A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer that is interposed between the first and second substrates, and a sealing member that is formed in peripheral portions of the first and second substrates. The sealing member includes a ring-shaped portion that seals the liquid crystal layer inboard of the sealing member and connecting portions that connect first and second regions of the sealing member to form the ring-shaped portion. The connecting portions are formed outboard of the ring-shaped portion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, to a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device, and to an electronic apparatus.
2. Related Art
In general, an electro-optical device, such as a liquid crystal display device, is used as a color image display unit of an electronic apparatus such as a cellular phone. In the liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal layer is interposed between a pair of transparent substrates. In a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device, first, a sealing member is applied to a peripheral portion of one of the pair of substrates. At that time, an inlet for injecting liquid crystal is formed in a portion of the sealing member. Then, spacers are dispersed into the sealing member, and the two substrates Are bonded to each other with the sealing member interposed therebetween. In this way, a liquid crystal cell is formed in a region surrounded by the pair of substrates and the sealing member. Subsequently, the liquid crystal cell is de-aerated under a vacuum, and the atmosphere of the liquid crystal cell is changed from the vacuum state to an ambient pressure state while the inlet for injecting liquid crystal is dipped into a liquid crystal bath. As such, the liquid crystal flows into the liquid crystal cell by a difference in pressure between the liquid crystal cell and the outside and surface tension. Unfortunately, this method requires a long time to fill the liquid crystal into the liquid crystal cell. In particular, when a large substrate having a diagonal line of larger than 1 m is used, it takes one or more days to fill the liquid crystal.
Therefore, there has been proposed a method of discharging liquid crystal on a substrate provided with a frame-shaped sealing material not having a liquid crystal injecting port and of bonding substrates. In this method, first, a sealing material, such as thermosetting resin, is applied to a peripheral portion of the surface of one substrate. Then, a predetermined amount of liquid crystal is discharged inside the sealing material by a liquid discharging apparatus. Finally, the substrates are bonded to each other with the sealing material interposed therebetween under a vacuum, and the atmosphere of the substrates is changed from the vacuum state to the ambient pressure state. Then, ultraviolet rays are radiated onto the sealing material, or a heating treatment is performed thereon, thereby forming a liquid crystal display device. Thus, unlike the liquid crystal injecting method in the related art, the sealing material is formed in a ring shape without an injection port.
According to this method, after the two substrates are bonded to each other, an ambient pressure is applied to the substrates. Therefore, uniform pressure is applied to the two substrates, which makes it possible to obtain a predetermined cell gap. In addition, the cell gap can be determined by the discharge amount of liquid crystal. For example, when a very small amount of liquid crystal is discharged, a small cell gap is formed, which causes the occurrence of bubbles. On the other hand, when a very large amount of liquid crystal is discharged, a large cell gap is formed, which causes an irregularity of the cell gap. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a uniform cell gap by optimally setting the discharge amount of liquid crystal. In addition, unlike the liquid crystal injecting method according to the related art, this method makes it possible to reduce the amount of liquid crystal used and thus to shorten the time required for an injecting/sealing process, resulting in a short tact-time.
Further, a sealing member forming method using a dispenser has been proposed (for example, JP-A-2002-98979, JP-A-2003-222883, and JP-A-2003-241204). In this method, a sealing member is formed in a predetermined pattern on a substrate while moving the dispenser relative to the substrate. Here, for the sealing member discharged on the substrate to have a ring-shaped pattern, a sealing member previously discharged in a part of a peripheral portion of the pattern overlaps a sealing member discharged later. In this way, when the substrates are bonded to each other after the liquid crystal is discharged, it is possible to prevent the liquid crystal from leaking to the outside of the ring-shaped pattern of the sealing member.
However, the inventors found out that the liquid crystal display device disclosed in the related art had the following problems: it is difficult to stably form the sealing member; it is necessary to form dummy spacers between adjacent panels; and it is necessary to control the dispenser when a sealing member forming process starts and ends in order to form one pattern in one forming operation. In addition, the inventors found out that a general method of forming a sealing member using a dispenser had a problem in that the irregularity of a cell gap easily occurs.
The inventors obtain the following knowledge from the sealing member discharging method using the dispenser.
In the above-mentioned discharging method, as shown in FIGS. 26A and 26B, it is necessary that a sealing member forming start portion 500 and a sealing member forming end portion 510 be formed to have the same thickness as those of the other portions. The reason is that, when the thicknesses thereof are excessively large, a large cell gap is formed, resulting in display irregularity, and when the thicknesses thereof are excessively small, liquid crystal is leaked from those portions, resulting in low reliability. Therefore, when the sealing member is formed by the dispenser, generally, the sealing member may be formed to be large or small by the sealing member forming start portion 500 and the sealing member forming end portion 510, as shown in FIGS. 26A and 26B. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 26C, in order to make the thickness of a connecting portion 520 uniform, the sealing member forming start portion 500 generally overlaps the sealing member forming end portion 510. In this case, it is confirmed that the overlapping portion needs to have a length of about 4 mm, and a width W2 of the overlapping portion becomes larger than a predetermined width W1 by about 0.1 to 0.2 mm (ΔW=W2−W1=0.1 to 0.2 mm) due to a variation in the viscosity of the sealing member.
Further, in a liquid crystal display device driven by TFDs (thin film diodes) or a liquid crystal display device in which STN (super twisted nematic) liquid crystal is operated by a passive driving method, as shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, it is necessary that lead wiring lines 601 formed on the surface of a circuit board having driver ICs 600 and 610 thereon and common electrodes (hereinafter, referred to as COM electrodes) 602 formed on a counter substrate be electrically connected to connection pads 603. In this case, conductive particles, spacers, on which a coating process is performed, are dispersed into a sealing member, and the sealing member is arranged on the connection pads 603. In this way, the lead wiring lines 601 and the COM electrodes 602 are electrically connected to each other through the conductive particles, so that an output voltage from the driver ICs 600 is applied to wiring lines on the counter substrate.
Meanwhile, it is necessary that the sealing member be formed to cross segment electrodes (hereinafter, referred to as SEG electrodes) 604 extending from the driver IC 610 to a display area 620 and the lead wiring lines 601 extending from the driver ICs 600 to the connection pads 603. In this case, in order to prevent the lead wiring lines 601 and the SEG electrodes 604 from being electrically connected to each other, a sealing member not containing conductive particles crosses the lead wiring lines 601 and the SEG electrodes 604.
When both the sealing member containing the conductive particles and the sealing member containing the non-conductive particles are used, it is necessary that the two sealing members be connected to each other between an end of the connection pad 603 (which is represented by a character 'A' in FIG. 28) and a portion where the COM electrode 601 crosses the sealing member (which is represented by a character 'B' in FIG. 28). In the liquid crystal display device using the TFDs or the STN liquid crystal display device, generally, a distance L between the two portions is smaller than 2 mm. Therefore, when the distance is smaller than the length of the overlapping portion, 4 mm, shown in FIG. 26C, it is confirmed that the overlapping portion of the connecting portion 520 has a length of 1 mm, and a width W3 of the overlapping portion is larger than the predetermined width W1 by about 0.5 to 0.6 mm (ΔW=W3−W1=0.5 to 0.6 mm), which causes the irregularity of a cell gap.
In the method disclosed in JP-A-2002-98979, the width of an overlapping portion of a start portion and an end portion of a sealing line is 0.4 to 0.6 times the width of the sealing line. However, in this method, it is very difficult to control a dispenser, and thus it takes a long time to form the sealing member. In addition, the shape of the sealing member may be varied due to a variation in the amount of the sealing member remaining in the dispenser or a variation in viscosity between the lots of the sealing member, which causes trouble in managing the dispenser.
Further, in the method disclosed in JP-A-2003-222883, the formation of a sealing member starts from any portion at the outside of the sealing member having a closed loop shape, and the formation thereof is terminated in another portion at the outside of the sealing member having the closed loop shape, which is different from the sealing member formation start portion. However, this method has a problem in that dummy spacers should be provided between adjacent panels. In addition, in JP-A-2002-98979, JP-A-2003-222883, and JP-A-2003-241204, since only one member is formed by one sealing member forming operation, it takes a long time to control the dispenser when the formation of the sealing member starts or is terminated, which results in a long tact time.

Ring-shaped seal for LCD and method formed of first and second different material sealing members with respective first and second connecting portions each having respective first and second abutting parts that are continuous with the sealing members


In a method for forming an annular-shaped and vertically extending bottom electrode of a memory cell capacitor, a conductive film is formed on an inter-layer insulator. A photo-resist material is applied on the conductive film to form a photo-resist film thereon. The photo-resist film is patterned by a photo-lithography using a mask which includes a transparent plate-like body and a phase shifting film selectively provided on a predetermined region of the transparent plate-like body to form an annular-shaped and vertically extending photo-resist pattern over the conductive film. The conductive film is subjected to an anisotropic etching, in which the annular-shaped and vertically extending photo-resist pattern is used as a mask, to form an annular-shaped and vertically extending bottom electrode under the annular-shaped and vertically extending photo-resist pattern. The annular-shaped and vertically extending photo-resist pattern is removed.

The present invention relates to a method for forming a capacitor in a memory cell in a dynamic random access memory.
Requirements for improvements in the integration of dynamic random access memory including a large number of memory cells, each of which comprises a pair of a transistor and a capacitor, have increased. In order to satisfy this requirement, it is required to further reduce an occupying area of each unit cell. The reduction in occupying area of each unit cell further requires a reduction in a horizontal area of the capacitor in the unit memory cell.
On the other hand, a sufficiently large capacitance of the memory cell is also necessary to provide the memory cell with a sufficient resistivity to soft errors caused by noise charges which are generated by alpha particles. The capacitance of the memory cell is proportional to an area of a dielectric film sandwiched between top and bottom electrodes which constitute the capacitor in the unit memory cell. The increase in capacitance of the memory cell requires an increase in area of the dielectric film sandwiched between the top and bottom electrodes. As described above, it is also required to reduce the horizontal area of the capacitor.
In the above circumstances, the issue with a design for the capacitor in the unit memory cell is how to reduce the horizontal area of the capacitor and enlarge the area of the dielectric film of the capacitor. It was proposed to form a vertically extending bottom electrode, for example, a cylindrically shaped bottom electrode in order to increase in the area of the dielectric film between the top and bottom electrodes of the capacitor in the memory cell. This proposals are disclosed in the Japanese laid-open patent applications Nos. 3-214668, 4-99373, 4-264767, and 3-232271.
A typical conventional method for forming a capacitor with a cylindrically shaped bottom electrode in the unit memory cell in the dynamic random access memory device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A-1H.
With reference to FIG. 1A, field oxide films 2 are selectively formed in a surface region of a semiconductor substrate 1 to define an active region. A gate oxide film and a gate electrode 5 are selectively formed on a channel region in the active region defined by the field oxide films 2. Source and drain regions 3 and 4 are selectively formed in the surface region of the semiconductor substrate 1 to sandwich the channel region under the gate electrode 5. A first inter-layer insulator 6 is formed on an entire surface of the device to embed the gate electrode 5. A bit line through hole is selectively formed in the first inter-layer insulator 6 so that the bit line through hole overlies the drain region 4. A bit line plug is formed within the bit line through hole to plug up the bit line through hole and further bit lines 7 are formed on the first inter-layer insulator 6. A second inter-layer insulator 8 is formed on an entire surface of the device to embed the bit lines 7. A silicon nitride film 10 is formed on the second inter-layer insulator 8. A photo-resist film 11 is formed on the silicon nitride film 10. The photo-resist film 11 is patterned to have an opening over the source region 3. The silicon nitride film 10 is formed with an opening which lies under the opening of the photo-resist film 11. The silicon nitride film 10 is used as a mask to form a contact hole 9, which penetrates through the second inter-layer insulator 8, the bit lines 7 and the first inter-layer insulator 6, over the source region 3 so that the surface of the source region 3 is partially exposed.
With reference to FIG. 1B, after removal of the photo-resist pattern 11, a first silicon film 12 is formed both on the silicon nitride film 10 and within the contact hole 9 to plug up the same. The first silicon film 12 is doped with an impurity to increase a conductivity thereof.
With reference to FIG. 1C, a silicon oxide film 14 is formed on the first silicon film 12 by a chemical vapor deposition method. A photo-resist film is formed on the silicon oxide film 14 and then patterned to form a photo-resist pattern 13 which overlies the silicon oxide film 14. The center of the photo-resist pattern 13 is aligned to the center of the contact hole. The horizontal size of the photo-resist pattern 13 is larger than the horizontal size of the contact hole.
With reference to FIG. 1D, the photo-resist pattern 13 is used as a mask to selectively etch the silicon oxide film 14 and the first silicon film 12 so that the silicon oxide film 14 and the first silicon film 12 remain only under the photo-resist pattern 13 and over the contact hole 9 and peripheral areas of the contact hole 9. Thereafter, the photo-resist pattern 13 is removed.
With reference to FIG. 1E, a second silicon film 15 having a thickness in the range of 100 nanometers to 200 nanometers is formed on an entire surface of the device to extend over the silicon nitride film 10 and on vertical side walls of the first silicon film 12 and the silicon oxide film 14 as well as on the top surface of the silicon oxide film 14. As a result, the silicon oxide film 14 is surrounded by the first and second silicon oxide films 12 and 15.
With reference to FIG. 1F, the second silicon film 15 is then subjected to an etch-back so as to leave only vertical portions of the second silicon film 15 extending on the vertical surfaces of the first silicon film 12 and the silicon oxide film 14.
With reference to FIG. 1G, the silicon oxide film 14 is etched by fluorine acid to thereby form a bottom electrode which comprises the vertical portions of the second silicon film 15 and the horizontal portion of the first silicon film 12.
With reference to FIG. 1H, a dielectric film 16 is formed on an entire surface of the device to extend on the silicon nitride film 10 and on outer vertical side wall of the second silicon film 15 of the bottom electrode as well as on the top of the second silicon film 15 and inner vertical side wall of the second silicon film 15, in addition the top of the first silicon film 12, to thereby cover an entire surface of the bottom electrode. A top electrode 17 is formed on an entire surface of the dielectric film 16, to thereby form a capacitor for the memory cell in the dynamic random access memory.
As described above, the conventional processes for forming the memory cell capacitor are complicated. The reasons for such complicated processes for forming the memory cell capacitor are as follows. First, it is difficult to define a fine pattern for the cylindrically shaped bottom electrode by use of the normal photo-lithography since the size of the fine pattern is smaller than a resolving power of the reduced exposure. Second, if an annular pattern is formed and subsequently an etching is carried out, then a disconnection from a contact plug will appear due to the etching process.
The above conventional processes for forming the memory cell capacitor are so complicated as to include two formations of the silicon films, two anisotropic dry etching processes, one wet etching process. Such complication of the processes for forming the memory cell capacitor of increases in the cost thereof and decrease the in yield of the products due to residue and particles generated by the etching processes.

Method for forming a capacitor in a memory cell in a dynamic random access memory device


A collapsible and deployable indoor-outdoor sign assembly that can easily and quickly be installed, taken down, and transported, and still have excellent stability, strength, and longevity.

The transport and deployment of temporary signs is used in many different professions, such as realtors, day care centers, or temporary home workers. Realtors for example place signs in yards to inform people that a particular parcel may be for sale, or that an open house event may be taking place.
Small signs, such as those made of ¼ inch metal poles are currently used by some. A larger sign may draw more attention, however the larger sign may be impossible or inconvenient to transport and/or set up.
What is needed is a large attractive sign, which is lightweight, and can be collapsible and deployable.
The present invention is a real estate marketing accessory with exterior and interior bases that were designed for multiple business applications, along with avoiding the problems with currently used sign products. The parts can ban be dismantled and placed into the storage bag for easy transport and available for immediate ground installation at the next listing appointment or used with an interior base in an office or product show. The unique telescoping pole and cross bar are important for the sing to be quickly dismantled or assembled from/to a storage bag and extending to one that is nearly six (6) feet tall. It weighs about 18 lbs and takes approximately 10 minutes to assemble or disassemble. This means a small person can manage the process and transport as needed. Many realtors are women and such ease is meaningful to them. In addition, this new and distinctive product advertises for both a quality property and professional realtor. Image is everything!
There are two major parts to the product with associated smaller parts: First, the two different bases: The exterior base is standard while the interior base is an option. The second part is the telescoping upright PVC post with the cross bar to hold an advertising sign with adjustable position clips. The cross bar is counter balanced to off-set the weight of the realtor's sign so that the pole maintains its upright position. A solar light is optional and provides night time visibility.
These two different steel, powder coated bases that support the telescoping PVC pole. The exterior use one can easily be driven into the ground even when the ground is frozen in northern climates. The four "prongs" on the bottom provides extra stability in any type of soil, especially sand and very soft soil, where most other posts eventually lean if not cemented in place.
The interior base has wheels to be easily moved about in an office or building with or without the telescoping pole assembled. Some users have found it convenient to have both types of bases. One to leave in the ground and the other when using at vendor or product shows or conferences: Just pick up the PVC parts leaving the exterior base in place and use the sign on an interior base for a conference, vendor show or office and then replace it afterwards on its alternate base.
How this product differs from others that are typically used in the business.
1. The metal signs rust and are utilitarian in appearance. These are known to damage cars and clothing when transported and being set up. The Best Portable Sign does not have sharp edges and has a protective storage bag. The metal exterior base is powder coated to prevent rusting.2. The wooden fixed poles are usually installed by a company after being ordered by the realtor. These are awkward and need a strong person to dig a hole to install and later the strength to lift and remove. There is also a fee for service by a sub-contracting firm. Installation and removal with the associated service fees means a time delay after a property listing is signed and may be as long as a week to ten (10) days! Seasonal installs are further delayed when the ground is frozen. Contrast that to an immediate notice to the area that the property is now for sale. The Best Portable Sign can be installed immediately after a listing appointment in approximately 10 minutes even in the winter. Time is money in business!
Since the pieces are separate, easy to handle and lightweight anyone can assemble or dismantle it. The base is designed with the shape and stabilizing prongs for sand and other soft soils to maintain an upright position and support the weight of the realtor's sign by counter pressure. The wooden poles tend to lean in soft soils unless otherwise supported.
3. Durability. A property listing may lost for a very short period of time or extend into years. The powder coated base and PVC materials maintain quality appearance for the time involved. The parts are durable with an extended life time and seldom need replacing.4. Ease of use and versatile; Transportable and easily stored in a car or home when not in use. A smaller sized person can manage and lift the various parts. The multiple use feature with the bases means that it can be used and applicable to many opportunities to advertise a property realtor.5. Appearance: It is a new attractive, eye-catching product and the design has its own distinct appearance. It maintains the upright position when placed into the ground, along with the realtor's sign on the counter balanced cross bar support.

Deployable collapsible indoor-outdoor sign assembly


A passive cooling arrangement for an electronic housing assembly is provided. The assembly includes a frame disposed in the housing assembly; a circuit board supported in the frame; a heat generating component disposed on the circuit board; and a heat sink configured with a substantially flat peripheral portion and a depression portion. The substantially flat peripheral portion faces and is nearly coextensive with an outer wall of said housing assembly, and the depression portion is in thermal engagement with the heat generating component on the circuit board. The frame includes a base having embosses which support the circuit board in a position enabling thermal engagement of the heat generating component and the depression portion of the heat sink. The outer wall of the housing assembly is preferably unvented and the housing assembly is preferably oriented in use with the outer wall facing upwardly.

Set-top boxes continue to be in high demand and an ever increasing need exists to reduce the size and improve aesthetic appeal, performance, and robustness of these devices and the like.
Particular problems that set-top boxes face are damage due to liquid entry, insect entry, and heat generation. However, venting apertures, which are often used for heat dissipation, unfortunately increase the opportunity of liquid and insect entry. As such, a need exists to address each of these problems without creating or augmenting other problems.
An additional consideration in designing set-top boxes to keep in mind is the consumer preference for smaller set-top boxes that are quiet, attractive, and mechanically and electrically robust that fit in crowded or small entertainment centers. Because heat dissipation fans, which tend to improve electrical robustness of the set-top boxes, introduce noise and increase size of set-top boxes, a need exists for a design which can be robust without fans and yet meet consumer preferences.

Miniature multilayer radiative cooling case wtih hidden quick release snaps


The subject matter of the present disclosure is a process for manufacturing a shoe comprising an outsole joined to the sole part of a first main liner comprising on its outer face at least two studs, and a first auxiliary liner, at least partially, in particular integrally, hot-melt, in a textile piece, covering at least part of the first main liner, the outsole, and the junction between the first main liner and the outsole, at least part or all of the first hot-melt auxiliary liner being melted and adhered to the first main liner and to the outsole.

The subject matter of EP 2 815 668 A1 is a process for manufacturing a shoe comprising a first step of manufacturing the molded upper, during the course of which a rigid foot-shaped core is covered by an upper element then placed in a mold. A resin is then injected into said mold according to a mask covering all or part of the upper. The upper thus prepared is then placed in a mold for the manufacture of the outer sole by injecting a resin directly onto the lower face of the upper. This process allows the upper and sole of a shoe to be manufactured and assembled in a simplified, seamless manner.
The subject matter of WO 2014/130598 A2 is a process for manufacturing a shoe upper comprising arranging an upper on a perforated rigid core disposed on a plate. A waterproof deformable membrane is disposed on the upper placed on the core, then the membrane is pressed against the upper and thus the core by the effect of air suction through the perforations of the core. During this step, the core is heated so that the upper eventually adheres to another at least partially thermofusible element. This process allows an upper to be manufactured without seams, but it is not suitable for simultaneously attaching a sole to the upper.
The subject matter of FR 3 007 317 A1 is a process for manufacturing a shoe upper comprising arranging an upper on a rigid core, then a waterproof membrane on the upper, the assembly being placed in an enclosure in which a vacuum is applied so as to press the membrane on the core and thus the upper.
Previous processes seek to decrease the number of steps necessary in the construction of a shoe, in particular by eliminating the sewing steps consisting in attaching the upper to a sole. Indeed, the soles are conventionally in the state of the art attached to the uppers by means of a so-called Strobel assembly during which the various sole parts (insole, midsole and outsole) are glued. However, in the previous processes during which the sole is attached to the upper during the manufacture of the upper and/or the sole, the sole-upper assembly has poor resistance to delamination, the sole having a tendency to separate from the upper. This disadvantage is amplified when the sole is subjected to forces tending to move it away from the upper. This phenomenon is in particular observed when the sole has projections on its underside that come into contact with the ground, for example for soccer or hiking boots.
The present disclosure proposes a shoe whose manufacturing process allows a very significant saving of time and labor.
The present disclosure proposes a shoe having an aesthetic appearance different from shoes obtained by Strobel assembly, lighter, consuming less material for its manufacture, thus reducing its environmental impact, in particular by avoiding the use of upper pattern, and having an outsole that is resistant to abrasion and ensures cushioning performance.
The present disclosure proposes a shoe that is easier to put on, having an improved feel, comfort, and improved resistance to delamination of the outsole.

Method for producing a shoe and shoe that can be obtained by said method


A circuit structure for a lamp set which includes a socket, a lamp assembly mounted onto the socket and an electrode portion. The lamp assembly surrounds a housing space inside to hold a power distribution dock connecting to the socket. The power distribution dock has a holding space to hold a power conversion element which is electrically connected to the electrode portion to receive external electric power and transform to starting power to drive the lamp assembly to generate light. The power distribution dock and the power conversion element are located in the housing space. Thus the total height of the socket is reduced and the lamp set can be shrunk to a smaller size.

A conventional fluorescent lamp assembly mainly includes a lamp set and a light bulb assembly. The light bulb assembly includes a shell, a socket and at least one lamp assembly. To install the light bulb assembly on the lamp set further requires a ballast and a starter to provide power to enable the light bulb assembly to function in a stable manner. The conventional fluorescent lamp assembly has the starter and ballast installed separately from the lamp set. The ballast is located at one side of the lamp set in a separated or integrated manner. In order to increase the application scope and operation efficiency, many fluorescent lamp assemblies at present adopt an improved structure to become a power-saving lamp (referring to FIG. 1). The power-saving lamp includes a lamp assembly 1, a socket 2, a shell 3, a connection element 8 and an electrode portion 6. There also is a housing space 4 spared between the socket 2 and shell 3. To improve power utilization efficiency each power-saving lamp has a power conversion element 5 which also provides the functions of the conventional starter and ballast. The power-saving lamp generally can be mounted onto a conductive socket by screwing like a conventional incandescent lamp to receive electric power. The power conversion element 5 transforms the electric power to generate light. The power-saving lamp provides a wider application scope and higher operation efficiency than the conventional fluorescent lamp. But it is more bulky than the conventional incandescent lamp due to housing the power conversion element 5. Lamp producers try to shrink the size of the power conversion element 5 to make the total size of the lamp set smaller. This makes driving multiple lamp sets 1 more difficult. Moreover, shrinking the size also increases energy density of the power conversion element 5, and the element materials of the power conversion element 5 must have a greater heat-resistant capability. All this make design of the power-saving lamp more difficult. As a result the power-saving lamp is more expensive than the general fluorescent lamp or incandescent lamp. There is still room for improvement to address the problems of design difficulty and higher cost mentioned above.


The present invention relates to a semiconductor device which comprises: an n.sup.- type buried collector provided on an n type silicon epitaxial layer disposed in an emitter opening; an n.sup.- type silicon collector disposed on said collector; a p.sup.+ type single crystal silicon intrinsic base layer; and an n.sup.+ type single crystal silicon emitter wherein said p.sup.+ type single crystal silicon intrinsic base layer is connected with a p.sup.+ type base electrode polycrystalline silicon through a p.sup.+ type polycrystalline silicon graft base.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more specifically to a bipolar transistor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a sectional view of a prior art NPN bipolar transistor which includes a base formed through ion implantation and which employs a self-alignment process, the bipolar transistor including a p.sup.- type silicon substrate 201, an n.sup.+ type buried layer, an n.sup.- type silicon epitaxial layer 203 formed on the former layer 202, and a LOCOS oxide film 204. The n.sup.+ type buried layer 202 is connected to an A1 electrode 216 through an n.sup.+ type phosphorus diffusion layer 205 and an n.sup.+ type collector electrode polycrystalline silicon 208. A p.sup.+ type intrinsic base 217 formed through ion implantation on the surface of the n.sup.- type silicon epitaxial layer 203 is connected with the side surface of a p.sup.+ type external base 218 formed on the surface of the n.sup.- type silicon epitaxial layer 203 through impurity diffusion from a p.sup.+ type base electrode polycrystalline silicon 207. Further, an n.sup.+ type emitter 220 is formed on the surface of the intrinsic base 217 through impurity diffusion from n.sup.+ type emitter electrode polycrystalline silicon 219. Silicon oxide films 206, 214, and a silicon nitride film 209 electrically insulates the respective portions mentioned above. The above construction is basically the same as an SST (Super Self-Aligned Process Technology) one reported in the Proceedings of the 12th Solid State Devices Conference: Proc. of Solid State Device, P155, 1980.
The aforementioned prior art bipolar transistor is configured into a structure suitable for the formation of a base through an ion implantation process. Such an ion implantation process however suffers from a difficulty with channeling, and hence has in itself a limitation to a technique where a base is formed as a thin film. Further, as implantation conditions go to lower implantation energy and to higher doses for the purpose of a base making thinner, a heat teatment at a temperature lower than a predetermined one and within a predetermined period of time makes impossible the recovery of implantation damage and the activation of impurities.
Additionally, the foregoing bipolar transistor has another difficulty caused by its fabrication method. More specifically, the formation of a base of the foregoing bipolar transistor includes the following processes. A base electrode polycrystalline silicon is patterned, on the side wall of which is polycrystalline silicon an insulating film is formed, and an insulating film provided under which polycrystalline film is side-etched, and thereafter a non-implanted polycrystalline silicon is deposited by an LPCVD process, into which non-implanted polycrystalline silicon impurity is in turn diffused from an overhung portion of the foregoing base electrode polycrystalline silicon through a heat treatment. The non-implanted polycrystalline silicon is kept non-implanted as before excepting the lower part of the overhung portion. When the additional part of the polycrystalline silicon kept non-implanted is wet-etched by hydrazine and KOH, etc., and use is made of a (100)-oriented single crystal silicon substrate, etching rates of the single crystal silicon and the non-implanted polycrystalline silicon being wet-etched, the etching is advancd up to the (100)-oriented intrinsic base. This impedes in the prior art bipolar transistor the use of the (100)-oriented single crystal silicon substrate.
In contrast, there is disclosed a bipolar transistor with use of a low temperature epitaxial technique promising as the thin film base formation technique in the proceedings of the VLSI Technology Symposium (Symp. on VLSI Technology, pp. 91-92, 1989). More specifically, a base electrode polycrystalline silicon is patterned on a collector, and thereafter an epitaxial layer is grown to form a single crystal on a region where the aforementioned base electrode polycrystalline silicon is absent Since in this structure the emitter and the base fail to be formed in a self-alignment manner, an emitter opening part is needed to be formed on the single crystal base through lithography. This essentially results in a limitation to reduction of the device and makes it impossible to really produce parasitic capacitance and parasitic resistance. It is therefore impossible to realize a high speed bipolar transistor using the above structure.
There is further disclosed a technique to suppress Kirk effect by implanting phosphorus ion into a collector disposed just under an emitter for the purpose of achieving a high f.sub.T in the proceedings of the 19th Solid State Device and Materials Conference (Proceedings of Solid State Devices and Materials, pp.331-334, 1987). The technique surely enjoys a higher cut-off frequency f.sub.T, but causes the severe deterioration of junction breakdown voltage because the junction is formed between a high concentration base and a high concentration collector. For improving such breakdown voltage a p-i-n structure may be constructed to prevent a direct junction from being formed between the high concentration base and the high concentration collector by disposing an i layer between those base and collector. Upon constructing such a structure through an ion implantation process a uniform concentration thicker i layer fails to be formed because of the affection of the tail of an impurity Gaussian distribution yielded upon ion implantation. For improving the breakdown voltage by moderating an electric field in a depletion layer between the collector and the base, an i layer with the width of the same order (i.e., about 100 nm) as that of the depletion layer, which is impossible in view of the aforementioned reason.


A method and device are provided for welding structural parts, preferably of a gas turbine, especially of an aircraft engine. A structural component is laser-welded by means of at least one laser source, the one or more laser sources being operated in a pulsed mode. Pulse duration and/or pulse shape and/or output of the one or more laser sources are adjusted in a variable manner. The wire advance of the welding wire is controlled subject to the pulses of the one or more laser sources.

Gas turbines, in particular aircraft engines, must meet exceedingly stringent requirements in terms of reliability, weight, performance, economy and service life. In recent decades, aircraft engines have been developed, particularly for use in the civil sector, which have fully satisfied the above requirements and have attained a high level of technical perfection. The selection of material, the search for new types of suitable material, as well as the quest for novel manufacturing processes have played a decisive role in aircraft engine development. Since gas turbines are subject to high stresses and, therefore, defective regions may form on the gas turbine during operation, it is also crucial that highly developed repair processes be devised, to enable the defective regions to be repaired reliably, safely, quickly and cost-effectively.
The most important materials employed today for aircraft engines or other types of gas turbines are titanium alloys, nickel alloys (also called superalloys) and high-strength steels. The high-strength steels are used for shaft parts, gear parts, for the compressor housing and the turbine housing. Titanium alloys are typical materials used for compressor parts, in particular for compressor blades. Nickel alloys are suited for the heat-exposed parts of the aircraft engine, thus, for example, for the turbine blades. The latest generation of gas turbine components is manfactured from directionally solidified or monocrystalline materials, besides being weight-optimized, the components also being structurally designed to have ever thinner wall thicknesses.
The tendencies described above in the development of gas turbine components, namely the search for increasingly improved materials, and the increasingly weight-optimized structural components, place very high demands on the manufacturing processes, as well as on the repair processes, which also include welding processes.
However, highly heat-resistant superalloys, which, namely, may be present as directionally solidified materials and as monocrystalline materials, exhibit a high susceptibility to cracking and to distortion during welding processes. Accordingly, structural components made of the above materials are only workable or repairable to a less than satisfactory extent using conventional welding methods.
The German Patent No. DE 43 27 189 C2 describes a repair welding method for the blades of gas turbines. The method it discusses provides for a butt welding of a previously prepared repair surface, either plasma arc welding (PAW), laser-beam welding or electron beam welding being used as the butt welding method. In this case, a CO2 laser is used as a laser source.
The German Patent No. DE 196 30 703 C2 describes a method and a device for the repair welding of structural components manufactured from a nickel-based alloy. In the repair welding method according to German Patent No. DE 196 30 703 C2, the structural component to be welded is inductively heated, either tungsten-inert-gas welding (TIG) or plasma arc welding being used as the welding method.

Method and device for welding structural components


A circuit for read-enabling a memory device with checking of the minimum functionality conditions of the memory cells and reading circuits, particularly for non-volatile memories, having a structure for reproducing the operating conditions within the memory matrix to determine the minimum duration of the step for pre-charging the bit lines involved in the reading operation, the structure being adapted to generate a pre-charge step interruption signal that depends on the reaching of the minimum functionality conditions; a mechanism for generating a power-on-reset signal for enabling reading when the minimum functionality conditions for reading correctness are reached, the power-on-reset signal generating mechanism being adapted to drive a control logic mechanism as well as a reading control and stimulation mechanism. The circuit further includes a memory mechanism for the pre-charge step, which is driven by the structure for reproducing the operating conditions within the memory matrix, by the control logic mechanism, and by the reading control and stimulation mechanism, the memory mechanism for the pre-charge step causing, at the onset of the minimum functionality conditions, the end of the pre-charge step to perform a first reading of the memory cells in assured conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to circuits and methods for read-enabling memory devices synchronously with the reaching of minimum functionality conditions of memory cells and reading circuits, particularly for non-volatile memories.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In non-volatile memories with so-called static reading, it is possible to assuredly read a correct data item in the location addressed by the read address, even if initially the reading circuits have not reached their minimum functionality conditions.
Even if reading is started at a voltage level that is not yet sufficient to ensure assuredly correct reading of the data item, its correctness is in fact achieved nonetheless after a certain period of time, when the supply voltages assumes the steady state, i.e., when the supply voltage reaches at least the level of a threshold voltage of a generic non-volatile memory cell (approximately 2.1 V).
However, static-type reading approaches show difficulties in management for solving problems of noise generated by switching of outputs. Furthermore, these approaches do not easily allow to reduce consumptions.
In order to obviate this problem, solutions known as sampled and with dynamic (time-controlled) data sensing structures have been proposed.
The sampled-type reading approach entails reading the memory cell after a certain preset time and in this case it is indispensable that the read data item be actually correct, since dynamic reading does not allow modification of the data item at a later time.
Therefore, if reading is activated before the minimum functionality condition of a generic memory cell (voltage at least equal to the threshold voltage of a non-volatile cell) has been reached, the data item read in incorrect conditions remains incorrect until the next reading operation.
This drawback is particularly felt in memory devices that are meant to start up a more complex system, such as for example a computer, when the system enables the memory from the very start.
In this case, the first reading operation after device power-on and while the supply voltage level has not yet reached the steady state can have problems relating to the reliability of the read data. This occurs in all cases involving, for any reason, a transient situation of the power supply.

Circuits and methods for read-enabling memory devices synchronously with the reaching of the minimum functionality conditions of the memory cells and reading circuits, particularly for non-volatile memories


A hydroprocessing catalyst is provided. The hydroprocessing catalyst has the formula (Mt)a(Xu)b(Sv)d(Cw)e(Hx)f(Oy)g(Nz)h, wherein M is at least one group VIB metal; X is at least one Group VIII non-noble metal; t, u, v, w, x, y, z representing the total charge for each of the components (M, X, S, C, H, O and N, respectively); ta+ub+vd+we+xf+yg+zh=0; and 0=<b/a=<5, (a+0.5b)<=d<=(5a+2b), 0<=e<=11(a+b), 0<=f<=7(a+b), 0<=g<=5(a+b), 0<=h<=0.5(a+b). The catalyst has an X-ray powder diffraction pattern with at least one broad diffraction peak at any of Bragg angles: 8 to 18°, 32 to 40°, and 55 to 65° (from 0 to 70° 2-θ scale). In one embodiment, the at least one diffraction peak is greater than 2 degrees wide at ½ height.

The petroleum industry is increasingly turning to heavy crudes, resids, coals and tar sands as sources for feedstocks. Feedstocks derived from these heavy materials contain more sulfur and nitrogen than feedstocks derived from more conventional crude oils, requiring a considerable amount of upgrading in order to obtain usable products therefrom. The upgrading or refining generally being accomplished by hydrotreating processes, i.e., treating with hydrogen of various hydrocarbon fractions, or whole heavy feeds, or feedstocks, in the presence of hydrotreating catalysts to effect conversion of at least a portion of the feeds, or feedstocks to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons, or to effect the removal of unwanted components, or compounds, or their conversion to innocuous or less undesirable compounds.
Catalyst precursors commonly used for these hydrotreating reactions include materials such as cobalt molybdate on alumina, nickel on alumina, cobalt molybdate promoted with nickel, nickel tungstate, etc. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,824,821 and 5,484,755 and US Patent Publication No. 2006/0054535 disclose hydroprocessing catalysts in the form of high activity slurry. The slurry catalyst is produced from group VIB metal compounds by sulfiding an aqueous mixture of the metal compound with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas at a pressure of up to 5,000 psi (340 atm).
US Patent Publication No. 20070161505 discloses an ultra-dispersed catalyst composition having a median particle diameter between 30-6000 nm, prepared by mixing separate micro-emulsions of Group VIB or VIIIB non-noble metals. Each micro-emulsion is prepared by mixing solutions containing either Group VIB or VIIIB metal with a hydrocarbon feed stock. As the metals were sulfided separately, when the micro-emulsions are mixed together, a first metal component (e.g., NiS) simply deposits on the outer layer of the second metal component (e.g., MoS2), thus forming a "core shell" type catalyst structure. Core-shell type catalysts formed with pre-sulfided metal components have lower catalytic activity than catalysts formed in a process wherein the metals are allowed to react/in contact with each other prior to sulfidation to form a more homogeneous structure.
There is still a need for improved catalysts with optimum morphology, structure and improved catalytic activity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hydroprocessing bulk catalyst and uses thereof


Systems and methods include obtaining a table having a plurality of addresses each having a plurality of attributes and classifications; responsive to a requirement to reduce a size of the table, reducing a number of the plurality of addresses based on one or more reduction approaches that use any of the plurality of attributes and classifications; and obtaining an output table having some or all of the plurality of addresses for a table receiver. The table can be obtained via control plane components including one or more of Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). The requirement to reduce the size is based on a size of the table and a size of memory associated with the table receiver.

The introduction of merchant silicon network processing devices has lowered the cost of entry for networking platforms, i.e., routers. However, these routers often have forwarding tables of such limited capacity that they cannot support the full internet routing table. Of note, various terms are utilized herein for a table, namely a routing table, a forwarding table, a prefix table, etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize these all relate to a similar concept of a table of addresses, and the distinction is based on the use case. For example, hardware implementations refer to this as a forwarding table (also referred to as a Forwarding Information Base (FIB)). Software implementations refer to this as a routing table (also referred to as a Routing Information Base (RIB)). Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) implementations refer to this as a prefix table. For generality, these concepts can be referred to simply as a "table." As is known in the art, a table is utilized to specify next-hop forwarding. For example, for illustrating this limitation, a full complement of Internet routes may include 800 k or more routes, whereas network processing devices may be limited to support a subset, such as 200 k or so routes, in memory. One solution to address this limitation, to support the full internet routing table, includes the addition of Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) to sufficiently expand the table capacity to carry full Internet routes.
With the modernization of the Internet, the number of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses has increased multi-fold. Service providers are constantly challenged to manage constantly growing IP addresses with the limited capacity of the platforms in the field, increasingly made up of merchant silicon platforms with limited table memory capacity. It is also true that not every node in the network needs to handle all the IP addresses that are present in the network and can prune with discrimination based on the regions they are in or the services that they offer. It is desirable to have a mechanism whereby an operator can control the packet forwarding table resources intelligently such that the table is primed with IP prefixes that meets the criteria defined by the operator for the given node in cases where other such mechanisms fail.
In the absence of sufficient table memory, software mechanisms may be employed to control and limit the installation of routes into a router's table to prevent exceeding its route capacity. There are no known solutions for predictable and controllable management of a limited-sized hardware forwarding memory if a larger table overruns it. Some mechanisms exist to avoid this event, such as custom Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) design with large allocations of hardware-forwarding memory, augmentation of merchant silicon forwarding tables external TCAM, avoiding deployment scenarios which include protocols with large prefix counts, such as BGP, and employing features such as BGP table-map to limit the number of BGP routes that ultimately reach the FIB.
None of these solutions enable predictable and controllable FIB memory management and prefix installation during memory-exhaustion events. Custom ASIC design is expensive and drives up product costs. External TCAM with merchant silicon also adds significant cost to hardware solutions. Avoiding BGP altogether and advertisements of the full Internet table between peers limits the applicability of products with limited FIB memory. The use of Table-Maps to limit the number of routes passed from BGP to the global RIB cannot guarantee the FIB is not overrun.

Controlling routing behavior during router table-memory exhaustion events


In a device for fixing a toner image, provided with a heating roller including a heater, the heating roller having a length larger than a possible largest size sheet to be fixed so that the heating roller has an excess portion on which a small size sheet does not pass over; a pressing roller for coming in contact with the heating roller; and a cooling roller for coming in contact with the excess portion of the heating roller so as to cool the excess portion; one of the heating roller and the cooling roller is a metal roller and the other one is a roller comprising an elastic material layer.

The present invention relates to a fixing device composed of a heating roller having a heating means and a pressure roller which is brought to pressure contact with aforesaid heating roller, wherein a transfer sheet on which a toner image is transferred is passed between aforesaid heating roller and pressure roller so that the above-mentioned toner image is subjected to heat fixing on the above-mentioned transfer sheet.
FIG. 27 shows a block diagram of a conventional fixing device.
In FIG. 27, numeral 1 represents a heating roller having heating means 2 inside thereof, and numeral 3 represents a pressure roller which is brought into contact with heating roller 1.
Due to that the transfer sheet on which the toner image has been transferred passes heating roller 1 and pressure roller 3, the toner image is thermally fixed on the transfer sheet.
The fixing device can fix plural kinds of transfer sheets having different sizes of width, for example, a transfer sheet having a width L and a transfer sheet having a width L'.
In the fixing device having the above-mentioned constitution, for example, if a under-sizedd transfer sheet having a width L' is continuously fixed, there is a possibility that the temperature in the non-passing portion (Lout) of the under-sizedd transfer sheet rises and hot offset occurs.
In order to prevent aforesaid hot offset, cooling roller 4 provided on both ends of heating roller 1 contactably/separably is provided.
When fixing the under-sizedd transfer sheet, cooling roller is brought into contact with heating roller 1 and portions out of the passing region of the under-sizedd transfer sheet is cooled.
In the above-mentioned conventional fixing device, if the heating roller is a hard roller laminated with a fluorine-containing resin on a metallic roller substrate and the cooling roller is a metal roller, there is a possibility that the contact area between the heating roller and the cooling roller is narrow so that sufficient cooling is prevented. Accordingly, hot offset easily occurs.
If the temperature of the roller raises to the extent that hot offset occurs, there occurs another problem that the life of parts around the heating roller is shortened.
In addition, the temperature on the surface of the cooling roller is lower than the heating roller. Accordingly, contamination on the heating roller easily transfers on the surface of the cooling roller.


A network interface controller (NIC) determines link layer broadcast traffic of interest to the host environment. The NIC receives link layer broadcast traffic intended for the host environment, including traffic of interest and unwanted traffic. The NIC discards the unwanted traffic and forwards the traffic of interest to the host environment.

In a large Ethernet-based network there are several possible sources of broadcast traffic whose rate scales with the number of nodes (N) on the network. One consequence of this increased broadcast rate is that each node on the network receives a stream of broadcast packets, whose rate increases with N.

Forwarding broadcast traffic to a host environment

HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.


Fine tuned signal phase adjustments are provided by multiple cascaded phase mixers. Each phase mixer outputs a signal having a phase between the phases of its two input signals. With each subsequent stage of phase mixers, the signals generated by the phase mixers have a smaller phase difference, thereby providing finer delay adjustments. Multiple stages of phase mixers can be provided in digital delay-locked loop circuitry to provide additional hierarchical delay adjustment.

This invention relates to digital, delay-locked loop (DLL) circuits. More particularly, this invention relates to digital delay-locked loop circuits with hierarchical delay adjustment.
Digital delay-locked loop circuits typically generate a clock signal based on a periodic reference signal (e.g., from an oscillator) that maintains a specific phase relationship with that reference signal. Digital delay-locked loop circuits are often used, for example, in high-speed clocked memories such as synchronous dynamic random access memories (SDRAMs).
A digital delay-locked loop circuit generally includes a variable delay line, a phase mixer, a phase detector, and control logic. The variable delay line includes delay units that are used to delay the reference signal by a predetermined time period (i.e., phase). The number of delay units indicate the number of possible unit delays (i.e., tUDs) that can be generated by the variable delay line. For example, a variable delay line having five delay units can delay the reference signal by one of five unit delays (e.g., tUD, 2tUD, 3tUD, 4tUD, or 5tUD). Each unit delay is typically a predetermined time increment (e.g., 100 or 200 picoseconds (ps)), which can also be measured by predetermined phase increments (e.g., 10°, 15°, or 22.5°). The variable delay line is set by the control logic such that the variable delay line receives as input a reference signal and outputs two delayed reference signals having a one unit delay difference (tUD). The two delayed reference signals are input to the phase mixer. The phase mixer is also set by the control logic such that the phase mixer generates a clock signal having a phase between the phases of the two delayed reference signals. The phase detector compares the phase of the clock signal with the phase of the reference signal to determine whether the phase of the clock signal needs to be increased or decreased to better match the desired output phase of the clock signal. The phase detector sends a signal to the control logic indicating whether the phase of the clock signal needs to be increased or decreased. Based on the output of the phase detector, the control logic sends control signals to the variable delay line and the phase mixer.
In current digital delay-locked loop circuits, two stages of delay adjustment are provided. In a first stage, the variable delay line delays the reference signal by a predetermined time period or phase. In a second stage, the phase mixer provides an additional delay that is smaller than a unit delay from the variable delay line. The minimum delay adjustment for the variable delay line and phase mixer is limited by the amount of circuitry dedicated to providing the minimum delay adjustment and by the increase in characteristic load on the variable delay line and phase mixer that results when providing additional phases with smaller delays. Consequently, known digital delay-locked loop circuits typically generate a clock signal having one of only a limited, predetermined number of phases based on the reference signal.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a digital delay-locked loop circuit with hierarchical delay adjustment.

Digital delay-locked loop circuits with hierarchical delay adjustment


A iontophoretic drug delivery apparatus and a corresponding method is provided. The apparatus includes a switched-capacitor DC--DC voltage converter to step up a supply voltage, and a current control circuit that draws current from the stepped-up voltage.

Iontophoresis is the application of an electrical current to transport ions through intact skin. One particularly advantageous application of iontophoresis is the non-invasive transdermal delivery of ionized drugs or other therapeutic agents into a patient. This is done by applying low levels of current to a patch placed on the patient's skin, which forces the ionized drugs contained in the patch through the patient's skin and into his or her bloodstream.
Passive transdermal patches, such as those used to deliver nitroglycerin for angina pectoris, estradiol for hormone replacement, and nicotine to stop smoking, can only use a limited number of drugs because they work by diffusion. Iontophoresis advantageously expands the range of drugs available for transdermal delivery, including, for example, parenteral drugs (e.g., peptides). Further, because the amount of drug delivered is related to the amount of current applied, the drug delivery rate can be precisely controlled by controlling the current, unlike the passive transdermal patches. This allows for more rapid delivery (onset) and drug reduction (offset) in the patient.
When compared to drug delivery by needle injection, iontophoresis is non-evasive. Also, iontophoresis avoids the risks and inconvenience associated with IV (intravenous) delivery. In addition, when compared to oral ingestion of drugs, drug delivery by iontophoresis bypasses the GI tract, thus reducing side-effects such as drug loss, indigestion and stomach distress, and eliminating the need for swallowing the drug. Iontophoresis also avoids drug loss due to hepatic first pass metabolism by the liver that occurs when drugs are ingested.
Further, transdermal drug delivery by iontophoresis permits continuous delivery of drugs with a short half life and easy termination of drug delivery. Because iontophoresis is more convenient, there is a greater likelihood of patient compliance in taking the drug. Thus, for all of the above reasons, iontophoresis offers an alternative and effective method of drug delivery, and an especially useful method for children, the bedridden and the elderly.
An iontophoretic drug delivery system typically includes a current source, such as a battery and current controller, and a patch. The patch includes an active reservoir and a return reservoir. The active reservoir contains the ionized drug. The return reservoir typically contains a saline gel and collects ions emanating from the patient's skin when the drug is being delivered into the patient's skin. The patch also has two electrodes, each arranged inside the active and return reservoirs to be in respective contact with the drug and saline. The anode (positive electrode) and the cathode (negative electrode) are respectively electrically connected to the anode and cathode of the current source by electrical conductors. Either the anode or the cathode is arranged within the drug reservoir, depending on the charge of the ionized drug, and is designated the active electrode. The other electrode is arranged within the return reservoir, and is designated the return electrode.
When current from the current source is supplied to the active electrode, the drug ions migrate from the drug reservoir toward and through the skin of the patient. At the same time, ions flow from the patient's skin into the saline solution of the return reservoir. Charge is transferred into the return electrode and back to the current source, completing the iontophoretic circuit.
The electronic controller between the battery and the patch controls the amount of current delivered to the patch. The controller may control the drug delivery profile by controlling the delivered current so that drug delivery to the patient is accomplished at a constant or varying rate, or over a short, long or periodic time interval. This type of controller may require relatively complex electrical circuitry to meet the above requirements.
Iontophoretic drug delivery circuits may be powered directly by a multi-celled battery. (These types of circuits, however, are not admitted to be prior art with respect to the present invention by their mention in this Background section.) This approach, however, has a number of drawbacks. Although any given voltage can be attained by connecting an appropriate number of cells in series, each additional cell increases the weight and size of the resulting package, and increases the cost of the device.
DC--DC inductive-type converters may be used to step up a supply voltage to eliminate the need for a large stack of battery cells. Inductive-type DC--DC converters, however, include inductive components such as transformers which are relatively bulky, expensive, and heavy, and emit electromagnetic noise.

Iontophoresis system with voltage step-up circuit


The invention provides the uses of fibrinogen-420 or alpha EC domain thereof, for inhibiting protein aggregation, refolding the denatured proteins, manufacturing drugs for prevention and/or treatment of protein misfolding diseases, resisting protein denaturation, and detecting the quality of protein products. The invention also provides the drugs for prevention and/or treatment of protein misfolding diseases or protein denatured disease, and the protein stabilizer. The active ingredient of the said drugs and stabilizer is fibrinogen-420 or alpha EC domain thereof.

Fibrinogen, also known as coagulation factor I, exists in the blood and is an important protein in the process of blood clotting. Fibrinogen has a molecular weight of 340,000 Daltons, and is composed of two subunits connected by disulfide bonds to form a dimer. Each subunit respectively consists of three intertwined polypeptide chains, called the A chain, the B chain, and the C chain. In the process of clotting, fibrinogen is digested by thrombin to generate fibrin and thus form an insoluble fibrin polymer. Then the blood fiber formed from the fibrin polymer and blood platelets will form a solid tampon. Fibrinogen is also a stress protein, whose content in the blood is about 1.5-4 mg/ml. The content of fibrinogen is related to the immune status, which could also reflect the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Fibrinogen-420 is a subtype of fibrinogen, in which the C-terminal of the A chain has an extension of globular domain as compared to the A chain of normal fibrinogen. This globular domain is called the alpha EC domain protein (SEQ ID NO:1) and has high homology with the globular domain at the terminus of the B and C chains. The molecular weight of fibrinogen-420 is about 420,000 Daltons, which is different from the normal tissue fibrinogens (340,000 Daltons).
Protein misfolding disease is a class of diseases which are due to the conformational change of specific protein(s) in the tissue, by which protein(s) aggregate(s) to produce amyloidosis, finally resulting in a class of diseases with pathological changes in tissues and organs, with examples including Alzheimer's disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. There have been no effective methods to prevent or treat these diseases by now. The existing methods, such as monoclonal antibody technology, small molecules, synthetic peptides, et al. have many disadvantages including immune rejection reactions, lacking of broad-spectrum, significant side effects, and a short half-life in vivo.
There are a large number of heat shock proteins or chaperones, protect cells from high temperature, free radicals, organic solvents (eg ethanol) and other damages when the body suffers from stimulation. But the heat shock proteins do not exist in the circulatory system. The mechanism by which the body protects extracellular protein is unclear.

Application of fibrinogen-420 and its active domain


A gearbox of a twin clutch includes dog portions of a movable gear and a fixed gear which may be disengaged and re-engaged with each other. A control device for a vehicle including the twin clutch includes a shift actuator control unit that, when shifting a gear to another speed, outputs a target position signal so as to shift a rotation position of a shift actuator to a gear shift position at which a gear shift operation is performed by a transmission, and a clutch control unit that outputs torque signals so as to connect a clutch that transmits power to, among movable gears and fixed gears, a movable gear or a fixed gear including a dog portion to be disengaged. The shift actuator control unit outputs the target position signal so as to return the rotation position of the shift actuator to a neutral position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device, a vehicle including the control device, and a control program. More specifically, preferred embodiments of the present invention relate to a control device that causes an actuator to operate clutches and transmission mechanisms provided respectively on two paths to transmit torque from an engine, and also to a vehicle including the control device and a control program.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known a technology for a twin clutch type transmission device, in which, in a case of releasing meshing of a dog clutch at the time of a gear shift, a failure that a dog tooth is not drawn out from a dog hole (dog tip caught state) is detected by a sensor, and, in response to detection of this failure, a shift control motor or the like is driven to cancel the meshing state (refer to JP 2009-156375 A).
In a gearbox of the twin clutch type as described above, dog portions of a movable gear and a fixed gear, which are disengaged once from each other in a transmission mechanism on a side that is disengaged at the time of a gear shift, may be re-engaged with each other. In particular, the dog portions are shaped to be easily engaged with each other, and hence a risk of occurrence of this re-engagement cannot be ignored. In this case, as in the related art described above, it may be appropriate to re-drive the shift control motor or the like so as to cancel the engagement state. However, in this case, there arises a problem of a delay in the gear shift operation.

Control device, vehicle including control device, and control program


Software-based systems and methods that may be used to validate and distribute test data are disclosed. In some embodiments, the data distribution method comprises combining data requests from multiple users into a single request, copying test data from enterprise databases in response to that request, and storing the data in a test data database. The data distribution method further comprises selecting test data contained in the test data database and copying that data to an output file in response to a user's access, and may further include deleting the test data copied from the test data database. The data distribution method may further comprise validating the test data and deleting erroneous test data from the test database. Copying selected test data to an output file may be performed in accordance with a user-selected format and a user-defined output file name and path.

Product developers require test data with which to test products and services under development. It is important that this data be of such content and form that when used to test a new product, any errors generated during testing are attributed to failure of the product, not to erroneous test data. In the absence of error-free test data, a failure during testing of a new product requires an investigation to determine whether the product simply needs additional work or that the test data was bad. Such an investigation may take significant time, and therefore, increase development costs.
Many enterprises define an internal data management group ("Data Management"), consisting of an individual or individuals, which is responsible for providing test data to product developers. Data Management typically receives requests for test data from product developers and responds to each request on an individual first come, first serve basis. Data Management may fill each request by copying data from a source or sources and transmitting a text file containing that data to the requesting product developer by email. Distributing test data in this manner is inefficient for a number of reasons. First, Data Management copies test data from its source each time a request is made. Second, with each request, test data is converted to a text file and transmitted to the requesting product developer. Third, because of the overhead involved with requesting test data, product developers often request more test data than needed so as to avoid the need to submit a second request, should they require more test data. These larger-than-necessary requests for test data burden the already inefficient distribution method.
In addition to being inefficient, this method of distributing test data has other shortcomings. Distributing test data in text files transmitted via email is an unsecure method of sharing data. Unintended recipients, and/or hackers, may gain access to this data, which may include sensitive, even confidential, customer information. Also, test data distributed in this manner has not been validated, meaning it may contain erroneous data which when used may cause failures during testing and, as described above, increase development costs.

System and methods for validating and distributing test data


A hot fill type plastic container includes a finish, a bottom and a main body that is generally rectangular in transverse cross-section. The main body has an upper dome portion, a lower label portion and a waist groove defined between the upper dome portion and the lower label portion. Both the upper dome portion and the lower label portion have front and rear surfaces as well as opposing side surfaces that are narrower than the front and rear surfaces. The opposing side surfaces of the upper dome portion have a substantially vertically oriented reinforcing element defined therein that is recessed with respect to the surrounding sidewall of the upper dome portion. The reinforcing element extends into the waist groove, which increases the flexibility of the dome portion above the waist groove and protects the dome portion against damage as a result of contact with other containers during the filling and packaging processes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to blow molded plastic containers, and particularly those containers having an upper dome or bell portion that is designed to be gripped by a consumer during use.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Many products that were previously packaged using glass containers are now being supplied in plastic containers, such as containers that are fabricated from polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
PET containers are typically manufactured using the stretch blow molding process. This involves the use of a preform that is injection molded into a shape that facilitates distribution of the plastic material within the preform into the desired final shape of the container. The preform is first heated and then is longitudinally stretched and subsequently inflated within a mold cavity so that it assumes the desired final shape of the container. As the preform is inflated, it takes on the shape of the mold cavity. The polymer solidifies upon contacting the cooler surface of the mold, and the finished hollow container is subsequently ejected from the mold.
The use of blow molded plastic containers for the purpose of packaging liquids that are processed by the hot fill and/or pasteurization processes has been known for some time. The hot fill process involves filling the containers while the liquid product is at an elevated temperature, typically 68° C. to 96° C. (155° F.-205° F.) and usually about 85° C. (185° F.) in order to sterilize the container at the time of filling. Containers that are designed to withstand the hot fill process are known as "hot fill" or "heat set" containers. Such containers are typically designed with sidewalls that include one or more recessed vacuum panels that are designed to flex due to the temperature changes and consequent volumetric expansion and contraction that takes place during processing. In many instances, the recessed vacuum panels also provide convenient handholds that facilitate gripping of the container by consumers.
One type of conventional container design includes a lower portion that is shaped to receive a label and an upper dome or bell portion that is separated from the lower label portion by a waist. In some instances, the dome is constructed to extend outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the container to a greater extent than the label portion so that container to container contact during filling and packaging will occur between the respective dome portions, protecting the label portions against flexure that could cause delamination of the label. This is known in the industry as label protection.
The label portion may be constructed to flex inwardly during the hot fill process in a controlled fashion to adjust for volumetric changes within the container. However creasing or other significant shape changes are undesirable because of the need to provide label support. The waist of the container structurally isolates the dome portion from the label portion so that flexure in one will not be transmitted to the other. It also provides reinforcement against flexure of both the dome portion and the label portion. The amount of reinforcement provided to the label portion and the dome portion by the waist in conventional designs has tended to be about same. However, in some instances it would be desirable to provide more reinforcement to the label portion. One reason for this is that in the past, it has been found to be difficult as a matter of design to provide effective gripping recesses within a dome or bell portion while maintaining material costs at an economically acceptable level, because the force created by a consumer while gripping the container has the tendency to collapse portions of the dome or bell portion. In addition, containers of this type may experience damage such as creasing as a result of container-to-container contact on the filling line.
A need exists for an improved plastic container having an upper dome or bell portion that is designed to be gripped by a consumer during use, which provides improved optimization of structural stability and material costs with respect to conventional designs.

Container with bend resistant grippable dome


A collet chuck includes a tubular body and a rotating shaft assembly that is journalled within the tubular body and that defines a frustoconical recess therewithin. A belt pulley is sleeved fixedly on the rotating shaft assembly. A collet is disposed operably within the recess in the rotating shaft assembly, and is adapted to hold a rod-shaped workpiece therewithin. A movable member is mounted axially and movably within the tubular body for movement in tightening and loosening directions. A front oil chamber is formed in the tubular body, and is located immediately in front of the movable member. A rear oil chamber is formed in the tubular body, and is located immediately behind the movable member. A first oil passage is formed in the tubular body and is in fluid communication with the front oil chamber so that hydraulic oil can be fed thereinto, thereby moving the movable member within the tubular body in the tightening direction so as to compress the collet. A second oil passage is formed in the tubular body and is in fluid communication with the rear oil chamber so that hydraulic oil can be fed to thereinto, thereby moving the movable member within the tubular body in the loosening direction so as to release the collet.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a collet chuck, more particularly to a collet chuck provided with a movable member which can be driven hydraulically in two opposite directions for operating a collet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional collet chuck is shown to include a tubular body 11, a rotating shaft 14 journalled in the tubular body 11 and provided with a frustoconical recess 162, and a collet 12 disposed operably within the frustoconical recess 162 in the rotating shaft 14 for holding a rod-shaped workpiece (A) therewithin.
As illustrated, the tubular body 11 includes a hollow main body with open front and rear ends. A tubular shaft seat 13 is confined within the tubular body 11, and defines front and rear bearing-retention recesses 131 at opposite ends thereof. Two ball bearings 18 are disposed in the bearing-retention recesses 131 in the shaft seat 13 to permit rotation of the rotating shaft 14 within the shaft seat 13. A front cover 121 is disposed fixedly on the front end of the tubular body 11 to prevent removal of the rotating shaft 14 from the tubular body 11. A rear cover 17 is disposed fixedly on the open rear end of the tubular body 11, and has a plurality of bolt holes. The fastener bolts 172 extends respectively through the bolt holes in the rear cover 17 to engage threaded holes in the rotating shaft 14, thereby preventing removal of the rotating shaft 14 from the tubular body 11. A belt pulley 173 is sleeved fixedly on the rear cover 17. The rotating shaft 14 consists of an inner sleeve 16 in which the frustoconical recess 162 is formed, and an outer sleeve 141 sleeved fixedly on the inner sleeve 16 so as to define an accommodating chamber 142 therebetween at a rear end thereof. The front cover 121 has an inner surface which is formed with a driving shoulder (121S) that abuts against a driven shoulder (12S) of the collet 12. A tubular movable member 15 is mounted axially, movably and sealingly within the accommodating chamber 142 in the outer sleeve 141 and is further fastened securely to the inner sleeve 16. A plurality of spring-retention elements 174 position a compression spring unit 175 between the rear cover 17 and the rotating shaft 14 in such a manner that the spring unit 175 biases the movable member 15 in a forward direction such that the inner sleeve 16 moves synchronously with the movable member 15. Under this condition, when the rod-shaped workpiece (A) is inserted into the collet 12, and when the front cover 121 is tightened, the workpiece (A) will be compressed radially by the collet 12 due to relative sliding movement between inclined surfaces 162xe2x80x2,123 of the inner sleeve 16 and the collet 12, as best shown in FIG. 1.
The tubular body 11 further has an oil chamber 153 that is located immediately in front of the movable member 15. Two oil passages 143, 132 are in fluid communication with the oil chamber 153. When it is desired to release the workpiece (A) from the collet 12, hydraulic oil can be fed to the oil chamber 153 via the oil passages 143,132, thereby compressing the spring unit 175 within the tubular body 11 and consequently moving the movable member 15 and the inner sleeve 16 in a forward direction away from the frustoconical recess 162, as shown by the horizontal arrows in FIG. 2, so as to release the workpiece (A) from the collet 12.
Some disadvantages that result from the use of the aforesaid conventional collet chuck are as follows:
The clamping force of the collet 12 depends entirely on the spring unit 175 and cannot be adjusted. In addition, the spring 175 suffers from spring fatigue after long term use, thereby resulting in an eventual poor clamping effect of the collet 12.
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a collet chuck having a movable member which can be driven hydraulically in two opposite directions for operating a collet, thereby enabling the collet to provide an effective clamping force on a workpiece.
Accordingly, a collet chuck of the present invention includes a tubular body, a rotating shaft assembly, a belt pulley, a collet, and a movable member. The tubular body has a front end and a rear end. The rotating shaft assembly is journalled within the tubular body, and has a frustoconical recess. The belt pulley is sleeved fixedly on the rotating shaft assembly. The collet is disposed operably within the frustoconical recess in the rotating shaft assembly, and is adapted to hold a rod-shaped workpiece therewithin. The movable member is mounted axially and movably within the tubular body in such a manner so as to be movable in a selected one of a tightening direction and a loosening direction. A front oil chamber is formed in the tubular body, and is located immediately in front of the movable member. A rear oil chamber is formed in the tubular body, and is located immediately behind the movable member. A first oil passage is formed in the tubular body, and is in fluid communication with the front oil chamber so that hydraulic oil can be fed to the front oil chamber therethrough, thereby moving the movable member rearward within the tubular body. A second oil passage is formed in the tubular body, and is in fluid communication with the rear oil chamber so that hydraulic oil can be fed to the rear oil chamber therethrough, thereby moving the movable member forward within the tubular body. Movement of the movable member in the tightening direction results in further movement of the collet into the frustoconical recess in the rotating shaft assembly for compressing the collet. Movement of the movable member in the loosening direction results in movement of the collet away from the frustoconical recess in the rotating shaft assembly so as to be adapted to release the workpiece from the collet.

Collet chuck provided with a driven movable member which can be driven hydraulically in two opposite directions for operating a collet

No. 4-6, Le-Tien Lane, Fang-Shu Li, Nan-Tun Dist.


A hollow oven gasket has a flexible tubular member with tubular wall and fasteners in the form of clips that are captured within and extend through the wall. First and second free ends of a length of the gasket material are brought together in a termination to form a closed loop gasket member. The first end of the device is at least partially collapsed to form a male end. The second opposing end is left uncollapsed to form a female end. The male end is received within the female end to form a joint held together by engagement of the clips adjoining the joint with an oven face surrounding an oven mouth or an oven door.

There has been a desire on the part of appliance manufacturers to develop a one-piece door construction in appliances such as ranges and microwave ovens to reduce fabrication costs. Gaskets would have to be attached to such doors from an exterior side using some type of mechanical fastening.
One approach for mechanically mounting such gaskets to one-piece doors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,060. A flexible, hollow cylindrical gasket with clip-type fasteners protruding along one side thereof is formed from a hollow, tubular, knitted wire core and braided, glass fiber yarn outer jacket. A single wire member is bent at several locations along its length to form a series of connected engagement portions that are inserted through both the core and jacket to form the "clips" of the gasket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,623 describes another type of gasket construction with the same an elongated core and woven outer jacket but with a plurality of separate, individual fasteners spaced along the device. Each fastener has a base captured between the core and the woven outer jacket and an engagement portion extending away from the base and through the adjoining portion of the woven outer jacket. The individual fasteners are connected to one another in the device only through capture of each fastener by the core and outer jacket.
Termination of either type of gasket is currently relatively unattractive. The ends of the gasket are simply brought together and overlapped in some fashion, and fixed together with a suitable fastener such as a staple. Unless the appliance manufacturer can hide the joint thus formed in some way, for example, by covering it with part of a door panel, it will remain visible on the oven door where the exposed gasket end(s) will eventually begin to fray.


A glue gun includes a shell, a burner, a mixture chamber, a barrel and a dispenser. The burner is disposed in the shell and formed with a combustion chamber and a thermal chamber. The mixture chamber is connected to the combustion chamber. The barrel is inserted through the thermal chamber. The dispenser is connected to the barrel. Gas is mixed with air in the mixture chamber. The mixture is sent into the combustion chamber from the mixture chamber. Heat is generated as the mixture is ignited and combusted in the combustion chamber. The thermal chamber transfers the heat to the barrel from the combustion chamber. The barrel heats and melts a glue stick inserted therein. The dispenser dispenses the molten glue from the barrel.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an efficient gas-powered glue gun.
2. Background of Invention
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,648, a conventional glue gun 80 includes a shell 81 including a main portion 82 and a handle portion 83. A main body 85 is installed in the main portion 82 of the shell 81. The main body 85 defines a combustion chamber 10 and an exhaust port 21 in communication with the combustion chamber 10. A combustion element 12 is disposed in the combustion chamber 10. A barrel 84 is disposed in the main portion 82 of the shell 81. The barrel 84 is connected with the main body 85 so that heat can be transferred to the barrel 84 from the main body 85. Solid glue is fed into the barrel 84. The solid glue is heated and molten in the barrel 84. The molten glue is dispensed from the barrel 84. Problems have been encountered in the use of the glue gun 80. Firstly, it takes quite some time for heat to reach the barrel 84 from the main body 85. This entails a high operative cost. Secondly, it is difficult for hot exhaust to leave the combustion chamber 10 through the exhaust port 21 because the hot exhaust tends to rise while the exhaust port 21 extends downwards. An undesired amount of heat accumulates in the combustion chamber 10. The temperature of the main body 85 and the barrel 84 reaches an undesired value. This high temperature may damage the glue gun and hurt a user.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,901,881 and 5,960,996, a combustion chamber is located in a lower portion of a barrel. Therefore, it is hard to expel hot exhaust.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.