A method of fabricating a color filter substrate includes forming a plurality of color filters on a substrate, wherein the color filters are spaced apart from each other by a first interval, and forming a common electrode on the substrate to cover the color filters. A photosensitive black material layer is formed on the common electrode to fill the first intervals between the color filters, and a mask is provided over the photosensitive black material layer. Light is then applied to the photosensitive black material layer from an upper side of the substrate through the mask and from a lower side of the substrate. The light-applied photosensitive black material layer is developed to form a plurality of black matrix portions within the first intervals between the color filters and to form a plurality of spacers above the color filters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color filter substrate and a method for fabricating the same, and more particularly, to a color filter substrate and a method for fabricating the same that includes spacers and a black matrix.
2. Description of the Related Art
Until recently, display devices generally employed cathode-ray tubes (CRTs). Presently, many efforts are being made to study and develop various types of flat panel displays. For instance, thin film transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCDs) have been developed as substitutions for CRTs because of their high resolution images, lightness, small thickness, compact size, and low voltage power supply requirements.
FIG. 1 illustrates a layout of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device according to the related art. In FIG. 1, the LCD device 11 includes an upper substrate 5, a lower substrate 22, and a liquid crystal material layer 14 interposed between the upper and lower substrates 5 and 22. A black matrix 6, a color filter 8, and a transparent common electrode 18 are formed on the upper substrate 15, such that the transparent common electrode 18 is formed on the color filter 8. The color filter 8 includes sub-color filters in color red (R), green(G), and blue (B), wherein the upper substrate 5 is commonly referred to as a color filter substrate. In addition, pixel regions P, pixel electrodes 17, gate lines 13, data lines 15, and switching devices T are formed on the lower substrate 22, such that the pixel electrodes 17 are formed within the pixel regions P and the switching devices T are formed at intersections of the gate and data lines 13 and 15. Moreover, the lower substrate 22 is commonly referred to as an array substrate or a thin film transistor substrate, wherein the switching devices T are arranged in a matrix configuration. The switching device T may include thin film transistors (TFTs) to switch an arrangement direction of liquid crystal molecules within the liquid crystal material layer 14. The pixel regions P are defined by the gate and data lines 13 and 15, and a transparent conductive metal, such as indium-tin-oxide (ITO) having a relatively high transmittance, is used to form the pixel electrodes 17 within the pixel regions P.
FIG. 2 illustrates steps for fabricating a thin film transistor substrate of a liquid crystal display device according to the related art. In FIG. 2, at step st1, a thin film transistor substrate is prepared by forming an array of thin film transistors and pixel electrodes on a lower substrate. At step st2, an orientation layer is formed on the lower substrate by depositing a polymeric material thin film on an entire surface of the lower substrate, and performing a uniform rubbing process. Generally, an organic material, such as polyimide, is used as the polymeric material thin film for forming the orientation film. During the rubbing process, the orientation layer is rubbed with a cloth along one direction, thereby aligning the liquid crystal molecules within a liquid crystal material layer (to be inserted later) along an initial array orientation corresponding to the rubbing direction, thereby providing normal operation of the liquid crystal molecules and uniform display characteristics.
At step st3, a seal pattern is formed through a printing process. The print process includes forming a desired pattern by screen-printing a thermosetting plastic material. The seal pattern serves two functions: forming a gap for a subsequent liquid crystal material injection process and providing confinement of the liquid crystal material.
At step st4, spacers are formed through a spraying process. The spacers maintain a precise and uniform gap between the lower substrate and an upper substrate, wherein the size of the spacers determines the dimension of the gap. Accordingly, the spacers are sprayed evenly onto one of the upper and lower substrates. Two different types of spraying process can be employed. First, a wet spraying process sprays a mixture of alcohol and a spacer material. In addition, a dry spraying process sprays only a spacer material. Moreover, the dry spraying process involves an electrostatic spray procedure that uses electrostatic forces or a non-electric spraying procedure that uses gas pressures. The non-electric spraying procedure is generally used when static electricity can damage the liquid crystal structure, and the procedure include electrifying a predetermined amount of spacer particle by friction through pipes, and releasing the spacer particle from a nozzle to the substrate. In addition, the electrostatic spraying procedure generally includes releasing a spacer particle from a high-voltage-applied nozzle to an grounded substrate.
At step st5, an attachment of the upper substrate (color filter substrate) and the lower substrate (thin film transistor substrate) is made through an attaching process. The margin of accuracy for attaching and aligning the upper and lower substrates is determined based on the design of each substrate. In general, accuracy within a few micrometers (μm) is required. If the accuracy of the alignment is not within the margin, the liquid crystal material layer will not properly operate due to light leakage.
At step st6, a cutting process of the liquid crystal cell is performed to create individual unit cells. For example, a number of individual unit cells are formed on one large-sized glass substrate, and the large-sized substrate is subsequently divided into the individual unit cells through the cutting process. Although the cutting process can be performed after the liquid crystal material is injected, the liquid crystal material is commonly injected into the individual unit cells because the size of the large-sized substrate. The cutting process includes a scribing process that forms cutting lines on a surface of the large-size substrate using a diamond pen, and a breaking process that divides the substrate along the cutting lines by application of force.
At step st7, the liquid crystal material is injected between the upper and lower substrates of each individual unit through a injection process. Typically, each of the individual unit cells has a size of several hundreds of square centimeters with a gap of several micrometers between the upper and lower substrates. Accordingly, a vacuum injection procedure is commonly used.
Alternatively, spacers can be formed through a patterning process, rather than the spraying process. For example, the patterning of spacers may be performed on the lower substrate (the thin film transistor substrate) over the matrix structure, or the patterning of spacers may be performed on the upper substrate (the color filter substrate) by using a photosensitive material.
FIGS. 3A-3G illustrate a method of forming a color filter substrate of a liquid crystal display device according to the related art. In FIG. 3A, a photosensitive black organic material is deposited on a transparent insulating substrate 5, thereby forming a black organic layer 4. The photosensitive black organic material can be a positive type where portions that are subsequently exposed to light are removed by a development process, or a negative type, such that portions that are subsequently exposed to light are not removed by a development process. In addition, a mask 19 having light-transmitting portions A and light-shielding portions B is disposed over the black organic layer 4. Subsequently, light L1 irradiates portions of the black organic layer 4 through the light-transmitting portions A of the mask 19. In FIG. 3B, after developing the light-exposed black organic layer 4, a black matrix 6 is formed on the transparent insulating substrate 5. Generally, the black matrix 6 is formed between red/green/blue patterns (sub-color filters) to screen light along a boundary of pixel electrodes 17 (in FIG. 1). The black matrix 6 is commonly formed of a metal thin film, such as chromium (Cr), a carbon-based organic material having an optical density of more than 3.5, or a double layer structure of Cr and chromium-oxide (CrOx), to form a uniform lower reflection layer. The specific material used for forming the black matrix 6 is commonly based on the material availability.
In FIG. 3C, a color filter using a color resin of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) is formed on the substrate 5 and the black matrix 6. The color resin includes a photo polymerization initiation material, a photo polymerization type photosensitive composition material, and an organic pigment that has red/green/blue or similar colors. For example, a red color resin is first deposited on an entire surface of the substrate 5, and a red sub-color filter 8a is formed within a desired region by selective exposure of light. Next, a green color resin is deposited on the entire surface of the substrate 5, and a green color filter 8b is formed by another selective exposure of light. Then, a blue color resin is deposited on the entire surface of the substrate 5, and a blue color filter 8c is within a desired region by another selective exposure of light. Although the above-discussed sequence of the color resin is red, green, blue, any sequence of color resin may be chosen. Accordingly, the substrate 5 can now be referred to as a color filter substrate.
In FIG. 3D, after sub-color filters 8a, 8b, and 8c are formed on the substrate 5 and the black matrix 6, a planarization process is performed. The planarization process includes depositing a transparent resin having insulating properties on the color filter substrate 5 to form an overcoat layer 26.
In FIG. 3E, a process of forming an electrode on the color filter substrate 5 is performed. In general, when using the color filter substrate 5 as the upper substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, a transparent electrode 18 is formed on top of the color filter substrate 5. The transparent electrode 18 (i.e., the common electrode) will be used to drive the liquid crystal material layer 14 (in FIG. 1) with a pixel voltage. The common electrode 18 is formed by depositing a transparent conductive material, such as indium-tin oxide (ITO) or indium-zinc-oxide (IZO), on the overcoat layer 26, and subsequent patterning of the transparent conductive material. Moreover, an organic material, such as polyimide, is deposited on the common electrode 18, and rubbed to form an alignment layer 19.
In FIG. 3F, patterning is performed to form spacers. First, a photosensitive organic material is coated on the entire surface of the alignment layer 19 to form a photosensitive organic layer 28, such that the photosensitive organic material is a negative type that leaves the light-exposure portions after a development process. A mask 30 having light-transmitting portions E and light-shielding portions F is disposed over the photosensitive organic layer 28, such that the light-transmitting portions E correspond to the areas where the desired spacer patterns will be subsequently formed. Then, light L2 irradiates the photosensitive organic layer 28 through the light-transmitting portions E of the mask 30. In FIG. 3G, after a development process is completed, the photosensitive organic layer 28 is developed into spacer patterns 40.
The aforementioned process, however, has some disadvantages. For example, a number of the steps (the photolithographic process) are required to form only spacers, whereby the photolithographic process is more complicated than the spraying method. Further, an additional mask is required to form the spacers during the photolithographic process, thereby increasing production cost.

Color filter substrate and method for fabricating the same


Embodiments herein describe a SoC that includes a mapper that identifies a destination ID for routing a transaction through a NoC. In one embodiment, the NoC includes ingress and egress logic blocks which permit hardware elements in the SoC to transmit and receive data using the NoC. In one embodiment, the ingress logic blocks can include the mapper that identifies a destination ID for each transaction. In one embodiment, the mapper can receive a destination ID from the hardware element that submitted the transaction to the ingress logic block. In this case, the mapper can bypass the address map by using the provided destination ID. If a destination ID is not provided, however, the mapper can use an address provided in the transaction to identify the destination ID.

A system on chip (SoC) (e.g., a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic device (PLD), or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) can contain a packet network structure known as a network on a chip (NoC) to route data packets between logic blocks in the SoC—e.g., programmable logic blocks, processors, memory, and the like. Although the NoC can be formed from programmable logic, this requires a lot of area on the SoC which could be used for other features or circuitry (e.g., more processors, memory, or available programmable logic for the user). Hardening all, or some, of the NoC (e.g., using non-programmable circuitry) can significantly reduce its footprint in the SoC but the NoC then loses flexibility. For example, a hardened address map for mapping addresses to destinations in the NoC may lack flexibility to adapt to changing needs of different hardware entities in the SoC.

Flexible address mapping for a NoC in an integrated circuit


It is an air-filled cushioning material which sufficiently protects an article to be protected with less possibility of rupture of sheets against an external force to a compartment thereof or wild bounding in falling. The air-filled cushioning material 1 formed of non-breathable soft resin sheets has a compartment area 2 that produces cushioning effect by filling it with air. The compartment area 2 is separated into a first compartment 21 and an adjacent second compartment 22, both compartments 21, 22 communicating with each other via an air-flow passage 7. The air-flow passage 7 allows an air-flow to pass from either of the compartments 21, 22 to the other while applying resistance. The air moves from either of the compartments 21, 22 which accepts an external force P to the other through the air-flow passage 7.

Hitherto, an air-filled cushioning material with an air layer between overlying soft resin sheets has been widely used. This intends to protect the packaged article from an external impact by fitting the air layer to the whole or a part of the article.
An example of such air-filled cushioning material has been already proposed by the present applicant as an air-filled cushioning material 101, which is shown in FIG. 6, in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. H07-285581. In FIG. 6, a compartment 102 formed by adhering the non-breathable soft resin sheets, will be filled with air in order to protect the article in contact with the air-filled cushioning material 101 by cushioning effect of the inflated compartments 102.
However, when one of the compartments 102 accepts a strong external force of impact or the like concentrated thereon, the article that especially weighs heavy may get damaged.
Each compartment 102 is a closed portion, and if the air in the compartment 102 moves responding to the external force, there is no way out for the air. Trying to absorb the impact, the sheet has a limit on strength. When the external force excesses the limit of the sheet, the compartment 102 ruptures.
Even when the compartment 102 does not rupture in falling on the floor or ground, wild bounding may cause damage to the article in contact with the compartment area 102.


A mobile terminal includes an apparatus for displaying messages. When a message is transmitted or received, whether the message has a relation with stored messages is determined. When it is determined that the message has a relation with at least one of the stored messages, the message is assigned the same tag as a tag of the at least one message. When a related message view command for one of the message and the at least one message occurs, contents of messages comprising the tag are displayed together.

In modern society, mobile terminals have been rapidly distributed due to the mobile terminal's convenience and necessity, and now, the mobile terminal has become a necessity of a modern people. Therefore, service providers and terminal manufacturers provide numerous additional functions in order to increase utility of the mobile terminal. For example, the mobile terminal includes functions such as a phone book, games, a scheduler, Short Message Service (SMS), multimedia message service, cell broadcasting service, an Internet service, an electronic (E)-mail, a morning call, Motion Picture Expert Group Audio Layer-3 (MP3), a digital camera, and so forth.
Of the above-listed various functions provided through the mobile terminal, SMS is one of most frequently used functions in the mobile terminal. Messages received and transmitted through the SMS are stored in a memory inside the mobile terminal. Therefore, a user can perform management functions such as search, check, delete, return, and the like with respect to messages transmitted and received in the past. For example, when a user intends to check contents of a stored message, a mobile terminal aligns and displays the stored messages in an order of a transmission time or a reception time. Additionally, when the user selects one of the aligned messages, the mobile terminal displays contents of the selected message.
Recently, studies of propensity to use of SMS by users show that two users engage in a conversation by giving and taking messages between them. In this case, the messages exchanged between the two users have a relation in their contents. Therefore, in the case where a user checks contents of a stored message, the user desires to check contents of related messages together. However, a message display function of a current mobile terminal cannot meet the above-described demand of users, and moreover, does not have even a capability of identifying related messages.

Apparatus and method for displaying messages in a mobile terminal


A display device includes a first liquid crystal panel configured to display an image to be seen by the observer, and a second liquid crystal panel laid on the first liquid crystal panel. The second liquid crystal panel includes a black matrix defining pixels, opaque gate lines disposed to be distant from one another in a first direction, and opaque data lines disposed to be distant from one another in a second direction different from the first direction. Lines of the black matrix disposed to be distant from one another in the first direction and the gate lines constitute dark lines disposed at a specified pitch in the first direction. Lines of the black matrix disposed to be distant from one another in the second direction and the data lines constitute dark lines disposed at a specified pitch in the second direction.

This disclosure relates to a liquid crystal display device.
Liquid crystal display devices are applied widely from small-size mobile phones to large-size television monitors because of their characteristics to achieve low power consumption and high resolution. However, the contrast value of a liquid crystal display device placed alone in a dark environment is about 1000 to 2000 at most, which is low compared to the value of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device, several millions. This brings a problem that a liquid crystal display device cannot provide sufficient reality in displaying images produced by an imaging source having rich expressions of black, like high dynamic range (HDR) images in recent years.
Meanwhile, another problem of a liquid crystal display device is pointed out: when an on-vehicle display device or on-vessel instrument is used in night time, light from the backlight leaks out to a region displaying black to cause a phenomenon so-called black floating, making it difficult to accurately discriminate the displayed information. To assure highly discriminable display, improvement of black display (drastic improvement in contrast ratio) is demanded.
To solve these problems, the contrast ratio of the liquid crystal display device has to be improved drastically. However, the contrast ratio of a conventional liquid crystal display device is about 2000:1 at most, as described above; the contrast ratio required for the foregoing applications, dozens of thousands to one, cannot be attained.
To address this problem of a liquid crystal display device, stacking a plurality of liquid crystal panels is proposed to raise the contrast ratio by lowering the black level. A contrast higher than the contrast available from a single liquid crystal panel can be attained by stacking a plurality of liquid crystal panels.
Usually, one of the stacked liquid crystal panels is a color liquid crystal panel for displaying images to be seen by the observer and it is disposed closer to the observer. The other liquid crystal panel is disposed between the backlight and the color liquid crystal panel and displays monochrome images.

SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


The present invention provides a class of pyrimidinedione cyclohexenyl compounds and methods of using these compounds as glucocorticoid receptor modulators.

In most species, including man, the physiological glucocorticoid is cortisol (hydrocortisone). In rodents, the physiological glucocorticoid is corticosterone. Glucocorticoids are secreted in response to ACTH (corticotropin), which shows both circadian rhythm variation and elevations in response to stress and food. Cortisol levels are responsive within minutes to many physical and psychological stresses, including trauma, surgery, exercise, anxiety and depression. Cortisol is a steroid and acts by binding to an intracellular, glucocorticoid receptor (GR). In man, glucocorticoid receptors are present in two forms: a ligand-binding GR-alpha of 777 amino acids; and, a GR-beta isoform which lacks the 50 carboxy terminal residues. Since these residues include the ligand binding domain, GR-beta is unable to bind the natural ligand, and is constitutively localized in the nucleus.
The biologic effects of cortisol, including those caused by hypercortisolemia, can be modulated at the GR level using receptor modulators, such as agonists, partial agonists and antagonists. Several different classes of agents are able to block the physiologic effects of GR-agonist binding. These antagonists include compositions which, by binding to GR, block the ability of an agonist to effectively bind to and/or activate the GR. One such known GR antagonist, mifepristone, has been found to be an effective anti-glucocorticoid agent in humans (Bertagna (1984) J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 59:25). Mifepristone binds to the GR with high affinity, with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 10−9 M (Cadepond (1997) Annu. Rev. Med. 48:129).
Cortisol (and corticosterone) also binds to the mineralocorticoid receptor, MR. Cortisol has higher affinity for MR than it does for GR, and MR is usually considered to be fully occupied under normal physiological conditions. Under conditions of stress, cortisol concentrations are increased and GR becomes occupied. Aldosterone also binds to MR, and aldosterone and cortisol have similar affinity for MR. However, glucocorticoids circulate at roughly 100 times the level of mineralocorticoids. An enzyme (11-β hydroxsteroid dehydrogenase 1) exists in mineralocorticoid target tissues to prevent overstimulation by glucocorticoids.
When administered to subjects in need thereof, steroids can provide both intended therapeutic effects, as well as negative side effects. What is needed in the art are new compositions and methods for selectively modulating GR Surprisingly, the present invention meets these and other needs.

Pyrimidine cyclohexenyl glucocorticoid receptor modulators


The planing blade axle includes an axle body and blades assembled externally onto the axle body in a predefined pattern. Tapped holes are arranged onto the blade assembly surface of the axle body for assembly of blades. A pyramidal through-hole is placed centrally onto the blade, so that the blades screw securely into the tapped hole via the bolts with pyramidal end blade. An expanded shoulder is additionally placed at a top of the pyramidal through-hole, so that an expanded flange is placed opposite to the pyramidal end of the bolt. When the blade is screwed by the bolt, a definite and solid positioning effect will be achieved if the flange contacts the expanded shoulder of the blade. The present invention efficiently prevents excessive locking and subsequent cracking of the blade, increasing positioning area, leading to prolonged service life and a more stable locking state with improved applicability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a blade, and more particularly to an improved planing blade having a planing blade axle with combined blades.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
A planing blade axle structure generally comprises an axle body and some blades assembled externally onto the axle body in a predefined pattern. Currently, a lot of combined blade patterns are available. The typical structures are shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, wherein the blades 20 of axle body 10 are provided with pyramidal through-holes 21, and tapped holes 12 are arranged onto the blade assembly surface 11 of the axle body 10 for assembly of blades 20. Moreover, the blades 20 are screwed securely onto the axle body 10 via bolts 30 with the pyramidal end 31.
However, the typical structure is found to have the following shortcomings during application. First, the blades 20 are screwed onto the axle body 10 through the oblique compression between the pyramidal end 31 of bolt 30 and pyramidal through-hole 21 of the blade 20, as shown by the hollow arrow in FIG. 3. The extremely large application of force will possibly lead to cracking the blades 20 due to the lack of a positioning point at the oblique surface and the smaller gap between the pyramidal through-hole 21 and the surrounding surface. Thus, a possible slight crack may have an adverse impact on the operation of axle body 10, shortening the service life of the blades 20 in the cutting activities.
On the other hand, the other shortcoming of a typical axle body 10 is shown in FIG. 1 is that concave portions 13 are arranged tangentially onto the blade assembly surface 11 with tapped holes 12. These concave portions 13 make the axle body 10 generate turbulence during high-speed rotation, so the wood scraps in the planing process will shift radially towards the axle body 10 along the concave portions 13, thus affecting the next planing process, leading to defective workpieces or poorer processing quality.
Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve efficacy.
To this end, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products.


The invention relates to a seamless, tubular sausage casing based on cellulose hydrate having a continuous coating made of a polymeric material on its outer surface, which is permeable to hot smoke and cold smoke. The coating preferably has a thickness of from 3 to 10 xcexcm and can also comprise or consist of a plurality of individual layers. The coating can be applied by conventional coating processes, and in addition also by single or repeated whole-surface printing. The casing is adapted especially for smoked liver sausage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seamless, tubular sausage casing based on cellulose hydrate having a continuous coating made of a polymeric material on its outer surface. The casing is particularly useful for liver sausage.
2. Description of Related Art
Coated tubular cellulose hydrate sausage casings are generally known. For example a casing according to DE-A 32 40 847 is furnished on the outside with a fungicidal coat. It includes the reaction product of a cationic polymer based on polyamine, polyamide and epichlorohydrin with an alkali metal salt, alkaline earth metal salt or ammonium salt of propionic acid, sorbic acid, ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-chlorobenzoic acid or 4-methoxybenzoic acid. A seamless, tubular casing based on cellulose hydrate having a coating on the outside and on the inside is disclosed, for example in EP-A 001 545 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,217. The inner coating includes a thermoplastic material and is virtually impermeable to water and water vapor. The outer coating, in contrast, is permeable to water and water vapor and comprises an elastic copolymer, preferably an acrylate or methacrylate copolymer or a butadiene, isoprene or chloroprene copolymer. It does not form a closed coat and therefore has no barrier action either. It is produced by applying an emulsion which comprises the copolymer in the form of particles having a diameter of up to 0.08 xcexcm and is subsequently dried. The weight of the outer coating is generally from 0.5 to 8.0 g/m2. Because the impermeable inner coating the casing is not smoke-permeable, a sausage produced using such a casing cannot be smoked.
A sausage casing that has an oxygen barrier layer and water vapor barrier layer on its outside or inside is described in EP-A 457 178. The barrier layer consists essentially of a copolymer based on monomers of the formula H2Cxe2x95x90CR1xe2x80x94X, where R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and X is Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94(C1-C20)alkyl or COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(C1-C20)alkyl. The copolymer, moreover, can further contain units of (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylonitrile. Particular preference is given to copolymers of butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate and acrylic acid. The barrier layer forms a closed coat and has a weight per unit area of at least 12 g/m2, preferably at least 14 gm2. The barrier properties or such a casing virtually approach those of a polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) layer. This casing is also impermeable to smoke.
For unsmoked liver sausage, customarily casings having a high barrier action to oxygen and water vapor are used, since the liver sausage emulsion is particularly sensitive to atmospheric oxygen and dries out relatively easily. Oxidation is recognizable by a green discoloration of the emulsion surface, while drying out is recognizable by a brown discoloration. When casings having particularly effective barrier layers are used (in particular those having PVDC layers), there is generally only a low risk of discoloration and loss of weight by drying out.
Previously, fiber-reinforced cellulose hydrate casings have generally been used for smoked liver sausage. In addition, collagen casings or natural casings have also been used. Liver sausage casings made of acrylate-coated fabric which are sewn up to make tubes are also known. All of these casings are permeable to smoke, but also to oxygen and water vapor. As a consequence, the liver sausage emulsion in these casings becomes discolored, even after only a few days and thus loses quality.
An object of the present invention was therefore to provide a seamless, tubular casing for smoked liver sausage.
The present application thus relates to a seamless, tubular sausage casing comprising cellulose hydrate, wherein the casing has a continuous coating of a polymeric material on its outer surface, and wherein the coating is permeable to hot smoke and cold smoke and the coating preferably has a thickness of from 3 to 10 xcexcm.
Additional advantages, features and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices, shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
A casing according to the present invention should generally be resistant to boiling water and hot steam, permeable to hot smoke and cold smoke, and sufficiently impermeable to oxygen and water vapor so that the sausage can be stored for at least 3 to 5 days in a cold room before it is enclosed by a second packaging. In addition a casing of the instant invention should generally reduce or prevent as far as possible the sausage from drying out. In addition, a casing of the present invention should generally protect liver sausage emulsion (or other contents therein) against the action of light and should preferably not affect the fat/protein equilibrium, so that substantially no fat separates out from the emulsion. Not least, the casing should advantageously fit tightly and without creasing and should be able to be peeled off readily without tearing or having a tendency toward tear propagation. For ecological reasons, the casing should in addition also be substantially or completely free from chlorine-containing compounds, such as PVDC. The simultaneous solution of all these objects has previously been thought to be impossible. However, it has now been found that many or all of the above may be solved by employing a thin outer coating made of a synthetic polymer or copolymer.
The coating preferably comprises a homopolymer or copolymer consisting of or comprising units of monomers of the formula H2Cxe2x95x90CR1xe2x80x94X, where R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and X is Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94R2 or COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94R2, where R2 is (C1-C10)alkyl, preferably (C1-C5)alkyl.
In addition, units of other vinyl monomers may be present in the polymer coating if desired for any reason. The content of these other units, if included, is generally up to 45% by weight, preferably up to 30% by weight, in each case based on the total weight of the polymer. The other vinyl monomers are preferably those of the formula H2Cxe2x95x90CR1xe2x80x94X, where X is OH, CO2H, COxe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94(C1-C10)alkyl or CN. The content of (meth)acrylic acid units and of (meth)acrylonitrile units is generally relatively small. For example, in the case of (meth)acrylic acid units, the content is preferably from 0.1 to 20% by weight, more preferably from 0.5 to 10% by weight, and in the case of (meth)acrylonitrile units, preferably from 0.1 to 35% by weight, more preferably from 1.0 to 20% by weight, in each case based on the total weight of the polymer. Other suitable vinyl monomers include unsubstituted or substituted styrenes, (C2-C8)alkenes (especially ethylene or propylene) and/or conjugated (C4-C10)alkadienes (especially butadiene or isoprene). Using polyfunctional compounds, in particular polyfunctional aziridines, the (meth)acrylate polymers may be crosslinked and/or otherwise linked to the cellulose surface. The term xe2x80x9c(meth)acrylatexe2x80x9d in this context means xe2x80x9cacrylate and/or methacrylatexe2x80x9d. The same applies to xe2x80x9c(meth)acrylic acidxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c(meth)acrylamidexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c(meth)acrylonitrilexe2x80x9d etc.
The polymer is preferably hydrophilic. Its mean molecular weight Mw is preferably relatively large, i.e. advantageously greater than 200,000, preferably greater than 500,000. Polyesterurethanes are also suitable, and may be prepared for example from a polyesterdiol, a chain extender and a diisocyanate or triisocyanate. The polyesterdiols are preferably formed in this case from an unbranched (C3-C10) diol (especially butane-1,4-diol or hexane-1,6-diol) and a (C3-C8) dicarboxylic acid, (especially adipic acid). Suitable chain extenders can comprise, inter alia, diols and diamines, such as hexamethylenediamine. The diisocyanate or triisocyanate is preferably hexamethylene diisocyanate, bis(4-isocyanatocyclohexyl)methane, diphenylmethane 4,4xe2x80x2-diisocyanate or naphthalene 1,4-, 1,5- or 2,6-diisocyanate.
In a preferred embodiment, the coating may additionally contain one or more dyes and/or pigments which protect the emulsion against the action of light. Suitable dyes and/or pigments therefore absorb light in the visible region of the spectrum, and preferably also absorb UV radiation. The pigments can be of any type such as an inorganic or organic type. However, preference is given to organic pigments, for example azo pigments (for example, an azo pigment available under the name (copyright)Novofil from Clariant Deutschland GmbH).
The inclusion or one or more dyes and/or pigments serve in particular for achieving the ochre or yellowish-brown color typically associated with liver sausage casings. The content of the pigments and/or dyes, if included, is generally from 0.5 to 12.0% by weight, more preferably from 1.0 to 6.0% by weight, in each case based on the total weight of the nonvolatile constituents of the coating. The outer coating can optionally further comprise customary additives in subsidiary amounts (together up to about 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the coating) as long as these additives do not materially affect the permeability of the casing for hot or cold smoke. For example, a wax, preferably in an amount of up to 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the coating, or aluminum silicate (kaolin), preferably in an amount of up to 3% by weight, based on the total weight of the coating, can reduce or prevent a flattened and rolled up casing from sticking together. Furthermore, additives which increase the surface roughness of the casing may be employed. On a casing having a rough surface the end clip is held in position much better. For this purpose e.g. a PVC latex or a crosslinked acrylate resin may be employed, preferably in an amount of up to 3% by weight, based on the total weight of the coating.
On the inside, the casing of the invention is preferably not coated or impregnated. However, if a coating or impregnation is imparted on an interior surface of the casing, it is highly desirable and in some instances imperative that the impregnation and/or coating not impair the smoke permeability of the casing.
The outer coating may be produced by any process which is generally familiar to those skilled in the art. For instance, it is possible to apply a solution of the polymeric material in an organic solvent (preferably ethanol, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate or ethyl lactate) onto the cellulose hydrate casing and then remove the solvent. Polyester urethanes are particularly suitable for this coating process. As an alternative, an aqueous dispersion of the polymeric material may also be used.
To apply the coating, a flattened tubular casing can be conducted through a bath containing the described solution or dispersion. The thickness of the coating may be regulated, for example, by adjusting the roller gap and/or by using an air knife. The coating is preferably dried and thereby solidified in a hot-air drier, as described for example, in DE-A 30 12 064, which is incorporated herein by reference. It is also possible to apply the outer coating onto an inflated casing via a ring nozzle and an air knife. Solidification and drying can then be performed as described according to any technique.
It has proven to be particularly simple and inexpensive to apply the coating by full-surface printing. A flexographic printing process is particularly suitable in some instances. The printing can optionally be repeated once or several times; thus the coating can comprise or consist of a plurality of individual layers which, if appropriate, have the same or different compositions. Thus the dyes and/or pigments are not necessarily present in all individual layers. The total thickness of the outer coating is preferably from 4 to 8 xcexcm, particularly preferably from 4 to 6 xcexcm. It is generally desirable and often important that the coating be uniform and free from streaks.
The cellulose hydrate base material can comprise a fiber reinforcement if desired which preferably comprises or consists of hemp fibers. The viscose can be applied to the fiber reinforcement in any manner such as from the outside, from the inside or from both sides (so-called externally, internally or double viscose-treated casings). The casing according to the present invention generally comprises more than 60% by weight, preferably more than 80% by weight, in particular more than 90% by weight, of cellulose, based on the weight of the casing. The fiber reinforcement preferably also consists of a cellulose material, such as hemp fibers.
The uncoated cellulose casing advantageously has, at 23xc2x0 C. and 85% relative humidity (RH), a water vapor permeability of 1,700 to 2,000 g per square meter and day (determined in accordance with DIN 53 122) and a permeation at 40 bar of 105 to 110 l per square meter and day. The oxygen permeability at 23xc2x0 C. and 85% RH is advantageously 200 to 220 cm3 per square meter and day at an internal pressure of 1 bar, at 23xc2x0 C. and 53% RH as little as only 15 to 20 cm3/m2 d bar (determined in accordance with DIN 53 380). The casing of the invention shows a considerably higher barrier values. Thus, at 23xc2x0 C. and 85% RH its water vapor permeability is advantageously 800 to 1200 g/m2 d, its permeation at 40 bar is 75 to 100 1l/m2 d and its oxygen permeability is 150 to 170 cm3/m2 d bar at 23xc2x0 C. and 85% RH and 8 to 12 cm3/m2 d bar at 23xc2x0 C. and 53% RH.
These barrier properties are generally sufficient for the liver sausages after cooking and smoking, to be stored for 4 to 7 days under coldroom conditions (2xc2x0 C., 75% relative humidity) without their discoloring, greatly losing weight or deteriorating in other ways. The casing of the invention is generally equally highly permeable to hot smoke and cold smoke. xe2x80x9cHot smokexe2x80x9d has a temperature of about 30 to 80xc2x0 C. when acting on the casing, whereas xe2x80x9ccold smokexe2x80x9d has a temperature of less than 30 xc2x0 C. when impinging on the casing. The weight loss is of the liver sausages produced using the casing of the invention can be, when cooked in a typical steam cabinet, only 0.8 to 1.2%, whereas weight loss is generally 8 to 10% in the case of liver sausages cooked in uncoated cellulose casings. In the case of cooking in the kettle and subsequent cold smoking, the weight loss can be only 0.8 to 1.2%, compared with 3.5 to 5% in the case of the liver sausages in uncoated casings. After a few days, the liver sausages can be provided with a second packaging as is customary in the art.
Hitherto it has always been assumed that, when the water vapor and oxygen barrier properties are increased, the barrier to smoke flavor and aroma substances also increases accordingly. However, surprisingly, this is not so with the casings of the present invention. It is assumed that the flavor and aroma substances dissolve in the polymeric material and thus migrate through the casing. Thus, the flavor and aroma are therefore virtually transported via a bridge mechanism through the polymer coating.

Coated fiber-reinforced casing based on cellulose hydrate suitable for smoked liver sausage


The present invention has for its object to provide a process for manufacturing multilayer printed circuit boards which is capable of simultaneous via hole filling and formation of conductor circuit and via holes of good crystallinity and uniform deposition can be constructed on a substrate and high-density wiring and highly reliable conductor connections can be realized without annealing. The present invention is related to a process for manufacturing multilayer printed circuit boards which comprises disposing an interlayer resin insulating layer on a substrate formed with a conductor circuit, creating openings for formation of via holes in said interlayer resin insulating layer, forming an electroless plated metal layer on said interlayer resin insulating layer, disposing a resist thereon, performing electroplating, stripping the resist off and etching the electroless plated metal layer to provide a conductor circuit and via holes, wherein the electroplating is performed intermittently using said electroless plated metal layer as cathode and a plating metal as anode at a constant voltage between said anode and said cathode.

With the mounting need for higher functionality and further miniaturization of electronic equipment, advances in integration technology of LSI and in size reduction of components, and changes in the mounting mode, the demand for high-density wiring is getting greater in the field of printed circuit boards and, as a consequence, development of the so-called multilayer circuit boards comprising 3 or more conductor layers has been broadly undertaken.
In view of the demand for higher wiring density in multilayer circuit boards, the so-called buildup multilayer circuit board is attracting attention. The buildup multilayer circuit board is manufactured by the technology disclosed in Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-4-55555, for instance. Thus, a core substrate board formed with a lower-layer conductor circuit is coated with an electroless plating adhesive comprising a photosensitive resin and, after the coat is dried, exposure to light and development are carried out to provide an interlayer resin insulating layer having openings for via holes. Then, the surface of this interlayer resin insulating layer is roughened with an oxidizing agent or the like and a thin electroless plated copper layer is formed on said interlayer resin insulating layer. Then, a plating resist is disposed thereon and a thick electroplated copper layer is constructed. The plating resist is then stripped off and the thin electroless plated copper layer is etched off to provide a conductor circuit pattern including via holes. This procedure is repeated a plurality of times to provide a multilayer printed circuit board.
When, in the above process for fabricating a printed circuit board, the direct-current plating (DC plating) method, which is one of the conventional electroplating techniques, is used to provide said electroplated copper layer on a substrate surface, the current generally tends to be concentrated in the marginal area of the substrate surface as compared with the central area so that, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the thickness t12 of the copper layer in the marginal area of the substrate surface tends to become greater than the thickness t11 in the central area, thus causing a regional variation in thickness of the electroplated copper layer.
Since, in actual production runs, said substrate surface is the surface of a substrate board (work size substrate) having a large area corresponding to a large number of printed circuit boards integrated (specifically, the average one has an area of 255 to 510 mm square and there is even one having an area of about 1020 mm square at a maximum), the above tendency is particularly pronounced.
In the manufacture of printed circuit boards, when the electroplated copper layer constituting a conductor circuit is not uniform in thickness, the insulation interval t14 between conductor layers in the marginal region of the substrate board is relatively smaller than the insulation interval t13 between conductor layers in the central region of the substrate board as shown in FIG. 7, so that the thickness of the insulating layer 110lb between conductor layers must be increased in order to insure a sufficient insulation in all regions of the printed circuit board but this is a hindrance to the implementation of high-density wiring.
In addition, when the copper layer is formed by direct current plating, the crystallinity of the plated copper is low because of the use of an organic additive for improved throwing power. Moreover, the residual stress in the plated copper layer is fairly large so that the layer tends to develop cracks and other flaws and show low elongation and high tensile strength characteristics. Therefore, an annealing step for reducing the residual stress has been essential to the manufacture of printed circuit boards.
As a technology for insuring the uniformity of thickness of the plated copper layer, it has been proposed to form a thick plated copper layer by electroless plating alone without electroplating. However, the thick plated copper layer formed by electroless plating is poor in ductility because of the unavoidable contamination of the layer with many impurities inclusive of the additives used. Therefore, when a thick plated copper layer is formed by electroless plating, the reliability for the wiring and connection is insufficient and in order to attain a sufficient degree of reliability, an annealing step is indispensable in this case, too.
To overcome the above problem, a technology for constructing a thick plated copper layer by a constant-current pulse electrolytic technique has been proposed.
The constant-current pulse electroplating process is characterized in that the plating current is controlled at a constant level and the representative waveform involved is a square wave.
This technology may be further divided into the process (PC plating process; FIG. 8) in which the current is controlled by means of the square pulse wave available by repetition of the alternating supply (ON) and interruption (OFF) of the cathode current and the pulse-reverse electroplating method (PR plating method; FIG. 9) in which the current is controlled with a periodically reversed wave available by repetition of the alternating supply of cathode current and supply of anode current. As compared with the direct current electroplating process, the non-steady diffusion layer can be reduced in thickness in either process, with the result that a smooth plated metal layer can be constructed and further that since plating can be effected at a high pulse current density (high overvoltage), the evolution of crystal seeds is promoted to yield finer crystal grains, thus enabling formation of a plated metal layer of high crystallinity. As an example of the PR electroplating method, the process disclosed by Fujinami et al. (Surface Technology, "Formation of Via Filling by PR Electrolysis", 48[6], 1997, p. 86-87).
However, when the plated copper layer is formed by PC process, the uniformity of layer thickness is superior to that obtainable by direct current plating process but is not as good as the objective level (FIG. 4).
On the other hand, the plated copper layer formed by PR process is improved in the uniformity of thickness as compared with the layer obtainable by PC process but is not as high as desired yet and, moreover, plating by PR process requires an expensive current source.
The current mainstream of electroless plating in the manufacture of printed circuit boards uses EDTA as a complexing agent, and examples of formation of copper circuits with such electroless plating solutions can be found in the Best Mode sections of Japanese Kokai Publication Sho-63-158156 and Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-2-188992 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,321 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,177).
However, with a plating solution containing EDTA as a complexing agent, a compressive stress (an expanding force) is generated in the plating metal layer to cause peeling of the plated copper film from the resin insulating layer.
Furthermore, there is also found the problem not to deposit within fine via holes not over 80 μm in diameter.
Moreover, in the conventional processes for manufacture of printed circuit boards, it was impossible to construct fine-definition line conductor circuits on core boards. Thus, the prior art method for forming a conductor circuit on the core substrate board for a printed circuit board is now described with reference to FIG. 27. As the core substrate board, a copper-clad laminate 3330A comprising a resin substrate 3330 and, as clad to both sides thereof, a copper foil 3331 (FIG. 27(A)) is used. First, through holes 3332 are drilled in this core board (FIG. 27(B)). Then, a plating metal is uniformly deposited (3333) to form plated-through holes 3336 in said holes 3332 (FIG. 27(C)). Then, the copper foil 3331 formed with the plated metal layer 3333 is subjected to pattern-etching to provide a conductor circuit 3334 (FIG. 27(D)). After an interlayer resin insulating layer 3350 is formed over said conductor circuit 3134, plating is performed to provide a conductor circuit 3358 (FIG. 27(E)).
In the above process according to the conventional technology, the thickness of copper foil 3331 is at least 18 μm and the thickness of the plated metal layer formed thereon is 15 μm. Since the combined thickness is as large as 33 μm, etching produces undercuts on the lateral sides of the conductor 3334 as shown in FIG. 27(D) and since the circuit layer then is liable to peel off, it has been impossible to construct a fine-line conductor circuit.
Furthermore, the conductor circuit 3358 on the interlayer resin insulating layer 3350, shown in FIG. 27(E), has been formed in a thickness of about 15 μm. In contrast, the conductor circuit 3334 on the core board 3330 has a thickness of 33 μm. This means that a large impedance difference is inevitable between the conductor circuit 3358 on the interlayer resin insulating layer 3350 and the conductor circuit 3334 on the core board and because of difficulties in impedance alignment, the high-frequency characteristic of the circuit board cannot be improved.
Moreover, in the above process for fabricating a printed circuit board, when the substrate surface is copper-plated by direct-current (DC) electroplating which is general electroplating technique, the plating metal is deposited in the same thickness over the via hole openings and the conductor circuit-forming area.
This results in formation of depressions in the areas of the interlayer resin insulating layer which correspond to the via holes. Another problem is that the structure called "stacked via", namely formation of a via hole over a via hole, cannot be constructed.
In addition, for the following reasons, the conventional printed circuit board has the drawback that its size and thickness are increased beyond what are required. Thus, as shown in FIG. 38(A), the printed circuit board 5210 for use as a package board for mounting the IC chip 5290 is fabricated by building up interlayer resin insulating layers 5250, 5350 and conductor layers 5258, 5358 in an alternating manner on a core board 5230 formed with plated-through holes 5236 and disposing bumps 5276U for connection to the IC chip 5290 on the top surface and bumps 5276D for connection to a mother board on the bottom side. The electrical connection between the top and bottom conductor layers is afforded by via holes 5260, 5360. While the via holes 5260 are adjacent to the IC chip 5290 of the core board 5230, the via holes 5360 adjacent to the mother board. These via holes are connected to each other through the corresponding plated-through holes 5236. Thus, on the face side of the core board 5230 of this printed circuit board 5210, as shown in FIG. 38(B) which is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 38(A), the land 5236a of the plated-through hole 5236 is provided with an inner layer pad 5236b for via-hole connection to the upper layer, while the via hole 5260 is connected to this inner layer pad 5236b.
However, with the prior art land configuration illustrated in FIG. 38(B), the interval between plated-through holes must be large enough to insure a mutual insulation of inner layer pads 5236b, thus restricting the number of plated-through holes that can be constructed in the core board.
On the other hand, the package board is formed with a larger number of bumps on the face side than on the reverse side. This is because the wirings from the plurality of bumps on the surface are consolidated and connected to the bumps on the reverse side. For example, the power lines required to be of low resistance compared with signal lines, which number 20, for instance, on the face side (IC chip side) are consolidated into a single line on the reverse side (on mother board side).
Here, it is preferable that the buildup circuit layer formed on the face side of a core board and the buildup circuit layer on the reverse side may be consolidated at the same pace for the purpose of equalizing the number of upper buildup circuit layers to the number of lower buildup circuit layers, that is to say for minimizing the number of layers. However, as mentioned above, there is a physical restriction to the number of plated-through holes which can be formed in a multilayer core board. Therefore, in the prior art package board, the wirings are consolidated to some extent in the buildup circuit layer on the face side and then connected to the buildup circuit layer on the reverse side through the plated-through holes in the multilayer core board. Since the wiring density has thus been decreased in the buildup circuit layer on the reverse side, it is intrinsically unnecessary to provide the same number of layers on the reverse side as in the buildup circuit layers on the face side. However, the same number of layers has heretofore been used because if there is a difference in the number of layers between the face and reverse sides, warping due to asymmetry would be inevitable. Thus, because of said restriction to the number of plated-through holes which can be provided in the multilayer core board, it is not only necessary to increase the number of layers for the buildup wiring layer on the face side but also necessary to form the buildup circuit layer on the reverse side using the same increased number of layers on the face side.
Thus, in the prior art multilayered buildup circuit board (package board), the number of built-up layers is increased so that the reliability of connection between the upper and lower layers is low. Moreover, the cost of the package board is increased and the size, thickness and weight of the package board are unnecessarily increased.
Furthermore, even when the buildup multilayer circuit board is provided only on one side of a core board, provision must be made for a freedom in wiring design for the side opposite to the side formed with the buildup layer.
Moreover, since the connection between plated-through hole 5236 and via hole 5260 is afforded through an inner layer pad 5236b as described above, the wiring length within the printed circuit board is increased to sacrifice the signal transmission speed, thus making it difficult to meet the demand for speed-up of IC chips.

Printed wiring board and its manufacturing method


The invention discloses a novel structure for an expandable anode to be used in diaphragm cells. This new structure comprises a conductor bar in the form of a copper core provided with a titanium layer having a first and a second pair of flexible expanders fixed thereto. The welding points of the second pair of expanders are positioned orthogonally with respect to the welding points of the first pair of expanders along the circumference of the conductor bar. Also the anode surfaces are connected by welding points to the pairs of expanders. The anode of the invention may be both a new anode and a conventional existing anode having only a first pair of expanders whereto the second pair of expanders is attached. With the device of the present invention the ohmic drop between the conductor bar and the anode surface is substantially decreased and further there is no risk of damaging the interface between the copper core and the titanium coating by an excessive thermal stress, due to the welding procedures.

The worldwide production of chlorine is about 45 millions of tons per year, about 20 of which are produced by electrolysis of a sodium chloride solution by the diaphragm electrolysis process.
FIG. 1 schematizes a modern diaphragm cell comprising an anode base (A) having the anodes (B) fixed thereto by means of a copper conductor bar (D) protected by a titanium layer. The cathode (C) is made of perforated plates or iron meshes on which a diaphragm is deposited from the anode side. The cover (G), made of a plastic material resistant to chlorine, is provided with an outlet (H) for the chlorine gas and an inlet for the feed brine (not shown in the figure).
Hydrogen and caustic soda are withdrawn from the cathode compartment through outlets (I) and (L) respectively. The diaphragm, substantially made of asbestos fibers and a plastic binder, separates the anode compartment from the cathode compartment avoiding mixing of the two gases and of the solutions (catholyte and anolyte)
In view of its technical-commercial importance, the diaphragm process technology has been recently improved to reduce the energy consumption and to avoid the use of asbestos which is considered a dangerous agent for the human health, by resorting to diaphragms made of zirconium oxide fibers and plastic materials, such as polytetrafluoroethylene.
Among the various other developments introduced in the diaphragm process, particularly important under an industrial point of view are:
1. replacement of graphite anodes with DSA.RTM. anodes of the box type; PA1 2. replacement of box-type anodes with expandable anodes (U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,676); PA1 it is extremely difficult inserting and welding two superimposed expanders and even more a new expander onto an existing one, which is usually deformed after prolonged use. As a consequence the two expanders do not match and in the contracted position there is a "surplus of material" which deformates the expander. PA1 Deformation of the expanders in the contracted position poses problems for both the insertion of the retainers and for positioning the anodes onto the anode base to obtain a good planarity The problems affecting the expanders in the contracted position seriously influence the expansion action when the retainers are removed. Consequently the pressure on the diaphragm is not uniform, the two active surface are not sufficiently parallel and the distance of the same from the diaphragm is not constant. The operation of the anode and of the diaphragm is therefore badly affected. PA1 lower voltage drop in the expander without negatively affecting its flexibility PA1 parallel expansion of the anode surfaces PA1 uniform pressure onto the diaphragm, remaining constant with time PA1 lower voltage drop at the welding points between the conductor bar and the expander.
3. anode in contact with the diaphragm in the so-called "zero gap" configuration (U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,122). This result is obtained introducing inside the expandable anode suitable devices capable of applying pressure against the anode surfaces.
FIG. 2 shows a typical expandable anode comprising two anodic surfaces (E), connected to the conductor bars (D) by means of flexible sheets called expanders (F), which, during assembling, are kept in the contracted position by the so-called retainers (N). The retainers are removed after assembly to let the anodic surfaces (E) expand. It is clear that the expanders have not only the function to make the two anodic surfaces (E) mobile but also to make electric current flow from the vertical conductor bar (D) to the anodic surfaces (E). In order to ensure a sufficient elasticity the expanders are made of a thin titanium sheet, for example 0.5 mm thick. As a consequence, a remarkable voltage drop localized in the expanders is experienced, about 1-2 times higher than that typical of the box anode. For example, a conventional box anode of the MDC 55-type cell, operating at 2.5 kA/m.sup.2, 95.degree. C., has a voltage drop of 40-50 mV vs. 100-120 mV of a similar expandable anode. Likewise, a conventional box anode of the MDC 29-type cell, operating at 2.5 kA/m.sup.2, 95.degree. C., has a voltage drop of 50-60 mV vs. 110-130 mV of a similar expandable anode.
The invention described in Brazilian Patent Application No. Pl9301694 suggests a solution to reduce the ohmic drop in the expander. The invention consists in welding two or more superimposed expanders having the same thickness (0.5 mm) in order to increase the cross section for the electric current flow and avoid a reduction of elasticity. In practical applications this solution proved to be far from optimum and did not find any industrial applications up to now, due to the following reasons:
It must be noted that welding of one or more superimposed expanders causes a remarkable voltage drop at the interface between the copper core of the conductor bar and the titanium layer. Discontinuities are created at this interface as a consequence of the increased thermal stress during the welding procedure (higher temperature for a longer time). These effects are decidedly negative when welding of the second expander is made on existing conductors already deteriorated after years of operation. The voltage saving is even completely nullified when three superimposed expanders are welded.

Anode for diaphragm electrochemical cell


Controlled-release preparations of oxcarbazepine and derivatives thereof for once-a-day administration are disclosed. The inventive compositions comprise solubility-and/or release enhancing agents to provide tailored drug release profiles, preferably sigmoidal release profiles. Methods of treatment comprising the inventive compositions are also disclosed.

Oxcarbazepine belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drugs and is registered worldwide as an antiepileptic drug. Oxcarbazepine is approved as an adjunct or monotherapy for the treatment of partial seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children. An immediate-release (IR) formulation of oxcarbazepine is currently on the market under the trade name Trileptal® and is administered twice a day to control epileptic seizures. Such immediate release compositions provide the drug to the patient in a manner that result in a rapid rise of the plasma drug concentration followed by a rapid decline. This sharp rise in drug concentration can result in side effects, and make multiple daily administration of the drug necessary in order to maintain a therapeutic level of the drug in the body. The need for a controlled-release dosage form for drugs taken chronically such as oxcarbazepine and derivatives is self-evident. Patient compliance is greatly improved with controlled-release (CR) dosage forms that are taken, for example, once-a-day. Also, there are significant clinical advantages such as better therapeutic efficacy as well as reduced side effects with controlled-release dosage forms.
Oxcarbazepine and its derivatives contemplated in this invention are poorly soluble in water. Due to their poor solubility, their release from a sustained release dosage form is rather incomplete. Whereas the in vitro release of oxcarbazepine is dependent on the dissolution method, including the dissolution media used, it has been found through in silico modeling that the release of oxcarbazepine in vivo from a traditional sustained-release dosage form is relatively low. This results in reduced bioavailability of the drug making the dosage form ineffective in providing a therapeutically effective concentration in the body. This poses a serious challenge to the successful development of sustained-release dosage forms for oxcarbazepine and its derivatives.
The rate of drug release from a dosage form has a significant impact on the therapeutic usefulness of the drug and its side effects. Hence, drug release profiles must be customized to meet the therapeutic needs of the patient. An example of a customized release profile is one that exhibits a sigmoidal release pattern, characterized by an initial slow release followed by fast release which is then followed by slow release until all of the drug has been released from the dosage form.
Sustained-release dosage forms for oxcarbazepine and derivatives have been described in the art. For example, Katzhendler et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,873) describes sustained-release delivery systems for carbamazepine and its derivatives. Katzhendler et al. teaches that a zero-order release profile is achieved for carbamazepine and derivatives through the use of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers. Zero-order (constant) release was achieved using high molecular weight hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) along with some optional hydrophobic excipients. A similar approach is taught by Shah et al. (US Patent Application 20020169145). Franke et al. (US Patent Application 20040142033) discloses sustained-release formulations of oxcarbazepine that are characterized by the release of 55%-85% of the drug in 15 minutes, and up to 95% in 30 minutes. According to the authors, such release profiles provide adequate sustained-release to achieve once-a-day administration of oxcarbazepine. However, the solubility and bioavailability of the drug from these enhanced preparations suitable for once-a-day administration. The prior art does not teach how to make preparations of oxcarbazepine and derivatives characterized by sigmoidal release profiles.

Modified-release preparations containing oxcarbazepine and derivatives thereof


Systems and methods are described herein for monitoring a gameplay session for violations of a policy and creating a remediation gameplay session through which remediation can be provided to players or player accounts that violate gameplay policies. The systems and methods can create a remediation gameplay session based in part on the game state data of the gameplay session during which the violation occurs.

It is optimal and desirable for video games to provide players with constructive feedback to their gameplay. Access to gameplay sessions including feedback that remediates conflicts and misconduct among players (commonly known as "toxicity" or "toxic behavior") can help maintain fair play environments in gameplay sessions. Access to gameplay sessions including strategic feedback can provide analysis of gameplay performance in gameplay sessions. As such, a video game that can create and provide access to feedback oriented gameplay sessions would be advantageous.

Feedback oriented gameplay sessions in video games


A high capacity satellite communications system including a satellite with a beam for a forward downlink focused on a geographic area for which disproportionately higher capacity is desired, a hub located in a geographic area for which disproportionately lower capacity is desired, compared to the location of a VSAT, and the VSAT located in area where a beam for a forward downlink received by the VSAT from the satellite does not overlap with a beam for a return downlink received by the hub from a satellite.

Conventional satellites may provide broad coverage over a range of populated areas. Because the capability of the satellite is spread over large geographic areas irrespective of the distribution of users who might take advantage of the satellite service, the equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) and gain to system noise temperature (G/T) of the satellite in the direction of any individual user may be limited. Some satellites may "shape" their EIRP and G/T contours to attempt to put higher EIRP and/or G/T over areas such as those with higher rainfall intensity in an attempt to overcome higher rain attenuation. Such measures may not be able to match the variation in population, however.
The Hughes Spaceway 3 Ka band broadband spotbeam satellite may be able to distribute its capacity across its coverage area based on instantaneous demand; however, the technology that enables such flexibility may be very sophisticated and costly in terms of weight and power in the satellite. Spaceway 3 may thus be limited to about 10 Gbps of aggregate throughput. In addition, the demodulation/remodulation architecture may force the fundamental transmission parameters (modulation, coding, framing, access methods, etc.) to be frozen at design time, so the Spaceway 3 may not be able to take advantage of newer innovations in physical layer design.

High capacity satellite communications system


A dual-function scavenger system, especially useful in conjunction with ovens for processing semiconductor materials, wherein the spent process gases from the ovens are separated from their residual thermal energy for disposition through discrete channels. Back diffusion of atmospheric air into the ovens is minimized.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to an effluent-gas-scavenger system especially adapted for use with a process tube wherein multiple wafers of semiconductor material are treated with gases and additives sequentially introduced to the tube under closely-controlled conditions of pressure and of high temperature. Each "charge" of semiconductor material is very valuable and must be processed with precisely-controlled quantities of gases and additives, some of which may be toxic. Accordingly, safe and efficient disposition must be made of the spent gases which exit the process tube after passing the charge of semiconductor material. Moreover, it is important to minimize any "back diffusion" of air or other ambient gas or pollution from the environment of the process tube upstream into the exit portal of the process tube and thence into contact with any of the charge of semiconductor material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,286--Sarin shows an apparatus for preventing exhausted reactant gas, derived from a semiconductor-process tube, from mixing with ambient air in the vicinity of the process tube. That patent discloses the use of an exhaust gas tube for drawing off exhausted reactant gas from an inlet near the downstream end of the process tube and for conveying the exhausted gas through a control valve to a gas scrubber. A closed loop system is provided for controlling the valve to maintain a predetermined small differential between the gas pressure near the downstream end of the process tube and the pressure of the ambient air just outside the end of the process tube.
In the apparatus of Sarin, the heat content of the exhausted reactant gas goes with it through the exhaust gas tube to the scrubber. There is no provision for substantially removing the heat content of the exhausted reactant gas for separate disposition. Nor is it explained how a seal can be maintained between the exhaust tube 30 and inlet 30A, on the one hand, and the process tube 12, on the other. The latter must operate at a very high temperature, and would resist the formation of a tight and permanent seal with any other body.
U.S. Pat. No .4,976,610--Yates discloses the use of a movable quartz "elephant tube" (process tube) 12, to which is connected a return scavenger exhaust tube 34 for feeding back the reactant gas to the jacket around elephant tube 12. No means is provided for removing surplus heat from the exhausted reactant gas and for separately disposing of such surplus heat. It is not apparent how backstreaming exhausted reactant gas is prevented from contaminating the charge of semiconductor material in the elephant tube.

Effluent-gas-scavenger system for process tube, minimizing back diffusion and atmospheric contamination


A p-channel MOSFET 1 has a buried layer 9 between a substrate 2 and an epitaxial layer 3. The impurity concentration of the buried layer 9 is higher than that of the epitaxial layer 3. As a result, if the p-channel MOSFET 3 and an n-channel MOSFET are fabricated in a single semiconductor substrate and when a voltage is applied between the source electrode 13 and the drain electrode 12, the impurity concentration of the epitaxial layer 3 apparently increases. Thus, the charge balance of the p-channel MOSFET 1 is not lost.

There is known a high withstand voltage IC (Integrated Circuit) comprising a plurality of semiconductor devices formed on a common semiconductor substrate, such as a p-channel MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) and an n-channel MOSFET.
FIG. 5 shows a p-channel MOSFET which constitutes a high withstand voltage IC and FIG. 6 shows an n-channel MOSFET which constitutes a high withstand voltage IC.
As shown in FIG. 5, a p-channel MOSFET 101 includes a p−-type semiconductor substrate 102, an n−-type epitaxial layer 103, a p+-type diffusion isolation layer 104, a p-type diffusion region 105, a p+-type drain contact region 106, a p+-type source region 107 and an n+-type back gate region 108.
The epitaxial layer 103 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 102. The diffusion isolation layer 104 electrically isolates the p-channel MOSFET 101 from other semiconductor devices (e.g., an n-channel MOSFET) by pn junction isolation. The diffusion region 105 is formed at the surface of the epitaxial layer 103 by impurity diffusion. The drain contact region 106 is formed, adjacent to the diffusion region 105, at the surface of the epitaxial layer 103. The source region 107 is formed at the surface of the epitaxial layer 103 with a predetermined distance apart from the diffusion region 105. The back gate region 108 is formed near the source region 107 at the surface of the epitaxial layer 103.
The surface region of the epitaxial layer 103 which lies between the diffusion region 105 and the source region 107 functions as a channel region. A gate electrode 110 is formed at the top surface of the channel region via a gate oxide layer 109. A drain electrode 111 is formed at the top surface of the drain contact region 106, a source electrode 112 is formed at the top surface of the source region 107, a back gate electrode 113 is formed at the top surface of the back gate region 108, and a ground electrode 114 is formed at the top surface of the diffusion isolation layer 104. The electrodes 111, 112, 113 and 114 are electrically connected to the regions 106, 107, 108 and 104, respectively. A field oxide film 115 formed on the diffusion region 105.
As shown in FIG. 6, an n-channel MOSFET 121 includes the semiconductor substrate 102 and the epitaxial layer 103, which are common to the p-channel MOSFET 101, a p+-type diffusion isolation layer 122, a p-type diffusion region 123, a p+-type diffusion region 124, an n+-type drain contact region 125, a p-type diffusion region 126, and an n+-type source region 127.
The diffusion isolation layer 122 electrically isolates the n-channel MOSFET 121 from other semiconductor devices (e.g., a p-channel MOSFET) by pn junction isolation. The diffusion region 123 is formed at the surface of the epitaxial layer 103 by impurity diffusion. The diffusion region 124 is formed, adjacent to the diffusion region 123, at the surface of the epitaxial layer 103. The drain contact region 125 is formed at the surface of the epitaxial layer 103 with a predetermined distance apart from the diffusion region 123. The diffusion region 126 is formed adjacent to the diffusion isolation layer 122. The source region 127 is formed at the surface of the diffusion region 126.
The surface region of the diffusion region 126 which lies between the epitaxial layer 103 and the source region 127 functions as a channel region. A gate electrode 129 is formed at the top surface of the channel region via a gate oxide layer 128. A drain electrode 130 is formed at the top surface of the drain contact region 125, a source electrode 131 is formed at the top surface of the source region 127, and a ground electrode 132 is formed at the top surface of the diffusion isolation layer 122. The electrodes 130, 131 and 132 are electrically connected to the regions 125, 127 and 122, respectively. A field oxide film 133 formed on the diffusion region 123.
As described above, the p-channel MOSFET 101 and the n-channel MOSFET 121 are both have a so-called double RESURF structure where the n−-type epitaxial layer 103 is formed on the p−-type semiconductor substrate 102 and the p-type diffusion region 105, 123 is formed at the surface of the n−-type epitaxial layer 103.
As a voltage is applied between the source electrode 112, 131 and the drain electrode 111, 130, a depletion layer extends from each of a pn junction formed at the interface between the semiconductor substrate 102 and the epitaxial layer 103 and a pn junction formed at the interface between the epitaxial layer 103 and the diffusion region 105, 123.
When the applied voltage reaches a predetermined voltage value, the depletion layers that extend from the two pn junctions are connected together. Accordingly, the depletion layer extends substantially all over the epitaxial layer 103 and the diffusion region 105, 123, thus fixing the potential. As a result, the electric field is relaxed well so that the MOSFET 101, 121 having a high withstand voltage is realized.
To provide a good electric-field relaxing effect in the MOSFET 101, 121 having a double RESURF structure, it is necessary to properly keep the charge balance among the semiconductor substrate 102, the epitaxial layer 103 and the diffusion region 105, 123.
To properly keep the charge balance, it is preferable that when the voltage between the source electrode 112, 131 and the drain electrode 111, 130 reaches the predetermined voltage value, the difference between the total amount of negative fixed charges of the semiconductor substrate 102 and the diffusion region 105, 123 in that region (depletion layer region) where the depletion layer extends and the total amount of positive fixed charges of the epitaxial layer 103 should become small.
It is however difficult to properly keep the charge balance among the semiconductor substrate 102, the epitaxial layer 103 and the diffusion region 105, 123 of the MOSFET 101, 121 having the double RESURF structure.
For example, the thickness of the epitaxial layer 103 between the semiconductor substrate 102 and the diffusion region 105, 123 depends on the diffusion depth of the diffusion region 105, 123. This makes it extremely difficult to design a semiconductor device in such a way as to properly keep the charge balance. Therefore, it is difficult to properly keep the charge balance among the semiconductor substrate 102, the epitaxial layer 103 and the diffusion region 105, 123.
Also high-precision process control is required in the fabrication process for forming each semiconductor region. This makes it difficult to stably produce high withstand voltage ICs having a predetermined withstand voltage with a high yield, thus lowering the productivity of high withstand voltage ICs.
By the way, an MOSFET which has a so-called single RESURF structure where a RESURF region comprised of the diffusion region 105, 123 is not formed involves fewer fabrication processes that requires high-precision process control than an MOSFET which has the double RESURF structure. In other words, the MOSFET having the single RESURF structure has an advantage of a higher productivity over the MOSFET having the double RESURF structure. However, the single RESURF structure has a shortcoming that it is difficult to realize a high withstand voltage, as compared with the double RESURF structure.
In this respect, studies are made on a high withstand voltage IC which makes good use of the merits of the double RESURF structure and the single RESURF structure.
For instance, studies are made on the formation of a p-channel MOSFET having a double RESURF structure and an n-channel MOSFET having a single RESURF structure at a single semiconductor substrate in case where a high withstand voltage IC needs a p-channel MOSFET with a high withstand voltage.
Because of the following reason, however, a p-channel MOSFET having a double RESURF structure and an n-channel MOSFET having a single RESURF structure could not be formed at a single semiconductor substrate.
An n-channel MOSFET and a p-channel MOSFET are formed by a common p−-type semiconductor substrate and a common n−-type epitaxial layer.
If the impurity concentrations of the p−-type semiconductor substrate and the n−-type epitaxial layer are so set as to achieve the charge balance required of an n-channel MOSFET having a relatively high withstand voltage, therefore, the charge balance in the double RESURF structure of the p-channel MOSFET is lost.
Due to the above reason, the single RESURF structure that would not need high-precision process control so much and the double RESURF structure that would be able to achieve a high withstand voltage could not be formed at a single semiconductor substrate.
The invention has been made in consideration of the problem and aims at providing a semiconductor device suitable for a high withstand voltage IC which has high voltage withstandability and high productivity.
The invention also aims at providing a semiconductor device having a double RESURF structure which is suitable for a case where it is formed together with a semiconductor device having a single RESURF structure at a single semiconductor substrate.
Further, the invention aims at providing a semiconductor device having a double RESURF structure which can be formed together with a semiconductor device having a single RESURF structure at a single semiconductor substrate without losing the charge balance.


An image processing apparatus receives an input image signal and performs an enhancement process on a high frequency component included in the input image signal based on a low frequency component of the input image signal. The apparatus extracts a low frequency component from the input image signal and combines a step variation component of the input image signal with the low frequency component to generate a combined wave component. The apparatus performs an enhancement process on the high frequency component obtained by removing the combined wave component from the input image signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which performs image processing on an input image signal, which is brightness values input at intervals of a constant period of time, based on the frequency of the brightness change of the input image signal to improve a visual effect and other effects.
2. Description of the Related Art
The image display method and apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Kokai No. 2000-4380 are configured to be able to improve the contrast of an image display without increasing the circuit size by using an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter as a low pass filter.
To improve image visual effects, such as contrast, on an image, a low pass filter comprising a finite impulse response (FIR) filter that is more stable than an IIR filter is typically used. FIG. 1 shows an image processing apparatus 1 which performs a high-frequency region intensification or enhancement process (hereinafter, referred to as "sharpening process") to improve the visual fineness of an image by using a FIR filter as a low pass filter. In FIG. 1, a low frequency component Vlo of an input image Vin is extracted by a low pass filter (LPF) 2, and is subtracted from the input image Vin, thereby extracting a high frequency component Vh of the input image Vin. Subsequently, a gain G is multiplied to the high frequency component Vh and then a high frequency component Vhg multiplied by the gain G is added back to the input image Vin, thereby obtaining an output image Vout on which the sharpening process has been performed. When the LPF 2 is configured as, for example, a FIR filter with three taps, two pixels L and R on both sides of the center pixel C are used as evaluation pixels to calculate a brightness value of the output image. That is, the pixels L and C obtained by combining a plurality of delay elements and the pixel R are multiplied by corresponding tap coefficients aL, aC, and aR by multipliers and then summed by an adder, whereby the brightness (gradation) of the output image is calculated. The three tap coefficients aL, aC, and aR corresponding to the three pixels have respective fixed values determined from the cut-off frequency. This implies that the summation by the adder can be regarded as a process of mixing the brightness values of pixels with one another under a fixed mixture ratio.
In a method using such conventional LPFs, however, if an image includes a steep gradation change or a step input, like from zero to the maximum or vice versa between adjacent pixels, a phenomenon occurs in which the image on which a sharpening process has been performed becomes significantly different from the original one around the region where such gradation change occurs. Referring to FIG. 2, sharpening process characteristics of a conventional image processing apparatus is shown. As is shown in FIG. 2, in the brightness values of an output image signal on which a sharpening process has been performed, a large overshoot occurs around the region where a step response occurs in the brightness values of an input image signal, which are input at intervals of a predetermined period of time. This is caused by the digital signal processing of LPFs that cannot track a step input. Therefore, although the sharpening process can improve the fineness of an entire image, the problem of severely damaging the original image occurs as an adverse effect.

Image processing apparatus for enhancing high frequency components


A radiation beam conditioning system comprising at least three optical paths in which the radiation is conditioned.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation beam conditioning system for use in a lithographic apparatus, a lithographic apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a device.
2. Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate or part of a substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of flat panel displays, integrated circuits (ICs) and other devices involving fine structures. In a conventional apparatus, a patterning device, which can be referred to as a mask or a reticle, can be used to generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of a flat panel display (or other device). This pattern can be transferred onto all or part of the substrate (e.g., a glass plate), by imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (e.g., resist) provided on the substrate.
Instead of a circuit pattern, the patterning device can be used to generate other patterns, for example a color filter pattern or a matrix of dots. Instead of a mask, the patterning device can be a patterning array that comprises an array of individually controllable elements. The pattern can be changed more quickly and for less cost in such a system compared to a mask-based system.
A flat panel display substrate is typically rectangular in shape. Lithographic apparatus designed to expose a substrate of this type can provide an exposure region that covers a full width of the rectangular substrate, or covers a portion of the width (for example half of the width). The substrate can be scanned underneath the exposure region, while the mask or reticle is synchronously scanned through a beam. In this way, the pattern is transferred to the substrate. If the exposure region covers the full width of the substrate then exposure can be completed with a single scan. If the exposure region covers, for example, half of the width of the substrate, then the substrate can be moved transversely after the first scan, and a further scan is typically performed to expose the remainder of the substrate.
In lithography, it is common to provide a variety of components between a radiation source and the so-called illuminator in order to condition the beam of radiation. In particular, it is desirable to improve the radiation uniformity across the beam, reduce the speckle within the radiation beam and, in the case of a pulsed radiation source, adjust the width of a pulse, e.g., its duration, and, in some cases, the radiation dose within the pulse. In general, it is necessary to ensure that the dose of radiation received at a substrate is close to a desired level because variations in the dose have a significance impact on the so-called critical dimension (CD) uniformity. In a lithography apparatus using a mask, the control of the dose within a single pulse of radiation is typically not critical because many pulses, for example 100, may be used in order to image a part of a pattern onto a substrate. Accordingly, variations in the energy within the pulses tend to become averaged out. However, in maskless lithography, control of the energy within each pulse is more important because far fewer pulses of radiation, for example only a single pulse, are used to image each part of the pattern onto the substrate. Therefore, it has previously been proposed for maskless lithographic apparatus to provide a component that can trim each pulse of radiation, such that the total energy in each pulse of radiation is reduced to a predetermined level.
However, in all lithographic apparatus, it is necessary to avoid wastage of the radiation provided by the radiation source because the speed at which the lithographic apparatus can image a pattern on the substrate is limited by the intensity of the radiation that can be imaged onto the substrate. Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce the wastage of the radiation in order to maximize the throughput of the lithographic apparatus. However, the inclusion of a plurality of components in order to condition the beam of radiation reduces the efficiency of the system because, in general, each component will not be perfectly transmissive, and accordingly, some of the energy of the beam of radiation will be wasted as it passes through each component.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method that permit a conditioning of a beam of radiation with minimal wastage of a beam of radiation.

Laser beam conditioning system comprising multiple optical paths allowing for dose control