The invention provides a thermal cast-molding method for producing colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The method of the invention comprises: (1) forming, on a molding surface of a mold, a transferable colored polymeric composite film which comprises or consists essentially of a first polymeric film, a second polymeric film and a cured colored image encapsulated therewithin; (2) dispensing a silicone hydrogel lens formulation into the lens-forming cavity of the mold; and (4) thermally curing the third polymerizable composition within the lens-forming cavity for at least about 40 minutes to form the colored silicone hydrogel contact lens, whereby the transferable, colored, and polymeric composite film detaches from the first or second molding surface and becomes integral with the body of the silicone hydrogel contact lens.

Opaque colored contact lenses have been used to modify or enhance the color of a wearer's eyes. In general, the opaque colored lenses have a continuous opaque pattern that fully covers the iris or having an intermittent opaque pattern that does not fully cover the iris. Opaque colored contact lenses can effectively and substantially modify the wearer's eye color and more importantly can provide a natural appearance.
Opaque colored contact lenses can be produced by directly printing a colored image with an ink including pigment particles to the surface of a preformed contact lens. However, opaque colored contact lenses made according to this technique can have pigment particles protruding outwardly from the lens surface and may impart wearing discomfort when being worn by a user.
To reduce such wearing discomfort, opaque colored contact lenses can be advantageously produced according to a print-on-mold process. Such a process comprises first printing a colored image with a pigment-containing ink on a molding surface of a mold for cast-molding of a contact lens, dispensing a lens-forming composition in the mold with the colored image printed on one of the molding surface, and curing the lens-forming composition to obtain a cast-molded contact lens with the printed colored image which is transferred from the molding surface to the cast-molded contact lens during the curing process (see, U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,166). Although opaque colored contact lenses made according to this technique can have pigment particles embedded in the lens surface (i.e., not protruding outwardly from the lens surface) but still being exposed, the printed area (i.e., particle-exposing areas) on the surface of the opaque colored contact lenses would have a roughness much higher than that of the non-printed areas. The higher roughness in the printed area on a lens surface may still impart wearing discomfort.
To reduce the wearing comfort derived from the pigment-induced roughness in the printed area on a lens surface, a modified print-on-mold method is developed. This process comprises: applying a transferable clear coating on a molding surface of a mold for casting-molding of a colored contact lens; printing a colored image with a pigment-containing ink on the transferable clear coating on the molding surface; dispensing a lens-forming composition in the mold with the colored image printed on the transferable clear coating on one of the molding surface; and curing the lens-forming composition to obtain a cast-molded contact lens with the printed colored image thereon. The printing area is substantially covered by the clear coating and is, together with the transferable clear coating, transferred from the molding surface to the cast-molded contact lens during the curing process (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,147,728). Opaque colored contact lenses made according to this technique can have pigment particles substantially covered by a clear coat in the printed area on the surface of the opaque colored contact lenses.
However, this improved mold-printing-transfer method may not used in producing opaque colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses from a polymerizable composition (i.e., a silicone hydrogel lens formulation) which contains various polymerizable components (e.g., siloxane-containing vinylic monomers, polysiloxane-containing vinylic crosslinkers, hydrophilic vinylic monomers, hydrophobic vinylic monomers, vinylic crosslinkers, etc.) and optionally an organic solvent according to thermal curing technique. Such a silicone hydrogel lens formulation can be invasive with respect to a printed colored image. After such a silicone hydrogel lens formulation is dispensed in the mold with the colored image printed and cured on the transferable clear coating and especially is in contact with the colored image for an extended time (e.g., typically greater than 40 minutes for thermal curing) before being thermally cured to form a colored silicone hydrogel contact lens, the pattern definition of the colored image could be lost due to the invasive nature of the silicone hydrogel lens formulation.
Therefore, there are still needs for a process for producing opaque colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses according to a thermal curing technique.

Method for making opaque colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses


A composite material for use as a deposition material in an additive manufacturing system comprises a polymer component, a filler component, and an extrudability component. The extrudability component is present in the composite material is an amount of from 0.05 wt % to 10 wt % based on the weight of the composite material, and can comprise polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS). The polymer component comprises a high temperature polymer such as an engineering polymer or a high performance polymer. The filler component comprises at least one of a conductive component and a strengthening component. In some cases, the conductive component is present in an amount such that the composite material is formed as one of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) material and an EMI/EMC shielding material. The composite material can be deposited in a liquid state on a substrate using an additive manufacturing system, to produce a three-dimensional object.

Additive manufacturing, including three-dimensional (3D) printing of polymer materials can be used to form three-dimensional (3D) objects. Due in part to increases in hardware print speed and printer capability to print engineering and high performance polymers, the feasibility of using additive manufacturing to produce 3D objects for use as production parts, e.g., non-prototype functional components for use in an application, produced at production volumes, has increased.
Certain applications in industries such as aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, and electronics require production parts which are functional in a wide operating temperature range, exhibit high strength, and, for some high strength, high temperature applications, also have an electrical conductivity tailored for the specific application.
Electrically conductive filaments used to form 3D objects may include a low temperature polymer component such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), styrenics such as acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene (ABS), polyolefins such as polypropylene (PP) and polylactide (PLA), and polyester. 3D objects made from electrically conductive low temperature polymers are limited in use as production parts to applications which have lower continuous operating temperatures (less than 100 degrees Centigrade) and/or lower current and voltage (less than 10 volts) exposure, due to loss of material strength by the low temperature polymer at higher temperatures and/or resistive melting of the low temperature polymer component at higher current and/or voltage. As such, these electrically conductive low temperature polymer composites are not suitable for forming 3D objects for use as production parts in high temperature applications, and/or in high temperature applications where electrical conductivity is required.

Electrically conductive, high strength, high temperature polymer composite for additive manufacturing


A game ball is provided with the shape of a football with tubular symmetrically placed holes along the length of the ball. The ball is made of foam and when submerged in water the holes will fill with water. As the ball is thrown in a spiraling rotation, the centrifugal force will cause the water to be expelled through the holes producing multiple spiraling streams of water to spray away from the ball as the ball travels in the air.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid foam football that has a series of tubular holes that are located along the longitudinal axis of the football, so that when the football is submerged in water and subsequently thrown will allow the water to leave the ball in a spiraling fashion.
2. Description of Related Art
Many different type of footballs have been developed that can be used by sports enthusiasts of all ages and skills. There is a soft foam football under the trademark NERF. The NERF football is soft and easy to throw and catch.
These types of football are made of polyurethane, producing a soft ball. Different variations of the NERF football have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,611 describes a foam football that forms an outer shell that surrounds a hollow inner chamber, this helping to create a spiraling motion when thrown. Foam footballs with rearwardly extending fins have also been made which promote a tight spiraling motion have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,020. U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,422 describes waterproof game balls comprising elastically stretchable panels allow for these balls to be used in and around water.
Producing a football that can be used in the pool or at the lake, river, ocean and will produce a spiral spray when thrown is desirable. The foam type of football is softer and easier to grip than a regular football. It would be desirable to produce a football that is fun to use around the water and produces a special effect spiral spray when submerged and thrown.


Aspects of the invention include methods for preparing sequencing libraries, performing sequencing procedures that can correct for process-related errors, and identifying rare variants that are or may be indicative of cancer.

Analysis of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) using next generation sequencing (NGS) is recognized as a valuable tool for detection and diagnosis of cancer. Identifying rare variants indicative of cancer using NGS requires deep sequencing of circulating cfDNA from a patient's test sample. However, deep sequencing has limitations. In particular, errors introduced during sample preparation and sequencing can make accurate identification of variants difficult. There is a need in the art for methods of preparing sequencing libraries, sequencing techniques that can correct for process-related errors, and techniques for identifying rare variants.

Library preparation and use thereof for sequencing based error correction and/or variant identification


A liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same that can reduce the increase in the black level due to light leakage, without reducing the aperture ratio while improving the contrast ratio. The liquid crystal display includes a TFT array substrate comprising a data line, a pixel electrode and a common electrode, and the data line, the pixel electrode and the common electrode have at least one bent structure; a color filter array substrate opposite to the TFT array substrate, the color filter array substrate comprising a black matrix covering an area corresponding to at least the data line and the common electrode; and a liquid crystal layer formed between the TFT array substrate and the color filter array substrate, wherein the black matrix comprises a first black matrix line covering an area where light leakage is minimal, and a second black matrix line covering an area where light leakage is excessive, the second black matrix having a line width larger than a line width of the first black matrix.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to an in-plane switching (IPS) mode liquid crystal display and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
A liquid crystal display changes the molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal material by controlling the intensity of an electric field by applying different potentials to a pixel electrode and a common electrode encompassing a liquid crystal layer having dielectric anisotropy. A typical display includes a color filter array substrate in which a common electrode, a color filter, a black matrix, etc. are formed, and a TFT array substrate in which a switching element, a pixel electrode, etc. are formed. A desired image is presented by adjusting the amount of light that is transmitted to a color filter array substrate.
Liquid crystal displays mainly are thin film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT LCDs) that use a thin film transistor (TFT) element as a switching element.
Recently, an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display has been used in which the viewing angle is widened by forming a pixel electrode and a common electrode on a TFT array substrate, which is in the same plane, and applying an electric field for driving the liquid crystal in a horizontal direction. Furthermore, there has been introduced an in-plane switching mode of obtaining a wider viewing angle while addressing defects of contrast ratio (C/R) and response speed while preventing a color shift phenomenon by deforming side surfaces of the common electrode and the pixel electrode in a bent form.
However, in the related art liquid crystal display, when a side surface of a pixel area has a bent structure to correspond to a form of the common electrode and the pixel electrode, a step in which a rubbing processing is well performed and a step in which a rubbing processing is not well performed are inevitably generated in a side surface of a pixel area. This phenomenon depends on the bent structure and the rubbing condition after performing rubbing processing for the alignment film of the array substrate and the color filter array substrate.
In this case, when the rubbing processing is performed well, as when the liquid crystal material is uniformly aligned, light leakage is weak. In contrast, when rubbing processing is not performed well, as in a liquid crystal material that is not uniformly aligned, light leakage is excessive. Accordingly, because light leakage increases the black level, there is a problem in that the contrast ratio deteriorates.
A related art method covers all steps of the pixel area by increasing a line width of a black matrix that is formed on a color filter array substrate in order to remove the light leakage. However, in this method, the contrast ratio is improved due to the decrease in light leakage. However, since the line width of the black matrix is excessively widened, there is a problematic decrease of the aperture ratio resulting in that the brightness decreases. As a result, there is a need for technologies that optimally minimizes light leakage in in-plane switching mode liquid crystal displays.

In-plane switching mode liquid crystal display and method for manufacturing the same, comprising first and second black matrix lines


An apparatus for embossing a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a die with a metal backing layer that carries a polymer layer. The polymer layer has a female pattern formed through laser engraving. The metal backing layer of the die is capable of being magnetically attached to a magnetic cylinder. A counter die is also included and has a metal backing layer that carries a polymer layer. The polymer layer has a male pattern formed thereon through laser engraving. The metal backing layer of the counter die is capable of being magnetically attached to a magnetic cylinder. An alternative apparatus is provided that includes a male and female starting member to aid in aligning the patterns. Another apparatus is included that has male and female register tracts for keeping the die and counter die in register with one another. An associated method is also provided.

Embossing involves the creation of a three-dimensional image in a substrate such as paper, foil, laminate or other ductile material. The process involves passing the substrate through a nip formed by a die and a counter die. The die is sometimes referred to as a female die and has a desired pattern formed therein. The counter die, often called a male die, has a matching pattern that is received into the pattern of the die. The substrate is passed between the die and counter die and through a combination of heat and pressure has the desired pattern formed thereon. The pattern is formed at a level above that of the surrounding substrate. Although finding utility in a variety of applications, embossing is commonly applied to seals, postage stamps, and labels for food, beverages, cosmetics, cigars and wine.
One type of device currently used to form an embossing is a rotary device that includes a pair of hard embossing rolls that are cylindrical in shape. The rolls are typically made of steel or brass and have the desired pattern etched thereon. Although this type of device is capable of forming an embossing on a substrate, the cost for such a device is high and it generally takes a long amount of time to machine these types of rolls. Further, the cost to ship such a set of cylindrical rolls is high due to their weight and size.
An additional method of embossing currently used is photopolymer embossing. This process makes use of a pair of photopolymer embossing plates, that have a desired image imparted thereon, that are mounted to a pair of adjacent cylinders by double sided mounting tape. After application, one of the cylinders acts as a die and the other acts as a counter die. The substrate can be fed through the nip formed by the pair of photopolymer embossing plates to have an embossing formed thereon. Although this type of process works well for its intended purpose, embossing formed by photopolymer embossing plates generally has a low profile and poor edges. Also, this embossing technique is limited to forming only a two dimensional embossing and cannot form a three dimensional embossing. Further, adhesive on the double sided tape used to apply the photopolymer embossing plates to the cylinders is susceptible to breaking down and causing the photopolymer embossing plates to detach.
Another current process used to form an embossing employs a photopolymer metal backed embossing plate. This plate is a male die and is attached to a magnetic cylinder to be held thereon. A female die is not used. Instead, a rubber roller forms a nip with the photopolymer metal backed embossing plate and pushes the substrate down on top of this plate to form a two dimensional embossing thereon. Although this type of method is capable of forming an embossing, the resulting product generally has a very low profile in addition to poor height and edges.
It is also possible to create an embossing through the use of flat plates. These plates are generally made of brass, copper or magnesium. Male and female patterns are etched into the plates, and the substrate is positioned between the plates in order to be embossed. Embossing tools of this type are costly and are not suited for various types of manufacturing processes. As such, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.

Embossing apparatus and method for mounting embossing plates


A lateral thin-film Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) device includes a lateral semiconductor device such as a diode or MOSFET provided in a thin semiconductor film on a thin buried oxide. The lateral semiconductor device structure includes at least two semiconductor regions separated by a lateral drift region. A top oxide insulating layer is provided over the thin semiconductor film and a conductive field plate is provided on the top oxide insulating layer. In order to provide enhanced device performance, a portion of the top oxide layer increases in thickness in a substantially continuous manner, while a portion of the lateral drift region beneath the top oxide layer decreases in thickness in a substantially continuous manner, both over a distance which is at least about a factor of five greater than the maximum thickness of the thin semiconductor film.

The invention is in the field of Semiconductor-On-Insulator (SOI) devices, and relates more specifically to lateral thin-film SOI devices such as MOSFETS and diodes suitable for high-voltage and power applications.
In fabricating high-voltage power devices, tradeoffs and compromises must typically be made in areas such as breakdown voltage, size, conduction losses and manufacturing simplicity and reliability. Frequently, improving one parameter, such as breakdown voltage, will result in the degradation of another parameter, such as conduction losses. Ideally, such devices would feature superior characteristics in all areas, with a minimum of operational and fabrication drawbacks.
Improvements over the basic SOI structure, in which increased breakdown voltages are achieved by providing a linear doping profile in the drift region, are shown in related U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,870 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,241, both commonly assigned with the instant application and incorporated herein by reference. In these SOI devices, the drift region between the channel and drain in a lateral MOS structure is provided with various features, such as a thinned portion and a linear lateral doping density profile, which result in substantially increased breakdown voltage characteristics. Additionally, a top field plate is provided over a field oxide of essentially constant thickness to permit twice the conducting charge to be placed in the drift region, thereby reducing conduction losses without reducing breakdown voltage. However, to maintain high breakdown voltage, the total amount of conduction charge near the source side of the drift region must be kept very small, thereby leading to a bottleneck for current flow and preventing optimum reduction in conduction losses.
Another improvement over the basic SOI structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,671, also commonly assigned with the instant application and incorporated herein by reference. This patent shows a lateral thin-film SOI device with a linearly-graded field oxide region and a linear doping profile, features which serve to reduce conduction losses without reducing breakdown voltage. Yet another improved high-voltage thin-film device is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/998,048, commonly assigned with the instant application, co-invented by the present inventor and incorporated herein by reference. This application discloses another technique for improving such devices, employing a step oxide region of intermediate thickness to increase current-carrying capability while maintaining a high breakdown voltage.
While all of the foregoing structures offer an improvement over standard SOI structures, they still suffer from the drawback that they cannot operate effectively and efficiently at high current levels in the source-follower mode, wherein a "source-high" bias condition may be encountered during operation and a high breakdown voltage must be maintained in a device which must also handle high current levels.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a lateral thin-film SOI device configuration of the type described above, but in which operation, and particularly operation of a MOSFET device in the source-follower mode, is enhanced by significantly increasing permissible saturated current flow and reducing the on resistance of the device structure while maintaining high breakdown voltage capability.

Lateral thin-film SOI devices with graded top oxide and graded drift region

Philips Electronics North America Corporation


A method of migrating a data compute node (DCN) in a datacenter comprising a plurality of host physical computing devices, a compute manager, and a network manager is provided. The method by the network manager configures a plurality of logical networks and provides a read-only configuration construct of at least one of the plurality of logical networks to the virtualization software of each host. The construct of each logical network includes a unique identification of the logical network. The method by the compute manager obtains the unique identification of one or more of the logical networks, determining that a particular logical network is available on first and second hosts based on the unique identification of the particular logical network, and configures a first DCN to move from the first host to the second host based on the determination that the first and second hosts are on the particular logical network.

Today, the network presents a significant management overhead, especially in the virtual infrastructure. Programmable central management of networks, ports, and network services is critical to the success of allowing enterprise customers to evolve their operations to cloud-scale. This raises an issue that is front and center in the vision of software defined datacenter.
Today's network management constructs allow distributed configuration and scale-out of the virtual network but are tightly coupled to the compute management elements. This implicitly binds any solution to artificial constraints which are far exceeded by today's datacenter requirements of scale, configuration, and distribution for cloud networking. This expansion of virtual networks in harmony with network management orchestration is targeting the goal of a truly elastic datacenter.
One of the drawbacks of the current networking architecture is its tight coupling to the physical compute infrastructure and compute management layers. Today, if network administrators would like to manage the physical infrastructure, they must login into several physical switches. Today, in the virtual infrastructure, if a customer would like to manage the deployment of networks, they must log into several different compute manager instances. There is no central management portal for virtual networks, virtual ports and network services across the virtual infrastructure.

Method and system for migrating virtual machines in virtual infrastructure


An onboard equipment disposed in a subject vehicle may communicate with one or more other vehicles and/or one or more stationary road side terminals. The onboard equipment may include a radio and a communication module. The radio may communicate with the other vehicles via a vehicle channel, and with the stationary roadside terminals via a control channel and a service channel. The communication module may control the radio in a first mode when the vehicle speed is greater than a threshold or in a second mode when the vehicle speed is less than the threshold. In the first mode, the communication module sets the radio to the vehicle channel. In the second mode, the communication module switches the radio between the control channel and the vehicle channel or between the service channel and the vehicle channel based on a predetermined condition.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. In recent years, protocols related to vehicle based safety systems have been established for vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. Such protocols, in essence, establish a wireless communication system which may be referred to as a V2X system. For example, IEEE 802.11p and IEEE 1609 are standards that relate to wireless access in vehicular environments (WAVE).
The V2X system allows the exchange of data such as critical safety and operational data between vehicles and other external devices, such as stationary roadside terminals. An on-board equipment (OBE) disposed within the vehicle may then analyze the data received based on a series of predetermined algorithms to determine, for example, a possible collision threat. Under the V2X system, vehicles and stationary roadside terminals are required to communicate using dedicated short range communication (DSRC).
For V2V communication, vehicles may periodically transmit a message on a dedicated channel, such as a vehicle safety channel (VSC). The message may include information related to a subject vehicle's speed, breaking data, travel direction, and other suitable vehicle information. Other vehicles, which receive the message, may use the information to detect a possible collision with a neighboring vehicle.
For V2I communication, vehicles may receive WAVE service advertisements (WSA) via another dedicated channel, such as a control channel (CCH). Such WSA can be transmitted by the stationary roadside terminals. The WSA may contain a list of services that are available in the vicinity of the vehicle. For example, the WSA may pertain to services related to security certificates which can be downloaded, vehicle probe data which can be uploaded, restaurants, and other suitable services. The vehicle may then acquire such service by switching to yet another dedicated channel, such as a service channel (SCH). Specifically, the WSA message received on the CCH provides information regarding a SCH channel number at which the vehicle may acquire the desired service.
Under V2I communication, as shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle switches to the CCH during a designated CCH interval 134 and the SCH during a designated SCH interval 136. Both the CCH interval 134 and the SCH interval 136 are for preset time periods 138a and 138b, respectively, which may be determined by industry protocol/standards.
The VSC, the CCH, and the SCH are three different radio channels. To perform both V2V communication and V2I communication, the vehicle may utilize two DSRC radios, where one DSRC radio is dedicated for V2V communication and the other DSRC radio is dedicated for V2I communication.

Apparatus and method for intelligent channel switching to support V2X communication


A camera system for a vehicle includes a camera and an image evaluating unit. The camera is arranged in an interior of the vehicle behind a windowpane of the vehicle so that the camera can record an image sequence with a plurality of external recordings of external surroundings of the vehicle through the windowpane. The image evaluating unit is adapted to detect static image components that are projected into the external recordings by reflections on the windowpane, and to extract the detected static image components from the external recordings.

Camera systems for vehicles are known. In particular, camera systems in which a front-facing camera is used for detecting diverse objects in external surroundings of the vehicle are known. The camera is usually arranged behind a windshield of the vehicle and looks through the latter in driving direction. In so doing, interfering reflections can occur on the inside of the windshield, e.g., due to objects on a dashboard in a vehicle interior.
Polarizing filters can be used to suppress these reflections on the windshield. Further, lens hoods or funnels which occlude the space between the front-facing camera and the windshield can be used. At wider camera aperture angles, lens hoods of this type can be so large that the lens hoods impair the vision of the driver of the vehicle. Further, when struck by sunlight, lens hoods can generate an unwanted background signal which ultimately cancels out the useful signal and obscures structures to be detected. Due to the nonlinear characteristic of the high-dynamic imager, this results in a disproportionate reduction in contrast of the structures to be detected.


A molded case circuit breaker rotary handle operator allows the circuit breaker handle to be locked when the circuit breaker contacts are open. The handle is prevented from being locked in position when the circuit breaker contacts are welded in their closed condition.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,808 entitled "Electric Switch with Lockable Rotary Operator" described a circuit breaker that provides rotary operation to a circuit breaker operating handle. The handle can be locked in its OFF position to allow an operator to work on the associated electric equipment without danger of the circuit breaker handle being inadvertently turned ON to electrically energize the equipment.
In extreme circumstances, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,816, the circuit breaker contacts could become welded together in their closed condition. When the circuit breaker operating handle is later moved to the reset position, the circuit breaker contacts could conceivably remain welded together. Locking the circuit breaker handle could then erroneously indicate to an operator that the associated equipment is electrically de-energized.
One purpose of this invention is to describe a rotary handle operator that allows positive ON indication by preventing the circuit breaker operating handle from being locked in the OFF position unless the circuit breaker contacts are in their open condition.

Circuit breaker rotary handle operator with positive on indication


A method employing an improved rate-matching algorithm used during transmission and reception of information packets involves performance of a complete process of puncturing or repetition in two steps. In the first step the action to be taken on each bit of the input register is calculated and is stored in the form of flag bits in flag register. In step 2, puncturing/repetition are performed on input bits and the output is stored in output register. Input bits can be processed in groups in step 2, reducing the number of steps required in the complete rate matching process.

Any communication network comprises of two fundamental parts, the nodes and the links. A node is some type of network device, such as a computer. Nodes are able to communicate with other nodes through links, like cables. Communication between nodes can be established by creating a closed circuit between two nodes in the network. However this technique does not utilize available capacity efficiently. Another technique that has become predominant in the field of communications, especially telecommunications is of packet-switched networks. Messages sent over a packet-switched network are first divided into packets containing the destination address. Then, each packet is sent over the network with every intermediate node and router in the network determining where the packet goes next. A packet does not need to be routed over the same links as previous related packets. Thus, packets sent between two network devices can be transmitted over different routes in the event of a link breakdown or node malfunction.
Packet switching dominates data networks like the internet. It provides an efficient way of data transfer. However, rapid increase in number of users of the Internet through mobile phones and other portable data devices has given rise to the problem of congestion of data lines. The demand for higher data rates has further aggravated the problem in the recent past. Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) coding and protocol scheme has been quite successful in supporting the ever increasing cell-phone user capacity. The third generation (3G) wireless standards UMTS/IMT-2000 use the Wideband CDMA (WCDMA). This scheme supports high data rates and many data formats with different rates and qualities. The presence of more than one data format, however, results in a need to match the transfer data rate and data format to fit into CDMA channel. This is accomplished by using a technique known as rate matching.
Rate matching is a technique widely used in 3G wireless communication systems for adjusting the size of the data stream. In this technique, bits of an encoded block on a transport channel are repeated or punctured in order to match input data rate with the output data rate In cases where the input data rate is less than the fixed output data rate, certain input data bits are repeated. This is called 'Repetition'. If the input data rate is more than the output data rate, certain data bits are punctured. This is known as 'Puncturing'.
Whether a bit position is to be punctured or repeated, is determined by using eini, eplus and eminus. These are termed as RM Parameters. They are calculated according to the technical specification of 3rd Generation Partnership Project. (3GPP TS 25.212 v6.3.0), which is attached hereto as Appendix A.
eini: initial value of variable e in the rate matching pattern determination algorithm as given in 3GPP TS 25.212 v6.3.0 in the section 188.8.131.52. (in case of uplink) and section 126.96.36.199. (in case of downlink)
eplus: increment of variable e in the rate matching pattern determination algorithm as given in 3GPP TS 25.212 v6.3.0 in the section 220.127.116.11. (in case of uplink) and section 220.127.116.11. (in case of downlink)
eminus: decrement of variable e in the rate matching pattern determination algorithm as given in 3GPP TS 25.212 v6.3.0 in the section 184.108.40.206. (in case of uplink) and section 188.8.131.52. (in case of downlink)
The values of these parameters depend on ΔN where ΔN is number of bits to be punctured or repeated. ΔN is negative in case of puncturing and positive in case of repetition. Therefore the values of RM Parameters are different in case of puncturing and repetition.
In the conventional method of rate matching, input data bits are analyzed bit by bit. RM Parameters determine the status of each input data bit in the output data stream, which in turn determines the action to be taken on that bit. Possible actions can be puncture/repeat/no action. Since each bit is processed one at a time, the number of times each loop in the software module runs is large require more processing.
Therefore, there exists a need for a method and system employing a rate-matching algorithm that accomplishes the processes of repetition and puncturing in less number of steps and hence is faster.

Method for rate matching in data transmission


The present invention provides devices, methods, and kits for the collection of a solid or semi-solid sample and analysis for the presence, absence, or quantity of an analyte. The invention provides a collection slide having a first card and a second card. The first card has a sample collection area. The first and second cards have orifices allowing the passage of fluid through the sample collection area, and the cards are hingeably connected to each other. The invention also provides an assay device having a housing with a test element, a results window, and a docking area for receiving and engaging the collection slide. In one embodiment the collection slide and device can be used to detect the presence of fecal occult blood (human hemoglobin) in a stool sample. Many other embodiments are described herein.

The following Background of the Invention is intended to aid the reader in understanding the invention and is not admitted to be prior art.
The detection of occult blood in stool samples is a preliminary method of detecting colon cancer. Traditional methods that detect hemoglobin in a stool sample, such as Guaiac-based chemical methods, are hampered by their inability to distinguish between dietary-derived hemoglobin (i.e. from meat in the diet) and human hemoglobin, which leads to a large number of false-positive test results. To over-come this difficulty, immunoassays specific for human hemoglobin (hHb) have been developed. The antibodies used in these assays are able to distinguish between hemoglobin derived from a human and that from another animal.
The collection and analysis of occult blood samples presents the problem of the unpleasantness of sample collection and analysis. Presently available devices fail to adequately solve these problems. Therefore, there is a clear and persistent need for a device that reduces the interaction of both the patient and the test operator with the sample while at the same time accurately detecting the presence of hHb in the sample.

Devices and methods for sample collection and analysis


A tungsten based heavy alloy having a W--Ni--Fe based composition containing traces of lanthanum or calcium, thereby capable of exhibiting high toughness, irrespective of the content of impurities such as phosphorous and sulfur contained therein, the cooling rate after the sintering treatment and the re-heating treatment. The present invention provides a method for making the high toughness tungsten based heavy alloy. The tungsten based heavy alloy of the present invention is useful to manufacture warheads for breaking armor plates, which require high toughness.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tungsten based heavy alloy, and more particularly to a tungsten based heavy alloy having a W--Ni--Fe based composition containing traces of lanthanum or calcium, thereby capable of exhibiting the high toughness, irrespective of the content of impurities such as phosphorous and sulfur contained therein, the cooling rate after the sintering treatment and the re-heating treatment, and a method for manufacturing thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, such a tungsten based alloy consists of about 90% tungsten and the balance nickel and iron(copper). Since tungsten is a metal having a high melting point, the tungsten based alloy is produced by using a liquid sintering process which is one of powder metallurgies.
Tungsten based heavy alloys are widely used in various technical fields, to produce weights of gyroscopes, balanced supports of aircraft, containers for containing radioactive materials, vibration attenuators, warheads for breaking armor plates, and etc.
In terms of the mechanical properties, such tungsten based heavy alloys have relatively superior strength and elongation, to other alloys. However, toughness of tungsten based heavy alloys may vary greatly, depending upon the used manufacturing process and the used powder. In particular, heavy alloys made of a powder in which impurities such as phosphorous and sulfur were insufficiently removed during the manufacturing processes exhibit deteriorated mechanical properties involving toughness. As a result, such heavy alloys can not be used in manufacturing products requiring high mechanical properties, such as warheads for breaking armor plates.
It has been known that the deterioration of the mechanical property of heavy alloys due to the impurities was caused by the boundary segregation of the impurities. Accordingly, there have been researches for avoiding the boundary segregation of impurities presented in heavy alloys, in order to prevent the mechanical properties of heavy alloys from being deteriorated.
For example, a method for avoiding the boundary segregation of impurities has been known, which utilized the fact that the boundary segregation of impurities is reduced as the heat treatment temperature of heavy alloy increases. The method can be mainly applied to a heavy alloy containing impurities at a small amount of several hundred ppm and comprises water-cooling the heavy alloy at a high temperature of about 1,000.degree. C., so as to avoid the boundary segregation and thus the deterioration of toughness.
It is also known that as the alloy is subjected to an aging at a temperature of about 500.degree. C. to 600.degree. C., as a subsequent heat treatment, the mechanical property of the treated alloy is improved. However, this aging treatment causes the displacement of impurities dispersed in the alloy structure to crystalline boundaries of the structure, thereby resulting in the boundary segregation of the impurities. Consequently, the problem of the boundary segregation of the impurities occurs again. Thus, it is difficult to improve the mechanical property of heavy alloys, by using the water cooling at a high temperature and the aging treatment at a low temperature.
For producing a heavy alloy having high toughness, therefore, it is necessary to provide a heavy alloy of a new type which has a composition capable of improving the mechanical property irrespective of the substantial content of impurities and the heat treatment.

High toughness tungsten based heavy alloy containing La and Ca. manufacturing thereof


A first embodiment of a planar board with strike indicator includes a base, a light source, a tip-up assembly, an actuation assembly, and a switch. An actuating fishing line release is pivotally connected to an plunger. A fishing line is retained by a front fishing line release, the actuating fishing line release, and a quick release guide. When a fish strikes the lure, the actuating fishing line release pivots away from the front fishing line release, the pole is released to display a flag, and the switch is closed to supply the light source with current from an electrical power source. In a second preferred embodiment, the planar board with strike indicator utilizes a pivotal arm instead of an actuation assembly. A second end of the pivotal arm retains the pole of until a fish strike rotates the pivotal arm against the spring force of an arm extension spring until the pole is released. When the pole is released, a switch closes and the light source emits light. In a third preferred embodiment, the planar board with strike indicator utilizes a sliding rod instead of an actuation assembly. A retention clip on a second end of the sliding rod retains the pole. When the pole is released, a switch closes and the light source emits light. In a fourth and fifth preferred embodiments, a rotating pole is substituted for the actuation assembly and tip-up assembly. In a sixth preferred embodiment a fishing line switch is substituted for the actuation assembly and tip-up assembly. In a seventh preferred embodiment a rotating fishing line release and notch switch are used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to planar boards and more specifically to a planar board with strike indicator which allows a user to see if a fish has hit a lure during the day, or night.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Planar boards allow at least one fishing line to be fished at a predetermined distance from a trolling boat. The planar board tracks and pulls parallel to the side of the boat at the predetermined distance. Unfortunately, the planar board has no way of indicating whether a fish has struck a lure attached to a line on the planar board. The planar board will also not indicate if a lure is fouled in weeds or on the bottom of a lake. If a boat continues to pull a lure fouled in weeds or on the bottom of a lake, the planar board and all associated equipment may become lost if the fishing line snaps.
There have been a few prior art attempts to remedy the above situation. Unfortunately, all have different drawbacks. U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,840 to Wille discloses a planar board with a squirming flag post. The drawback to this design is that the line is attached to the end of the pole and will not fully rise when a fish strikes the line. U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,437 to Cuda discloses a double hull floating device which is purposed for stream fishing and not trolling. U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,347 to Kearney discloses a double hull floating device which is proposed for still fishing and not trolling. Although the lighting device could indicate a strike during the night, the lights would not be visible during the day. The lighting device mechanism also has numerous elements.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a planar board with strike indicator which indicates whether a fish strike has occurred during the day or night.


An electronic device and a touch display panel of the electronic device are provided. The touch display panel receives a touch driving signal and generates a sense signal in response to the touch driving signal, wherein the sense signal is analyzed to calculate a touch position on the touch display. The touch display panel includes a transmitting circuit and a grounding electrode. The transmitting circuit distributes the touch driving signal in the touch display panel. The grounding electrode is disposed over the transmitting circuit and at least partially covers the transmitting circuit, wherein the grounding electrode is a grounded conductor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device and a touch display of the electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a touch display with a grounding shield integrated in the touch display.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic view from above of a part of a conventional touch display panel 100. The touch sensor may be capacitance type touch sensor with a pair of electrodes disposed to face each other with a dielectric body in between. Please refer to FIG. 2 for the drive line 110 as a first electrode and the sense line 120 as a second electrode. The display panel 100 further includes a transmitting circuit 130. The transmitting circuitry 130 is coupled to the drive lines and scans the drive lines by distributing a touch driving signal to each drive line according to a preset sequence. The sense lines generate a sense signal in response to the touch driving signal. It is achieved by transmitting the touch driving signal to the drive line to generate electric field and the sense line receives the energy of the electric filed and generates the sense signal. The sense signal may be analyzed by an external circuitry to calculate the touch position of the user on the touch display 100.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the AA′ line in FIG. 1. The touch display panel 100 further includes a first substrate 14, a liquid crystal layer 16, a color filter layer 12a, and a second substrate 12. The plurality of sense lines (the second electrodes) are disposed on the second substrate 12. The plurality of drive lines (the first electrodes) are disposed between the liquid crystal layer 16 and the first substrate 14. The plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines constitute a capacitive touch sensor integrated in the touch display panel 100. The transmitting circuit 130 is disposed on at least one side of the drive line to transmit the touch driving signal to the drive line.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the electrical field in a part of the display panel 100. When the transmitting circuit 130 scans the drive lines, a normal electric field 161 is generated by the drive line 110, and the sense line 120 received the energy generated by the normal electric field 161 and generates the sense signal. The transmitting circuit 130 transmitting the touch driving signal to the drive line may generated another electrode field that may be received by the sense electrode 120 as the fringe electric field 162 formed between the transmitting circuit 130 and the sense line 120. The normal electric field 161 and the fringe electric field 162 are depicted by two types of dotted lines in FIG. 3, respectively.
The normal electric field 161 appears only when the transmitting circuit 130 sends the touch driving signal to the drive line 110. The normal electric field 161 does not appear when the transmitting circuit 130 sends the touch driving signal to the other drive lines. The normal electric field 161 is mandatory for the touch detection around the drive line 110. Assume that the fringe electric field 162 does not exist and there is only the normal electric field 161. The electrical environment changes when a human hand enters the normal electric field 161, with a portion of the electric field being directed to ground instead of terminating at the sense line 120. The sense signal reflects the resultant decrease in capacitance so that the touch of the user can be detected.
On the other hand, the fringe electric field 162 originates in the intense AC driving signal in the transmitting circuit 130. The fringe electric field 162 appears when the transmitting circuitry 130 sends the touch driving signal to the drive line 110 or another nearby drive line. The fringe electric field 162 is undesirable because the fringe electric field 162 affects the field strength at the sense line 120 and interferes with the sense signal, which induces erroneous results of touch detection.


A membrane oxygenator designed to provide blood flow evenly across a gas permeable membrane in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the gas permeable membrane. In particular, the present invention is directed to a membrane oxygenator wherein the blood is distributed substantially evenly and at a substantially constant velocity, in a cross-wise direction across the gas permeable membrane. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the membrane is a bundle of gas permeable hollow fibers with the blood being distributed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the individual hollow fiber membranes.

The present invention is directed to devices and methods for oxygenating blood during surgery, and in particular, to membrane oxygenators.
Devices which oxygenate blood are typically used in surgical operations where the supply of blood from the heart is interrupted, e.g. during open heart surgery, or any other surgery performed on the heart or lungs. Oxygenation devices fall generally into two different categories, bubble and membrane oxygenators.
For reason not to be discussed herein, membrane oxygenators have recently become preferred over bubble oxygenators. Membrane oxygenators include a membrane with which the blood is brought into direct contact. Commercially available membrane oxygenators utilize hollow tubing or fibers which are formed from a material through which gas may diffuse under the proper operating conditions, without an appreciable passage of fluid. The blood is either passed through the tubing or fibers, with an oxygen bearing gas passed about the fibers, or conversely the blood can be passed about the tubing or fibers with the oxygen bearing gas passed there through. The tubing or the hollow fibers may be formed from silicon, e.g. silicon tubing, or be formed as a porous fiber from a hydrophobic polymeric material.
Examples of various types of membrane oxygenators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,951, issued to Milev on Apr. 14, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,095, issued to Hasegawa on Mar. 8, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,190, issued to Mather, III et al, on Jan. 3, 1984; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,743, issued to Kanno on Apr. 14. 1987, and European Patent Application Number 176,651, filed by Mitsubishi Rayon Co. Ltd, on Feb. 14, 1985.
The gas exchange rate for an oxygenator is determined by multiplying the mass transfer constant for that specific oxygenator times the partial pressure of oxygen, times the total gas exchange surface area. The mass transfer constant is dependent upon the material from which the membrane is formed, the porosity of the membrane, and the operating characteristics of the oxygenator, that is, the manner in which the blood is passed across the membrane. The mass transfer constant is fixed for each type of oxygenator. While the partial pressure of oxygen can be altered to affect gas transfer, it can not exceed one atmosphere and is usually fixed for each type of oxygenator. Thus, the only variable which can be altered to effect the overall gas exchange rate for a given oxygenator is the total gas exchange surface area.
It is thus evident that in order to increase the gas exchange capabilities for a specific oxygenator, its size must be increased. While this allows for a greater gas exchange, the resulting oxygenator may suffer other drawbacks. For example, the larger the oxygenator the greater the priming volume. The priming volume is that amount of fluid necessary to fill the oxygenator. Generally, it is desirable to minimize the priming volume which reduces the gas exchange surface area, while designing an oxygenator with a higher mass transfer constant.
To a certain degree the material from which the membranes are formed, as well as the dimension and porosity of such membranes, may be controlled to improve the mass transfer constant. Altering the operating characteristics of an oxygenator has the greatest effects upon the mass transfer constant. Generally, this involves altering the manner in which the blood is passed across the membranes.
Some blood oxygenators provide that the blood will flow in a direction substantially equivalent to the axis of the hollow fibers, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,207, issued to Bringham et al on Oct. 6, 1987. This is a result of directing the blood either through the fibers, or in a direction generally equivalent to the orientation of the hollow fibers. The basic disadvantage with this type of construction is the inefficiency in performing the oxygenation as blood flows across the membrane.
Other blood oxygenators attempt to direct the blood across the width of the fibers, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,190, issued to Mather, III et al on Jan. 3, 1984. The oxygenator disclosed in this reference incorporates an internal porous cylindrical core 68 about which is positioned a plurality of hollow fibers. The core is formed with numerous openings orientated in a direction generally perpendicular to the hollow fibers. The core and fibers are positioned within an outer cylindrical wall 66, with gas directed through the individual hollow fibers. Blood enters core 68, and exits out through the openings in a direction generally perpendicular to the bundle of hollow fibers. The direction of blood flow through the device taught in Mather III, et al provides for a better degree of oxygenation than obtained with those devices which pass the blood in substantially the same direction as the axis of the hollow fibers. However, the flow obtained by the device taught in Mather III, et al is uneven, and tends to become concentrated in certain portions of the fiber bundle.
An integrated blood oxygenator and heat exchange device is disclosed in a recently published Japanese patent application, publication number 1988-139562 which was published Jun. 11, 1988. The blood oxygenator includes a central heat exchange core which is formed with laterally disposed folds, that is folds arranged between the core ends. Numerous hollow threads are wrapped about the heat exchange core. These threads are laid either parallel to the core axis or piled one by one diagonally across the core. The blood is directed into the core folds and then passes out through the fibers. There is no commercially available embodiment of the disclosed device which would allow for a direct comparison of the gas exchange rate.
There thus remains the need to provide a membrane oxygenator having an improved efficiency in the exchange rate for oxygen.


An image forming apparatus including multiple image forming units; a waste-toner container; and a waste-toner conveyance device including a common conveyance channel member disposed in an arrangement direction of the image forming units and provided with toner inlets to receive the waste toner from toner outlets of the cleaning units, communicating channel members identical in structure and respectively disposed between the toner outlets and the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member, and a rotatable conveying member to transport the waste toner inside the common conveyance channel member linearly along a rotation axis thereof. The common conveyance channel member is shaped to equalize relative positions of each of the toner outlets and a corresponding one of the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member among the multiple image forming units among which a distance from the toner outlet to the rotation axis differs.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a tandem image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction peripheral having at least two of copying, printing, facsimile transmission, plotting, and scanning capabilities, and a waste-toner conveyance device to transport waste toner discharged from a cleaning device in a tandem image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are tandem image forming apparatuses that include four image forming units to form yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images, respectively, transfer the respective color toner images, and superimpose the respective color toner images on a transfer medium such as an intermediate transfer member or a sheet of recording media such as paper, thereby obtaining full-color images. Such tandem image forming apparatuses can form full-color images using at least yellow, magenta, and cyan toners (and black toner as required) and monochrome images using black toner only.
In tandem image forming apparatuses, when one or more of the four colors is not used, for example, in monochrome image formation, the image forming units of colors not used may be disengaged from the transfer medium. For example, a sheet conveyance member to transport sheets of recording media is shaped into an endless belt, and the belt is moved away from the image forming units by moving a support roller supporting the belt. This configuration can reduce operation time of the image forming units not used, thereby extending operational lives thereof.
In tandem image forming apparatuses, toner images are formed on respective latent image bearers in the image forming units. After the toner images are transferred from the latent image bearers onto the transfer medium, a cleaning unit collects toner remaining thereon. The toner thus collected is discharged as waste toner from an outlet of the cleaning unit and transported by a waste-toner conveyance device to a waste-toner container.

Waste-toner conveyance device and image forming apparatus


Methods are provided for the amplification of at least a first and a second target nucleic acid that may be present in at least one fluid sample using an internal control nucleic acid for qualitative and/or quantitative purposes.

In the field of molecular diagnostics, the amplification of nucleic acids from numerous sources has been of considerable significance. Examples for diagnostic applications of nucleic acid amplification and detection are the detection of viruses such as Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), West Nile Virus (WNV) or the routine screening of blood donations for the presence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis-B (HBV) and/or C Virus (HCV). Furthermore, said amplification techniques are suitable for bacterial targets such as mycobacteria, or the analysis of oncology markers.
The most prominent and widely-used amplification technique is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Other amplification reactions comprise, among others, the Ligase Chain Reaction, Polymerase Ligase Chain Reaction, Gap-LCR, Repair Chain Reaction, 3SR, NASBA, Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA), Transcription Mediated Amplification (TMA), and Qβ-amplification.
Automated systems for PCR-based analysis often make use of real-time detection of product amplification during the PCR process in the same reaction vessel. Key to such methods is the use of modified oligonucleotides carrying reporter groups or labels.
It has been shown that amplification and detection of more than one target nucleic acid in the same vessel is possible. This method is commonly termed "multiplex" amplification and requires different labels for distinction if real-time detection is performed.
It is mostly desirable or even mandatory in the field of clinical nucleic acid diagnostics to control the respective amplification using control nucleic acids with a known sequence, for qualitative (performance control) and/or quantitative (determination of the quantity of a target nucleic using the control as a reference) purposes. Given the diversity especially of diagnostic targets, comprising prokaryotic, eukaryotic as well as viral nucleic acids, and given the diversity between different types of nucleic acids such as RNA and DNA, control nucleic acids are usually designed in a specific manner. In brief, these controls usually resemble the target nucleic acid for which they serve as control in order to mimic their properties during the process. This circumstance applies for both qualitative and quantitative assays. In case multiple parameters are to be detected in a single or in parallel experiments, usually different controls resembling different target nucleic acids are employed, such as e.g. in Swanson et al. (J. Clin. Microbiol., (2004), 42, pp. 1863-1868). Stocher et al. (J. Virol. Meth. (2003), 108, pp. 1-8) discloses a control nucleic acid in which multiple virus-specific competitive controls are comprised on the same DNA molecule.
The present invention provides a controlled amplification method using a different approach that displays various advantages.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Control nucleic acids for multiple parameters


The present invention provides three human LIM proteins (designated individually as HLIM-1, HLIM-2, and HLIM-3, and collectively as HLIM) and polynucleotides which identify and encode HLIM. The invention also provides genetically engineered expression vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequences encoding HLIM and a method for producing HLIM. The invention also provides for use of HLIM and agonists, antibodies, or antagonists specifically binding HLIM, in the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with expression of HLIM. Additionally, the invention provides for the use of antisense molecules to polynucleotides encoding HLIM for the treatment of diseases associated with the expression of HLIM. The invention also provides diagnostic assays which utilize the polynucleotide, or fragments or the complement thereof, and antibodies specifically binding HLIM.

The LIM domain is a cysteine-rich motif which was first defined in the proteins Lin-11 from C. elegans (Freyd, G. et al. (1990) Nature 344:876-879) , insulin gene enhancer binding protein ISL1 from rat (Karlsson, O. et al. (1990) Nature 344:879-882), and Mec-3 from C. elegans (Way, J. C. et al. (1 988) Cell 54:5-16). The name LIM is derived from the first letter of the names of these three proteins.
The sequence of the LIM domain is highly conserved among proteins found in different tissues and across a variety of species, which is an indication of the functional importance of this domain (Sanchez-Garcia, I. et al. (1994) Trends Genet. 10:315-320). Two main classes of LIM proteins are known. One class consists of proteins that, like Lin-11, ISL1 and Mec-3, contain two LIM domains plus a homeodomain and are thus designated LIM-HD proteins. The second class of LIM proteins consists of one or more LIM domains without a homeodomain and are thus designated "LIM-only" proteins.
A LIM domain is defined by a conserved consensus amino acid sequence (Wang, X. et al. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267:9176-9184). The domain consists of two adjacent zinc-finger motifs. Two zinc ions bind to a LIM domain, one per zinc finger. LIM domains function as protein-binding interfaces (Schmeichel, K. L. et al. (1994) Cell 79:211-219) and thus may act as cofactors in cell signaling.
Some LIM proteins exhibit oncogenic activity while other members of this diverse group may act as tumor suppressor molecules. The rhombotin genes (RBTN1 and RBTN2) encode LIM proteins which have been implicated in the control of the neoplastic phenotype. RBTN2, identified in childhood T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Boehm, T. et al. (1988) EMBO J. 7:385-394), is essential for erythroid cell development. A homozygous null mutation in RBTN2 results in failure of yolk sac erythropoesis and embryonic death (Warren, A. J. et al. (1994) Cell 78:45-57). In transgenic mice, cell-specific overexpression of RBTN1 or RBTN2 results in the generation of acute lymphoblastic lymphomas at low frequency (Fisch, P. et al. (1992) Oncogene 7:2389-2397; McGuire, E. A. et al. (1992) Mol. Cell Biol. 12:4186-4196).
Human cysteine-rich protein (CRP) is widely expressed in a variety of tissues. Its expression is induced shortly after serum stimulation of fibroblasts in the G.sub.o growth-arrest phase of the cell cycle. The serum induction kinetics of CRP closely parallel those of the c-myc oncogene, which suggests that these two genes respond to the same regulatory pathways and may share transcription control features (Wang et al, supra). CRP is thus proposed to be a primary response gene induced as the cell transits from G.sub.o to G.sub.1 or progresses from the S phase of the cell cycle, and is proposed to act as an oncogene.
Muscle LIM proteins (MLP) are involved in regulating cell-specific gene expression in heart and skeletal muscle. The expression of human MLP and the Drosophila homolog DMLP1 coincide with the differentiation of myoblasts into muscle cells. Overexpression of MLP in C2 myoblasts potentiates myogenic cell differentiation, whereas expression of antisense MLP RNA retards myoblast differentiation (Arber, S. et al. (1994) Cell 79:221-231).
Smooth muscle LIM protein (smLIM) from rat is expressed preferentially in aortic smooth muscle cells. Like MLP, it is a developmentally regulated nuclear protein. SmLIM mRNA levels decrease in vivo in response to vessel wall injury during periods of maximal smooth muscle proliferation (Jain, M. K. etal. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271:10194-10199).
Reversion-induced LIM (RIL) protein from rat is highly expressed in fibroblasts and is down-regulated in H-ras transformed cells. Expression of RIL is restored in phenotypic revertants derived from H-ras transformed cells. RIL is thus proposed to be involved in the maintenance of normal cell growth (Kiess, M. et al. (1995) Oncogene 10:61-68). RIL is expressed in brain, heart, testes and variety of epithelia. The pattern of RIL protein expression suggests a physiological function in epithelial cells and in postmitotic neurons of the brain.
CLP36 protein is highly expressed in normal rat hepatocytes and is down-regulated in hypoxic hepatocytes. The relationship of this down-regulation to hypoxic injury is not understood. CLP36 is found in a wide variety of tissues, at high abundance in heart, lung and liver, moderate abundance in spleen and skeletal muscle, and at extremely low abundance in testis and brain (Wang H. et al. (1995) Gene 165:267-271).
The discovery of polynucleotides encoding LIM proteins, and the protein molecules themselves, presents the opportunity to investigate physiological processes relating to the control of cellular differentiation, proliferation, and response to tissue injury. Discovery of novel LIM proteins and the polynucleotides encoding them satisfies a need in the art by providing new diagnostic or therapeutic compositions directed toward diseases relating to cell damage and abnormal cell growth and proliferation such as arteriosclerosis and cancer.


A digital camera module (200) includes a carrier (20), an image sensor chip (30), a number of wires (50), a holder (60), and a lens module (70). The carrier includes a base (21) and a leadframe (23) embedded in the base. The base includes a board (211), a sidewall (213) and a cavity (24). The leadframe includes a number of conductive leads (233) spaced from each other. Each lead has a first terminal portion (235), a second terminal portion (236), and an interconnecting portion (237) connecting the first and second terminal portions. The chip is mounted on the carrier, and has an active area (301). The wires electrically connect the chip and the leadframe. The holder is mounted to the carrier to close the cavity. The lens module is received in the holder and guides light to the active area of the chip.

Generally, digital cameras are image recording media capable of photographing a plurality of still images without using film. Such a digital camera typically uses an image pickup device, which is a kind of semiconductor device, such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). In the digital camera, an object image formed on the image pickup device through a lens is converted into an electrical signal by the image pickup device, and the electrical signal is stored as a digital signal in a mobile phone or PDA in which the digital camera is mounted. In order to protect the image pickup device from contamination or pollution (i.e. from dust or water vapor), the image pickup device is generally sealed in a structural package.
A typical image sensor chip package 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The image sensor chip package 100 is constructed to include a base 10, a chip 12, a plurality of wires 13, an adhesive glue 14 and a cover 15. The base 10 includes a board portion 101, a frame portion 102 upwardly extending from a periphery of the board portion 101, and a cavity 103 cooperatively formed by the board portion 101 and the frame portion 102. A plurality of top contacts 104 and bottom contacts 105 are respectively mounted on two sides of the board portion 101, and the top contacts 104 are contained in the cavity 103. A plurality of conductive interconnecting portions 106 are arranged inside the board portion 101 so as to electrically connect the top and bottom contacts 104, 105. The chip 12 includes an active area 121 and a number of pads 122 formed thereon. The chip 152 is received in the cavity 103 and adhered to the board portion 101 of the base 10. The wires 13 are provided to electrically connect the pads 122 of the chip 12 and the top contacts 104 of the base 10. The cover 15 is transparent and secured to the top of the frame portion 102 via the adhesive glue 14, thereby hermetically sealing the cavity 103 and allowing light beams to pass therethrough.
In the foresaid package 100, the base 10 is essentially made from ceramic, which is expensive and accordingly results in increased cost of the package 100. During the process of forming the contacts 104, 105 and the interconnecting portions 106 on the base 10, firstly a number of interconnection holes are punched in the base 10, secondly, the base 10 is copper plated, via electroless or electrolytic deposition onto the surface of the base 10 and onto the surfaces created by the interconnecting holes. Finally, the contacts 104, 105 are formed by means of etching. Accordingly, the contacts 104, 105 and the interconnecting portions 106 are electrically connected with each other. It is obvious that this method of forming the contacts 104, 105 and the interconnecting portions 106 is complex and as a result it is expensive. Furthermore, water vapor can enter the cavity 103 via the interconnection portions 106. Thus, the chip 12 may become polluted, and even be damaged.
Additionally, the cavity 103 of the base 10 must contain both of the top contacts 104 and the chip 12 therein, and there must be a space between an outer periphery of the chip 12 and an inner periphery of the frame portion 102 of the base 10 for allowing movement of a wire bonding tool, which accordingly results in a relatively large sized package 100 relative to the volume of the chip 12.
Furthermore, the relatively large volume of the package 100 results in more dust-particles adhering to the cover 15, the board portion 101 and the frame portion 102 of the base 10. Thus, more dust-particles will drop onto the chip 12. The dust-particles obscure the optical path and produce errors in the image sensing process. Accordingly, the quality and/or reliability of the package 100 may be adversely affected.
Therefore, a digital camera module with an improved image sensor chip package is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcomings.


A battery separator for nickel/metal hydride batteries is formed of a synthetic pulp, one or more nonwater swellable fibers and at least one water swellable polyvinyl alcohol fiber. The separator is impregnated with an acrylic resin binder. Alkali resistant fillers may also be included.

Alkaline batteries have become increasingly more popular because of their high energy density. As such, these batteries are increasingly used in applications normally reserved for the traditional lead-acid battery systems.
In order to achieve extended battery life and efficiency in alkaline systems, the use of battery separators is required and the use of battery interseparators, as well, is preferred. The battery separators are located between the positive and negative plates so as to provide, (1) a separation between the electrodes of opposite charge, (2) an electrolyte reservoir, (3) a uniform electrolyte distribution across the electrode surface so as to permit uniform current density and (4) a space for electrode expansion.
Battery separators and interseparators used in alkaline batteries at present are commonly formed of polypropylene, polyamide and/or nylon non-woven sheets.
Other separators in use in alkaline systems today are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,264,691 and 4,330,602. The separator/interseparator is formed of synthetic pulp, alkali resistant inorganic filler and a long fiber of polyester, polyacrylic, polyamide or polyolefin materials.
Until now, these separators have been suitable for nickel cadmium ("Nicad") batteries. However, a newer battery design is poised to supplant the Nicad battery as the rechargeable alkaline battery of choice. It is known as the nickel/metal hydride battery.
The nickel/metal hydride battery offers the potential of higher energy densities, longer life and the elimination of the use of cadmium, which is costly and has questionable environmental acceptability.
The nickel/metal hydride system requires a separator with better performance characteristics than is currently available with the current separators, especially those based upon nylon.
The present invention overcomes the problems inherent in the currently used separators and provides an inexpensive sheet material with the desired tensile strength, chemical inertness, thickness and wicking properties and which is particularly usable in nickel/metal hydride batteries.

Battery separator for nickel/metal hydride batteries


A system for fabricating semiconductor components includes a semiconductor substrate, a thinning system for thinning the semiconductor substrate, an etching system for forming the substrate opening, and a bonding system for bonding the conductive interconnect to the substrate contact. The semiconductor component can be used to form module components, underfilled components, stacked components, and image sensor semiconductor components.

A semiconductor component includes a semiconductor substrate containing various semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. Typically, the semiconductor substrate is in the form of a semiconductor die, that has been singulated from a semiconductor wafer. For example, a chip scale semiconductor component includes a semiconductor die provided with support and protective elements, and a signal transmission system. Semiconductor components can also include multiple semiconductor substrates in a stacked or planar array. For example, a system in a package (SIP) can include multiple semiconductor dice with different electronic configurations packaged in a plastic body (e.g., an application specific die+a memory die).
Semiconductor components include different types of interconnects for implementing different signal transmission system. Interconnects can be formed "on" the semiconductor substrate for transmitting signals in x and y directions. For example, surface interconnects, such as conductors "on" a circuit side of the semiconductor component, can be used to electrically connect the integrated circuits with terminal contacts on the circuit side. Interconnects can also be formed "external" to the semiconductor substrate for transmitting signals in x, y and z directions. For example, wire interconnects, such as wires bonded to the semiconductor substrate, can be used to electrically connect the integrated circuits to "external" terminal contacts on a support substrate for the component.
In fabricating semiconductor components, it is sometimes necessary to provide interconnects which transmit signals from a circuit side of a semiconductor substrate to the backside of the semiconductor substrate. Interconnects which extend through the semiconductor substrate from the circuit side to the backside are sometimes referred to as "through" interconnects. Typically through interconnects comprise metal filled vias formed "in" the semiconductor substrate, which are configured to electrically connect the integrated circuits on the circuit side to elements on a backside of the semiconductor substrate.
As semiconductor components become smaller and have higher input/output configurations, semiconductor manufacturers must fabricate through interconnects with increasingly smaller sizes and pitches, but without compromising the performance and reliability of the signal transmission system. In addition, it is preferable for through interconnects to be capable of volume manufacture using equipment and techniques that are known in the art.
The present invention is directed to a method and system for fabricating semiconductor components with conductive interconnects using backside processes. In addition, the present invention is directed to semiconductor components, including chip scale components, wafer scale components, and multi dice components, having conductive interconnects.

Methods for fabricating semiconductor components with conductive interconnects


An oil level control valve (10) has a molded base (12) having an oil receiving aperture (12d) formed through a bottom wall (12e) with a circumscribing generally rectangular cover plate seat in which a cover plate (14) is removably received. A thermostatic element (16) in the form of a generally rectangular sheet is fastened to posts (12f) extending upwardly from sidewalls of the base by means of peg portions (12g, 12h) received through holes in the sheet and heat staked to the posts. The thermostatic element allows the cover plate to move away from the seat for optimum oil flow at low temperature conditions and restricts the valve opening as temperature of the oil increases to accommodate an increase in oil volume due to expansion in order to maintain the fluid level in the main sump of a transmission housing by allowing an increase in the fluid level of an auxiliary sump in accordance with target values for different flow rates. A second embodiment (10') shows the addition of a snap-on bracket (20) for convenient mounting of the control along with an associated installation tab (12k) for handling purposes.

Hydraulic pressure systems, as used in motor vehicles, require a supply of transmission fluid. Maintaining an adequate oil level in the transmission oil pan at all operating temperatures is essential for effective transmission performance. The oil pan serves as a sump to provide the necessary supply, however, in front wheel drive vehicles the transmission oil pan is too shallow to hold an appropriate quantity. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the volume of the oil used expands at elevated temperatures. The height of the level of the sump needs to be limited in order to avoid having moving elements of the transmission from being immersed causing the creation of foam which would result in loss of torque. On the other hand, if the sump level falls too low, there would be a loss of pump inlet supply which would result in damage. The problem has been dealt with by employing an auxiliary sump at the side of the transmission case cover. The fluid level in the auxiliary sump is controlled by a thermostatic element which controls the amount of force placed on a valve element controlling the amount of fluid flow from the auxiliary sump to the main sump in dependence upon the temperature of the oil in the auxiliary sump. As the temperature of the oil increases, the force placed on the valve element by the thermostatic element increases to produce an increase in the height of the oil level in the auxiliary sump in a controlled manner ideally maintaining the height of the oil in the main sump at a constant level.
A control valve of the type described is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,678, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by this reference. A control made in accordance with an embodiment of that patent is shown in FIG. 10 and comprises a generally U-shaped member 120 comprising a strip 126 of thermostatic material having a mounting strip 122 of monometal at a first end mounted on a first member 104 of a pair 104, 106 of thermoplastic post members extending upwardly from a base 102. The integrally attached thermostatic strip has a second opposite end 134 biased against a metal cover plate 110 covering a fluid aperture 108, the cover plate being slidably movable along the post members toward and away from the fluid aperture. A first fluid path is provided at temperatures below a selected level in which the cover plate hinges about a location on the second member 106 of the pair of post members and a second fluid path is provided at temperatures above the selected level with the effective hinge location shifting to a location on the base adjacent the first post member 104. A spring 136 is disposed on the second of the pair of post members which places a bias on the cover plate so that a force relatively independent of temperature is placed on the cover plate at one end while another force dependent on temperature is placed on the cover plate at a location on the other side of center line between opposite ends of the plate with the result that the effective location of the hinge point switches between two different locations to provide a non-linear curve of head height (i.e., force) versus temperature.
The control valve needs to respond to different flow rates, for example, from a low of 1/4 gpm at idle to 1 gpm at full throttle. With reference to FIG. 10, a target, or model curve of fluid height in mm in the auxiliary sump versus temperature for a particular automotive transmission is shown in FIG. 8 with curve a representing the 1/4 gpm model and curve b representing the 1 gpm model. The model curves, showing an increase height of the auxiliary sump with increasing temperature, result in an essentially constant oil level in the main sump in the selected transmission. A control valve made in accordance with the FIG. 10 embodiment of the above referenced patent resulted in actual height shown by curve c for 1/4 gpm and d for 1 gpm. Although the control valve resulted in tracking of the model curves, it would be desirable to decrease the difference or delta between the model and actual curves, particularly in the 1/4 gpm low and middle temperature operating range. It would also be desirable to decrease the differences between the low flow rate and high flow rate curves.
Additionally, it would be desirable to provide a control valve which is less expensive to manufacture and assemble and one which has improved longevity. For example, in the FIG. 10 embodiment, each device must be separately calibrated by pushing the temperature responsive member onto its respective post to a selected location and the coil spring member onto its respective post to a selected location as determined by a defined force level. Although further adjustments can be made in pushing the members further down their respective posts, care must be taken not to exceed the calibrated positions to avoid having an unusable device. Another limitation is that over time the plastic posts tend to yield or bend causing the calibration to drift. Still another limitation is that the temperature responsive member is relatively complex using a monometal portion welded to a thermostat metal strip formed into a somewhat precise U-shape.
From an ideal standpoint, the target curves could most easily be achieved by using an elongated, narrow thermostat blade having a low mechanical spring rate; however, in certain transmission housings there is insufficient space for this approach. With transmission housings to which the present invention is addressed, the available footprint is more square shaped than elongated and on the order of only one to two inches in length and width.


A method includes estimating a value of a parameter indicative of an age or lifespan of a population of red blood cells of a subject, estimating a value of average glucose (AG) of the subject based on (i) the value of the parameter and (ii) a value indicative of an amount of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of the subject, and providing information for treatment or diagnosis of a hyperglycemia condition of the subject based on the estimated value of AG.

Diabetes mellitus is a growing global health burden affecting about 400 million people worldwide (5). A person's glycated hemoglobin fraction can reflect the average concentration of glucose in the blood over the past 2-3 months and can be used to determine the risk for diabetes-related complications in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (6-8). An HbA1c greater than or equal to 6.5% is diagnostic for diabetes, and the treatment goal for most people with diabetes is an HbA1c less than 7% (9). HbA1c can be used to set specific therapeutic targets for all patients with diabetes with the goal of reducing complications. Specific HbA1c targets for women who develop diabetes during pregnancy, e.g., gestational diabetes, and for women with diabetes who become pregnant are established to reduce perinatal complications for the mother and congenital malformations in the infant. HbA1c is used to infer average glucose levels (AG) because continuous glucose measurements (CGM) are not routinely available and episodic measures of blood glucose do not accurately capture AG (10).

Methods of estimating blood glucose and related systems


According to embodiments of the present invention, indicators on a PCI/PCI-X controlled by a Standard Hot-Plug Controller (SHPC) have non-fifty percent duty cycle blinking patterns that communicate to an operator a particular command being processed, whether the command was processed successfully, whether a “hard” or “soft” error occurred if the command was processed successfully, and whether power was applied to the slot if the command was not processed successfully.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to hot-plug technology and, in particular, to peripheral component interconnect (PCI/PCI-X) standard hot-plug controllers (SHPCs).
2. Discussion of Related Art
A peripheral component interconnect (PCI/PCI-X) bus is a bus in a computer system that interconnects a microprocessor and peripheral devices, such as keyboards, disk drives, video adapters, etc. A PCI/PCI-X bus has slots into which the adapter cards for the peripheral devices can be inserted or removed. Hot-plug technology allows a user to physically remove or insert one or more PCI adapter cards without having to remove power to the entire system or re-booting the system software. Only the individual PCI/PCI-X slots are affected and the other devices in the system are not disrupted.
Hot-plug controllers were being developed by various vendors that were compatible with the PCI Hot-Plug Specification, Revision 1.0, Oct. 6, 1997, PCI Special Interest Group, Portland, Oreg. It has been proposed that standardized hot-plug controllers be developed so that vendor-specific hot-plug controllers could be compatible across many platforms. The PCI Standard Hot-Plug Controller and Subsystem Specification, Revision 1.0, Jun. 20, 2001, PCI Special Interest Group, Portland, Oreg., (hereinafter "SHPC Specification") was developed to meet this challenge.
The SHPC Specification provides that each slot for an adapter card have indicators, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs). For instance the SHPC Specification provides that there be two LEDs per slot, a power indicator (PLED) and an attention indicator (ALED). According to the SHPC Specification, each indicator is in one of three states: on, off, or blinking.
When the PLED is off, it is indicating that main power to the associated slot is off and that an adapter card may be safely inserted or removed from the slot. When the PLED is on, it is indicating that main power to the slot is on and that an adapter card may not be safely inserted or removed from the slot. When the PLED blinks, it is indicating that the slot is powering up or powering down and an adapter card cannot be safely inserted or removed from the slot.
When the ALED is on, it is indicating that an operational problem exists at the slot or adapter card. When the ALED is off, it is indicating that the slot and adapter card are operating normally. When the ALED is blinking, it is indicating that the system software is identifying the slot for a human operator to find. The SHPC Specification requires that when the PLED or ALED blinks, it blinks at a fifty percent duty cycle (±5%), such as 250 nanoseconds (ns) on and 250 ns off, at a prescribed frequency.
This indicator scheme has limitations, however, in that it does not communicate very much information about what the Standard Hot-Plug Controller (SHPC) is doing. The indicator scheme only shows whether a slot is active (the adapter card in the slot is powered), inactive (the adapter card in the slot is not powered), or in the process of changing states between being active and inactive, or vice versa.

Method for signaling PCI/PCI-X standard hot-plug controller (SHPC) command status


The present invention relates to a process for purifying lipopeptides. More particular, the invention provides an improved method for purifying daptomycin.

Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic with activity against gram-positive organisms. Daptomycin is produced by fermentation of Strepromyces roseosporus and then purification of the fermentation broth. The mechanism of action for daptomycin is that it binds to bacterial membranes and causes a rapid depolarization of the membrane potential. This loss of membrane potential causes inhibition of protein, DNA and RNA synthesis, resulting in bacterial cell death. Daptomycin is approved for complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) and Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (bacteraemia). Daptomycin is marketed by Cubist Pharmaceuticals under the trademark CUBICIN®.
Daptomycin was first described in the mid 1980's in several patents and journals; U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,717 and Debono M. et al, Journal of Antibiotics, 1986, Vol. XL, No 6, 761-777. Since then there have been several publications regarding improved fermentation processes and purification processes.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,243 an improved fermentation process for making daptomycin is described. This method describes the feeding of decanoic fatty acid or ester or salts thereof to a fermentation broth of Strepromyces roseosporus. During fermentation, the decanoic fatty acid will be inserted to the molecule to form the decanoic side chain of daptomycin.
In the prior art, several purification processes for purifying daptomycin has been described. U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,843 describes a method for purifying daptomycin in which the fermentation broth was filtered and added to a chromatographic column containing Diaion® HP-20 styrene-divinylbenzene resin for hydrophobic compounds. After elution, the semipurified daptomycin was passed through a column containing Diaion® HP-20ss resin and then added to another column containing Diaion® HP-20 resin, a directly polymerized small particle size version of HP-20. In addition to these steps, attempts to increase the purity with several additional chromatographic steps without any success are described. The '843 patent further teach that by using a non-functional resin and an aqueous solution and including a step where water are physically removed and then rewet the resin with a polar organic solvent, the purity of the product is increased from 80% to 93%. This process is time consuming and not very well suitable for industrial production.
The U.S. RE 39,071 patent describes the two major impurities found in the production of daptomycin, the anhydro-daptomycin and the beta-isomer of daptomycin. The U.S. RE 39,071 further states that by using the method described in example 1-3 you will have a daptomycin product comprising less than 6% of the two mentioned impurities. Example 3 describes a method where intermediate quality of daptomycin is further purified in a method comprising four chromatographic steps and additional desalting, concentration and freeze drying steps. In the chromatographic steps acetonitrile is used for washing and elution and in addition you have to perform the method with chilled solutions and in a chilled room.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,696,412 patent disclose a method for purifying daptomycin by utilizing an anion exchange chromatography step where a modified buffer is used for elution and by utilizing a microfiltration step where daptomycin forms micelles. There are several methods described in this patent that is a combination of the two steps mentioned above in combination with other purification steps familiar to the person skilled in the art. The highly purified daptomycin product is defined in the patent to be daptomycin with a purity level of 95-97%.


A flanged radial bearing having rolling bodies, the bearing being provided with an outer ring radially bounded by an outer surface; an inner ring mounted coaxially inside the outer ring; a row of rolling bodies arranged between the two rings that allows relative rotation between the two rings; and a flange joined to the outer ring and mounted along an assembly groove formed through the outer surface; the flange not being a flange integral with the outer ring, but being releasably assembled on the outer ring.

Flanged radial bearings of the rolling body type, comprising an outer ring and an inner ring coaxial with each other, a row of rolling bodies arranged between the two rings so as to allow relative rotation of the two rings, and a flange, which is joined to the outer ring and is formed as one piece with and made of the same material as the outer ring, are known.
Since the flange described above is integral with the outer ring, the use, or rather, the flexibility of use of the bearing is limited as a result since certain different applications could require flanges with different characteristics in terms of shape and materials, but outer and inner rings with the same performance and technical characteristics.
Therefore, although it is possible to use a same bearing (understand as meaning a set of rings and rolling bodies) in several applications requiring, however, different flanges, it is necessary to equip the bearing production channels in such a way that they can produce at least the outer ring and the flange depending on the type of application.
Such a modus operandi is not compatible with the ever increasing demands for standardization of the greater number of components, savings in production, and flexibility of the products and the associated production channels.

Flanged radial bearing with rolling bodies