An implantable article including a biocompatible substrate and a bioactive strontium-substituted calcium phosphate ceramic apatite coating chemically bonded to at least a portion of the surface of the biocompatible substrate, wherein the strontium-substituted calcium phosphate ceramic apatite coating includes nanopores, nanocrystals and strontium ions, and includes a hexagonal crystal structure of apatite having a molar ratio of strontium ions to calcium ions of about 0.0001 to about 0.5, and the strontium ions inhibit bone resorption in vitro and enhance bone formation in vivo so that the implantable article exhibits enhance fixation and bone ingrowth in and around the implantable article.

It is desirable to apply mineralized and/or ceramic coatings to a variety of articles. Biological implants (e.g., medical implants) represent one class of articles to which such coatings are frequently applied. The substrate to which such a coating is applied is usually a metal or a plastic, but the coating can be applied to other substrates such as ceramic and silicon.
Biological implants, such as joint and dental prostheses, usually must be permanently affixed or anchored within bone. In some instances it is acceptable to use a bone cement to affix the prosthesis within bone. In the case of many joint prostheses, however, it is now more common to affix the joint prosthesis by encouraging natural bone ingrowth in and around the prosthesis. Bone-to-implant interfaces that result from natural bone ingrowth tend to be stronger over time and more permanent than are bone cement-prosthesis bonds.
Optimal bone ingrowth requires that natural bone grow into and around the prosthesis to be implanted. Bone ingrowth and prosthesis fixation can be enhanced by providing irregular beaded or porous surfaces on the implant. Although various materials, including titanium alloys, are biocompatible, they are not necessarily bioactive because they can neither conduct bone formation nor form chemical bonds with bone.
Thus, enhanced fixation of implants within bone can be attained by coating the implant with a bioactive mineralized and/or ceramic material. Such coatings have been shown to encourage more rapid bone ingrowth in and around the prosthesis.
Various techniques are used to apply mineralized and/or ceramic coatings to bioimplantable substrates. These coatings are typically made of ceramics and tend to be characterized by a relatively large crystal size. These coatings can be applied by a variety of techniques including plasma spraying, ion implantation, and sol-gel processing. These coating methods, although relatively widely used, do have some drawbacks. For example, the applied coatings tend to possess micropores and macropores, and they can be relatively thick and brittle. These coatings can also possess chemical defects, and they do not always adhere well to substrates. Finally, such coatings are not evenly and uniformly applied to surfaces with complex geometries, such as porous surfaces with undercut regions. Moreover, surfaces having such complex geometries sometimes are not completely coated.
It has been well documented that calcium phosphate ceramics, especially hydroxyapatite, can conduct bone formation. Hydroxyapatite ceramic has been successfully applied as a coating on cementless metallic implants to achieve quick and strong fixation. Thermal plasma spraying is one of the more common methods used to produce hydroxyapatite coatings. However, the resulting plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite coating is of relatively low density and is not uniform in structure or composition. The adhesion between the coating and substrate is generally not very strong, especially after long-term exposure within the body. The generation of hard ceramic particles, resulting from the degradation of thermal plasma sprayed coating, and coating delamination, are major concerns.
Low temperature processes have also been implemented to produce apatite ceramic coatings using water-based solutions. Since aqueous solutions can reach any open space, these low-temperature processes can be efficiently used in the case of substrates with complex surface geometries. The hydroxyapatite coating that is formed from this solution can be more biologically friendly to bone tissue than is the plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite coating which is produced by a high temperature process. However, currently known low temperature processes typically require pretreatment of the substrate.
One example of an aqueous system-based coating technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,921 in which bioactive ceramic coatings are electrodeposited upon a substrate. Bunker et al., Science, 264: 48-55 (1994), disclose a technique for applying an octacalcium phosphate upon a substrate by immersing the substrate in a solution containing calcium chloride after surface treating the substrate with a material such as chlorosilane. Other techniques, such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-40711, form a hydroxyapatite coating by exposing the substrate to calcium phosphate in a pressure reactor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,670 discloses a technique for forming a hydroxyapatite coating on a substrate by directing a stream of liquid containing hydroxyapatite particles to apply a fibrous, crystalline coating of hydroxyapatite to the substrate.
The bioactivity and stability of synthetic apatite ceramics, such as the calcium phosphate hydroxyapatites described above, have been improved upon by adding elements such as silicon, magnesium, fluorine, and strontium ions to the apatite to substitute for calcium. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,468 discloses a silicon-substituted apatite that is more bioactive than calcium phosphate hydroxyapatite, and can be used as a synthetic bone material. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,810 discloses a biocompatible strontium-substituted apatite ceramic produced by mixing calcium phosphate and strontium phosphate powders that can be used, for example, in bone prosthetics. A bioactive bone cement comprising a strontium-containing hydroxyapatite is disclosed in International Patent Application No. WO 01/49327. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0127711 A1 discloses a calcium hydroxyapatite matrix used as a support for implanting bone cells grown ex vivo, in which calcium can be replaced by other ions such as barium, strontium, and lead. U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,536 discloses a method for producing an implant involving coating the implant with calcium phosphate that is not apatite, and using hydrothermal treatment to convert the calcium phosphate into an apatite ceramic layer. The calcium ions in the calcium phosphate layer can be substituted with strontium, magnesium, chlorine, fluorine, or carbonate ions during the transformation of the non-apatitic calcium phosphate to apatite.
Despite the existence of numerous ceramic coatings and the various processes for producing such coatings, there remains a need for additional methods of making implantable articles that desirably have improved bioactive ceramic coatings. The invention provides such a method for making implantable articles. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.


A device to weigh substantially uniform weighing objects has a plurality of weighing modules and an equal number of load carriers that have central lengthwise axes extending in the direction of the load. Each of the load carriers is connected, respectively, to one of the weighing modules through a force-transmitting rod, and the load carriers are disposed in a given spatial or two-dimensional arrangement in which the distances between neighboring central lengthwise axes are smaller than the largest lengthwise extension of the respective weighing modules.

Exemplary devices in automated production- and testing systems include balances of a modular configuration—so-called weighing modules—particularly well suited to be integrally incorporated into these systems. In essence, the balances used for this purpose are of the type where the indicator unit is arranged separately from the balance, for example in a system with a central indicator unit for a plurality of weighing modules. Instead of being presented through an indicator, the weighing results can also be delivered from the weighing modules to a process control system. Integrated weighing modules of this kind are used in systems for the production and testing of small and relatively expensive parts, for example in filling- and packaging machines for tablets, capsules, ampoules, etc. in the pharmaceutical industry, or in the checking of ball bearings.
In cases where speed is important in measuring the individual masses of weighing objects, an arrangement of a plurality of weighing modules suggests itself, for example to allow the individual masses of weighing objects of the same kind to be measured in parallel. Since a conveyor device such as a robotic arm with multiple grippers is normally used to put the weighing objects in parallel onto the individual load carriers of the weighing modules and to remove them from there after they have been weighed, the positions of the individual load carriers in relation to each other and in relation to the conveyor device have to be accurately and durably set.
Devices which are used for weighing substantially uniform weighing objects belong to the known state of the art. Predominantly, these devices are arrangements of weighing modules in rows or two-dimensional arrays. Other arrangements are based on the concept of placing the weighing modules in a star-like arrangement around a row arrangement of load carriers which have to be matched to the distances between the delivery elements of an—in most cases existing—conveyor device, because the weighing module is often too large to allow an arrangement at the required close intervals.
A row arrangement of weighing modules is disclosed in DE 102 42 118 A1 and DE 199 20 494 A1, wherein four weighing modules are arranged in a row in an apparatus for weighing pharmaceutical receptacles, in particular ampoules, wherein before and after the filling the receptacles are brought to and removed from the weighing modules by means of a gripper device.
A two-dimensional arrangement of weighing cells is disclosed in JP 01 212327 A, which describes a cost-effective method of producing a large number of weighing cells from a plate of spring material to which strain gauges are bonded as sensor elements.
Disclosed in US 2003/0218467 is a matrix array of microbalances which can be used with preference in the field of combinational chemistry for the determination of masses or mass changes in the microgram range. Each of the individual microbalances has a mechanical resonator as a sensor whose resonance behavior correlates to a mass or a change in the mass detected by the sensor.
A two-dimensional star-shaped arrangement of weighing modules is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,638 B1, which finds application in a calibration device for multi-channel pipettes. This arrangement is suitable for matching the distances between the load carriers, each of which belongs to one of the weighing modules, to the tips of the multi-channel pipette that is to be calibrated. The weighing receptacles, each of which is filled with the calibration liquid dispensed from one of the channels of the multi-channel pipette, can thus be weighed simultaneously, although the dimensions of the weighing modules which function according to the principle of electromagnetic force compensation are larger than the distance interval that the load carriers need to conform to.
The state-of-the-art microbalances as described in US 2003/0218467 have a disadvantage that, while being suitable for applications where masses in the microgram range need to be determined, they are not, for example, suited for the range of milligrams to grams. In the case of weighing modules with large dimensions in comparison to the distances between the delivery elements of a conveyor device, even the star-like arrangement disclosed in the state of the art does not satisfy the requirements when a complex conveyor device is used, in particular of a type that is equipped with a two-dimensional arrangement of delivery elements. Since the dimensions of the weighing modules in length as well as width are often larger than the required distance between the central lengthwise axes of the load carriers, only a limited number of weighing modules can be placed around a provided area that is predetermined by the delivery elements of the conveyor device.

Device for weighing substantially uniform weighing objects


The present invention provides a method of treating a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation with a treatment fluid whereby fine particulate flowback is reduced or prevented. The method includes the steps of providing a fluid suspension including a mixture of a particulate coated with a tackifying compound, pumping the suspension into a subterranean formation and depositing the mixture within the formation whereby the tackifying compound retards movement of at least a portion of any fine particulate within the formation upon flow of fluids from the subterranean formation through the wellbore. Alternatively, the tackifying compound may be introduced into a subterranean formation in a diluent containing solution to deposit upon previously introduced particulates to retard movement of such particulates and any fines subject to flow with production of fluids from the subterranean formation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to means for recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation and more particularly to a method and means for controlling transport of fine particulate solids produced during a stimulation treatment during the subsequent production of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Transport of particulate solids during the production of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation is a continuing problem. The transported solids can erode or cause significant wear in the hydrocarbon production equipment used in the recovery process. The solids also can clog or plug the wellbore thereby limiting or completely stopping fluid production. Further, the transported particulates must be separated from the recovered hydrocarbons adding further expense to the processing.
The particulates which are available for transport may be present due to the nature of a subterranean formation and/or as a result of well stimulation treatments wherein proppant is introduced into a subterranean formation
In the treatment of subterranean formations, it is common to place particulate materials as a filter medium and/or a proppant in the near wellbore area and in fractures extending outwardly from the wellbore. In fracturing operations, proppant is carried into fractures created when hydraulic pressure is applied to these subterranean rock formations to a point where fractures are developed. Proppant suspended in a viscosified fracturing fluid is carried outwardly away from the wellbore within the fractures as they are created and extended with continued pumping. Upon release of pumping pressure, the proppant materials remain in the fractures holding the separated rock faces in an open position forming a channel for flow of formation fluids back to the wellbore.
Introduction of the proppant materials into the fracturing fluid often results in the crushing of some portion of the proppant material as it passes through the pumping and mixing equipment to enter the subterranean formation. This fine crushed material may have a particle size ranging from slightly below the size of the original proppant material to less than 600 mesh on the U.S. Sieve Series. Also, when the formation closes at the conclusion of the treatment some crushing of the proppant material may occur producing additional fines. Even when proppant crushing does not occur, the subterranean formation may itself release fines from the face of the created fractures as a result of spalling, scouring of the formation wall which causes formation particulate to be mixed with the proppant and the like. These fine formation materials also may range from formation grain size to less than 600 mesh. The fines may comprise sand, shale or hydrocarbons such as coal fines from coal degasification operations and the like. When the wellbore subsequently is produced, the fines tend to move into the proppant pack in the fracture tending to reduce the permeability of the pack. The fines also can flow with any production from the wellbore to the surface.
This undesirable result causes undue wear on production equipment and the need for separation of solids from the produced hydrocarbons. Fines flowback often may be aggravated by what is described as "aggressive" flowback of the well after a stimulation treatment. Aggressive flowback generally entails flowback of the treatment fluid at a rate of from about 0.001 to about 0.1 barrels per minute (BPM) per perforation of the treatment fluids which were introduced into the subterranean formation. Such flowback rates accelerate or force closure of the formation upon the proppant introduced into the formation. The rapid flowrate can result in large quantities of fines flowing back into the near wellbore as closure occurs causing permeability loss within the formation. The rapid flowback is highly desirable for the operator as it returns a wellbore to production of hydrocarbons significantly sooner than would result from other techniques.
Currently, the primary means for addressing the formation particulate or fines problem is to employ resin-coated proppants or resin consolidation of the proppant which is not capable of use in aggressive flowback situations. Further, the cost of resin-coated proppant is high, and is therefore used only as a tail-in in the last five to twenty five percent of the proppant placement. Resin-coated proppant is not always effective at forming a filtration bed since there is some difficulty in placing it uniformly within the fractures and, additionally, the resin coating can have a deleterious effect on fracture conductivity. Resin coated proppant also may interact chemically with common fracturing fluid crosslinking systems such as guar or hydroxypropylguar with organo-metallics or borate crosslinkers. This interaction results in altered crosslinking and/or break times for the fluids thereby affecting placement.
In unconsolidated formations, it is common to place a filtration bed of gravel in the near-wellbore area in order to present a physical barrier to the transport of unconsolidated formation fines with the production of hydrocarbons. Typically, such so-called "gravel packing operations" involve the pumping and placement of a quantity of gravel and/or sand having a mesh size between about 10 and 60 mesh on the U.S. Standard Sieve Series into the unconsolidated formation adjacent to the wellbore. Sometimes multiple particle size ranges are employed within the gravel pack. It is sometimes also desirable to bind the gravel particles together in order to form a porous matrix through which formation fluids can pass while straining out and retaining the bulk of the unconsolidated sand and/or fines transported to the near wellbore area by the formation fluids. The gravel particles may constitute a resin-coated gravel which is either pre-cured or can be cured by an overflush of a chemical binding agent once the gravel is in place. It has also been known to add various hardenable binding agents or hardenable adhesives directly to an overflush of unconsolidated gravel in order to bind the particles together. Various other techniques also are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,178, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,330,005, 5,439,055 and 5,501,275 disclose a method for overcoming the difficulties of resin coating proppants or gravel packs by the incorporation of a fibrous material in the fluid with which the particulates are introduced into the subterranean formation. The fibers generally have a length ranging upwardly from about 2 millimeters and a diameter of from about 6 to about 200 microns. Fibrillated fibers of smaller diameter also may be used. The fibers are believed to act to bridge across constrictions and orifices in the proppant pack and form a mat or framework which holds the particulates in place thereby limiting particulate flowback. The fibers typically result in a 25 percent or greater loss in permeability of the proppant pack that is created in comparison to a pack without the fibers.
While this technique may function to limit some flowback, it fails to secure the particulates to one another in the manner achieved by use of resin coated particulates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,514 discloses a method for sand control that combines resin consolidation and placement of a fibrous material in intimate mixture with the particulates to enhance production without a gravel pack screen.
It would be desirable to provide a method which will bind greater numbers of fines particles to the proppant material in such a manner that it further assists in preventing movement or flowback of particulates from a wellbore or formation without significantly reducing the permeability of the particulate pack during aggressive flowback of treatment fluids.

Control of fine particulate flowback in subterranean wells


Disclosed are a method and apparatus for managing effectiveness of an information processing task in a decentralized data management system. The method comprising: sending requests for multiple information processing tasks by a client to multiple execution subjects, transmitting information processing tasks in a sequential information processing task list in an order to the multiple execution subjects; caching the requested information processing tasks to a task cache queue, caching the sequential information processing task list as a whole to the task cache queue; judging whether each information processing task in the task cache queue satisfies a predetermined conflict condition; moving the information processing task to a conflict task queue if it is determined that the task satisfies the predetermined conflict condition, deleting the task from the conflict task queue and caching the task to the task cache queue when the predetermined conflict condition is not satisfied.

A decentralized data management system comprises a client and multiple execution subjects for executing an information processing task initiated by the client, the client and the multiple execution subjects holding same database copies respectively. In a traditional decentralized data management system, it is impossible to detect a concurrency risk of executing information processing tasks before executing the information processing tasks. Thus, when multiple information processing tasks simultaneously operate same data, the traditional decentralized data management system does not have any warning information. Moreover, as to effectiveness of the information processing task, the traditional decentralized data management system only verifies whether or not versions of read data are consistent in results approved by both a client and multiple execution subjects and a state database of the execution subjects. The traditional decentralized data management system does not provide any solution to solve the problem of the conflict between the versions of the read data, and thus has a lower success rate of the verification of the information processing task.
More particularly, blockchain technology is an example of the above decentralized data management system. In recent years, the blockchain technology has been developed rapidly, which benefits from the success in Bitcoin. A blockchain, also called a distributed leger, is a structure saving data by multiple nodes which are trustless each other. All the nodes in the blockchain agree on an order of blocks. Each block contains several pieces of transaction information, and thus the blockchain can be regarded as many transactions which have been sorted. At present, there are several kinds of blockchain frameworks, such as a public chain, a private chain and a consortium chain.
In a traditional consortium chain, it is possible to save distributed ledger information between different subjects. However, the traditional consortium chain has the defect as stated above.

Method and apparatus for managing effectiveness of information processing task


A method for producing a polyelectrolyte membrane, including the step of immersing a basic polymer such as a polybenzimidazole in a strong acid having a concentration sufficient to impregnate the basic polymer with six or more strong acid molecules per polymer repeating unit of the basic polymer at a temperature of not less than 30° C. for a period of 5 h or less, as well as a fuel battery having the polyelectrolyte membrane. Hence, the times required to immerse the basic polymers in the strong acids can be shortened and the proton conductivity of the polyelectrolyte membranes can be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for the production of a polyelectrolyte membrane and to a fuel cell.
2. Related Art
A fuel cell has an electrolyte and a pair of electrodes separated by the electrolyte. In a fuel cell, a fuel such as hydrogen is supplied to one electrode, and an oxidizing agent such as oxygen is supplied to the other electrode. This will convert the chemical energy involving oxidation of the fuel to electric energy. Hydrogen ion (i.e., proton) permeates through the electrolyte while the reaction gases (i.e., hydrogen and oxygen) does not permeate through the electrolyte. Typically, a fuel-cell stack has a plurality of fuel cells, and each of the cells has an electrolyte and a pair of electrodes separated by the electrolyte.
As electrolytes for fuel cells, solids such as polyelectrolyte membranes or liquids such as phosphoric acid are used. Among these, the polyelectrolyte membranes have received attention as the electrolytes for fuel cells in recent years. For example, perfluorosulfonic acid polymers and complexes between basic polymers and strong acids are used as materials for the polyelectrolyte membranes.
The perfluorosulfonic acid polymer, typically, has a structure in which the side chain having a sulfonic acid group (e.g., a side chain having a sulfonic acid group bound to a perfluoroalkylene group) is bound to a perfluorocarbon skeleton (e.g., a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and trifluorovinyl). Since the sulfonic acid group can turn into an anion through the dissociation of its hydrogen ion, it shows proton conductivity.
The polyelectrolyte membranes comprising complexes of basic polymers and strong acids have been developed. In International Publication WO96/13872 and its equivalent U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,436, there is disclosed a method for producing a proton conductive polyelectrolyte membrane by immersing a basic polymer such as a polybenzimidazole in a strong acid such as phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid. The fuel cell employing such a polyelectrolyte membrane has the advantage that it can be operated at 100° C. or above.
In J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 142, No. 7, 1995, ppL 121-L123, it is described that when a polybenzimidazole is immersed in 11 M phosphoric acid for at least 16 h, the polybenzimidazole will be impregnated with five molecules of phosphoric acid per unit.
Further, in International Publication WO97/37396 and its equivalent U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,727, there is described a method for producing a polyelectrolyte membrane by obtaining a solution of polybenzimidazole dissolved in trifluoroacetic acid, next by adding phosphoric acid to the solution, and subsequently by removing the solvent.
All the disclosures of WO96/13872, J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 142, No. 7, 1995, ppL 121-L123, and WO97/37396 are incorporated into the present specification by reference.
Where the complexes between basic polymers and strong acids are to be put into practical use as the polyelectrolyte membranes for fuel cells, further improvements on their proton conduction are needed.
In addition, where such polyelectrolyte membranes are manufactured, it is required from the standpoint of their production process that the times of immersion of the basic polymers in the strong acids be brief. In J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 142, No. 7, 1995, ppL 121-L123, a polybenzimidazole is immersed in phosphoric acid for at least 16 h. This is too time-consuming and the production process will prove to be inefficient.

Method for production of polyelectrolyte membranes and fuel cell


The present invention provides an optical adapter, which can suppress electromagnetic waves from an optical communication module, is provided. An optical adapter comprises: a housing; an optical fiber which is housed in the housing; and a ferrule which is housed in the housing. The housing has a first edge to be inserted into a receptacle of an optical communication module, and a second edge for insertion of an optical connector plug. The optical fiber has a first edge to optically couple with the receptacle, and a second edge to optically couple with the optical connector plug. The ferrule houses the optical fiber. At least a part of the housing or at least part of the ferrule is formed of an electromagnetic absorption material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical adapter.
2. Background Art
An optical communication module comprises an optical transmission subassembly, optical receive subassembly, circuit board, receptacle and a casing. The optical transmission subassembly has a light emitting element which generates light, and the optical receive subassembly has a light receiving element for receiving light. The circuit board, on which a driver IC and other elements are mounted, is electrically connected with the light emitting element and light receiving element. The casing is formed so as to cover the optical transmission subassembly, optical receive subassembly and circuit board. The receptacle has opening sections for optically coupling an optical fiber to the light emitting element and light receiving element respectively. An optical connector plug holding an optical fiber is inserted into the opening section of the receptacle. For such an optical communication module, a metal casing is used to prevent the emission of electromagnetic waves to the outside. This technology is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-212709.
In the above mentioned optical communication module, however, electromagnetic waves are emitted to the outside from the opening sections of the receptacle. Also in a state where the optical connector plug is being inserted into the receptacle, weak electromagnetic waves from inside the optical communication module may be induced and emitted by a metal component inside the optical connector plug.


In the present specification is disclosed a melanocyte-stimulating hormone inhibitory composition which comprises, as the active ingredient, a di- or tripeptide derivative having a certain naphthyl group or the salts thereof, or a melanocyte-stimulating hormone inhibitory compound having a 50% inhibitory concentration of cAMP production (IC50) of 100 nM or less, which composition can prevent pigmentation, or can prevent, improve or recover from immune abnormality or immunodeficiency, or regulate body weight by appetite control, and also can be used as cosmetics or external preparations for the skin, and in addition, can be produced easily, and are excellent in the stability during storage.

Melanocyte-stimulating hormone is known to participate in the control of the colors of the skin and hair of humans and animals, and to darken the color of the human skin (e.g., Nature (1961) 189, 176-179). It is reported as the main cause of such action that melanocyte-stimulating hormone accelerates the growth of melanocytes and also activates tyrosinase which is an enzyme for the biosynthesis of melanin (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (1995) 92, 1789-1793). On the other hand, it is known that melanocyte-stimulating hormone is produced by skin epidermal cells, and that the production amount is increased largely by the irradiation of ultraviolet rays (ACTH Relat. Rept. (1995) 6, 63-68). It is thought from these facts that melanocyte-stimulating hormone is the main cause of pigmentation after sunburn by ultraviolet rays.
As other actions of melanocyte-stimulating hormone, there are known an inhibitory action of the production of nitrogen monoxide by macrophages and an immunosuppressive action through IL-10 (e.g., Immunology Today (1997) 18, 140-145) and an appetite-controlling action (e.g., Am. J. Physiol. 274 Endocrinol. Metab. 37 (1998) E627-E633).
Accordingly, the suppression of the formation of melanocyte-stimulating hormone or the inhibition of the action thereof can realize the prevention of pigmentation to be caused by ultraviolet rays, the prevention, improvement or recovery of or from immune abnormality or immunodeficiency, or the regulation of body weight by appetite control.
Hitherto, there have been known as melanocyte-stimulating hormone inhibitors, His-D-Arg-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2 (Peptides (1994) 15, 627-632), D-Trp-Arg-Leu-NH2 (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (1995) 92, 2894-2898), and the like. However, these inhibitors all contain tryptophan which is an unstable amino acid, and therefore there is a problem that the stability during storage is inferior. Moreover, these inhibitors are known to decolor the skin of reptiles and the pigment cells of amphibians, but it has not been clarified whether they have the action of suppressing the formation of melanin and the activation of tyrosinase by melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which cause the pigmentation of the human skin.
Moreover, as other melanocyte-stimulating hormone inhibitors, it is known that an agcuti protein and fragment peptides thereof have a pigmentation inhibitory action (WO 97/00892), but there are problems that the production thereof is not facile and that the stability during storage thereof is inferior.
Furthermore, there are problems that some melanocyte-stimulating hormone inhibitors which even show effects of decoloring pigment cells, and the like, upon the evaluation with cells, exhibit only weak effects, and that the expression of the effects takes some period of time even though they exhibit effects such as the prevention of pigmentation, the prevention, improvement or recovery of or from immune abnormality or immunodeficiency, the regulation of body weight by appetite control, or the like, in the case of their actual application to living body.


An ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transducer which is formed by sequentially laminating an acoustic lens, an acoustic matching layer, a piezoelectric element, and a backing member. The backing member arranged on a surface opposed side of the acoustic matching layer and the acoustic lens arranged to the piezoelectric element contains a synthetic rubber containing a mixture including acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), ethylen-propylene terpolymer (EPDM), and at least inorganic fine powders.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic transducer which is used in the body cavity and is preferable to ultrasonic diagnosis and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mechanical scanning ultrasonic endoscope is used for the spectrographic diagnosis of the luminal surface organ and the ultrasonic diagnosis of the peripheral organ and the tissue by inserting a dedicated scope into the digestive tract such as the esophagus, the stomach, the duodenum, and the large intestine or the urinary tract such as the urethra, bladder, and the ureter. An ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves is attached to the distal end portion of the mechanical scanning ultrasonic endoscope.
The ultrasonic transducer of the mechanical scanning ultrasonic endoscope is covered with an exterior cap containing a resin member for ultrasonic transmission. The exterior cap is filled with an acoustic medium. The acoustic medium efficiently propagates, through the living body, the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic transducer. The acoustic medium contains, as a general material, insulating oil such as liquid paraffin and butanediol.
However, the insulating oil has a high acoustic-attenuating rate. As a consequence, the ultrasonic endoscope with a high frequency capable of providing an image with a high resolution has such a problem that an ultrasonic signal is attenuated in the acoustic medium and thus a preferable image is not obtained.
In order to prevent the occurrence of the problem, the acoustic medium contains water that displays a low acoustic-attenuation, or an aqueous solution obtained by adding an additive to water (hereinafter, simply referred to as an aqueous solution).
The aqueous solution exposes the ultrasonic transducer for a long time and then the property of the ultrasonic transducer gradually deteriorates. Therefore, in order to prevent the deterioration in property of the ultrasonic transducer, the aqueous solution is injected every ultrasonic endoscope examination and the aqueous solution is removed after finishing the examination.
However, with the ultrasonic endoscope inserted into the body cavity, the injection and removal of the aqueous solution after/before the examination becomes a complicated work for an operator in view of the configuration of the ultrasonic endoscope.
Then, in the ultrasonic endoscope having the ultrasonic transducer with the high-frequency property, the ultrasonic transducer is subjected to thin-film coating (hereinafter, waterproof coating) using high water-resisting resin.


A precision printed circuit board based Rogowski coil is formed including a printed circuit board including a first layer and second layer. The printed circuit board further defines an aperture for receiving an electrical path therethough. A first return path is defined about the aperture on the first layer of the printed circuit board, and a second return path—parallel to the first return path—is defined about the aperture on the second layer of the printed circuit board. A plurality of radial paths defined on the first layer of printed circuit board extend between the aperture and the first return path. A plurality of radial paths defined on the second layer of the printed circuit board extend between the aperture and the second return path. Each first layer radial path is connected with an adjacent second layer radial path to form a generally toroidally-shaped winding.

The present invention concerns Rogowski coils. More particularly, the present invention concerns a printed circuit board based Rogowski coil and manner of making the same.
Rogowski coils are electrical devices which measure of magnetic fields and electrical currents. They have been researched over the past century and are well known to the scientific literature. Their origin traces to the invention circa 1912 of the Rogowski coil by W. Rogowski and W. Steinhousen. The device is useful for measuring electrical currents and operates on the basis of a magnetic field integration performed across a closed contour being equal to the current flowing through the contour. The coil provides a voltage output proportional to the time derivative of the current (di/dt), rather than a current output like other traditional current transformers (e.g., the iron core current transformer of FIG. 2).
Rogowski coils are popular because of their dynamic range and linearity. However, though theoretical requirements are known, manufacturers are still attempting to achieve a high quality coil that is both economical to manufacture and at the same time, capable of providing precise current measurements. The device (coil) should be insensitive to external influences, insensitive to the measured primary conductor position, and retain high precision (in the order of 0.3% or better) over its lifetime and across a wide temperature range (nominally −40 to 70 degrees Centigrade).
One known approach to making a Rogowski coil involves using a printed circuit. U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,400 describes a Rogowski coil implemented on a printed circuit plate provided with a circular cut-out. The coil is implemented by metal deposits on each of the two faces of the plate extending along radii, with electrical connections between the radii on one face and those on the opposite face being achieved via plated-through holes passing through the thickness of the plate. The patent fails to provide adequate means for external field cancellation due to inadequate handling of the coil return path.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,280 describes a method for manufacturing a printed circuit board-based Rogowski coil. The disclosed geometry provides very high turn density resulting in very high sensitivity. While high sensitivity is very desirable when measuring low frequency currents (50/60 Hz power system related), the patent fails to provide adequate means for external field cancellation. This problem is reported in U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,624 and is caused by inadequate handling of the coil return path.
A similar problem applies to the design reported in U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,623 (by Kojovic, et al.) in which two closely spaced coils with counter rotation are used to perform partial return path compensation.
Further attempts to design precision Rogowski coils are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,624. Attempts to provide improved return path cancellation described in this patent results in significantly reduced coil densities, making the design less appropriate for low frequency (at about 50/60 Hz) current measurement applications. In addition, although improved, all reported geometries suffer from Z-axis (board thickness) related sensitivity effects with an error path normally offset in the direction of the Z-axis (board thickness).
J. D. Ramboz in "Machinable Rogowski Coil, Design and Calibration," IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 45, No. 2, (April 1996) pp 511–15 reviews traditional designs for Rogowski coils and discusses a "machinable" Rogowski coil constructed using machinable ceramic material to make a toroidal coil with a rectangular cross section. A thin, electrically conductive coating is then applied to the coil, totally encapsulating the ceramic core. Next, thin lines of the conductive material are removed by laser machining methods in a pattern which leaves coils as bands of conductive material located radially around the core. Each turn or band is connected to the next turn by a suitable indexing.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/282,226 for "Current Transformer" describes a configuration whereupon a Rogowski Coil is implemented on a multilayer board. The patent provides a means for external field cancellation; however, a coil return path is centrally situated among the radial paths emanating from the aperture. Accordingly, this centrally situated return path necessitates at least a 4-layer printed circuit board, which must be manufactured at a higher cost.
An object of the present invention is to provide a precision printed circuit board Rogowski coil which provides excellent external field cancellation. It is further an object of this invention to provide for improved coil manufacturability, control of the coil resistance, compensation of the manufacturing variation of the coil gain, and temperature compensation.
These and other desired benefits of the preferred embodiments, including combinations of features thereof, of the invention will become apparent from the following description. It will be understood, however, that a process or arrangement could still appropriate the claimed invention without accomplishing each and every one of these desired benefits, including those gleaned from the following description. The appended claims, not these desired benefits, define the subject matter of the invention. Any and all benefits are derived from the multiple embodiments of the invention, not necessarily the invention in general.

Precision printed circuit board based rogowski coil and method for manufacturing same

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.


The invention provides a method of forming a seal (62) between and around conductors (12A, 12B and 12C) of an electrical power cable (10), and has particular application as a safety measure in potentially explosive applications. The method includes passing the conductors (12A, 12B and 12C) through an opening in a body (26) so as to define a cavity within the body (26) between and around the conductors (12A, 12B and 12C); introducing an absorbent material (64) into the cavity; introducing a liquid settable material (66) into the cavity; and allowing the settable material (66) to be absorbed by the absorbent material (64) and to set thereby to seal the cavity between and around the conductors (12A, 12B and 12C).

THIS invention relates to electrical power cables, and more specifically to a method of forming a seal between and around conductors of an electrical power cable particularly as a safety measure in potentially explosive applications. The invention also relates to a seal between and around conductors of an electrical power cable, and to a kit for forming such a seal.
Electrical power cables often are anchored to electrical apparatus with cable glands which prevent loads applied to the cable from being transferred to conductors inside the electrical apparatus. In some applications, for example in a flameproof (Ex d or E Ex d) apparatus, it is necessary to have a seal which retains the flameproof integrity of the apparatus. In other words, the seal must be capable, under explosion fault conditions, of preventing hot ignited material such as burning gas from escaping through the cable gland and/or through the cable itself.
Various different types of cable gland seals are known. For example, it is known to use an elastomeric sealing element in a cable gland seal for flameproof apparatus. Generally, these types of seals apply radial forces to the cable, and since the cable material is susceptible to plastic deformation and creep over time, these seals require careful design and have to be inspected periodically to ensure proper seal integrity. Also, since the insulated conductors of an electrical power cable do not always nest perfectly together, gaps between adjacent conductors can, in the event of an explosion inside the flameproof apparatus, form a path for hot gases and flames to exit the apparatus.
It is also known to form a seal in flameproof applications by introducing a settable compound between an inner surface of a cable gland and an outer sheath of an unarmoured cable or an inner sheath of an armoured cable. This type of seal does not apply radial forces to the cable and hence does not deform the cable sheath over time. However, these seals do not address the problem of gaps between adjacent, insulated conductors. In addition, these seals tend to be relatively difficult to inspect and, if the cable material is not compatible with the settable compound, proper adhesion between the seal and the cable may not be achieved.
Yet another known method of sealing a cable gland in flameproof applications is to cut back the outer insulation elements of the cable sufficiently to freely expose the individual, insulated conductors, to pass these conductors through a cable gland forming a cavity within the cable gland adjacent the conductors, and to place a settable compound into the cavity between and around the adjacent conductors. With this method, the compound typically is a two-part epoxy having a putty-type consistency which is pressed and kneaded into the cavity in the cable gland. Although this method can address problems associated with gaps between adjacent, insulated conductors and the application of radial forces to a cable, a major drawback is that the formation of a proper seal is relatively difficult and the quality of the seal is therefore dependent upon the expertise and dedication of the person mixing and placing the settable compound. Another drawback is that the settable compound does not always adhere well to the polymeric insulation material of the cable conductors.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of forming a seal on insulated conductors of an electrical power cable, particularly in flameproof applications, which is relatively easy to carry out, which is effective in sealing both between and around the insulated conductors, and which can form a proper seal with the polymeric material of the insulated conductors.

Method for forming a seal on conductors of an electrical cable

Pratley Investments (Propietary) Limited


The invention provides airplane landing gear comprising at least one axle for carrying at least one brake-and-wheel assembly comprising a rim mounted to rotate on the axle and a stack of disks and a support carrying modular electromechanical actuators that are individually removable, the landing gear and the brake-and-wheel assembly being organized in such a manner that each actuator is in at least one of the following configurations:                an empty space of dimensions sufficient for receiving the actuator extends on a disassembly path directly facing the actuator when it is in an operating position;        the actuator is associated with displacement means enabling it to be moved from an operating position to a disassembly position, an empty space of dimensions sufficient to receive the actuator extending along a disassembly path directly facing the actuator when it is in the disassembly position.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,293 discloses a brake for an airplane wheel, the brake comprising a stack of disks having a central axis and a braking torque-takeup structure carrying modular electromechanical actuators that can be removed individually and that extending facing the stack of disks in order to apply pressure to the stack of disks in controlled manner.
The actuators are designed to be removed from the side of the torque-takeup structure that is remote from the stack of disks.
Nevertheless, in certain circumstances, it can happen that the space between the torque-takeup structure and the landing gear is too small to enable an actuator to be removed in that direction. In this respect, reference can be made to FIG. 1 of the above-cited document which shows an actuator fitted to an airplane brake, and disposed, when the brake is mounted on airplane landing gear, directly facing the structure of the landing gear so that it cannot be removed.
It is then necessary to remove the wheel and then the brake in order to be able to remove an actuator disposed in such a manner, thereby making in situ maintenance of such a brake very awkward for the company using such an airplane. Such a disposition makes it necessary to put the airplane on a jack, to remove the wheel, and then the stack of disks, before finally being able to remove the torque-takeup structure in order to access the actuator concerned. That amount of manipulation rules out any in situ maintenance limited merely to replacing the actuator. If a company is going to have to disassemble the entire brake-and-wheel assembly, then it will prefer replacing said assembly with another assembly, and taking the removed assembly into a workshop for maintenance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,730 discloses a brake-and-wheel assembly including actuators carried by a support that is secured to the landing gear.
Although such actuators are configured so as to enable them to be removed from the support without disturbing the brake assembly made up of the stack of disks and the torsion tube, that is nevertheless not sufficient to enable the actuator to be removed from the airplane without removing the wheel. FIG. 2 of that document also shows the situation in which the actuators are not directly removable because they come into abutment against the rim of the wheel. It is therefore necessary to put the airplane on a jack and remove the wheel, which means that there is no advantage in being able to remove the actuators individually.

Landing gear, a brake, a brake-and-wheel assembly for an airplane, and a method of maintaining such landing gear


A method for manufacturing a transparent conductive film includes: using a mold to stamp on a transparent insulating substrate to obtain continuous grooves; or coating a gel layer on a transparent insulating film, then using a mold to stamp on one plane of the gel layer which is away from the transparent insulating film, so as to form solidified grooves; filling the grooves with conductive materials to generate a conductive layer, i.e., an inner circuit; forming an outer circuit on the surface in contact with the conductive layer; removing the unnecessary conductive materials in the inner and outer circuit in accordance with a preset graphic to form insulating channels, and insulating lines; obtaining a transparent conductive film. Screen printing and embedded nano-imprinting are combined, and a unified grid filling system is used as a general-purpose mold to manufacture a transparent conductive film.

With the development of the technology, touch-functional display screens are more and more widely used in electronic products, such as mobile phones, tablets, home appliances and so on to support a "user friendly" graphical user interface. Touch panels, as the latest computer input device, are the easiest, convenient and natural way for human-computer interaction. The existing touch panels are categorized into resistance technology, capacitance technology, infrared technology, and surface acoustic wave technology, etc, in terms of principles. In recent years, the popular capacitive touch panel mainly has a conductive film of indium tin oxide (ITO) on the inner surface and the interlayer of the glass screen. Since indium is a rare, expensive, and unyielding element with a high resistance, it is unfavorable for industrial manufacture and sales. Whereas another type of capacitance touch panel has a conductive film made of nano-silver grids. And the method for manufacturing the above-mentioned conductive film comprises: stamping the designed metal grid groove on the surface of the polymer via molds; then filling the nano-silver materials to form the conductive film. As for the conductive films and the circuits thereof belong to different types or come from different manufacturers, they need different molds with specific patterns for their fabrication. However, the high production cost and the long development cycle cannot meet the requirements of diversification, low cost and short period for small or medium sized products.

Method for manufacturing a transparent conductive film


A multilayer interconnection layer is provided on a semiconductor substrate. An inductor is provided on an insulating layer that forms the uppermost layer of the multilayer interconnection layer. The inductor is formed by spirally arranging a single wiring. On the insulating layer, a multilayer structure body is provided in an inner region of the inductor. In the multilayer structure body, a plurality of ferromagnetic cores formed of Ni are arranged in a matrix. The height of each ferromagnetic core is equal to or larger than the width thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit including an inductor and a fabrication method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional semiconductor integrated circuit, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken along the line E-E in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in this conventional semiconductor integrated circuit, a multilayer interconnection layer 101 is provided on a semiconductor substrate (not shown). In the uppermost layer 102 of the multilayer interconnection layer 101, an inductor 103 is provided. The inductor 103 is a spiral inductor. In other words, on an insulating layer 104 formed of SiO2 in the multilayer interconnection layer 101, the inductor 103 is provided. The inductor 103 is formed by a single wiring that is spirally arranged. In addition, an insulating layer 105 formed of SiO2 is provided to cover the inductor 103. An insulating layer 106 formed of polyimide is provided on the insulating layer 105. In FIG. 1, the insulating layers 105 and 106 are not shown.
The wiring constituting the inductor 103 is formed by covering an upper surface and a lower surface of a wiring body layer 107 formed of copper or aluminum with TiW layers 108. The reason why the inductor 103 is provided in the uppermost layer 102 of the multilayer interconnection layer 101 is to make a parasitic capacitance between the inductor 103 and the semiconductor substrate as small as possible and to make the thickness of the wiring of the inductor 103 as thick as possible so as to reduce a series resistance, thereby improving a Q value of the inductor 103.
However, this conventional semiconductor integrated circuit has the following problem. Even in the case where the inductor 103 is arranged in the uppermost layer 102 of the multilayer interconnection layer 101, the upper limit of the thickness of the inductor 103 is several microns because the thickness of the uppermost layer 102 is about 10 μm at a maximum. Thus, loss of inductance is large and the Q value is as low as about 5 to about 10. Moreover, in order to obtain inductance of 10 nH, for example, the inductor 103 should be formed in the shape of a square spiral having a side of 200 to 300 μm. That is, an area occupied by the inductor 103 is very large. This prevents miniaturization of the semiconductor integrated circuit.
Thus, Japanese Utility-Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 3-28758 discloses a technique for providing the ferromagnetic layer in a layer upper than the inductor. According to this technique, the ferromagnetic layer is provided directly above a region corresponding to the inside of the spiral formed by the wiring of the inductor. In addition, Japanese Utility-Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 4-63653 discloses a technique for providing the ferromagnetic layer above or below the inductor. According to this technique, the ferromagnetic layer is provided to cover the inductor, when seen from a direction perpendicular to a surface of a substrate. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 61-161747 discloses a technique for providing the ferromagnetic layer above the inductor. This publication describes that provision of the ferromagnetic layer increases inductance of the inductor.
However, the aforementioned conventional techniques have the following problem. In each of the semiconductor integrated circuits described in Japanese Utility-Model Laid-Open Publications Nos. Hei 3-28758 and Hei 4-63653 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 61-161747, the inductance and the Q value of the inductor are not sufficient. In order to obtain a predetermined magnitude of inductance, each semiconductor integrated circuit requires an inductor having a larger area. Thus, it is not-possible to sufficiently miniaturize the semiconductor integrated circuit.

Semiconductor integrated circuit and fabrication method thereof


An ablation apparatus for ablating only a convex part on a rough surface efficiently in a short time, providing a light delivering optical system for delivering a laser beam being a slender from a laser beam source rectangular shape to an object to be ablated, a beam moving device for moving the laser beam to an intersecting direction relative to the optical axis of the light delivering optical system, a dividing-and-masking device for dividing selectively a longer-side direction of the laser beam of which a cross section is a rectangular shape and masking the same selectively, a data input device for inputting data relating to an ablation area of the object, and a control device for controlling the condition masked by the dividing-and-masking device at respective positions of the laser beam moved by the beam moving device based on the data inputted by using the data input device, wherein convex parts of the object of which a surface being roughness is ablated by the laser beam through the dividing-and-masking device and the beam moving device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ablation apparatus for ablating a convex part on a rough surface of an object, and more particularly to the ablation apparatus suitable for correcting roughness on the surface of a cornea by ablating selectively only the convex part on the surface of the cornea having irregular astigmatism and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently it is known in general that PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) is utilized for correcting an ametropia of an eye by ablating the surface of the cornea by a laser beam and by changing its curvature, and PTK (Phototheraputic Keratectomy) is applied for removing a diseased portion on the surface of the cornea by ablating with the laser beam. The ablation by the laser beam for performing the PRK and PTK has been carried out by the following three methods.
The first method is to ablate a predetermined area by a laser beam having large area all at once, the second method is to ablate a predetermined area by moving a rectangular laser beam, and the third method is to ablate a predetermined area by making it scan a small spot in a two-dimensional way.
However, the human cornea is not always like a spherical surface or toric surface, but the surface of the cornea happen to be roughness partially due to the irregular astigmatism and the like. When it is try to make the surface of the cornea to be a spherical surface or a toric surface by ablating with a laser beam, in the case of the first method that applies a beam having large area or the second method that moves the rectangular laser beam, since each convex part had to be ablated one by one in a manner that adjusting an irradiation area to the convex part, it results in such disadvantage that it takes much more time.
On the other hand, in the case of the third method that scans a small spot, convex parts can be ablated in less time compared with the first and the second methods, the ablation is carried out by scanning and ablating selectively only the convex part. However if there are many convex parts to be ablated, it also results in such disadvantage that it takes relatively much time.


A method and apparatus for measuring contour of a full fielded 3D surface of an object. The apparatus includes a projection device having a mark point and master grating, an imaging device for imaging imaged grating and mark point which are positioned on the object surface, and two rectilinearly movable axles. The method includes steps of: measuring a projected object and image distances, and an imaged object and image distances; determining a position of the zero order phase of the fringe according to an imaged mark point on the object surface; calculating orders of the moire fringes for the full fielded 3D surface of the object based on a phase-shift and unwrapping algorithms; and finally calculating an absolute contour of 3D object surface according to a relationship between altitudes of surface points of the object and the moire fringes referencing to a point of the object surface which is derived as a reference point of 3D coordinates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for three dimensional (3D) surface measurement, and more particularly related to a method and apparatus for analyzing absolute contour of full fielded 3D surface of objects applying a projected moire fringe interferometry.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Measuring contour of three dimensional surface of objects attracts attention in the society of engineering and technology. The currently available commercial apparatus for 3D surface measurement includes a type of instrument for measuring three-coordinate data of objects which is relied on mechanically contacting each point of the object surface, and another type of laser instrument of measuring three-coordinate data of objects. The instrument for the contacting measurement is equipped with a mechanical probe. The probe which is driven by a numerical control mechanism travels on the surface of an object under measurement to thereby provide the three-coordinate data for every point of the object surface. Accuracy of the spatial measurement is generally better than 0.01 mm for the instrument. However, a measuring speed of the instrument is relatively slow, since it takes times for the numerical system to move across the surface while the mechanical probe applies forces at certain extent to the object.
In stead of applying the mechanical probe, the laser instrument employs an optical probe which is driven by a numerical control system. An optical spot generated by the optical probe scans surface of an object. In general, the laser instrument improves the measuring speed while suffering a loss of some degree of the accuracy in the spatial measurement. However, increase of the measuring speed for the laser instrument is still limited by the moving speed of the numerical control system. Therefore, a full field measurement of the object will be optimum if it can largely increase the measuring speed.
A moire image including moire fringes is obtained from applying a projected moire interferometry. The fringes are produced from interfering an optical image of a master grating, when the image is optically positioned on a submaster grating. The projected moire interferometry is a full field non-contacting technique for measurement of characteristics of the object surface, which possesses a plurality of measuring capabilities as compared with a holographic interferometry. However, it is more important that, the projected moire interferometry enables controlling its sensitivity in measurement so that the moire interferometry is excellent to reject external interference. For this reason, there is a great prospect of utilizing the projected moire interferometry in engineering applications.
A moire contouring is a promising optical method for imaging object surface, which is originally introduced by Takasaki and Meadows et. al. An apparatus which applies the method is actually quite simple, including a grating which is positioned adjacent an object so that shadow fringes can be observed on the object after projecting lights through the grating. The shadow fringes are equivalent to lines of the moire contouring under certain conditions, which can be used to measure surface characteristics of objects. The method is particularly useful to measure objects having small sizes since the grating size limits application of the apparatus only to the small objects.
Another method of the moire contouring is respectively introduced by Benoit, P.; Yoshino, Y.; Suzuki, M. and others. The method includes projecting an image of grooves of a master grating onto the surface of an object to thereby image a graph of the moire contour of the object through a submaster grating. The method is referred to the projected moire interferometry, which is particularly useful to measure objects having large sizes. Under certain conditions, beat fringes generated from a combining effect of the master grating and submaster grating provide lines of a contour map of the imaged object surface, which is analogous to the way a topographic map delineates the contour of the land. In the early 1980s, image processing was successfully introduced for analyzing the moire fringes. Core technologies of the image processing particularly include a phase shift algorithm and unwrapping algorithm, which makes the projected moire fringe interferometry enable to perform a real-time measurement.
According to studies of Meadows, Takasak and Suzuki et. al, the moire fringes become the respective lines of the surface contour map for an object if following criteria are met: optical centers of the respective projection and imagining optical axe are in parallel; spaces of the respective projecting master grating and imaging submaster grating are the same; focal lengths of the respective projection lens and imaging lens are the same; and distance between the projection grating and lens is the same as compared with distance between the imaging grating and lens.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a prior art moire interferometer, wherein a light source 1 projects light rays which pass through a projection master grating 2, so that an image of grooves of the master grating is focused on an object 4 under measurement after the lights optically pass through a projection lens 3. An image of the measured object is then positioned on a submaster grating 6 in addition to moire fringes which are also formed. Images of the formed moire fringes are then optically recorded by a camera 8 through a camera lens 7.
However, there are two unresolved problems which have persistently associated with the projected moire interferometry long time ago. The first one is that contour lines of the contour map for the object surface, which are described by the moire fringes, are function of orders of the fringes. Therefore, differences in attitude are not equal for respective two adjacent contour lines of the map. In fact, the attitude difference is also a function of the fringe order. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately determine the absolute orders of the moire fringes if absolute appearance of the 3D object surface is desired. The second problem is a necessity of accurately measuring object distances between the respective projection device to the object, and the imaging device to the object, and imaging distances between the respective projection grating to the object, and the image grating to the object. The currently available projected moire interferometer is unable to accurately measure the above mentioned distances. In stead, it is from a rough measurement to estimate the object distances and image distances, according to an assumption that the attitude differences between the respective two adjacent contour lines are constant.

Method and a device for measuring the three dimension surface shape by projecting moire interference fringe


A vascular closure system includes a balloon location device, a bioadhesive delivery device, and a sealing tip. The balloon location device includes a balloon for temporarily sealing a vessel puncture internally and at least one lumen for delivering inflation fluid to the balloon. The bioadhesive delivery device includes at least one lumen for delivery of the balloon location device to the vessel puncture. One of the balloon location device and the bioadhesive delivery device includes a first lumen for delivery of a first volume of bioadhesive to the vessel puncture. The sealing tip is releasable within a channel formed in the first volume of bioadhesive upon withdrawal of the balloon. One of the balloon location device and the bioadhesive delivery device is configured for delivery of a second volume of bioadhesive to the vessel puncture after the sealing tip is released in the channel.

Various surgical procedures are routinely carried out intravascularly or intraluminally. For example, in the treatment of vascular disease, such as arteriosclerosis, it is a common practice to access the artery and insert an instrument (e.g., a balloon or other type of catheter) to carry out a procedure within the artery. Such procedures usually involve the percutaneous puncture of the artery so that an insertion sheath may be placed in the artery and thereafter instruments (e.g., catheters) may pass through the sheath to an operative position within the artery. Intravascular and intraluminal procedures unavoidably present the problem of stopping the bleeding at the percutaneous puncture after the procedure has been completed and after the instruments (and any insertion sheaths used therewith) have been removed. Bleeding from puncture sites, particularly in the case of femoral arterial punctures, is typically stopped using a vascular closure device.
While there are a variety of prior art devices and techniques for closing such punctures, one method includes temporarily sealing the tissue puncture intravascularly using an inflation balloon. A sealing material may be delivered to an outer surface of the tissue to seal the tissue puncture while maintaining the temporary seal from the balloon. Removing the collapsed balloon through the delivered sealing material may leave a tract through the sealing material. Challenges exist in closing the tract. Other challenges exist in providing multiple ejections of sealing material to the vessel puncture.

Bioadhesive delivery systems and methods for vascular closure


A ready-to-assemble table comprises a split tabletop having separable portions, an apron depending from the tabletop portions, and legs mountable to the tabletop portions to support the tabletop on a surface. When the table is disassembled, the tabletop portions with their respective aprons can be stacked and arranged so that the aprons space the tabletop portions to form a cavity therebetween sized to receive the legs for packaging of the table. Additionally, a partial table can be constructed employing one of the tabletop portions for retail display.

Ready-to-assembly (RTA) furniture, also known as knock-down furniture or flat pack furniture, is a type of furniture sold in multiple pieces requiring assembly. The pieces are packed in one or more boxes with assembly instructions and hardware. RTA furniture is popular among consumers wishing to save money by assembling the product on their own and foregoing expensive furniture delivery service. In addition to economic benefits, RTA furniture is often easy to assemble with the use of simple tools.


Sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride components, e.g., automotive components, are made by forming a powder mixture comprising silicon and oxide or oxide precursor additives. These additives comprise alumina and a calcium compound. The powder is formed into a preform, the silicon is reacted with nitrogen in a nitriding process to form silicon nitride, and the so-formed silicon nitride is sintered.

Silicon nitride components can be made by sintering silicon nitride powder. Such sintering can only occur in the presence of a liquid phase. Current formulations therefore include 10-20% by weight of one or more oxides including yttria, rare earths, alumina, magnesia etc. which, in combination with the oxide layer present on the surface of the silicon nitride, form a glass in which the latter can dissolve and reprecipitate to effect consolidation. Components made by this method are used as structural components intended to withstand temperatures as high as 1400.degree. C. and therefore have utilised those oxides such as yttria and the rare earths, which generate the most refractory glasses and crystalline silicates. This approach, together with the use of high purity silicon nitride powders and sophisticated control of microstructure during sintering, has resulted in the production of ceramics with flexural strengths of about 1 GPa at room temperature which retain a high proportion of this value at 1200.degree. and, sometimes, 1400.degree. C. However, this method incurs production costs which are sufficiently high to inhibit its use in high volume applications such as the substitution of metal components in the automotive and general engineering industries. These costs are due to high material costs, high sintering temperatures (often above 1800.degree. C.), and high process losses.
An alternative to starting with silicon nitride powder in the manufacture of silicon nitride components is to utilise metallic silicon powder which is available at a cost which is lower by about one order of magnitude. Nitridation of silicon powder at temperatures in the range 1150.degree.-1400.degree. C. is a well established process for the formation either of silicon nitride powder or of porous reaction-bonded silicon nitride components. Whilst the latter have a useful strength of about 200 MPa, which is retained to at least 1200.degree. C., together with excellent thermal shock characteristics, their porosity and poor resistance to wear make them unsuitable for use as engineering components.
Several authorities (including Mangels Ceram Eng Sci Proc 1981 2 589-603) have shown that silicon preforms containing sintering aids such as MgO, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 can be nitrided at temperatures below 1400.degree. C. and sintered in nitrogen at temperatures in the range 1750.degree.-1850.degree. C. to form components having 98% of theoretical density. This sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride has the advantage of a low overall linear shrinkage in the range 9-12% compared to a doubling of these values for components derived from a sintered silicon nitride powder. Despite this little commercial attention has been paid to the sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride process because the reaction between silicon and nitrogen is highly exothermic and, if not conducted with care, easily results in localised heating of preforms to temperatures exceeding the melting point of silicon (1420.degree. C.). This problem increases with the size of the furnace; nitridation times of about one week are typical. Also, after this slow nitridation stage, sintering is effected in a second graphite furnace with the component embedded in a protective powder bed. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride components are generally slightly inferior to and more difficult to control than those from the more direct sintered silicon nitride route.
Pompe (U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,665) has shown that the addition of 15-50% of fine silicon nitride powder to silicon powder acts as a dispersing aid and allows the latter to be ground using a ball mill to a grain size of <1 .mu.m. The addition of Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 powders as sintering aids further dilutes the silicon and effectively mitigates the effects of the exothermic reaction during nitridation, at least on a small scale. Sintering was effected in a separate graphite furnace with the component embedded in a layer of protective powder containing Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and AlN with a temperature hold at 1770.degree. C. and a peak temperature of 1850.degree. C. Pompe also suggested that the nitridation and sintering steps could be carried out in a single furnace, although no supporting examples were provided.
More recently, Tiegs and co-workers (Ceram Eng Sci Proc 14 1-2! 378-388, 1993) used microwave heating to produce sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride using a one stage nitriding/sintering process with the component packed in a powder bed. As yet, this process is confined to a laboratory scale.
An obvious alternative to the use of yttria or rare earths as sintering aids is magnesia and this has been used both as such and, in conjunction with alumina, in the form of spinel MgO.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. A disadvantage however lies in the tendency of MgO to react in a carbonaceous environment according to: EQU MgO+C.fwdarw.Mg+CO
to give products which are gaseous at temperatures >1700.degree. C. Considerations of their volatility also exclude many other species such as the oxides of the alkali metals and boron.
Calcium oxide, CaO, has not been proposed as a sintering aid for the manufacture of sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride because the presence of calcium has been demonstrated to lead to a deterioration in the high temperature mechanical properties of the ceramic. Calcium has recently been found to be one of the cations which can promote the formation of .alpha.' sialons Ca.sub.x Si.sub.12-m Al.sub.m O.sub.n N.sub.16-n by heating compacts of appropriate quantities of CaO, .alpha.Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, and AlN to temperatures in the range 1750.degree.-1800.degree. C. Although superficially attractive, this process is difficult to control whilst aluminium nitride, AlN is both relatively expensive and can introduce processing problems because of its susceptibility to hydrolysis.
Against this background, there is a requirement to provide a method of manufacturing sintered silicon nitride components suitable for high volume applications at temperatures below 1000.degree. C. using a fast, energy efficient process starting from low cost commodity raw materials.
The invention provides a method of manufacturing a dense sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride component, the method comprising forming a powder mixture comprising substantially pure silicon and oxide or oxide precursor additives, forming a preform from said powder mixture, the preform being generally in the shape of the component, reacting silicon in the preform with nitrogen to form silicon nitride, and sintering said silicon nitride, characterised in that said additives comprise alumina and a calcium compound.
By "substantially pure silicon", we mean unreacted silicon which will, however, inevitably, have a thin film of oxide thereon.
A method according to the invention utilises inexpensive materials and can be used to make components which have over 95% of theoretical density (typically 97 to 99%) which have good mechanical properties and can withstand temperatures up to 100.degree. C. Thus, the components are cheap enough for use as, for example, automotive components, and are suitable for use in many applications. The use of a calcium compound enables the sintering to take place in the presence of calcium oxide which is found to allow sintering to high density at relatively low temperatures. The components produced by this method were found to have a surprisingly good surface finish with no evidence of pitting or discolouration.
The additives may form 5 to 15% by weight of the powder mixture, for example there may be about 5%, about 6% about 7.5%, or about 9.5% by weight of said additives depending on the particular additives. The alumina may form 3 to 10% by weight of the powder mixture.
Said additives may also comprise magnesia which is found to lower the peak sintering temperature necessary and thereby reduces the cost of the method. Magnesia may form up to 3.0% by weight of the powder mixture.
The calcium compound may be calcium oxide which may form 1 to 3.5% by weight of the powder mixture. Where only calcium oxide and alumina were present in the additives, it was found to be desirable to maintain a molar ration of 1:1 to 1:1.5. Where magnesia was also present, a molar ratio of 0.5:0.5:1 was found to be suitable (alumina=1). As an alternative to calcium oxide, a precursor thereof may be used in sufficient quantity to provide said quantity of calcium oxide. Thus, the calcium compound may be calcium carbonate which reacts to provide calcium oxide, with carbon dioxide being driven off in the processing.
As mentioned above, the reaction of nitrogen with silicon is highly exothermic, and it is important, therefore, to control this reaction to ensure that the silicon does not melt. On economic grounds, however, it is desirable that this reaction takes place as rapidly as possible so that time in the furnace is minimised. These requirements can be achieved, in a method in accordance with the invention, by using a nitriding process comprising heating the preform in a furnace under a nitrogen atmosphere while controlling the temperature in the furnace and allowing nitrogen to flow into the furnace on demand, the flow rate of nitrogen into the furnace being monitored, wherein the nitriding process comprises the following phases:
a pre-reaction phase during which the temperature is raised to cause the reaction to commence; PA1 a first reaction phase during which the temperature in the furnace is held at a substantially constant level and the flow rate of nitrogen is controlled so that it does not exceed a predetermined maximum rate, the first reaction phase being initiated when said flow rate of nitrogen exceeds a first predetermined level, and being terminated when said flow rate falls below a second predetermined level; and PA1 a second reaction phase during which the flow rate of nitrogen is maintained between predetermined upper and lower limits by controlling the temperature in the furnace.
This nitriding process also allows the heat generated in the reaction to be utilised so that the method is energy-efficient.
During the said pre-reaction phase, the temperature may be raised at 80.degree. to 120.degree. C. per hour, e.g. at about 100.degree. C. per hour, until a temperature of 950.degree. C. to 1050.degree. C., e.g. about 1000.degree. C., is achieved and at a slower rate thereafter, e.g. at about 40.degree. C. per hour, until nitridation of the silicon commences. The temperature may then be further raised at a slower rate, e.g. at between 5.degree. C. and 20.degree. C. per hour, until said flow rate of nitrogen exceeds said first predetermined level.
Because the amount of nitrogen required to react with the silicon depends on the quantity of silicon present, said predetermined maximum flow rate of nitrogen is, preferably, determined as a function of the total weight of silicon in the furnace, a linear function being suitable. For the same reason, said predetermined upper and lower limits on the flow rate of nitrogen, applied in the second reaction phase, may also be determined as a function of the total weight of silicon in the furnace.
The second reaction phase of the nitriding process may be terminated when the temperature in the furnace reaches a predetermined level. This may terminate the nitriding process or, in order to ensure more complete reaction of the silicon with nitrogen, after the second reaction phase, the method may comprise a third reaction phase during which the temperature in the furnace is maintained substantially constant and the flow rate of nitrogen is allowed to drop.
It is preferable that, prior to said nitriding process, said preform is heated under vacuum to remove water vapour and any other volatile materials present. The preform can be heated, preferably in the same furnace used for the nitriding process, to about 800.degree. C. and held at that temperature for about 1 hour under a vacuum of about 0.01 Torr. The nitriding process can then be commenced without allowing the preform to cool.
In order to minimise both energy use and time required, it is preferable that the silicon is reacted with nitrogen and the silicon nitride so formed is sintered in the same furnace in a continuous operation. The sintering involves the application of heat and gas pressure.
The temperature reached in sintering may be about 1725.degree. C., and the pressure reached may be between 5 and 11 bar (500 to 1100 kN/sq. meter), e.g. about 10 bar (1000 kN/sq. meter).
The invention also provides a sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride component made by a method according to the invention. The component may be in the form of a valve train component for an internal combustion engine, e.g. a tappet shim, a roller follower, or a rocker insert.
There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of an illustrative method of manufacturing a sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride component in accordance with the invention.


A pull or push rod for a molding machine having a groove. The groove is suitable for forming a positive-locking connection with a locking nut, by which positive-locking connection forces are transmittable between the locking nut and the pull or push rod. The groove has a groove cross-section, has at least two groove flanks, and has a groove base. The at least two groove flanks, viewed in the groove cross-section, each transition with at least one transition curvature into the groove base. The groove base in the groove cross-section is at least partially formed as a curvature, and the curvature of the groove base differs from the transition curvatures of the groove flanks.

The invention concerns a pull or push rod for a molding machine with at least one groove, as well as a locking nut for a molding machine with at least one groove, a clamping unit of a molding machine or a molding machine with a clamping unit, and a method for producing a pull or push rod or a locking nut for a molding machine.
Molding machines may be understood to be injection molding machines, transfer molding machines, presses and the like.
In the following, the prior art is explained using an example of an injection molding machine.
An injection process usually begins with the closing of the clamping unit, by bringing the movable mold mounting plate towards the fixed mold mounting plate by a rapid stroke movement. The movable mold mounting plate is then locked with the pressure applying piston part of a clamping force mechanism, and the clamping force mechanism builds up the locking force required for the injection process.
One or more tie bars are often used to guide the movable mold mounting plate. In case of an injection molding machine with a tie bar, the clamping force mechanism is often a hydraulic cylinder, whose piston exerts a force via the tie bar onto the movable mold mounting plate. Also common is the case of an injection molding machine with four tie bars. Here, the clamping force mechanism is often designed as a pressure pads between the mold mounting plates or at the ends of the tie bars. Also these pressure pads are often designed hydraulically, as high pressures have to be built up in a relatively short time.
In other words, these tie bars are pull rods or push rods. These pull rods or push rods are attached, for example, to the fixed mold mounting plate. On the opposite side of the pull or push rods, these are provided with grooves which serve to form a positive-locking releasable connection with a locking nut, and, via this locking nut, to apply pulling or compression forces to the pull or push rods in order to be able to move the movable mold mounting plate with respect to the fixed mold mounting plate, or to be able to press it against each other. Such locking nuts are usually designed as half-shells, which can be brought into a locking position by bringing them together. This serves to enable a rapid stroke drive in the unlocked state of the locking nut to move the movable mold mounting plate at a higher speed in relation to the fixed mold mounting plate. When tools mounted on the mold mounting plates (almost) contact each other, the lock nut/s can be brought into a locking position in order to apply clamping force by the locking mechanism, which has a smaller range of motion and a lower speed, but through which higher forces can be applied.
By exerting the locking force on the movable mold mounting plate, the movable mold mounting plate is pressed to the fixed mold mounting plate in the range of 15,000 kN, for example. With such high locking forces, the pull or push rod/s must have to be designed with a high corresponding strength, requiring a high amount of material. The grooves in the pull or push rods represent a notch, and thus form the cross-section of the highest load in the groove cross-section of the pull or push rod.

Pull or push rod or locking nut for a molding machine


In an embodiment, a method for distributing and processing streams over wide area networks comprises receiving, at a unified data processing node, a continuous query; determining a parallel portion of the continuous query; sending the parallel portion to a plurality of distributed data processing nodes located in a plurality of data centers; at each distributed node in the plurality of distributed nodes, locally executing the parallel portion against independent data partitions, producing a partial summary data, sending the partial summary data to the unified node; continuously receiving, at the unified node, in real-time, the partial summary data.

The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Data communication networks may comprise a hierarchy of nodes that may each receive, process, and send unbounded, streaming data. A data stream may include a large amount of data per second. Furthermore, when a node in the network, which takes data from the input data stream as input, is suspended, intentionally or unintentionally, the node may lose input data while the node is suspended. Further still, in some cases multiple data streams may be received simultaneously.
Some systems may attempt to distribute processing of a data stream query across nodes within a network. An administrator may increase or decrease the number of nodes processing the query by stopping all processing across all the nodes, increasing the number of nodes, and subsequently restarting all the nodes. Stopping and starting nodes can be time consuming. Thus, data in the input streams may be missed while an administrator attempts to increase or decrease the number of nodes processing a data stream.

Distributing and processing streams over one or more networks


A method, apparatus and article generates a pseudo-random playing card sequence and distributes playing cards according the pseudo-random playing card sequence. For example, the method, apparatus and article generates a pseudo-random playing card sequence and prints playing cards in order of the pseudo-random playing card sequence. Further, the method, apparatus and article generates a pseudo-random playing card sequence based on a house advantage. Yet further, the method, apparatus and article can generate a promotional message on one or more playing cards.

1. Technical Field
This invention is generally related to games of skill and chance, and in particular to distributing playing cards for card games.
2. Description of the Related Art
Card games are a well-known form of recreation and entertainment. Games are typically played with one or more decks of cards, where each deck typically includes 52 cards. Each deck of cards will typically include four suits of cards, including: hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades, each suit including fourteen cards having rank: 2–10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace. Card games may, or may not, include wagering based on the game's outcome.
Decks of playing cards must be periodically shuffled to prevent the same card hands from continually reappearing. Shuffling may take place after every card in the deck or decks has been dealt, for example after several hands have been played. Shuffling may also interfere with, and even prevent, a player from gaining an unfair advantage over the house or other players by counting cards. Numerous card counting systems are known, and typically rely on a player keeping a mental count of some or all of the cards which have been played. For example, in the game of twenty-one or "blackjack" it is beneficial to determine when all cards with a rank of 5 have been dealt (i.e., fives strategy). Tens strategy is another card counting method useful in the game of twenty-one. In tens strategy, the player increments a count each time a card having a value of 10 appears, and decrements the count when card having a value less than appears. The count may be divided by the total number of cards remaining to be dealt to give the player an indication of how much the remaining deck favors the player with respect to the house. Other variations of card counting are well known in the art.
Manual shuffling tends to slow play down, so the gaming industry now employs numerous mechanical shufflers to speed up play and to more throughly shuffle the cards. The cards are typically shuffled several cards before the end of the deck(s), in an effort to hinder card counting, which may be particularly effective when only a few hands of cards remain (i.e., end game strategy). The ratio of the number of cards dealt to the total number of cards remaining in the deck(s) is commonly known as the penetration. The gaming industry is now introducing continuous shufflers in a further attempt to frustrate attempts at card counting. As the name implies, continuous shufflers mechanically shuffle the cards remaining to be dealt while one or more hands are being played.
While mechanical shufflers increase the speed of play and produce a more through shuffle over manual methods, there is still a need for improve in speed and/or thoroughness of the shuffle. In particular, mechanical shuffling methods are subject to incomplete shuffles due to the inherently mechanical nature of such devices. Additionally, mechanical shufflers are limited in the total number of decks they can manipulate.

Method, apparatus and article for random sequence generation and playing card distribution