u, v)·P(u, v)  (3)
Z(u, v), O(u, v) and P(u, v) respectively represent the spectrums of z(x, y), o(x, y) and p(x, y). In addition, P(u, v) in expression (3) is specifically referred to as a spatial frequency transfer function.
If the point-image function p(x, y) can be somehow ascertained in addition to the blurred image z(x, y), their spectrums can be computed and then the spectrum O(u, v) of the raw image can be computed by using the following expression (4), which is a modified form of expression (3).
                              O                                (                          u              ,              v                        )                          =                              Z                                      (                              u                ,                v                            )                                            P                                      (                              u                ,                v                            )                                                          (        4        )
1/P(u, v) in expression (4) is specifically referred to as an inverse filter. The raw image o(x, y) can be determined through an inverse Fourier transformation of the spectrum computed by using expression (4). FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c) and FIGS. 7(a) to 7(d) illustrate the image restoration executed in the related art.
In order to simplify the explanation, it is assumed that a uniform blur has occurred along a single axis (the X axis), as shown in FIG. 6(b).
FIG. 7 (a) shows a section taken from the point spread function. The results of a Fourier transformation executed on this section in FIG. 7(a), which are shown in FIG. 7(b), constitute the spatial frequency transfer function of the blur shown in FIG. 6(a). This transfer function has characteristics of special interest in that it assumes the value 0 at a plurality of points. The inverse filter of this function manifests instances of infinity, as shown in FIG. 7(c). When the inverse filter is incorporated in expression (4), the phenomenon expressed as in (5) below occurs with regard to a specific spatial frequency and, in such a case, the spectrum value of the raw image is indeterminate.
                                          O                                      (                              u                ,                v                            )                                =                                                    Z                                                  (                                      u                    ,                    v                                    )                                                            P                                                  (                                      u                    ,                    v                                    )                                                      =                                          0                0                            =              indeterminate                                                                                (        5        )
When the transfer function indicates the value 0, there is a frequency component that has not been transferred in the case of a blur (information has been lost), and accordingly, the expression above indicates that the lost frequency component cannot be restored. This, in turn, means that the complete recovery of the raw image is not possible.
It is to be noted that a Wiener filter expressed as below is actually used in the image restoration so as to ensure that the inverse filter does not manifest infinity.
                                                        P              *                                                  (                              u                ,                v                            )                                                                                                            P                                                        (                                          u                      ,                      v                                        )                                                                              2                        +                          1              /              c                                                                                C                          :                                                          constant                            (        6        )
FIG. 7(d) is a graph of the Wiener filter.
The use of the Wiener filter ensures that O(u, v) is not allowed to become indeterminate, unlike in expression (5).
However, the following problems exist in the optical blur correction and the image restoration in the related art described above.
(Problems of Optical Blur Correction)
An angular velocity sensor is normally used to detect vibration in the optical blur correction. In order to convert the angular velocity detected with the angular velocity sensor to an angle, the value (reference value) output from the sensor while it is in a resting state during the operation is needed. However, this reference value is known to be readily affected by drift attributable to temperature changes. This issue is now explained in detail in reference to FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b).
FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) show the angular velocity sensor output containing the drift component, reference value outputs and the extent of blur manifesting on the image surface.
FIG. 8(a) shows the change occurring in the angular velocity sensor output value over time and in order to simplify the explanation, it is assumed that a vibration due to a hand movement, represented as a sine wave, has occurred. In FIG. 8(a), a waveform e0 indicates the vibration sensor output when a vibration due to a hand movement represented as a sine wave has occurred. In addition, waveforms e1 and e2 each represent a reference value computed through a low pass filter, with the cutoff frequency in the waveform e1 set lower than in the waveform e2. The output value in FIG. 8(a) indicates that the center of the vibration shifts (drifts) as time elapses due to environment-related factors.
FIG. 8(b) shows the extents of blurs in the image surface manifesting after executing blur correction based upon the angular velocity sensor output and the reference values in FIG. 8(a). Waveforms f0, f1 and f2 in FIG. 8(b) respectively correspond to the waveforms e0, e1 and e2 in FIG. 8(a), with the waveform f0 representing the extent of blur manifesting in the image surface when no blur correction has been executed. The waveform f1 indicates that by using the reference value e1 with a lower cutoff frequency than that in the waveform f2, the high frequency component is clipped more effectively but the extent of blur increases over time. The waveform f2, on the other hand, indicates that while the drift is reduced compared to that manifesting in the waveform f1 by using the reference value with a higher cutoff frequency, the high-frequency component attributable to the hand movement cannot be eliminated.
As described above, the requirements that need to be satisfied to eliminate an image blur caused by an unsteady hand movement and the requirements that need to be satisfied to reduce the extent of the adverse effect of drift conflict with each other, and it is difficult to select an optimal cutoff frequency for the low pass filter, at which the image blur can be corrected to a desired extent and the effect of the drift, too, is minimized. For this reason, a detection error is bound to manifest in the detected vibration extent, which gives rise to a problem in that blurring is not completely eliminated from the image having undergone the optical blur correction.
In addition, an optical blur correction apparatus often includes a switch operated to switch on/off a blur correction operation, and if the user fails to turn on the switch and a blur correction is not executed during the photographing operation, a blurred image will result.
(Problems of Image Restoration)
Next, the problems of image restoration are explained.
It is known in the related art that the resolution of an image obtained through restoration processing executed on a blurred image by using a Wiener filter is improved over that of the raw image. However, since the filter value is fairly large at a spatial frequency (u′, v′) at which P(u′, v′)≈0, the noise component is amplified if the noise contained in the image includes the spatial frequency component. This gives rise to a problem in that the image quality is lowered by an unnecessary stripe pattern that is bound to manifest in the image. While this stripe pattern does not pose a very serious problem as long as the initial blurring is insignificant, it manifests prominently if the extent of blurring is significant and in such a case, the stripe pattern becomes problematic.
In addition, cameras having an image restoration processing function in the related art are not capable of optically correcting blur but simply record output data from a vibration sensor such as an angular velocity sensor and execute restoration processing based upon the vibration information when reproducing the image. Thus, there is a problem in that if an image blur occurs to a great extent, the image quality cannot be improved through the image restoration processing due to the adverse effect of the stripe pattern described above and the like.
Furthermore, while the point-image function needed in the image restoration processing is computed based upon information such as the angular velocity sensor output and an image restoration computation is executed based upon the results of the computation of the point-image function, the volume of data output from the angular velocity sensor is extremely large, which necessitates lengthy arithmetic operations to be executed to result in poor computation efficiency. There is another problem in that it requires a high-speed arithmetic processing unit.
Moreover, even when the data needed for the image restoration are recorded into a recording medium or are transmitted to an external recipient without executing the point-image function computation or the image restoration computation, the great volume of data requires a large-capacity recording medium and a high-speed recording means or a high-speed communication means. Thus, the image restoration cannot be realized with ease and the implementation of the image restoration may lead to an increase in the cost.


An organic electroluminescent device includes first and second substrates facing and spaced apart from each other, the first and second substrates including a pixel region; a gate line on an inner surface of the first substrate; a data line crossing the gate line; a switching thin film transistor connected with the gate line and the data line; a driving thin film transistor connected with the switching thin film transistor; a power line connected with the driving thin film transistor; a first electrode on an inner surface of the second substrate; a first sidewall and a second sidewall on the first electrode at a boundary of the pixel region, the first sidewall and the second sidewall spaced apart from each other; an electroluminescent layer on the first electrode in the pixel region; a second electrode on the electroluminescent layer in the pixel region; and a connection electrode electrically connected to the first and second substrates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescent device, and more particularly, to a dual plate organic electroluminescent device that includes a first substrate having a thin film transistor array unit and a second substrate having an organic electroluminescent unit, and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, an organic electroluminescent device (ELD) emits light by injecting electrons from a cathode and holes from an anode into an emission layer, combining the electrons with the holes, generating an exciton, and transitioning the exciton from an excited state to a ground state. Unlike the case for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an additional light source is not necessary for the organic ELD to emit light because the transition of the exciton between states causes light to be emitted in the organic ELD. Accordingly, the size and weight of the organic ELD is less than a comparable liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The organic ELD has other desirable characteristics, such as a low power consumption, superior brightness and a fast response time. Because of these advantageous characteristics, the organic ELD is regarded as a promising candidate for use in various next-generation consumer electronic applications, such as cellular phones, car navigation systems (CNS), personal digital assistants (PDA), camcorders and palmtop computers. Moreover, since fabricating an organic ELD is a relatively simple process compared to an LCD device and has fewer processing steps than an LCD device, an organic ELD is much cheaper to produce than an LCD device. Two different types of organic ELDs exist: passive matrix and active matrix.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic electroluminescent device according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, an organic electroluminescent device (ELD) 30 has a first substrate 32 that faces and is spaced apart from a second substrate 48. An array layer 34, including a thin film transistor (TFT) "T," is formed on an inner surface of the first substrate 32. A first electrode 36, an organic electroluminescent (EL) layer 38, and a second electrode 40 are sequentially formed over the array layer 34. The organic EL layer 38 may separately display red, green, and blue colors for each pixel region "P."
The first substrate 32 and the second substrate 48 are attached with a sealant 47. An organic ELD is encapsulated by attaching the first substrate 32 to the second substrate 48. A moisture absorbent desiccant 41, which eliminates moisture and oxygen that may penetrate into a capsule of the organic electroluminescent layer 38, is positioned on the second substrate 48. More particularly, a portion of the second substrate 48 is etched and the moisture absorbent desiccant 41 is place in the etched portion and affixed by a holding element 25.
FIG. 2 is a schematic plane view showing an array layer of an organic electroluminescent device according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 2, an array layer of an organic electroluminescent device (ELD) includes a switching element "TS," a driving element "TD" and a storage capacitor "CST." The switching element "TS" and the driving element "TD" may include a combination of switching elements including at least one thin film transistor (TFT). A first substrate 32, which may be transparent insulating substrate, on which the array layer is formed may be made of glass or plastic. A gate line 42 and a data line 44 crossing each other are formed on the first substrate 32. A pixel region "P" is defined by the gate line 42 and the data line 44. An insulating layer (not shown) is interposed between the gate line 42 and the data line 44. A power line 55, which crosses the gate line 42, is parallel to and spaced apart from the data line 44.
The switching element "TS" shown in FIG. 2 is a thin film transistor that includes a switching gate electrode 46, a switching active layer 50, a switching source electrode 56, and a switching drain electrode 60. Similarly, the driving element "TD" in FIG. 2 is a thin film transistor that includes a driving gate electrode 68, a driving active layer 62, a driving source electrode 66, and a driving drain electrode 63. The switching gate electrode 46 is connected to the gate line 42 and the switching source electrode 56 is connected to the data line 44. The switching drain electrode 60 is connected to the driving gate electrode 68 via a first contact hole 64 that exposes a portion of the driving gate electrode 68. The driving source electrode 66 is connected to the power line 55 via a second contact hole 58 that exposes a portion of the power line 55. Moreover, the driving drain electrode 63 is connected to a first electrode 36 in the pixel region "P." The power line 55 overlaps a first capacitor electrode 35 with the insulating layer interposed therebetween in order to form the storage capacitor "CST."
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along a line "III—III" of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, a driving thin film transistor (TFT) "TD" is formed on a first substrate 32 and includes a driving active layer 62, a driving gate electrode 68, a driving source electrode 66, and driving drain electrode 63. An insulating layer 67 is formed on the driving TFT "TD" and a first electrode 36 is formed on the insulating layer 67 and is connected to the driving drain electrode 63. An organic electroluminescent (EL) layer 38 is formed on the first electrode 36, and a second electrode 40 is formed on the organic EL layer 38. The first electrode 36, the second electrode 40, and the organic EL layer 38 interposed between the first and second electrodes constitute an organic electroluminescent (EL) diode "DEL". A storage capacitor "CST," which includes a first capacitor electrode 35 and a second capacitor electrode, is electrically parallel with the driving TFT "TD." More particularly, a portion of a power line 55 (of FIG. 2) that overlaps the first capacitor electrode 35 is used as the second capacitor electrode 55. The second capacitor electrode 55a is connected to the driving source electrode 56. The second electrode 40 is formed over the driving TFT "TD," the storage capacitor "CST" and the organic EL layer 38 on the first substrate 32.
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a sidewall of a substrate according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of pixel regions "P" are defined in a substrate 80. A plurality of first electrodes 82 are formed on the substrate 80. Each of the first electrodes 82 is respectively located in one of the pixel regions "P." In addition, a sidewall 84 having a positive slope is formed at a boundary of the pixel regions "P." A plurality of electroluminescent layers 86 are formed on each of the first electrodes 82. In other words, each of the electroluminescent layers 86 is in each of the pixel regions "P." In addition, a second electrode 88 is formed over the surface of the sidewall 84 and the organic electroluminescent layers 86. The sidewall 84 separates neighboring pixel regions "P." The electroluminescent layers 86 can be formed by an evaporation process using a mask.
The sidewall 84 in FIG. 4 has a taper shape such that a width of the sidewall 84 gradually decreases from the second electrode 88 to the substrate 80. The sides of the sidewall 84 make an angle "θ1" greater than about 90° with respect to the second substrate 80, as shown in FIG. 4. The first electrodes 82 are bottom electrodes are formed in each of the pixel regions "P," and the second electrode 88 is top electrode formed over the first electrodes 82 and electroluminescent layers 86 on the substrate 80. However, since a process using a mask takes time and requires mask alignment processes, a shadow mask process using the sidewalls has been suggested.
FIG. 5 is a schematic plane view showing a sidewall structure according to the related art. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross sectional view taken along a line "VI—VI" of FIG. 5 including electroluminescent layers and second electrodes. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a plurality of pixel regions "P" are defined on a substrate 90. A first electrode 92 is formed on the substrate 90. Sidewalls 94 having a negative slope are formed on the first electrode 92 at boundaries of the pixel regions "P." The sidewall 94 has a taper shape such that a width of a sidewall 94 gradually increases from the substrate 90. In addition, sides of the sidewall 94 make an angle "θ2" smaller than about 90° with respect to the substrate 90.
An electroluminescent material 95 and a second electrode material 97 are sequentially deposited on the first electrode 92 and are patterned into a plurality of electroluminescent layers 96 and a plurality of second electrodes 98, respectively. The sidewalls 94 having inverted taper shape automatically separate the electroluminescent layers 96 and the second electrodes 98 into each pixel region "P." Therefore, the electroluminescent material 95 and the second electrode material 97 are positioned between the sidewalls 94. However, the separated electroluminescent material 95 and the second electrode material 97 in each of the pixel regions "P" are not connected to another electroluminescent material 95 and another second electrode material 97 in another pixel regions "P," since the height and the tapered shape of the sidewall 94 prevented them from shorting to each other.
FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an evaporation process by a shadow mask method. Generally, separate electrodes for each pixel can be formed by a thermal evaporation method or an e-beam evaporation method using a shadow mask process. FIG. 7 shows that the substrate 90 having the sidewall 94, as shown in FIG. 6, and a metal source 99, which is spaced apart from the substrate 90, facing the substrate. The metal source 99 has a small area in comparison with the substrate in general.
In a portion "A" of the substrate 90, which is an area of the substrate 90 that does not correspond to an area of the metal source, materials from the metal source 99 are deposited at a slanted deposition angle "α1." Thus, the materials are deposited on a side of the sidewall 94. Accordingly, a metal layer can form on the sidewall 94 that may connect to a second electrode in a pixel region "P." Further, as the size of the substrate 90 increases relative to the area of the metal source 99, the short problem becomes greater. To solve this short problem, a sidewall having a very large inverted taper has been suggested. However, since the sidewall material has low heat reliability and low mechanical hardness, it is difficult to solve the short problem with a sidewall having a big inverted taper shape. A sidewall should have a shape, such as a mushroom, to be reliably used as a separating means. However, a two-layer stack of sidewall material has to be used to form the mushroom shape, which is a complicated process and increases production cost.
An organic electroluminescent device using a polymeric material has been developed recently. An organic electroluminescent device using the polymeric material is called a polymer light emitting diode (PLED) or polymer electroluminescent device (PELD) to distinguish from an organic electroluminescent device using a monomeric material. The polymeric material has a higher heat stability and better mechanical hardness than the monomeric electroluminescent device. Problems, such as investment costs of evaporation apparatus for the monomeric material and limitation of display size, can be solved by the polymeric material. The PLED uses less power because PLED has a lower driving voltage than a driving voltage in the monomeric electroluminescent device. In addition, various methods can be used to generate the emission of different colors. Accordingly, a patterning method of the polymeric material in the PLED is desired.
FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an organic electroluminescent device using a negative sidewall applied to PLED according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of pixel regions "P" are defined in a substrate 90, and a first electrode 92 is formed on the substrate 90. Sidewalls 94 having a negative slope are formed on the first electrode 92 at boundaries of the pixel regions "P." In addition, a plurality of polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c are formed on the first electrode 92, and polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c are divided into each of the pixel regions "P" by the sidewalls 94.
The sidewalls 94 have an inverted taper shape, such as an inverted trapezoid, and thus outsides of one of the sidewalls 94 make an angle "θ2" that is smaller than about 90° with respect to the substrate 90. The electroluminescent layer 96 (of FIG. 5) is deposited by thermal evaporation method, but the polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c are coated by spin coating a solution type polymeric material, generally. Therefore, it is difficult for the polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c to have a uniform depth over an entire surface substrate in all of the pixel regions "P" due to the polymeric material property.
As shown in FIG. 8, first depths "d1" of the polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c near one of the sidewalls 94 are higher than second depths "d2" of the polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c in the center of each of the pixel regions "P." Since the polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c are made of a solution type material and are located in each of the pixel regions "P." The sidewalls 94 having a negative slope surrounds each of the polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c at the boundary of the pixel regions "P." At this moment, when the polymeric electroluminescent material are coated over the substrate 90 having the sidewalls 94, the polymeric electroluminescent layer 91a, 91b and 91c can not have a uniform depth due to a surface tension of the polymeric electroluminescent material with the sidewalls 94. Therefore, a top surface of the polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c may contact a top portion of the sidewall 94. This may cause non-division problem of an electrode in the substrate process. Further, the polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c may not be formed in a center of each pixel region "P."
The sidewalls 94 have an inverted trapezoid shape to divide neighboring pixel regions "P" automatically. However, a plurality of second electrodes 93a, 93b and 93c may not be divided due to the boundary surface rise of the polymeric electroluminescent layers 91a, 91b and 91c. Therefore, neighboring second electrodes 93a, 93b and 93c are connected to each other, and signals can not be independently applied to each of the pixel regions "P." Accordingly, if the polymeric electroluminescent material is applied to an organic electroluminescent device including a negative slope sidewall, it is difficult for each of the polymeric electroluminescent layers and the second electrodes to be divided into each of the pixel regions, respectively.
When an array layer of TFTs and organic EL diodes are all formed on the same substrate, a production yield of an organic ELD is determined by a multiplication of TFT's yield and organic EL layer's yield. Since an organic EL layer's yield is relatively low, the production yield of an ELD is limited by the organic EL layer's yield. For example, even when a TFT is well fabricated, an organic ELD can be judged as being bad due to defects of an organic EL layer using a thin film of about 1000 Å thickness. This limitation causes a loss of materials and a rise in production cost.
Organic ELDs are classified into a bottom emission type and a top emission type according to a transparency of the first and second electrodes and of the organic EL diode. The bottom emission type ELDs are advantageous for their high image stability and variable fabrication processing due to an encapsulation. However, the bottom emission type organic ELDs are not adequate for implementation in devices that require high resolution due to the limitations of the increased aperture ratio in that type of organic ELDs. On the other hand, since top emission type organic ELDs emit light in a direction upward of the substrate, the light can be emitted without influencing the array layer that is positioned under the organic EL layer. Accordingly, the overall design of the array layer including TFTs may be simplified. In addition, the aperture ratio can be increased, thereby increasing the operational life span of the organic ELD. However, since a cathode is commonly formed over the organic EL layer in the top emission type organic ELDs, materials selection and light transmittance are limited such that light transmission efficiency is lowered. If a thin film type passivation layer is formed to prevent a reduction of the light transmittance, the thin film type passivation layer may fail to prevent infiltration of exterior air into the device.

Substrate having organic electroluminescent device and method of fabricating the same


The administration of cytotoxic agents followed by the administration of heat shock protein 90 inhibitors, such as ansamycins, has a synergistic effect on the growth inhibition of cells. This synergy occurs at doses of each cytotoxic agent that normally only causes minimal growth inhibition of cells. Such combination therapy thus allows one to use lower doses of cytotoxic agents to avoid or reduce their respective toxicity to patients without compromising their growth inhibitory effects. Thus, these combinations can be used for the treatment of an animal, preferably a mammal, that has a cell proliferative disorder, whether the cells have wild-type Rb or are Rb deficient or Rb negative. One such method, directed to treating cell proliferative disorders includes the step of administering a therapeutic effective amount of a cytotoxic agent followed by administering a therapeutic effective amount of a heat shock protein 90 inhibitor. The cytotoxic agent may be a microtubule-affecting agent, topoisomerase II inhibitor, a platinum complex, paclitaxel, or a paclitaxel derivative. The HSP90 inhibitor may be an ansamycin, radicicol or a synthetic compound that binds to the ATP-binding site of HSP90.

Present treatments for cell proliferative diseases include surgery, treatment with cytotoxic agents, radiation, and combinations of the preceding. Treatment with cytotoxic agents, also referred to throughout this specification as antineoplastic agents or chemotherapeutic agents, often produces significant toxic side effects, including destruction of normal cells. Well-characterized toxicities include nausea and vomiting, myelosuppression, alopecia and mucosity. Serious cardiac problems are also associated with certain combinations of cytotoxic agents, e.g., doxorubicin and paclitaxel, but are less common.
Example classes of cytotoxic agents include, for example, the anthracycline family of drugs, the vinca alkaloids, the mitomycins, the bleomycins, the cytotoxic nucleosides, the taxanes, the epothilones, discodermolide, the pteridine family of drugs, diynenes and the podophyllotoxins. Members of those classes include, for example, doxorubicin, carminomycin, daunorubicin, aminopterin, methotrexate, methopterin, dichloromethotrexate, mitomycin C, porfiromycin, 5-fluorouracil, 6-mercaptopurine, gemcitabine, cytosine arabinoside, podophyllotoxin or podophyllotoxin derivatives, such as etoposide, etoposide phosphate or teniposide, melphalan, vinblastine, vincristine, leurosidine, vindesine, leurosine, paclitaxel and the like. Other useful antineoplastic agents include estramustine, cisplatin, carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, bleomycin, gemcitibine, ifosamide, melphalan, hexamethyl melamine, thiotepa, cytarabin, idatrexate, trimetrexate, dacarbazine, L-asparaginase, camptothecin, CPT-11, topotecan, ara-C, bicalutamide, flutamide, leuprolide, pyridobenzoindole derivatives, interferons and interleukins.
Taxanes and vinca alkaloid drugs are microtubule-affecting agents. Both taxanes and vinca alkaloids are based on naturally occurring compounds derived from plants. The taxanes are derived from the needles and twigs of the European yew, or the bark of the Pacific yew. Vinca alkaloids are derived from the periwinkle plant.
An example of a taxane is Taxol® (paclitaxel), which is a complex diterpene. Studies have shown that paclitaxel blocks and/or prolongs cells in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. The inability of paclitaxel-treated cells to pass through G2 of the cell cycle may result from paclitaxel binding to and stabilizing microtubules (Schiff, P. B. and Horwitz, S. B., 1980, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 77:1561–1565). Stabilization of the microtubles prevents the normal reorganization of the microtubules necessary for interphase and mitotic functions (Wani et al., 1971, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 93, 2325–2327; Schiff, P. B., supra). Taxol® also blocks the migration behavior of cells in culture (reference).
Paclitaxel has been shown to possess cytotoxicity and antitumor activity against certain cancers, including those not effectively treated by other cancer treatments. Further, paclitaxel was approved by the FDA in 1992 for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer and in 1994 for the treatment of breast cancer. Paclitaxel is currently in clinical trials for the treatment other cancers, including lung cancer. Additionally, paclitaxel has been reported to increase the sensitivity of cells to the effects of ionizing radiation (see, U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,777).
Another class of antineoplastic agents are platinum complexes. Examples of such complexes are cisplatin and carboplatin. Platinum complexes are thought to disrupt DNA function by binding to DNA. For example, cisplatin kills tumor cells via formation of covalent, cross- or intrastrand DNA adducts (Sherman et al., 1987, Chem. Rev., 87, 1153–81).
Platinum complexes are often associated with side effects. For example, Cisplatin treatment can result in renal toxicity. Additionally, Carboplatin treatment often results in hematologic toxicity. Both cisplatin and carboplatin can cause neurotoxic effects, and gastrointestinal distress, such as nausea and vomiting.
Yet another class of antineoplastic drugs are topoisomerase II inhibitors. At present the FDA has approved six antineoplastic drugs, which inhibit topoisomerase II. These drugs include doxorubicin, daunorubicin, idarubicin, mitoxantrone, etoposide, and anteniposide. Doxorubicin, idarubicin, and daunorubicin belong to the class of topoisomerase inhibitors known as anthracyclines. Mitoxantrone belongs to the class know as anthraquinone. Etoposide and teniposide belong to the class of compounds known as podophyllotoxin.
Anthracyclines antibiotics were initially isolated from fermentation products of Streptomyce peucetus. The most widely used anthracycline is doxorubicin. It is used in a wide variety of cancers, including lymphomas, breast cancer, sarcomas, Kaposi's sarcoma and leukemias. It is one of the primary drugs used for the treatment of breast cancer and soft tissue sarcomas.
Doxorubicin has serious side effects, including suppression of white blood cell and platelet formation. Doxorubicin can also cause heart damage due to the formation of free-radical intermediates which destroy myocardial cells. All patients who take doxorubicin suffer hair loss.
Another class of antineoplastic agents are the ansamycins. Ansamycin antibiotics are natural products derived from Streptomyces hygroscopicus that have profound effects on eukaryotic cells. The ansamycins were originally isolated on the basis of their ability to revert v-src transformed fibroblasts (Uehara, Y. et al., 1985, J. Cancer Res., 76: 672–675). Subsequently, they were shown to have antiproliferative effects on cells transformed with a number of oncogenes, particularly those encoding tyrosine kinases (Uehara, Y., et al., 1988, Virology, 164: 294–98). inhibition of cell growth is associated with apoptosis and, in certain cellular systems, with induction of differentiation (Vasilevskaya, A. et al., 1999, Cancer Res., 59: 3935–40). An ansamycin derivative, 17-allylamino 17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), is currently in phase I clinical trials. The use of ansamycins as anticancer agents are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,261,989, 5,387,584 and 5,932,566. The preparation of the ansamycin, geldanamycin, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,955 (incorporated herein by reference).
The eukaryotic heat shock protein 90s (HSP90s) are ubiquitous chaperone proteins, which bind and hydrolyze ATP. The role of HSP90s in cellular functions are not completely understood, but recent studies indicate that HSP90s are involved in folding, activation and assembly of a wide range of proteins, including key proteins involved in signal transduction, cell cycle control and transcriptional regulation. For example, researchers have reported that HSP90 chaperone proteins are associated with important signaling proteins, such as steroid hormone receptors and protein kinases, including many implicated in tumorigenesis, such as Raf-1, EGFR, v-Src family kinases, Cdk4, and ErbB-2 (Buchner J., 1999, TIBS, 24:136–141; Stepanova, L. et al., 1996, Genes Dev. 10:1491–502; Dai, K. et al., 1996, J. Biol. Chem. 271:22030–4).
In vivo and in vitro studies indicate that without the aid of co-chaperones HSP90 is unable to fold or activate proteins. For steroid receptor conformation and association in vitro, HSP90 requires Hsp70 and p60/Hop/Sti1 (Caplan, A., 1999, Trends in Cell Biol., 9: 262–68). In vivo HSP90 may interact with HSP70 and its co-chaperones. Other co-chaperones associated with HSP90s in higher eukaryotes include Hip, Bag1, HSP40/Hdj2/Hsj1, Immunophillins, p23, and p50 (Caplan, A. supra).
Many ansamycins, such as herbimycin A (HA) and geldanamycin (GM), bind tightly to a pocket in the HSP90s (Stebbins, C. et al., 1997, Cell, 89:239–250). The binding of ansamycins to HSP90 has been reported to inhibit protein refolding and to cause the proteasome dependent degradation of a select group of cellular proteins (Sepp-Lorenzino, L., et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem., 270:16580–16587; Whitesell, L. et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 91: 8324–8328).
The ansamycin-binding pocket in the N-terminus of Hsp90 is highly conserved and has weak homology to the ATP-binding site of DNA gyrase (Stebbins, C. et al., supra; Grenert, J. P. et al., 1997, J. Biol. Chem., 272:23843–50). This pocket has been reported to bind ATF and ADP with low affinity and to have weak ATPase activity (Proromou, C. et al., 1997, Cell, 90: 65–75; Panaretou, B. et al., 1998, EMBO J., 17: 4829–36). In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that occupancy of the pocket by ansamycins alters HSP90 function and inhibits protein refolding. At high concentrations, ansamycins have been reported to prevent binding of protein substrates to HSP90 (Scheibel, T., H. et al, 1999, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:1297–302; Schulte, T. W. et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem. 270:24585–8; Whitesell, L., et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 91:8324–8328). Alternatively, they have also been reported to inhibit the ATP-dependent release of chaperone-associated protein substrates (Schneider, C., L. et al., 1996, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93:14536–41; Sepp-Lorenzino et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem. 270:16580–16587). In both models, the unfolded substrates are degraded by a ubiquitin-dependent process in the proteasome (Schneider, C., L., supra; Sepp-Lorenzino, supra.) Therefore, ansamycins act as generalized inhibitors of HSP90 function or as agents that mimic or antagonize the regulatory effects of endogenous ligands that bind to the pocket.
In both tumor and nontransformed cells, binding of ansamycins to HSP90 has been reported to result in the degradation of a subset of signaling regulators. These include Raf (Schulte, T. W. et al., 1997, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 239:655–9; Schulte, T. W., et al., 1995, J. Biol Chem. 270:24585–8), nuclear steroid receptors (Segnitz, B., and U. Gehring. 1997, J Biol. Chem. 272:18694–18701; Smith, D. F. et al., 1995, Mol. Cell. Biol. 15:6804–12), v-src (Whitesell, L., et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:8324–8328) and certain transmembrane tyrosine kinases (Sepp-Lorenzino, L. et al.,. 1995, J. Biol. Chem. 270:16580–16587) such as EGF receptor (EGFR) and Her2/Neu (Hartmann, F., et al., 1997, Int. J. Cancer 70:221–9; Miller, P. et al., 1994, Cancer Res. 54:2724–2730; Mimnaugh, E. G., et al., 1996, J. Biol. Chem. 271:22796–801; Schnur, R. et al., 1995, J. Med. Chem. 38:3806–3812). The ansamycin-induced loss of these proteins is said to lead to the selective disruption of certain regulatory pathways and results in growth arrest at specific phases of the cell cycle (Muise-Heimericks, R. C. et al., 1998, J. Biol Chem. 273:29864–72).
Combination therapy utilizing 17-AAG for the treatment of certain cancers has been discussed. For example, Nguyen, D. et al., 1999, Journal Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 118:908–915, report that concurrent treatment of non-small cell lung cancer cells in vitro with 17-AAG and Taxol® enhances the toxicity of paclitaxel.
Cyclin D in complex with Cdk4 or Cdk6 and cyclin E-Cdk2 phosphorylate the protein product of the retinoblatoma gene, Rb. Researchers have reported that the protein product of the Rb gene is a nuclear phosphoprotein, which arrests cells during the G1 phase of the cell cycle by repressing transcription of genes involved in the G1 to S phase transition (Weinberg, R. A., 1995, Cell, 81:323–330). Dephosphorylated Rb inhibits progression through late G1, in part, through its interaction with E2F transcription family members, which ultimately represses the transcription of E2F target genes Dyson, N., 1998, Genes Dev., 12: 2245–2262). Progressive phosphorylation of Rb by the cyclin-dependent kinases in mid to late G1 leads to dissociation of Rb from Rb-E2F complexes, allowing the expression of E2F target genes and entry into the S phase.
The retinoblastoma gene product is mutated in several tumor types, such as retinoblastoma, osteosarcoma and small-cell lung cancer. Research also indicates that in many additional human cancers the function of Rb is disrupted through neutralization by a binding protein, (e.g., the human papilloma virus-E7 protein in cervical carcinoma; Ishiji, T, 2000, J Dermatol., 27: 73–86) or deregulation of pathways ultimately responsible for its phosphorylation. Inactivation of the Rb pathway often results from perturbation of p16INK4a, Cyclin D1, and Cdk4.
Most cancer therapies are not successful with all types of cancers. For example, solid tumor types ultimately fail to respond to either radiation or chemotherapy, so there remains a need for cancer treatments which target specific cancer types. Further, the treatment of cancers and other cell proliferative diseases usually requires the use of cytotoxic agents, which have severe side effects. Therefore, a need exists for more effective treatments, especially those with fewer adverse side effects than currently available. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides related advantages as well. The present invention provides novel methods for treating cell proliferative disorders through the use of ansamycins in combination with cytotoxic agents.

Methods for enhancing the efficacy of cytotoxic agents through the use of HSP90 inhibitors

Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research


Methods and materials are provided for the production and purification of halogenated compounds and intermediates in the production of 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane. In a preferred embodiment, the process steps include: (1) reacting carbon tetrachloride with vinyl chloride to produce 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane; (2) dehydrochlorinating the 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane with a Lewis acid catalyst to produce 1,1,3,3-tetrachloropropene; (3) fluorinating the 1,1,3,3-tetrachloropropene to produce 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene; (4) fluorinating the 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene to produce a product mixture containing 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane; and (5) separating 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane from by-products.

Numerous methods are disclosed for the preparation of 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (CF3CH2CF2H, HFC-245fa). These methods vary widely, due in part to the different starting materials and reaction conditions involved.
HFC-245fa is a known chemical species that has found use as a foam blowing agent and also as a refrigerant. HFC-245fa has been prepared according to one known process via the treatment of 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (CHCl═CHCF3, HCFC-1233zd) with excess HF. However, purification of HFC-245fa from the resulting reaction mixture is difficult because HFC-245fa, HCFC-1233zd and HF are difficult to separate by distillation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,084 to Nakada et al., discloses a process wherein 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane (CCl3CH2CHCl2) is reacted with HF in the gaseous phase in the presence of a fluorination catalyst to form HCFC-1233zd, which is then reacted with HF in the gaseous phase to produce (HFC-245fa).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,825 to Elsheikh et al., discloses a process wherein HCFC-1233zd is reacted with HF to form 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (CF3CH═CHF) followed by further HF addition to form HFC-245fa.
Although the above described methods serve to produce HFC-245fa, these preparations are characterized by numerous disadvantages, including expensive raw materials, poor yields and poor selectivity which preclude their use on a commercial scale.

Process for preparing halogenated alkanes


Systems and methods for chaining data between electric vehicles and electric vehicle stations are disclosed. In an example, an electric vehicle can share a charging profile with a charging station, and the charging station can share collective charging data with the electric vehicle. The collective charging data can include charging profile data electric vehicles which have previously charged at the charging station. Based on the shared data both the electric vehicle and the charging station can perform one or more functions based on the shared data.

Electric vehicles have been gaining popularity as a primary mode of transportation, and as such, many public places have installed charging stations to allow drivers to charge electric vehicles while parked. In this regard, not only can the drivers charge their electric vehicles at home, but can also charge at a parking spot at an office, shopping mall, city center, or other areas having parking spaces with installed charging stations. Typically, electric vehicle systems operate based on information provided by the user of the electric vehicle or from information provided from an electric vehicle manufacturer. Further, charging stations typically operate on minimal information (e.g., power level) provided by an electric vehicle, when connected for charging an electric vehicle. However, both electric vehicles and charging stations can benefit from operating based on information, data and functions relating to each other and other electric vehicles.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for systems and methods for chaining data between electric vehicles and electric vehicle stations.


An assembly device between two sections of a double-skinned fuel pipe of an aircraft has a clamp for assembling the internal pipes, a coupling device for assembling the external pipes, a fitting extending between the ends of the external pipes of the first and second sections, with a shape complementary to the shape of an internal portion of the coupling device, and such that its section through any cutting plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis common to the coupling device and the external pipes contains the smallest surface delimited by: a line corresponding to the intersection of the internal surface of the coupling device with this cutting plane and a straight line cutting said line at two points, this straight line being tangential to the orthogonal projection in this cutting plane, of the internal surface of the external pipes of the first or of the second section.

Modern aircraft, in particular transport planes, have fuel pipes which allow fuel to be transported between different portions of said aircraft. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, a plane 1 has a first fuel pipe 4 between a central tank 2, 2a, 2b situated in a central portion of the plane (central section and/or wings) and an auxiliary power unit (APU) 8 situated in the rear portion of the plane's fuselage, so as to supply fuel to said APU device. Some planes also have an auxiliary tank 6 situated in the rear portion of the plane's fuselage or in a stabilizer fixed on this rear portion of the fuselage. In a case of this kind, a second fuel pipe 5 is disposed between this auxiliary tank 6 and the central tank 2, so as to allow exchanges of fuel between these tanks. These fuel pipes are of double-skinned design, so as to prevent fuel from being able to spread in the plane in the event of a leak. A fuel pipe of this kind is therefore made up of an internal pipe inserted in an external pipe. For practical installation reasons in the plane, this fuel pipe is made up of a plurality of sections assembled together and fixed to the plane's structure by means of supports. A first and a second consecutive section are thereby assembled together thanks to an assembly device. As depicted in FIG. 2, this assembly device 14 has a clamp 28 allowing one end of the internal pipe 20a of the first section to be assembled with one end of the internal pipe 20b of the second section. This assembly device likewise comprises a coupling device 24 allowing one end of the external pipe 22a of the first section to be assembled with one end of the external pipe 22b of the second section. For practical installation reasons in the plane, this end of the external pipe 22b of the second section comprises a part 26 which can, moreover, guarantee a fixing function to the structure of the plane. Sealing gaskets 30 are provided to guarantee the tightness of the assembly device 14. However, when the plane is in flight, its structure is subjected to deformations which can sometimes lead to leaks affecting the assembly devices 14 between the different sections of a fuel pipe fixed to said structure. In a case of this kind, fuel may be discharged at the clamp 28 between the first internal pipe 20a and the second internal pipe 20b. Given that the fuel pipe is double-skinned, the fuel which is discharged at the clamp is retained in the space formed between the internal pipes and the external pipes. As depicted in FIG. 3, a drain 10 is connected to a portion of the fuel pipe 4 representing a low point of said fuel pipe when the aircraft is on the ground. This drain allows any fuel retained in the space formed between the internal pipes and the external pipes to be removed towards the ground. This drain generally also has an indicator 12 which enables a fuel leak in the space formed between the internal pipes and the external pipes to be signaled. This indicator may, for example, be formed by a transparent capsule which fills up with fuel when fuel is discharged through the drain. This allows a maintenance operative to detect a leak of this kind easily. In such a case, the maintenance operative generally checks the assembly devices between the different sections of the pipe. If necessary, he tightens clamps or replaces worn gaskets. Once the maintenance operations are complete, he empties the indicator so that it is once again able to perform its function. However, given the conformation of the coupling device 24 between the external pipes 22a and 22b of the first section and of the second section at each assembly device 14, fuel may remain trapped in the different assembly devices without being discharged through the drain. This phenomenon is illustrated in FIG. 4, which represents an assembly device 14 between two sections of pipes depicted in a substantially horizontal position. The coupling device 24 forms a low point between the external pipe 22a of the first section and the external pipe 22b of the second section in which fuel 32 may accumulate without being able to escape unless the slope of the assembly device and of the pipe sections is modified. A modification of this kind of the slope of the assembly device and of the pipe sections may particularly take place while an aircraft is in flight. This means that following an aircraft maintenance operation in which a fuel leak problem in the space formed between the internal pipes and the external pipes has been solved, a change in the incline of the aircraft during flight can cause fuel which has accumulated in said low point formed by the coupling device to able to escape from said low point and move into the space formed between the internal pipes and the external pipes. This fuel may therefore migrate as far as the drain 10 and fill the indicator 12. Following this aircraft flight, the indicator may therefore contain fuel when there has not been a fresh leak. This may lead a maintenance operative to conduct a fruitless search for a fresh leak, even though the fuel contained in the indicator comes from a previous leak that has already been repaired.

Assembly device for double-skinned aircraft fuel pipes


A tubular golf ball retrieving and dispensing device that includes a tubular main body for storage of the retrieved balls with an open retrieving/dispensing end. A one-way detent obstructs the retrieving/dispensing end so that balls may be forced past the detent into the storage tube, but the balls will not exit the tube past the detent until a release mechanism retracts the detent. A handle at the distal end of the storage tube includes a triggering device for the release mechanism.

Golf is a sport that, to be played well, demands a significant amount of practice. Practice for golf can only be had by performing as many stroke repetitions as possible to create the muscle memory to reproduce an effective swing or putt. The problem is that to strike a large number of balls, the player must either collect all the balls hit, or pay for someone else to do it. The latter method, i.e. buying a bucket of balls at a driving range, is quite often the method of choice, but can become quite expensive.
Therefore, many players use a "shag bag" or similar device that contains a significant number of practice balls. The player takes his bag and club(s) to the practice area, and drops some or all of the balls on the ground. The player then hits the balls toward a target for his practice session. The problem arises in that the balls must then be retrieved.
The prior art discloses many devices that utilize a tubular element in which to collect balls. Typically, these devices are constructed with a restricting means in a first end. The golf balls are forced past the restricting means and into the tube storage area. The tube is then inverted to release balls from the other end of the tube. Some examples of this type of prior art device are the "Apparatus for Retrieving Disbursed Objects" by Duncan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,510, issued Apr. 10, 1996; the "Ball Retrieving and Storage Device" by Hockey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,027, issued Nov. 14, 1995; "Devices for Picking Up Balls" by Parkinson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,336, issued Nov. 15, 1977; and the "Deformable Ball Retrieving, Retaining, and Dispensing Device" by Summers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,410, issued Feb. 23, 1993.
One problem with these straight tube devices is that the tube must be inverted to dispense the balls. With a storage tube of any size, this can be an awkward and unwieldy operation.
One prior art device addresses this drawback by installing a releasable detent in an open end of the tube. The "Golf Ball Dispensing and Retrieving System" of Tiller, U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,101, issued Sep. 15, 1992, discloses a tubular device with a detent mechanism that is pushed aside to allow the ball to enter the tube, and then is released by a triggering mechanism when the user wishes to use the balls for practice. One limitation to the Tiller device is that it envisions placing the tube in a stationary position and operating the release mechanism with either a user's hand or the golf club.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tubular golf ball retrieving and dispensing device that includes a release means that allows the user to dispense balls from the same end of the tube in which the balls are collected.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device that allows the user to move about while dispensing balls so that the balls are not dispensed in a single location.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a convenient handle means at an end of the tube distal from the ball retrieving/dispensing end.

Golf ball retrieving and dispensing device