A video signal recording and reproduction apparatus comprising a video signal recording block and a video signal reproduction block. The video signal recording block includes a sub information/feature amount detector for detecting sub information and/or a feature amount from a video signal, an identification signal generator for generating identification signals corresponding to respective frames of the video signal in accordance with the sub information and/or feature amount, and a recorder for recording the identification signals together with the video signal in sectors of a program area on a recording medium. The identification signals are recorded in a sub code area in each sector of the program area containing the corresponding frames of the video signal. The video signal reproduction block includes an identification signal detector for detecting the identification signals from the sub code areas and reproduction means for generating a screen comprised of respective frames of the video signal recorded in the sector of the program area corresponding to the detected identification signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video signal recording apparatus and method, a video signal reproduction apparatus and method, and a video signal recording and reproduction apparatus and method for recording or reproducing a video signal together with a search screen for knowing an outline of the content of the video signal and searching the video signal, as well as a recording medium containing this search screen information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, a recording medium such as the optical disc, hard disc, or digital video tape for recording a video signal broadcast by a television broadcast or digital satellite broad cast has a recording capacity in the order of several mega and several tens of giga bytes. With a recording medium having such a large capacity, it is possible to continuously record a video signal for a long period of time such as several hours to 10 hours.
When such a recording medium is used to record a video signal of a television broadcast or the like, even by high-speed reproduction of the recording medium after the recording it is impossible to check all the contents for a short period of time. Consequently, when such a recording medium of a large capacity is used for recording a television broadcast or the like, a function is required for checking outlines of the contents recorded and recording positions of programs.
However, it has been very difficult to check the outline of the contents of a video signal recorded on a conventional recording medium. For example, there can be considered an interval reproduction for skipping a reproduction point for a predetermined period of time so as to check the outline of the contents recorded on a recording medium, but this interval reproduction carries out a reproduction regardless of an information content of a video signal recorded. Accordingly, it is difficult to grasp the contents of the video signal by this interval reproduction.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a video signal recording apparatus and recording method for recording together with a video signal a search screen for grasping an outline of the content of this video signal and searching the video signal.
Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide a video signal reproduction apparatus and reproduction method for reproducing the aforementioned search screen.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a video signal recording/reproduction apparatus and recording/reproduction apparatus for recording and reproducing the aforementioned search screen.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium on which the aforementioned search screen information is recorded.
The video signal recording apparatus according to the present invention includes: sub information/feature amount detecting means for detecting a sub information and/or feature amount from a video signal; identification signal generating means for generating a one or more than one identification signals corresponding to respective screens of a video signal, according to the sub information and/or feature amount; and recording means for recording the identification signal together with the video signal on a recording medium.
In this video signal recording apparatus, identification signals corresponding to respective screens are recorded together with a video signal on a recording medium.
The video signal recording method according to the present invention includes: a step of detecting a sub information and/or feature amount from a video signal; a step of generating one or more than one identification signals corresponding to respective screens of the video signal, according to the sub information and/or feature amount; and a step of recording the identification signal together with the video signal on a recording medium.
In this video signal recording method, a video signal is recorded together with a sub information and/or feature amount of the video signal.
The video signal reproduction apparatus according to the present invention includes: identification signal detecting means for detecting one or more than one identification signals together with a video signal from a recording medium on which the one or more than one identification signals are recorded corresponding to respective screens according to a sub information and/or feature amount of the video signal; and reproduction means which uses the identification signal detected by the identification signal detecting means, for reproducing a video signal of the screen corresponding to the identification signal from the recording medium.
In this video signal reproduction apparatus according to the present invention, according to one or more than one identification signals generated according to a sub information and/or feature amount, a corresponding video signal is reproduced.
The video signal reproduction method according to the present invention includes: a step of detecting from a recording medium containing a video signal together with one or more than one identification signals recorded corresponding to respective screens according to a sub information and/or feature amount of the video signal, the one or more than one identification signals; and a step of reproducing from the recording medium, video signals of screens corresponding to the identification signals, according to the aforementioned identification signals detected.
In this video signal reproduction method, according to one or more than one identification signals generated according to the sub information and/or feature amount, a corresponding video signal is reproduced.
The video signal recording and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention includes a video signal recording block and a video signal reproduction block,
the video signal recording block having: sub information/feature amount detecting means for detecting a sub information and/or feature amount from a video signal; identification signal generating means for generating a one or more than one identification signals corresponding to respective screens of a video signal, according to the sub information and/or feature amount; and recording means for recording the identification signal together with the video signal on a recording medium; and
the video signal reproduction block having: identification signal detecting means for detecting the one or more than one identification signals from the recording medium and reproduction means which according to the identification signal detected by the identification signal detecting means, reproduces from the recording medium a video signal of the screen corresponding to the identification signal.
In this video signal recording and reproduction apparatus, a video signal is recorded on a recording medium together with an identification signal generated according to a sub information/feature amount corresponding to respective screens, and a video signal corresponding to this identification signal is reproduced.
The video signal recording and reproducing method according to the present invention includes: a step of detecting a sub information and/or feature amount from a video signal; a step of generating one or more than one identification signals corresponding to respective screens of the video signal, according to the sub information and/or feature amount; a step of recording the one or more than one identification signals together with the video signal on a recording medium; a step of detecting from the recording medium the one or more than one identification signals; and a step of reproducing a video signal of screens corresponding to the identification signals detected.
In this video signal recording and reproduction method, a video signal is recorded on a recording medium together with an identification signal generated according to a sub information and/or feature amount, and a video signal corresponding to this identification signal is reproduced.
The recording medium according to the present invention contains a video signal together with one or more than one identification signals recorded corresponding to respective screens of the video signal according to a sub information and/or feature amount of the video signal.

Video signal recording apparatus and method, video signal reproduction apparatus and method, video signal recording and reproduction apparatus and method, and recording medium


An information processing apparatus for generating a workflow including one or more steps each indicating a process to be executed, includes a workflow display unit configured to display, on a display, one or more graphical representations corresponding to one or more steps of the workflow; a step management unit configured to obtain attribute data associated with a step to be added in response to an instruction for adding the step to the workflow; and an auxiliary indication control unit configured to cause the display to display a graphical representation corresponding to the step to be added and a graphical representation that reflects the attribute data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a workflow generating system, and a workflow generating method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Patterned processing has been performed in a semiautomatic manner by apparatuses that execute workflows, in which a plurality of steps each indicating a process are connected with connecting lines, produced using application software. For example, in a field of large volume printing called production printing, the workflow is used for processing document data received from customers, for setting of any print setting, and for performing printing using any printer. In this case, the processing from receiving of document data to completion of printing can be performed in a semiautomatic manner.
Known techniques for editing such a workflow are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-151893, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-116381, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H7-191840, for example. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-151893 discloses a technique in which executable service icons are displayed on a graphic user interface (GUI) using a service list transmitted from a service searching server and a user creates a workflow using the service icons. In addition, a flow can be made in which services logically cooperate with each other using cooperation processing patterns such as transition, branching, repetition, and stop.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-116381 discloses a technique in which, when a bypass unit composed of a branching unit branching an execution flow into two flows and a merging unit merging the branching flows is inserted in a flowchart, the branching unit and the merging unit are inserted as a pair. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H7-191840 discloses a technique in which, when a data flow is edited, a connecting terminal having a form corresponding to a type of data included in a program module is provided to a graphic symbol indicating the program module, suggesting to a user that the graphic symbols having the connecting terminals of the same form are connectable to each other.
Such conventional techniques, however, have a problem in that it is difficult for a user who edits a workflow to know whether another step is connectable to the step used for the editing of the workflow on a downstream side of the step. Particularly, when it is indispensable to connect a step on the downstream side but no step is connected, the execution of processing in the workflow produced by being edited returns an error. As a result, such a mistake drastically reduces working efficiency.
Therefore, there is a need to allow a user to readily create a workflow.

Information processing apparatus, workflow generating system, and workflow generating method


A reference signal (RS) transmission system to transmit a channel state information (CSI) RS for extraction of CSI to a relay and a macro terminal is disclosed. The base station transmits information on a sub frame containing the CSI RS to the relay or the macro terminal. The macro terminal and the relay receive the CSI RS using the information on the sub frame. The macro terminal and the relay extract the CSI using the CSI RS and transmit the extracted CSI to the base station.

The present invention relates to a reference signal (RS) necessary for data transmission and reception and to signaling of the RS, and more particularly, to an RS signal for data transmission and reception between a base station and a relay in a wireless communication system using the relay and signaling of the RS.
An appropriate reference signal (RS) needs to be transmitted for efficient transmission and reception of data. The RS is necessary for modulation of data and also for generation of channel state information (CSI) through estimation of a channel state between a base station and a terminal. The terminal generates CSI and transmits the CSI to the base station. The base station transmits data to the terminal based on the CSI. An RS used to extract the CSI may be referred to as a 'CSI RS.'
A plurality of RSs are necessary in general for multiple input multiple output (MIMO) transmission and reception. Exemplarily, the RSs transmitted by the base station are orthogonal to one another. The base station transmits its own specific RS to all terminals in the coverage. In general, as the number of antennas installed in the base station increases, more RSs are necessary.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System for transmitting reference signal with information on state of channel

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


An electronic part-mounting socket (100) includes a shielding housing (3) defining a receiving cavity (34) for receiving an electronic part. Each of opposed side wall sections (31) of the shielding housing defines a hinge edge (314) with opposed sides. Each side wall section has a portion bent as a resilient contact tongue (315), which is joined to one side of the hinge edge and has a free end thereof inwardly projecting into said receiving cavity for resiliently retaining the electronic part. An extension piece (316) is integrally joined to the other side of the hinge edge and constructed to allow the resilient contact tongue to flex about the hinge edge. Thus, as compared with the prior art, the resilient contact tongue will have a better resilient capability due to the additional extension piece, even after the repeated application of the socket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a socket for mounting an electronic part, mainly such as a camera module, on a printed wiring board such as an FPC.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many electronic devices including mobile telephones are increasingly diversified in function, and many models with built-in cameras are now available in the market. A socket for mounting an electronic part typically includes a shielding housing having a receiving cavity for receiving the electronic part therein, and a plurality of contacts held by a contact holding member to be disposed within the shielding housing for electrically mating with the electronic part. The shielding housing further defines a base section surrounded by a peripheral wall to form such a receiving cavity. Opposed rigid side wall sections of the peripheral wall are typically provided with resilient contact tongues for resiliently retaining the electronic part, which is to be received within the receiving cavity of the shielding housing.
A problem with the electronic part-mounting socket is that the electronic part is not securely retained by the pair of resilient contact tongues after repeated application of the electronic part-mounting socket. This is so because each resilient contact tongue is integrally joined to a rigid edge of the side wall section, and thus has no sufficient resilient capability after the repeated application of the electronic part-mounting socket. It is desirable that the resilient contact tongue be required to have a better resilient capability, even after the repeated application of the electronic-part mounting socket. Therefore, there is a need to provide a new electronic-part mounting socket to resolve the above-mentioned shortcoming.


An electromagnetic relay, having a core 3 fixed by press-fitting in a yoke 4, which is facilitated in attaching operation and eliminated of the possibility, during press-fitting, of being placed in poor contact by metal chips produced by cutting away the yoke 4 by the core 3. The core 3 is provided with a smaller diameter portion 3c at an end portion and is inserted into a center of a bobbin 1 having a coil 2 wound therearound. A cutout 5 is formed in the yoke 4 so as to receive by press-fitting the smaller diameter portion 3c of the core 3. First slant surfaces 6 are formed in the edge of an opening of the cutout 5 such that the wall thickness becomes thinner toward the opening. Second slant surfaces 7 are provided in the form of curved surfaces at the terminal ends of the first slant surfaces in a manner smoothly continuing to a general surface of the yoke 4 and also to the first slant surfaces 6. The terminal ends of the second slant surfaces 7 are positioned on a diametrical center line of the core 3 when the core 3 is attached to the yoke 4.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to generally to electromagnetic relays and, in particular, to a structure for electromagnetic relays having a core, inserted through, a center of a bobbin, to be attached onto a yoke.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional electromagnetic relay has a core attached to a yoke by staking, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. S57-72540. With such stake-fastening, however, the assembling of an armature and a leaf spring, referred to as an armature spring, onto a core had to be performed after the clamp-fastening step of the core and the yoke, due to necessity of working processes. As a result, it has been difficult to obtain accurate control of the angle of attachment of the yoke with the armature.
Another electromagnetic relay structure is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. H2-104547, wherein a core is press-fitted into a cutout formed in a yoke. In this structure, the core has a smaller diameter portion formed adjacent one end thereof, and a cutout is provided in a bottom plate of an L-shaped yoke, thereby allowing the smaller diameter portion to be press-fitted in the cutout of the yoke.
With this structure, the problem concerning the accuracy control of the attachment angle for the yoke and the armature is solved. However, a large amount of press-fitting force is initially required during press-fitting of the core into the yoke, worsening the operation efficiency. Also, the bottom plate of the yoke is cut away by a peripheral edge of a larger diameter portion of the core, thereby producing chips. This creates a new problem in that the chips are adhered to contact portions or other operating portions within a case of the electromagnetic relay, thereby causing poor operation.


The invention pertains to a handheld implement, in particular a portable chainsaw (100), with a handle housing part (12) that contains at least one carrying handle (10), and with at least one motor housing part (16) that carries a drive unit (14) and is connected to the handle housing part (12) by means of an antivibration system that consists of at least one vibration-reducing element (18). The invention proposes an antivibration system of this type, in which the above-mentioned problems are solved due to the fact that an exchange of the vibration-reducing elements can be eliminated, wherein the antivibration system is still able to fulfill the individual requirements of the operator and the machine. This is achieved due to the fact that the at least one vibration-reducing element (18) is realized such that it can be adjusted with the aid of a tool or without requiring a tool.

It is common practice to arrange vibration-reducing elements on machine tools. Additional developments of known vibration-reducing elements are continuously introduced on the market in order to effectively dampen the vibrations, in particular, of chainsaws which are generated by the high-speed driving motors. The operating personnel are subjected to significant permanent stresses in the form of high-frequency vibrations that are primarily generated by the crank mechanism, as well as low-frequency vibrations generated by the implement (saw chain). This not only significantly impairs the work being performed with the chainsaws, but also results in frequent health problems when the operating personnel are subjected to such vibrations over extended periods of time.
In order to reduce the vibrations of chainsaws, the conventional handles intended for the left hand and the right hand of the operator are mounted on the front and the rear sections of the machine by means of so-called rubber-bonded-to-metal mountings or other vibration-reducing materials. In this known mounting of the handles, an effective reduction of the vibrations can be achieved if the elastic connection between the handle and the machine is sufficiently soft for achieving an adequate reduction of the vibrations generated by the motor within this connection such that they cannot be transmitted onto the handles.
A portable chainsaw is known from publication DE 1 271 370. This chain-saw is provided with two handles that are respectively mounted on the front and the rear sections of the machine by means of vibration-reducing elements. The handles are conventionally connected to one another in a rigid fashion, namely by means of a connection that forms a rigid frame together with the handles, and the vibration-reducing elements are arranged essentially perpendicular to the plane of the chain guide rail on at least three points of the motor unit.
It is also known that the vibration-reducing elements need to be occasionally exchanged. The vibration-reducing elements need to be exchanged for various reasons. For example, the relatively high permanent stresses, to which the vibration-reducing elements are subjected, cause wear such that the element needs to be exchanged in order to preserve the antivibration effect. In addition, the individual preferences of the different users, as well as different attachments with varying rail lengths or with different chain types, may make it necessary to exchange the vibration-reducing elements.
This exchange is very complicated and time-consuming and can frequently only be carried out in a workshop. If it becomes necessary to exchange the elements at the work site, for example, at a logging or construction site, the exchange can sometimes only be realized with special tools, wherein the chainsaw as a whole needs to be disassembled.
In order to ensure a simple exchange of the vibration-reducing elements, publication DE 89 13 638 U1 describes a chainsaw, in which a special moulded part can be separably fixed in a receptacle for the moulded part by means of a screw connection that is accessible from outside the housing.

Adjustable antivibration system, in particular for a hand-held work machine


An assembly is disclosed for finding and withdrawing wire and cable ends from locations inside a wall which is being constructed where they have been temporarily brought. The assembly includes a plaster ring fastened to a wall stud. A plaster ring cover plate is temporarily attached to the plaster ring. A hitch is provided on the plaster ring cover plate for joining the wire or cable ends to the cover plate. A tying member may be used to tie the wire or cable end to the cover plate if desired. A method for retrieving the wire and cable ends is also disclosed which includes placing a plaster ring near a location where the wire or cable ends are brought, providing a plaster ring cover plate which is removably engaged on the plaster ring with a hitch for receiving the wire or cable end, engaging the wire or cable end on the hitch, and engaging the plaster ring cover plate on the plaster ring. When the plaster ring cover plate is pulled off of the plaster ring, the wire or cable ends attached to the cover plate are drawn with the cover plate and out of the wall.

The wire protecting ring described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,608,252 addresses a related problem, namely, protecting electrical wire ends in a junction box during the construction of a wall. That patent recognizes the need for protecting the wire ends inside the wall while the surface members of the wall are being installed, namely, in this case, the wallboards. The patent discloses a ring which can be installed over an outlet box to identify the location of the box for the person who installs the wallboard sheets. The ring is intended to protect the wire ends inside the box as a portion of the sheet over the box is cut away and removed. A panel in the center of the ring over the wire ends closes a central aperture in the ring so that the cutting tool which the wallboard installer uses will not damage the wires. The panel is connected to the frame portion of the ring with links which may be broken, and the panel thereafter removed, so that an electrician can get through the wallboard to the interior of the box and grasp the wire ends in order to pull them out and affix them to a switch or other fixture on the roomside surface of the wallboard.
Generally similar protective plates are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,166,329; 6,479,749; and 6,462,278. And in U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,883 a protective plate which is nested into an electrical utility box utilizes a spike which points outwardly from the plate and pierces any covering put over the box in order to identify where the box is.
While these assemblies protect wires which have been brought into the utility boxes, none of them deal with what occurs when a wallboard finisher closes the gaps between the rough cut edges of the wallboard around the box and the edges of the box itself with drywall compound. Oftentimes the compound is inadvertently spread over the edges of the cover plate, making it difficult to find and hard to retrieve any wiring inside the box. Moreover, none of these patents deal with an installation in which a utility box is not used, i.e., when the wire or cable ends are simply left inside the wall to be extracted later, assuming that they can be found, through a nondescript hole in the wallboard left by the previous workman, often without identification of the type of wiring or the type of fixture to be connected.
The present invention solves these and other wire and cable end retrieval problems. It provides means for quickly identifying the type of electrical installation to be placed at a particular location. And it provides means for quickly withdrawing the wire or cable ends from the wall, whether they are in a utility box or not, and eliminates having the ends covered with dried joint compound.

Electrical wire and cable protection and retrieval system


A configurable table, comprises a first element link frame, a second element link frame, a first connection node, a second connection node, and a plurality of magnetic elements. Each of the connection nodes comprises a channel, the channel have a plurality of holders. The plurality of magnetic elements are disposed in the plurality of holders and connecting to the first element link frame and the second element fame.

1. Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a methods and systems for providing a table platform that is configurable to address different customer needs.
2. Information/Background of the Invention
Conventional table designs are designed with specific dimensions in order to allow for easy and low cost manufacture in overseas locations. The result is a table or table system that has specific dimensions for pairing with chairs, sofas, ottomans and other types of furniture. Modifications in a design of a table system results in higher cost of manufacture. This leaves interior designers, house owners, studio designers, or exhibit designers with little flexibility in meeting different needs of clients and/or customers.
Accordingly, a need exists for a table or table system design that has flexibility to meet the varying needs of different clients.


A method of coating a pre-formed trainable material, such as nitinol wire, with a heat resistant substance, heat treating, and cooling to form a desired shape. The substance can be removed by various methods after heat treatment, depending upon the composition of the substance. The method includes forming a trainable material around a mold that dissolves, vaporizes, or can otherwise be removed. The method is useful for forming complicated shapes that would be expensive or impossible to form by conventional methods.

Nitinol, a nickel-titanium alloy, is well known in the art for its superb elasticity. Nitinol wire and wire mesh can be permanently formed into a desired shape by a process called training. Training consists of first manually manipulating the trainable material into the desired shape and then heat treating it while holding it firmly in that shape. The heat treatment consists of subjecting the material to a high temperature for a particular amount of time and then cooling it. For nitinol, this high temperature is usually between about 450 and 600° C., and this time usually ranges from a few seconds to three minutes. After the nitinol is subsequently cooled, it will maintain the desired shape.
Methods of heat treating are well known in the art. Heat treating a material requires a uniform rate of heating and cooling to minimize undesired stresses on the material. A method of heat treating and quenching complex geometries without distortion or cracking is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,410 by Parizek. It teaches the use of two salt baths held at different temperatures into which the material to be treated is submerged at different times.
During the heat treatment, the nitinol must be held firmly in its desired shape, otherwise the shape of the nitinol will warp during the heat treatment. In order to overcome this warping and to provide a firm support for the nitinol during heat treatment, the standard method of forming nitinol into a desired shape is to first create a metal mold that can withstand a high temperature. The mold consists at least of a first piece and a second piece, the first piece able to fit snugly into the second piece, and the two pieces able to lock together. The nitinol in a wire or wire mesh form is then sandwiched between the two pieces and then the pieces are pressed and locked together, thus giving the nitinol the desired shape. The entire mold with the nitinol inside is then subjected to the heating process. For more complicated shapes, more than two pieces may be used, but in each case every part of the nitinol is sandwiched between at least two of these pieces and remains sandwiched during the heating process.
Another method of reducing warpage during the heat treatment is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,500 by Zurfluh. It teaches a fixture that has porous support walls that engage opposite sides of the material to be heat treated. A liquid heating and cooling media is then flowed through the porous walls to heat treat the material while the support walls minimize warpage of the material.
One problem with conventional methods is that they are not conducive to certain shapes. For example, shapes that have an enclosed volume cannot be easily formed using the conventional methods. This is because once the heat treatment has taken place, it is not possible to remove a solid metal mold from inside. One way to solve this problem is by using a collapsible inside mold, but this method is very expensive and complicated. Another problem with this method is that some complicated shapes are not even conducive to such collapsible molds.
Another way to solve the problem of training materials into complicated shapes is by using a mold that is created from sand bound by a resin binder. The material can then be shaped around the sand mold and heat treated with the sand still inside. After the heat treatment, the sand mold can be broken down and removed, for example, by vibration. A means for processing and reusing sand molds is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,775 by Musschoot et al.
One problem with such a method is that the sand mold is very crude and the resulting trained material must be processed or machined in order to remove the roughness and imperfection resulting from the sand mold. Another problem is that the external part of the mold, made of metal or sand (depending on the application) is bulky and heavy. This results in three further problems: high expense of the external mold; high expense of continually heating and cooling mold materials; high expense of large heat treating baths or ovens and processing equipment; difficulty in achieving a uniform rate of heating and cooling due to the thickness of the external part of the mold. This makes the cooling process and cooling rate harder to control. The cooling rate must be carefully controlled. Nitinol must be cooled to a point at which it retains the desired shape without the support of the mold, but if it is cooled too quickly, it can become unacceptably brittle.


A movable connector includes a first member, a second member that is adapted to be fixed to the first member, a first connector that is fixed to the first member, a holder that is integrally formed on the second member, and a second connector that is provided within the holder so as to move in a first direction perpendicular to a second direction in which the first connector is connected to the second connector. The first connector is connected to the second connector in accordance with an operation for fixing the first member to the second member.

This invention relates to a movable connector.
In a vehicle such as an automobile, connectors to be connected together are often provided respectively at two members which are fixed to each other. One of the two members is, for example, an equipment such as one of various units or an instrument panel, while the other member is, for example, a mounting panel on a vehicle body.
For example, when an instrument panel (attachment member) is to be mounted on a mounting panel (mounting member), one connector is, in some cases, fixedly mounted on the mounting panel, while the other connector is mounted on the instrument panel. The two connectors are so provided that when the instrument panel is fixedly mounted at a predetermined portion of the mounting panel, the two connectors can be positioned relative to each other, and can be properly fitted together. Therefore, when mounting the instrument panel, the two connectors are broadly positioned relative to each other so that they can be properly fitted together, and in this condition the instrument panel is fixed to the mounting panel by screws or the like, thereby fitting the two connectors together.
However, the above related connectors can be properly fitted together only when the attachment member is properly fixed to the mounting member. Therefore, when the instrument panel is not properly fixed to the mounting panel, for example, because of a mounting error or the like, the two connectors, in some cases, fail to be properly fitted together, and this has led to a possibility that defective contact due to the incompletely-fitted condition develops.
There is known a movable connector which can solve the above problem (see, for example, JP-A-9-73950).
FIGS. 13 and 14 are views showing the construction of the related movable connector disclosed in JP-A-9-73950. This movable connector includes a first connector 130 to be fixed to a first member (not shown)) which is one of two members to be fixed to each other, a holder 110 for mounting on the second member, and a second connector 120 movably mounted within the holder 110. Before the first and second members are completely fixed to each other, the second connector 120 is provisionally locked to the holder 110. In accordance of the movement of the first member toward the second member, the second connector 120 is fitted into the first connector 130. The second connector 120 can be moved within the holder 110 by an amount corresponding to an amount of movement of the first member relative to the second member before this first member is brought into completely-fixed relation to the second member. The provisionally-locked condition is achieved by engaging lock projections 121 (formed respectively on right and left side surfaces of the second connector 120) respectively in lock holes 111 in the holder 110 and also by engaging lock projections 122 (formed respectively on upper and lower surfaces of the second connector 120) respectively with lock projections 112 on an inner surface of the holder 110.
In the movable connector of this construction, when the first connector 130 is inserted relative to the second connector 120 attached to the holder 110, the first connector 130 is fitted on the second connector 120 provisionally locked to the holder 110. Then, when the attachment member (not shown), having the first connector 130 fixedly mounted thereon, is fixed to the mounting member, having the holder 110 mounted thereon, after the second connector 120 and the first connector 130 are completely fitted together, the first connector 130 is further pushed into the holder 110, so that the provisionally-locked condition of the second connector 120 and holder 110 is canceled, and the second connector 120 is further pushed rearward relative to the holder 110 by a pressing force of the first connector 130. Namely, at the time of finally fixing the attachment member, the connectors 120 and 130 already completely fitted together are pushed rearward relative to the holder 110 by an amount of movement of the attachment member.
Thus, the first connector 130 and the second connector 120 are completely fitted together before the attachment member and the mounting member are completely fixed to each other, and therefore even when the attachment member and the mounting member are not completely fixed to each other, the two connectors are positively kept in the completely-fitted condition.
In the related movable connector disclosed in JP-A-9-73950, the second connector 120 must be inserted into the holder 110 to be provisionally locked thereto after the holder 110 is mounted on the mounting member, and if this mounting operation can be carried out more easily, this is desirable. And besides, in the movable connector of JP-A-9-73950, the separate holder 110 must be prepared, so that the number of the component parts increases, and therefore it is desirable to reduce the cost by some means. Furthermore, in the movable connector of JP-A-9-73950, although the second connector 120 is movable within the holder 110, the second connector 120 can move freely only in the connector fitting direction, and therefore if the shifting of the connector in a direction perpendicular to the connector fitting direction can be absorbed, this is more desirable. Namely, for example, there are occasions when the two connectors are disposed out of alignment with each other, that is, shifted relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the connector fitting direction, at the time of fixing the attachment member to the mounting member, and in this case if terminals of the two connectors can be prevented from unnecessarily striking against each other, and unnecessary stresses due to such undue striking action do not act on these terminals, this is more desirable.


The disclosure relates to memory cards having an electronic component housed in a cavity. The electronic support has a first base made of silicon, with a small thickness (between 50 and 100 microns) and a thicker (between 200 and 300 microns) second base, which is deposited on the first base and is formed by a material which is harder than silicon, such as cobalt, vanadium, titanium or ceramic.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns generally speaking, memory cards having at least one active electronic component housed in a cavity of said card and, more particularly, a support for a component of this type.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Identification cards used in many fields, especially in the field of bank cards or credit cares. However, for a long time, art from an identification number and the bearer's number, these cards have had only a magnetic recording enabling identification by magnetic reading. For many years now, these cards have been used for other functions than for identifying the bearer and, especially, for prepayment and protection against fraudulent activities. To this end, the card has an active electronic component which may consist of an electronic memory which may or may be associated with a microprocessor, this enabling its use notably for bank type applications.
Credit cards made with this technology, which have an electronic component, are manufactured in various ways. According to a first method, a cavity is made in the thickness of the card to accommodate the electronic component. According to another method, known as "co-lamination", thin layers of plastic material, such as polyepoxy, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride etc. are laminated around the component. During the implementation of these methods, various other operations are further performed to electrically connect the terminal of the electronic component with metallizations placed on the surface of the card.
One of the methods used to install the electronic component in the cavity made in the card and to place metallizations on the card, as well as to make the connections between the terminals of the card and the metallizations consists, as shown in FIG. 1, in the use of a non-conductive film 1, made of polyepoxy for example. This film has, on one side, the electronic component in the form of a chip 2 and, on the other side, metallized surfaces such as those marked 3, 4 and 5, separated from one another by spaces 6 and 7 without metallization. These metallized surfaces 3, 4 and 5 communicate with the other side of the film 1 by means of holes 8, 9 and 10 through which the ends of the conducting wires 11, 12 and 13 are connected with the corresponding metallized surfaces by any known means such as a conductive bonder. The other end of each conducting wire is connected to an output terminal 14, 15 or 16 of the chip 2.
These operations are then followed by the coating of the chip 2 with resin and curing of the resin, by heat, to encapsulate the chip. The chip can then be installed in the cavity of the card and the metallizations can be placed at the edge of the cavity by simply fitting in the chip and bonding the support film 1 to the card after it bas been cut out to the requisite dimensions.
A method of this type results in a structure in which the chip 2 is bonded to the frame 1, to which adheres a layer of metallic zones. The set formed by the film and the metallic layer is relatively flexible. It is more flexible than the card made of polyepoxy, while the chip, the base of which is a silicon base or substrate which is several hundreds of microns thick (for example, 280 microns thick) is rigid, hard and brittle. This results in strains, particularly when the identification or identity card is handled without precautions. These strains cause breaks in the silicon substrate and, hence, the destruction of the chip.
One solution to this problem consists in increasing the thickness of the silicon substrate, but this approach is limited by the depth of the card. Moreover, a greater thickness naturally increases the overall mechanical strength of the chip, but the chip remains fragile with respect to shocks.
The object of the present invention, therefore, is to make an electronic component support .[.the.]. .Iadd.which .Iaddend.overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks, without any increase in the thickness of the final component, and which protects the electronic component from mechanical damage which may be caused, in particular, by violent handling of the card in which the component is housed.

Electronic component support for memory card and product obtained thereby


A method for installing a fiberglass cast on and removing the cast from an individual includes an openended pliable thin-walled polymer guide track and cutting tool designed to track along said guide track to cut the cast and to prevent, while a cast is being removed, injury to the individual.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to casts that are temporarily placed on individual's skeletal or muscular structure. One common use of a cast is to support the leg, arm, or other part of the body.
More particularly, the invention pertains to a method and apparatus for removing such casts.
(2) Description of Related Art
First Trend
A first trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises placing an elongate tubular guide or channel on a portion of the body of an individual prior to applying the cast and permitting the cast to solidify. The cast, when applied, covers the tubular guide. When the time comes to remove the cast an elongate cutting wire is fed through the tubular guide. The cutting wire is moved back and forth to outwardly cut through the cast, or is otherwise forced outwardly through the cast to cut the cast. One common cutting wire is identified by the name Giggli saw.
Second Trend
A second trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises placing an elongate tubular guide or channel on a portion of the body of an individual prior to applying the cast and permitting the cast to solidify. The cast, when applied, covers the tubular guide. When the time comes to remove the cast a scissors tool is utilized to cut through the cast. The tubular guide helps to direct the scissors.
Third Trend
A third trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises utilizing a shield comprising an elongate relatively flat strip of material. The shield is placed on a portion of the body of an individual prior to applying the cast and permitting the cast to solidify. The cast, when applied, covers the flat strip of material. When the time comes to remove the cast with a cutting tool, the flat strip of material functions to shield the individual from a cutting tool.
Fourth Trend
A fourth trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises utilizing a tool with a rigid foot that a user slides along a shield strip or guide channel. The tool also includes a rotary cutting tool that is situated above the fixed foot and cuts the cast. The tool utilizes a circular, flat, thin blade with teeth situated around the circular peripheral edge of the blade
Fifth Trend
A fifth trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises utilizing a Stryker saw or similar tool to remove a cast. A Stryker saw includes a housing and a saw blade rotatably mounted on the housing. The saw blade is a panel-shaped, relatively thin, flat, circular blade with cutting or abrading material formed on the sides of the blade near the circular outer peripheral edge of the blade. The outer peripheral edge of the blade does not include abrading or cutting material; this to minimize the likelihood that the outer edge of the blade will cut the skin of an individual. The rapid rotation of the blade can, however, cause the outer peripheral edge to burn or cut the skin of an individual on contact. A user grasps the housing and uses the saw blade to cut through a cast while endeavoring not to contact and injure the skin of the individual. The Stryker saw can be, but often is not, utilized in connection with a protective strip or with a guide. The user simply does his or her best to guide and control the saw and to not inadvertently burn or cut the skin of an individual. Such inadvertent injury does, however, occur on a fairly regular basis. Further, the noise associated with use of the saw often effectively functions to terrify children who are having a cast removed. Such fear on the part of a child and the child's parent is magnified when a user inadvertently contacts and burns or cuts the skin of the child with the saw blade.
The Stryker saw is currently by far the presently preferred, and usually the only, method of removing a cast. The methods and tools set forth above with respect to the third trend are currently sometimes used on a limited basis in the market. However, the methods and tools set forth above in the first through the fourth trends otherwise are basically largely, if not entirely, obsolete, are currently ignored, and in the real world exist only in the print and paper comprising earlier issued patents, magazine articles, and other documents.
The Stryker saw has evidently been the preferred method of removing a cast for at least the last twenty (20) years; any perceived motivation to provide an alternate method or removing a cast has not provided sufficient impetus to displace use of the Stryker saw, or to reinstate the obsolete methodology set forth in prior issued patents or other documents.
Nonetheless, it is a principal object of the invention is to develop an improved method and apparatus to remove a cast, in particular a fiberglass cast, from an individual. A fiberglass cast is significantly more difficult to cut than was the old fashioned plaster cast.

Method and apparatus to remove cast from an individual


A card holder for use inside an electronic device is provided. The card holder includes a holder body and a plurality of electrical connectors. The holder body is disposed with a card slot matching a nano SIM card. The card slot is configured to accommodate the nano SIM card or a memory card having a same appearance or shape as the nano SIM card. At least some of the plurality of electrical connectors are first electrical connectors whose positions match the positions of electrical contact points in the nano SIM card. The first electrical connector is configured to electrically connect to the nano SIM card or the memory card accommodated in the card slot. The plurality of electrical connectors are configured to electrically connect to the memory card.

A micro SD card, also referred to as a TF card (Trans flash Card), is a memory card standard that can be widely applied to portable apparatuses such as mobile phones or personal digital assistants (PDA), to implement data storage and expansion of the portable apparatuses, and has advantages of portability, a simple operation, and a large storage capacity.
Currently, to meet a use requirement of a user, for a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, a multi-functional card holder is usually used in the mobile terminal, a subscriber identity module (Subscriber Identification Module, SIM) card or a micro SIM (Micro SIM) card can be inserted into the card holder, and the micro SD card can be inserted into a card slot of the card holder. In this way, the mobile terminal can implement a plurality of functions such as user identification or data expansion by using one card holder.
However, as a mobile terminal is continuously miniaturized and portable, a nano SIM card needs to be used to save an inner space of the mobile terminal. In this case, a data expansion function cannot be implemented by inserting a micro SD card into a card holder for accommodating the nano SIM card.


Device structures for a bipolar junction transistor and methods of fabricating a device structure for a bipolar junction transistor. A first semiconductor layer is formed on a substrate, and a second semiconductor layer is formed on the first semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer, and the substrate are etched to define first and second emitter fingers from the second semiconductor layer and trenches in the substrate that are laterally positioned between the first and second emitter fingers. The first semiconductor layer may function as a base layer in the device structure.

The invention relates generally to semiconductor devices and integrated circuit fabrication and, in particular, to fabrication methods and device structures for a bipolar junction transistor.
Bipolar junction transistors may be found, among other end uses, in high-frequency and high-power applications. In particular, bipolar junction transistors may find use in power amplifiers for wireless communications systems and in mobile devices. Bipolar junction transistors may also be used in high-speed logic circuits. Bipolar junction transistors are three-terminal electronic devices that include semiconductor regions defining an emitter, an intrinsic base, and a collector. An NPN bipolar junction transistor includes n-type semiconductor material regions constituting the emitter and collector, and a region of p-type semiconductor material constituting the intrinsic base situated between the n-type semiconductor material regions. By contrast, a PNP bipolar junction transistor includes p-type semiconductor material regions of constituting the emitter and collector, and a region of n-type semiconductor material constituting the intrinsic base situated between the p-type semiconductor material regions. The emitter, intrinsic base, and collector define a collector-base junction and an emitter-base junction across which the conductivity type of the respective semiconductor materials changes. A voltage applied across the emitter-base junction controls the movement of charge carriers that produces charge flow between the collector and emitter.
Improved fabrication methods and device structures are needed for a bipolar junction transistor.

Bipolar junction transistor with multiple emitter fingers


Assembling a circuit card to a straddle mount connector with improved alignment. A holder using a parallel linkage holds the card parallel to the connector despite thickness variations, during solder bonding.

The present invention relates to the fabrication of electronics circuit cards, and more particularly concerns aligning such a card with a connector during assembly thereof.
Many printed circuit cards or boards are attached to long, multicontact connectors to provide an assembly which can be releasably mounted on a larger unit, such as a computer backplane. For this and other applications, a circuit card must be mechanically properly aligned with its connector so as to allow the assembly to fit into the larger unit. For example, card guides in the larger unit are often used to hold card assemblies in place; in midrange computers, card assemblies are mounted into covers or "books" which slide into a cage where the connector engages a bus socket.
The primary alignment criterion for an assembly is the angle between the surfaces of the card holding the electronics components and one or more sides of the connector. If the connector sides are cocked or nonparallel to the card surfaces in a computer card, for example, the pins of the backplane socket will not engage the conductors on the connector as one attempts to lower the card into its guides: the card might not fit at all; some of the connector conductors might not make contact with their mates in the socket; the socket conductors might become bent, making the socket unusable with other cards subsequently pushed into the same slot; or the connector conductors might become bent, rendering the card unusable in other backplane slots.
A conventional solution to the alignment problem is to provide an alignment surface on the connector which fits against one of the surfaces of the card. Clamping the two pieces together while the card conductors are reflow soldered to the connector conductors then assures that the angular alignment between card and connector is proper.
For certain assemblies, however, it is difficult or impossible to use this direct method. For example, circuit cards having surface-mount components on both surfaces must frequently be assembled to straddle-mount connectors having contacts engaging pads on both sides of the card. This type of assembly is used, for example, in personal computers having Microchannel Architecture.TM. backplanes.
This type of assembly could be manufactured in conventional ways with a holding tool for engaging an area of one side of the card and also one side of the connector. However, this would require either very expensive cards and connectors having extremely close thickness tolerances, or laborious manual adjustment of each assembly during manufacture to compensate for thickness variations of individual components.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing a printed circuit card and connector assembly

International Business Machines Corporation


A mobile terminal including a display unit configured to display information; a memory configured to store channel information; a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a broadcasting terminal; an a controller configured to transmit a turn-on control signal to the broadcasting terminal for turning on the broadcasting terminal, and transmit the channel information to the broadcasting terminal to control the broadcasting terminal to output a broadcast content received on a broadcast channel matched to the transmitted channel information when the broadcasting terminal is turned on.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal, broadcasting terminal and controlling method thereof. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for the mobile terminal to remotely control the broadcasting terminal that is a remote control target of the mobile terminal.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, terminals can be classified into mobile/portable terminals and stationary terminals. The mobile terminals can be classified into handheld terminals and vehicle mount terminals again according to possibility of user's direct portability.
As functions of the terminal are diversified, the terminal is implemented as a multimedia player provided with composite functions such as photographing of photos or moving pictures, playback of music or moving picture files, game play, broadcast reception and the like for example.
To support and increase of the terminal functions, it can consider the improvement of structural part and/or software part of the terminal.
As functions of a terminal are diversified, attempts to use the terminal for daily lives gradually increase. One of the attempts is to utilize a mobile terminal as a TV remove controller. In order to utilize the mobile terminal as the TV remote controller, a user installs a remote controller application in the mobile terminal. However, since a remote controller application of a related art is just capable of performing such a simple function as a channel switching, a volume adjustment, an external input setting and the like, the related art remote controller application is not suitable for controlling operations of a smart TV having lately attracted consideration attention.
Moreover, when a TV is turned on, since the same screen is always displayed on the TV no matter who is a terminal user, a user's taste or preference is not taken into consideration. Moreover, when a plurality of terminals attempt to control a single TV, control authority collision or priority settings have problems.

Mobile terminal, broadcasting terminal and controlling method thereof


A valve timing control device includes a rotor fixed on a cam shaft, a housing member rotatably mounted on the cam shaft so as to surround the rotor, a chamber defined between the housing member and the rotor and having a pair of circumferentially opposed walls, a vane mounted on the rotor and extended outwardly therefrom in the radial direction into the chamber so as to divide each of chamber into a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber, a fluid supplying device for supplying fluid under pressure to at least a selected one of the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber, a locking mechanism for connecting the housing member and the rotor and a canceling device for canceling the locking mechanism and for keeping the locking mechanism canceling by the fluid pressure of the fluid supplying device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valve timing control device and, in particular, to a valve timing control device for controlling an angular phase difference between a crank shaft of a combustion engine and a cam shaft of the combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a valve timing of a combustion engine is determined by valve mechanisms driven by cam shafts according to a characteristic of the combustion engine or an use of the combustion engine. Since a condition of the combustion is changed in response to the rotational speed of the combustion engine, however, it is difficult to obtain an optimum valve timing through the whole rotational range. Therefore, a valve timing control device which is able to change a valve timing in response to the condition of the combustion engine is proposed as an auxiliary mechanism of the valve mechanism in recent years.
A conventional device of this kind is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,572. An shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, this device includes a rotor 3 which is fixed on the cam shaft 4 rotatably supported on a cylinder head 14 of the engine, a drive pulley 1 which is driven by the rotational torque from a crank shaft (not shown) and which rotatably mounted on the cam shaft 4 so as to surround the rotor 3, a plurality of chambers 8 which are defined between the drive pulley 1 and the rotor 3 and each of which has a pair of circumferentially opposed walls 1a, 1b and a plurality of vanes 2 which are mounted to the rotor 3 and which is extended outwardly therefrom in the radial direction into the chambers 8 so as to divide each of chambers 8 into a first pressure chamber 9 and a second pressure chamber 9b. Each of the vanes 2 is provided with two hole 2a, 2b in which coil springs 25a, 25b are disposed therein so as to urge each of the vanes outwards in the radial direction. An outer plate 5 is fixed to the cam shaft 4 via a plate 21 by a bolt 20 so as to define the chambers 8 with the cam shaft 4 and the drive pulley 1 and so as to locate the vanes 2 in the axial direction. In this device, a fluid under pressure is supplied to a selected one of the first pressure chamber 9 and the second pressure chamber 9a by a control valve 15 in response to the running condition of the combustion engine and an angular phase difference between the crank shaft and the cam shaft 4 is controlled so as to advance or retard the valve timing relative to the crank shaft. The control valve 15 has a solenoid 13, a spring 16 and a valve spool 18 and operates in response to the current supplied to the solenoid 13 so that the fluid under pressure is supplied from an oil pump (not shown) to a passage 10 or a passage 11. The passage 10 is communicated with the first pressure chamber 9 and the passage 11 is communicated with the second pressure chamber 9a. When the fluid is supplied to the first pressure chamber 9 via the passage 10 by the control valve 15, the vanes 2 and the cam shaft 4 are rotated clockwise relative to the drive pulley 1 and the valve timing is advanced relative to the crank shaft. When the fluid is supplied to the second pressure chamber 9a via the passage 11 by the control valve 15, the vanes and the cam shaft 4 are rotated counterclockwise relative to the drive pulley 1 and the valve timing is retarded relative to the crank shaft.
The valve timing control device is in the position of the maximum advanced condition, when each of the vanes 2 contacts with the opposed wall 1a of each of the chambers 8. On the other hand, the valve timing control device in the position of the maximum retarded condition, when each of vanes 2 contacts with the opposed wall 1b of each of the chambers 8. A radial hole 1c is formed on the drive pulley 1 and a first lock pin 22 which is urged inward by a spring 23 is slidably fitted into the radial hole 1c. A radial hole 24 is formed on the rotor 3 so as to align with the radial hole 1c when the valve timing control device is in the position of the maximum retarded condition. Further, a radial hole 1d is formed on the drive pulley 1 and a second lock pin 22a which is urged inward by a spring 23a in slidably fitted into the radial hole 1d. A radial hole 24a is formed on the rotor 3 so as to align with the radial hole 1d when the valve timing control device is in the position of the maximum advanced condition.
When fluid pressure supplied to the chambers 8 from the oil pump (not shown) is not sufficiently high at the starting of the engine and so on, when the rotational torque is transmitted to the drive pulley, the walls 1b of the drive pulley 1 come into collision with the vanes 2 and noise is generated. In the above prior device, the relative rotation between the rotor 3 and the drive pulley 1 is prevented at the maximum advanced condition and the maximum retarded condition by the lock pins 22, 22a. Thereby, the generation of the above noise is prevented. However, the lock pins 22, 22a repeat the fit into the radial holes 24, 24a and the release from the radial holes 24, 24a every time the valve timing control device is in the position of the maximum advanced condition or the maximum retarded condition during the engine running. Therefore, the durability of the lock pins 22, 22a are decreased and the reliability of the valve timing control device is decreased.


A transfer pad cover includes a frame structure covered by a water-proof sheet material. The frame structure is supported by bar joists that are mounted for movement along tracks. The entire structure is moved by hand or motor or by a truck from which a liquid transfer will be made to a position adjacent the transfer pad during the transfer operation. When the material and frame structure are sufficiently weighted down so that it is unsafe to move the cover, the joists will rest on a ground surface, preventing movement of the cover. In an alternate embodiment, the rails are sloped and the truck pushes the cover off of the pad. When the truck leaves the pad, the slope of the rails causes the cover to automatically return to protect the pad under the influence of gravity. Other embodiments of the transfer pad cover include covers that fold or pivot vertically to expose the pad. These other embodiments have several additional advantages such as decreased space requirements for the operation of the cover.

As environmental concerns become increasingly prevalent in all aspects of industrial and consumer life, the practical and financial demands placed on businesses by strict regulatory standards have skyrocketed. In perhaps no other industry has this been more apparent than in the handling and disposal of regulated materials, such as hazardous wastes and petroleum products. The procedures for containing, transporting, and disposing these materials have become a conglomerate of regulations and standards. Conforming to these standards, while maintaining cost-efficiency and productivity can mean the difference between profitability and failure.
One segment of the industry with a particular set of environmental concerns is the transportation of liquid products. These products may include liquids with high heavy metal concentrations, petroleum products, or other liquids deemed to be dangerous should they be released into the environment or water supply. Tank trucks have proved effective for safely transporting many of these liquids, but problems can arise in transferring the liquids to and from the trucks, such as spills or leaks. Some dry chemicals, such as powdered agricultural chemicals are often transported similarly.
A known solution to this problem is to construct a transfer pad on which the trucks can safely transfer the materials. The transfer pad generally has a slight bowl-like shape, with a gently sloping basin floor leading toward a central sump area. Should any material be spilled during the transfer process, it will be retained in the sump until it can be disposed of properly, such as by being vacuumed out and further transported by truck to a disposal site. Obviously, the pad is formed from a material that is impervious to the liquid being transferred, such as asphalt, concrete or coated concrete.
However, in solving the transfer spill problem, another has arisen with respect to these transfer pads, namely, the accumulation of precipitation. Since a small amount of waste material is retained on the pad or held in the sump, any rainfall or melted snow accumulating on the pad or sump becomes immediately contaminated, and must be disposed of as contaminated waste. At current liquid disposal costs of approximately one dollar per gallon, transporting accumulated rainwater can add up to thousands of dollars per year for a single pad. Worse yet, unexpectedly heavy rainfall might cause the sump to overflow, carrying the regulated products into the neighboring ground areas.
This concern can be met by covering the pad with a roofed building or a canopy. Unfortunately, such buildings can be quite expensive and would require major ventilation systems to expel truck exhaust gases and waste product vapor. Taxes, permits, inspections and fees for such a permanent dwelling also make buildings an unworkable solution. A fixed canopy reduces the cost and vapor handling requirements, but is ineffective in keeping even slightly wind-blown rain off of the transfer pad.
A less expensive known solution is to cover the pad with a standard tarpaulin fastened around the edges of the pad. The tarpaulin must be securely fastened to the ground to prevent it from blowing away in any strong wind, which makes it difficult for a truck operator to make use of the pad. He must first get out of the truck, remove the tarpaulin, usually by untying and then rolling it, and then get back in the truck to drive it onto the pad to begin the fluid transfer. When the transfer is complete, he must drive off the pad, get out of the truck, and cover the pad with the tarpaulin, which usually includes unrolling or unfolding it and tying it down in several places. Tarpaulins also tend to collect water and snow on their top surface, making them difficult to move.


A paper comprised of a supporting substrate with a coating comprised of a desizing component and a hydrophilic polymer, and more specifically in an embodiment the paper is comprised of a paper comprised of a supporting substrate treated with desizing agents selected from the group consisting of (1) hydrophilic poly(dialkylsiloxanes); (2) poly(alkylene glycol); (3) poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers; (4) fatty ester modified compounds of phosphate, sorbitan, glycerol, poly(ethylene glycol), sulfosuccinic acid, sulfonic acid and alkyl amine; (5) poly(oxyalkylene) modified compounds of sorbitan esters, fatty amines, alkanol amides, castor oil, fatty acids and fatty alcohols; (6) quaternary alkosulfate compounds; (7) fatty imidazolines; and mixtures thereof.

This invention relates generally to papers which, for example, are suitable for various printing processes, and more specifically the present invention is directed to size press treated plain papers and the use of these papers in ink jet printing processes, dot matrix and impact printers, gravure printing systems, xerographic imaging and thermal transfer printing processes. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to papers comprised of a supporting substrate surface treated preferably on a size press, a known apparatus used to coat or treat the paper during the drying process in a paper machine or a coating apparatus, such as a Dilts Coater, with a mixture of starch or other similar component, such as gelatin, with certain desizing agents including hydrophilic poly(dimethyl siloxanes); poly(alkylene glycol), the derivatives thereof, poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers; fatty ester modified compounds of phosphate, sorbitan, glycerol, poly(ethylene glycol), sulfosuccinic acid, sulfonic acid, alkyl amine; poly(oxyalkylene) modified compounds of sorbitan esters, fatty amines, castor oil, fatty acid, fatty alcohol; quaternary alkosulfate compounds; fatty imidazolines,; and the like. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fibers in the surface treated papers are coated with the aforementioned materials thereby reducing the levels of internal sizing and enabling, for example, these fibers to accept ink compositions with minimum spreading thereof thus preventing or minimizing wicking, a major source of undesirable print edge raggedness. The desizing components can also be applied to paper fibers on a known coater from aqueous or alcohol solutions. The aforementioned treatments can be modified as indicated herein preferably to optimize the selection of these papers for use in liquid ink printing to improve print through, which modification can be accomplished by the addition of a binder polymer such as hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose and the like.
Paper is often sized with sizing components for the purpose of retarding or preventing penetration of liquids into the structure. This is commonly done by introducing. The acid sizing chemicals, such as Mon size available from Monsanto Chemical Company or alkaline sizing chemicals such as Hercon-76 available from Hercules Company, are precipitated onto the fibers primarily for the purpose of controlling penetration of liquids into the final dry paper. This process is known as internal sizing. Surface sizing involves the application of dispersions of film-forming substances such as converted starches, gums and modified polymers to previously formed paper. Surface sizing imparts strength to the paper and thus high quality printing papers are often surface sized as well. These internally and surface sized papers, when used to print graphics or checkerboard color patterns with an ink jet printer containing predominantly water based inks, such as for example those inks selected for the Xerox Corporation 4020.TM. color ink jet printer, yield images which have undesirable pronounced inter-color bleed in most instances (high edge-raggedness). The extent of inter-color bleed is reduced slightly with papers which are internally sized and no surface sizing. However, in general, these papers usually possess undesirable adequate mechanical strength, and can exhibit enhanced print through. In conventional paper with no surface sizing but with different levels of internal sizing, the intercolor bleed of the ink jet images can be lowered with decreasing sizing, while the print through continues increasing and becomes unacceptable.
One of the objectives of the present invention is to enable a rapid drying plain ink jet paper with substantially no print through and intercolor bleed values equivalent to a paper with no internal or external sizing. This objective can be attained by, for example, treating sized papers with desizing agents which penetrate into the paper, lift the sizing from the fibers and rearrange the sizing material in the bulk of the paper which assists in overcoming print through problems. The desizing agents can be applied on a known coater to substantially any commercially available paper and thereby convert it to an ink jet paper. This treatment can also be effected to an internally sized paper at the size press by incorporating the desizing agent into starch or any other similar binder material.
In a patentability search report the following United States patents were recited: U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,682, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, which illustrates a method for sizing paper wherein a sizing agent and a sizing accelerator, such as the reaction product of a water soluble polyaminopolyamide, including one derived from the reaction of adipic acid and diethylene triamine, an epihalohydrin, such as epichlorohydrin, bis(hexamethylene)triamine, or polyethylene polyamines is selected; U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,269 which discloses quaternary ammonium salts of epihalohydrin polymers as fiber treating materials, examples of polymers including water soluble polymers with a predominantly polyalkyleneoxy backbone containing ammonium salt groups; U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,794 directed to a sizing composition comprised of a sizing component and an accelerator of a poly(diallylamine)epihalohydrin resin; also note the disclosure of polyaminopolyamide derived from adipic acid and diethylene triamine at column 11, lines 62 to 64; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,774 relating to an epihalohydrin-polyethylene amine additive for paper.
There are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,634 papers with internal sizing compositions comprising an aqueous mixture of ammonia, an ammonium salt, and a rosin that is modified with from about 5 to 50 percent based on the weight of the rosin of an organic acidic compound selected from the group consisting of an .alpha., .beta.-unsaturated organic acid, an anhydride thereof, and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the ammonia and ammonium salt are produced by the reaction product of a urea and an acid selected from the group consisting of sulfamic acid, phosphoric acid, oxalic acid, methane-sulfonic acid, trichloroacetic acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, stearic acid, and acetic acid.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,312 there are described anionic sizes for paper or a paper-like material. Substantially equimolecular copolymers of maleic acid anhydride and diisobutylene are esterified to form the corresponding semi-esters. From 10 to 100 mol percent of the anhydride groups are reacted with an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic alcohol, and at least 50 mol percent of the formed carboxylic groups are neutralized with alkali, ammonia or aliphatic amines according to the teachings of this patent in an embodiment thereof.
Further, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,184 a recording paper with improved image quality, comprising a base paper, the pH of its cold water extract being 5.0 to 10.0, and disposed thereon a coating layer containing a saponified-type petroleum resin sizing agent.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,244 a material for writing or printing, which comprises a substrate and a coating layer formed thereon of a material containing a polymer having both hydrophilic segments and hydrophobic segments.
Also, there is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,946 cationically charged water soluble vinyl addition polymers and condensation polymers which provide improved emulsification of alkanyl succinic anhydride sizing agents. Sized paper products prepared from alkanyl succinic anhydride emulsions obtained with the polymers disclosed have superior ink holdout according to the teachings of this patent.
Disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,420 is a recording medium for ink jet printing comprising a support material containing at least in the surface portion thereof a water-soluble metal salt with the ion valence of the metal thereof being 2 to 4 and a cationic organic material.
Further, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,727 a paper with sizing agent which contains from 1 to 60 parts by weight of a fixing and sizing accelerating agent and from 0 to 80 parts by weight of conventional auxiliaries per 10 parts by weight of hydrophobic, cellulose-reactive sizing materials, the fixing and sizing accelerating agent being a polymer composed of linear or branched carbon chains to which primary, secondary or tertiary amino and/or quaternary ammonium groups are bound directly or by side chains.
Additionally, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,301 an internal size composition with a sizing agent comprising, for example, (1) 70 to 99.9 weight percent of a substituted alkyl succinic anhydride or a substituted alkanyl succinic anhydride or a mixture thereof, and (b) 0.1 to 30 weight percent of phosphates of polyoxyethylene alkyl ether esters or phosphates of polyoxyethylene alkyl aryl ether esters and a process of using this composition for the preparation of papers by dispersing the composition, adding the resulting aqueous dispersion to a pulp slurry or paper making material.
Moreover, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,405 an ink jet recording sheet comprising a paper support applied on at least one surface thereof or internally a composition which comprises an aqueous dispersion of poly(vinylpyrrolidone), vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer or a mixture thereof serving as a binder or sizing agent and a white filler. The white filler can be contained in a binder weight ratio of 10:1 to 0.2:1 when the composition is applied on the surface of the paper support. When the composition is internally incorporated in the recording sheet, it can comprise 10 to 60 parts by weight of the filler and 2 to 20 parts by weight of the binder per 100 parts by weight of pulp.
Further, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,181 an ink jet recording sheet with a recording surface which includes a combination of a water soluble polyvalent metal salt and a cationic polymer, said polymer having cationic groups which are available in the recording surface for insolubilizing of an anionic dye.
The following U.S. patents are also mentioned: U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,367 relating to coatings such as styrene/butadiene/styrene triblocks for typewriter ribbon transparencies, see the Abstract of the Disclosure for example; U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,816 relating to transparent sheet materials for plain paper electrostatic imaging apparatuses, which sheets contain an image receiving layer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,376 relating to transparencies with a coating layer of a certain electrical resistance; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,961 which discloses an ink accepting coating containing particles of silica, aluminum silicate, zinc oxide, or titanium dioxide.
There are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,744 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,595 methods for the preparation of electrographic recording papers for imaging. More specifically, according to the teachings of these patents electrographic recording papers can be prepared by applying a dielectric coating on a relatively conductive sheet. Various compounds, such as salts and other compounds capable of retaining or attracting moisture in the sheet may be incorporated into the paper to enhance the conductive properties. In some recording papers the conductive layer is applied on one side of the paper and the dielectric is applied to the other side. Also, the dielectric layer can be applied over the conductive layer. Other conventional recording papers comprise an electrically conductive layer and a dielectric layer thereon on one surface of a base paper and an electrically conductive layer on the outer surface of the base paper. Materials selected as the dielectric layer include highly insulating resins such as silicone resins, epoxy resins, poly(vinyl acetate) resins, vinyl acetate resins, vinyl chloride resins and styrene-butadiene copolymers. These resins are generally dissolved in an organic solvent and coated on the base paper. It is usually necessary to provide an undercoat layer as a barrier coating on a base paper prior to the coating of a solution of an organic solvent type resin to prevent penetration of the solvent used into the paper. Examples of other electrographic papers are prepared by applying a dielectric film of plastic material such as poly(ethylene) or poly(styrene) to the paper surface by melt extrusion. Also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,011,918; 3,264,137; 3,348,970 and 3,110,621 are papers for electrostatic recording employing aqueous coatings both for the dielectric layer as well as the conductive layer. The materials of the conductive layer can be water soluble or dispersable vinyl benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds and the dielectric layer can be comprised of carboxylated poly(vinyl acetate) in an aqueous ammonical solution.
Also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,744 is an electrostatic recording paper, which paper can be prepared by applying three successive aqueous coats to a machine glazed side of a paper web. The first coating contains titanium dioxide and an electroconductive water dispersible polymer of a vinyl benzyl quaternary ammonium compound. The second coating can be comprised of oxidized starch and calcium carbonate, and the third coating may contain calcium carbonate and a carboxylated poly(vinyl acetate) in ammonical solution. The resulting web can then be dried between successive coatings and may be steam treated, see The Abstract of the Disclosure for example.
Additionally, there are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,435 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,950 synthetic papers and methods for the preparation thereof. The term synthetic paper as indicated on page 1, line 20, of U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,950 refers to a paper like laminar structure in the form of thin sheets or films of synthetic resinous material, which papers can be employed in writing or printing processes. Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,868 are oriented thermoplastic film laminated structures which can be selected for various imaging processes. Polymeric film structures having a matte finish and a cellular structure achieved with the addition of fillers which roughens the surface upon stretching of the films and renders them receptive to marking by crayons, pencil and ballpoint pen are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,461. Laminates comprising layers of oriented films of thermoplastic materials in which at least one of the outermost layers contains a suitable inert additive are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,626. These laminates are useful in films which may be written on by a pencil or a crayon.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,435 are synthetic papers with acceptable foldability and comprised of a nonlaminated structure of one thermoplastic resin film or a laminated structure of at least two thermoplastic resin films, see the Abstract of the Disclosure for example. Each of the films is stretched or molecularly oriented, and one or more of the films can contain a fine inorganic filter to provide paperness of the film. According to this patent, some of the films may contain certain amounts of poly(styrene) as a foldability improving agent.
Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,954, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated a transparency for ink jet printing comprised of a supporting substrate and thereover a coating of a blend of carboxymethyl cellulose, and poly(ethylene oxide). Also, in this patent there is illustrated an ink jet paper wherein the surface coating or sizing is comprised of poly(ethylene oxide).
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,914, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there are illustrated ink jet transparencies and ink jet papers with coatings thereover which are compatible with the inks selected for marking, and wherein the coatings enable acceptable optical density images to be obtained. More specifically, in one embodiment of the aforesaid patent there are provided coatings for ink jet paper comprised of a supporting substrate, and thereover a quaternary mixture of hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, poly(ethylene oxide), and colloidal silica.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,407 , the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there are illustrated coated papers wherein the ink receiving layer is comprised of a blend with from about 10 to about 90 percent by weight of poly(ethylene oxide) and 90 to about 10 percent by weight of a component selected from the group consisting of (1) hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose; (2) vinylmethyl ether/maleic acid copolymer; (3) acrylamide/acrylic acid copolymer; (4) carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose sodium salt; (5) hydroxyethyl cellulose; (6) water soluble ethylhydroxyethyl cellulose; (7) cellulose sulfate; (8) poly(vinyl alcohol); (9) poly(vinyl pyrrolidone); (10) hydroxybutylmethyl cellulose; (11) hydroxypropyl cellulose; (12) poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid); (13) methyl cellulose; (14) hydroxyethylmethyl cellulose; (15) poly(diethylene triamine-co-adipic acid); (16) poly(imidazoline) quaternized; (17) poly(ethylene imine) epichlorohydrin; (18) poly(N,N-dimethyl-3,5-dimethylene piperidinium chloride); or (19) ethoxylated poly(ethylene imine)
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,153 , the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated an ink jet paper comprised of a supporting substrate, a coating and a plasticizer.
Although the papers illustrated in the prior art are suitable for their intended purposes, there remains a need for papers with new coatings that are useful in ink jet printing processes, electrophotographic imaging and printing processes, including color processes, and that will enable the formulation of images with high optical densities. Additionally, there is a need for treated papers that can be selected for ink jet color printing processes. Another need resides in providing papers the fibers of which are coated continuously with certain copolymers as illustrated herein. Further, there is a need for papers that avoid or minimize jamming at the fuser roll, thus shortening the life thereof. Also, there is a need for static-free papers, or wherein the static charge thereon is minimized or substantially avoided. Another need resides in the provision of papers for ink jet, dot matrix, typewriters and crayon printing processes, and wherein images of high optical density, such as greater than one, are obtained in some embodiments of the present invention.


The magnetic colloidal particles comprise a core and an envelope in which the core is magnetic and is coated with at least one polymer comprising functional groups X chosen from amine, hydroxyl, thiol, aldehyde, ester, anhydride, acid chloride, carbonate, carbamate, isocyanate and isothiocyanate groups, or mixtures thereof, at least one fraction of which has reacted with other functional groups of the envelope, and the envelope comprises a polymer bearing ionizable functional groups, Z and Z′, which may be identical or different, chosen from amine, carboxylic acid, ester, anhydride, aldehyde, thiol, disulfide, α-halocarbonyl, sulfonic acid, maleimide, isocyanate and isothiocyanate groups, which have partially reacted with the functional groups X of the core. These magnetic colloidal particles can be used to isolate biological material.

One of the problems which is repeatedly encountered concerns the extraction, purification, concentration and conservation of biological material for the purpose of subsequent use.
One of the protein purification methods used is purification by precipitation using precipitating agents, such as ammonium sulfate or poly(acrylic acids) (H. Morawetz and W. L. Hughes, J. Phys. Chem., 56, 64-69 (1952)).
Another method relates to the extraction of biological material using colloidal suspensions. Mention may be made of patent application WO-A-98/01482 by Krupey, which describes extraction of proteins in an aqueous medium using colloids based on crosslinked maleic anhydride copolymers. After complexation of the proteins on the colloids, the complexes are extracted from the medium by centrifugation. Such a method has the drawback of requiring a relatively delicate centrifugation step and involving considerable and expensive equipment which, in addition, is not always readily accessible.
A possible solution is to use magnetic iron oxide colloids, as described by V C Rao et al. (Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 1981, September, 42(3): 421-426). However, it is known that iron oxides are incompatible with techniques for enzymatically amplifying nucleic acids since they inhibit the enzymes.
To solve this problem, it has been proposed (patent application WO-A-99/35500) to cover magnetic particles with a cationic or anionic hydrophilic polymer, which masks the iron oxides and which thus makes it possible to lift the inhibition of the enzymatic amplification reaction, after a step of extraction of the nucleic acids. This polymer is a heat-sensitive polymer which, when it is heated to a temperature greater than 32° C., becomes hydrophobic and can attach proteins via hydrophobic interactions. However, hydrophobic interactions are denaturing for a large number of proteins.

Method for isolating proteins or protein and nucleic acid associations, or particle and protein complexes, reagent and uses