Embodiments relate to systems and methods for securely provisioning login credentials to an electronic device on a network, e.g., a consumer premises device (CPE) device, such as, among other devices, a modem. The login credential may be used, for example, for securely provisioning and configuring a CPE device.

An internet service provider or multiple service operator (MSO) may deliver media content and/or internet services to subscribers/viewers. Media content and internet data services are frequently provided via consumer premise equipment (CPE) in a consumer's home or business, for example CPE may include a network gateway device (modem) supported by the MSO. In common scenarios, CPE devices receive video service(s) and/or data service(s) from a wide area network (WAN) via a connection to a subscriber network. The subscriber network, for example, can be a coaxial cable network, a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network, a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular network, a personal area network (PAN), as well as others.
In common embodiments, the CPE is a modem, although CPE may comprise a variety of network connected devices providing a variety of services. For example CPE may include a cable modem (CM) or other gateway device, security systems, voice system (IP telephones), set top boxes and other video streaming devices, and various internet-connected household appliances.
A modem is a device that converts data into a format suitable for a certain transmission medium, facilitating data transmission to and from separate communication devices. A modem operates by modulating one or more carrier wave signals to encode digital information from a transmitting communication device for transmission of the encoded carrier wave signal through a transmission medium. A second modem associated with a receiving communication device demodulates the encoded carrier wave signal to decode the digital information for use by the receiving communication device. Typically, modems are used in communication systems in which a first communication device is configured to communicate with a second communication device, where each communication device generates and receives digital information but that digital information is more efficiently transmitted via an analog signal. Conversion of the digital information to and from the carrier wave is done so that the digital information can be transmitted efficiency through the transmission medium and decoded in a reliable manner, thereby facilitating reproduction of the original digital information.
Modems can function as gateways (e.g., network nodes equipped to interface a communication device operating on a first communication protocol with a communication device operating on a second communication protocol). An example of a communication protocol can be an Internet protocol suite, which typically includes the Transmission Control Protocol and the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Because a modem can operate as a gateway, it may be beneficial to configure the modem to implement specific communication protocols and security features when operating. This may be done to provide more tailored operational control for the information being received and transmitted via user's communication device to which the modem is operatively associated.
In an exemplary communication architecture, a first communication device (e.g., a computer) will be connected to a first modem, a second communication device (e.g. a computer) will be connected to a second modem, and the first modem and second modem will be configured to transmit and receive signals to and from each other via a transmission medium (e.g., electrical wire, telephone line, co-axial cable, optical fiber, etc.). The first communication device can generate digital information and the first modem can modulate the digital information to encode it into a carrier wave. The first modem can transmit the carrier wave to the second modem, where the second modem demodulates the carrier wave to reproduce the digital information, which is then transmitted to the second communication device. The communication protocol facilitating the transmission of signals between the two communication devices will be TCP/IP. Any of the first and/or second modems' Internet communication protocols and security features can be configured to allow a user of the first communication device or a user of the second communication device to set operational and security parameters by which their respective communication devices will receive and/or transmit information to the other communication device, allow or prevent other first or second communication devices to join the communications network, set validation protocols for security measures, etc.
For example, in a typical HFC network, the first modem may be a CPE CM in a subscriber's home and the second modem may be a cable modem termination system (CMTS), typically located in a MSO's headend or hubsite, which is used to provide high speed data services, such as cable Internet or Voice over Internet Protocol, to cable subscribers. A CMTS is essentially a modem and router with Ethernet interfaces (connections) on one side and coaxial cable RF interfaces on the other side. The RF/coax interfaces carry RF signals to and from the subscriber's CM. A CMTS provides many of the same functions provided by the DSLAM in a DSL system, and other forms of subscriber network use analogous intermediate communication devices to connect CPE to the MSO network. On the subscriber side of the headend, the CMTS enables the communication with subscribers CMs.
Thus, an exemplary communication architecture may comprise a MSO server which communicates through a WAN internet connection with an intermediate communication device, such as a CMTS, that in turn communicates directly with CPE, such as a CM, which acts as a gateway to a CPE LAN and additional CPE, such as computers and internet appliances in a subscriber's home. The CPE devices can include, for example, a modem, a set-top box, a wireless router including an embedded modem, or a media gateway, among many others (e.g., digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, voice over internet protocol (VOIP) terminal adapter, video game console, digital versatile disc (DVD) player, communications device, hotspot device, etc.).
In such a context, it is advantageous for MSO technicians to be able to remotely issue commands to CPE using a secure protocol such as SSH, for example to investigate a customer-reported technical problem or suspected unauthorized actions by a subscriber. Protocol such as SSH can be abused to intentionally reconfigure the modem, increase bandwidth utilization without proper authorization and payment, etc. Therefore such a protocol requires a high level of security. To facilitate secure communications, the MSO can provision login credentials to CPE to permit the MSO to login to a secure server hosted by the CPE, or alternatively to permit the CPE device to login to a secure server (e.g., a provisioning server) to retrieve configuration files. However, to enhance security while provisioning such log in credentials, methods are needed to increase the confidence of the MSO that it is communicating directly with the intended CPE device.

Systems and methods for secure provisioning of SSH credentials


The present invention provides a portable computer in which an increase in temperature of a housing is suppressed. In the present invention, a guide plate is provided to suppress an increase in temperature of a bottom surface. When a cooling fan device operates, outside air taken in from inlet openings flows as an air current through a narrow flow path formed between the guide plate and the bottom surface. A flow velocity of the air current can be increased by narrowing the flow path, and heat exchange with the guide plate can be effectively performed, thereby sufficiently cooling a cooling surface. The cooled guide plate cools an air layer between the guide plate and the heat sink and thermally insulates between the air layer and the bottom surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a technology of suppressing a housing temperature in an electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a portable computer such as a notebook personal computer (PC) or a personal digital assistant (PDA), performance of a semiconductor device, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a video chip, or a CPU bridge has been improved, resulting in increased heat generation. On the other hand, while the notebook PC is typically reduced in thickness or size, a packaging density of the semiconductor device in a housing is increased. Since an allowable temperature during an operation is specified for each semiconductor device, a cooling device, such as a cooling fan or a heat sink is provided in the notebook PC for cooling to maintain an allowable temperature.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a cooling device in a conventional notebook PC and a flow of air around this device. The cooling device is formed of a heat sink 359, a heat pipe 353, and a cooling fan 357 accommodated in a housing 311. The heat pipe 353 transmits heat from a semiconductor device having a large amount of heat generation, such as a main CPU or a video chip to the heat sink 359. The cooling fan 357 takes in air in the housing from an upper side and a lower side as indicated by an arrow A′ and an arrow B′, and discharges air from an exhaust opening 327 through the inside of the heat sink 359 as indicated by an arrow C′. The heat sink 359 diffuses heat transmitted through the heat pipe 353 into air passing through the inside.
A periphery of the exhaust opening 327 is hermetically sealed by a sealing material 371 to prevent a high-temperature air which has passed through the heat sink 359 from flowing back into the housing 311. Inlet openings 367 and 368 are provided at respective positions in a top cover 381 and a base cover 321. Since a part of the housing 311 except the inlet openings 367 and 368 are substantially hermetically sealed, outside air flows in from the inlet openings 367 and 368 to produce air currents indicated by arrows D′ and E′ when the cooling fan 357 operates. The air currents cool each semiconductor device on a circuit board 341 or other devices in the housing 311.
The cooling device shown in FIG. 8 has a structure where a negative pressure is formed in the housing 311 to take in outside air from the inlet openings 367 and 368 provided at the respective positions and the air is discharged to the outside of the housing through the heat sink. Therefore, flow paths or flow rates of the air currents D′ and E′ must be determined to allow effectively cooling components in the housing. The flow paths or the flow rates are determined to obtain an optimum cooling effect by repeating an experiment in which mainly positions and sizes of the inlet openings 367 and 368 are used as parameters.
Further, structural considerations may prevent the inlet opening 377a from being placed near the side surface like FIG. 9A, and so the inlet opening 377a is actually placed at a position on the cooling fan 357 side as depicted in FIG. 9B. In this case, since an air current indicated by an arrow H′ flows, a volume of a heated air layer 375b is increased, and reducing a temperature of the housing becomes further difficult.
FIG. 9C shows an example where another inlet opening 377c is provided in a side surface of a base cover 321c. In this case, since an air current passes under the heat sink 359 as indicated by an arrow I′, a heated air layer is not accumulated below the heat sink 359. However, high-temperature air immediately after discharge from the exhaust opening 327 is mixed into outside air taken in from the inlet opening 377c as indicated by an arrow J′, and hence a temperature of an air current I′ is increased, and a temperature of the base cover 321 cannot be reduced. Furthermore, in all of the examples depicted in FIGS. 9A to 9C, when the inlet openings 377a to 377c are newly provided near the cooling fan 357, flow paths or flow rates of the air currents flowing through other parts vary, and hence an overall air balance in the housing must be reexamined.

Housing temperature suppressing structure in electronic device and portable computer


The present invention comprises an ice directing chute mechanism including a slide portion and a housing portion. The slide portion is securable to an ice dispensing machine. In particular, the slide is securable to a regulated opening of the dispenser. The regulated opening includes a door means that is operable between a closed and open position by an operating mechanism such as, a solenoid. The solenoid is activated by a switch electrically connected thereto whereby contacting of the switch results in operating the solenoid to open the door. The door is positioned between an ice retaining bin of the dispenser and the slide portion. A housing portion is releasably secured to and pivotally suspended from the slide portion. Together, the slide and housing portions define an ice channel ending with a downward directed dispense orifice. The housing portion includes a surface portion thereof for contacting the switch that operates the solenoid.

Ice dispensing machines that include mechanisms for dispensing ice into a suitable receptacle are well known in the art. Such mechanisms typically include a solenoid operated door for regulating the flow of ice from an ice retaining bin area. When open, the door permits the ice to flow under the force of gravity from the bin area into a chute that directs the ice into a cup or the like. In one known embodiment, a dispense switch for operating the solenoid is activated by the movement of a lever arm, which arm is operated by the cup being placed and held against it. In another embodiment, the user positions the cup beneath the chute with one hand while depressing the dispense switch with the other. A drawback with prior art embodiments of the first type concerns the general complexity of the chute and lever mechanism. Such complexity, in terms of parts and difficulty of servicing increases the purchase price and the overall cost of operation of such a dispenser. It can also be appreciated that in such a prior art embodiment, the cup or other receptacle can move out of ideal alignment with the dispensing end opening of the stationary dispensing chute when moved against the separate activating lever. Specifically, the rim of the cup or receptacle can become less centered below the dispensing opening with the result that the dispensed ice will have a much greater tendency to fall outside the cup or other receptacle being filled and become waste. Ice that is wasted represents, over time, a significant inefficiency in terms of energy loss.
The second embodiment is less desirable from an ease of use and also an energy efficiency standpoint. From a use point of view, it is less desirable to be required to use both hands. Also, there exists a tendency for the cup to be less accurately positioned under the chute when part of the user's concentration is being diverted to operation of the switch. This situation also results in more spillage of ice, and hence, a wasting of the energy used to make that spilled ice. Also, in the second embodiment, there is a greater likelihood, as opposed to a lever arm operated dispenser, that a user will operate the dispense switch before positioning a cup under the chute very accurately. And in some instances will depress the switch without a cup being positioned under the chute at all. These situation occur more frequently because the operation of the switch is independent of placing the cup against the lever. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an ice maker dispense mechanism that is simple in terms of the number of parts and that minimizes the occurrence of ice wastage.


An emulator allows subject code written for a subject processor having subject processor registers and condition code flags to run in a non-compatible computing environment. The emulator identifies and records parameters of instructions in the subject code that affect status of the subject condition code flags. Then, when an instruction in the subject code is encountered, such as a branch or jump, that uses the flag status to make a decision, the flag status is resolved from the recorded instruction parameters. Advantageously, emulation overhead is substantially reduced.

The present invention relates in general to the field of program code conversion. In particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for emulation of condition code flags.
In the field of computer processing, it is often desired to run program code written for a computer processor of a first type (a "subject" processor) on a processor of a second type (a "target" processor). Here, an emulator is used to perform program code translation, such that the subject program is able to run on the target processor. The emulator provides a virtual environment, as if the subject program were running natively on a subject processor, by emulating the subject processor.
Most conventional computer processors comprise a set of registers, which are a small number of high-speed memory locations closely associated with the processor. The registers can be contrasted with general random access memory provided remote from the processor, which is slower but has a much larger capacity. Typically, a modern processor includes of the order of 32 to 144 registers. The limited size and high speed of the registers make them one of the most critical resources in almost all computer architectures.
The registers are usually augmented with a set of condition code flags. The condition code flags are set or cleared such as in response to the execution of instructions in the processor and are used to represent the outcome of various operations. The value of one or more of the condition code flags is often used as the basis for a decision during execution of a sequence of instructions. Hence, in the context of program code conversion, it is critical to accurately emulate the condition code flags.
Whilst there tends to be some overlap between the set of condition code flags of a subject processor and the set of condition code flags of a target processor, in almost all cases there is not an exact correspondence between the two sets of flags. Therefore, accurately emulating the subject condition code flags can be an expensive operation. The degree to which flag emulation impacts upon the efficiency of the conversion process varies according to compatibility of the subject processor architecture with the target processor architecture, but in general the emulation of subject condition code flags amounts to a significant proportion of overall performance.
A further problem arises in that some processor architectures are inherently highly incompatible. Some processors are strongly reliant on the use of condition code flags, whereas some other processors do not provide any condition code flags at all. For example, it is very expensive to provide an emulator able to convert subject code written for a subject processor which does use condition code flags to run on a target processor without any condition code flags.

Condition code flag emulation for program code conversion

International Business Machines Corporation


A golf green roller apparatus that can be hitched to a golf cart or any vehicle utilizing a clevis pin-type coupler. The roller is mounted on an articulated frame. A pair of wheels having tires thereon is also mounted on the frame. An easy-to-operate electric actuator functions to lower or raise the wheels while simultaneously lowering or raising the roller. When the wheels are lowered, the roller is raised to a storage position. Conversely, when the wheels are raised the roller is lowered to contact the surface to be rolled. The electric actuator can be powered by a twelve-volt battery. Connector cables are provided so that the roller apparatus can be easily attached to the battery of a golf cart or the like.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to landscaping equipment. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to a golf green roller with an electric actuator therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
The task of maintaining a properly landscaped golf course requires a great deal of meticulous work. Golfers are very vocal in criticizing management if there is something amiss on the fairways or if the traps are in disarray. The criticism might reach ballistic levels if the greens are unkempt and putting is affected. This scenario puts pressure on management and the grounds-keeping staff to maintain the course in general and the greens in particular in the best possible condition. Greens need to be rolled constantly to eliminate imperfections in the turf so that the speed and trajectory of the ball is consistent. Proper rolling allows green speed to be maintained during heat stress periods without mowing the greens abnormally short. Unfortunately, the equipment needed for keeping a green in top shape is somewhat expensive, and attaining such equipment can put quite a strain on the budgets of small municipal and/or private courses. The art would certainly welcome an inexpensive, easy-to-operate roller for golf greens that can be towed by a golf truckster, golf cart or any vehicle having a clevis hitch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,757 (Tsuchiya) discloses a mower having a vertically adjustable lawn-conditioning roller. Unlike the present invention, the roller disclosed in the patent does not eliminate imperfections in the turf by compacting, but functions to raise the grass for a more precise cut.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0039788 A1 (Starr) is drawn to a combination mower and rolling apparatus. It should be noted that the roller is not effective to smooth out imperfections in the turf by compacting. The apparatus also requires manual pushing thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,888 (Pugh) shows a power lawn mower having an attached roller. The roller is not of a size and weight to compact turf.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,716 (Farkas) discloses a lawn roller device for a garden tractor. The device is relatively expensive and employs complicated idler and drive mechanisms permanently connected to the tractor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,782 (Durham) is drawn to a towed roller wherein the roller drum can be raised to a storage position. The patentee relies on a complicated hydraulic system to raise and lower the roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,052 (Anderson) shows a roller attachment for a tractor. No provision is made for disengaging the roller from contact with the ground.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to disclose a roller apparatus as will be subsequently described and claimed in the instant invention.


The invention relates to an improved micrometric device for finishing high precision bores. The device has a substantially cylindrical body having a displacement system arranged in an interior thereof. The displacement device actuates on a tool holder which is then displaced in the same direction of the radial component of the workforce. The micrometric device is also provided with a backlash suppression system. In accordance with the present invention, the micrometric device has an upper cylindrical body mounted and fixed to a lower cylindrical body, both of which coaxially envelop a graduated drum. The graduated drum, in turn, is coaxially mounted and connected to a micrometric screw arranged longitudinally in the interior of the micrometric device. In the interior of the micrometric device, and connected to an upper extension of the micrometric screw, a conversion mechanism is arranged which changes a rotating movement of the micrometric screw into a linear movement of a movable crossbeam. The crossbeam is indirectly connected to the micrometric screw and supports the tool holder and respective cutting tool.

The present invention relates to improvements in a micrometric device for finishing high precision bores and more precisely to improvements introduced on a micrometric device used for finishing high precision through and/or blind bores. The present invention may be used to improve micrometric devices such as those described in Brazilian Patent Application No. PI 9006125, filed Dec. 3, 1990, corresponding to U.S. patent application No. 07/738,918, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,846 the specification of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Micrometric device for finishing high precision bores


An automatic tubing release mechanism is adapted to be disposed in a wellbore between a tubing, on one end, and a perforating gun, on the other end. The release mechanism includes a frangible breakup tube, firing head positioned above the breakup tube, and the perforating gun positioned below the breakup tube when the release mechanism is disposed in the wellbore. A detonating cord is interconnected between the firing head and the perforating gun via the breakup tube. When the firing head detonates the perforating gun, the breakup tube shatters. When the breakup tube shatters: in accordance with one embodiment, a release piston, previously resting on the breakup tube, moves downwardly in response to hydrostatic pressure of wellbore fluid and releases a collet arm which rests against a threaded connection of a housing, the release of the collet arm disconnecting the perforating gun from the tubing, the perforating gun falling to a bottom of the wellbore; or, in accordance with another embodiment, wellbore fluid at hydrostatic pressure enters a plurality of fluid ports and exerts a pressure on an underside of a release piston causing the piston to move upwardly thereby releasing a collet arm which rests against a threaded connection of a housing, the release of the collet arm disconnecting the perforating gun from the tubing, the perforating gun falling to a bottom of the wellbore.

The subject matter of the present invention relates to a release mechanism associated with a perforating apparatus adapted to be disposed in a wellbore, and more particularly, to an automatic tubing release mechanism connected between a perforating apparatus and a tubing for shattering a frangible breakup tube thereby automatically releasing the perforating apparatus from the tubing in response to a detonation was passing. Throw in the break-up tube.
It is sometimes desirable when perforating a wellbore to automatically disconnect a perforating gun from a tubing in response to a detonation of the perforating gun and drop the perforating gun to a bottom of the wellbore. This is especially true in permanent completions where no additional wireline or tubing runs are desired. It is also desirable to automatically disconnect the perforating gun from the tubing following detonation when perforating in certain specific formations where, following detonation, an inflow of formation fluids will cause the perforating gun string to sand up and become stuck in the casing. Many automatic releases are presently available from various manufacturers. Such releases usually use the detonation of the firing head or detonating cord to trigger the release. Many utilize the hydrostatic fluids, entering through the open holes of a spent or expired perforating gun, to shift a piston or a sleeve and to unlock and separate the perforating gun from the end of a tubing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,233 to Stout discloses a releasable coupling for tubing conveyed perforating guns wherein a pressurized fluid resultant from detonation of the perforating gun shifts an annular piston thereby unlatching a radially shiftable latch means from one position to another position and allowing the perforating gun to separate from the tubing. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,540 to Wallbillich discloses a method and apparatus for releasing a well perforating gun from a supporting tubing wherein a fluid pressure in an annular fluid pressure chamber supplied from the tubing string shearably releases a piston causing the piston to move out of engagement with collet locking heads thereby allowing the collet heads to shift radially to clear a downwardly facing annular surface and releasing the perforating gun form the tubing, the gun falling to a bottom of the wellbore.
One problem with many of these prior releases results form a pressure leak in the gun; if a gun leaks pressure form the wellbore to the inside of the gun string, this pressure may prematurely activate the release and separate the guns from the end of the tubing Another problem with these prior releases involves clogged or plugged shaped charge holes; when heavy muds exist in the wellbore, the shot shaped charge holes in the perforating gun can become plugged with charge debris and mud, thereby preventing adequate fluid pressure form shifting the release piston.


Improved zinc orthosilicate phosphor particles are produced by thermal decomposition of gels comprising zinc and manganese salt and an organic precursor that provides a source of silicon at a temperature below the temperature of solid state reaction. The phosphor of the present invention has the empirical formula: EQU Zn.sub.(2-x) Mn.sub.x SiO.sub.4. wherein 0.005.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.15, and provides a broad emission in a green region when excited by 147 nm and 172 nm radiation. The phosphor obtained by the present method has uniform spherical or needle shape particles having an average particle size in the range 0.1 to 3 microns, is appropriate for thin phosphor screens required for a variety of flat panel display and lamp applications. These phosphors exhibit high brightness and shorter decay when excited with 147 nm and 172 nm radiation than currently available commercial phosphors of this type.

Manganese activated zinc silicate (Zn.sub.2 SiO.sub.4 :Mn.sup.2+) is an efficient green emitting photo- and cathodo-luminescent phosphor. In mineral form, zinc silicate is known as Willemite. When doped with Mn, it is commercially designated as P1 (short persistence phosphor for cathode ray tubes (CRTs) and lamps). When doped with Mn and As, Willemite is commercially designated as P39 (long persistence phosphor for special CRTs). This phosphor has been studied extensively and is currently used in plasma display panels (PDPs), CRTs and lamps due to its high quantum efficiency, persistence characteristics, color purity and reduced saturation. Mn activated Willemete has a rhombohedral structure (space group R3). The Zn.sup.2+ ions occupy two in-equivalent sites, both having four oxygens (nearest neighbor) in a slightly distorted tetrahedral (Td) configuration. The emission (green) is attributed to the reversal of a d-orbital electron of the Mn.sup.2+ (substitution of Zn.sup.2+) ion. See D. T. Plumb and J. J. Brown, J. Electrochem Soc. 117 (1970) 1184.
These phosphors are conventionally prepared by high temperature (>1200.degree. C.) solid state reaction (SSR) between ZnO (Zn source), SiO.sub.2 (Si source), Mn.sub.2 O.sub.3 or Mn(NO.sub.3).sub.2 (Mn source) and NH.sub.4 F/NH.sub.4 Cl (flux). The grain size of the phosphor powders prepared by SSR are on the order of 5 to 20 microns. Flat panel display devices such as PDPs, field emission displays (FEDs) and electro-luminescence (EL) panels require thin fluorescent screens with fine grain (0.1 to 2 microns) phosphors for better performance and high efficiency. This requirement is more demanding in the case of PDPs, as the phosphors are screen printed between complicated structures, such as ribs. With small particles, it is possible to form a thin screen. Small particles also allow for a higher packing density and less binder content.
Originally, phosphors having a small particle size were obtained by grinding, crushing or milling large phosphor particles. Phosphors obtained by these methods displayed greatly reduced efficiency, with little or no control over the particle morphology. More recently, "no mill" phosphors have been prepared by rapid cooling of a phosphor mass after completion of SSR and with either a short-time firing at a higher temperature or a longer duration firing at a lower temperature. These processes help in minimizing further growth of phosphor crystals. In the presence of flux or inhibitors, particle size distribution (PSD) and morphology of the phosphor can be controlled. See M. Kotaisamy, R. Jagannthan, R. P. Rao, M. Avudaithai, L. K. Srinivasan and V. S. Sundaram, J. Electrochem Soc. 142 (1995) 3205; R. P. Rao, J. Electrochem Soc. 143 (1996) 189. It has been proposed that sub-micron particles can be synthesized by a sol-gel process. See T. R. N. Kutty, R Jagannthan, R. P. Rao, Mater. Res. Bull. 25 (1990)1355. Small phosphor particles have been synthesized by hydrothermal methods. See R. N. Bhargava, D. Gallagher, T. Welker, J. Luminescene 60 (1994) 280.
Most past work on zinc silicate phosphors has been related to fluorescent lamp development and the performance of the phosphor therein, either alone in green lamps, or in white lamps with phosphor blends having zinc silicate as one component. Different methods of preparation and the introduction of various impurities were tried in attempts to improve the life of the lamp. U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,448 to Panaccione teaches that the life of the phosphor is improved by washing the phosphor with an organic acid solution (e.g., acetic, succinic or terephthalic acid) before application to the inside of the lamp envelope. Trace amounts of alkali metals, such as Mg, have been added to zinc silicate in addition to Mn and As to obtain superior persistence at higher drive levels. A practical application of this phosphor is in CRTs (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,190).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,831 to Brownlow et. al. describes an improved process for synthesizing zinc silicate in which phosphor particles are formed by using small size silicic acid particles coated on ZnO and Mn.sub.2 O.sub.3 along with H.sub.2 O, H.sub.2 O.sub.2, HNO.sub.3 and NH.sub.4 OH and fired at high temperatures. This phosphor was shown to display increased brightness. However, persistence also increased compared to conventional phosphors. The addition of alkaline earth elements (Mg, Ca, Sr), Na and either Bi or Sb, along with Mn and As, to a zinc silicate phosphor minimizes degradation and allows for easy blending with other phosphors (blue and red) in a special type CRTs according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,397 to Yaguchi et. al. A small quantity of tungsten has been shown to improve lamp life and brightness (U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,459). The application of a non-particulate, conformal aluminum oxide coating to the outer surface of individual particles also improves lamp life (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,892,757, 4,925,703 and 4,956,202 to Kasenga et al.). The reflectance of phosphor particles before surface treatment can enhanced by washing the phosphor particles with citric acid (U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,449). U.S. Pat No. 5,188,763 to Chenot discloses that the addition of MgF.sub.2 to a NH.sub.4 Cl flux in the starting ingredients, is essential for achieving a white bodied phosphor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,961 to Forster et al. describes the synthesis of a zinc orthosilicate using fumed silica having an ultra fine average particle size of less than 50 nm by firing at higher temperatures in an inert atmosphere.
As noted above, most of the earlier patent work on zinc silicate phosphors relates to lamps and long persistence (>20 ms) CRTs. However, long persistence phosphors are not suitable for today's high performance TV display applications, as long persistence creates superimposed images (a ghost effect). Therefore, there is a need for a phosphor capable of achieving a 5-10 ms persistence (the sensitivity of human eye for video images) without sacrificing brightness. The optimum concentration of Mn in the phosphor is very critical. After exceeding a specific Mn concentration, there is a marked decrease in brightness, although persistence will decrease continuously with increased Mn concentration. This forces a tradeoff between brightness and persistence. Also, since most synthesis methods involve high temperature solid state reactions, the control over the impurity concentration (effective doping of Mn.sup.2+ into the crystal lattice), PSD and morphology is limited. It has been found that phosphor screens formed with smaller particles (0.5 to 2.0 microns) exhibit improved performance. This is particularly true for PDPs. However, most of the above methods fail to provide small particles (0.1 to 2.0 microns).

Method of preparing high brightness, shorter persistence zinc orthosilicate phosphor

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An insulating adhesive for a multilayer printed circuit board, which is to be laminated to an internal layer circuit board coated with an undercoating agent comprising an epoxy resin and a curing agent therefor, and which comprises as essential components:. (a) a bisphenol type epoxy resin or phenoxy resin having a weight average molecular weight of at least 10,000, PA1 (b) a bisphenol type epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent of not more than 500, and PA1 (c) an epoxy resin curing agent, said insulating adhesive being excellent in storage stability in the form of a varnish or as coated on a copper foil, and when coated on an internal layer circuit board coated with an undercoating agent, being able to be well integrally cured with the undercoating agent.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an insulating adhesive for use between circuit layers of a multilayer printed circuit board, and more particularly to an insulating adhesive of an epoxy resin type which is excellent in storage stability and can be rapidly cured at a high temperature of at least 100.degree. C., and which is preferably flame-retardant.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the production of a multilayer printed circuit board, there has been used a process which comprises putting at least one sheet of a prepreg obtained by impregnating a glass cloth substrate with an epoxy resin and semi-curing the resin, on an internal layer circuit board on which a circuit has been formed and further putting a copper foil on the prepreg sheet and-then molding the resulting assembly under pressure by a hot plate press. However in this process, the resin in the prepreg is allowed to flow again by heat and cured under a given pressure, and hence a period of 1 to 1.5 hours is required for uniformly curing and molding the prepreg. Since the production process requires such a long period of time and in addition a hot plate press and a glass cloth prepreg are necessary, the production cost becomes high. Moreover, since a method of impregnating a glass cloth with a resin is carried out, the thickness between the circuit layers is controlled by the thickness of the glass cloth, and hence, it has been difficult to make very thin the whole of the multilayer printed circuit board.
Recently, for solving the above problems, attention has been paid again to a technique of preparing a multilayer printed circuit board by a build-up system in which neither the heat-pressure molding by a hot plate press nor the glass cloth as an insulator between layers are used.
The present inventors have made extensive research on a process for producing a multilayer printed circuit board at a low cost by a simplified build-up system.
JP-A 7-202418 of the same as the present inventors discloses an insulating adhesive similar to the present one; however, no internal layer circuit board coated with an undercoating agent is used and hence the multilayer printed circuit board is insufficient in surface smoothness because of the difference in level between the insulating substrate and the circuit in the internal layer circuit board and many voids remain therein. Therefore, it has been difficult to put the multilayer printed circuit board to practical use.
After that, it has been generalized that in the production of a multilayer printed circuit board by a build-up system, when an insulating resin layer in the form of a film is used, the internal layer circuit board is coated with an undercoating agent for removing (or diminishing) the difference in level between insulating substrate and circuit in the internal layer circuit board to make its surface smoother. A typical example thereof is a method which comprises laminating a copper foil coated with an insulating adhesive to an internal layer circuit board coated with an undercoating agent in the state that the undercoating agent has not been cured or has been semi-cured or cured and curing the insulating adhesive to obtain a multilayer printed circuit board. By such a method, the difference in length between insulating substrate and circuit in an internal layer circuit board is made small, and hence, the lamination of a copper foil coated with an insulating adhesive is made easy and the necessity to consider the proportion of the copper foil residue in the internal layer circuit board becomes a little.
In such a process, there have been caused such problems that the insulating adhesive coated on the copper foil is too much softened during the lamination to ensure the insulation film thickness between the circuit layers; that the melt viscosity is too much lowered during the heat-curing and hence wrinkle is caused on the copper foil; that during the storage thereof, curing reaction proceeds and hence when the copper foil coated by the adhesive is laminated to the internal layer circuit board coated with the undercoating agent the integral molding is not well conducted; and that the adhesive layer is too hard to follow-up the irregularities of the internal layer circuit board coated with the undercoating agent and hence molding voids are caused. Furthermore, since no glass fiber substrate is used in the insulating adhesive between the circuit layers, there is such a problem that flame-retardation is difficult.
Such a technique is disclosed in JP-A 7-245480 of the same inventors as the present inventors; however, in this technique, no curing agent is contained in the undercoating agent coated on the internal layer circuit board, so that when an insulating adhesive (similar to the insulating adhesive of this invention) is laminated to the internal layer circuit board coated with the undercoating agent and then heated, the curing is not effected sufficiently and it has been impossible to put this technique to practical use.

Insulating adhesive for multilayer printed circuit board


A portable, disposable in-vitro diagnostic apparatus and method of performing an in-vitro diagnostic test is provided. The apparatus includes a body configured to be hand held. The body has a reaction medium supply chamber configured in selective fluid communication with a reaction chamber via a fluid conveying channel. The reaction chamber is located beneath a sample reaction chamber. The reaction medium supply chamber contains a reaction fluid therein and the reaction chamber contains a thermal reaction medium therein. The reaction fluid is selectively reactive with the thermal reaction medium to produce one of an endothermic or exothermic reaction beneath the sample reaction chamber.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to in-vitro diagnostics, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for conducting thermally controlled in-vitro diagnostics.
2. Related Art
Biological diagnostic tests are a fundamental component in the process of determining the state or condition of a biological environment. These environments include, but are not limited to, human healthcare, agriculture, live stock management, municipal systems management, and national defense. Molecular tests that utilize nucleic acid detection provide an incredibly competitive level of specificity, sensitivity, and rapid timing from sampling to result. Nearly all nucleic acid detection approaches require signal amplification, such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), to generate detectable amounts of the targeted nucleic acid segment. Traditional mechanisms used in nucleic acid detection tests requiring PCR utilize high powered, immobile, non-disposable equipment to achieve large temperature gradients with high resolution. Although, these mechanism prove useful to obtain the test results desired, they are costly and are limited to use in fixed locations, given they require large, immobile equipment.
An assay is a sequence of steps or procedures used measure the presence or absence of a substance in a sample, the amount of a substance in a sample, or the characteristics of a sample. An example of a common point of care assay, or an assay conducted by a layperson is a blood glucose test. In this test, the blood is mixed with glucose oxidase, which reacts with the glucose in the sample, creating gluconic acid, gluconic acid in turn, reacts with a chemical in the assay called ferricyanide, producing ferrocyanide. Current is passed through the ferrocyanide and the impedance reflects the amount of glucose present.
Thermal cycling is a common method of accelerating a chemical reaction or promoting a biological event. Thermal cycling is a used to amplify segments of nucleic acid by via PCR. As shown in FIG. 1, in an example of a thermal cycling process, high temperature thermal cycling is used to physically separate two stands of a double helix DNA. This process is commonly referred to as denaturing, wherein the linked strands of the DNA are separated into two single strands. Temperatures maintained during denaturing are typically in the range of 94° to 96° C. The two separated strands from the denatured DNA are used as templates to logarithmically replicate identical copies of the targeted segment of DNA. Upon reducing the temperature to approximately 52° C., synthetically designed primers bind to, or "anneal" to the template DNA strands such that they flank both sides of a target segment of denatured strands of DNA. DNA Polymerase and other cofactors then cause the primer to extend fully along the denatured strands of DNA and thus, a new double stranded piece of DNA is generated, wherein a lower controlled temperature in the range of 70° to 80° C. is maintained.
The thermal cycling discussed above during denaturing and DNA replication is typically controlled in a laboratory machine. The machine includes electrical heating and cooling elements configured in electrical communication with thermal sensors in a closed loop control scheme. These machines are relatively large, immobile and expensive.

Disposable thermal in-vitro diagnostic apparatus and method of conducting an in-vitro diagnostic test


Printed tape is used to form a leads on chip (LOC) ball grid array (BGA) semiconductor device. Leads for a plurality of devices may be applied simultaneously. Bond wires, glob top encapsulant, and the ball grid arrays for the devices may be formed in single process steps. A low temperature curing adhesive material may be used to reduce the effects of differential thermal expansion between the tape and surface of the wafer. In another embodiment of the invention, anisotropically conductive adhesive material is used to connect bond pads on a wafer to leads printed on a tape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to taped semiconductor devices. The invention also relates to methods of making taped semiconductor devices.
More particularly, the invention relates to a method of making leads on chip (LOC) semiconductor devices with ball grid arrays (BGA).
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A known LOC device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,918 (Koyanagi et al.). The Koyanagi device has leads located above a semiconductor chip. The leads are separated from the chip by an insulating layer. The leads are connected by wires to bond pads in the center of the chip. The chip, the leads and the wires are encapsulated in a resin package.
The Koyanagi device has a number of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the leads can be formed on only one chip at a time. To produce the Koyanagi device, the chip must be singulated from a wafer before the leads are formed. There is a need in the art for an improved method of forming leads on unsingulated chips.
Another disadvantage with the Koyanagi device is that the leads extend laterally beyond the side edges of the chip. The lateral dimensions of the leads are substantially greater than those of the chip. Consequently, the Koyanagi device cannot make efficient use of all of the available space on a printed circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,168 (Mitchel et al.) describes a semiconductor device with metal leads formed in a polyimide film. Solder beads connect the leads to respective die circuits and a lead frame. The beads extend through via holes in the polyimide film. A disadvantage with the Mitchell device is that the leads are not applied to the die circuits until after the circuits are diced out of a wafer. The leads are applied separately to singulated semiconductor chips.
Another disadvantage with the Mitchell device is that the lead frame extends beyond the side edges of the chip. Consequently, the area occupied by the finished device is substantially greater than the area available for circuitry on the chip. Since the periphery of the chip is inside the ends of the leads, the Mitchell device cannot fully utilize space on a printed circuit board.
Another disadvantage with the Mitchell device is that high temperature is used to adhere the polyimide film to the semiconductor chip. The high temperature may cause the film and the chip to expand at different rates, which causes misalignment problems.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome to a great extent by the present invention. In one aspect of the invention, a multi-layer tape is applied to a semiconductor wafer, before the wafer is diced into chips. The tape has a slot-shaped opening for each chip in the wafer. Electrically conductive leads are printed on the tape. Bond wires extend through the openings and connect the chips to the leads. The wires are glob top encapsulated in resin, and ball grid arrays are deposited on the leads. The ball grid arrays are located above the chips, within the respective peripheries of the chips.
In another aspect of the invention, the tape has a dielectric layer, and an adhesive layer is used to connect the dielectric layer to the wafer. Preferably, the adhesive layer is formed of low temperature curing adhesive material. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive material achieves ninety percent of its maximum strength in less than about thirty six hours at seventy five degrees Fahrenheit. Consequently, it can be cured at room temperature. The low temperature curing adhesive material avoids misalignment problems that would be caused by a heat activated adhesive.
The adhesive layer may be stenciled onto the wafer before the tape is applied. Alternatively, the adhesive layer is applied to the tape first, and then the adhesive/tape matrix is applied to the wafer. In either event, the tape may be accurately adhered to multiple chips in a single alignment step.
The present invention also relates to a method of making semiconductor devices. The method employs a tape having a dielectric layer and electrically conductive leads. The tape may be stored on a roll. The tape is adhered to the wafer at room temperature to avoid alignment problems caused by differential thermal expansion. Bond wires are formed to connect the integrated circuits on the wafer to the electrically conductive leads.
In another aspect of the invention, the ball grid arrays are formed on the leads before the circuits are diced out of the wafer. This has the advantage of providing solder balls on a large number of devices at the same time. AU of the balls may be formed during a single processing step. In addition, by locating the balls on the leads, inside the periphery of the respective chip, the lateral dimensions of the completed device are no larger than those of the chip. Consequently, space utilization on a printed circuit board is improved. In other words, the amount of chip circuitry and/or memory can be increased per unit area of occupied printed circuit board.
The individual chips may be separated from the wafer by dicing or sawing. During the singulation process, the tape provides mechanical protection for the integrated circuits, and the glob top resin protects the bond wires and the connections at the ends of the bond wires.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, anisotropically conductive adhesive material is used to form a taped device. In this embodiment, bond wires are replaced by metal located in via holes in the dielectric layer. The anisotropically conductive adhesive material provides electrical connections between the via holes and the bond pads on the chip. The metal in the via holes is integrally connected to leads printed on the tape. A ball grid array is formed on the leads.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention.

Method of manufacturing a taped semiconductor device


The systems, methods and apparatus of the present invention comprise noninvasive methods of measuring temperature changes and rates of temperature change in selected body tissues and fluids as a result of absorption and/or dissipation of externally applied heat for the purpose of detecting and monitoring disease or dysfunction, and for preparing diagnostic images of the tissues and related areas from such measurements. Some embodiments of the present invention monitor temperatures of heated tissues directly while other embodiments may measure temperatures of tissues which are heated through flow of heated fluid therethrough.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a noninvasive method for measuring temperature changes in tissues in a subject during and after heating to detect disease or dysfunction of the tissues, to monitor the progress and/or treatment of such disease or dysfunction and to detect the flow of body fluids. In particular embodiments, such measurements may be used to prepare images of the tissues, fluid pathways and related matter.
2. Background of the Invention
Body tissues, including solid tissues such as organs, for example the kidney, liver and spleen, are vulnerable to a number of diseases, such as cancer, inflammation, scarring and deleterious changes in functioning that cause a change in physical characteristics of the tissue. For example, inflammation causes swelling, scarring results in increased density, and alterations in function can create changes in metabolic energy. Such physical changes may also result in changes in the manner in which tissue warms and dissipates applied heat. For example, tissues infiltrated by cancer have been observed to exhibit differential heating characteristics when heat is applied to the tumors (Song, "Blood flow in tumors and normal tissues in hyperthermia," in Hyperthermia in Cancer Therapy (Storm, ed.), GK Hall Medical Publisher, Boston, Mass., pp 187–206 (1983)).
Currently, imaging of solid tissues to detect the presence and extent of diseases such as cancer is conducted using procedures such as fluoroscopy, ultrasound and x-ray radiation. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been used to provide temperature images of solid tissues (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,558,279 and 4,554,925). Each procedure offers advantages and disadvantages, and often more than one procedure is used to complement the other and assess a patient's condition. The measurement of temperature changes has been used to monitor hyperthermia treatments (U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,436).
The warming of tissue in humans using external energy has been previously described, for example using microwave technology in urology to a limited extent for treatment of tumors in adults. (Hornback, Hyperthermia and Cancer: Human Clinical Trial Experiments Vol. II, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla. (1984)). Radio frequency and electromagnetic radiation have been used to treat tumors. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,770 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,130). Microwave radiometry has been used to measure body temperatures (U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,869) for diagnosis, for example for tumor detection (see Foster and Cheever, Bioelectromagnetics 13:567–579 (1992)).
Various conditions exist in which body fluids, such as urine or blood, improperly flow as a result of disease or dysfunction. For example, vesicoureteral reflux involves movement of urine from the bladder through the ureters to the kidneys contributing to kidney infection, particularly in children. Similarly, gastroesophageal reflux is common in young children and requires nasogastric tubes to be placed to instill x-ray contrast to image whether reflux occurs. Other conditions involve disruptions in blood flow or myocardial function resulting from narrowing of the aorta, blood clots, or malfunction of the enterohepatic circulation or a portion of this system, e.g. the intestine, liver or gall bladder, or disruptions in flow of cerebrospinal fluid. Previously, diagnosis of such conditions has required invasive procedures such as use of catheters or tubes.
In pediatric urology there is a great need to noninvasively measure whether urine from the bladder refluxes to the kidneys. Diagnostic procedures are recommended for all children who have urinary tract infections and for many who suffer from bladder dysfunction causing wetting. Such studies may reveal abnormalities such as urine backflow to the kidney referred to as "reflux." Reflux is critical to diagnose because in its presence the majority of kidney damage during childhood occurs.
Currently two radiologic imaging studies are utilized: voiding cystourethogram (VCUG) and a nuclear cystogram. A VCUG is performed in humans of all ages by first placing a sterile catheter in the patient's urethra and through the catheter instilling radiopaque contrast, such as Hypaque™, into the bladder under 60 centimeters of gravity pressure. The kidneys and bladder are observed during a bladder filling and emptying cycle using x-rays. The patient has as initial x-ray film taken, then an anterior-posterior film and then films in each lateral oblique. When voiding is initiated, fluoroscopy is utilized, and spot films are taken to document changes during voiding. This process is necessary to evaluate bladder anatomy, function, elimination and vesicoureteral reflux.
An alternative diagnostic study called a nuclear cystogram still requires the ordeal of catheter passage into the urethra and then radioactive particles are instilled into the bladder. Nuclear cystogram is performed after a sterile catheter is placed in the patient's urethra. Radionuclide is instilled into the bladder and the patient is imaged with a gamma camera to evaluate bladder function, elimination and vesicoureteral reflux. The radiation dose is reduced but not eliminated. Moreover, visual images obtained from this study are typically of poor quality.
Although it is the bladder that is invaded by a catheter in these diagnostic procedures, the critical information obtained involves the kidneys and leads to protection from kidney damage. If reflux of urine to the kidney is detected, the diagnostic tests need to be repeated in the same child at regular intervals until the reflux is resolved. Repeat tests heighten the anxiety of the child and the parents.
These examinations have been utilized for years and are very familiar to pediatricians and adult physicians alike. A limitation of VCUG's or nuclear cystograms is availability. These studies are currently performed in hospital radiology departments and generally are not available on a same day basis. It would be advantageous for physicians to be able to carry out a noninvasive procedure to detect organ or tissue dysfunction at the point of care clinic or office.
The majority of the patients undergoing these studies are children and the placement of urethral catheters is an ordeal for the patients and the medical personnel. In addition, VCUG carries risks of urethral damage and urinary tract infection. The need exists for a noninvasive, catheterless, technique for evaluating bladder function—e.g. process of bladder emptying, elimination and vesicoureteral reflux. This is very important in adults with outlet obstruction who empty their bladders poorly. This currently is measured with a postvoid catheter or with ultrasound.
Currently the degree of vesicoureteral reflux is graded on an international scale of 1 to 5. Treatment is based upon the grade given to the reflux to each kidney and either medical management or surgical treatment is chosen. Generally Grades 1 thru 3 are assigned nonsurgical management while Grades 4 and 5 are surgically corrected.
In children, categories of patients who currently undergo VCUG's or nuclear cystograms are: 1) newborns with antenatal hydronephrosis (water-swollen kidneys); 2) patients during childhood who have a urinary tract infection; and 3) patients with enuresis (urinary incontinence) either during the day or night. One out of every 200 babies have antenatal hydronephrosis discovered prior to delivery. Most of these patients will have this kidney dilation confirmed postnatally and require a VCUG along with a renal ultrasound. In male children it may be necessary to continue to perform VCUG's to better visualize the anatomy of the urethra, but in female children and some of the males, a noninvasive study would be indicated.
Approximately 2% of all children at any one time have a urinary tract infection. After the first infection it is currently recommended that patients undergo a VCUG and a renal imaging study. Doctors are sometimes reluctant to order the invasive VCUG until other infections occur. Of the VCUGs performed, approximately one of three patients will have vesicoureteral reflux. The reflux is graded and treatment is assigned on the basis of severity. About three-quarters of the patients are assigned to medical management and are screened with a VCUG each year until their reflux resolves. This averages about three years of waiting before resolution occurs. Patients who undergo surgical correction of their reflux also require a follow-up VCUG to evaluate the success of the procedure. Patients with enuresis either at night or during the day are evaluated with VCUGs on occasion. Since the test is currently invasive it is withheld until the patients are older or unusual symptoms indicate its necessity.
To synthesize these numbers in Group 1, every patient would need a VCUG. In Group 2, all children should have a VCUG and one out of every three would need a VCUG. Group 3 would still have a significant number of studies and if noninvasive technology was available even more studies would be performed. While adults undergo VCUG's less frequently, the procedure is still uncomfortable and simple, relatively inexpensive, noninvasive studies would still be desirable.
The warming of tissue in humans using external energy has been previously described, for example using microwave technology in urology to a limited extent for treatment of tumors in adults. (Hornback, Hyperthermia and Cancer: Human Clinical Trial Experiments, Vol. II, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla. (1984)). Radio frequency and electromagnetic radiation have been used to treat tumors. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,770 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,130). Microwave radiometry has been used to measure body temperatures (U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,869) for diagnosis, for example for tumor detection (see Foster and Cheever, Bioelectromagnetics 13:567–579 (1992)).
Diagnostic uses of microwave radiometry have also been proposed for a variety of conditions including measurement of blood flow rates in tissues, such as flow of cerebral blood (Gabrielyan et al., in Methods, pp 713–715, Plenum Press, NY (1987)) and changes in lung water content (Iskander et al., IEEE Trans Microwave Theory Tech MTT 32:554–556 (1984); U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,559). Gabrielyan et al. heated a part of the brain using microwaves and measured the rate of temperature drop of the tissue using a radiometer to determine the rate of cerebral blood flow. Iskander et al. used radiometry to detect changes in lung water content by measuring emitted microwave radiation.
In these prior known methods externally applied energy was not used to heat tissues, to measure warming or heat dissipation characteristics, for the purpose of detecting and/or monitoring the condition of the tissues within a subject, or to construct images of the tissue from such measurements for diagnostic purposes. Furthermore, externally applied heat was not employed to warm fluid within tissue or organs, in order to follow its flow path and determine the presence of disease or dysfunction within a subject. Thus, there remains a need for noninvasive methods to evaluate the condition of tissues, to determine or monitor the presence of disease and/or dysfunction.
A need also remains for noninvasive methods to track the flow of body fluids, such as urine, from one location within a subject to another, to determine the presence of disease and/or dysfunction and to monitor the progress of the disease and/or medical intervention.

Noninvasive methods for detecting abnormalities in a subject such as disease or dysfunction


An image forming apparatus is provided with an orientation setting part for setting a readable orientation of a document that enables an operator of the image forming apparatus to readily read and understand an image on the document when carrying out an image forming process to form the image on a recording medium, a folding direction setting part for setting a folding direction in which a Z-fold of the recording medium is to be made after the image forming process, and a Z-fold part for forming the Z-fold on the recording medium, based on the readable orientation and the folding direction.

This application claims the benefit of a Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-027233 filed Feb. 3, 2004, in the Japanese Patent Office, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to Z-fold methods and image forming apparatuses and Z-fold methods, and more particularly to a Z-fold method for automatically folding a transfer sheet or medium such as paper, and an image forming apparatus which employs such a Z-fold method to fold the transfer sheet or medium when ejecting the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a composite apparatus) integrally comprising the functions of a printing apparatus (or printer), a copying apparatus, a facsimile apparatus, a scanning apparatus (or scanner) and the like, has been developed. Such a composite apparatus has a display part, a printing part, an image pickup (or imaging) part and the like that are provided within a housing. In addition, the composite apparatus is provided with 4 kinds of application programs (hereinafter simply referred to as applications) respectively corresponding to the printing apparatus, the copying apparatus, the facsimile apparatus and the scanning apparatus. The composite apparatus functions as the printing apparatus, the copying apparatus, the facsimile apparatus and the scanning apparatus by switching the applications.
A Z-fold function is one of various functions provided by the composite apparatus. The Z-fold function automatically folds a transfer sheet or medium such as paper (hereinafter referred to as a recording medium) when ejecting the recording medium from the composite apparatus. For example, if an A3-size document coexists within A4-size documents, the Z-fold function is used to fold the A3-size document so as to match the sizes of the documents.
But the conventional Z-fold function was not always useful due to limitations posed on the folding. For example, the Z-fold may be possible with respect to the A3-size document but not with respect to the A4-size document, and the Z-fold desired by the operator (or user) may not be possible.

Z-fold method and image forming apparatus


A method for controlling an electric discharge machining apparatus of the type in which a workpiece is machined by generating an electric discharge across a machining gap between a confronting electrode and the workpiece through a machining solution while feeding the electrode towards the workpiece includes the steps of determining current removal rate of material from the workpiece, calculating current removal efficiency based on the current removal rate and average machining current applied to the electrode, comparing the current removal efficiency with an optimal removal efficiency corresponding to peak current applied to the electrode, and when the current removal efficiency is less than or equal to a predetermined percentage of the optimal removal efficiency, adjusting at least one of a plurality of machining parameters to increase the current removal efficiency. According to one aspect of the present invention, the machining parameters include average machining current, the ON time of an applied voltage pulse, the circulation rate induced by a jump operation of the electrode and the flow rate of machining solution in the machining gap. The optimal removal efficiency values used in the inventive method are determined experimentally.

A typical EDM apparatus 1 of the type described above is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes an electrode 10 supported by a shaft 12 and suspended over a tank 14. Shaft 12 is connected at its opposite end to a cylinder 16, which is positioned by hydraulic fluid provided by a motor 20 via an electrically controlled servo valve 18. Electrode 10 opposes a workpiece 22 across a machining gap G. Tank 14 is filled with a machining solution 24, whose level in the tank insures that machining gap G is always filled with machining solution 24.
Electrode 10 and workpiece 22 are serially connected by a pair of leads to output terminals of machining power source 30, which includes a DC power supply 32 with a rated output of E volts (V), a switch 34 for switching the power source 30 ON and OFF, an oscillator 36 for controlling the operation of switch 34 and a current limiting resistor 38 with a resistance value of R. Power source 30 supplies an interelectrode voltage V.sub.G to the pair of leads so that a switching current I is applied between electrode 10 and workpiece 22.
The switching current I is represented by the expression I=(E-V.sub.G)/R, where V.sub.G is in the range of about 20 to 30 V during an arc discharge period, 0 V during a short circuiting period and E V during periods when no arc discharge occurs. If the interelectrode voltage V.sub.G is detected and averaged by a smoothing circuit 40, the machining gap G can be controlled in response to the averaged value of the interelectrode voltage V.sub.G. More specifically, when the machining gap G is wide, a discharge across the machining gap does not occur and the average voltage, hereinafter denoted V.sub.ave, becomes high, i.e., approaches E. When the gap is narrow, a short circuit between the electrode 10 and workpiece 22 can occur, which results in a reduction in the average voltage V.sub.ave. Accordingly, when the value of V.sub.ave is compared with a reference voltage V.sub.REF, the magnitude and polarity of the difference between these two voltages can be applied to servo 18 via an amplifier 42 to position electrode 10 with respect to workpiece 22. Thus, the difference between V.sub.ave and V.sub.REF, e.g., control voltage V.sub.C, can be used to control the machining gap G at a substantially constant value.
However, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that controlling the machining gap alone does not amount to controlling the operating parameters of the EDM apparatus 1 to optimize the material removal rate during a machining operation. The change in a wide variety of physical conditions in EDM apparatus 1 can effect the interelectrode voltage V.sub.G. Sludge accumulation in machining gap G, for example, can result from a low circulation or flow rate of machining solution in machining gap G and can decrease the interelectrode impedance, thus causing a decrease in V.sub.G. Also, carbonization of electrode 10 due to thermal decomposition of the machining solution 24 or other causes can increase the possibility of arcing or abnormal machining, and lower the value of V.sub.G. Therefore, even when an optimal material removal rate for an electrode/workpiece combination has been determined by experimentation, EDM apparatus 1 cannot be controlled to achieve that optimal removal rate.

EDM apparatus current efficiency control technique


A method and apparatus for breaking a semiconductor substrate along a predetermined area over which a split groove is formed. The breaking apparatus includes a table for placing a portion of the semiconductor substrate inside the predetermined area and a breaking blade being operable to move downward from a position above the semiconductor substrate placed on the table to thereby compress a portion of the semiconductor substrate outside the predetermined area so that the semiconductor substrate is broken along the split groove. The predetermined area of the semiconductor substrate has at least a neighboring pair of sides intersecting at an angle of less than 180 degrees, and the breaking blade has a projection which, when the semiconductor substrate is broken, compresses a portion of the semiconductor substrate outside the one side so that the one side is compressed ahead of the other side.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for breaking a semiconductor substrate, made by forming a photovoltaic element or other element structure on a silicon wafer or the like, along a predetermined region over which a split groove is formed, a method for breaking a solar cell utilizing the above method and apparatus, and a method for fabrication of a solar cell module.
2. Description of Related Art
It has been conventionally studied to divide a solar cell comprising a large-area semiconductor substrate into small-area solar cells and connect them as by lead wires to thereby fabricate a solar cell module.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2005-236017 and 2004-31839, methods are disclosed for fabricating a solar cell by forming a split groove on a semiconductor substrate using a laser or a dicing saw and dividing the substrate utilizing the split groove. In the case where a semiconductor substrate is broken along a predetermined area over which a split groove is formed, a method is generally used wherein, while a portion of the semiconductor substrate inside a predetermined area is held in position, its portion outside the predetermined area is pressed downward so that the semiconductor substrate is broken along the split groove. In this case, breaking is achieved by simultaneously applying a pressing force to the entire portion of the semiconductor substrate outside the predetermined area. Then, a stress produced during breaking is concentrated, for example, at an edge portion of the predetermined area of the semiconductor substrate. This results in the occurrence of cracking or the like and accordingly lowers a yield rate, which has been a problem.

Method and apparatus for breaking semiconductor substrate, method for breaking solar cell and method for fabrication of solar cell module


A lens collimator according to the present invention includes a plurality of lens elements bonded together. The lens elements, preferably three, each include spherical surfaces and are generally concentrically disposed relative to each other. The lens elements are arranged to produce an increased quantity of reflections and refractions within a lens optical path. The reflections and refractions reduce aberrations and control signal intercept angles relative to an image plane, thereby enabling the lens to match the performance of an optical signal carrier utilized with the lens. The lens element arrangement basically serves to provide an optical path with a quantity of reflections similar to that achieved with a lens having a greater quantity of elements or surfaces. The reflections and refractions enable the lens to cancel out or remove undesired characteristics (e.g., aberrations, etc.) from the resulting optical signals.

1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to lenses. In particular, the present invention pertains to a lens collimator, preferably for optical communication systems, that provides optical signals with reduced aberrations. The lens collimator includes a plurality of lens elements that provide an increased quantity of surfaces for optical signal reflections and refractions to occur within the lens optical path, thereby enabling the lens collimator to cancel out adverse effects (e.g., aberrations, etc.) from the resulting optical signals or beam.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Optical communication systems employ optical or light signals to transfer information between system sites. Interconnection between local system sites may employ media, such as fiber optic cables, to transport the optical signals. With respect to remote system sites, the optical signals may be transmitted in the surrounding environment between transmitting and receiving units. These units typically employ lenses to produce the optical signals in a desired format. For example, a transmitting unit lens typically receives narrow or focused optical signals from a carrier (e.g., fiber optic cable, etc.) and produces collimated or parallel optical signals for transmission. Conversely, a receiving unit lens receives the collimated or parallel optical signals and focuses the signals onto a narrow carrier (e.g., fiber optic cable, etc.) for subsequent processing.
Lenses with spherical surfaces are typically employed by the transmitting and receiving units to produce the desired optical signals. However, these types of lenses produce aberrations that degrade the produced optical signals. The aberrations vary depending upon the dimensions and materials of the lens. In order to reduce aberrations, lenses are designed to reflect and refract the optical signals in a manner that cancels out the undesirable effects. Generally, the greater the quantity of surfaces within and different materials of the lens the better the lens performance that can be achieved.
Conventional lens designs generally implement a linear optical path. However, some may employ a folded optical path, where the quantity of folds is limited. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,890 (Braun) discloses a laser rangefinder tester. A thick lens or prism with at least one spherical shaped surface is utilized in conjunction with a glass fiber delay line to create a sensitivity, boresight and range accuracy test unit for a laser rangefinder. A light ray is reflected within the prism and is gradually focused to a focal point due to a curved reflective surface. The prism is designed to provide a minimum beam diameter at the focal point which is located just outside the prism, where the beam is injected into an input end of an optical fiber or waveguide of a delay unit. The delay unit produces a simulated range return pulse for the rangefinder that travels through the prism as described above.
The above lenses suffer from several disadvantages. Although the above types of lenses are generally easier to fabricate and less expensive, the dimensions and weight of these lenses are usually significant. Since optical systems are typically employed with other components and/or in areas of limited space (e.g., a turret on planes and/or helicopters, etc.), the dimensions and weight of the lens becomes important. This is especially pertinent since these lens characteristics have a ripple type effect on the size and weight of system components housing the lens. Further, the reduced quantity of folds or reflections and refractions in a lens optical path has a deleterious effect on aberrations, thereby producing a degraded beam or requiring additional components to compensate for the adverse effects. Generally, a greater quantity of reflections and refractions within a lens optical path reduces aberrations. Enhancing the quality of reflections in a single element lens significantly increases fabrication and associated costs. For example, diamond turning is likely to be employed, where the single element lens requires multiple aspheric curvatures on different portions of each surface. Post-turning polishing in these circumstances is extremely difficult and tends to adversely affect the surface accuracy.
The present invention lens collimator includes additional elements and surfaces to provide an enhanced quantity of reflections and refractions within the lens optical path in order to significantly cancel out the spherical aberrations. This permits surface curvatures and lens element glass types to be optimized to reduce total lens spherical aberration while minimizing the size of the central obscuration.

Lens collimator and method of producing optical signals with reduced aberrations


A thermosetting resin composition comprising fine particles of an elastomer component homogeneously dispersed in a thermosetting resin is disclosed. The elastomer component comprises a rubbery copolymer prepared from a monomer mixture capable of producing a copolymer having a glass transition point of 25.degree. C. or lower and containing at least one crosslinking monomer having at least two unsaturated bonds in the molecule in the presence of seed polymer particles which are comprised of a polymer having a glass transition point of 25.degree. C. or lower. The possesses excellent impact resistance, mechanical strength, and adhesive strength. It is suitably used as a sealing material of semiconductors, an adhesive for print circuit boards, a molding material, a paint, and a lining material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermosetting resin composition comprising fine particles of an elastomer component homogeneously dispersed in a thermosetting resin.
2. Description of the Background Art
A disadvantage of thermosetting resins such as phenol resins, epoxy resins, melamine resins, urea resins, polyimide resins, and the like is their brittleness which offsets their excellent mechanical strength. A strong desire therefore existed for the development of molded articles of thermosetting resins with greater impact resistance and adequate flexibility.
One proposal for providing thermosetting resins with more flexibility is blending rubber with them. A known example of such a mixture of rubber and a thermosetting resin is a mixture of butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer and phenol resin. The use of rubbers with functional groups in order to provide reactivity with epoxy resins has been studied and reported by a number of publications, e.g., Japanese Patent Publication No. 30133/1982. The studies heretofore undertaken, however, dealt with compositions containing thermosetting resins and rubbers having polarities close to each other and thus having a greater mutual solubilities. Products with satisfactory mechanical strength can be obtained by blending a thermosetting resin and a rubber having a good mutual solubility. Such products, however, have a defect in their decreased fluidity, which impairs moldability of the thermosetting resin compositions. Another problem is that the mixture must be blended with a great care so as to ensure adequate dispersion of rubbers throughout thermosetting resins.
In order to improve the dispersibility of rubbers in thermosetting resin compositions the present inventors previously proposed the use of rubbers crosslinked by polyfunctional monomers (Japanese Patent Laid-open (ko-kai) No. 228562/1985). This method, however, could not improve the fluidity of thermosetting resin compositions.
Japanese Patent Laid-open (ko-kai) No. 22850/1987 discloses a thermosetting resin composition comprising an epoxy resin and fine particles of rubber covered with a resin having a glass transition point above room temperature. Since such resins with a glass transition point above room temperature do not contribute to the improvement in the impact strength, the resulting thermosetting resin composition possesses insufficient mechanical strength and rigidity.
Japanese Patent Laid-open (ko-kai) No. 53370/1987, on the other hand, discloses a process of dispersing rubbery particles in epoxy resin by polymerizing monomers which produces a polymer having a glass transition point lower than room temperature in the epoxy resin. The problem of this process is in the difficulty in controlling particle sizes of the rubbery particles with acceptable reproducibility because the sizes of rubbery particles are greatly affected by the stirring conditions, the temperature, and the like in the polymerization reaction.
Japanese Patent Laid-open (ko-kai) No. 91755/1983 discloses a process of producing an epoxy resin composition into which vulcanized rubber with a particle size of 0.5-30 .mu.m is dispersed. In the process, a liquid rubber, which is insoluble in the epoxy resin, is first dispersed in the epoxy resin and then vulcanized. Controlling the rubber particle size with good reproducibility is, however, extremely difficult in this process. In addition, the process can only produce rubbery particles with a very wide particle size distribution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,851 discloses a process for dispersing graft rubber particles in an epoxy resin. Dispersing graft rubber particles homogeneously in epoxy resin requires that the graft rubber particles be dispersed in water or dissolved in a solvent. The process does not provide epoxy resin compositions with sufficiently improved properties.
The present inventors have undertaken extensive studies in order to obtain a rubber-thermosetting resin composition without drawbacks mentioned above; a composition in which rubber particles with a uniform particle size are dispersed in a thermosetting resin and which exhibits superior flexibility, mechanical properties, fluidity, and moldability at the same time. As a result, the present inventors have found that a specific rubbery copolymer can satisfy these requirements when blended with a thermosetting resin in a certain proportion.

Thermoset resin with polyunsaturated monomer-grafted seed particles


A method of forming a layer, the method including providing a substrate having at least one surface adapted for deposition thereon; and directing a particle beam towards the surface of the substrate, the particle beam including moderately charged ions (MCIs), substantially all the MCIs independently have charges from ±2 to ±6 and kinetic energies of not greater than about 200 eV, wherein the MCIs do not penetrate more than about 30 Å into the surface of the substrate to form a layer on the substrate.

Materials engineering of surfaces, interfaces or sub-surface layers, on the scale of sub-monolayer to few nanometer depths, is becoming increasingly more technologically important in many diverse fields. Such fields can include, for example, data storage, microelectronics, catalysis and biomedical applications to name only a few. Novel processes for carrying out such materials engineering will therefore always be necessary.


Disclosed is a fuel cartridge. The fuel cartridge according to the present disclosure comprises a fuel container having a first port configured to flow fuel therethrough; and a buffer module configured to be coupled to the fuel container, wherein the buffer module comprises a second port configured to engage with the first port, a tubing connection comprising a first and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to or forms the second port, a third port coupled to or formed by the second end of the tubing connection, and a buffer container in fluid communication with the second and third ports via the tubing connection, wherein the buffer container is configured to store fuel therein when an inflow of the fuel to the buffer module is greater than an outflow from the buffer module.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a fuel cartridge having a buffer for the purpose of continuous operation of a fuel cell, and a fuel cell using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A fuel cell is an electric generation system that directly converts energy stored in fuel to an electrical energy, and it has advantages in regard to low environmental pollutions and high efficiency. In particular, the fuel cell has come into the spotlight as a next-generation energy source since it generates electrical energy using an energy source such petroleum, natural gases, and methanol, which are easily stored and transported.
The fuel cell may be divided into a phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), an alkaline fuel cell (AFC), and the like, depending on the kinds of electrolytes used. Each of these fuel cells is basically operated in the same operation system, but the kind of fuel used, the operation temperature, the catalysts, and the electrolytes differ in each of these fuel cells.
A direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is configured so that a polymer membrane that transfers hydrogen ions (protons) can be used as an electrolyte and a liquid methanol solution directly supplied to an anode as the fuel. The DMFC may be manufactured with a stack structure in which a plurality of single cells is structurally or electrically coupled to each other. The DMFC is suitable for portable or small fuel cells since it dose not use a fuel reformer and is operated at an operation temperature of less than 100° C.
Meanwhile, in the case of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell or the direct methanol fuel cell, a fuel cartridge should be exchanged with a new one for continuous operation of the fuel cell when the fuel stored in the fuel cartridge is nearly exhausted. While exchanging the fuel cartridge, the fuel cell may be unstable due to the suspension supply of fuel, and therefore the operation of the fuel cell is suspended when the fuel cartridge is being exchanged.
However, electronic equipment or electrical equipment using the fuel cell as a power source incurs problems when the operation is suspended during the time of exchanging a fuel cartridge. In particular, an uninterrupted supply of power source is required in the electronic equipment that should be continuously operated, and therefore there is a need for a fuel cell capable of continuously supplying electric energy.

Fuel cell system and fuel cartridge having fuel buffer module


A method for manufacturing automotive seat assemblies using fabrics with pre-bonded adhesives. Adhesives are pre-bonded to the back surface of fabric material using a variety of processes. The fabric with pre-bonded adhesive is then cut into pieces, which may be joined with other pieces, to form a trim cover assembly. Heat is then applied to activate the adhesive and attach the trim cover assembly to a cushion pad to manufacture a complete automotive seat assembly. The invention methodology allows the use of shorter bonding cycle times to achieve a suitable bond and reduces the likelihood of omitting, improperly positioning or wrinkling the adhesive.

This invention relates generally to a method for manufacturing automotive seat assemblies, and more particularly to the use of fabrics with pre-bonded adhesives in the manufacture of automotive seat assemblies.
Styling and manufacturing considerations make it desirable to attach trim cover assemblies to cushion pads during the manufacture of automotive seat assemblies. The trim cover assemblies are typically comprised of cloth, leather, vinyl or other textile fabrics, and the cushion pads are typically comprised of polyurethane foam or rubberized hair. Several methods of attaching these components are currently being used.
Solvent-based or chemical adhesives, such as polyurethanes, may be used to attach trim cover assemblies to cushion pads. Use of these adhesives typically results in air emissions of hazardous chemicals, involves complicated material and waste handling procedures, and must be carefully engineered and monitored to reduce the possibility of exposing workers to hazardous materials.
Thermoplastic adhesives offer an environmentally friendly alternative to solvent-based or chemical adhesives. In conventional methods that use thermoplastic adhesives to attach the fabric material to the cushion material, a sheet of adhesive is placed between the components. The temperature of the adhesive is then raised to its softening point, typically through the application of heated vapor, such as steam. The thermoplastic adhesive forms a physical bond with the fabric material and the cushion material by simultaneously intruding into the fabric material and the cushion material.
Using these methods, it is typically more difficult to effectuate a suitable bond at the fabric material interface than it is to effectuate a suitable bond at the cushion material interface. This is particularly true for fabrics which have a conventional backcoat layer applied to the back of the fabric. The conventional backcoat layer consists of a latex or acrylic substance with a rubbery texture which is typically applied to fabric to prevent shrinkage and curling after it has been cut.
In addition, the heat required to effectuate a suitable bond at the fabric material interface is applied through a three-dimensional tool in conventional bonding methods. Because it is almost impossible to maintain a constant temperature across the entire surface of the tool during the bonding process, the tool must be heated beyond the ideal temperature to assure that the coolest section of the tool is at a high enough temperature to obtain a proper bond.
To overcome these problems, conventional attachment methods use large quantities of adhesive and long bonding cycle times to assure that a sufficient quantity of adhesive has migrated into the fabric material to obtain a suitable bond.
Because both the fabric material and the cushion material are heat sensitive, long bonding cycle times result in degradation of the fabric material and the cushion material, such as nap crush and loss of foam loft.
In addition, the improper application of the adhesive layer in conventional methods often results in quality problems in the finished seat. If the layer is improperly positioned or unintentionally omitted, the fabric material will not be properly attached to the cushion material. If wrinkles are introduced in the adhesive layer, they may be visible through the fabric.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,199, a method for bonding an automotive trim cover assembly to a cushion pad is disclosed in which an impervious adhesive film is drawn by a vacuum against an automotive trim cover assembly; this film is placed in contact with the cushion pad and steam is used to diffuse the adhesive film into the fabric material and the cushion material. This method suffers from all of the process limitations and potential for quality defects noted above.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,226, a method for manufacturing an automotive seat is disclosed in which a thermally weldable adhesive cloth is interposed between an automotive trim cover assembly and a cushion pad and then welded by means of heat and pressure to effectuate the bond between the fabric material and the cushion material. This method also exhibits all of the process limitations and potential for quality defects noted above.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,517, an apparatus and process for shaping and covering cushion foam is disclosed in which a hot melt adhesive is placed between an automotive trim cover assembly and a cushion pad and superheated vapor is ejected through the fabric material and adhesive layer into the cushion material. This process also exhibits all of the process limitations and potential for quality defects noted above.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved method for manufacturing automotive seat assemblies which allows for shorter bonding cycle times to effectuate a suitable bond between the fabric material and the cushion material and which alleviates the potential for quality defects noted above.

Method for manufacturing automotive seat assemblies using pre-bonded adhesives