A testing carrier has a flexible material such as a thin film employed as a supporting body which covers and thrusts a semiconductor device against a substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of contact terminals and a plurality of testing wiring patterns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a test carrier for a semiconductor integrated circuit and a method of testing the semiconductor integrated circuit. More particularly, the present invention relates to a test carrier for holding a semiconductor integrated circuit subject to an accelerated test etc. and a method of testing the semiconductor integrated circuit by using the test carrier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, a high integration of the semiconductor integrated circuit (LSI) has been required and demand for downsizing of electronic devices has increased. In order to satisfy these requirements, not only the high integration of elements in the LSI is required but also a high density packaging technology of the semiconductor chip is required. Such high density packaging technology becomes dominant in the fields of bare chip packaging, a MCM (multi-chip module) and the like. And, under such situation, electrodes on a bare chip in the LSI and terminals of CSP (Chip Size Package) in the LSI are also formed with high density.
In the above circumstances, various attempts have been made to test the LSI as a bare chip.
Before the LSI is supplied to the user as a product in a bare chip state, both a thermally accelerated test (referred to as a Burn In (B.I) test hereinafter) and a Final Test (FT) are conducted in the bare chip state to detect initial defects of the LSI. In the B.I test, while heating the semiconductor integrated circuit, the various electric properties thereof are examined.
If a product like the MCM, in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are formed into one package, includes only one defect chip in the package, an entire product becomes defective. Therefore, the bare chip test is inevitably required for each individual bare chip. Thus, in the product in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are mounted in one package, each semiconductor chip must be subject to the B.I test in the bare chip state. Such test may be required with a greater degree of frequency in the future. However, regarding the B.I test conducted in the bare chip state, the testing technology at present has yet to be established.
In general, when the semiconductor integrated circuit formed on the semiconductor wafer is tested, a so-called PP (Production Probe) test has been frequently utilized wherein test probes electrically connected to the testing apparatus are contacted to minute electrodes formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.
A first test method may be considered to comprise the application of the PP test together with the use of the B.I test used for the bare chips of the semiconductor integrated circuit.
According to the first test method, as shown in FIG. 1, probes 1 connected to the electric characteristic detecting apparatus (not shown) are contacted to minute electrodes 2A formed on the surface of the semiconductor chip 2. In this situation, the probes 1 and the semiconductor chip 2 are then placed in the heating furnace. The B.I test is then carried out while the semiconductor integrated circuit on the semiconductor chip 2 is operated in the high temperature surrounding.
In addition, a second test method may be considered to comprise the application of the B.I test while directly contacting terminals of the IC socket to the electrodes of the bare chip. The terminals of the IC socket are used to test the semiconductor integrated circuit chip packaged by resin etc. Such IC socket is exemplified in FIG. 7.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2A, a third test method may be considered to comprise the application of the B.I test of the semiconductor chip 2 under such conditions that electrodes 2A of the semiconductor chip 2 contact test electrodes 3B formed on the lower surface of the insulating polyimide test sheet 3 and that connecting wiring patterns 3A, which are formed on the upper surface of the test sheet 3 and connected to the test electrodes 3B, connect to the electric characteristic detecting apparatus.
However, in the above first, second and third test methods, the following problems occur:
In the first test method, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to contact the probes 1 to the minute electrodes 2A on the semiconductor chip 2, location displacements between many of probes 1 aligned in high density and the electrodes 2A of the semiconductor chip 2 must be first corrected by an image recognition technique before the probes 1 and the electrodes 2A are connected to each other. The probe 1 is in general very expensive. Moreover, it is not practical to provide an individual semiconductor chip with an alignment device. If this was done, cost would be enormously raised and thereof makes the semiconductor chip very expensive.
According to the second test method, in contrast to the electrodes of the semiconductor chip, top portions of the contact pins of the IC socket vary largely in size and location so that an increased alignment error results in between the IC socket and the semiconductor chip.
Further, it is difficult to increase the integration density of the contact pins of the IC socket correspondingly to a miniaturization of the electrodes of the semiconductor chip.
Moreover, according to the third test method, after the electrodes 3B on the test sheet 3 and the contact electrodes 2A of the semiconductor chip 2 are aligned, a location discrepancy between the electrodes 2A and the electrodes 3A is caused due to the vibration generated during the B.I test and the shock generated while carrying the test sheet 3, so that the third test cannot be effected satisfactorily. In addition, since the electrodes 3B of the test sheet 3 is formed minutely and the test sheet 3 is formed by the flexible film such as the polyimide film, stable contacts cannot be obtained between the contact electrodes 2A and the electrodes 3B of the contact sheet 3 unless the entire test sheet 3 is pressed uniformly against the semiconductor chip 2. It can be considered to bond both the electrodes 2A, 3A by solder. But, according to this method, it is hard to remove the semiconductor chip 2 from the test sheet 3 after the test is completed. Therefore, the semiconductor chip 2 so tested cannot be forwarded promptly as the product.
In addition, as the common drawback to the above first to third test methods, when, like the ordinarily packaged IC, the bare chip is tested by the B.I test in the air, defects such as a burning are caused because dusts are attached to the bare chip, and so on. When the chips are heated for a long time in the air, the electrodes of the semiconductor chip are oxidized and thus degraded. Thus packaging and connection characteristics of the semiconductor chip are lowered.
As described above, it is in fact extremely hard to conduct the B.I test in the bare chip state by means of the existing technologies.
Adjustment between electrodes on the bare chip and contact terminals on the testing substrate, and adjustment between terminals of CSP and the contact terminals on the testing substrate are indispensable. To align the bare chip and CSP, there has been the case where a testing substrate having adjustment walls or grooves thereon is used, for example. In general, such adjustment by the walls or the grooves is called as "mech-adjustment".
However, because the bare chips are separated by dicing of the semiconductor wafer, variations are caused in their outer size and their locations with respect to outer shapes of electrodes formed on the bare chip. As a result, the electrodes on the bare chip and the contact terminals on the testing substrate cannot be aligned with good precision. In addition, since a clearance to connect the testing substrate and the bare chip resides, displacement in location is easy to be caused in the clearance.
Hence, a method has been developed wherein adjustment between the electrodes on the bare chip and the contact terminals on the testing substrate is effected by image recognition technique. In this method, respective locations of the electrodes on the bare chip and the contact terminals on the testing substrate are recognized by an image processing apparatus, then locations of the electrodes and the contact terminals are compared with each other, and then displacement between them can be eliminated by moving the bare chip if displacement is recognized between the electrodes and the contact terminals.
In order to align the testing substrate with the bare chip and fix them, a holder 201 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B has been used.
The holder 201 comprises a pushing plate 203 in which an air through-hole 202 is provided, and a latch portion 204. While a semiconductor device 220 as the bare chip is being held by pull force from a handling head 210 via the air through-hole 202 in the pushing plate 203, the semiconductor device 220 is aligned by means of the image recognizing apparatus, then the handling head 210 is descended to contact the electrodes 221 on the semiconductor device 220 and the contact terminals 223 on the testing substrate 222. In this case, the latch portions 204 are provided on both sides of the pushing plate 203, and the latch portions 204 are formed to engage with flanges 224 on the testing substrate 222.
Accordingly, the semiconductor device 220 is pushed and fixed by the pushing plate 203 against the testing substrate 222.
The holder 201 may also be used, as shown in FIG. 4, even in case the CSP type semiconductor device 230 is fixed to a testing substrate 32 to contact terminals 231 on a semiconductor 230 with contact terminals 233 on a testing substrate 232. In this event, latch portions 204 of the holder 201 are engaged with a bottom of the testing substrate 232 via latch holes 234.
However, in such holder 201, when the latch portions 204 are suited to the testing substrates 222, 232, the pushing plate 203 is vibrated due to shock from the latch portions 204. Therefore, the semiconductor devices 220, 230 are often displaced which leads to readjustment between the semiconductor devices 220, 230 and the testing substrates 222, 232.

Semiconductor device testing carrier and method of fixing semiconductor device to testing carrier


A device for applying electrical stimulation to a surface of the human body utilizes a calibrated, pre-arranged pattern of conducting, current emitting elements to distribute current throughout an entire surface at once, such as human face, without needing to alter the device to accommodate various are sizes, including varying face sizes.

The application of low levels of electric current has been used for physical therapy, including for producing favorable changes in appearance. In current systems for applying current to the human body, typically pairs of electrodes are employed, either as point to point electrodes or as electrical pads. Conduction of electrical current from the systems currently employed to the surface of the body to be treated usually require a conductive means, such as a gel or pads, to pass current from the electrodes to the area of interest on the body. To cover large areas of the body using current systems, the electrodes need to be moved around manually, or multiple pairs of electrodes must be placed manually over the area to be treated.


An imaging device includes a solid-state imaging device including focus detecting pixels which are arranged together in a region in which imaging pixels are arranged in a form of a two-dimensional (2D) matrix, a separating unit configured to separate imaging signals and focus detection signals from pixel signals output from the solid-state imaging device, to output horizontal direction focus detection signals output from a horizontal direction focus detecting pixel set including two focus detecting signals in a row direction and vertical direction focus detection signals output from a vertical direction focus detecting pixel set including two focus detecting signals in a column direction, a horizontal direction focus detection processing unit configured to convert a format in which the horizontal direction focus detection signals are output to a predetermined format.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging device.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-064876, filed Mar. 26, 2013, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
In imaging devices such as digital still cameras or video cameras, an auto focus (AF) function of automatically focusing on a subject is provided as a function related to imaging. In an AF function of a related art, so-called phase difference AF of controlling a position of a focus lens based on information of a phase difference between left light and right light received by an AF sensor mounted in an imaging device is performed. Further, in an imaging device having no AF sensor, high-frequency components are extracted from pixel signals output from respective pixels of a solid-state imaging device equipped in the imaging device, for example using a high pass filter (HPF). After that, a position of a focus lens is controlled based on values of the high-frequency components of the respective pixels. Such process is called "imager AF".
In recent years, imaging pixels that output pixel signals obtained by performing photoelectric conversion on an optical image of a subject as imaging signals and either of the right and left sides are light-shielded in a region of pixels arranged in the solid-state imaging device, that is, an imaging region. Further, solid-state imaging devices in which focus detecting pixels that output pixel signals representing a quantity of received light of a left or right side of incident subject light as focus detection signals are arranged together have been proposed. An imaging device with such a solid-state imaging device calculates a phase difference using the focus detection signals output from the focus detecting pixels. Through this operation, the same AF function as in an imaging device that includes an AF sensor and performs phase difference AF, so-called filed phase difference AF, can be performed.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-185998 discloses an example in which focus detecting pixels are arranged in an arbitrary row in a horizontal direction in an imaging region. Through the focus detecting pixels, focus detection of a subject image that changes in brightness in the horizontal direction can be performed. Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-185998 also discloses an example in which focus detecting pixels are arranged in an arbitrary column in a vertical direction in the imaging region. Through the focus detecting pixels, focus detection of a subject image that changes in brightness in the vertical direction can be performed.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-185998 also discloses a technique in which an imaging device reads focus detection signals from the focus detecting pixels arranged in the imaging region of the solid-state imaging device. In the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-185998, the focus detection signals are read from the focus detecting pixels during a vertical blanking period of time rather than a period of time during which the solid-state imaging device outputs the imaging signals. In the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-185998, the read focus detection signals are temporarily accumulated in a buffer equipped in a separating circuit that separates the imaging signals from the focus detection signals. The focus detection signals temporarily accumulated in the buffer are stored in a predetermined storage region of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) equipped in the imaging device via a bus in the imaging device. When the focus detecting pixels are arranged at a plurality of positions in the imaging region, that is, when focus detection is performed at each of a plurality of positions, the focus detection signals of all positions are stored in the DRAM. Thereafter, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-185998, a phase difference calculation circuit that performs a correlation calculation between pixel columns and calculates a phase difference reads the focus detection signals stored in the DRAM. Further, a phase difference used to perform phase difference AF by the imaging device is calculated based on the read focus detection signals.
However, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-185998, the focus detection signals output from the focus detecting pixels are read using the vertical blanking period of time as described above. For this reason, when the solid-state imaging device operates at a high frame rate, it is difficult to secure a period of time necessary to read the focus detection signals. This is because as the frame rate of the solid-state imaging device increases, a period of time necessary to read the imaging signals is secured by reducing the vertical blanking period of time.
Further, in order to improve the focus detection accuracy in the imaging device, the density of the focus detecting pixels arranged in the imaging region of the solid-state imaging device should be increased. In other words, there are cases in which the number of focus detecting pixels arranged in the imaging region is increased. In this case, as the density of the focus detecting pixels arranged in the solid-state imaging device is increased, a long period of time is considered to be required for reading of the focus detection signals of the focus detecting pixels. Depending on the number of focus detecting pixels, it may be difficult to secure a period of time necessary to read the focus detection signals during the vertical blanking period of time.
A problem for securing a period of time necessary to read the focus detection signals can be solved by applying, for example, a technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2011-17842, to an imaging device. In the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2011-17842, the focus detection signals are read together when the imaging signals are read from the solid-state imaging device. Techniques of separating the imaging signal from the focus detection signal through a separating circuit have been proposed. In the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2011-17842, the focus detection signals are not read during the vertical blanking period of time. For this reason, even when it is difficult to secure a period of time necessary to read the focus detection signals during the vertical blanking period of time as the frame rate of the solid-state imaging device increases or as the density of the focus detecting pixels increases, the focus detection signals can be read, and the problem related to securing a period of time to read the focus detection signals can be solved.
Meanwhile, a technique for solving the problem of improving the focus detection accuracy in the imaging device is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-152161. In the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-152161, the focus detecting pixels are arranged in a plurality of rows in the imaging region of the solid-state imaging device. The focus detection accuracy is improved by averaging the focus detection signals output from the respective focus detecting pixels and reducing an error related to arrangement positions of the focus detecting pixels in a subsequent calculation of a phase difference. In the solid-state imaging device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-152161, a set of focus detecting pixels are not arranged in the same row or column in the imaging region, and a set of focus detecting pixels are separately arranged in two adjacent rows or columns as in the solid-state imaging device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-185998.
FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D are timing charts illustrating an exemplary read timing at which focus detection signals are read from focus detecting pixels arranged in an imaging region of a solid-state imaging device according to a read technique of a related art. In FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D, at a timing synchronized with a horizontal synchronous signal HD, imaging signals and focus detection signals are read from respective pixels for each of rows of the imaging region of the solid-state imaging device, and only the focus detection signals separated by a separating circuit are stored in a storage region of a DRAM represented by a write address WADR. Thereafter, a timing at which a phase difference calculation circuit reads the focus detection signals stored in a storage region of the DRAM represented by a read address RADR in order to calculate a phase difference is illustrated.
FIG. 10A illustrates a timing of reading signals from pixels of the solid-state imaging device when a set of focus detecting pixels are arranged in the same row in the horizontal direction in the imaging region. FIG. 10B illustrates an example of a storage region of a DRAM in which the read focus detection signals are stored. FIG. 10C illustrates a timing of reading signals from pixels of the solid-state imaging device when a set of focus detecting pixels are arranged in the same column in the vertical direction in the imaging region, and FIG. 10D illustrates an example of a storage region of a DRAM in which the read focus detection signals are stored.
As can be seen from FIG. 10A, when a set of focus detecting pixels is arranged in the same row in the horizontal direction in the imaging region, a set of focus detection signals is consecutively included in the pixel signal read from the solid-state imaging device. Thus, the separating circuit can consecutively separate the focus detection signals from the read pixel signal and sequentially store the focus detection signals in consecutive storage regions in the DRAM. Due to this operation, the phase difference calculation circuit can sequentially read the focus detection signals stored in the consecutive storage regions in the DRAM consecutively and perform a calculation of a phase difference.
FIG. 10A illustrates pixel signals when 50 sets of focus detecting pixels, that is, 100 focus detecting pixels, are arranged at two positions in the same row. The separating circuit sequentially stores focus detection signals AF1 to AF100 and focus detection signals AF101 to AF200 read from respective focus detecting pixel groups in consecutive storage regions of the DRAM corresponding to write addresses WADR1 to WADR100 and write addresses WADR101 to WADR200. Accordingly, as can be seen from FIG. 10B, the focus detection signals AF1 to AF100 and the focus detection signals AF101 to AF200 are stored in the consecutive storage regions of the DRAM. Thereafter, the phase difference calculation circuit sequentially reads the focus detection signals AF1 to AF100 and the focus detection signals AF101 to AF200 stored in consecutive storage regions of the DRAM corresponding to read addresses RADR1 to RADR100 and read addresses RADR101 to RADR200, and performs a calculation of a phase difference.
As described above, when a set of focus detecting pixels are arranged in the same row in the horizontal direction in the imaging region, the separating circuit can consecutively store the focus detection signals separated from the pixel signals in the DRAM, and the phase difference calculation circuit can consecutively read the stored focus detection signals from the DRAM. Since such consecutive access to the DRAM can be performed through burst access of a DRAM, it is an efficient access technique from a point of view of a bus band of a DRAM in the imaging device.
However, as can be seen from FIG. 10C, when a set of focus detecting pixels are arranged in the same column in the vertical direction in the imaging region, that is, when a set of focus detecting pixels is arranged in different rows in the horizontal direction in the imaging region, a set of focus detection signals are separately included in the pixel signals read from the solid-state imaging device at timings synchronized with the different horizontal synchronous signals HD. For this reason, the separating circuit individually separates the focus detection signals from the pixel signals read at timings of the different horizontal synchronous signals HD, and stores the respective focus detection signals in separate storage regions of the DRAM. Due to this operation, the phase difference calculation circuit reads the respective focus detection signals stored in the separate storage regions of the DRAM, and performs a calculation of a phase difference.
FIG. 10C illustrates pixel signals when 50 sets of focus detecting pixels, that is, 100 focus detecting pixels, are arranged such that focus detecting pixels arranged in the same column are arranged at three positions (three columns) in the horizontal direction. The separating circuit sequentially stores the focus detection signals read from the respective focus detecting pixel groups for each of rows of the pixel signals in the consecutive storage regions of the DRAM corresponding to the write addresses WADR. More specifically, the separating circuit separates the focus detection signal AF1, the focus detection signal AF101, and the focus detection signal AF201 from the pixel signal of the first row, and sequentially stores the focus detection signal AF1, the focus detection signal AF101, and the focus detection signal AF201 in consecutive storage regions of the DRAM corresponding to write addresses WADR1 to WADR3. Further, the separating circuit separates the focus detection signal AF2, the focus detection signal AF102, and the focus detection signal AF202 from the pixel signal of the second row, and sequentially stores the focus detection signal AF2, the focus detection signal AF102, and the focus detection signal AF202 in consecutive storage regions of the DRAM corresponding to write addresses WADR4 to WADR6. Further, the separating circuit separates the focus detection signal AF3, the focus detection signal AF103, and the focus detection signal AF203 from the pixel signal of the third row, and sequentially stores the focus detection signal AF3, the focus detection signal AF103, and the focus detection signal AF203 in consecutive storage regions of the DRAM corresponding to write addresses WADR7 to WADR9.
Thus, as can be seen from FIG. 10D, a set of focus detection signals (for example, the focus detection signal AF1 and the focus detection signal AF2) is separately stored such that the focus detection signal AF1, the focus detection signal AF101, the focus detection signal AF201, the focus detection signal AF2, the focus detection signal AF102, the focus detection signal AF202, and the like are stored in the consecutive storage regions of the DRAM.
Thereafter, the phase difference calculation circuit reads a set of focus detection signals stored in the separate storage regions of the DRAM, and performs a calculation of a phase difference. More specifically, the phase difference calculation circuit reads the focus detection signal AF1, the focus detection signal AF2, and the focus detection signal AF3 stored in the storage regions corresponding to the read address RADR1, the read address RADR4, and the read address RADR7 to which the focus detecting pixels arranged in the first column are output, and performs a calculation of a phase difference. Further, the phase difference calculation circuit reads the focus detection signal AF101, the focus detection signal AF102, and the focus detection signal AF103 stored in the storage regions corresponding to the read address RADR2, the read address RADR5, and the read address RADR8 to which the focus detecting pixels arranged in the second column are output, and performs a calculation of a phase difference. Further, the phase difference calculation circuit reads the focus detection signal AF201, the focus detection signal AF202, and the focus detection signal AF203 stored in the storage regions corresponding to the read address RADR3, the read address RADR6, and the read address RADR9 to which the focus detecting pixels arranged in the third column are output, and performs a calculation of a phase difference.

Imaging device including focusing pixels


A user registers a desired mobile station at a desired HNB (Home Node B) in a simple operation. A CSG (Closed Subscriber Group) type base station restricts an access from a mobile station that has not been registered yet. The CSG type base station switches in response to an operation performed by a user between a standard mode that permits an access from a mobile station that has been registered in advance while restricting an access from an unregistered mobile station and a register mode that permits an access from an unregistered mobile station which intends to be registered (step S101), receives a call at a telephone number for registration from the unregistered mobile station in the register mode (step S107), extracts mobile station information including a mobile station ID of the unregistered mobile station that has placed the call, in accordance with the call received at the telephone number for registration (step S109), generates registration information by associating the mobile station information with base station information including a base station ID of a host station (step S113), and transmits the registration information to a server apparatus (step S115).

It is contemplated that a small cell wireless communication base station covering a small zone of a size of tens of meters, such as home or office, is installed in a mobile communication system that is currently in service in a macro cell as a large cell. Such a small cell wireless communication base station device is referred to as a home base station (Home Node B: HNB).
If HNB is installed in a home or a business location, a Closed Subscriber Group (hereinafter referred to as CSG) cell is constructed in a function of the HNB that permits only a limited subscriber group, such as a family member of the home, to access the HNB.

CSG type base station, control program, and integrated circuit


The invention relates to a high molecular absorbent sheet manufacturing process and the related equipment for employing such manufacturing process. The process includes a step of sending a paper pulp and a high molecular absorbent compound to a trough for mixing by wired cylinders and spreading over a conveyer system, a step of drying the mixture carried on the conveyer system, and a step of squeezing the dried mixture into a roll of high molecular absorbent sheet through two matched hot impression cylinders. A sheet of thermoplastic mesh fabric may be respectively covered on the mixture on two opposite sides before the process of drying.

The present invention relates to a high molecular absorbent sheet manufacturing process to produce a roll of high molecular absorbent sheet from a mixture containing a high molecular compound and a paper pulp. The invention also relates to an equipment for employing the high molecular absorbent sheet manufacturing process.
Various absorbent sheet materials are known and widely used for different purposes. The equipment for making an ordinary absorbent sheet material according to the prior art manufacturing methods are commonly expensive and difficult to operate.

High molecular absorbent sheet manufacturing process and the related equipment


The triggered wildlife guard is formed from first and second body sections hinged together to pivot between an open and a closed position. In the closed position, the first and second body sections latch together to form a hollow body open at a first end and having a top wall at a second end which defines a conductor opening. A spring assembly biases the first and second body sections toward the closed position, and a releasable trigger extends between the first and second body sections to hold them in the open position until the trigger is released. A wire stop formed on the first and second body sections bridges a gap therebetween in the open position to retain a bushing lead wire in the conductor opening.

Many electric utility transformers are outdoor installations which in the past, have been subjected to possible damage and the creation of power outages due to contact with small mammals and birds. These animals tend to contact the energized conductors leading to transformer insulator bushings thereby creating a short circuit condition.
Most new transformers are now installed with protective, insulating guards on the transformer bushings, and these guards are easily installed by hand since this is done before the new transformer is energized. However, many transformers installed in the past did not include bushing guards of any type, and utilities are striving to retrofit these installations with guards which can be installed without disconnecting the power to the transformer. One such wildlife guard, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,307 to Cumming et al., is formed by a one piece unit having a lengthwise slot through which the live conductor to the transformer bushing is forced during the installation of the guard. This is somewhat difficult to accomplish from a distance, since the guard must be positively forced over a live conductor, and generally the use of a bucket truck and line crew would be required so that the guard could be brought close to the overhead transformer bushing for installation.
In an attempt to make installation easier, one piece tubular guards formed of two hinged semicircular cylinders have been designed to fit around a bushing and to engage when closed. Again, the problem with these hinged shields or guards is that they must first be carefully positioned relative to the insulator and live wire to the insulator and then the two hinged halves must be forced together around the insulator and locked in the closed position. This again is very difficult to achieve from a distance, and requires the use of a bucket truck and line crew to close the guard.

Triggered wildlife guard for electrical insulator bushings


A braking system for motor vehicles. The system comprises a brake pedal, a travel simulator which is coupled via actuating-forces transmitting first mechanical connecting means to the brake pedal. A brake master cylinder having at least one pressure chamber and one piston. The pressure chamber is connected or connectable via a pressure line to at least one hydraulically actuable wheel brake, and an electrically controllable electromechanical drive device with which the piston of the brake master cylinder is actuable via a second mechanical connecting means. The electromechanical drive device is arranged between the brake pedal on one side and the brake master cylinder and the travel simulator on the other side. The first mechanical connecting means extends from the brake pedal through the drive device to the travel simulator.

In automotive technology "brake-by-wire" braking systems are increasingly widely used. In these braking systems the brake can, on the one hand, be operated "extraneously", without active involvement of the vehicle driver, on the basis of electronic signals. These electronic signals may be output, for example, by an electronic stability program (ESC) or a distance control system (ACC). On the other hand, actuation of the braking system can be entirely or partially dispensed with if a braking effect requested by the driver by means of a brake pedal actuating force is implemented, for example, by switching an electric vehicle drive to generator mode. In both cases the actuation state of the brake does not correspond to the braking effect requested by the vehicle driver.
A braking system which comprises a brake pedal operatively connected to a travel simulator spring, and an electromotive drive device, is known from WO 2006/111392 A1. In that braking system the drive device includes an electric motor and a transmission and displaces a piston of a piston/cylinder system in such a way that a pressure is established in the working chamber of the cylinder, which is connected via a pressure line to a wheel brake. In this case the electric motor and the transmission of the drive device are arranged parallel to the piston of the piston/cylinder system; that is, the drive device is arranged around the piston/cylinder system. This results in a short overall length of the piston/motor unit; however, the corresponding, complex configuration of the transmission, for example the specially configured toothed rack of the transmission, is considered to be disadvantageous.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an alternative braking system of simpler construction.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a braking system as described herein.


A universal rod holder including a drive member and an elongated shaft member. The drive member has a proximal portion and a distal portion, and may include a handle disposed on the proximal portion, external threads disposed on the proximal portion of the drive member, and a tip disposed on a distal end of the distal portion of the drive member. The elongated shaft member includes a through hole, the through hole configured to receive the drive member, internal threads disposed on an inner surface of the through hole and configured to engage the external threads, and a hook member disposed on a distal end of the shaft member. The through hole extends into an opening of the hook member. The distal portion of the drive member is configured to slide through the through hole and into the opening of the hook member to secure a rod positioned therein.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a device for use in orthopedic surgeries and, more specifically, a universal rod holder for use during spinal surgery.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The spinal column is a complex system of bones and connective tissues that provide support for the human body and protection for the spinal cord and nerves. The adult spine includes twenty-four vertebral bodies, which are subdivided into three areas, including seven cervical vertebrae, twelve thoracic vertebrae and five lumbar vertebrae. Between adjacent vertebral bodies is an intervertebral disc that cushions and dampens the various translational and rotational forces exerted upon the spinal column.
There are various disorders, diseases and types of injury which the spinal column may experience in a lifetime. These problems may include, but are not limited to, scoliosis, kyphosis, excessive lordosis, spondylolisthesis, slipped or ruptured discs, degenerative disc disease, vertebral body fracture, and tumors. Persons suffering from any of the above conditions typically experience extreme or debilitating pain and often times diminished nerve function.
One of the more common solutions to any of the above mentioned conditions involves a surgical procedure to implant a rod or rods along the spine to support the vertebral bodies. Typically, the implanted rod is attached to the vertebral bodies using pedicle screws, hooks or anchors. Although instruments have been designed to assist in the insertion and/or manipulation of the rod into the implanted screws, hooks or anchors, there exists a need for a rod holder that can accommodate various rod diameters and shapes.


A method and system are disclosed for the implementation of a weakened privacy channel. This is achieved through use of a weakened symmetric cryptographic algorithm called commercial data masking. The masked text is created from clear text at one system and may to transported electronically to another system where the masked text may be unmasked to produce the clear text. The reason to use the commercial data masking algorithm for data privacy is that it is exportable to organizations to which products which contain the Data Encryption Algorithm when used for data privacy are not exportable. In addition, a method and system is disclosed by which the key when used for commercial data masking may be transformed into a key that may be used with the Data Encryption Algorithm.

1. Technical Field
The invention disclosed broadly relates to data processing systems and methods and more particularly relates to cryptographic systems and methods for use in data processing systems to enhance security.
2. Background Art
The following patents and patent applications are related to this invention and are incorporated herein by reference:
W. F. Ehrsam, et al., "Block Cipher System for Data Security," U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,081, issued May 18, 1976, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
W. F. Ehrsam, et al., "Product Block Cipher System," U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,539, issued Jun. 8, 1976, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
S. M. Matyas, et al., "Secure Management of Keys Using Control Vectors," U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,176, issued Jul. 10, 1990, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
S. M. Matyas, et al., "Data Cryptography Operations Using Control Vectors," U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,728, issued Apr. 17, 1990, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
S. M. Matyas, et al., "Personal Identification Number Processing Using Control Vectors," U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,514, issued May 8, 1990, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
S. M. Matyas, et al., "Secure Management of Keys Using Extended Control Vectors," U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,515, issued May 8, 1990, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
S. M. Matyas, et al., "Secure Management of Keys Using Control Vectors with Multi-Path Checking," Ser. No. 07/596,637, filed Oct. 12, 1990, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated here by reference.
S. M. Matyas, et al., "Secure Cryptographic Operations Using Alternate Modes of Control Vector Enforcement," Ser. No. 07/574,012, filed Aug. 22, 1990, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated here by reference.
S. M. Matyas, et al., "Secure Key Management Using Programmable Control Control Vector Checking," U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,089, issued Apr. 9, 1991, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
S. M. Matyas, et al., "Secure Key Management Using Control Vector Translation," U.S. Pat. No. 54,993,069 issued Feb. 12, 1991, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
B. Brachtl, et al., "Data Authentication Using Modification Detection Codes Based on a Public One Way Encryption Function," U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,861, issued Mar. 13, 1990, assigned to IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference.
D. Abraham, et al., "DEA-Based Pseudorandom Number Generator," IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 35, No. 1B, pp. 431-434 (June 1992).
With the advent of electronic data processing, vast amounts of digital data are stored in large computer data bases and transmitted between computers and workstations linked together in complex communications networks. Cryptographic algorithms have been developed and implemented in products to encrypt and protect stored and transmitted data.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,958,081 and 3,962,539 describe an IBM-invented cryptographic algorithm that was adopted as a federal Data Encryption Standard (DES) on Jul. 15, 1977, and described in Federal Information Processing Standard FIPS 46-1. The DES algorithm was also adopted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as the standard industry algorithm ("Data Encryption Algorithm (DEA)" X3.92), see ANSI X3.92-1981. The DEA is a symmetric (secret key) block cipher that encrypts a 64-bit input plaintext to produce a 64-bit output ciphertext using a secret 64-bit key. The 64-bit key consists of 56 independent key bits and 8 non-key bits that may be used for parity checking. The DEA is the most widely used commercial encryption algorithm. It has become a de facto international standard. The DEA is particularly suited for bulk data encryption. Hardware implementations of the DEA are able to encrypt several hundred megabits of data per second.
Other cryptographic algorithms have also been developed for commercial use, particularly public key algorithms. Public key encryption algorithms are described in a paper by W. Diffie and M. E. Hellman entitled "Privacy and Authentication: An Introduction to Cryptography," Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 67, No. 3, March 1979, pp. 397-427. In a public key cryptographic system, two keys are used, one for enciphering and one for deciphering. Public key algorithm systems are designed so that (1) it is easy to generate a random pair of inverse keys PU (for enciphering) and PR (for deciphering) and (2) it is easy to operate with PU and PR, but (3) it is computationally infeasible to compute PR from PU. Each user generates a pair of inverse transforms, PU and PR. He keeps the deciphering transformation PR secret, and makes the enciphering transformation PU public by placing it in a public directory. Anyone can now encrypt messages and send them to the user, but no one else can decipher messages intended for him. It is possible, and often desirable, to encipher with PU and decipher with PR. For this reason, PU is usually referred to as a public key and PR is usually referred to as a private key. A corollary feature of public key cryptographic systems is the provision of a digital signature which uniquely identifies the sender of a message. If user A wishes to send a signed message M to user B, he operates on it with his private key PR to produce the signed message S. PR was used as A's deciphering key when privacy was desired, but it is now used as his "enciphering" key. When user B receives the message S, he can recover the message M by operating on the ciphertext S with A's public PU. By successfully decrypting A's message, the receiver B has conclusive proof it came from the sender A. Examples of public key cryptography are provided in the following U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,582 to Hellman, et al., "Public Key Cryptographic Apparatus and Method;" U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,770 to Hellman, et al., "Cryptographic Apparatus and Method;" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,829 to Rivest, et al., "Cryptographic Communications System and Method."
The Data Encryption Algorithm (DEA), when used for data confidentiality purposes, is not able to be exported from the USA because of export regulations on cryptography. It cannot be freely imported in some other countries. Export regulation relief is generally given for electronic data processing applications involving data integrity, identification and authentication, one-way encryption of passwords, key management, and key distribution.
To overcome the restrictions imposed on cryptographic applications by U.S. government export regulations, the U.S. government has permitted the RSA algorithm to be exported and used for applications involving data integrity and key distribution provided that the length of the keys is restricted or limited to an agreed upon value. For example, where the RSA algorithm is used in a hybrid key distribution scheme to encrypt DEA keys for distribution from a sending device to a receiving device, the RSA keys are limited to 512 bits. Market demands continue to be received for a suitable, fast encryption algorithm for data confidentiality purposes, which can be freely exported from the United States. A small number of proprietary algorithms have been developed to satisfy this market demand, but the algorithm details (of course) have not been published.
A general problem with proprietary algorithms is that, by not disclosing the details of an algorithm, cryptographers, cryptanalysts, mathematicians, and the like cannot study the algorithm and validate its strength. Hence, users cannot be certain of the degree of protection afforded by such a cryptographic algorithm. The process of developing and validating a cryptographic algorithm, if properly done, is a lengthy and costly process. For example, it took IBM 17 man-years to develop and validate the DEA. Instead of developing a new cryptographic algorithm of suitable weakened strength, it would be particularly advantageous to produce a weakened version of the DEA--i.e., a DEA junior--by weakening only the key or restricting the key space to a smaller number of allowed key combinations and by not changing or altering the DEA algorithm itself (s-box functions, permutation, key schedule). In this way, the basic underlying strength of DEA is preserved, and therefore no inadvertent shortcut attack is introduced into DEA junior. But by weakening the key, DEA junior can be given a predictable cryptographic strength, or work factor, based on recovering an unknown key using a method of direct search or key exhaustion (i.e., trying one key after another). In this case, validating the key-weakening process is a relatively simple process compared to validating a new algorithm, with an apparent savings in cost and time to the developer. The strength of such a DEA-junior algorithm can be easily demonstrated to users. The ability for users and implementers to easily assess the security provided by such an algorithm is deemed essential for its acceptance. Thus, when data is encrypted with DEA-junior, users receive and are assured of a known, predictable level of cryptographic protection. In this case, relief from U.S. government export regulations is achieved by weakening the key, or by adjusting the number of allowable key combinations, to a level prescribed by the U.S. government. The prior art does not teach how keys belonging to a strong block cipher algorithm, such as the DEA, can be weakened for the purpose of constructing a weakened block cipher algorithm of known, predictable strength.
One possibility for weakening a DEA key is to fix certain key bits so there are fewer independent key bits within the key. U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,861 to Brachtl et al. discloses a method of fixing bits in a cryptographic key for the purpose of ensuring that two keys used by the one-way algorithm are different. The bits in a first key are set to B'10' and the bits in a second key are set to B'01'. By ensuring that the first and seconds keys are different, the algorithm construction prevents a rare, but possible case from occurring which would weaken the one-way algorithm. In this regard, Brachtl et al. teach how bit fixing can be used beneficially to improve cryptographic strength. Brachtl et al. do not teach how bit fixing can be used for the purpose of weakening cryptographic strength. The prior art does not teach how to beneficially weaken a key by fixing key bits.
For purposes of discussion, a weakened Data Encryption Algorithm (referred to above as DEA junior) shall be referred to hereafter as Commercial Data Masking (CDM).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,941,176, 4,918,728, 4,924,514, 4,924,515, 4,993,069, 5,007,089, and patent application Ser. Nos. 07/596,637, and 07/574,012, cited above, describe a cryptographic architecture incorporated a set of hardware-level cryptographic instructions for processing data, Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), and keys. A corresponding set of cryptographic services accessible at a cryptographic Application Programming Interface (API), and which can itself be implemented using the aforesaid hardware-level cryptographic instructions, is called The IBM Common Cryptographic Architecture, see Common Cryptographic Architecture Cryptographic Application Programming Interface, SC40-1675, IBM Corporation (1990).
The Common Cryptographic Architecture (CCA) is based on the Data Encryption Algorithm (DEA). The Cryptographic API describes a set of cryptographic services that provide data privacy, data integrity, cryptographic key installation and generation, electronic cryptographic key distribution, and Personal Identification Number (PIN) processing. The data privacy cryptographic services include Encipher and Decipher services for enciphering and deciphering data using the DEA. In situations where a CCA-compliant cryptographic device is exported from the United States to a destination that cannot receive the DEA-based Encipher and Decipher services, it would be desirable for the DEA-based Encipher and Decipher services to be replaced within the cryptographic device with CDM-based Encipher and Decipher services, i.e., data enciphering and deciphering services based on a Commercial Data Masking algorithm. Likewise, it would be advantageous for the keys used by the CDM-based Encipher and Decipher services to be of the same form and length as the keys used by the DEA-based Encipher and Decipher services, so that the keys used by both DEA-based and CDM-based services can be generated and distributed using the key management and key distribution services of CCA (i.e., without modification). In this way, two communicating devices may use the commercial data masking algorithm to mask data transmitted between them. That is, data is masked at a sending device by invoking a CDM Encipher service and masked data is unmasked at a receiving device by invoking a CDM Decipher service. But a potential problem arises when the keys for the DEA-based Encipher and Decipher services and the keys for the CDM-based Encipher and Decipher services are of the same form and length, and are generated and distributed using the same set of CCA key management and key distribution services. Unless the keys are tagged so that the keys for the DEA-based services cannot be mixed and used with the CDM-based services, it may be possible for an insider adversary to attack a DEA key using the following method: (a) feed a strong DEA key to a CDM-based Encipher service to encrypt a known plaintext, (b) use the known plaintext and produced ciphertext to recover the weakened CDM key via a key exhaustion attack. The recovered CDM key may reveal some of the key bits in the original DEA key, which would weaken the DEA key and reduce the work necessary to recover the remaining unknown key bits. The prior art does not teach how two different algorithms of different strengths such as the DEA and CDM can be implemented safely in the same cryptographic system. That is, the prior art does not teach how the keys of both algorithms, which are of the same form and length and which use the same key generation and key distribution services, can co-exist such that the keys used with the stronger algorithm (i.e., DEA) cannot be attacked or weakened by treating them as keys belonging to the weaker algorithm (i.e., CMD) and using the provided CDM-based cryptographic services as an effective means to attack the stronger (DEA-based) keys.
One method for allowing DEA and CDM keys of the same form and length to co-exist within the same cryptographic system is to define separate key types and control vectors, i.e., to cryptographically "tag" each different type of key, and to use a means of control vector encryption to couple the control vector to the key.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,941,176, 4,918,728, 4,924,514, 4,924,515, 4,993,069, 5,007,089, and patent application Ser. Nos. 07/596,637, and 07/574,012, cited above, describe cryptographic instructions and key management capabilities based on control vectors. These concepts could be extended to include a new data key type called "CDM data key", which would operate with a new set of CDM-based Encipher and Decipher services. While this is a possible solution, it introduces an added level of complexity into the key management architecture. An alternative method is to make the key weakening process an irreversible process bound together with the CDM algorithm itself, such that knowledge of a weakened key, if revealed, would not reveal information about the strong key from which it was derived.
Cryptographic one-way functions are described in the prior art, but do not teach how such a one-way function can be used beneficially in a key-weakening process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,861 to Brachtl discloses a method for calculating a one-way function of an input. The method makes use of a simple kernel function wherein an input is encrypted with a DEA key and then followed by Exclusive-OR operation involving the input and the output ciphertext. The kernel function provides a very simple one-way function that can be used as a building block to provide a much stronger one-way function. Brachtl et al. does not teach protecting an input key used within a key-weakening process.

International Business Machines Corporation


A steam cooker includes a steam chamber for initially containing water to be converted to steam, and a holding chamber in fluid communication with the steam chamber for receiving the steam. The holding chamber has an opening proximate a first end for receiving an item to be heated by the steam, and is positioned at an angle of inclination so that condensation formed on an interior surface of the holding chamber drains away from the opening and towards a second end positioned lower than the opening. A burner can heat the steam chamber to convert the water into steam. The burner can be connected to a tank of combustible gas. The steam cooker can be constructed of aluminum.

The invention of the present application relates to a cooker for delivering a continuous stream of steam.
The practice of cooking food with steam is believed to be centuries old, and has gained in popularity in recent years. The increased interest in steam cooking is attributable in part to greater health consciousness and emphasis on healthy diets. Steam cooking is considered to be a healthy means for preparing food as it generally provides greater nutrition than other cooking methods. For example, boiling vegetables reduces their Vitamin C content in vegetables by approximately 70%, while steam cooking results in only a 40% reduction in Vitamin C. Furthermore, steam cooking does not add fat to foods as does frying in oil. In addition, steam cooking is efficient as it imparts more energy to the food than boiling water. For these reasons, it is desirable to provide an apparatus that can efficiently cook food with steam.


A filter element is formed from a filter material configured to capture a foreign substance in fuel. A lower case is attachable to and detachable from a bottom portion of a housing in a movable direction. The housing and the lower case are configured to accommodate the filter element. The filter element defines a passage extending through the filter element in the movable direction. The passage is configured to accommodate the component. The component is configured to be attached to and detached from the housing together with the lower case when the lower case is attached to and detached from the housing.

For example, a fuel filter device is provided in a fuel supply unit, which is provided between a fuel tank and a fuel injection pump for supplying fuel into a diesel engine or the like. The fuel filter device is configured to capture an organic foreign substance such as dust or an inorganic foreign substance such as metal in fuel, for example. The fuel filter device includes a filter element formed from a filter material for capturing the foreign substance in fuel.
A fuel filter device may include an additional component having a predetermined function to cope with a predetermined fuel environment. For example, according to JP-A-2006-105092, a fuel filter device is provided with a metal ion capturing material as the additional component for capturing metal ions in fuel, which cannot be substantially captured by the filter element. JP-A-2006-105092 discloses a configuration where the metal ion capturing material is inserted between two filter elements, which are collectively accommodated in a case.
While description is not made in JP-A-2006-105092, a metal ion capturing material is reduced in capturing capability after use. The metal ion capturing material reduced in capturing capability needs to be removed from the case, and a new or degenerated metal ion capturing material needs to be loaded into the case. However, in the structure of JP-A-2006-105092, the metal ion capturing material is inserted between the two filter elements. Therefore, the metal ion capturing material needs to be removed from the case together with filter elements being not necessary to be removed, and another metal ion capturing material needs to be loaded into the case together with different filter elements. That is, the metal ion capturing material cannot be easily loaded into and removed from the fuel filter device independently of the filter elements. Such a problem lies not only in the metal ion capturing material, but also lies in a component such as an auxiliary filter element for capturing particulate matters having a larger diameter than a diameter of particulate matters that can be captured by a filter element.


A system and process for producing olefins from oxygenate, e.g., methanol or dimethylether, includes a fluidized bed reaction zone that provide contact between the oxygenate and a molecular sieve catalyst such as ZSM-34 or SAPO-34. Improved ethylene selectivity is realized when the oxygenate is stagewise injected into the fluidized bed at one or more locations along the axial direction of the fluidized bed reaction zone.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for converting oxygenate, such as methanol and/or dimethylether, to olefins in a reactor over a molecular sieve catalyst such as ZSM-34 and SAPO-34 wherein oxygenate is introduced to a catalyst bed at multiple injection points along the flow axis of the reactor. The process is especially useful for increasing ethylene selectivity.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Olefin manufacturing processes, such as steam cracking, generally operate at low pressure, high temperature, and with diluents, such as steam, to enhance yields of light olefins which are thermodynamically favored by these conditions. In producing light olefins, the selectivity to ethylene can be increased to some extent by increasing reactor severity, e.g. by operation at low pressure, high temperature, and/or by diluent addition. However, as reactor severity is increased total olefin production is decreased. Moreover, the production of paraffins, i.e., methane, ethane, propane, etc., aromatics and other less desirable components will also increase. Similarly, diluent addition entails significant expense. For example, with steam diluent, the expense of generating the steam and the costly equipment to condense the steam for product recovery must be considered with the additional revenues attained for the higher olefin yields. Furthermore, all equipment must be increased in size to handle the processing of diluent as well as reactive feed. With methanol conversion processes, these expenses generally negate using diluents in significant quantity.
In an effort to improve yields in various reaction procedures, stagewise injection of reagents has been used in various fixed bed processes. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,377,718 and 4,761,513 describe toluene alkylation processes wherein the alkylating reagent is fed at different stages between fixed beds. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,504 discloses a similar procedure, using multiple injection ports, for preparing ethylbenzene using a fixed bed catalyst reactor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,890 discloses multiple reactant injection locations into separate fixed beds in a process for reducing benzene and toluene content in light gasoline streams. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,751,504; 4,377,718; 4,761,513; and 5,120,890 are each entirely incorporated herein by reference. In these fixed bed processes, one can easily separate the catalyst load into several different and discrete zones. During use, product from one zone is mixed with additional methanol, and this mixture is fed to the subsequent zone. One way of providing these separate and discrete zones includes placing each zone in a separate reactor vessel, wherein additional reagent(s) is (are) injected between adjacent zones. This procedure suffers from the drawback that considerable expense is involved in providing separate reactor vessels and the associated hardware for running this type of system. Additionally, fixed bed reactors are disadvantageous for exothermic reactions because of the potential negative impact of exotherms on product selectivity. Reactor stability concerns with fixed beds also require that the temperature rise per catalyst bed be limited. This could necessitate a large number of beds to accommodate the heat of reaction.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/166,188, filed Oct. 5, 1998 describes multiple methanol injection into a fluid bed to increase p-xylene selectivity and methanol utilization.

Conversion of oxygenate to olefins with staged injection of oxygenate


A component-embedded module includes a module substrate having wiring electrodes on the upper surface thereof, first circuit components mounted on the wiring electrodes, a sub-module disposed on an area on which no wiring electrodes are provided, and an insulating resin layer provided on substantially the entire upper surface of the module substrate such that the insulating resin layer covers at least a portion of the first circuit components and sub-module. The second circuit components including an integrated circuit element are mounted on the sub-module or embedded therein. Via conductors are provided through the module substrate from the lower surface thereof and are directly coupled to terminal electrodes on the lower surface of the sub-module. By using a substrate having a wiring greater accuracy than that of the module substrate, a reliable component-embedded module is obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a component-embedded module having multiple circuit components embedded therein, and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A component-embedded module using a component-embedded substrate having circuit components embedded in an insulating resin layer has been used in wireless apparatuses, such as cell phones, car phones, and other various communication apparatuses. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-188538 discloses a module in which multiple circuit components are mounted on a module substrate made of a ceramic multilayer substrate and an insulating resin layer is formed on the entire upper surface of the module substrate such that the insulating resin layer covers the circuit components.
The circuit components mounted on the module substrate include not only an integrated circuit element, such as a semiconductor integrated circuit, but also peripheral passive components, such as a filter and a capacitor. Since a passive component, such as a filter, has few terminals, the dimensional accuracy of lands or wiring lines of the substrate on which the passive component is to be mounted does not need to be very high. On the other hand, an integrated circuit element has a large number of input/output terminals and these terminals are disposed at a narrow pitch. Therefore, in order to connect the integrated circuit element to external circuits, it is necessary to accurately form many lands or wiring lines on the substrate on which the integrated circuit element is to be mounted.
For a component-embedded module having an integrated circuit element and passive components mounted in parallel on one module substrate, the dimensional accuracy of lands or wiring lines provided on the module substrate must be very high corresponding to the integrated circuit element. For this reason, there has been a problem in that a module substrate having lands or wiring lines provided thereon with high accuracy must be prepared and this causes an increase in cost.
Also, when mounting an integrated circuit element having multiple pins and a narrow pitch, such as a BGA (ball grid array) or a WLP (wafer level package), on a module substrate, flip-chip-mounting is often used. In this case, there is a problem in that it is difficult to check whether the mounting state (connection state) is normal, there is a high possibility that a coupling failure is found by performing an inspection after the module is completed, and these problems and conditions cause a reduction in yield.

Component-embedded module and manufacturing method thereof


A wedge used to wedge objects in a box the wedge being a sheet made of a rigid, resistant and foldable material, including a central portion having a polygonal shape and size substantially equivalent to those of the bottom of the box, the sheet including at least one foldable flap, attached to the central portion via folding lines or hinges, wherein the central portion is provided with multiple grooves being segments of a curve or of a straight line, along which the material is crushed and the thickness thereof is reduced, the grooves constituting folding lines inside the central portion, which facilitate the deformation of the wedge, the grooves leading to the periphery or the proximity thereof of the central portion of the wedging sheet and they are not parallel to one another or to the sides of the central portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wedge element to immobilize objects in a box of cardboard, corrugated or similar solid fiber material, with a square or rectangular cross-section, particularly for shipping and transportation of said objects, such boxes featuring a flat bottom of polygonal shape (generally rectangular or square) and four faces or side walls.
The technical domain of the invention is that of machinery for the manufacture, processing or closing of packaging materials and that of the manufacture and application of wedge materials for such packaging.
The present invention concerns more particularly a wedge element intended for being placed inside boxes used for the preparation and shipping of orders for single or multiple articles and more generally for boxes the content of which occupies a variable volume from one box to the next, and, most of the time, significantly less than the total volume of the box, in which case said wedging material serves to immobilize the items inside the useful volume of the box.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
It is known that boxes of this type are created by machines from one or several flanks of pliable rigid sheeted material and that their upper part features various flaps and turned-down pieces assembled by gluing or adhesive tape or a lid fitted over said upper part. A characteristic of these boxes is that they offer a constant volume once they have been produced and closed.
Several means are applied by the users or are integrated into the box forming or closing machines to fasten by wedges the objects which vary by number and unit volume from one box to another.
One is familiar, for example with wedging means constituted by heat-shrinking plastic film where one or several layers are secured to the bottom or the side walls of the box during its shaping. After the box has been filled, these films are lowered onto the pile of objects and then retracted by passing through a heating tunnel.
Such a process presents several disadvantages. As a matter of fact:                this heat-shrink plastic film must necessarily be separated from the carton packaging prior to possible collection and recycling of the corresponding waste; this collection is a complex and very costly operation;        this wedging material is itself expensive;        its application is difficult and requires either complex automated machines or a great number of man-hours; the cost of these operations is therefore high.
Also known is the use of polystyrene particles or other light materials which are spread inside the box after insertion of the objects, in order to fill unused space.
Another fastening method consists of using inflatable plastic pockets which are placed inside the boxes to fill any unused space.
One is also familiar with the use of chips, particles, pelletized balls, . . . of paper, carton or wood which are put, in various forms, inside the boxes to fill unoccupied space between the objects.
Such production methods also present several disadvantages. As a matter of fact:                the distribution dosage of these wedging materials so they fill exactly the unused space is an operation that is difficult to automate which requires either complex automated machines or a great number of man-hours; the cost of these operations is therefore high;        collection of these materials after opening the packaging requires a number of different elements and is thus an operation not easily taken care of by the end user.
And one is also familiar with wedging elements presenting themselves in the form of a sheet of cardboard, corrugated or equivalent solid fiber featuring a central part which is put into contact with the upper surface of the pile of objects placed inside the box and flexible flaps on at least two sides of the central part of the sheet which are turned down and fastened, for instance by gluing, against the inside face of the side walls of said box.
Such wedging elements are, for example, described in the document EP-1 197 436. Documents FR-2 828 169, DE-2 02 04 975, EP-1 452 453, EP-0 251 945, U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,871, FR-1 575 635, FR-919 469, U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,731, U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,046, and FR-2 770 447 illustrate other implementations of wedging elements of this type or the technological background.
The implementation of the wedging element described in document EP-1 197 436 presents numerous advantages:                This wedging element is not meant to fill up all the unused space inside the box; the quantity of material used is always the same and remains moderate, even when the previously packaged objects occupy only a very small portion of the volume of the box;        This sheet can be made of a material similar to that used for producing the box itself, thereby greatly simplifying the recycling operations of the waste resulting from the elements constituting such a packaging.        Placement and fastening of this sheet inside the box are mechanical operations which can be automated.
But the implementation of such a wedging element also presents some inconveniences.
As a matter of fact:                the flat central part of the wedging sheet must be sufficiently sturdy and rigid to resist the constraints involved in the transportation of the box and maintain in a stable manner the products contained in it; under these conditions, it is often necessary to exert considerable efforts to deform it so that the largest portion of its surface will be in contact with the upper surface of the pile of objects; these efforts are inevitably transmitted to some of these objects and may damage them, if some of them are fragile;        when the lid of the box is removed, this wedging sheet constitutes an obstacle which prevents direct access to the packaged goods; for that this sheet needs to be torn away, but this operation is made difficult due to the absence of a grip area; to make this operation easier, it is known that the manufacturers usually put a plastic ribbon, called a pull strap, on the lower surface of box lids so as to facilitate opening of the lid by tearing the lid along the line created by this ribbon; the problem is that this pull strap can easily be put by the manufacturers only on the face of the lid on which grooves (also called channels) are made which mark the location of the folds of the flaps; on a lid, this face corresponds properly to the lower face; in the case of a wedging sheet as described, the face on which the grooves are made corresponds to the upper face of the wedge; it is thus not possible to easily place a pull strap on the bottom face of the wedge;        the material used for producing such a wedging sheet is most often corrugated board; this material, constituted in its so-called "single flute" version by 3 layers of paper (two flat sheets enclosing a corrugated sheet), poses a particular problem due to its anisotropic character: in effect, the folding of the various flaps along the grooves positioned perpendicularly to the flutes of the material does not pose a particular problem, whereas the folding of the flaps along the grooves positioned parallel to the flutes of the material has a tendency to deviate from the theoretical folding line created by the groove for the benefit of a most often polygon folding line, corresponding to the smallest effort needed to fold the flap taking into account the positions of the waves of the flute in the folding zone; the result of this deviation is an incorrect wedge geometry with dimensions between the turned-down flaps which may vary by significant proportions (in the order of the thickness of the wedging sheet, which is to say several millimeters);        the folding zone which connects the flaps to the central portion of the sheet is a zone of fragility; if special precautionary measures are not taken during the production of this wedge sheet, there exists a major risk of tearing of the material along this fold.
The problem at hand is therefore to provide a wedge in the form of a cardboard sheet, corrugated board or equivalent solid fiber material featuring a central portion which is put into contact with the upper surface of the pile of objects placed inside the box and flexible flaps, on at least two sides of the sheet, which are meant to be turned down and fastened, for example by gluing, to the internal face of the sidewalls of the box, this sheet:                must have a central portion that is sufficiently sturdy and rigid to resist the constraints during the transportation of the box and properly keep the product in these conditions, but must also be sufficiently pliable so that the largest portion of its surface can be put into contact with the upper surface of the pile of objects without exerting any major stress on these objects;        must allow a precise folding of the flaps along the theoretical folding line at their articulation with the central portion of the sheet, without making this articulation overly fragile.
The device described in document FR-2 828 169 does not allow to efficiently resolve the problem previously described. This device is constituted by a plate made of a semi-rigid material, such as cardboard or corrugated board, comprising a polygonal central portion with at least two parallel sides that are articulated by folding lines, strips or flaps the sides of which that are opposite the side walls of the container or box containing the items to be shipped are provided with an adhesive enabling them to become integral with said walls. It is pointed out, incidentally, that the central portion features folding lines parallel to two of its parallel sides which make it possible to deform said plate to apply it to portions of different heights of mixed lots of items to maintain in position in the boxes. According to the implementation illustrated in FIG. 3 of document FR-2 828 169, the polygonal central portion of the wedge plate features only two folding lines or grooves parallel to its short sides. Said central portion features, on the other hand, two weakening lines close together parallel to its large sides, however, these are not folding lines but perforating lines associated with a pull strap provided with a tab or "snake head" for traction.
Such a layout of the wedge sheet does not resolve the problem of efficient wedging of unusually shaped objects.
As a matter of fact,                either the wedge sheet is made of material that is too rigid and, in this case:        it cannot mold very closely the uneven upper surface of the pile of objects;        it can exert significant pressure on said upper surface so that certain fragile objects may get crushed or damaged by this pressure.        or the wedge sheet is made of too soft material and risks being split open if the score lines yield under the pressure, leading to the tearing of said wedge sheet as it is being pushed into the box.

Wedge for immobilizing objects in a box having a square or rectangular cross-section


The present invention is a copolymer containing, as essential structural units, unit A represented by Formula (1) and unit B represented by Formula (2):

Coating materials are used in a wide variety of applications, for instance in buildings, vehicles including automobiles and railcars, as well as ships, structures, electrical machinery, metallic articles, gardening supplies, furniture, leather, models and the like. In recent years, under the influence of environmental issues and the like, there has been a growing trend of oil-based coating materials being substituted by aqueous coating materials. The performance required from coating material varies depending on the concrete application, but weather resistance performance is often regarded as a major performance metric demanded from coating films of coating materials, in a field of a large market size such as buildings, vehicles including automobiles and railcars, as well as ships, structures and the like; thus, numerous companies and researchers have come to address improvements in weather resistance in aqueous coating materials.
Concrete approaches include: (i) addition of a silicon compound or a fluorine compound, being high-weather resistance substances, to a resin: for instance, Patent Document 1 discloses an aqueous coating composition that has excellent weather resistance and is obtained through addition of a water-soluble fluororesin to an aqueous dispersion of a synthetic resin; (ii) addition of a weather resistance improver such as an ultraviolet absorber (UVA) or hindered amine-type light stabilizer (HALS) to a resin: for instance, Patent Document 2 discloses an aqueous coating composition having excellent weather resistance and containing a coating film forming resin and a dispersed benzotriazole-based ultraviolet absorber having a particle size of 3 μm or less; Patent Document 3 discloses a high-weather resistance coating material resulting from adding 0.1 to 3 wt %, with respect to resin solids, of each of a hindered phenol-based antioxidant and a benzotriazole-based ultraviolet absorber; and (iii) addition, to a resin, of a water dispersion resulting from emulsion polymerization of a monomer having an unsaturated double bond in the molecule and a polymerization-reactive light stabilizer: for instance, Patent Document 4 discloses an aqueous coating composition having a polymerizable ultraviolet stabilizer as an essential component, the composition being formulated as an aqueous dispersion of a polymer obtained through multistage emulsion polymerization of radical-polymerizable unsaturated monomers; and Patent Document 5 discloses an aqueous coating composition resulting from adding, to an aqueous resin, a copolymer obtained through emulsion polymerization of unsaturated monomers including 0.5 to 50 parts by mass of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a piperidyl group in the molecule, and 50 to 99.5 parts by mass of a specific ethylenically unsaturated monomer, in the presence of 0.1 to 10 parts by mass of an emulsifier.

Copolymer and aqueous coating composition using same

Abstract: (wherein R1 and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a C1-20 hydrocarbon group, excluding cases where two or more groups of R1 to R3 are hydrogen atoms.)

Abstract: (wherein R5 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R6 represents a group selected from the group consisting of C1-20 hydrocarbon groups optionally containing an oxygen atom, C1-20 alkoxy groups, hydrogen atoms, oxygen radicals and hydroxyl groups.)


A conveyor belt module comprises a module body and offset hinge elements extending from each end of the module body. On one end, the hinge elements include a progressively widening hinge passageway having hinge openings extending at different angles. The hinge openings progressively widen in a stepped manner to facilitate load sharing.

The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and more particularly to modular plastic conveyor belts.
Modular plastic conveyor belts are widely used in various industries to convey products. Modular plastic conveyor belts are constructed of a series of rows of side-by-side belt modules, or rows of belt modules that span the length of the belt. Hinge openings opposite ends of each row interleave with hinge eyes of consecutive rows. A hinge rod inserted in the interleaved hinge openings connects the rows together at hinge joints into an endless conveyor belt loop.
Certain modular plastic conveyor belts may be designed to follow paths that include straight portions and curved portions. Belts capable of flexing sideways to follow curved paths are referred to as radius belts, or side-flexing belts. As a radius belt negotiates a turn, the belt must fan out because the edge of the belt at the outside of the turn follows a longer path than the edge at the inside of the turn. To enable the belt to fan out, the hinge openings on one end of each row are typically elongated in the direction of belt travel. The elongated openings allow the belt to collapse at the inside of a turn and to spread at the outside.
The requirement of following a curved path causes problems not found in straight-running belts. For example, because the elongated openings of conventional radius belts are identical in length across the width of the belt, few of the hinge element ends at the outside of a turn bear the entire belt pull. On a straight run, the belt pull is distributed across the entire width of the belt. Unless the outer hinge elements are specially bolstered, the belt pull strength rating is limited by the pull strength in a turn, which is often up to ten times less than on a straight. Thus, radius belts must be heavier and stronger than straight-running belts conveying the same load. Because the overall scale of structures and discontinuities on heavier belts is greater than on lighter belts, heavier belts are more likely to trip products such as beverage containers with small feet.

Conveyor belt module with stepped hinge passageway


The present invention provides a composite turnbuckle comprising a pair of co-axial and spaced annular end fittings. Each end fitting has a threaded interior surface and an outer surface. The end fittings are made of metal. The turnbuckle has a body that extends between the end fittings. The body includes a non-metallic material. The end fittings are secured to the body to limit relative axial movement between the end fittings and the body. The turnbuckle may be used in connection with riggings of sailing vessels, for example.

Turnbuckles are known in the art, and have been used for tightening a rod, strand or rope. Typical turnbuckles are made of metal, such as steel or brass, and typically have two threaded ends which receive the threaded ends of rods or the like. The threaded ends are threaded in opposite hand, so that by turning the turnbuckle the rods, strands or ropes on both ends may be loosened or tightened.
Turnbuckles have been used in sailing ships for pre-loading the mast or masts in tension. A ship's standing rigging, such as the side stays that hold up the mast or masts, may be placed in tension to thereby place the mast or masts in tension by tightening turnbuckles attached to the stays. Loads of 100-30,000 pounds or more are typically placed on the turnbuckle.
The turnbuckles used on the side stays in sailing vessels may be located several feet above the water line, particularly if the mast has one or more spreaders. These metal turnbuckles therefore contribute not only to the overall weight of the ship, but also affect the center of gravity and overall stability of the ship. In so doing, the metal turnbuckles contribute to problems with moments and produce a multiplier effect due to the distance above the water line, requiring a higher weight keel to overcome the effects of the moments and multiplier.
In addition, the metal turnbuckles have been subject to oxidation, reducing their useful lives and detracting from the appearance of the products. This oxidation problem is worsened in the harsh environments encountered in sailing, particularly in the ocean sailing environment.
Such prior art turnbuckles have typically been made by casting the entire metal turnbuckle as one piece.

Turnbuckle and method of making a turnbuckle


Disclosed herein is an implant device for osseointegration to endure weight. This implant device includes an insert-type implant inserted into an amputated end of a thighbone or a lower leg bone of a leg of a patient; a load dispersing adaptor having a cap shape, encompassing both the implant and the amputated end of the leg simultaneously at a lower end of the implant; a load support plate having a plate shape, coupled with the lower surface of the adaptor, whose diameter is widened, on which a plurality of muscle fixing holes are dispersedly formed; and a coupling screw, which couples the load dispersing adaptor with the insert-type implant at a bottom of the load dispersing plate through screw-coupling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to implant devices for osseointegration to endure weight and, more particularly, to an implant device for osseointegration to endure weight, whereby osseointegration is possible by mounting an implant vertically into an amputated end of a thighbone or a lower leg bone, both of which constitute the leg of a patient, and by coupling both a load dispersing adapter and a load support plate to the implant, thus dispersing load to the socket of a prosthetic leg and allowing the patient to conveniently use the prosthetic leg.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a prosthesis is an artificial replacement to compensate for physical shortage of the legs of a patient, which is in close contact with the stump of a lost body part (among the legs), has a plurality of functions, has an external appearance closely resembling human's legs, and can be attached and used in a stable manner.
According to a body part which is physically lost, for which attachment of the prosthesis is needed, there are upper leg amputation when the upper leg is amputated, lower leg amputation when the lower leg is amputated, and disarticulation when any of articulations of the upper leg or the lower leg is amputated.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the lower leg amputation includes toe amputation A to amputate a toe; tarsometatarsal amputation B to horizontally amputate a tarsometatarsal bone, in which a surgical operation to do this is referred to as "Lisfranc's disarticulation"; Chopar's amputation C to disarticulate the ankle bone inferior navicular and the lateral talus cuboid bone joints to thereby remain only the ankle bone and the lateral talus; Syme amputation D to amputate between the distal portion of the tarsometatarsal bone and that of ⅓ of a lower leg bone; below-knee (B-K) amputation E to amputate the lower leg bone 1 below the knee joint more proximal than the Syme amputation; knee disarticulation F to amputate the lower leg bone below the knee joint; above-knee (A-K) amputation G to amputate a thighbone 2 over the knee joint; hip disarticulation H that is surgically operated to completely remove the thighbone below the hip joint, thus treating malignant tumor, such as osteogenic sarcoma or cartilaginous sarcoma in the proximal portion of the thighbone; hemipelvectomy I to amputate one side of the pelvis and the entire lower leg; and hemicorporectomy J to amputate the lower half of one's body below the 3-4 numbered lumbar.
Especially, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the prosthetic leg due to amputation of the thighbone basically comprises a foot-ankle assembly 10, a shank 11, a knee assembly 12, a socket 13 and a suspension device (not shown).
The shank 20 of the thighbone prosthetic leg connects the foot assembly 10 to the knee assembly 12. The shank 20 may be made by cutting wood to be shaped as the lower leg of a person and covering it with plastic, or a metallic or PVC pipe may be used as an endoskeleton and the surface thereof is covered with a smooth and agreeable material for external beauty, which resembles the human's leg.
The knee assembly 12 is mainly used as a single axis.
Of course, the lower prosthetic leg used to compensate for amputation of the lower leg bone comprises a socket and an artificial foot.
The socket 13 employs entire contact, partial weight application and combination thereof, according to a load application type to an amputated portion. Depending upon the extent of using the remaining muscle of the amputated portion, the load applied to the socket varies, which brings the diversity in one's manner of walking. If a load is concentrically applied to both the amputated portion and the socket or the load is dispersedly applied to the entire part of the amputated portion, a scratch or dermatitis may be generated due to friction between the skin of the patient at the contact region and the socket. Accordingly, a patient who is wearing the lower prosthetic leg for a long period cannot correctly walk because of pains.

Implant device for osseointegration to endure weight


A bulk loader car (1) comprises a storage box (2) exhibiting a ground conveyor belt (4) and a support frame (3). The storage box (2) is supported on a vehicle undercarriage frame (9), wherein in each case rail undercarriages (12) are disposed on end sides of the vehicle undercarriage frame (9). A transfer conveyor belt (8) is coordinated to a discharge end (6) of the ground conveyor belt (4) disposed at an angle to the horizontal. The vehicle undercarriage frame (9) is composed out of a first and a second car frame (10, 11) connected to each other by a coupler (15). The storage box (2) is supported in each case by a swivel ring (19, 20) on the two car frames (10, 11). One of the swivel rings (19) is supported longitudinally shiftable relative to the car frame (10).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bulk loader car with a storage box exhibiting a ground conveyor belt and a support frame, wherein the storage box is supported by an undercarriage frame with in each case rail undercarriages disposed at the end side, wherein a transfer conveyor belt is coordinated to a discharge end of the ground conveyor belt disposed at an angle relative to the horizontal.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
Such bulk loader cars have already become known from different publications. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,262 describes a loader car with an elongated flat vehicle undercarriage frame, which can be moved on a rail track by means of rail undercarriages disposed at the ends of the flat vehicle undercarriage frame. A storage box, exhibiting a support frame, is mounted by way of supports on the undercarriage frame and contains a ground conveyor belt, running in the longitudinal direction of the car. A transfer conveyor belt follows to the discharge end of the ground conveyor belt. The transfer conveyor belt collars at an angle relative to the horizontal position and inclined upwardly beyond an end of the vehicle undercarriage frame. Upon coupling together of several such cars, the ground conveyor belts and the transfer conveyor belts, overlapping each other at their ends, form a continuous conveyor-belt road for the through transport of bulky material along the complete train set formation, or selectively for filling the individual storage boxes. The storage capacity of these loader cars depends, amongst other things, on the permissible axle loads.
Furthermore, a loader car is known from the German printed patent document DE 31 47 018 A1, wherein the loader car is employed for the transport of ore in mining. This loader car, shown in FIG. 7 of the German printed patent document DE 31 47 018 A1, is a loader car with an elongated storage box having a high storage capacity. The storage box is fixedly attached to a support frame and is supported together with the support frame on an undercarriage frame. In order to improve the curve-negotiating behavior in underground work operations or in mining, the undercarriage frame is composed of two frame parts. Two frame parts are disposed in series in the longitudinal direction of the track and are connected to each other by way of a hinged coupler. The free ends of the frame parts, are spaced apart from each other, and are in each case supported on a rail undercarriage. A so-called intermediate vehicle is furnished with a further undercarriage in the region of the coupler, and the two frame parts rest on the intermediate vehicle. The support frame of the storage box is supported on the undercarriage frame, in each case in the region of the end-side rail undercarriages with a hinged support, whereby the load of the storage box together with the bulk material stored therein applied in its totality onto these undercarriages at the end side, whereas the center undercarriage serves only for controlling the undercarriage frame in curved sections of the track.

Franz Plasser Bahn Baumaschinen-Industriegesellschaft M.B.H