A computer interactive isometric exercise system includes an effector, a sensor coupled at a selected location on the effector to measure a force applied by a user to the effector, where the applied force effects a strain on the effector, and control circuitry. The control circuitry includes a processor that receives and processes data corresponding to applied force information measured by the sensor for transference to a host computer. The processed data is transferred in a format compatible with the host computer and facilitates user interaction with the host computer in response to effector manipulation by the user. A plurality of effectors may further be combined together to form a system frame that provides a variety of isometric exercises for the user in combination with user interaction with the host computer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to isometric exercise devices. In particular, the present invention pertains to an isometric exercise system that serves as a computer system peripheral and facilitates user interaction with a host computer system while the user performs isometric exercises.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Currently, a wide variety of different types of exercise devices are commonly utilized to promote health and fitness, particularly for people having sedimentary lifestyles and/or work environments, and to provide rehabilitation for particular types of injuries. The vast majority of these exercise devices utilize isokinetic and/or isotonic forms of exercise during operation, where a user's muscles are moved under resistance through a selected range of motion.
Isometric exercise is another effective form of muscular exercise that is very useful for rehabilitation, fitness and/or training. For example, isometric training is useful for fighter jet pilots who perform isometric muscular contractions of the lower limbs and body core during flights to prevent blackouts when subjected to high gravitational forces. Isometric exercise involves the exertion of force by a user against an object that significantly resists movement as a result of the exerted force such that there is substantially minimal or no movement of the user's muscles during the force exertion. Examples of simple forms of isometric exercise include pushing against a stationary surface (e.g., a doorframe or a wall), attempting to pull apart tightly gripped hands or to bend or flex a sufficiently rigid steel bar, etc. Due to their inherently tedious nature, isometric exercise devices are less popular and, accordingly, are limited in type and availability, in comparison to more conventional forms of isotonic and isokinetic exercise devices.
A particularly important feature in many isometric exercise devices is the ability to measure forces applied to a resistive object by one or more muscle groups. This is a basic component of biometrics. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,639 (Smyser et al.) discloses a device including a hand grip recording dynamometer with a load cell mounted therein. The load cell is coupled to a circuit board that is compressively squeezed during an exercise regimen. The device further includes a display to provide visual cues to a user prompting the user as to which hand to use and the amount of compressive squeezing force to be applied. U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,518 (MacCready, Jr.) discloses a similar type of device employing a squeezable exerciser having a body structure with squeezable surfaces and means associated with the body structure to produce reference signals as the level of force application reaches preset limits.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,832 (Kauffmann et al.) discloses an apparatus and method for measuring the strength of selected muscles of the human anatomy. The apparatus comprises an upright support frame with a force sensor and measuring device stationarily positioned on the frame. A first force transmitting member carries a patient engageable apparatus to transmit forces along a horizontal axis to actuate the sensor and measuring device. A second force transmitting member carries an additional patient engageable apparatus to transmit forces along a vertical axis, while a force transfer mechanism converts forces transmitted along the vertical axis into horizontal forces transmitted by the first transmitting member. The apparatus further comprises an apparatus for locating the patient in the same position during successive measuring sessions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,595 (Stark et al.) describes an orthopedic restraining device including a housing with first and second distal end portions and restraining means for restraining movement of the first and second distal end portions with respect to each other. The restraining device further includes an elongated straining bar having a stress sensing mechanism for sensing stress on the restraining bar. A control unit, including a microprocessor and a recording mechanism, is provided for indicating sensed stress based upon outputs of the stress sensing mechanism. The elongated straining bar may include an adjustable hinge that is capable of adjusting the angle between the distal end portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,000 (Jones) discloses a machine for testing the muscle strength of a subject, wherein both static and dynamic strength tests are conducted on the subject. During the tests, forces exerted by the muscles are measured by devices that are connected to a computer and a display screen for displaying the strength of the muscles at different positions of a subject's body part. In the dynamic strength test, the subject moves a movement arm by exerting the muscles to be tested. The movement arm is connected to a resistance weight to oppose movement by the subject. In the static strength test, the movement arm is fixed in position and the subject exerts a body part against the movement arm upon exertion of the muscles to be tested. Force and angle measuring devices are connected to the movement arm and the computer for enabling the muscle strength to be displayed in terms of torque at various angular positions of the body part.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,767 (Wolff et al.) describes a strength measuring device for measuring the force-exerting ability of human muscle groups, where the device includes at least one vertically adjustable pressing element that works with a force-measuring unit which can measure the force exerted on the pressing element. The device further includes at least one additional pressing element that is also vertically adjustable and serves to hold certain parts of the test person's body in place.
The previously described exercising devices are limited in that they are tedious and provide limited feedback, generally relating to the amount of force being applied by the user operating the device. An isometric device that provides more enhanced feedback and is entertaining to the user is desirable to increase user interest in the particular isometric exercise so as to ensure continuous and sustained use of the device.
Accordingly, International Publication No. WO 91/11221 (Bond et al.) describes a computer controlled exercise system that sequentially and automatically implements isokinetic, isotonic and isometric exercises to permit a physical therapist to attend to other patients while the computer interacts with the patient to effect a desired therapy. In one embodiment, the motion of a patient's body, such as lifting or twisting the patient's limb, is converted into a runner on a display that competes against another runner. If the patient meets or exceeds the exercise goals, such as a number of repetitions or torque applied to the exercise unit, then the runner representing the patient will match or beat the other runner representing the goal.
Interaction between the exercise system and a computer in the previously described International Publication is limited to simple representations on a display that are based upon achieving set goals and do not provide an indication of the precise amount or degree of force being applied by the user to the exercise device at any given time. Further, this exercise system does not provide a virtual reality interactive environment, where the user is capable of interacting with a computer generated virtual reality scenario to control a variety of movements of a character or an object in the scenario as well as other features relating to the scenario. Those types of scenarios typically utilize a computer interface device to facilitate user interaction with the scenario. A majority of these devices employ strain-based measurement of force. For example, the pointing "nipple" employed in laptop computer system keyboards and the "Force-stick" utilized by high performance aircraft, such as fighter jets, employ strain-based technology. Further, this technology may be employed in various applications ranging from automotive to robotic interfaces. For examples of these applications, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,547 (Lehtovaara) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,655 (Leung).
In an attempt to combine virtual reality with an isometric exercise device, an Interactive Video Exercise System (IVES) is disclosed in Dang et al. "Interactive Video Exercise System for Pediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation", Proceedings of the RESNA 20th Annual Conference, June 1998. This system provides an instrumented video-game-enhanced exercise program for pediatric brain injury patients, where the system includes an isometric test apparatus, a data processing circuit box, and a Super NES™ system with an adapted game controller. The isometric test apparatus includes a first load cell rigidly mounted onto a metal cross-bar that clamps to two rear legs of a chair. A high tensile cable and an ankle band couple the shank of a subject sitting in the chair to the first load cell. A second load cell is mounted between two aluminum plates which rest on the floor. The subject's foot rests on the top plate against a heel stop and is secured with two straps. Isometric extensions of the subject's knee is measured by the first load cell, and isometric ankle dorsiflexion of the subject is measured by the second load cell. The signal from either load cell is transmitted to the data processing box, where it is processed and compared with a variable threshold value set by a potentiometer. When the transducer's signal exceeds the threshold value, voltage is passed to the adapted game controller whereby the selected operation is executed in a game (e.g., move right, move left, move up, move down, etc.). As a result, the subject can only play the game by performing certain isometric exercises.
The previously described IVES system is limited in that a game controller for a Super NES™ system must be adapted to render the system operable. In other words, the IVES system does not have flexibility for use with computer games associated with other computer systems that are incompatible with a Super NES™ system. In addition, the IVES system is limited to isometric knee and ankle exercises and, thus, is incapable of being utilized in a variety of different contexts where it is desirable to exercise upper body parts alone or in combination with lower body parts of a user.

Computer interactive isometric exercise system and method for operatively interconnecting the exercise system to a computer system for use as a peripheral


An alkaline developing solution for development of a presensitized plate for use in making a lithographic printing plate, which developing solution comprises a polyoxyalkylene adduct of alkylene diamine, a polyoxyalkylene compound having an acid radical, and an anionic surfactant; a method for making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: light-exposing a presensitized plate for use in making a lithographic printing plate; and developing the light-exposed plate with an alkaline developing solution comprising a polyoxyalkylene adduct of alkylene diamine, a polyoxyalkylene compound having an acid radical, and an anionic surfactant.

There have been great strides made in the study of laser in recent years. In particular, solid lasers and semiconductor lasers that can emit light of wavelengths ranging from the near infrared region to the infrared region are available in the form of high-powered, small-sized laser devices. Such laser devices are remarkably useful as the light sources for light exposure when printing plates are made by direct transfer of digital data from computers or the like to image forming materials.
Conventionally, a light-sensitive image forming material of a positive-working mode designed for direct plate making, which is used with infrared laser comprises, for example, a novolak resin as an alkali-soluble resin. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication (hereunder referred to as "JP KOKAI") No. Hei 7-285275 discloses a light-sensitive image forming material of a positive-working mode. The above-mentioned image forming material comprises an alkali-soluble resin having a phenolic hydroxyl group, such as a novolak resin, to which are added light-sensitive compounds of positive-working mode, i.e., a material capable of generating heat after absorbing light, a variety of onium salts, and quinone diazide compounds. At a non-light exposed portion (which will serve as an image portion) in the image forming material, the above-mentioned light-sensitive compounds of positive-working mode serve as a dissolution blocking agent, in other words, work to substantially decrease the solubility of the alkali-soluble resin. At a light exposed portion (which will become a non-image portion), on the other hand, the light-sensitive compounds do not exhibit any dissolution blocking performance by the generation of heat, so that the image forming material is allowed to dissolve in a developing solution, to complete the removal of the image forming material at the non-image portion. Thus, image formation is achieved.
Further, there is proposed a light-sensitive image forming material of positive-working mode comprising a substance capable of absorbing light to generate heat and a resin of which the solubility in alkaline aqueous solutions is changeable depending upon the application of heat as disclosed, for example, in International Publication No. WO 97/39894 and EP-A-0823327. This type of image forming material can achieve image formation in such a manner that one portion of the image forming material corresponding to an image portion exhibits a low solubility in an alkaline aqueous solution, while the other portion which will be a non-image portion shows an increased solubility in the alkaline aqueous solution by the generation of heat, thereby readily allowing the portion corresponding to the non-image portion to be removed by development.
However, in the above lithographic printing plate precursor of positive-working mode for infrared laser scanning, there is a problem that it is difficult to make highly sharp and clear images, because a difference of dissolving rate in an alkaline developing solution between a light-exposed portion and an unexposed portion is small. Furthermore, in a heat-sensitive printing plate precursor as described above, there is a problem that excessive development or defective development tends to take place depending on variation of use conditions, since a difference between a resistance of dissolution residing in an unexposed portion (image portion) to a developing solution and a solubility of a light-exposed portion (non-image portion) in a developing solution is still insufficient in various use conditions. In addition, the image-forming ability of the lithographic printing plate precursor depends on a heat generation on the surface of an image recording layer through an infrared laser exposure, and in the vicinity of a substrate, quantity of heat which is used for dissolution of the image recording layer, i.e., for an image formation is small due to a dispersion of heat, resulting in that a difference between light-exposure and unexposure becomes small and a reproducibility of highlight becomes insufficient.
In consideration of the above problems, it has been proposed to add a specific compound, i.e., a development inhibitor to a developing solution composition, said compound preventing the image area on the lithographic printing plate from being etched, as described, for example, in JP KOKAI No. Hei 11-194504. Such a development inhibitor may interact with a compound dissolving from a light-sensitive layer into a developing solution, and then alkali-solubility of said compound dissolving from the light-sensitive layer is remarkably decreased to generate insoluble matter. Such insoluble matter becomes sludge in a processing bath for development, and when such sludge adheres to a non-image area of printing plate, said condition may cause scumming during printing. On the other hand, the development inhibitor is consumed through the interaction with the compound dissolving from a light-sensitive layer into a developing solution, resulting in that the advantages of inhibiting development by the development inhibitor is not maintained. Further, EP-A-0274044 has proposed an alkaline developing solution comprising ethyleneoxide/propyleneoxide block copolymer and optionally a phosphate ester and the like, and JP KOKAI 2001-242639 has proposed a technique that a specific phosphate ester compound is added to a developing solution composition to improve an ability of image formation. Though the above compounds are used, image forming performance or inhibition of occurrence of development sludge is not sufficiently accomplished.
In the art of image forming materials, a novolak resin is conventionally used preferably, and recently as a more preferable image forming material, a light-sensitive image forming material comprising a novolak resin comprising xylenol as a constituent monomer is proposed, for example, in JP KOKAI No. 2001-350261. The use of said novolak resin comprising xylenol as a constituent monomer can lead to an excellent time-lapse stability of the prepared lithographic printing plate precursor. On the other hand, the above-mentioned novolak resin containing as a monomer component xylenol shows a lower solubility in alkaline aqueous solutions as compared with the conventional novolak resins. Therefore, when this type of novolak resin is used for the image forming material, the image forming material constituting a non-image portion once dissolved in the developing solution tends to form insoluble matter in the developing solution. Such insoluble matter is accumulated and aggregated to form development sludge in the developing solution after repetition of the development steps, which becomes a factor that will make the development step unstable. To be more specific about the disadvantages caused by the above-mentioned phenomenon, the development sludge can be deposited on the resultant plate to impair the images formed thereon, and the development sludge which settles down and precipitates in a processing bath for development makes the maintenance of the processing bath more burdensome. In the case where the PS plate is subjected to a burning treatment, the development sludge, if still remaining on the non-image portion of the PS plate, will be carbonized, thereby resulting in scumming, in other words, staining the printed matter.
Thus, in making a lithographic printing plate, there has been required a method in which the occurrence of development sludge caused by a component of image recording layer and the like is inhibited, a highly sharp and clear image is formed without impairing the formed image areas, and stable development procedure and stable image formation are accomplished for a prolonged period.

Developing solution for lithographic printing plate precursor and method for making lithographic printing plate


A first PMOS transistor is connected between a supply terminal of a power supply voltage VCC and a connection node MON. A first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor are connected between the connection node MON and ground. The first PMOS transistor and the first NMOS transistor are driven by an input signal. The second NMOS transistor is driven by a constant current IREF. In cooperation with the first NMOS transistor, the second NMOS transistor discharges the charge across a capacitor C1 connected to the connection node MON. A differential amplifier compares a potential at the connection node MON with a potential depending upon the constant current IREF, and outputs a result of the comparison.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a delay circuit that is applied to, for example, semiconductor devices such as semiconductor memories, and has a function of a filter for removing noise.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plurality of delay circuits having various delay times are used in semiconductor devices. The most typical delay circuit in semiconductor devices is an inverter chain including a plurality of inverter circuits. Supposing that one inverter circuit has a delay time of 1 nsec, an inverter chain including ten inverter circuits can have a delay time of 10 nsec. However, characteristics of the inverter circuit vary according to the power supply voltage, temperature, and processing precision of the transistors included in the inverter circuit. Therefore, the delay time of a delay circuit of the inverter chain type often varies greatly. There is also a delay circuit of a type using an RC time constant obtained by combining a resistor element with a capacitor. In this delay circuit as well, however, the delay time varies according to the processing precision of the resistor element and the capacitor and the temperature.
In recent years, improved delay circuits have been proposed so as to provide a stable delay time by compensating for the processing dispersion of the transistors included in the delay circuit, the change of the power supply voltage, and the temperature change. Such delay circuits are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 8-70242, U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,488, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,557. In addition, a delay circuit having a delay time that becomes shorter as the power supply voltage rises is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 8-190798.
As the power supply voltage in the semiconductor devices becomes lower, it is becoming impossible to achieve a stable delay time in a conventional delay circuit. In other words, delays of a logic circuit, such as an inverter circuit that forms the delay circuit, and an output circuit itself that forms a delay signal are actualized. Even if the delay circuit itself is stable, therefore, the resultant delay time varies greatly according to the power supply voltage. Therefore, it is desired that a delay circuit capable of providing a stable delay time irrespective of the power supply voltage is developed.

Delay circuit having function of filter circuit


In a semiconductor device having a resistor and a method of fabricating the same, the device includes a semiconductor substrate having a cell region and a peripheral region. A lower interlayer insulating layer is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. A buffer pad is disposed on the lower interlayer insulating layer in the cell region. A capacitor is provided to have a storage node electrode disposed on the buffer pad, a plate electrode covering the storage node electrode, and a capacitor dielectric is interposed between the storage node electrode and the plate electrode. A lower resistor is disposed on the lower interlayer insulating layer in the peripheral region. An upper resistor is disposed on the lower resistor to expose both ends of the lower resistor. An inter-resistor insulating layer is interposed at least between the lower resistor and the upper resistor. An upper interlayer insulating layer is disposed on the lower interlayer insulating layer to cover the capacitor, the lower resistor, and the upper resistor. A resistor interconnection line is disposed on the upper interlayer insulating layer, to contact a resistor contact plug penetrating the upper interlayer insulating layer and is electrically connected to a first end of the lower resistor and a first end of the upper resistor.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device having a resistor and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device is composed of a cell array region including a plurality of unit cells, and a peripheral region disposed around the cell array region to drive and control the unit cells. The peripheral region includes many elements such as transistors for driving the unit cells, diodes, resistors, and the like. Methods for forming resistors using a polysilicon layer are widely known.
A method of forming a resistor of a polysilicon layer has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,212 entitled "Semiconductor device with a resistor of polycrystalline silicon" to Kazuo Ogasawara. Further, a method of fabricating a resistor of a DRAM device has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,389 entitled "Semiconductor memory device having a reduced area for a resistor element" to Takashi Sakoh.
In the conventional case where a polysilicon layer is used for a gate electrode, the polysilicon layer used as the gate electrode has also been used in the formation of a discrete resistor. However, in recent applications, a polycide layer including a polysilicon layer and a metal silicide layer has been employed as a gate electrode in order to reduce the resistance of the gate electrode. Such a polycide layer used as the gate electrode is no longer appropriate for used as a resistor. Further, a thick insulating layer may be interposed between a resistor formed at the same time as the process of forming the gate electrode, and of forming a metal interconnection disposed on a semiconductor device. A contact plug should be formed through the thick insulating layer in order to electrically connect the metal interconnection and the resistor. In this case, since a process of etching the thick insulating layer is necessarily performed during the process of forming the contact plug, it complicates formation of a small-sized contact plug, which is inappropriate in the recent trend of high integration of semiconductor devices.

Semiconductor device having resistor and method of fabricating the same


A method, algorithm, software, architecture and/or system for routing signal paths or connections between circuit blocks in a circuit design is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of routing can include: (i) determining a switching activity for signal path between a first circuit block and a second circuit block; and (ii) routing the signal path substantially in a connectivity layer related to the switching activity of the signal path. The circuit blocks can include standard cells configured to implement a logic or timing function, other components, and/or integrated circuits, for example. The switching activity can include a switching frequency determination based on simulation results of the signal path between the circuit blocks. Embodiments of the present invention can advantageously reduce power consumption as well as supply noise by optimally routing signal paths between circuit blocks in an automated place-and-route flow. Further, signal integrity problems due to non-optimal routing can be reduced or minimized relative to conventional techniques.

In typical circuit design, circuit components are arranged to optimize space and/or circuit performance. Such arrangements can include the "layout" or pattern definition of each of the layers used in a semiconductor manufacturing process. For example, such layout can include metal interconnect or connectivity layers that are converted to masks or reticles for use in a wafer fabrication facility that manufactures ICs (i.e., "chips").
While some circuits are designed using "custom" layout, others are designed using a partially or fully automated design flow. Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) designs, as well as other functional blocks within a larger chip, such as System-On-Chip (SOC) designs, may employ custom and/or ASIC type flows on the same chip. In any event, typical ASIC flows use "place-and-route" tools for placing logic or circuit "blocks" and then "routing" or connecting the interface signals between the blocks. Such routing between circuit blocks is typically done using one or more metal connectivity layers.
Referring now to FIG. 1A, a conventional connection layer cross section diagram is shown and indicated by the general reference character 100. The five metal layers shown include metal-1 (M1) 102, metal-2 (M2) 106, metal-3 (M3) 110, metal-4 (M4) 114, and metal-5 (M5) 118. Dielectric 104 isolates the M1 connectivity layer, dielectric 108 isolates the M2 connectivity layer, dielectric 112 isolates the M3 connectivity layer, dielectric 116 isolates the M4 connectivity layer, and dielectric 120 isolates the M5 connectivity layer. In FIG. 1B, layer-to-layer connections associated with the diagram of FIG. 1A are shown and indicated by the general reference character 150. In FIG. 1B, contact (C) 152 connects M1 to a layer below, via-1 (V1) 154 connects M2 to M1, via-2 (V2) 156 connects M3 to M2, via-3 (V3) 158 connects M4 to M3, and via-4 (V4) 160 connects M5 to M4. In conventional automated signal path routing approaches, either certain connectivity layers are strictly designated for specific signal categories (e.g., M5 for power signal routing, M4 for clock signals, etc.) to restrict routing choices, or the routing is randomized with respect to the connectivity layer so as to emphasize minimized layout area.
However, such conventional approaches to automated signal path routing are typically not optimized for power consumption or signal integrity concerns. Limitations of such conventional approaches result from the routing not being done with sufficient consideration of the "capacitivity" (i.e., capacitance per unit length or area) and the switching activity of the signal path. Accordingly, a signal path routing using a conventional approach may not minimize the capacitivity for a high switching activity signal.
Given the increasing demands on circuit designers to create chips of increasing density, decreasing wire and transistor widths, and decreasing power supply and power consumption, it is difficult to ensure optimal signal path routing in a manner that also takes steps to minimize power consumption, particularly in an automated routing flow. Increasing the complexity, flexibility and/or functionality of the circuitry on a chip exacerbates these challenges. Thus, what is needed is a tool with which integrated circuit designers can automatically optimize signal path routing so as to reduce power consumption and increase signal integrity.

Method for circuit block routing based on switching activity


In a shim board system with at least one shim board formed by an insulating substrate and at least one conductor trace on the substrate for generation of a shim magnetic field, in particular for homogenization of the basic magnetic field of a magnetic resonance apparatus, the insulating substrate is fashioned as a mesa in at least one segment similar to the conductor trace and following the curve of the conductor trace. Upon sealing, this allows a good saturation of the shim board system with sealing compound.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a shim board system of the type having a shim board with an insulated substrate and a conductor trace on the substrate for generation of a magnetic field for shimming another magnetic field.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic resonance (MR) technology is a known technology for acquisition of slice images of an examination subject using nuclear magnetic resonance signals. In a magnetic resonance apparatus rapidly-switched gradient fields that are generated by a gradient system are superimposed on a static basic magnetic field that is generated by a basic field magnet. The magnetic resonance apparatus also has a radio-frequency system that radiates radio-frequency signals into the examination subject to elicit magnetic resonance signals and acquires the elicited magnetic resonance signals. In the image acquisition, having a high homogeneity of the basic magnetic field is a decisive factor for the quality of the MR images. Inhomogeneities of the basic magnetic field within an imaging volume of the magnetic resonance apparatus cause geometric distortions of the MR image that are proportional to the inhomogeneities. The field homogeneity is particularly important in imaging sequences known as fast pulse sequences, for example in an echo planar method.
Shim systems are used to improve the basic magnetic field homogeneity within the imaging volume. Shim systems can be categorized as passive shim systems and active shim systems. In a passive shim system, a number of iron plates are mounted in the examination chamber of the apparatus in a suitable arrangement.
In an active shim system, to homogenize the basic magnetic field shim coils that can be charged with direct currents are used that are, for example, fashioned as shim boards (circuit boards having a substrate with one or more conductor runs or traces thereon). Mains adaptors that deliver very constant and reproducibly adjustable direct currents are necessary for the operation of the shim coils. Active shim systems are used for, among other things, fine correction to achieve a very high homogeneity, for example in order to correct field distortions caused by the magnetic susceptibility of the examination subject at least partially positioned in the imaging volume. Among other things, shim coils for various field corrections are sealed (potted) with one another, meaning that a sandwich structure is formed that is composed of a substrate plate, a shim coil, another substrate plate, another shim coil etc. in a sequence. Such a design also can be sealed, for example, with a gradient coil unit. In order to allow a transverse passage of sealing material between the shim boards, holes in the substrate plates are arranged at points at which no shim coil conductor is located. Due to the various conductor structures, a sufficient transverse passage of the casting resin is not always to be ensured, such that a complete saturation of the interstices is not assured. Voids thereby created result in a poor resistance arcing and represent mechanical weak points that can lead to a de-lamination of the shim boards and consequently to an increased vibration level.


A method of preparing and producing a nutritious, low calorie, low cholesterol, shelf-stable, expanded snack food product for humans and pets is disclosed. The process involves using a proteinaceous material, such as raw comminuted meats or mechanically separated meats, that are frozen or chilled. Prior to using the raw, frozen or chilled meat, it is further comminuted to relatively small particle size to provide optimum dispersion of the meat products with the farinaceous (starch) component of the mixture. This blend containing the raw, frozen or chilled meat products, is mixed with pregelatinized flour and is then subjected to elevated temperatures and shear pressure as it moves through the high-temperature, short-time, screw-type extruder. Flavorings, coloring, spices, and the like, may be blended with the ingredients or may be topically applied to the extrudate prior to packaging and after cutting to desired lengths.

1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The invention relates to a snack food composition and method of making such composition.
2. Background Art
There are numerous processes for producing snack food products for the consumer, including consumers' pets. Many of these products are deep-fat fried in order for the product to expand and result in a puffed product. Needless to say, this method of deep-fat frying has the disadvantage of absorbing large amounts of fat, resulting in a product with high caloric content which many consumers do not find acceptable.
There also are a number of methods to make jerky using beef and turkey. Many have attempted to produce a jerky-like product utilizing less expensive protein sources than those who use primarily skeletal muscle tissue as their raw material. Many of the methods now employed in industry results in a jerky that may be undesirable in that it crumbles easily or results in products that look machine-made, seems artificial or has a "plastic" looking exterior which do not have the distinct rugged appearance of natural jerky.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,582, entitled Fortified Snack Process and Product, to Blagdon, et al., describes a process for producing low calorie snack food products which involves fortifying carbohydrate materials that have been substantially pregelatinized with a protein material which has not been substantially heat gelled. The protein source may be any high purity proteins, for example, milk, egg, or oilseed proteins. Blagdon, et al., also use a starch modifying and complexing agent, such as a saturated monoglyceride material, to prevent the hydration of the starch molecule by water. The shaped product is then converted to a snack food product, preferably by frying, since the heating step also serves to set or heat-gel the protein source. The moisture content of the cooked product ranges from 2-6% by weight; protein content ranges from 16-25% by weight; starch content ranges from 49-56% by weight; and the fat content ranges between 12% and 35% by weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,447,929, entitled Method of Manufacturing a Meat-Containing Expanded Food Product, to Hale, et al., describes a method of producing a meat-containing expanded food product directly from proteinaceous material, such as raw meat, that has been heated and dried to decrease its moisture to a value between 20% and 40%, and which also has been ground to reduce the particle size. The ground material is then subjected to elevated temperatures and pressure using an extruder to cook the dried meat. A farinaceous material component may be combined with the dried meat. The expanded cooked meat material is broken into pellets and further drying of the pellets is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,729, entitled Method for Preparing Food Snack Compositions, to Harms, et al., also proposes a process that involves adding a mixture of a starch material and fatty glyceride through a hopper into a housing containing a screw, and thereafter forces the mixture through a small orifice that may be one of many shapes. A puffed product containing granulated starch material is produced having an abrasion rating of less than 30%; 50% of the material would pass through a sieve screen having a 0.0041 inch opening, and contains between 10% and 15% moisture. The starch materials used may be an acid-modified starch derived from corn, white milo, or dehulled and degerminated corn. No meat, either raw, dried, or frozen, is used in this method.
The process used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,028, entitled Composition Containing Animal Parts for Production of a Pried Snack Food and Method for Production Thereof, to Meyer, et al., also requires drying raw animal parts to a relatively low moisture content, comminuting those animal parts to a relatively small particle size, and mechanically defatting the animal particles to a reduced fat (less than 15-18%) content. It is also disclosed that the animal parts may comprise no more than 25% hot oil rendered parts in order to avoid problems in gelatinization of the animal parts. The animal parts may be chosen from a wide variety of high collagen content meat parts. However, the most preferable animal parts are conventional green pork skins, in part rendered pork skins, bacon or ham rinds, connective tissue, cartilage, and intestinal tract tissue. It is only necessary that the total mixture of animal parts have a relatively high average collagen content. The moisture content of the animal parts must be reduced to less than 35% by air, smoke, or the like, at a preferred drying temperature between 212.degree. F. and 275.degree. F., for less than five hours. After appropriate drying, the animal parts are preferably comminuted, and it is also preferred that the dried material be cooled prior to comminuting. The animal parts must be reduced in fat content by rendering or mechanical defatting in order to accomplish sufficient gelatinization in the extruder, and mechanical defatting is preferred over hot oil rendering.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,548, entitled Method for Preparing Extruded Fried Snack Products from Corn and Other Cereal Flours, to Willard, teaches an expanded, fried cereal-based snack product comprising essentially (1) a low water-absorbing component, (2) a high water-absorbing component, and (3) a starch component comprising one or more ungelatinized starches, comprising from about 10% to 45% by weight, of the total dry solids. This invention uses only cereals, preferably corn, to make an expanded snack which needs frying and does not contain any meat in its composition.
Canadian Patent No. 694,276, entitled Farinaceous Animal Food, to Burgess, et al., likewise contains no meat and comprises a pet food prepared by high temperatures "substantially above 212.degree. F."
U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,025, entitled Pet Food Product and Method for Forming Same, to Miller, et al., also teaches a pet food composition requiring temperatures above 212.degree. F.
European Patent No. EP 0 131 701 to Rapp teaches an extruded potato chip composition comprising potato powder, ballast, and seasonings. No meat products are used in the product.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,87, entitled Process for Production of a Simulated Meat Product, to Harwood et al., describes a process for preparing a puffed or expanded food product simulating meat in which protein materials are mixed with water and a lubricating substance (edible fats and oils) prior to subjecting the mixture to the pressure sufficient to convert it into a plastic condition. The product is extruded first without puffing, then placed in a confined space and subjecting the extrudate for a specific time/pressure to cause it to puff and resemble meat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,269, entitled Protein Food Product and Method of Making, to Payne et al., describes a process in which a mixture of high proteins oilseed materials and a meat source are combined followed by extrusion of said mixture to form a porous, expanded food product.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,009, entitled Method of Manufacturing Dehydrated Meat Product, to Lewis et al., describes a method to produce an edible dehydrated meat product using raw, dried, semi-dried meat products mixed with vegetable material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,002, entitled Process for Preparing a Meat Jerky Product, to Scaglione, et al., describes a process for making meat jerky using fiber-like or fibrous components of animal tissues (striated muscle) or from fibrous plants (wheat straw, alginates, or industrially generated fibers).
The process used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,572, entitled Jerky-style Pet Product, to Neiberger, describes a method for making a jerky-type product which uses multiple extrusion steps.
British patent No. 1,310,348 discloses a dehydrated product formed from raw/cooked meat and cooked dry starchy vegetables. The dehydrated meat products are prepared from comminuted raw/cooked meats by shaping and heat setting the comminuted meat and then drying the shaped and set meat.
Thus, the prior art has failed to provide a means of combining non-rendered, non-dried, raw, frozen or chilled comminuted meats and other similar meat products with farinaceous material components to form an expanded snack product that is nutritious, lower in calories than conventional snacks, is highly palatable, with a long, stable shelf life and which has a lower fat content and higher protein content than normally prepared fat-fried products.
The prior art similarly has failed to provide a means of combining a proteinaceous material, such as meat (frozen, unfrozen, dried and etc.) comminuted meats (all species/and other similar meat products/byproducts with farinaceous material components (flours, starches, meals, and etc.) and spices/flavors in a high temperature, short time food extruder to mix, cook, form, dry and expel through a ribbon die (flat) orifice an extrudate that is nutritious, palatable, shape sustaining, shelf-stable and which produces a finished product that is tough and has a chewy texture, consistency, and that does not require nitrite for preservation as is required by other jerky products.

Method of preparing a snack food jerky product

New Mexico State University Technology Transfer Corp.


An interactive multi-media computer system for providing support and guide to an individual undergoing recovery from a substance or emotional dependency. The computer system including a central processing unit, a monitor, user input device and a CD ROM for reading a pre-recorded medium containing interactive programming material. The CD ROM has data recorded on it for implementing computer routines which interactive engage the user and provide a crisis module for interactively testing and evaluating a user's mental condition and recommending specific procedures to come out of adverse mental conditions depending upon the results of the test. The CD ROM also contains a browse module with resource materials which are related to education in the realm of the recovery process and a quest module containing control software for structuring a specific program for the user to follow to further the user's progress in the recovery process.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to addiction recovery and, more particularly, to an interactive and computer based system for assisting individuals who are in the process of recovering from various addictive dependencies.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people experience in their lives an addiction to various things which cause them to lose control over their lives and suffer periods of unhappiness. These addictions include chemical dependency, e.g., an addition to alcohol, drugs, or food; behavioral dependency, e.g., an addiction to gambling or sex; and co-dependency, an addiction to the behavior of other people. The process of coming out of these addictions includes at least two steps: rehabilitation and recovery. Rehabilitation is the process by which an "addict" learns to abstain from addictive substances or behavior while recovery is the inner healing process by which a former addict returns to full and complete mental health.
In the early part of this century there were virtually no treatments for addictive behavior. Addicts were censored by society and either thrown out on the street, jailed or hospitalized. A major revolution in the treatment of addictive behavior occurred in 1935 with the advent of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) which promulgated a twelve step program by which an addict could escape the clutches of his or her addiction and reassume control over his/her life and relationships. A fundamental part of the AA program is that alcoholics must stop denying their addictions and take responsibility for their actions. Such responsibility includes the attendance of regular meetings of recovering alcoholics which provide both perspective and group support to an individual undergoing the addiction recovery process. In 1955, the American Medical Association (AMA) defined alcoholism as a disease and removed a certain amount of stigma associated with it and thereby furthered the process by which people could come out of their addictions. Since 1935 the AA program, the twelve steps, the so-called Big Book and other literature along with thousands of support group meetings available each day across the United States and the world have changed the lives of millions of people.
The AA program has been emulated by many other fraternal organizations and today there are some 120 fraternities in the United States devoted to assisting its members in their recovery from addictions. These organizations sponsor over 500,000 meetings in the United States each week and are attended by upwards of 10 million individuals. However, despite the enormous progress of addiction recovery techniques on both social and individual levels, the distress of those in the recovery process remains high.
It is generally taken to be true that among the total population of dependents and co-dependents, 33% will never obtain complete abstinence from the object of their addiction; 52% will abstain from the object of their addiction but will carry on their lives with various degrees of so-called "dry drunk" behaviors and attitudes; and only 15% will fully recover. Addiction is a response: a response to pain. These statistics mean that a huge number of people will remain in deep pain throughout their lives unless they can successfully accomplish full recovery and return to complete mental and physical health.
Over the years since the advent of the AA program in 1935, many changes have taken place in the therapeutic mechanism used in the treatment of addictions. Among these, there have been significant changes in psychological treatment techniques, in communications and in data transfer and availability. Addiction is now perceived to be a family disease in which both the individual dependent and his or her spouse have problems to face. Other changes in therapeutic addiction recovery techniques are grounded in the understanding that traits, profile and behaviors of a "significant other" toward the addict frequently fall within the description of the term "co-dependent." Moreover, addictions and other forms of dysfunctional behavior have been shown to be passed on from generation to generation. The pain associated with this behavior is usually rooted in the "child" within each individual implying that dysfunctional behaviors and strategies are generated as a response to conditioning formed during very early years of development, i.e., 0-6 years old.
Throughout this period, however, various self help groups, meetings and sponsors implemented by AA, the twelve steps and the Big Book, have accomplished enormous results for literally millions of people.
On the downside of dependency recovery developments during the past 60 years, classic psychiatry has been of little help with respect to the large populations of persons who are both still in the throes of addiction and those attempting a recovery process. Around 1955, Professor Albert Ellis began the postulation and structuring of Rational Emotive Therapy (R.E.T.) with the publication of numerous books which expounded its principles in conjunction with Behavioral Therapy (B.T.). In addition, significant progress has also been made through Cognitive Therapy and the contributions of Dr. Aaron Beck who has supplied many potent tools useful in the recovery process. AA has chosen to remain linear in its program and teachings and has not integrated other findings and therapies into its program. In addition, academia, classic psychology and psychiatry have very little to do with therapy groups, meetings, the twelve step process or its spirituality components regardless of whether it is of the faithless or faithful format. Moreover, classic psychology and psychiatry have restricted themselves to "1-on-1" therapy in an office setting rather than attempting any integration with other successful tools for addiction recovery.
The history of addiction recovery over the last 50 years indicates the need for better programs and tools for assisting those undergoing the recovery process. The American Psychiatric Association estimates that approximately 8% of the adult population in the United States is dependent upon alcohol. The same percentage is considered to be at risk of abusing alcohol. Today alcohol and chemical dependence is considered to be a family disease directly correlated to the existence of co-dependence in personal relationships thereby affecting both the children and the spouse of the addict. For example, teen-age children may, due to peer pressure and/or a lack of self-esteem, engage in habitual behavior which is both addictive and destructive in nature. Notwithstanding other chemical dependencies and other types of behavioral dependencies, i.e., just looking at the statistically extrapolated numbers related to the abuse of alcohol together with its effect on the spouses of addicts, something on the order of 30% of the entire adult population of the United States may be involved. If, for the sake of argument, other known dependencies such as food, drugs, sex, work, gambling and the like are included, the number of persons affected by addictions in the United States may be on the order of 50% of the adult population.
Many persons who are dependent rely upon the professional care of a rehabilitation center to assist them in working their way out of their dependence, while many try to extract themselves alone. Regardless of which path they follow, most recovering addicts are susceptible to slips and relapses. Invariably, all experience the "black hole" of recovery, and, instead of getting better, they may get worse. While undergoing recovery, numerous feelings and emotions start to command the recovering addict's attention and self evaluating questions proliferate, such as: Why did I do that?; Who am I?; What prompted my behavior in the first place?; How do I deal with all this pain?; Can I really recover?; What are the paths to recovery?; Will it work?; How much effort will it take?; Can my behaviors really be changed?; and many others. All persons undergoing recovery relive the trauma from the past and the questions and the nightmares of waking up and not knowing where to go or how to get there.
For certain reasons, there is very little social support for persons recovering from addictions. Support comes almost exclusively from the numerous fraternities which have developed, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Overeaters Anonymous (O.A.), Cocaine Anonymous (C.A.), Gamblers Anonymous (G.A.), Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA), Co-Dependants Anonymous (CODA), AL-ANON (for the spouses of alcoholics), ALA-TEEN (for the teenage children of alcoholics) and others. AA has single-handedly assisted in the recovery of millions of people and spawned a following with such momentum that today there are approximately 500,000 groups that meet each week in America. This includes upwards of 10 million individuals attending meetings each week.
Most of the addiction recovery support fraternities take for granted that full recovery takes more than five years; the first five years "being the worst." It is unquestionable that recovery is a very slow and painful process and one can do little more than go to support group meetings, follow the guidelines from the twelve step process, and read a few books.
Significant changes come to the recovering addict through a number of different sources. For example, within the realm of psychology and psychiatry, the tools and methods recently developed are both efficient and effective. From rehabilitation centers, notably those associated with the Hazelden Foundation, and from leading practicing therapists we have recently witnessed the emergence of rich structural concepts such as generational dysfunctionality and co-dependence which are extremely helpful in the recovery process. In addition, useful books and numerous tools for testing, monitoring, evaluating and scoring those engaged in the recovery process are very helpful.
For those interested in the recovery process, the debates regarding the value of different therapeutic techniques range between science and community concerning the acceptability of new concepts and the usefulness of spirituality in the recovery process. Although the majority of dependents and co-dependents find many of the new concepts useful and also believe that some spirituality is important in the recovery process, nevertheless the debate continues. For people actively involved with assisting recovering addicts, the only relevant issue is efficiency. When a practice gives good results in recovery and when concepts are helpful in finding a way out for the person who is suffering, they are deemed to be useful and rewarding.
Spirituality has been shown to be a key element in assisting individuals in the recovery process. This involves two forms of spirituality: faithless and faithful. Faithless spirituality results from the general positioning system needed by an addict in the first and second phases of rehabilitation and recovery. It corresponds to a buildup of some essential metaphysical questions concerning self, others, the world and the general acquisition of relationship and forms of power. Faithless spirituality relates to destiny, to freedom, to powers of the universe and not to notions of a higher power. On the other hand, the "faithful" form of spirituality is that by which the individual integrates some attributes of reciprocity into these relationships and perhaps elements of finality. Spirituality, whether of the faithless or faithful type, is something misunderstood when it is deemed to belittle individuals. For most people, the very great majority of dependents and co-dependents, the integration of this dimension of faith assists in finding, articulating and incorporating the principles and guidelines into one's own self and consequently into action.
While many individual elements have proven to be useful in the recovery process, there remains a great need for coordinated and well defined integration of the various elements of a successful recovery into a single system. The system of the present invention proposes a new tool and methodology for programming recovery from various addictions.

System for implementing dependency recovery process

Phase II R & D -Dependency & Codependency Recovery Program Inc.


This invention relates to fuel cells, particularly proton exchange membrane fuel cells, more particularly to proton exchange membrane fuel cells employing nanocomposite sulphonated polystyrene-butadiene rubber-carbon nanoball (SPSBR-CNB) membranes as an electrolyte.

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are known in the state of the art as a species of fuel cell wherein an electrochemical cell converts a source of fuel into electric current. Typically, electricity is generated inside a cell system resulting from reactions between a fuel source and an oxidant taking place in an electrolytic medium.
Typical hydrogen oxygen PEMFCs comprise a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) consisting of a proton conducting polymer membrane functioning as the electrolyte which separates an anode side from a cathode side. Hydrogen is introduced on the anode side where it comes into contact with a catalyst causing dissociation of the hydrogen into constituent protons and electrons. The protons then pass through the membrane to the cathode but the electrons cannot pass through the membrane and instead traverse an external circuit, generating electricity, to the cathode to bond with the protons and form water.
A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is the heart of the fuel cell (lyuke et al., 2003; Park et al., 2008), and consists of a sheet of proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane with two electrically and ionically conductive electrodes containing a platinum catalyst bonded to the opposite sides of the polymer membrane. The electric insular nature of the polymer membrane back bone and additional acid groups attached to the membrane are responsible for the ability of the membrane to prevent electrons from moving from an anode to a cathode.
Electrons produced as a result of electrochemical reactions and the general operation of single cell proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is presented in Equations 1-3 and FIG. 18.
FIG. 1 shows a typical membrane electrode assembly (MEA) arrangement for a single cell testing apparatus (lyuke et al., 2003)Cathode: O2+4H++4e−→2H2O  (2)Over all electrochemicalreaction: 2H2+O2→2H2O+Energy  (3)
The electrons represented in Equations 1 travel from a reaction site in the anode through the diffusion layer to the reaction site in the cathode via an external circuit. The mechanism of movement of electrons through the diffusion layer involves collision of electrons with the molecules of the diffusion layer material and releases their energy to the molecule, which results in the excitation of the diffusion layer. The excited molecule then releases an electron which collides with another molecule, thereby facilitating electron flow. The membrane does not allow electrons to flow through, but the protons produced at the anode are transported across the membrane to the reaction sites in the cathode. The transport process of the protons is facilitated by interactions of the protons with one another as well as with the water molecules (which is the by-product of the electrochemical reaction in the fuel cell) in the MEA. The acid chain in the membrane does not contribute directly to the proton transport process, but maintains the structural integrity and electronic insulation of the membrane.
The positive potential established as a result of buildup of hydrogen at the anode-membrane interface is the initial force that is required to move the protons across the membrane. While the membrane serves the purpose as stated above, the electrodes perform three functions listed below (Wilson and Gottesfeld, 1992; Haynes, 2002; Mehta and Cooper, 2002):                1. They act as physical barriers between the gaseous stream and the solid electrolyte.        2. They supply a surface site where ionization and de-ionization of fuel and oxidant may occur.        3. They provide a porous interface between ions in the gaseous streams and the ion conducting electrolyte.
Disadvantages associated with current materials utilized as membranes in fuel cells include that they are expensive to manufacture and that the performance of the fuel cell is inadequate. The performance is influenced by various factors including the ability of the membrane to absorb water, thermal stability, porosity, solvent uptake, methanol crossover and proton conductivity.
There is a need for the development of a cost effective manufacturing process for PEMs which provides for a membrane which favourably effects at least one of the factors including: the ability of the membrane to absorb water, thermal stability, porosity, solvent uptake, methanol crossover and proton conductivity relative to the techniques comprising the current state of the art.


A method of integrating a low aspect ratio antifuse into low capacitance interconnect levels which involves fabrication of an antifuse base which is self-aligned to either a lower interconnect level or the antifuse dielectric. The method provides maximum allowable registration tolerance for the antifuse onto its base without incurring any increase in the pitch of the interconnect. The antifuse base is required to minimize the capacitance between the lower and upper interconnect levels. This is accomplished by providing over a lower interconnect pattern, such as, for example, aluminum over titanium tungstide (TiW), a barrier metal, such as, for example, TiW. The barrier metal separates one of the interconnect layers from the amorphous silicon dielectric. The barrier metal also acts as a raised base for the antifuse, providing increased spacing between the upper and lower interconnect patterns, thereby minimizing the capacitance therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to antifuses and, more specifically, to a method of fabricating an antifuse for use as part of an integrated circuit.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Scaling of metal-to-metal antifuses can cause increased capacitance between adjacent metal layers along with high aspect ratio in the case of via antifuses. The increased capacitance decreases the operating speed of the circuit and the high aspect ratio decreases the yield and reliability of the antifuse.
Prior art solutions to the problem have been to directly integrate the antifuse on the bottom interconnect metal without an antifuse base. As a result, in order to maintain a sufficient separation between interconnect levels for minimal capacitance and adequate breakdown voltage, a high aspect ratio antifuse must be used having a depth equal to the thickness of the intermetal dielectric (IMD). A high aspect ratio antifuse causes severe corner cusping and nonuniformity of the amorphous silicon and results in nonuniform breakdown voltage of the antifuse. Formation of a non-self-aligned base for the antifuse increases the width of the host metal or suffers from yield loss due to tighter registration requirements.
In view of the above, in the fabrication of integrated circuits having an antifuse, it has been found desirable to provide a base for the antifuse due to unwanted capacitance that can be generated if the antifuse rests on the metal therebelow. Preferably, the antifuse is spaced sufficiently from the metal therebelow to provide low capacitance. A problem with provision of a large space between the antifuse and the metal therebelow has been the inability to provide a self-aligning structure. Accordingly, there is a penalty incurred in the form of a second alignment step.


A method for creating an improved coiled tubing is provided, comprising cleaning a sheet metal workpiece using an electroplasma process to remove oxide scale and other contaminants on surfaces of the workpiece; applying a first metal coating to the workpiece using the electroplasma process; forming the sheet metal workpiece into a tube having abutting edges to form a seam; welding the seam to complete the formation of the tube; grinding the seam to establish a smooth exterior surface on the seam; applying a second metal coating to the seam of the tube using the electroplasma process; and coiling the tube around a spool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning and coating of coiled tubing, and more particularly to such processes which use electro plasma.
2. Description of Related Art
In the oil and gas industries, coiled tubing refers to metal piping, normally 0.75″ to 4.25″ in diameter, used for interventions in oil and gas wells and sometimes as production tubing in depleted gas wells, which comes spooled on a large reel. Coiled tubing is often used to carry out operations similar to wirelining. The main benefits over wireline are the ability to pump chemicals through the coil and the ability to push it into the hole rather than relying on gravity. A coiled tubing operation is normally performed through the drilling derrick on the oil platform, which is used to support the surface equipment, although on platforms with no drilling facilities a self-supporting tower can be used instead. For coiled tubing operations on sub-sea wells a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) e.g. semi-submersible, drillship etc. has to be used to support all the surface equipment and personnel, whereas wireline can be carried out from a smaller and cheaper intervention vessel. Onshore, coiled tubing operations can be run using smaller service rigs, and for light operations a mobile self-contained coiled tubing rig can be used. Coil tubing can perform almost any operation for oil well operations if used correctly.
Coiled tubing can also be used for pumping and dispersing fluids to a specific location in the well, such as for cementing perforations, performing chemical washes, or fracturing formations. Coiled tubing umbilical technologies enable the deployment of complex pumps which require multiple fluid strings on coiled tubing. In many cases, the use of coiled tubing to deploy a complex pump can greatly reduce the cost of deployment by eliminating the number of units on site during the deployment.
One operation where coiled tubing is utilized is "Tracking" a well, a process which involves pumping large amounts of fluid, under high hydraulic pressure to fracture the oil or gas formation. Typically, hydrochloric acid (HCl) is one of the components of the frack fluid and the combination of acid and high temperature is highly corrosive to the system, one component of which is the coiled tubing. Internally and in most cases externally, coiled tubing is not protected against corrosion and is by its nature, highly susceptible to acid or hydrogen sulfide attack.
The electro-plasma process (EPP) disclosed herein and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,875, whose disclosures are expressly incorporated herein by reference, provide a means to protect the coiled tubing, both internally and externally by applying a single metal coating or layered coatings or alloy coatings. Additionally, because of the nature of the EPP, one type coating can be applied internally and another or different coating can be applied externally. Coiled tubing can be a small as from 0.50 inches in diameter up to 4 inches in diameter and roll formed from a single sheet of steel and continuously welded as forming occurs.
UK-A-1399710, U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,604, U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,084, U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,366 & U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,875B1. Electrical plasma processing [high voltage] operates in an electrical regime in which the current decreases or remains essentially the same as voltage is increased and are characterized by the formation of plasma at the onset of the unstable region and further characterized; "it should be clearly understood that the required bubble regime cannot be obtained with any arbitrary combination of variables, such as, gap, flow rate, electrolyte concentration, temperature and so forth".
UK-A-1399710 teaches that the gas film must be continuous and the electrical regime which describes the current as decreasing or remaining constant as voltage is increased described the "unstable regime" characterized as the descending half of the first current curve.
WO-A-97/35051 describes an electrolytic process for cleaning and coating electrically conducting surfaces in which the anode comprises a metal for metal coating of the surface of the workpiece. In WO-A-97/35051 and 35052 an arc discharge or electro-plasma is formed on the surface of the workpiece and is established within the bubble layer. If the anode is constructed from a non-inert material, such as a non-refractory metal, then metal atoms are transferred from the anode to the cathode. Coatings achieved by this regime, such as in WO-A-99/15714, are a special form of electroplating because they occur at high voltage in the presence of an arc discharge and the plating is faster than normal electroplating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,410 describes the use of foam for an improved electroplating process. This is a typical electroplating process where low voltage is utilized for ion transfer, without discharge or plasma generation. It operates in a different electrical regime with is typical conventional electrolytic processing. One of the teachings of this patent is that foam improves the uniformity of application.
WO-A-98-32892 describes a process which operates essentially in the manner described in WO-A-99/15714 but uses a conductive gas/vapor mixture as the conductive medium. This gas/vapor mixture is generated within a multi-chambered area by passing electrolyte through holes in the anode. The gas/vapor mixture is generated by heating an aqueous electrolyte within the chamber to the boiling point and the anode chamber may be heated either by primary electrical current or by independent electrical heaters.
WO-01/09410 A1-U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,875 describes a process similar to WO-A-98/32892 & WO-A-99/15714 and claims an improved process in which an electro plasma (arc-discharge) is utilized to clean and/or apply a metal coating to an electrically conductive substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,875 teaches an improved process in which arc-discharge electro-plasma is employed to clean and/or apply a metal coating to an electrically conductive surface, in which the electrically conductive pathway is provided by a foaming electrolyte which fills the space between the anode and cathode and provides advantages with respect to lower power consumption, more uniform surface treatment and greater latitude in the size of the gap between the anode and cathode, thereby allowing for more diverse workpieces. Importantly, while the present invention employs the electro-plasma process generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,875, the present invention provides for substantial advances in the cleaning and coating processes as applied to coiled tubing as further described herein.

Metal cleaning and deposition process for coiled tubing using electro plasma


A thermally regulatable, pulsating cushioning device having a deformable outer membrane being adapted to sealably receive a liquid material therein; a foam core being encased within and in intimate contact with, but not bonded to the flexible, deformable outer membrane wherein the foam core has a dimension substantially coincident with the outer membrane; a liquid material, sealably contained within the flexible, deformable outer membrane and saturating the foam core, with the liquid material being at least partially circulatable throughout the foam core, wherein the cooperation of the saturated foam core and the sealable flexible membrane provide a uniform, thermally regulatable medium and structural support such that the pulsating cushioning device is readily, uniformly deformable when a load is applied thereto; a means for directly pulsating the liquid within the flexible, deformable outer membrane, causing the device to undulate or vibrate; and a thermal regulator cooperating with the liquid material to either heat or cool the liquid material.

1. Field of the Invention
The parent invention relates to a liquid saturated, foam-filled container as a device for providing simultaneous support of an animal or person placed thereon and thermal regulation of the body of that animal or person which can be enhanced by means of a thermal regulating unit; and, more specifically, to a liquid-saturated, foam-filled, cushioning support device for application in, for example, the medical field, as well as for recreational use. Various aspects of the instant application are directed to a thermally regulatable, pulsating, liquid-saturated, foam-filled container as a device for simultaneously providing support of a person placed thereon and for thermal regulation of the body of that person; and, more specifically, various embodiments of the instant invention are directed to pulsating, liquid-saturated, foam-filled, cushioning support devices for application in, for example, the medical field, wherein the device pulsates or vibrates to stimulate proper blood circulation in a bed-ridden person, thereby preventing bed sores and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
It has long been recognized that there are certain advantages to liquid containing devices, such as water beds, which support and/or act as thermal modulators and contain liquids, such as water, in a flexible or malleable container. The inherent drawbacks of such devices are that the liquid within the container moves freely, without restriction and that the liquid is typically required to bear the entire weight of a person or object placed thereon. Thus, such devices heretofore have relied upon increasing the pressure of the liquid within the container when an object is placed thereon in order to provide support. This typically makes the devices bulky and heavy. Further, when such devices are bent, or xe2x80x9cwrappedxe2x80x9d, around an object, they frequently tend to kink or bind as the liquid becomes partially or totally displaced at the bend.
Many water bed devices exist wherein fillers have been placed within the device in order to avoid wave action or other undesired movement of the liquid within the container or device. Such prior art devices, however, tend to kink or bend when a load is applied, such as when such a device is wrapped around a person""s arm, leg, etc. Even multi-chambered apparatuses are not satisfactory since complicated valving devices between chambers are typically required to support movement of the liquid through the device. Other devices employ valves, baffles, fillers, and the like to reduce wave motion and liquid displacement inherent in such liquid filled devices. Still other devices employ gels or deformable plastic type fillers. Although such devices purport to reduce the wave motion and liquid displacement through the device, none provides equalized support coupled with the unrestricted mobility of the water through the device.
Containers or continuous covers, such as sealable vinyl bags and the like, have also been filled with foams of various descriptions in order to alleviate some of the problems inherent in the liquid-filled devices. Though these foam-containing devices typically use an air-filled foam structure as a support, they do not provide the heat transferability of a liquid, nor the capacity for inducing circulatable undulations or pulsations directly through the contained liquid, rather than vibrating the entire device.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,526 issued to Betts for a xe2x80x9cVibratory Water Bedxe2x80x9d discloses a water-filled mattress having a plurality of vibratory units coupled in mechanical communication with the sides of the mattress. A vibratory motor causes mechanical perturbations or vibrations to travel to the mattress and therefore to the body of a person resting thereupon. The disclosed invention is for vibrating a non-foam-filled, xe2x80x9cfull-motionxe2x80x9d water bed. The water in the mattress of the disclosed invention is completely unrestricted and is mechanically vibrated by a vibratory motor coupled to the mattress as a unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,215 issued to Santo for a xe2x80x9cUnitary Accessory Control for a Waterbedxe2x80x9d discloses a unitary accessory control unit having a variety of mechanisms for controlling the environment of the room in which the waterbed is located. Among the mechanisms disclosed is an oscillatory motor which vibrates a xe2x80x9cfull-motionxe2x80x9d, flexible waterbed bladder and thereby imparts motion to the fluid within the bladder. The mechanical perturbations of the oscillatory motor cause the entire waterbed bladder or mattress to vibrate and do not induce undulations or pulsations directly into the contained fluid itself. Further, the disclosed invention vibrates a non-foam filled waterbed mattress which has complete and unrestricted mobility of the fluid throughout the mattress.
Often, when an individual must lie in a bed in substantially the same position for great lengths of time, a standard foam mattress, waterbed, or other type of bed cushion may cause the patient to experience bed sores or other problems associated with pressure point contact and/or impaired blood circulation, unless the patient is rolled-over or otherwise is aided frequently in altering their body position. It would, therefore, be advantageous to have a lightweight device that afforded the structural support of foam, the heat transferability of a liquid, and the capacity to pulsate, vibrate or undulate the device without the inherent problems presented by unrestricted mobility of a liquid.
It has now been discovered that by saturating a foam-filled, flexible, liquid-impervious container with a liquid, the structural stability as well as the load bearing ability of the device can be enhanced, while still allowing selected mobility of the liquid by external means to provide beneficial vibratory or pulsating movement, while retaining enhanced thermal regulation, flexibility and mobility, not available with prior art devices.
In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a liquid-saturated, foam-filled, flexible container having a flexible, liquid-impervious outer membrane encapsulating a foam filler of the same dimensions, wherein the foam filler is saturated with a liquid such that the liquid has at least partial mobility through the foam filler, and the foam and the liquid cooperate within the confines of the outer membrane to provide the device with both flexibility and structural stability. In the present invention, the liquid-impervious, flexible container may be substantially filled with a porous foam material which is saturated with a liquid. This contained liquid may be caused directly to undulate or vibrate by allowing pulsating liquid exchange between an outside liquid pulsing source and the inside of the container, thereby affecting stimulation of the circulatory system of a person who is lying upon, or is otherwise in close contact with, the flexible, liquid container as well as helping to eliminate pressure points which cause xe2x80x9cbed sores.xe2x80x9d
The instant invention is ideally suited for use with, for example, the infirm, the elderly, hospital patients, or others who are confined to their beds for extended periods of time and who would otherwise suffer from blood sedimentation, sores, atrophy of muscles and the like. The instant invention, may also eliminate the problems commonly associated with standard mattresses or waterbeds, in that the liquid-saturated foam core of the present invention allows the body weight of the individual to be more evenly distributed, thereby preventing exertion of continuous pressure on the body""s xe2x80x9cpressure pointsxe2x80x9d, or points of contact with the bed or liner, which leads to bed sores and other problems caused by poor blood circulation, while damping or restricting the unfettered flow of liquid present in conventional water beds.
Additionally, the instant invention induces and regulates undulations or pulsations which continually move or vibrate the patient in a soothing yet effective, manner, thus improving blood circulation and preventing bed sores and other contact problems associated with constant pressure of the skin against a surface, such as a mattress pad.
In accordance with various embodiments, there is provided an external device for pulsing or moving liquid between the device and the core of the foam filled, flexible container to effect an undulation or vibration. The device may be capable of moving the liquid in a pulsating manner with varied amplitude and frequency. Thus, a vibration or a slow undulation may be introduced to effect different therapies. In one embodiment, the device is cycled through a program of frequencies and amplitudes to provide a gradually changing movement. In accordance with one aspect the surge is initated and then relaxed. In accordance with another aspect the surge is initiated and then reversed.
The instant foam filled, flexible container device inherently cools and/or heats a person""s body by allowing convective heat exchange between a person""s body and the liquid encapsulated within the container. The heat is passively dissipated to the surrounding environment. In another embodiment, the liquid is heated and/or cooled by means of a thermal regulator or external heating or cooling device which directly heats or cools the liquid external the container. The heating and cooling device and the pulsating and undulating device thus simultaneously operate on the liquid which is exchanged within the container. In an exemplary embodiment the external thermal regulation and the undulation of the liquid are performed by the same device.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, the appended claims, and references to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification, wherein like reference numbers designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Pulsating liquid saturated foam container


A tire-generated sound detection sensor detects a tire-generated sound that is generated from a tire while the vehicle is running. A wheel rotation sensor detects a wheel rotation speed. A preprocessor calculates feature quantities corresponding to a road surface state and tire-generated sound sources. A feature vector generator generates a feature vector having, as components, the feature quantities calculated by the preprocessor and the detected wheel rotation speed. A judgment processor estimates a state of a road surface on which the vehicle is running on the basis of the feature vector generated by the feature vector generator and feature vectors that are stored in a judgment map memory so as to be correlated with a plurality of road surface states, respectively, and each of which corresponds to a road surface state and tire-generated sound sources.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a road surface state estimating apparatus, a road surface friction state estimating apparatus, a road surface state physical quantity calculating apparatus, and a road surface state announcing apparatus. In particular, the invention relates to a road surface state estimating apparatus for estimating a road surface state on the basis of a sound that is generated by a tire while a vehicle is running, road surface luminance information, and other information and a road surface friction state estimating apparatus, a road surface state physical quantity calculating apparatus, and a road surface state announcing apparatus that relate to the above road surface state estimating apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatus for estimating a road surface state using a sound that is generated by a tire were proposed (JP-A-6-138018 and JP-A-7-156782). These apparatus estimate a road surface state using a neural network by FFT-analyzing a sound that is generated by a tire and employing resulting frequency components of the tire-generated sound as inputs.
An apparatus was proposed in JP-A-8-327530 in which feature quantities representing road surface states such as power spectrum distributions of horizontal and vertical polarization images of images obtained by shooting road surfaces with a camera are detected and road surface friction coefficients, that is, coefficients of friction between a road surface and a tire, are stored in advance so as to be correlated with plural sets of feature quantities that represent different road surface states. A road surface friction coefficient is estimated on the basis of detected feature quantities representing a road surface state and the road surface friction coefficients that are stored so as to be correlated with the plural sets of feature quantities representing the different road surface states.
However, in the former apparatus, since a tire-generated sound is FFT-analyzed and resulting frequency components are used as inputs, the input frequency components cover a wide frequency range, as a result of which a long calculation time is needed and a considerable number of errors occur. Therefore, even if these apparatus are mounted on a vehicle actually, it is difficult for them to satisfy requirements.
In the apparatus disclosed in JP-A-8-327530, road surface friction coefficients are stored in advance so as to be correlated with plural sets of feature quantities representing different road surface states and a road surface friction coefficient is estimated on the basis of detected feature quantities representing a road surface state and the road surface friction coefficients that are stored so as to be correlated with the plural sets of feature quantities representing the different road surface states. As a result, a road surface friction coefficient can be estimated only within the confines of the stored road surface states and feature quantities. Therefore, a road surface friction coefficient cannot be estimated accurately if the stored road surface states and feature quantities are incorrect.

Road surface state estimating apparatus, road surface friction state estimating apparatus, road surface state physical quantity calculating apparatus, and road surface state announcing apparatus


A method and an arrangement for operating an internal combustion engine having gasoline direct injection is suggested which includes at least two cylinder banks or cylinder groups. The internal combustion engine is controlled on the basis of at least one input value. In at least one operating state, the input value for one cylinder bank or cylinder group differs from the input value for at least a second cylinder bank or cylinder group.

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for operating an internal combustion engine having gasoline direct injection.
A method and an arrangement for operating an internal combustion engine with gasoline direct injection are described in DE 43 32 171 A1 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,934). In the control system disclosed there, the entire operating range of the engine is subdivided into various regions in accordance with rpm and load and, depending upon the actual operating region, the fuel is either injected during the induction stroke or during the compression stroke. With an injection during the induction stroke, a substantially homogeneous fuel distribution (homogeneous operation) results because of the time available until ignition as well as because of the swirling of the injected fuel by the inducted air flow; whereas, a stratified charge (stratified operation) arises in the case of injection during the compression stroke. In the homogeneous operation, the engine is operated throttled, that is, the air supply is limited by a throttle flap. In the stratified charge operation, the engine is operated virtually unthrottled, that is, the air supply through the throttle flap is virtually not limited. A switchover between these operating modes takes place in dependence upon the above-mentioned operating variables and/or on other predetermined criteria, for example, with respect to the power demands made by the driver.
It is an object of the invention to further optimize the operation of an internal combustion engine having gasoline direct injection.
This is achieved with the characterizing features of the independent patent claims.
With the state of the art mentioned initially herein, a switchover is always made for the entire engine between the individual operating modes thereof. Furthermore, all cylinders contribute uniformly to the torque of the engine. In this way, flexibility and degrees of freedom in the configuration of the control are surrendered.
A further optimization of the drive of a motor vehicle is achieved with an asymmetric operation of an internal combustion engine having gasoline direct injection, especially when the engine has at least two cylinder banks which can be controlled independently of each other.
It is of special advantage that, in operating states in which the power, which is wanted by the driver, can no longer be made available because of the low consumption stratified charge operation, only a part of the engine, for example, one cylinder bank is driven in the comparatively consumption-intensive homogeneous operation. The other cylinder bank continues to be operated with the low consumption stratified charge operating mode. In this way, on the one hand, the increased power demands of the driver can be made available while, on the other hand, the consumption is minimized. This advantage is also achieved in that the contribution of individual cylinder banks or cylinder groups to the total torque is pregiven differently.
A further advantage, which is achieved by such an asymmetric operation of the engine, is an improvement of the noise emission or generally of the comfort of the engine. It is especially advantageous in this context that, when clearing a storage catalytic converter in idle or in the part-load region, not all banks are switched over simultaneously. The noise emission is optimized by the alternating switchover.
Of special significance is further that more degrees of freedom in the configuration of the exhaust-gas concepts are available because of the asymmetric operation of the engine having gasoline direct injection. For example, the power request of the driver is converted in such a manner that one part of the engine is operated in an exhaust-gas optimal operating mode and at an exhaust-gas optimal operating point; whereas, the actual power demand of the driver is executed by the control of the operating point as well as, if required, the operating mode of another part of the engine.
Of special advantage is the application of the asymmetric operation in an internal combustion engine having gasoline direction injection with at least two cylinder banks having at least two throttle flaps controllable independently of each other. In an advantageous manner, this idea can also be applied in engines having only one throttle flap. The air charge is adjusted in such a manner that one portion of the cylinders is operated homogeneously and the other portion is operated in a stratified operating mode. The latter leads to a total increased air charge so that the throttle losses are reduced compared to a homogeneous operation of the entire engine.
In addition to the switchover between the operating modes with stratified charge and with homogeneous fuel mixture formation, the principle of the asymmetric operation of the engine is also applied between operating modes such as homogeneous stoichiometric, homogeneous lean or mixed operating modes such as an operating mode having double injection wherein a homogeneous fuel mixture arises as well as a stratified fuel mixture. Here too, the advantages which are achieved via the asymmetric operation are arrived at as described above.

Method and device for operating an internal combustion engine with direct gas injection


An axle adapter assembly, configured for enabling conversion of an axle installed on a vehicle to fit different center bore sizes of wheel hubs, including: an axle configured for coupling dropouts of fork legs of a lower fork; adapters configured for being inserted within the dropouts; the adapters configured for engaging an outer surface of the axle and retaining the axle upon engagement; and axle pinch shims configured for being inserted into slits of the dropouts and the adapters, wherein upon the insertion, the adapters are aligned with the dropouts, such that shoulders of the adapters retain edges of a wheel hub of the wheel hubs.

Today's high performance two-wheeled vehicle is often subjected to extreme riding conditions. Accordingly, riders expect precise steering, robust construction, and improved resistance to torsional and shear forces. The more extreme the riding conditions, the greater is the vehicle's suspension's travel. As the vehicle suspension functions in cooperation with the upper and lower fork legs, it is necessary for there to be as little friction as possible during the telescopic sliding motion of the upper fork legs into the lower fork legs. An axle connects the lower fork legs to each other and helps the lower fork legs remain stable while the vehicle hits corners and jumps.
The drawings referred to in this description should be understood as not being drawn to scale except if specifically noted.


Methods and compositions for depositing high-k films are disclosed herein. In general, the disclosed methods utilize precursor compounds comprising Ta or Nb. More specifically, the disclosed precursor compounds utilize certain ligands coupled to Ta and/or Nb such as 1-methoxy-2-methyl-2-propanolate (mmp) to increase volatility. Furthermore, methods of depositing Ta or Nb compounds are disclosed in conjunction with use of Hf and/or Zr precursors to deposit Ta-doped or Nb-doped Hf and/or Zr films. The methods and compositions may be used in CVD, ALD, or pulsed CVD deposition processes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of semiconductor fabrication. More specifically, the invention relates to compositions and methods for semiconductor film deposition of Ta or Nb doped high-k materials.
2. Background of the Invention
With the dramatic shrinkage in new semiconductor based-devices, one of the most concerning issues of scaling metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) is the increase of gate leakage current by direct tunneling because the thickness of silicon dioxide (SiO2) gate insulators cannot be reduced further than about 1 nm. Silicon dioxide has been used as a gate oxide material for decades. As transistors have decreased in size, the thickness of the silicon dioxide gate dielectric has steadily decreased to increase the gate capacitance and thereby drive current and device performance. As the thickness scales below 2 nm, leakage currents due to tunneling increase drastically, leading to unwieldy power consumption and reduced device reliability. Replacing the silicon dioxide gate dielectric with a high dielectric constant (high-k) material allows increased gate capacitance without the concomitant leakage effects.
Hafnium silicate and hafnium silicon oxynitride have been regarded as some of the most promising high-k materials to replace silicon dioxide. The inclusion of silicon and nitrogen theoretically prevents the formation and the diffusion of SiO gas at the high-k/substrate interface. The most popular alternative to hafnium silicate and hafnium silicon oxynitride has been HfAlOx films.
Another approach is to form HfTaOx films by alternative pulses (ALD mode) of a Hf precursor, H2O (or another O source), a Ta precursor, H2O again these pulses being separated by an appropriate purge by an inert gas (this sequence forms one cycle which will be typically repeated several thousand times). As a result, the substrate surface is OH terminated after each H2O pulse and the Hf or Ta precursors, if suitable, react with the surface in the following pulse. Nevertheless, tantalum suffers because of its very limited volatility. The most popular tantalum alkoxide, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Ta(OEt)5 is volatile only above 130° C. However, for thin film deposition vaporization temperatures higher than 150° C. are generally required. The lack of volatility of these compounds is mainly due to the dimer structure of the molecule. Using higher alkoxides will not lead to a significantly more volatile molecule as an additional carbon atom on each of the ligand would increase the molecular weight. As such, there are no known solutions to adequately deposit HfTaO or HfFaON with chemical precursors using current deposition techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), pulsed CVD or atomic layer deposition (ALD).
Consequently, there is a need for methods and compositions for deposition of metal-TaO and/or metal-TaON for semiconductor fabrication.

Deposition of Ta- or Nb-doped high-k films

L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude