The invention provides thermoplastic molding compositions of the ABS type containing highly effective graft rubber components obtained by emulsion polymerization while using a special initiator system and maintaining defined reaction conditions.

The invention provides thermoplastic moulding compositions of the ABS type containing highly effective graft rubber components obtained by emulsion polymerisation while using special initiator systems and observing defined reaction conditions.
Moulding compositions of the ABS type are two-phase plastics materials consisting of
I) a thermoplastic copolymer of styrene and acrylonitrile in which the styrene can be replaced completely or partially by xcex1-methyl styrene or methyl methacrylate; this copolymer, also known as SAN resin or matrix resin, forms the external phase;
II) at least one graft polymer produced by graft reaction of one or more of the monomers mentioned under I on butadienexe2x80x94homoxe2x80x94or copolymer (xe2x80x9cgraft basexe2x80x9d). This graft polymer (xe2x80x9celastomer phasexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cgraft rubberxe2x80x9d) forms the dispersed phase in the matrix resin.
With an identical matrix, the viscosity of an ABS moulding composition is determined substantially by the graft rubber. However, the viscosity required for markedly stressed mouldings cannot always be achieved with the necessary reliability using conventional ABS moulding compositions, particularly if very high viscosities are demanded at low temperatures or if these requirements are met only at the cost of other properties also required, for example rigidity or processing behaviour.
There is therefore a need for graft rubbers on the basis of which ABS moulding compositions with very high viscosities at room temperature and at low temperature can be produced without impairing the other properties, in particular rigidity and processibility.
Furthermore, it should also be possible to produce these graft rubbers on the basis of more finely divided rubber bases so that mouldings with high surface lustre can also be obtained if necessary.
It has accordingly been found that moulding compositions of the ABS type with excellent viscosities at room temperature and low temperature are obtained without adversely affecting the other properties if the graft rubber employed is produced while using special combinations of initiator systems and while maintaining defined reaction conditions.
The production of graft rubbers using various initiator systems is known. Thus, numerous documents, for example EP-A 154 244, describe the use of potassium persulfate as initiator. Documents such as, for example, EP-A 745 623 (see also the literature quoted therein) describe the use of special redox systems or of azo initiators. Although initiator systems of this type lead to graft polymers which lead to good properties in thermoplastic moulding compositions for special requirements, good viscosities at high and low temperatures are not achieved to the adequate extent while maintaining the other properties.
The invention provides thermoplastic moulding compositions of the ABS type containing
A) at least one elastic/thermoplastic graft polymer obtained by radical emulsion polymerisation of resin-forming vinyl monomers, preferably of styrene or acrylonitrile, wherein styrene and/or acrylonitrile can be completely or partially replaced by xcex1-methyl styrene, methyl methacrylate or N-phenylmaleimide, in the presence of rubber existing in latex form with a glass transition temperature xe2x89xa60xc2x0 using an initiator combination consisting of a redox initiator system and a persulfate compound and
B) at least one copolymer of styrene and acrylonitrile, wherein styrene and/or acrylonitrile can be completely or partially replaced by xcex1-methyl styrene or methyl methacrylate or N-phenylmaleimide,
characterised in that the graft polymer A) is produced by supplying the monomers to the rubber latex, the redox initiator components are added at the beginning of the graft polymerisation reaction in quantities of 0.1 to 2.5 wt. %, preferably of 0.2 to 2.0 wt. % and particularly preferably of 0.5 to 1.5 wt. % (based on the monomers added up to the moment of addition of persulfate compound in each case), a persulfate compound is added after an addition of monomers of 10 to 95 wt. %, preferably 20 to 85 wt. %, in particular 20 to 80 wt. % particularly preferably 30 to 75 wt. % and quite particularly preferably 35 to 70 wt. % (based on total quantity of monomer in each case), in quantities of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, preferably of 0.08 to 1.2 wt. % and particularly preferably of 0.1 to 1.0 wt. % (based on the monomers added from the moment of addition of persulfate compound in each case) and polymerisation is carried out until completion.
In principle, any rubber-like polymers existing in the form of an emulsion with a glass transition temperature lower than 0xc2x0 C. are suitable as rubbers for producing the elastic/thermoplastic graft polymers according to the invention.
Examples of suitable polymers include
diene rubbers, i.e. homopolymers of conjugate dienes containing 4 to 8 carbon atoms such as butadiene, isoprene, chloroprene or copolymers thereof with up to 60 wt. %, preferably up to 30 wt. % of a vinyl monomer, for example acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, styrene, xcex1-methyl styrene, halogen styrenes, C1-C4 alkyl styrenes, C1-C8 alkyl acrylates, C1-C8 alkyl methacrylates, alkyleneglycol diacrylates, alkyleneglycol dimethacrylates, divinyl benzene;
acrylate rubbers, i.e. homo- and copolymers of C1-C10 alkyl acrylates, for example homopolymers of ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate or copolymers containing up to 40 wt. %, preferably not more than 10 wt. % of monovinyl monomers, for example styrene, acrylonitrile, vinylbutylether, acrylic acid (ester), methacrylic acid (ester), vinyl sulfonic acid. It is preferable to use acrylate rubber homo- or copolymers which contain from 0.01 to 8 wt. % of divinyl or polyvinyl compounds and/or N-methylolacrylamide or N-methylolmethacrylamide or other compounds acting as crosslinking agents, for example divinylbenzene, triallylcyanurate.
Polybutadiene rubbers, SBR rubbers with up to 30 wt. % of styrene incorporated by polymerisation and acrylate rubbers, in particular those having a core/shell structure, for example as described in DE-OS 3 006 804, are preferred.
Latices having average particle diameters d50 of 0.05 to 2.0 xcexcm, preferably of 0.08 to 1.0 xcexcm and particularly preferably of 0.1 to 0.5 xcexcm can be used for producing the graft polymers according to the invention. The gel contents of the rubbers used can be varied in wide limits and preferably lie between 30 and 95 wt. % (determined by the wire cage method in toluene (cf. Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Makromolekulare Stoffe, part 1, page 307 (1961) Thieme Verlag Stuttgart)).
Quite particularly preferred are mixtures of rubber latices having
a) average particle diameters d50xe2x89xa6320 nm, preferably 260 to 310 nm, and gel contents xe2x89xa670 wt. %, preferably 40 to 65 wt. % and
b) average particle diameters d50xe2x89xa7370 nm, preferably 380 to 450 nm, and gel contents xe2x89xa670 wt. %, preferably 75 to 90 wt. %.
The rubber latex (a) preferably has a particle size distribution range of 30 to 100 nm, particularly preferably of 40 to 80 nm, and the rubber latex (b) of 50 to 500 nm, particularly preferably of 100 to 400 nm (measured as d90-d10 value from the integral particle size distribution in each case).
The mixtures contain the rubber latices (a) and (b) preferably in a ratio by weight of 90:10 to 10:90, particularly preferably 60:40 to 30:70 (based on the respective solids content of the latices in each case).
The average particle diameters are determined by ultracentrifuge (cf. W. Scholtan, H. Lange: Kolloid-Z. u Z. Polymere 250, pages 782 to 796 (1972).
The values given for the gel content are determined by the wire cage method in toluene (cf. Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Makromolekulare Stoffe, part 1, page 307 (1961) Thieme Verlag Stuttgart).
The rubber latices used can be produced by emulsion polymerisation and the necessary reaction conditions, auxiliaries and production techniques are basically known.
It is also possible initially to produce a finely divided rubber polymer by known methods and then to agglomerate it in a known manner to adjust the necessary particle size. Appropriate techniques are described (cf. EP-PS 0 029 613; EP-PS 0 007 810; DD-PS 144 415; DE-AS 12 33 131; DE-AS 12 58 076; DE-OS 21 01 650; U.S. Pat, No. 1,379,391).
The so-called seed polymerisation technique can also be employed, during which, for example, a finely divided butadiene polymer is initially produced and is then repolymerised to larger particles by subsequent reaction with butadiene-containing monomers.
Conventional anionic emulsifiers such as alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, aralkyl sulfonates, soaps of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids (for example oleic acid, stearic acid) as well as alkaline disproportionated or hydrogenated abietic acid or talloleic acid can be used as emulsifiers, emulsifiers containing a carboxyl group (for example salts of C10-C18 fatty acids, disproportionated abietic acid) preferably being used.
Rubber polymer latices can basically also be produced by emulsification of finished rubber polymers in aqueous media (cf. Japanese patent application 55 125 102).
Graft monomers which are polymerised in the presence of the rubber-like polymers existing in the form of an emulsion include virtually all compounds which can be polymerised in an emulsion to thermoplastic resins, for example vinyl aromatic substances corresponding to formula (I) or compounds corresponding to formula (II) or mixtures thereof
in which
R1 represents hydrogen or methyl,
R2 represents hydrogen, halogen or alkyl containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the ortho-, meta- or para-position,
R3 represents hydrogen or methyl and
X represents CN, R4OOC or R5R6NOC, wherein
R4 represents hydrogen or alkyl containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and
R5 and R6 independently represent hydrogen, phenyl or alkyl containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
Examples of compounds corresponding to formula (I) include styrene, xcex1-methyl styrene, p-methyl styrene and vinyltoluene. Compounds corresponding to formula (II) include acrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate. Further monomers which are basically suitable include for example, vinyl acetate and N-phenylmaleimide.
Preferred monomers are mixtures of styrene and acrylonitrile, xcex1-methyl styrene and acrylonitrile, of styrene, acrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate as well as combinations of these monomer mixtures with N-phenylmaleimide.
Preferred graft polymers A) according to the invention are those obtained by graft polymerisation of styrene and acrylonitrile in a ratio by weight of 90:10 to 50:50, preferably 80:20 to 65:35 (wherein styrene can be completely or partially replaced by xcex1-methyl styrene or methyl methacrylate) in the presence of quantities of rubber, preferably polybutadiene, which are sufficient to produce graft polymers having rubber contents of 20 to 80 wt. %, preferably 30 to 75 wt. % and particularly preferably 35 to 70 wt. %.
The graft polymers A) are produced according to the invention in that a redox initiator system is added to the rubber latex or the rubber latex mixture at the beginning of the grafting reaction.
Suitable redox initiator systems generally consist of an organic oxidising agent and a reducing agent, heavy metal ions preferably additionally being present in the reaction medium.
Organic oxidising agents which are suitable according to the invention include, for example, di-tert.-butylperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide, dicyclohexylpercarbonate, tert.-butylhydroperoxide, p-methane hydroperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide and tert.-butylhydroperoxide being preferred. H2O2 can basically also be used.
Reducing agents which can be used according to the invention are preferably water-soluble compounds, for example salts of sulfinic acid, salts of sulfuric acid, sodium dithionite, sodium sulfite, sodium hyposulfite, sodium hydrogen sulfite, ascorbic acid and salts thereof, Rongalite C (sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate), mono- and dihydroxyacetone, sugar (for example glucose or dextrose), iron(II) salts, such as, for example iron(II) sulfate, tin(II) salts, such as, for example tin(II) chloride, titanium(III) salts such as titanium(III) sulfate.
Preferred reducing agents include water-soluble compounds, for example dextrose, ascorbic acid (salts) or sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate (Rongalite C).
The quantities of oxidising agent used are from 0.05 to 2.0 wt. %, preferably 0.1 to 1.5 wt. % and particularly preferably 0.2 to 1.2 wt. %. Reducing agents are used in quantities of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, preferably of 0.08 to 1.2 wt. % and particularly preferably of 0.1 to 1.0 wt. % (based on the monomers added up to the moment of addition of persulfate compound in each case).
The graft monomers are subsequently added and, after a quantity of 10 to 95 wt. %, preferably 20 to 85 wt. %, particularly preferably 20 to 80 wt. %, in particular 30 to 75 wt. % and quite particularly preferably 35 to 70 wt. % has been added (based on total quantity of monomers in each case), at least one persulfate compound is added in quantities of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, preferably 0.08 to 1.2 wt. % and particularly preferably 0.1 to. 1.0 wt. % (based on the monomers added from the beginning of addition of persulfate compound in each case).
Suitable persulfate compounds include, for example, sodium peroxodisulfate, potassium peroxodisulfate, ammonium peroxodisulfate, potassium peroxodisulfate being the preferred persulfate compound.
The redox initiator components as well as the persulfate compound are conventionally used in the form of aqueous solutions, aqueous emulsions, aqueous suspensions or other aqueous dispersions. The remaining monomers are then added and completely polymerised.
The invention also provides a process for producing graft rubbers by emulsion polymerisation using a combination of initiators consisting of a redox initiator system and a persulfate compound, wherein
i) the graft monomers are added to the rubber latex,
ii) the redox initiator components are added in quantities of 0.1 to 2.5 wt. % (based on the monomers added up to the moment of addition of persulfate compound) at the beginning of the graft polymerisation reaction,
iii) a persulfate compound is added in quantities of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % (based on the monomers added from the moment of addition of the persulfate compound) after a monomer addition of 10 to 95 wt. % (based on total quantity of monomers) and
iv) the polymerisation reaction is completed.
The reaction temperature during production of the graft rubbers A) according to the invention can be varied within wide limits. It is from 25xc2x0 C. to 160xc2x0 C., preferably 40xc2x0 C. to 90xc2x0 C. The temperature at the beginning of monomer addition quite particularly preferably differs from the temperature at the end of monomer addition by a maximum of 20xc2x0 C., preferably a maximum of 10xc2x0 C. and particularly preferably a maximum of 5xc2x0 C.
Molecular weight regulators can additionally be used during graft polymerisation, preferably in quantities of 0.05 to 2 wt. %, particularly preferably in quantities of 0.1 to 1 wt. % (based on total quantity of monomer in each case).
A procedure which is preferred according to the invention involves the addition of molecular weight regulators only in the portion of the reaction after addition of the persulfate compound and the avoidance of regulator addition in the portion of the reaction prior to addition of the persulfate compound.
Suitable molecular weight regulators include, for example, n-dodecylmercaptan, t-dodecylmercaptan, dimeric xcex1-methyl styrene, terpinolene and combinations of mixtures of these compounds.
The above-mentioned compounds can be used as emulsifiers during the graft polymerisation reaction.
The graft rubber latex A) is worked up by known processes, for example by spray drying or by addition of salts and/acids, washing of the precipitates and drying of the powder.
Copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile are preferably used as vinyl resins B) in a proportion by weight of 90:10 to 50:50, wherein styrene and/or acrylonitrile can be completely or partially replaced by xcex1-methyl styrene and/or methyl methacrylate; a proportion of up to 30 wt. % (based on vinyl resin) of a further monomer from the range comprising maleic anhydride, maleimide, N-(cyclo) alkylmaleimide, N-(alkyl)-phenylmaleimide can optionally also be used.
The average molecular weights ({overscore (M)}w) of these resins can be varied in wide limits and they preferably lie between about 40,000 and 200,000, particularly preferably between 50,000 and 150,000.
Details concerning the production of these resins are provided, for example, in DE-AS 2 420 358 and DE-AS 2 724 360. Resins produced by mass and solution polymerisation and by suspension polymerisation have proven particularly suitable.
The proportion of the elastic/thermoplastic graft polymer (A) in the moulding composition according to the invention can be varied in wide limits; it is preferably 10 to 80 wt. %, particularly preferably 20 to 75 wt. %.
The necessary or advantageous additives, for example antioxidants, UV stabilisers, peroxide destroyers, antistatic agents, lubricants, mould release agents, flameproofing agents, fillers or reinforcing agents (glass fibres, carbon fibres, etc.) and colourants can be added to the moulding compositions according to the invention during production, working up, further processing and final shaping.
Final shaping can be carried out on conventional commercial processing units and involves, for example, injection moulding, sheet extrusion optionally with subsequent thermal shaping, cold shaping, extrusion of pipes and profiles or calendering.
The moulding compositions according to the invention of the ABS type can be blended with other polymers. Suitable blending partners are selected, for example, from at least one polymer selected from the group comprising polycarbonates, polyesters, polyester carbonates and polyamides.
Suitable thermoplastic polycarbonates and polyester carbonates are known (cf., for example, DE-AS 1 495 626, DE-OS 2 232 877, DE-OS 2 703 376, DE-OS 2 714 544, DE-OS 3 000 610, DE-OS 3 832 396, DE-OS 3 077 934), for example can be produced by reaction of diphenols corresponding to the formulae (III) and (IV)
wherein
A is a simple bond, C1-C5 alkylene, C2-C5 alkylidene, C5-C6 cycloalkylidene, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94,
R7 and R8 independently represent hydrogen, methyl or halogen, in particular hydrogen, methyl, chlorine or bromine,
R9 and R10 independently represent hydrogen, halogen, preferably chlorine or bromine, C1-C8 alkyl, preferably methyl, ethyl, C5-C6 cycloalkyl, preferably cyclohexyl, C6-C10 aryl, preferably phenyl, or C7-C12 aralkyl, preferably phenyl-C1-C4 alkyl, in particular benzyl,
m is an integer from 4 to 7, preferably 4 or 5,
n is 0 or 1,
R11 and R12 can be selected individually for each X and independently represent hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl and
Xxe2x80x2 represents carbon,
with carbonyl halides, preferably phosgene, and/or with aromatic dicarboxylic acid dihalides, preferably benzene dicarboxylic acid dihalides, by phase interface polycondensation or with phosgene by polycondensation in the homogeneous phase (the so-called pyridine process), wherein the molecular weight can be adjusted in a known manner by an appropriate quantity of known chain terminators.
Suitable diphenols corresponding to formulae (III) and (IV) include, for example, hydroquninone, resorcinol, 4,4xe2x80x2-dihydroxydiphenyl, 2,2,-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propane, 2,4-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methylbutane, 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)-propane, 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dichlorophenyl)-propane, 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dibromophenyl)-propane, 1,1-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-cyclohexane, 1,1-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane, 1,1-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,3-dimethylcyclohexane, 1,1-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethylcyclo-hexane or 1,1 -bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,4,4,-trimethylcyclopentane.
2,2-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propane and 1,1-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-cyclohexane are preferred diphenols corresponding to formula (III) and 1,1-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane is the preferred phenol corresponding to formula (IV).
Mixtures of diphenols can also be used.
Suitable chain terminators include, for example, phenol, p-tert.-butyl phenol, long-chained alkyl phenols such as 4-(1,3-tetramethyl-butyl)phenol according to DE-OS 2 842 005, monoalkyl phenols, dialkyl phenols with a total of 8 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl substituents according to DE-OS 3 506 472 such as p-nonyl phenol, 2,5-di-tert.-butyl phenol, p-tert.-octyl phenol, p-dodecyl phenol, 2-(3,5-dimethylheptyl)-phenol and 4-(3,5-dimethylheptyl)-phenol. The quantity of chain terminators required is generally from 0.5 to 10 mole %, based on the sum of diphenols (I) and (II).
Suitable polycarbonates and polyester carbonates can be linear or branched; branched products are preferably obtained by incorporating from 0.05 to 2.0 mole %, based on the sum of diphenols used, of trifunctional or higher than trifunctional compounds, for example those with three or more than three phenolic OH groups.
Suitable polycarbonates and polyester carbonates can contain aromatically bound halogen, preferably bromine and/or chlorine; they are preferably halogen-free.
They have average molecular weights ({overscore (M)}w, weight average) determined, for example, by ultracentrifugation or scattered light measurement of 10,000 to 200,000, preferably 20,000 to 80,000.
Suitable thermoplastic polyesters are preferably polyalkylene terephthalates, i.e. reaction products of aromatic dicarboxylic acids or reactive derivatives thereof (for example dimethylesters or anhydrides) and aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or arylaliphatic diols and mixtures of these reaction products.
Preferred polyalkylene terephthalates can be produced from terephthalic acids (or reactive derivatives thereof) and aliphatic or cycloaliphatic diols containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms by known methods (Kunststoff-Handbuch, Volume VIII, page 695 et seq., Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich 1973).
In preferred polyalkylene terephthalates, 80 to 100, preferably 90 to 100 mole % of the dicarboxylic acid radicals are terephthalic acid radicals and 80 to 100, preferably 90 to 100 mole % of the diol radicals are ethyleneglycol and/or butanediol-1,4-radicals.
In addition to ethyleneglycol and butanediol-1,4-radicals, the preferred polyalkylene terephthalates can contain from 0 to 20 mole % of radicals of different aliphatic diols containing from 3 to 12 carbon atoms or cycloaliphatic diols containing from 6 to 12 carbon atoms, for example radicals of propanediol-1,3,2-ethylpropanediol-1,3, neopentylglycol, pentanediol-1,5, hexanediol-1,6, cyclohexandimethanol-1,4,3-methylpentanediol-1,3, and -1,6,2-ethylhexanediol-1,3,2,2,-diethylpropanediol-1,3, hexanediol-2,5,1,4-di(xcex2-hydroxyethoxy)-benzene, 2,2,-bis-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)-propane, 2,4-dihydroxy-1,1,3,3-tetramethylcyclobutane, 2,2-bis-(3-xcex2-hydroxyethoxyphenyl)-propane and 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxypropoxyphenyl)-propane (DE-OS 2 407 647, 2 407 776, 2 715 932).
The polyalkylene terephthalates can be branched by incorporation of relatively small quantities of trihydric or tetrahydric alcohols or tribasic or tetrabasic carboxylic acids of the type described in DE-OS 1 900 270 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,744. Examples of preferred branching agents include trimesic acid, trimellitic acid, trimethylolethane and propane and pentaerythritol. It is advisable to use not more than 1 mole % of the branching agent, based on the acid component.
Polyalkylene terephthalates produced solely from terephthalic acid and the reactive derivatives thereof (for example the dialkyl esters thereof) and ethyleneglycol and/or butanediol-1,4 and mixtures of these polyalkylene terephthalates are particularly preferred.
Preferred polyalkylene terephthalates also include copolyesters produced from at least two of the above-mentioned alcohol components: poly-(ethyleneglycolbutanediol-1,4)-terephthalates are particularly preferred copolyesters.
The preferred polyalkylene terephthalates generally have an intrinsic viscosity of 0.4 to 1.5 dl/g, preferably 0.5 to 1.3 dl/g, in particular 0.6 to 1.2 dl/g measured in phenol/o-dichlorobenzene (1:1 parts by weight) at 25xc2x0 C. in each case.
Suitable polyamides include known homopolyamides, copolyamides and mixtures of these polyamides. These can be partially crystalline and/or amorphous polyamides.
Polyamide-6, polyamide-6,6, mixtures and corresponding copolymers of these components are suitable as partially crystalline polyamides. Partially crystalline polyamides of which the acid component consists completely or partially of terephthalic acid and/or isophthalic acid and/or suberic acid and/or sebacic acid and/or azelaic acid and/or adipic acid and/or cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, of which the diamine components consist completely or partially of m- and/or p-xylylenediamine and/or hexamethylenediamine and/or 2,2,4-trimethylhexamethylelendiamine and/or 2,2,4-trimethylhexamethylenediamine and/or isophoronediamine and of which the composition is basically known can also be used.
Polyamides which are produced completely or partially from lactams with 7 to 12 carbon atoms in the ring should also be mentioned, optionally while using one or more of the above-mentioned starting components.
Polyamide-6 and polyamide-6,6 and mixtures thereof are particularly preferred partially crystalline polyamides. Known products can be used as amorphous polyamides. They are obtained by polycondensation of diamines such as ethylenediamine, hexamethylenediamine, decamethylenediamine, 2,2,4- and/or 2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylenediamine, m- and/or p-xylylene-diamine, bis-(4-aminocyclohexyl)-methane, bis-(4-aminocyclohexyl)-propane, 3,3xe2x80x2-dimethyl-4,4xe2x80x2-diamino-dicyclohexylmethane, 3-aminomethyl-3,5,5,-trimethylcyclohexylamine, 2,5- and/or 2,6-bis-(aminomethyl)-norbornane and/or 1,4-diaminomethylcyclohexane with dicarboxylic acids such as oxalic acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, decanedicarboxylic acid, heptadecanedicarboxylic acid, 2,2,4- and/or 2,4,4-trimethyladipic acid, isophthalic acid and terephthalic acid.
Copolymers obtained by polycondensation of several monomers are also suitable, moreover copolymers produced by addition of aminocarboxylic acids such as xcex5-aminocaproic acid, xcfx89-aminoundecanic acid or xcfx89-aminolauric acid or lactams thereof.
Particularly suitable amorphous polyamides include polyamides produced from isophthalic acid, hexamethylenediamine and other diamines such as 4,4xe2x80x2-diaminodicyclohexylmethane, isophoronediamine, 2,2,4- and/or 2,4,4-trimethylhexamtheylenediamine, 2,5- and/or 2,6-bis-(aminomethyl)-norbornene, or from isophthalic acid, 4,4xe2x80x2-diamino-dicyclohexylmethane and xcex5-caprolactam; or from isophthalic acid, 3,3xe2x80x2-dimethyl-4,4xe2x80x2-diamino-dicyclohexylmethane and laurinlactam; or from terephthalic acid and the isomer mixture of 2,2,4- and/or 2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylenediamine.
Instead of pure 4,4xe2x80x2-diaminodicyclohexylmethane, it is also possible to use mixtures of the positional isomeric diaminodicyclohexylmethanes composed of
70 to 99 mole % of the 4,4xe2x80x2-diamino-isomer
1 to 30 mole % of the 2,4xe2x80x2-diamino-isomer
0 to 2 mole % of the 2,2xe2x80x2-diamino-isomer and
optionally correspondingly more highly condensed diamines obtained by hydrogenation of industrial quality diaminodiphenylmethane. Up to 30% of the isophthalic acid can be replaced by terephthalic acid.
The polyamides preferably have a relative viscosity (measured on a 1 wt. % solution in m-cresol at 25xc2x0 C.) of 2.0 to 5.0, particularly preferably 2.5 to 4.0.
If at least one polymer selected from the group comprising polycarbonates, polyesters, polyester carbonates and polyamides is additionally used, the quantity thereof is up to 500 parts by weight, preferably up to 400 parts by weight and particularly preferably up to 300 parts by weight (based on 100 parts by weight A+B in each case).

Thermoplastic molding materials based on highly effective grafted rubber components


An electronic component moving mechanism includes a holding portion holding an electronic component, a position changing portion, a first wiring portion, a second wiring portion, a third wiring portion, and a connection line. The third wiring portion protrudes from a leading end portion of the second wiring portion toward another side in the first direction. The connection line includes a first bent portion and a second bent portion in a case where the position of the holding portion is changed to a position on the other side. The first bent portion is folded back from the other side to the one side along the leading end portion of the third wiring portion, and the second bent portion is folded back from the one side to the other side between the first bent portion and a second end portion connecting the connection line and an external circuit.

An electronic device is known that is provided with a moving mechanism that moves a holding portion that holds an electronic component and thus changes an arrangement position of the electronic component. As an example of the electronic device, a printer is known that includes a carriage mechanism that causes a carriage, on which a print head is mounted, to move along a platen. The print head of the printer is connected to one end of a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), and is electrically connected to a control circuit unit via the FPC. The FPC extends substantially laterally from the print head, and is placed on an FPC supporting portion that protrudes more than a mounting surface of the print head of the carriage. The FPC bends, passes through below the carriage, and is connected to the control circuit unit. Since the FPC is placed on the FPC supporting portion, a relatively large arc is formed in a portion that is bent (a bent portion). Therefore, when the carriage mechanism moves the carriage, a load due to flexing resistance is unlikely to be applied to the FPC, and the FPC is unlikely to become disconnected.
In the above-described printer, in a movement direction of the carriage, the bent portion is positioned on an opposite side to the control circuit unit with respect to the carriage. Therefore, the carriage does not move across the bent portion. However, even when the carriage has moved to a position that is most distant from the control circuit unit, it is necessary to secure a location where the bent portion of the FPC is arranged to the side of the carriage. As a result, it is difficult to achieve a reduction in space for an arrangement structure. To address this, for example, when the FPC is configured to be pulled out below the carriage, a bent portion is formed in the FPC when the carriage has moved to the side where the carriage is closer to the control circuit unit. Then, when the carriage has moved to the side where the carriage is separated from the control circuit unit, the carriage moves across the bent portion. When the carriage has moved to a position that is separated from the control circuit unit, the FPC moves toward the control circuit unit from below the carriage and a state is formed in which the bending of the bent portion is stretched out. Therefore, there is no need to secure a location to arrange the bent portion to the side of the carriage, and it is possible to achieve a reduction in space for the arrangement structure.

Electronic component moving mechanism and printer


Methods, systems and computer readable storage medium embodiments for communicating over a data bus include, determining a number of changes in bit value in respective bit positions between a previous bit string and a current bit string, transmitting either the current bit string in an inverted form over the data bus if the determined number of changes in bit value exceeds a threshold or the current bit string in non-inverted form if the determined number of changes in bit value does not exceed a threshold, and transmitting an additional at least one bit along with the current bit string having a logic value that indicates whether the current bit string is in an inverted form or non-inverted form. Methods, systems, and computer readable storage medium embodiments for receiving bit strings over a bus are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of this invention are related generally to the transfer of data, and more particularly to reducing power consumption during the transfer of data.
2. Background Art
As computer systems keep getting faster and their use increases, the power consumption of computer systems have become a concern. The increases in processing power, as well as improvements in accessing data contribute to this increase in power consumption. For example, content addressable memories (CAM), which consume significantly higher amounts of power than many other memory access techniques, are frequently used in modern computing systems to speed up access to data.
Thus, the reduction of power consumption in computing systems is of increasing importance. Power savings have been sought by optimizing any of several components in a computer system, such as the processor(s), memories, display devices, peripheral devices, and the like. Moreover, power savings are also sought in one or more buses that transmit data and control signals. For example, power savings have been sought by reducing the amount of data transferred (e.g. reduce the number of bits/bytes transferred) over a bus, and by turning the bus components off when not in use.
The power consumption in computer systems has greatly improved over the last few years. However, further reductions in power consumption during data transmission are desired.


A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film on a surface of the semiconductor substrate; a temperature sensing diode on the first insulating film; a trench extending inward from the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a trench electrode embedded in the trench via a second insulating film and connected to the temperature sensing diode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device provided with a temperature sensing diode for detecting a temperature of a semiconductor substrate and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Background Art
In power modules such as IPM (intelligent power modules), a temperature sensing diode made of polysilicon or amorphous silicon is incorporated in an IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) thereof. By monitoring VF characteristics of this temperature sensing diode, an operating temperature thereof is managed and protected.
Conventionally, a thick oxide film is formed on a substrate, polysilicon is formed thereon, and ions are injected, and in this way, a temperature sensing diode having a p+-type layer/n−-type layer/n+-type layer is formed. Therefore, the temperature sensing diode is formed on the thick oxide film and located away from an emitter region which is a heat generating source from the standpoint of layout, resulting in poor sensitivity to temperature inside the semiconductor. On the other hand, a temperature sensing diode is proposed in which p-type and n-type polysilicon are formed in a trench (e.g., see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-033970).

Semiconductor device provided with temperature sensing diode and manufacturing method thereof


This computer implemented software invention supervises networked system resources with the goal of maximizing service availability, providing on-demand and uninterrupted access to service, and minimizing the down time due to failures. It is a cluster-wide solution that co-ordinates the states and activities of resources, assigns availability roles, implements recovery from failures, and implements overall system policy. To do this, it maintains a system model of the system's physical and logical configuration and models the resources using managed objects that provides an extensive representation of the states, roles, and relationships of the systems resources.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of networked computer systems. More particularly, methods for maintaining the operation of these systems in the event of component failures, application errors, middleware errors, or operating system errors.
2. Description of Relevant Art
To maintain the operation of computer networks in many areas of computer use is becoming increasingly important. Communications, banking, Internet servers, and other 24-hour services rely on continuous, dependable computing in order to be successful. One of the early highly available systems was a fault tolerant system that used multiple processors, run in lockstep, that continually compared outputs and if there was a discrepancy between the two then that occurrence was designated a "fault" and the processing was switched over to another processor cell. There are also other schemes that vendors use in purely hardware fault tolerant systems. However, since many failures are caused by software related issues it's important to have a process that can handle these types of failures and that can seamlessly and quickly switch over the duties of the failed software to other running software. Current art provides a number of proprietary systems that are designed to run on particular operating systems and that support specific types of network resources. The present invention contains the flexibility to be incorporated across a variety of operating systems and it can be configured to support multiple types of resources and resource applications.

Techniques for maintaining high availability of networked systems


A gas-liquid separator includes a first cylinder, a second cylinder, a heat exchange pipe, a flow guide pipe, a distribution portion, and a lower sealing cover. The gas-liquid separator has a first cavity and a second cavity. The second cavity includes at least the space located in the first cylinder. The distribution portion includes a first passage. One end of the first passage is communicated with that of the flow guide pipe. The other end of the flow guide pipe is communicated with the second cavity. The other end of the first passage is communicated with the first cavity. The lower sealing cover is located at the other side far away from the distribution portion. The gas-liquid separator further includes a flow passage located, at least in part, in the lower sealing cover, communicated with the first cavity and communicated with the second cavity.

In an air conditioning system, the gaseous refrigerant, which is sucked at a suction side, is compressed and then is discharged by a compressor. A gas-liquid separator may be installed before the compressor to reduce the liquid impact of the compressor. In addition, an internal heat exchanger is used in a system circuit to exchange heat between low temperature refrigerant from the evaporator and high temperature refrigerant from a condenser, so as to increase the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the compressor. Therefore, a technical solution that can realize the above requirements needs to be provided.

Gas-liquid separator and heat exchange system


A built-in stress circuit for an integrated circuit that has a frequency generator, at least one self-test circuit, a temperature regulator and a controller is disclosed. The frequency generator receives a reference clock and an adjusted temperature frequency from the temperature regulator and outputs the test frequencies needed for the self-test circuits. The self-test circuits, which are coupled to the frequency generator, receive the test frequencies and dissipate power as the self-test circuits are being used. The temperature regulator, which is coupled to the self-test circuits and the frequency generator, senses the power dissipated (i.e., the temperature), adjusts a temperature frequency corresponding to the temperature desired, and outputs the adjusted temperature frequency. The controller, which is coupled to the frequency generator, the self-test circuits, and the temperature regulator, provides the control data necessary for testing both electrical and thermal stress conditions.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to integrated circuits, and more specifically, to integrated circuits having built-in test circuits.
2. Background Art
As technology advances, more circuits and corresponding functions are being integrated onto one chip, or integrated circuit. Consequently, the need for adequate testing of the various functions on each integrated circuit has become increasingly important.
In general, integrated circuit testing requires a chip to undergo electrical and thermal stress for several hours in order to improve the long term reliability of the chips in the system. That is, when a chip is exposed to electrical and thermal conditions beyond the nominal operating range, the life of the chip is accelerated and failures may be detected prior to the next level of system assembly.
Electrical stress conditions may consist of powering and/or cycling the chip through several power supply values while at the same time providing test patterns to the logic and memory arrays on the integrated circuit to maximize the internal node switching whenever possible. One method for testing the effectiveness of the logic and arrays are through embedding self-test circuits, which are also built onto the integrated circuit. Such schemes are frequently referred to as Built-In Self Test (BIST), which test both memory arrays (ABIST) and logic LBIST). U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,906, issued December 1992 to Dreibelbis et al. depicts an example of a built-in self test circuit for integrated circuits that provides a programmable fail/no-fail result of the corresponding memory circuits.
Similarly, thermal stress conditions are generally tested by extending the chip over a wide temperature range, cycling the circuits through several temperature operating points, and following a predefined highly effective temperature profile. In the past, burn-in ovens were used to monitor and control the temperature environment surrounding the several chips undergoing stress. Burn-in ovens, though, are an expensive burn-in process because of the equipment cost and because of the time the equipment is required to be dedicated to a relatively small number of chips. One solution to this problem is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,090 issued May 1994 to Lipp. The Lipp reference discloses heating elements that may be integrated onto the integrated circuit. The temperature is controlled by a controller that is also integrated onto the circuit. A disadvantage of using the heating element as disclosed by Lipp, though, is that either extra circuitry must be incorporated onto the chip to heat the chip, thus utilizing additional space; or existing circuitry (such as output buffers) that are not in use must be turned on to supply the power needed to heat the integrated circuit, thus utilizing excess current and power.

Built-in dynamic stress for integrated circuits

International Business Machines Corporation


On a device for the production or manufacture of stones, particularly of paving stones, block or formwork stones, with a material box, a mould box or flask, a shake device with compaction rams or presses, to a main frame main cylinders are fastened, to whose main pistons operating in vertical direction the mould box or flask is fastened via a supporting frame. The material box is arranged on the main frame above the mould box or flask. The compaction rams or presses are arranged under the mould box or flask. Draw or traction cylinders are arranged on the main frame via interlocking elements. These cylinders are connectable to the compaction rams or presses. The mould box or flask with the compaction rams or presses and a ram or press support are connected, rotatable by at least approximately 180.degree. via the supporting frame, to the main frame and the main cylinders.

In well-known devices for the production or manufacture of stones, a mould box or flask is filled by means of a filling carriage or material box, which travels or moves from the side over the mould box or flask and returns back after filling of the material. Afterwards, a ram or press travels from above into the mould box or flask and by means of vibrators on the mould box or flask or so-called shaker devices the material in the mould box or flask is compacted, whereupon the mould box or flask is lifted away upwards. The plate located under the mould box or flask, on which the stones are placed, is transported away. This is followed by the next production or manufacturing operation.
A disadvantage in this process is, however, that with the well-known devices for the production or manufacture of stones, compaction can essentially be created or brought about only by vibration on the mould box or flask or on the shaker device lying at the bottom. A simultaneous pressing operation is not possible, as otherwise the shaking force is destroyed by the compaction. In addition, the precise production or manufacture is not possible since the stones are generally produced or manufactured on a concrete floor, where no pressure can be brought onto the stones, as otherwise the machine is lifted or raised. In the case of manufacture or production with a stationary machine, the height of the stones cannot be brought under control due to the shaking operation and due to the pressing operation, i.e. differences in height must be accepted. Added to this is the fact that due to the immersion of the ram or press into the mould box or flask certain or well-defined tolerances must be warranted or guaranteed, since a burr always occurs during manufacture or production especially due to the core holder.
One of the main disadvantages of the previously known devices and methods or processes for the production or manufacture of stones lies in the fact that during the production or manufacture of stones, finer materials are shaken downwards out of the stone production material, which is why the stones produced or manufactured in this way possess a coarser upper surface -- in comparison with undersurface -- and also do not possess straight edges and exact angles.
In the well-known devices for the production or manufacture of stones there is also the disadvantage that they require a great deal of space.

Device for the production or manufacture of stones or blocks


A device and method for producing a large number of micrografts of hair-bearing tissue in a reduced time are provided. The micrografts so produced are suitable for surgical transplantation and are seen to be both consistent in size and fertile with respect to the survival rate of the follicle-bearing tissue so transplanted.

1) Technical Field
This invention relates to the art of grafting hair follicles from one area of the dermis to another, wherein the tissue bearing the hair follicles may be obtained, for example, from the occipital scalp using a specialized knife. More particularly, it relates to a tool useful in modifying raw follicle-bearing dermal sections in order to maximize the relative population of successful follicle transplantations, as well as a method for using the tool.
2) Description of Related Art
The well-known phenomenon of male pattern baldness has provided a great deal of motivation for improvements in techniques for transplanting hair follicles from one area of the body to a scalp region in which functional follicles are no longer active. Typically, hair is harvested from the back or side of the scalp to create hair grafts which are subsequently implanted in the front, top, and crown of the head. Several workers in this field have provided a wide variety of devices and methods aimed at improved graft harvesting and placement techniques, including the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,693,064; 5,643,308; 5,611,811; 5,611,810; 5,584,851; 5,584,841; 5,578,054; 5,562,732; 5,490,850; 5,439,475; 5,417,683; 5,273,900; and 4,243,038, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference thereto.
Although there have been several advances made in recent years with regards to increasing the density of transplanted follicles and the aesthetic appeal of the configurations employed, young men undergoing hair restoration surgery may still be disappointed for several reasons, including poor graft growth, inflammation, (folliculitis), which, although typically treatable by conventional antibiotics, has in recent years been encountered in resistive strains. Additionally, transplanted hair often also kinks and curls unpredictably.
Poor graft growth is an unpredictable complication of hair transplant surgery and has been reported with every technique ever employed including round grafts, minigrafts, micrografts, strip grafts, 1-hair, and 2-hair grafts. The complication of poor graft growth is the least understood complication of this type of surgery and occurs even with the most meticulous technique in the hands of skilled surgeons.
A critical aspect of successful transplant surgery is the quality of the grafts produced. Quality is dependent on several factors including hair characteristics (i.e., color, texture, waviness) hair density, and the technique by which the grafts are produced. Of these, the characteristics and density are variables beyond the control of the surgeon. Thus the key factor in performing a successful hair transplant is the graft production technique.
Micrografts of the scalp ("donor strips") are regularly obtained from rectangular, elongated strips of occipital donor scalp containing hair follicles measuring up to about 20 cm in length and 1.0 to 2.0 mm wide and about 5 mm in depth. Donor strips are typically harvested from the occipital scalp using a specialized knife well-known to those of ordinary skill in this art to be comprised of a handle bearing at its end up to eleven parallel cutting blades spaced equidistant from each other at about 1 to 2 mm. Through use of such a knife, graft strips measuring about 1.5 mm in width and 12-16 cm in length may be obtained.
Surgeons typically harvest several parallel donor strips simultaneously. Following the harvest, technicians section the donor strips, manually, by laying the strips on a hard, flat surface and making cuts perpendicular to the overall length of the strip. Such cuts are made parallel to the direction of growth of hair from the individual follicles and are spaced such that each cut section contains between about 1 and 6 root follicles. Sections of the graft strips so obtained are subsequently implanted by surgical technique in a region of the scalp where hair loss had been encountered. Although such manual sectioning and transplanting is labor intensive whereby the costs of the manipulations passed on to the patient, the results are considered to justify the expenditure in most cases.
Accordingly, it is seen that contemporary hair transplant technique has evolved into the use of larger numbers of small grafts. To reap the benefits associated therewith, many hair transplant surgeons have gone to using micrografts, as set forth above, exclusively, to obtain natural-appearing results in shortened time frames. This has in turn resulted in an increased demand placed on the surgical team to create and place typically over one thousand grafts per patient, which is substantially greater than that of even the recent past. Accordingly, the per worker output for transplant technicians is significantly decreased by surgeons desirous of employing this most-preferred technique.
An advance in the field of transplant technology was brought forth recently by the invention of Pascal Boudjema, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,661; the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. The '661 patent describes a device containing a plurality of equally-spaced, parallel blades having their cutting edges coincide along a common plane. In its operation, a graft strip is laid across the blades, and a clamping means is caused to slowly apply a uniform force to the graft along its entire length. The result of this undertaking is that the labor associated with the step in which perpendicular cuts are made on the graft strips mentioned above may now be carried out in a single operation, rather than in a series of individual incisions. Obviously, the number of cuts which a given technician can carry out using this method and apparatus is substantially increased over the prior method.
However, the device and process of the '661 patent is not without a major drawback, that being the damage caused to the graft strips as a result of the squeezing force applied to the graft strips in accordance with the disclosed process for which that device was intended. The application of the steadily-increasing, force relied upon by the Boudjema art for the cutting operation tends to cause crushing and distortion of the tissues within and immediately surrounding individual hair follicles, and is believed to contribute materially to the failure of a significant number of transplanted follicles to produce healthy hair following transplantation. Clearly, it would be desirable to provide a device and method which provide the increased technician capacity of the '661 patent, while at the same time producing grafts which are not damaged or distorted by the crushing forces required thereby, so as to produce a larger number of healthier grafts than are available using any other method or apparatus, including manually cut grafts. It is towards the solution of this, and the other aforementioned problems in the art that the device and process of the instant invention is directed.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel technique by which hair grafts having an increased graft growth rate over all prior art in this field may be produced. It is yet another object of this invention to provide a device useful in the novel technique of this invention by which transplant technician productivity may be substantially increased, particularly where larger numbers of smaller grafts are employed, without damaging the individual grafts by, for example, crushing forces.

Impulsive cutter and process for hair graft preparation


Methods and arrangements for enhancing content in discussion forums. Access to an online discussion is provided. A posting by an author participating in the discussion is accepted, and a recommendation is automatically produced for the author for amending the posting to increase the likelihood of response to the posting by other individuals participating in the discussion.

Generally, online discussion sites, community question answering sites and the like provide a valuable source of information for users. However, very little is usually done, once a question is posted on forums, to assist in obtaining answers, apart from possibly routing the information to experts. As a result, many if not most discussions fail to progress for a variety of reasons, leading to a plethora of sparse, and unhelpful and uninformative, discussion threads. Among these reasons are an insufficiency of content (e.g., there is little to no telltale information in a headpost [e.g., title+first post] to attract a viable reply), a duplication of questions (e.g., a question has already been answered elsewhere); and a poorly organized or referenced question (e.g., it is posted in the wrong place).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Enhancing posted content in discussion forums

International Business Machines Corporation


A recording apparatus having a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a recording medium and a head for recording data on the recording medium transferred along a guide member forming a part of a delivery passage. Space availability for the sensor and the guide member is enhanced through curtailment of the number of parts which is attained by integrally forming the sensor and the guide member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for performing recording by means of a recording head on a recording medium transferred along a conveyance route.
2. Related Background Art
In a conventional recording apparatus such as a printer or the like which transfers a recording paper and records signals thereon, a recording paper sensor has generally been utilized for detecting the presence or absence of the recording paper (sheet) on the passage along which it is conveyed FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view illustrating a constitution of a recording block in such a conventional printer. In FIG. 2, a thermal head 31 is provided with a plurality of heating elements each heat-driven in accordance with an image signal, thereby permitting recording on the recording paper such as thermosensitive paper and others. The recording paper is sandwiched between a platen roller 32 and a thermal head 31 and conveyed forwardly as the platen roller 32 is rotated in the direction of an arrow "A". A spring 33 is used to press the thermal head 31 against the platen roller 32. A recording paper sensor 34 for detecting the presence or absence of the recording paper is located along the conveyance route for the recording paper and before the recording position by the thermal head 31. A recording paper guide 35 forms a conveyance route for the recording paper and a part of a frame 38 also forms the conveyance route by opposing the recording paper guide 35. The recording paper is inserted through an inlet 36 into the conveyance route and discharged through an outlet 37 out of the apparatus.
The operation of the conventional recording apparatus as constructed above will be hereinafter explained.
When the commencement of print operation is directed by an external device such as a host computer or the like not shown in the drawing, it is determined in response to a signal from the recording paper sensor 34 whether or not the recording paper is present, before the start of the recording operation. With the recording paper present, the platen roller 32 is rotated in the direction of an arrow "A" and the recording paper begins to be conveyed. Simultaneously with this, the heating elements of the thermal head 31 are driven respectively based on the recording information (image data) transmitted from an external device to effect recording on the recording paper. The recording paper on which the image data were printed as previously described is ejected from the outlet 37 toward the outside. Contrary to this, if it is judged based on the signal from the sensor 34 that the recording paper is not present, the platen roller 32 is not rotated. Instead, it is indicated on a display (not shown) that the recording paper is not present on the conveyance route or that the apparatus is not provided with paper.
As clearly understood from the foregoing in the conventional apparatuses, it is required to provide the recording paper sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the recording paper in the conveyance route upstream of a recording position. Accordingly, it will be necessary to have a space and parts for disposing such a sensor, thus causing the problems indicated below.
(i) There is a limitation completing making the apparatus compact, since a suitable space for mounting the sensor in the conveyance route is required. PA1 (ii) Workability and assembly are complicated because additional procedures for mounting the sensor on the conveyance route are required. PA1 (iii) Cost of the apparatus rises due to the cost of the fittings used for mounting the sensor.


Systems that sample a continuous analog time-domain signal.The invention is particularly applicable to systems that sample a continuous analog time-domain signal and whose analog components have a bandwidth limit below that desired or specified. The invention has been created to address particular problems in the design of digital sampling oscilloscopes (DSOs) that require more bandwidth than that which is easily achievable through traditionally analog techniques. A method and apparatus are provided in the form of a digital filter that is capable of surgically increasing the bandwidth of the system beyond the bandwidth achievable in an analog system. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that this system can perform this bandwidth increase without degradation in the time-domain performance of the system such as pulse or step response. In some cases, the time-domain performance is improved by flattening of the frequency response. Additionally, the system, while boosting the bandwidth, is capable of simultaneously removing noise and therefore producing a digitized signal of higher fidelity than that obtained without the filter in place.

This invention related generally to the digital manipulation of a continuous time domain sample that is to be sampled in a digital oscilloscope, and more particularly to a digital filter that is capable of increasing the bandwidth of the sampling system beyond the bandwidth range achievable in an analog system.
The present state of the art deals with an attempt to increase bandwidth based upon the assumption that only analog manipulation techniques for modifying a signal to improve the bandwidth characteristics of an apparatus are possible. Other digital techniques are seen as manipulations of the signal that change the output result of the system. This results in a design methodology in which analog design engineers painstakingly design to the best of their ability analog circuitry that has high bandwidth, flat frequency response, good pulse response and is noise-free.
In many cases, these designs are extremely complicated, particularly in the design of a digital oscilloscope. Some reasons for this difficulty are:                1. There is a wide variation in the gain of the front-end, sometimes approaching 60 dB of dynamic range.        2. The signal is typically distributed to multiple Analog/Digital Converters (ADCs) in order to boost sample rate. This distribution is through buffers that tend to decrease the bandwidth of the system.        3. High bandwidth/high sample rate oscilloscopes typically use the absolute best of present electronics technology and are therefore being pushed to the limits of the hardware.        4. Bandwidth, noise, and pulse-response are a set of conflicting requirements that must be reconciled.
What makes things worse is that even upon observing and confirming the existence of problems with the bandwidth, flatness, pulse-response, and noise performance in the system, little can often be done to rectify the situation. This is because circuits designed to fix such problems are often not practically realizable.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide an improved Digital Signal Processing (DSP) method and apparatus capable of surgically dealing with lack of bandwidth, while offering some additional control of the pulse-response and flatness, and thereby decreasing the overall noise of the system as well.

Method and apparatus for increasing bandwidth in sampled systems


A method for forming bonding pads on a printed circuit board (PCB) with circuit patterns is provided. A plurality of copper patterns are formed on the PCB which are electrically connected to the circuit patterns, and a filler is filled between the copper patterns such that an upper surface of the copper pattern is exposed. A plating layer is then applied to the exposed upper surface of the copper patterns. Protrusion of the plating layer at a lower portion of a copper pattern is prevented, thus reducing an interval between the wire bonding pad(s) and potentially increasing the number of bonding pads which may be effectively formed on a given PCB.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a printed circuit board (PCB), and more particularly, to bonding pad(s) for a printed circuit board for a semiconductor package and a method for forming bonding pad(s).
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, as multi-functional electronic devices increase in capacity and become more compact in size, semiconductor packets mounted in the electronic devices must become smaller. Accordingly, a semiconductor package in a ball grid array (BGA) form has been developed which is utilized by attaching solder balls at an upper surface of the printed circuit board of the semiconductor package, in place of outer leads emanating from a semiconductor package. This type of conventional semiconductor package will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a printed circuit board used for fabrication of a semiconductor package in a BGA form in accordance with a conventional art. As shown in FIG. 1, an assembly of a printed circuit board (PCB) 1 includes a cavity 2 formed at the center of the PCB 1 to accommodate a semiconductor chip (not shown) thereon, bonding pads 3 formed at an outer side of the cavity 2 and connected to the semiconductor chip by, for example, gold wire (not shown), and a plurality of external terminal lands (that is, ball bump lands in this case) 4 formed at an exterior of the bonding pads 3 and connected to a circuit pattern (not shown) formed inside the PCB 1.
In assembling the semiconductor package, the semiconductor chip is inserted and attached into the cavity 2 formed at the center of the PCB 1. The attached semiconductor chip and the bonding pads 3 are connected by the gold wire (not shown), whereby the semiconductor chip and the PCB 1 are electrically connected. Thereafter, in order to protect the semiconductor chip, the semiconductor chip and the wire are molded using an epoxy compound.
The bonding pads 3 will now be described with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic view of bonding pads in accordance with the conventional art. As shown in FIG. 2, the bonding pads 3 are exposed externally, and a photo solder resist (PSR) 6 is applied on the circuit patterns 5 connected to the bonding pads 3. The PSR 6 is applied to protect the circuit pattern 5.
The bonding pads 3 will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the bonding pad 3 includes an insulation layer 7 applied at an upper surface of the PCB 1, a copper pattern 8 formed at an upper surface of the insulation layer 7, and a nickel plating layer 9 and a gold plating layer 10 sequentially formed on the upper surface of the copper pattern 8.
The copper pattern 8 is formed by removing an unnecessary portion of copper clad laminate (CCL). The CCL is formed by attaching copper foil at one or both sides of the PCB 1 with the insulation layer 7 formed therein and using a general etching process, which will now be described in detail.
First, the copper foil is attached at an upper surface of the insulation layer 7 by using an adhesive 12. In order to increase the strength of the adhesive, the surface of the insulation layer 7 is made rough. A concave-convex portion 11 is formed at a lower surface of the copper foil. In order to increase attachment strength, a chromium (Cr) film 13 is applied on the surface of the concave-convex portion 11. The copper foil is then attached on the upper surface of the insulation layer 7 using the adhesive 12.
Thereafter, the nickel plating layer 9 and the gold plating layer 10 are sequentially formed on the upper surface of the copper pattern 8, thereby completing the bonding pad 3.
However, in removing the copper foil using the etching process to form the bonding pad 3 according to the conventional art, the chrome component remains at the left and right lower portions of the copper pattern 8. That is, the remaining chrome component protrudes from the left and right lower portions of the copper pattern 8. When the nickel plating layer 9 and the gold plating layer 10 are sequentially formed on the copper pattern 8, the nickel plating layer 9 and the gold plating layer 10 are formed so that they cover the outer side of the copper pattern 8 on the upper surface and at both side faces of the copper pattern 8.
However, the nickel plating layer 9 and the gold plating layer 10 are also sequentially formed on the surface of the chromium, which protrudes at the base of the bonding pad 3 as indicated by 'L' in FIG. 3.
Thus, since the nickel plating layer 9 and the gold plating layer 10 are formed protruded at both the left and right lower portions of the copper pattern 8, the space between adjacent bonding pads 3 becomes narrow, so that there is a limitation to accomplishing a fine pitch of the bonding pad 3.
For example, since the plating layers 9 and 10 are not formed protruded at the upper left and right portion of the copper pattern 8, the pitch interval between the adjacent wire bonding pads can be reduced. But when it comes to the lower portion of the copper pattern 8, since the distance between the left and right lower portions of the adjacent copper patterns 8 is narrower than the distance between the left and right upper portions of the copper patterns 8, it is not possible to reduce the interval between adjacent bonding pads.
As described above, the bonding pad of the PCB for a semiconductor package in accordance with the conventional art has the problem that, as the nickel plating layer 9 and the gold plating layer 10 are formed on the surface of the remaining chrome that protrudes from the left and right lower sides of the copper pattern 8 formed inside the bonding pad, it is not possible to reduce the interval between adjacent bonding pads.


A molded plastic mounting part (15, 16, 23) is formed as a base for function parts in a metal supporting plate (1, 20). The mounting part, in order to be mounted on the support plate, has a bridge element (5, 17) traversing a hole (2, 21) in the metal supporting plate and has retaining elements (7a, 7b) which bear against both plate surfaces (6a, 6b) of the metal supporting plate. To guarantee that the predetermined position of the mounting part with respect to the axis of the hole is maintained in spite of the shrinkage of the plastic material, the plate surfaces of the metal supporting plate (1, 20) have recesses (4a, 4b;) adjacent the hole, which recesses are engaged by projections (11a; 24a to 24d, 25a to 25d) of the retaining elements of the mounting part.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a molded plastic mounting part formed as a base for function parts on a metal supporting plate, which mounting part, in order to be mounted on this plate, has a bridge element traversing a hole in the metal supporting plate, and retaining elements which bear against both plate surfaces of the metal supporting plate.
2. Description of Related Art
Mounting parts molded onto metal supporting plates are known, for example, from "Feinwerktechnik und Me.beta.technik", Volume 87, No. 6, September 1979, pp. 253 to 259. The technique of manufacturing such mounting parts in combination with metal supporting plates is known by the name of outsert-molding technique. The mounting parts molded onto the metal supporting plate are intended for a variety of purposes, such as retaining, supporting or guiding the function parts. The function parts can be, for example, bearings, gear wheels, sliders, levers or spindles. The molded-on mounting parts and the supporting plate are always joined in that plastic retaining elements overlap edge portions of holes in the plates at the upper side and the underside of the plate and in that the plastic retaining elements are interconnected by a plastic bridge element traversing the hole. The plastic bridge element can be solid but it can also be internally hollow, taking the form of a sleeve.
Moreover, it is known that the cooling process, which begins after the plastic has been molded on, is accompanied by shrinkage of the plastic. This shrinkage takes place in all directions, i.e. in the longitudinal direction of the bridge element and in a direction perpendicular thereto. The shrinkage in the longitudinal direction of the bridge element results in a tighter fit of the retaining elements on the plate surfaces. The shrinkage in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction results in an undesirable clearance between the wall of the hole in the metal mounting plate and the outer wall of the bridge element traversing the hole. As a result of this clearance, the accurate fit of a mounting part with respect to the hole is no longer exactly predetermined. The axis of the mounting part and the axis of the hole no longer coincide in a reliable manner and may become displaced with respect to one another.


The combination of a table and a table-type microtome has a base having an internal volume and a linear guide. A seating device is movably mounted on the base. The seating device is movable along the linear guide. A drive causes movement of the seating device relative to the base along the linear guide for height adjustment. A table-type microtome is arranged on the seating device. At least one appliance for the table-type microtome is arranged in the internal volume of the base and is operatingly connected to the table-type microtome.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a table for a microtome, and more particularly, to a table for a microtome having a base and a height adjustable seating device on which the microtome is placed.
2. Discussion of Relevant Art
Such tables have long been known in the state of the art in the form of units integrated into the microtome for seating the microtome, particularly for cryostatic microtomes where the microtome is located in a low-temperature chamber.
Such a table is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,051. The table has a drive for height adjustment, constructed as follows. Four threaded sleeves are provided on the outer edges of the rectangular seating device, each engaged by a respective threaded spindle. The four threaded spindles can be turned, via a mechanism, by a motor in the base. The height of the receiving device can be vertically adjusted by means of the sleeves when the spindles are turned.
In another embodiment in the above referenced patent, the drive is constructed as follows. Rotatably mounted gear wheels are provided at the corners of the seating device and respectively engage with a rack fastened in the base. Height adjustment takes place by rotation of the gearwheels. The gearwheels are driven via a mechanism by a hand crank in the seating device.
In a third embodiment in the above referenced patent, not described in detail, the seating device is mounted by means of at least two height-adjustable gas pressure springs.
In the tables described above, the drives have a double function. On the one hand, they serve to adjustment the height of the seating device; and on the other hand, they serve for mounting the seating device. The drive therefore engages the seating device at at least two points, or better still at four points, to ensure stable mounting.


The present invention relates to a method for producing a porous silicon nitride sintered body having high strength and low thermal conductivity, which comprises of adding more than 10 volume % of rodlike beta-silicon nitride single crystals with a larger mean diameter than that of a silicon nitride raw powder into a mixture comprising the silicon nitride raw powder and a sintering additive, preparing a formed body with rodlike beta-silicon nitride single crystals oriented parallel to the casting plane according to a forming technique such as sheet casting and extrusion forming, sintering said formed body to develop elongated silicon nitride grains from the added rodlike beta-silicon nitride single crystals as nuclei and obtain the sintered body with the elongated grains being dispersed in a complicated state.

Generally, examples of a high-temperature heat insulating component having high strength include the following techniques.
(1) Thermal spraying of ceramics onto the surface of a metal matrix (e.g., official gazette of Laid-Open Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-169241) PA0 (2) Making components from ceramics (I)--Application of silicon nitride ceramics (e.g., Journal of Materials Science, Vol. 15, p. 2661 (1980)) PA0 (3) Making components from ceramics (II)--Addition of a second component in the reaction sintering of Si (e.g., J. Ceram. Soc. Jpn., 102 [6], pp. 598-602 (1994))
The object of this technique lies in improving heat resistance and heat insulating properties by thermal-spraying ceramics onto the surface of the metal matrix; however, there exist problems to be dissolved such as problems of poor strength of a thermal-sprayed film itself, release between a metal matrix and the thermal-sprayed film and complicated processes needed.
The object of this technique lies in accomplishing high strength and heat resistance of the components; high strength of them has been accomplished (about 1 GPa), but there exists a problem of not so lowered thermal conductivity (about 30 to 40 W/mK).
The object of this technique lies in making silicon nitride ceramics having low thermal conductivity; lowering of the thermal conductivity of them has been accomplished (2 to 4 W/mK), but there exists a problem of not so high strength (about 200 MPa), which should be dissolved.
Here, further looking over prior arts related to silicon nitride ceramics, silicon nitride has strong covalent bonding properties and excellent stability at a high temperature as compared with oxide ceramics; and hence, the silicon nitride has been developed as a high-temperature structural material, and it has begun to be used as a part for engine including an automobile turbo-charger recently. Though conventional silicon nitride ceramics having high strength have succeeded in obtaining high strength, thermal conductivity thereof is comparatively high as 30 to 40 W/mK, as described above, and hence they have failed to be used as a heat insulating structural component as yet.
Generally, it is effective for lowering thermal conductivity of ceramics to disperse pores therein. It is known, however, that if pores are dispersed in a matrix composed of isotropic particles, strength of them are lowered fairly. For example, according to J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 73 [9], pp. 2684-89 (1990)), presence of 10% of pores in the matrix lowers strength of them by about 40%.
As described above, it has been hard to prepare a material having both high strength and low thermal conductivity according to prior techniques. It is the object of the present invention to provide porous silicon nitride ceramics having high strength and low thermal conductivity and a method for production thereof.
The present inventors have engaged in studies about controlling the microstructure of silicon nitride ceramics prior to the present invention, and as a result have found that a sintered body having a microstructure with large elongated grains developed from seed crystals as nuclei oriented parallel to the casting plane is obtained by adding a small amount of single crystal beta-silicon nitride rodlike particles into a raw powder as seed crystals and sintering a formed body with seed crystals oriented by a sheet-casting technique, and that the sintered body has both high strength and high toughness in the direction vertical to the orientation direction, and has filed a patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. 6-336177/1994). Moreover, as a result of further performing the studies, the present inventors have found that, in the case of increasing the amount of seed crystals to be added, a porous sintered body with large elongated grains being complicated, developed from seed crystals and having a microstructure with fine pores sealed among the elongated grains can be obtained, having pores being introduced without lowering strength of them; that is, the present inventors have succeeded in developing a technique of introducing pores into a microstructure of silicon nitride ceramics, while maintaining the high strength of them, which has led to the accomplishment of the present invention of a porous silicon nitride sintered body having both high strength and low thermal conductivity.

Method of producing porous silicon nitride ceramics having high strength and low thermal conductivity

Japan as represented by Director General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology


A magnetic head is disclosed having a CPP read sensor including a seed layer of NiFeCr, a self-pinned structure, a spacer layer, at least one free layer, and an upper capping layer. A lower capping layer of conductive material is also preferred. An alternate embodiment includes a read sensor having an in-stack biasing structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to magnetoresistive sensors for magnetic read heads for magnetic data storage mediums, and more particularly to a magnetoresistive sensor using pinned layers which are self-pinned due to magnetostrictive anisotropy effects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A computer disk drive stores and retrieves data by positioning a magnetic read/write head over a rotating magnetic data storage disk. The head, or heads, which are typically arranged in stacks, read from or write data to concentric data tracks defined on surface of the disks which are also typically arranged in stacks. The heads are included in structures called "sliders" onto which the read/write sensors of the magnetic head are fabricated. The slider flies above the surface of the disks on a thin cushion of air, and the surface of the slider which faces the disks is called an Air Bearing Surface (ABS).
The goal in recent years is to increase the amount of data that can be stored on each hard disk. If data tracks can be made narrower, more tracks will fit on a disk surface, and more data can be stored on a given disk. The width of the tracks depends on the width of the read/write head used, and in recent years, track widths have decreased as the size of read/write heads has become progressively smaller. This decrease in track width has allowed for dramatic increases in the areal density data storage density of disks.
Recent read heads typically use a tunnel junction sensor, also known as a "tunnel valve", abbreviated "TV", for reading the magnetic field signals from the rotating magnetic data storage disk. The TV sensor typically includes a nonmagnetic tunneling barrier layer sandwiched between a ferromagnetic pinned layer and a ferromagnetic free layer. The pinned layer in turn is fabricated on an antiferromagnetic (AFM) pinning layer which fixes the magnetic moment of the pinned layer at an angle of 90 degrees to the air bearing surface (ABS). The tunnel junction sensor is itself typically sandwiched between ferromagnetic first and second magnetic shield layers. These first and second shield layers also serve as first and second electrical lead layers, and are electrically connected to the tunnel junction sensor for conducting a tunneling current through it. The tunneling current can be configured to conduct Current Perpendicular to the Planes (CPP) of the film layers of the sensor, or alternately to conduct Current In the Planes (CIP) or parallel to film layers of the spin valve sensor. The CPP configuration is attracting more attention lately, as it can be made to be more sensitive than the CIP configuration, and thus is more useful in reading higher densities of tracks and data.
The magnetic moment of the free layer is free to rotate laterally within the layer with respect to the ABS from a quiescent or zero bias point position in response to positive and negative magnetic field signals from data bits located on the rotating magnetic disk. The sensitivity of the tunnel junction sensor is quantified as the magnetoresistive coefficient dr/R where dr is the change in resistance of the tunnel junction sensor from minimum resistance to maximum resistance and R is the resistance of the tunnel junction sensor at minimum resistance.
The free layer material is very soft material, magnetically speaking, with very low coercivity, which is a measure of the minimum field strength necessary to make changes in the orientation of the magnetic domains. The free layer material necessarily must have this quality, as it is this layer's changes in magnetic alignment in response to the magnetic data bits in the data disk that leads to changes in resistance, which is how the data is read.
As referred to above, it is common practice in the prior art to pin the pinned layer by using a layer of anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) material, but this method can have disadvantages that result from the thickness of the AFM material, which is typically relatively large. This thickness of AFM material may be so great that it is as thick as the other layers of sensor material combined, and has become one of the limiting factors in the reduction of size of the read heads. Therefore, there will be great advantages to read head sensors having a pinned layer or layers which do not depend on AFM material to pin the material, i.e. that are "self-pinned", such that the sensor can dispense with the AFM layer.
The magnetoresistive coefficient dr/R has also come to be referred to as the GMR%, as a shorthand measure of the sensitivity of the read head. The higher this percentage number is, the more sensitive the read head is. There is a constant desire to increase this GMR%, and thus the sensitivity of the read head.
Thus there is a need for a magnetic head having a read sensor with increased sensitivity.

Magnetic head having self-pinned SV structures for CPP GMR applications

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


An asphaltic concrete or paving material includes at least 5 percent, and preferably from 5 to 20 percent, of granular recycled plastic, which supplements or replaces the rock aggregate component of the mixture. The material produces a structurally superior paving material and longer lived roadbed. The plastic may include any and all residual classes of recyclable plastic, including thermosetting plastics and other plastics having little to no current widespread utility. The material produces roadbeds of higher strength with less total asphalt thickness and having greater water impermeability, and is most useful for all layers below the surface layer. The recyclable plastic component of the material is preferably a mixture of all recyclable classes 3 through 7, or of those materials from such classes from which potentially more valuable recyclable materials have been selectively removed. The paving product is preferably formed by a process of shredding or mechanically granulating used and industrial waste plastic to a no. 4 to 1/2 inch sieve size, and preferably to 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch granules. The granules are then treated with an energized activating medium such as a plasma or a reducing flame, to activate the surface of the granules, preferably without burning or melting the plastic. The activated treated granules are then added to the aggregate and mixed with the asphalt binder to produce the paving material. A slurry or sand mix of plastic and binder may also be applied over an aggregate layer, base layer or roadbed.

Paving materials such as asphaltic concretes that are used for roadways, parking areas, walkways and other traffic surfaces have been the subjects of various efforts to improve their properties. Some of these efforts have involved the addition of polymers, including plastics, in attempts to improve the flexibility, strength and life of the paving material. Such efforts have proved either ineffective or too costly.
The increasing need to dispose of or find new uses for previously used or recycled plastics and waste plastics has given incentives to efforts to introduce plastics from waste sources into building or paving materials, either to facilitate their disposal where it is hoped that their introduction does not degrade building or paving material and does not increase its cost, or where it is hoped that their introduction will provide a cost effective improvement in the properties of the building or paving materials. Work has been done to utilize low density plastic and films of selected and graded recycled plastic materials as an additive to the asphaltic binder component of asphaltic concrete paving material in an effort to improve the flexibility and reduce the propensity of the paving material to crack. This effort requires that the recycling task to collect suitable plastic material be selective, or that the material be specifically sorted from a general mixture of recycled plastic material. Such recycled plastic material has a cost that is significantly greater than that of the general ungraded or unsorted recycled plastic material mixture or of the residual recycled plastic material from which more useful grades have been removed.
For example, it has been proposed to melt polystyrene foam with asphalt, to add sand, and to mold the material as a concrete substitute, thereby utilizing the waste plastic. Further, it has been proposed to add waste polyethylene to asphalt for road construction to increase pavement durability. Decreased deformation resistance and increased hardness and ductility have been reported by adding other plastic waste in amounts of, for example, eight percent to paving compounds containing aggregate, where the plastic waste includes specific plastics made of specific combinations of low density polyethylene, cyclophane, cellophane, polypropylene, and polyvinyl dichloride. Fiber reinforced plastics and chopped glass have been proposed for addition to add to asphalt to improve wear resistance and water permeability.
Proposals to use specific waste plastics as additives to asphalt mixes have had the disadvantage of requiring specific collection of the individual material or the sorting of the desired material from the generally collected plastic waste. Such efforts calling for specific plastics are therefor costly. Furthermore, such efforts do little to solve the problem of utilization of vast unsorted, unsortable or unclassified bulk mixtures of plastic waste.
Waste plastics are found in several forms. In one form, bulk masses of particular identified plastic materials are produced as waste in the plastics industry. In other forms, plastics are found in the form of discarded articles and containers. Some such plastics, particularly plastic bags and plastic bottles, are collected in recycling activities. Recycled plastic bottles are classified according to a nationally recognized identification system known as the Plastic Container Code System (PCCS) into seven classes that are being identified by markings on the bottles. These classes are: class 1, polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), class 2 high density polyethylene (HDPE), class 3, vinyl and polyvinyl chloride or PVC (V), class 4, low density polyethylene (LDPE), class 5, polypropylene (PP), class 6, polystyrene (PS) and class 7, all other resins and layered multi-material. For convenience, these classes are used below to identify waste plastics that are also in a form other than that of bottles for which the classes were specifically established.
Recycled plastics of types corresponding to PCCS classes 1 and 2, and sometimes classes 4, 5 and 6, whether in the form of used containers or other forms made of the materials, have been sorted from the general mass of recycled material or separately collected, all at increased cost. Bulk mixtures of recycled plastics from more than one of the PCCS classes, particularly materials from class 7 and from class 3 when mixed with material from other classes, generally have been regarded as lacking utility and are accordingly routed to landfills. Such materials have lacked an alternative use or manner of disposition.
The employment of plastics in asphalt mixes has presented various problems. Many of the plastic additives have lacked an ability to bond to or combine with the asphalt binders of the mix. Chemical treatments have been proposed, but such treatments have been ineffective, add to the cost, and introduce additional noxious and toxic substances into the process, aggravating the waste disposal problems.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a low cost manner of enhancing the properties of paving material and there remains a need for a use of residual plastic waste, particularly unclassified or unseparated materials or materials of mixed classes.

Plastic asphalt paving material and method of making same


Circuit bodies (4) and (11) are respectively mounted on surfaces of a door trim (3) and a door panel (2). The circuit body (4) includes a circuit plate (17) and a switch holder (18) which has fixed therein an end portion of the circuit plate. The holder (18) is disposed between mount arms (39) on the door trim, and to the holder is mounted a switch unit (20) so that contact portions of the end portion of the circuit plate are registrated with keys (21) of the switch unit (20). The holder (18) has positioning pins (36) for the end portion of the circuit plate and for the switch unit (20). The circuit body (4) has a tongue-like connecting portion for connecting to a connector on the door trim (3) side. Circuits and auxiliaries on the door trim side are easily and reliably connected to circuits on the door panel side.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a circuit connection structure for automobile doors which enables a circuit and auxiliaries on the side of a door trim to be easily and reliably connected to a circuit on a door panel side.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automobile door is implemented with various components such as a window opening and closing mechanism, door mirror driving mechanism, door locking mechanism and the like as well as with a wiring harness consisting of wires and connectors for electrically connecting those components. The installation of such a wiring harness is effected in many cases by blind work through a work window provided in a door panel, making the installation work very troublesome. Besides, a number of parts are needed for electric connection of such mechanisms, whose assembly and connection operations are also troublesome.
To cope with these problems, various proposals have been made which include a circuit connection structure for automobile doors as shown in FIG. 11, which is previously proposed by the present applicant. In this structure, the troublesome installation of various auxiliaries and of a wiring harness is facilitated by mounting a panel unit 87 on a door panel 88, the panel unit being equipped with a flat wiring harness 85 and auxiliaries (a speaker 86, power window motor and the like). The panel unit 87 is connected via connectors 92 and 93 to various switches 91 disposed on an arm rest 90 on the side of the door trim 89.
The structure as mentioned above has made a large improvement in the workability for mounting on the side of the door panel 88, but improvements remain still to be made in the workability for mounting on the door trim 89 side.

Circuit connection structure for automobile doors


Embodiments of multilayer films and laminate structures for flexible packaging comprise a multilayer polyolefin film comprising at least 3 layers. The multilayer polyolefin film comprises a first surface layer comprising: a first composition comprising at least one ethylene based polymer, wherein the first composition comprises a Molecular Weighted Comonomer Distribution Index (MWCDI) value greater than 0.9, and a melt index ratio (I10/I2) that meets the following equation: I10/I2≥7.0−1.2×log (I2). The first surface layer also comprises a second composition comprising an ethylene based polymer having a density from 0.890 to 0.925 g/cc and a melt index (I2) from 0.2 to 2.0 g/10 min. The multilayer polyolefin film also comprises a first intermediate layer comprising the first composition.

Improved recyclability is a continual goal for flexible packaging manufacturers. To achieve this goal, films and laminates made with monomaterial polymers have been considered, because flexible packaging materials, such as standup pouches, when made from one polymer family, are more easily recyclable.
Conventional flexible packaging laminates include polymer substrates using multiple polymer families e.g., polyester (PET) as the print film and polyethylene (PE) for the sealant film. While monomaterial polyethylene (PE) flexible packaging materials are more beneficial from a recyclability standpoint, there are tradeoffs in terms of fabrication and processing speed. For example, conventional monomaterial PE standup pouches require lower pouch forming speeds than standup pouches containing PET, because of the lower thermal resistance of PE.
Accordingly, there is a need for monomaterial polyethylene multilayer films or laminates that achieve recyclability and increased thermal resistance and strength during fabrication.

Multilayer polyethylene laminates and films for use in flexible packaging materials