Recombinational cloning is provided by the use of nucleic acids, vectors and methods, in vitro and in vivo, for moving or exchanging segments of DNA molecules using engineered recombination sites and recombination proteins to provide chimeric DNA molecules that have the desired characteristic(s) and/or DNA segment(s).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recombinant DNA technology. DNA and vectors having engineered recombination sites are provided for use in a recombinational cloning method that enables efficient and specific recombination of DNA segments using recombination proteins. The DNAs, vectors and methods are useful for a variety of DNA exchanges, such as subcloning of DNA, in vitro or in vivo.
2. Related Art
Site-specific recombinases. Site-specific recombinases are proteins that are present in many organisms (e.g. viruses and bacteria) and have been characterized to have both endonuclease and ligase properties. These recombinases (along with associated proteins in some cases) recognize specific sequences of bases in DNA and exchange the DNA segments flanking those segments. The recombinases and associated proteins are collectively referred to as "recombination proteins" (see, e.g.,, Landy, A., Current Opinion in Biotechnology 3:699-707 (1993)).
Numerous recombination systems from various organisms have been described. See, e.g., Hoess et al., Nucleic Acids Research 14(6):2287 (1986); Abremski et al., J. Biol. Chem.261(1):391 (1986); Campbell, J. Bacteriol. 174(23):7495 (1992); Qian et al., J. Biol. Chem. 267(11):7794 (1992); Araki et al., J. Mol. Biol. 225(1):25 (1992); Maeser and Kahnmann Mol. Gen. Genet. 230:170-176) (1991); Esposito et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 25(18):3605 (1997).
Many of these belong to the integrase family of recombinases (Argos et al. EMBO J. 5:433-440 (1986)). Perhaps the best studied of these are the Integrase/att system from bacteriophage λ (Landy, A. Current Opinions in Genetics and Devel. 3:699-707 (1993)), the Cre/loxP system from bacteriophage P1 (Hoess and Abremski (1990) In Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology, vol. 4. Eds.: Eckstein and Lilley, Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag; pp. 90-109), and the FLP/FRT system from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2μ circle plasmid (Broach et al. Cell 29:227-234 (1982)).
Backman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,640) discloses the in vivo use of λ recombinase to recombine a protein producing DNA segment by enzymatic site-specific recombination using wild-type recombination sites attB and attP.
Hasan and Szybalski (Gene 56:145-151 (1987)) discloses the use of λ Int recombinase in vivo for intramolecular recombination between wild type attP and attB sites which flank a promoter. Because the orientations of these sites are inverted relative to each other, this causes an irreversible flipping of the promoter region relative to the gene of interest.
Palazzolo et al. Gene 88:25-36 (1990), discloses phage lambda vectors having bacteriophage λ arms that contain restriction sites positioned outside a cloned DNA sequence and between wild-type loxP sites. Infection of E. coli cells that express the Cre recombinase with these phage vectors results in recombination between the loxP sites and the in vivo excision of the plasmid replicon, including the cloned cDNA.
Pósfai et al. (Nucl. Acids Res. 22:2392-2398 (1994)) discloses a method for inserting into genomic DNA partial expression vectors having a selectable marker, flanked by two wild-type FRT recognition sequences. FLP site-specific recombinase as present in the cells is used to integrate the vectors into the genome at predetermined sites. Under conditions where the replicon is functional, this cloned genomic DNA can be amplified.
Bebee et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,066) discloses the use of site-specific recombinases such as Cre for DNA containing two loxP sites is used for in vivo recombination between the sites.
Boyd (Nucl. Acids Res. 21:817-821 (1993)) discloses a method to facilitate the cloning of blunt-ended DNA using conditions that encourage intermolecular ligation to a dephosphorylated vector that contains a wild-type loxP site acted upon by a Cre site-specific recombinase present in E. coli host cells.
Waterhouse et al. (PCT No. 93/19172 and Nucleic Acids Res. 21 (9):2265 (1993)) disclose an in vivo method where light and heavy chains of a particular antibody were cloned in different phage vectors between loxP and loxP 511 sites and used to transfect new E. coli cells. Cre, acting in the host cells on the two parental molecules (one plasmid, one phage), produced four products in equilibrium: two different cointegrates (produced by recombination at either loxP or loxP 511 sites), and two daughter molecules, one of which was the desired product.
In contrast to the other related art, Schlake & Bode (Biochemistry 33:12746-12751 (1994)) discloses an in vivo method to exchange expression cassettes at defined chromosomal locations, each flanked by a wild type and a spacer-mutated FRT recombination site. A double-reciprocal crossover was mediated in cultured mammalian cells by using this FLP/FRT system for site-specific recombination.
Transposases. The family of enzymes, the transposases, has also been used to transfer genetic information between replicons. Transposons are structurally variable, being described as simple or compound, but typically encode the recombinase gene flanked by DNA sequences organized in inverted orientations. Integration of transposons can be random or highly specific. Representatives such as Tn7, which are highly site-specific, have been applied to the in vivo movement of DNA segments between replicons (Lucklow et al., J. Virol. 67:4566-4579 (1993)).
Devine and Boeke Nucl. Acids Res. 22:3765-3772 (1994), discloses the construction of artificial transposons for the insertion of DNA segments, in vitro, into recipient DNA molecules. The system makes use of the integrase of yeast TY1 virus-like particles. The DNA segment of interest is cloned, using standard methods, between the ends of the transposon-like element TY1. In the presence of the TY1 integrase, the resulting element integrates randomly into a second target DNA molecule.
DNA cloning.The cloning of DNA segments currently occurs as a daily routine in many research labs and as a prerequisite step in many genetic analyses. The purpose of these clonings is various, however, two general purposes can be considered: (1) the initial cloning of DNA from large DNA or RNA segments (chromosomes, YACs, PCR fragments, mRNA, etc.), done in a relative handful of known vectors such as pUC, pGem, pBlueScript, and (2) the subcloning of these DNA segments into specialized vectors for functional analysis. A great deal of time and effort is expended both in the transfer of DNA segments from the initial cloning vectors to the more specialized vectors. This transfer is called subcloning.
The basic methods for cloning have been known for many years and have changed little during that time. A typical cloning protocol is as follows:                (1) digest the DNA of interest with one or two restriction enzymes;        (2) gel purify the DNA segment of interest when known;        (3) prepare the vector by cutting with appropriate restriction enzymes, treating with alkaline phosphatase, gel purify etc., as appropriate;        (4) ligate the DNA segment to the vector, with appropriate controls to eliminate background of uncut and self-ligated vector;        (5) introduce the resulting vector into an E. coli host cell;        (6) pick selected colonies and grow small cultures overnight;        (7) make DNA minipreps; and        (8) analyze the isolated plasmid on agarose gels (often after diagnostic restriction enzyme digestions) or by PCR.
The specialized vectors used for subcloning DNA segments are functionally diverse. These include but are not limited to: vectors for expressing genes in various organisms; for regulating gene expression; for providing tags to aid in protein purification or to allow tracking of proteins in cells; for modifying the cloned DNA segment (e.g., generating deletions); for the synthesis of probes (e.g., riboprobes); for the preparation of templates for DNA sequencing; for the identification of protein coding regions; for the fusion of various protein-coding regions; to provide large amounts of the DNA of interest, etc. It is common that a particular investigation will involve subcloning the DNA segment of interest into several different specialized vectors.
As known in the art, simple subclonings can be done in one day (e.g., the DNA segment is not large and the restriction sites are compatible with those of the subcloning vector). However, many other subclonings can take several weeks, especially those involving unknown sequences, long fragments, toxic genes, unsuitable placement of restriction sites, high backgrounds, impure enzymes, etc. Subcloning DNA fragments is thus often viewed as a chore to be done as few times as possible. Several methods for facilitating the cloning of DNA segments have been described, e.g., as in the following references.
Ferguson, J., et al. Gene 16:191 (1981), discloses a family of vectors for subcloning fragments of yeast DNA. The vectors encode kanamycin resistance. Clones of longer yeast DNA segments can be partially digested and ligated into the subcloning vectors. If the original cloning vector conveys resistance to ampicillin, no purification is necessary prior to transformation, since the selection will be for kanamycin.
Hashimoto-Gotoh, T., et al. Gene 41:125 (1986), discloses a subcloning vector with unique cloning sites within a streptomycin sensitivity gene; in a streptomycin-resistant host, only plasmids with inserts or deletions in the dominant sensitivity gene will survive streptomycin selection.
Accordingly, traditional subcloning methods, using restriction enzymes and ligase, are time consuming and relatively unreliable. Considerable labor is expended, and if two or more days later the desired subclone can not be found among the candidate plasmids, the entire process must then be repeated with alternative conditions attempted. Although site specific recombinases have been used to recombine DNA in vivo, the successful use of such enzymes in vitro was expected to suffer from several problems. For example, the site specificities and efficiencies were expected to differ in vitro; topologically-linked products were expected; and the topology of the DNA substrates and recombination proteins was expected to differ significantly in vitro (see, e.g., Adams et al, J. Mol. Biol. 226:661-73 (1992)). Reactions that could go on for many hours in vivo were expected to occur in significantly less time in vitro before the enzymes became inactive. Multiple DNA recombination products were expected in the biological host used, resulting in unsatisfactory reliability, specificity or efficiency of subcloning. Thus, in vitro recombination reactions were not expected to be sufficiently efficient to yield the desired levels of product.
Accordingly, there is a long felt need to provide an alternative subcloning system that provides advantages over the known use of restriction enzymes and ligases.

Recombinational cloning using nucleic acids having recombination sites


A compact assistive reading device. A compact form factor is achieved through the use of an optical system with a pin hole aperture, which also obviates the needs for mirrors. One or more light sources are positioned outside the field of view of the optical system. A structure such as a prism film, patterned reflector or light pipe may be used to provide an illumination pattern that enhances the quality of images formed with the optical system. Additionally, processing components to recognize text, numbers or other information on an item placed in the imaging area of the optical system may be incorporated into a housing with the optical system. The housing contains features to facilitate easy insertion of an object into the imaging area and sensors to indicate when the object is properly positioned. The device may function as a currency reader.

1. Field of the Invention
The application relates generally to assistive devices for the visually impaired and more specifically to compact assistive reading devices
2. Description of Related Art
Technology has been used to aid the visually impaired perform tasks that many sighted people take for granted. One such approach has been to use a camera to form images of documents or other items. A computer or other device receives the output of the camera and enlarges it for display. Such magnification-based systems are useful only for partially-sighted users.
Assistive devices have also been developed for users who cannot read or extract useful from a display, even if substantially magnified. Such systems have used audio output, such as speech to text converters, to convert items containing text to a form that can be perceived by a visually impaired user. Such converters may be used to enable the visually impaired to access information in books or other documents containing text.
One type of document is currency. In many countries, particularly the United States, all bills of currency are essentially the same size, regardless of denomination. As a result, without an assistive device that can read information printed on a bill, a visually impaired person would be unable to determine the denomination of the bill. Accordingly, currency readers that can recognize and produce a non-visual output indicating a denomination of a bill are known.


A process for making a compound of the formula I

This invention relates to a process for preparing 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols and 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-5,5xe2x80x2-dihalo-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols.
Substituted biphenols such as 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol; 3,3xe2x80x2,4,4xe2x80x2,5,5xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-octaalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols; 3,3xe2x80x2,5,5xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-hexaalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols; 3,3xe2x80x2,5,5xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol; 3-alkyl-5,5xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2,7,7xe2x80x28,8xe2x80x2-octahydro-2,2xe2x80x2-binaphthol; 3,3xe2x80x2-dialkyl-5,5xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2,7,7xe2x80x28,8xe2x80x2-octahydro-2,2xe2x80x2-binaphthol and 3,3xe2x80x26,6xe2x80x2-tetralkyl-5,5xe2x80x2-dihalo-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol are compounds that can be used to make phosphorus-based catalyst ligands. Such ligands include phosphines, phosphinites, phosphonites, and phosphites. Mono(phosphorous) ligands are compounds that contain a single phosphorus atom which serves as a donor to a transition metal, while bis(phosphorus) ligands, in general, contain two phosphorus donor atoms and typically form cyclic chelate structures with transition metals.
In general, biphenols can be made by the oxidative coupling of (mono)phenols, but often other types of products, such as ketones, are obtained, and/or overall yields are poor for other reasons.
Phenols can be oxidatively coupled to make the corresponding biphenols by the use of a variety of oxidizing agents, such as nitric acid, ferric chloride, potassium ferricyanide, chromic acid, 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone and di-t-butyl peroxide. 2,2xe2x80x2-Dihydroxy-3,3xe2x80x2-di-isopropyl-6,6xe2x80x2-dimethylbiphenyl can be prepared from 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-phenol with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone or di-t-butyl peroxide. See Tetrahedron, 1875, 1971 and J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. II, 587, 1983. Some of the oxidants and/or co-catalysts involve the use of relatively expensive and/or explosive (peroxides) compounds, which pose disadvantages for large scale commercial use.
Phenols can also be oxidatively coupled using a combination of a transition metal catalyst and an oxidizing agent such as persulfate anion or oxygen. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,077,979; 4,139,544; 4,132,722; 4,354,048; and 4,108,908. See also J. Org. Chem. 1984, 49, 4456 and J. Org. Chem. 1983, 48, 4948. The cited patents disclose the use of oxygen as an oxidizing agent with various copper complexes as catalysts (copper chromite; copper acetate with sodium mercaptoacetate; copper acetate with pentasodium/diethylenetriaminepentacetate; copper acetate with 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane-tetracetic acid). The examples in the patents disclose the use of 2,6-disubstituted phenol or 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol.
The use of copper amine catalysts, with oxygen as an oxidizing agent, has been described in connection with the oxidative coupling of 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, 2-methyl-4-tert-butylphenol, 2-chlor-4-tert-butylphenol and 4-tert-butylphenol. See J. Org. Chem. 1984, 49, 4456 and J. Org. Chem. 1983, 48, 4948.
There is a continuing need in the art for methods for making with decent yields substituted biphenols suitable for making phosphorous-based catalyst ligands.
In its first aspect, the present invention is a process for making a compound of the formula I
wherein
R1 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl,
R2 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl, and
X is H, Cl, Br, or I, comprising:
(1) when X is Cl
(a) chlorinating a compound of the formula II
xe2x80x83at the 4-position thereof to produce a compound of the formula III
xe2x80x83wherein X is Cl,
(b) oxidatively coupling the compound of the formula III wherein X is Cl to produce a compound of the formula I wherein X is Cl;
(2) when X is H
(a) chlorinating a compound of the formula II at the 4-position thereof to produce a compound of the formula III wherein X is Cl,
(b) oxidatively coupling the compound of the formula III wherein X is Cl to produce a compound of the formula I wherein X is Cl, and
(c) dechlorinating the compound of the formula I wherein X is Cl to produce a compound of the formula I wherein X is H; or
(3) when X is Br or I
(a) chlorinating a compound of the formula II at the 4-position thereof to produce a compound of the formula III wherein X is Cl,
(b) oxidatively coupling the compound of the formula III wherein X is Cl to produce a compound of the formula I wherein X is Cl,
(c) dechlorinating the compound of the formula I wherein X is Cl to produce a compound of the formula I wherein X is H, and
(d) substituting Br or I, respectively, for H at the 5 and 5xe2x80x2 positions of the compound of the formula I wherein X is H.
In its second aspect, the present invention is a process for making a compound of the formula IV
wherein
R1 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl,
R4 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl, and
X is H, Cl, Br, or I
comprising:
(1) when X is H
(a) alkylating a compound of the formula V
xe2x80x83at the 4-position thereof to produce a compound of the formula VI
wherein R3 is C4 to C20 tertiary alkyl,
(b) oxidatively coupling the compound of the formula VI to produce a compound of the formula VII
(c) dealkylating a compound of the formula VII to produce a compound of the formula IV wherein X is H; or
(2) when X is Cl, Br, or I
(a) alkylating a compound of the formula V at the 4-position thereof to produce a compound of the formula VI,
(b) oxidatively coupling the compound of the formula VI to produce a compound of the formula VII,
(c) dealkylating a compound of the formula VII to produce a compound of the formula IV wherein X is H, and
(d) substituting Cl, Br, or I, respectively, for H at the 5 and 5xe2x80x2 positions of the compound of the formula IV wherein X is H.
In its third aspect, the present invention is a process for making a compound of the formula I
wherein
R1 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl,
R2 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl, and
X is H,
comprising:
(a) oxidatively coupling a compound of the formula III
xe2x80x83wherein X is Cl, to produce a compound of the formula I wherein X is Cl, and
(b) dechlorinating the compound of the formula I wherein X is Cl to produce a compound of the formula I wherein X is H.
In another aspect the present invention is a compound selected from the group consisting of 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetramethyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol, and 3,3xe2x80x2-di-isopropyl-6,6xe2x80x2-dimentyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol.
The first aspect of the present invention provides a process for preparing 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol, comprising (1) substituting chlorine for hydrogen at the 4-position of 2,5-dialkylphenol, (2) oxidatively coupling the resulting 2,5-dialkyl-4-chloro-phenol, and (3) removing chlorine from the resulting compound. The second step is carried out by analogy with the methods of Sartori, et al (Tetrahedron, 1992, 48, 9483), but using the free phenol rather than its dichloroaluminate derivative. The three steps of the process are shown below.
wherein R1 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl; and R2 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl.
Preferred R1 are methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, cyclohexyl, and cyclopentyl. Preferred R2 are methyl and ethyl. The alkyl groups at the 2- and 5-postions may be the same or different.
In the first step of the process, a 2,5-dialkylphenol can be reacted with a chlorinating agent, such as chlorine or sulfuryl chloride, preferably in the presence of 1 to 10 mol % of a catalyst such as aluminum chloride or a diaryl sulfide such as diphenyl sulfide or a mixture thereof. See Watson, J. Org. Chem., 1985, 50, 2145. The reaction may be conducted neat (without a solvent) or in a medium such as dichloromethane, chlorobenzene, or other inert solvent at a temperature between xe2x88x9230 and 60xc2x0 C., preferably at about 25xc2x0 C. The reaction is typically performed at or about atmospheric pressure for ease of operation.
In the second step of the process, the resulting 2,5-dialkyl-4-chlorophenol can be oxidatively coupled to give the corresponding dimeric chlorophenols (5,5xe2x80x2-dichloro-3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol). The preferred method for oxidative coupling of the chlorinated phenols is by the use of an iron(III) salt, preferably ferric chloride, in a suitable polar, aprotic solvent such as dichloromethane or nitromethane, preferably nitromethane at temperature between 0xc2x0 C. and 60xc2x0 C., preferably about 35xc2x0 C. The product is isolated by dilution with water and filtration.
In the third step of the process, dechlorination of 5,5xe2x80x2-dichloro-3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols can be accomplished by hydrogenolytic reduction to provide the required 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols. The reduction is carried out in the presence of hydrogen gas, preferably at pressures between 1 and 50 atmospheres and temperature between 5xc2x0 and 80xc2x0 C., and a formate salt, such as sodium formate, and Raney(copyright) nickel or palladium catalyst such as palladium hydroxide on carbon. If a palladium catalyst is used, the reaction is generally carried out in a protic solvent such as methanol, containing 1.0 to 4.0 equivalents of an amine such as triethylamine to absorb the hydrogen chloride produced in the reaction.
The second aspect of the present invention provides a process for preparing a compound of the formula IV, comprising (1) substituting a tertiary alkyl group for hydrogen at the 4-position of 2,5-dialkylphenol, (2) oxidatively coupling the resulting 2,5-dialkyl-4-tert-alkyl-phenol, and (3) removing the tertiary alkyl group from the resulting compound. The three steps of the process are shown below.
wherein R1 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl; R4 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl; and R3 is C4 to C20 tertiaryl alkyl.
In the first step of the process, a 2,5-dialkylphenol can be reacted with a tert-alkyl halide in the presence of a Lewis Acid catalyst, such as zinc chloride or aluminum chloride, to give a 2,5-dialkyl-4-tert-alkylphenol. Alternatively, the 2,5-dialkyl-4tert-alkylphenol can be prepared from contacting 2,5-dialkylphenol with 2,2-dialkylethylene in the presence of an acid catalyst. An example of the alternative method is the incorporation of a tert-butyl group into the 4-position of 2,5-dialkylphenol by reacting 2,5-dialkylphenol with isobutylene in the presence of sulfuric acid.
In the second step of the process, 2,5-dialkyl-4-tert-alkylphenol can be oxidatively coupled using a copper diamine catalyst and oxygen as the oxidizing agent.
The copper diamine catalyst can be prepared using the procedure described in the Tetrahedron Letters, 1994, 35, 7983. A copper halide, such as CuCl, CuBr, CuI, or CuCl2, is added to a mixture of alcohol, such as methanol, and water and the diamine is slowly added. After the addition of the diamine, air is sparged through the mixture with vigorous stirring. The catalyst is filtered. Additional catalyst can be obtained by concentrating the filtrate and filtering the desired catalyst. The catalyst can also be prepared in situ by contacting the copper halide and the diamine in the solvent for the coupling reaction. Suitable solvents for the oxidative coupling of tri and tetrasubstituted phenols are methylene chloride and aromatic solvents such as xylene, benzene and toluene. Example of diamines include, but are not limited to, the following: N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetraethylethylene diamine, N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetraethyl-1,3-propanediamine, N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetraethylmethane diamine, N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetramethyl-1,6-hexanediamine, N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetramethyl-1,3-propanediamine, dipiperidinomethane, N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetramethylethylene diamine and 1,4-diazabicyclo-(2,2,2)-octane. Preferrably, the diamine is N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetramethylethylene diamine.
In the third step of the process, the 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-5,5xe2x80x2-di-tert-alkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol can be dealkylated by contacting it with a strongly acidic catalyst, such as an alkyl- or arylsulfonic acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, aluminum chloride, or the like, optionally in the presence of a solvent such as toluene, chlorobenzene, nitromethane, or xylene, typically at temperatures between 10 and 150xc2x0 C.
The oxidative coupling can be carried out neat (without a solvent) or using one or more of a wide range of poorly oxidizable solvents including dichloromethane, chlorobenzene, toluene, xylenes, nitromethane, paraffins, etc. Static air, air-flow, or oxygen can be used as oxidants in the oxidative coupling.
The third aspect of the present invention provides a process for making a compound of the formula I
wherein
R1 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl,
R2 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl, and
X is H, comprising:
(a) oxidatively coupling a compound of the formula III
xe2x80x83wherein X is Cl, to produce a compound of the formula I wherein X is Cl, and
(b) dechlorinating the compound of the formula I wherein X is Cl to produce a compound of the formula I wherein X is H.
In the first step of the process, the resulting 2,5-dialkyl-4-chlorophenol can be oxidatively coupled to give the corresponding dimeric chlorophenols (5,5xe2x80x2-dichloro-3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol). The preferred method for oxidative coupling of the chlorinated phenols is by the use of an iron(III) salt, preferably ferric chloride, in a suitable polar, aprotic solvent such as dichloromethane or nitromethane, preferably nitromethane at temperature between 0xc2x0 C. and 60xc2x0 C., preferably about 35xc2x0 C. The product is isolated by dilution with water and filtration.
In the second step of the process, dechlorination of 5,5xe2x80x2-dichloro-3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols can be accomplished by hydrogenolytic reduction to provide the required 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols. The reduction is carried out in the presence of hydrogen gas, preferably at pressures between 1 and 50 atmospheres and temperature between 5xc2x0 and 80xc2x0 C., and a formate salt, such as sodium formate, and Raney(copyright) nickel or palladium catalyst such as palladium hydroxide on carbon. If a palladium catalyst is used, the reaction is generally carried out in a protic solvent such as methanol, containing 1.0 to 4.0 equivalents of an amine such as triethylamine to absorb the hydrogen chloride produced in the reaction.
In the first, second and third aspects of the present invention, a 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-5,5xe2x80x2-dihalo-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol may be halogenated at the para positions of 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol, as shown below,
wherein R1 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl; R2 is C1 to C10 primary or secondary alkyl or cycloalkyl; and X is Cl, Br or I.
Addition of Br to 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols can be accomplished by reaction of Br2 in a suitable solvent. Typical solvents for bromination are low polarity solvents such as chloroform, dichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, and carbon disulfide. In some cases, aqueous bromine can be used. The preferred process is one carried out in a low polarity solvent. This reaction can be accomplished at xe2x88x9210xc2x0 C. to 50xc2x0 C., preferably at room temperature.
The compounds which are produced by the processes of the present invention can be used as reactants to make phosphorous-containing ligands that are useful to make catalysts that, in turn, are useful in both hydrocyanation and hydroformylation reactions. Bidentate phosphite ligands are particularly useful.
Bidentate phosphite ligands can be prepared as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,113 by contacting phosphorochloridites with the biphenol compounds made by the processes of the present invention. More recent U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,031,120 and 6,069,267, incorporated herein by reference, describe selective synthesis of bidentate phosphite ligands in which a phosphorochloridite is prepared in-situ from phosphorus trichloride and a phenol such as o-cresol and then treated in the same reaction vessel with an aromatic diol to give the bidentate phosphite ligand. The biphenols of the present invention are substituted for the aromatic diol.
The compounds which are produced by the processes of the present invention can be polymerized and then used as reactants to make phosphorous-containing ligands that are useful to make catalysts that, in turn, are useful in both hydrocyanation and hydroformylation reactions.
The compounds made by the processes of the present invention, in which X is H, can be used to make polymeric ligands by a process which comprises: (1) reacting the compounds made by the processes of the present invention, in which X is H, with a compound containing at least two benzyl chloride groups, in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst, and (2) reacting the product of step (1) with at least one phosphorochloridite compound in the presence of an organic base. Preferably the Lewis acid catalyst is zinc chloride or aluminum chloride, and the organic base is a trialkylamine.
The compounds made by the processes of the present invention, in which X is Cl, Br, or I, can be used to make polymeric ligands by a process which comprises:
(1) protecting the OH groups by substituting a lower alkyl protecting group for H on the OH groups to make a protected compound,
(2) treating the protected compound with a compound containing at least two boronic groups in the presence of a Group VIII transition metal catalyst,
(3) replacing the protecting group of the product from step (2) with hydrogen, and
(4) reacting the product of step (3) with at least one phosphorochlorodite compound in the presence of an organic base.
Preferably, the Group VIII transition metal is palladium, nickel or copper and the organic base is a trialkylamine compound in which the alkyl group is a C1 to C12 branched or straight chain alkyl group. More preferably the organic base is triethylamine.
Two particularly important industrial catalytic reactions using phosphorus-containing ligands are olefin hydrocyanation and isomerization of branched nitriles to linear nitriles. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,512,695 and 5,512,696, and International Patent Application WO9514659. Phosphite ligands are particularly useful for both reactions. The hydrocyanation of unactivated and activated ethylenically unsaturated compounds (olefins) using transition metal complexes with monodentate and bidentate phosphite ligands is well known. Bidentate phosphinite and phosphonite ligands are useful as part of a catalyst system for the hydrocyanation of ethylenically unsaturated compounds. Bidentate phosphinite ligands are also useful as part of a catalyst system for the hydrocyanation of aromatic vinyl compounds.
Hydroformylation is another industrially useful process that utilizes catalysts made from phosphorus-containing ligands. The use of phosphine ligands, including diphosphines, is known for this purpose. The use of catalysts made from phosphite ligands is also known. Such catalysts usually contain a Group VIII metal. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,113.
Two particularly useful compounds that can be made by the present processes are 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetramethyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol and 3,3xe2x80x2-di-isopropyl-6,6xe2x80x2-dimentyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenol.

Process for preparing 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols and 3,3xe2x80x2,6,6xe2x80x2-tetraalkyl-5,5xe2x80x2-dihalo-2,2xe2x80x2-biphenols


A bird deterrent device with a component which is set up to be arranged at a building envelope, and at which a lenticular image at least partially covers a visible surface is provided. Further, provided is an arrangement with a building envelope and a bird deterrent device which is arranged at the building envelope.

Bird deterrent devices are used in particular to prevent damage to buildings caused by birds.
Document DE 10 2012 007 521 A1 describes a device for deterring birds with a rotor, which is deflected out of a stable equilibrium position as birds seek a foothold in such a way that the birds seeking a foothold there cannot hold on. The rotor has at least one presentation area, wherein the presentation area is tilted relative to the middle of a rotational axis.
Document DE 20 2016 003 093 U1 discloses a pigeon deterrent to prevent contamination on streetlamps, which uses time-variable magnetic fields to disrupt the magnetoception of the birds.
Document DE 20 2013 004 544 U1 discloses a multifunction illuminating device for naturally attracting and/or repelling vermin and rodents of all kinds.
Document DE 296 10 206 U1 discloses an electrical protection device against birds. Document 20 2010 015 431 U1 discloses a device for scaring away and deterring flight-capable birds, especially seagulls. The device has several wires, which are welded with a piston at the end, and can be displaceably guided on a pipe. An attachment is provided for a thin wire rope, whose end has a strap for a handgrip. Also provided is an end piece, which guides the wires and is located above on the pipe. End caps are pressed onto the end of the wires. Welded on rings are used for installation on a ship.
Document 10 2013 212 938 A1 discloses a bird repellant device, which includes a loudspeaker and a loudspeaker control unit. The loudspeaker control unit controls the loudspeaker for emitting an ultrasonic wave in a predetermined region, so that the ultrasonic wave is modulated to an audible frequency while being transmitted through the air, in order to generate a repelling noise with the audible frequency in the predetermined region so as to repel birds.
Document DE 20 2011 106 690 U1 discloses a surface finish for interiors comprised of a carrier, a lens or prism raster image applied to the carrier, and a transparent protective layer that insulates the lens or prism raster image.


Provided is an inverter apparatus 20 configured to switch a current winding to an optimal winding when a rotation speed of a rotor of an AC electric motor 40 is within a hysteresis region defined by first and second switch timings for switching a state of an armature winding between a first winding and a second winding and when the current winding differs from the optimal winding.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to an inverter apparatus, a method of controlling the inverter apparatus, and an electric motor drive system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, there is known a winding switching method enabling operation in a wide range from a low speed area to a high speed area by switching armature windings of an AC electric motor.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 5-3694 discloses a variable speed driving method involving switching winding connection of a synchronous electric motor by an inverter apparatus used for vehicle driving or the like, in which stable driving is achieved by setting a hysteresis region in switch timing of the winding connection. Specifically, in the above-mentioned variable speed driving method, switch timing from a star connection to a delta connection is set to a speed level Vo (base speed N1), while switch timing from the delta connection to the star connection is set to a speed level Vo′ lower than Vo, and thus the hysteresis region is set in the switch timing.

Inverter apparatus, method of controlling inverter apparatus, and electric motor drive system


The present invention relates to a treatment for patients having urinary incontinence by administering a composition comprising histamine, serotonin or a combination thereof in an amount effective to alleviate symptoms of urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence (UI) is often described as either urge incontinence (where urine loss is associated with a sudden or strong desire to void) or stress incontinence (where urine loss is associated with coughing, laughing, or physical exercise). A more general category, mixed incontinence, includes those patients showing both stress and urge symptoms.
Although urinary incontinence is quite prevalent, it is still under-diagnosed and under-reported. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that UI affects over 13 million Americans at a cost in excess of $15 billion per year. Many victims of UI do not seek help because of embarrassment or a perception that nothing can be done about their problem. Consequently, the general health and social life of these victims may be significantly compromised for years.
The invention described herein relieves the symptoms of urge, stress, and mixed incontinence when administered according to the protocol below.


A power semiconductor package, including a leadframe having at least one first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal. The package also includes a semiconductor power die having a bottom surface defining a first current carrying electrode and a top surface on which a first metalized region defining a second current carrying electrode and a second metalized region defining a control electrode are disposed, the bottom surface being coupled to the leadframe such that the first terminal is electrically connected to the first current carrying electrode. A clip is also coupled to the first metalized region defining the second current carrying electrode and to the second terminal such that it is electrically coupled to the second current carrying electrode.

The present invention relates in general to a power semiconductor package, and more particularly, to a power semiconductor package (e.g., SO8 or QFN) in which a power semiconductor die current carrying electrode is electrically coupled to a leadframe via a clip while the power semiconductor die control electrode is electrically coupled to the leadframe via a ribbon bond.
With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a semiconductor package 10 according to the prior art is shown as presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,626. The semiconductor package 10 includes a bottom plate portion 13 and terminals 12a, 12b and 18. A semiconductor die 16 includes a first metalized region 19 (typically aluminum) defining a first connection area for a top surface of the semiconductor die 16, and a second metalized region 15 (typically aluminum) defining a second connection area for the top surface of the semiconductor die 16. Portions of the terminals 12a, 12b, 18, bottom plate 13, and semiconductor die 16 are encapsulated in a housing 22, typically formed from a moldable material.
In order to obtain an electrical connection between the first metalized region 19 and the terminal(s) 12b, a clip 17 is attached at one end 17a to the first metalized region 19 and at a distal end 17b to the terminal(s) 12b. Clip 17 is typically made from fairly rigid copper and optionally silver plated for either solder attachment or conductive epoxy attachment. The electrical connection between the second metalized region 15 and the terminal 12a is obtained by ultrasonically attaching a wirebond bond 14 by end 14a to second metalized region 15 and wirebond 14 end 14b to terminal 12a.
It is desirable to significantly reduce the resistance and the inductance of current paths through a power semiconductor package in order to ensure optimum electrical performance of the semiconductor device, as well as to minimize or reduce the overall footprint 23 and thickness 24 of semiconductor package 10 to improve heat removal to allow for increased power operation. Unfortunately, the semiconductor packages of the prior art do not fully achieve these objectives because, among other things, the area of the metalized region or gate contact 15 must be sufficiently large to accommodate wirebond 14 attachment, which in turn detrimentally reduces the area of the metalized region or source contact 19 as will be shown below.
As well known in the art, attachment of wirebond 14 typically includes forming a wirebond ball on wirebond 14 end 14a for attachment to gate contact 15 and a wirebond stitch on wirebond 14 end 14b for attachment to terminal 12a. In general, the dimensions of gate contact 15 which determine its area are typically selected to be approximately five times the diameter of wirebond 14, as the wirebond ball is approximately three times the diameter of wirebond 14. As the diameter of wirebond 14 becomes smaller, for example in the range below one hundred twenty five micrometers ("microns") the wirebond becomes frail, difficult to form or handle, requires more expensive manufacturing equipment and is subject to shock and mechanical stresses, which increases undesirable failure of the electrical connection and thus the device. Even at what is currently considered as the practical low cost wirebond diameter limit wherein diameters such as fifty microns are employed (smaller than this is considered impractical due to at least the above frailty, reliability and cost concerns), a significantly large gate metal contact 15 area is still required of about sixty two thousand five hundred square microns in area (five times fifty microns by five times fifty microns). Thus, the area available for metalized region or source metal contact 19 on a die of about five thousand microns by five thousand microns would be about seventeen million and sixty two thousand five hundred square microns (allowing about five hundred microns for streets, such as between metal contacts and the edge of the die) or about sixty eight percent of the available die area. Thus, as die area or size is expected to become smaller while the size of the wire bond gate contact is for practical purposes fixed in size at about sixty two thousand five hundred square microns or larger, the source metal area will decrease correspondingly.
Large clip 17 is used to enable high power operation such as generated by large source current IS, as well as to improve heat removal. Furthermore, large clip 17 desirably decreases resistance and inductance. Large clip 17 requires a large metal area to make appropriate connection. Therefore, as the source metal area is the largest source of thermal radiation or heat needing to be removed from the die, finding ways to maximize the source metal area for a given die size is an imperative for increasing power ratings while producing smaller packaged semiconductor devices.
Additionally, even when employing small wirebond 14 diameters such as fifty microns, the thickness 24 of semiconductor package 24 must be sufficiently thick in order to allow for the height WBH of wirebond 14 to be covered by mold compound 22. Unfortunately, wirebond height WBH presents a constraint on decreasing thickness 24 of the packaged semiconductor device to additionally improve removal of heat from the die by having minimal mold compound over the die.
Fundamentally, the area or footprint 23 required to mount the power semiconductor package is also determined in part by the area of the metalized region or source metal contact 19 and metalized region or gate metal contact 15, as the smaller the die the smaller the footprint. As above, the area of gate metal contact 15 is fairly fixed, thus further die size reductions will come at the detrimental expense of reducing the area of source metal contact 19 so important to electrical and thermal performance, thus power rating.
Thus, problems associated with decreased source metal area will become further exacerbated as future requirements for smaller and smaller die having increased power and thermal operating requirements.
Hence, there is a need for a power semiconductor device and package having a small footprint, high current and thermal dissipation capability and a high reliability while maintaining a low manufacturing cost.

Semiconductor Components Industries, L.LC


A process sealed waveguide is formed in a flange mounted on a tank, and is used for transmitting microwave energy from a source of microwave energy to an aperture of an antenna on the interior of the tank. The process sealed waveguide includes a mechanical barrier to prevent escape of fluid under pressure or liquid from the interior of the tank, and also serves to reduce impedance mismatch between the air, vapor, or liquid filled waveguide or antenna apertures. The flange is mated to the microwave source through an electronic housing to flange adapter that interfaces with the flange in a manner to provide a vent in case the mechanical barrier fails so pressure is released, and to provide flame quenching if flames are present. The adapter includes a second waveguide having a process sealed mechanical barrier mounted coaxially with the mechanical barrier in the waveguide in the flange.

The present invention relates to a process sealed microwave waveguide for use with a tank level sensor. The process sealed waveguide serves as a pathway for transmitting microwave energy from a microwave source through an explosion proof/flame proof process seal interface to an antenna. This device is particularly useful in instruments that determine product levels in tanks.
Radar level gauges are in wide use for measuring the level of products in tanks. Process fluids contained in tanks range from benign products to severely corrosive or abrasive compounds. The operating restriction that is present is that the product contained in the tank must have a dielectric constant high enough to cause microwave signal reflection which can be received by the gauge. Antenna and waveguide assemblies that are used also have to be capable of containing the process pressures in the tanks in order to isolate the gauge electronics from the process vapors and fluids.
It is important that the level gauge waveguide contain process pressures both in terms of preventing damage to the gauge electronics and in terms of preserving the tank's ability to contain process pressures. An additional design constraint for microwave level gauges used in process applications that are considered to be hazardous locations are explosion proof/flame proof certification requirements. These requirements come from standards developed by various representatives of industry, government, and certifying agencies. The need for containing an internal explosion of a specific flammable vapor-air mixture and not allowing the propagation of ignition temperature gasses to the external environment is set forth in the standards. At the present time, meeting the design requirements of these explosion proof/flame proof standards has required very precise manufacturing processes and the addition of high precision components. This results in greater labor and material costs to be placed on an instrument already significantly constrained by microwave performance criteria that must be met for proper gauge operation. More specifically, the waveguide or pathway from the electronics or microwave source must include an explosion proof/flame proof seal as well as serve as a microwave signal pathway.
One existing solution to the problem includes separating the gauge into two assemblies: one being the antenna/microwave sensor assembly and the other the electronics assembly. During installation of this gauge, the antenna/microwave sensor assembly is assembled to the tank with a separate process seal. The electronics assembly contains the circuitry for power regulation, signal processing, communications, and the level and volume calculations and corrections. The antenna/microwave sensor assembly is a very low power device that transmits and receives microwave signals. The spacing between the components used in the antenna/microwave sensor assembly electronics and the low power level permit the assembly to meet the requisites for intrinsically safe instrumentation. However, even with the separated level gauge components there is still a need for the process seal between the sensor and the potentially aggressive products inside the tank.
Another method of avoiding the explosion proof/flame proof requirements at the interface of the source of the microwave signal and the antenna, is to encapsulate the antenna inside an agency approved epoxy, RTV or glass. In order for this to be feasible the antenna must be small or the additional epoxy required and extensive housing modifications would make the gauge design quite expensive. When the antenna is encapsulated inside epoxy, the customer has two mounting options, namely the microwave level gauge can be mounted directly on the tank or the gauge can be mounted on a "window" covering an opening or port in the tank. Both the window and the gauge must be designed to meet material, safety certification, microwave performance, and process seal requirements.
However, the need still exists for a low cost, effective, and high performance process sealed waveguide assembly that fulfills the microwave signal transmission requirements, acts as a process seal, and meets the explosion proof/flame proof certification requirements.

Microwave waveguide for tank level sensors


A high-speed, wide bandwidth data detection circuit includes a phase detection module, a data detection module, a loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator. The phase detection module is operably coupled to produce a controlled current based on a current mode mathematical manipulation of differences between an incoming data stream and a recovered clock. The phase detection module performs the current mode mathematical manipulations and produces the controlled current in the current domain. The data detection module is operably coupled to produce the detected data based on the incoming data stream and the recovered clock. The loop filter is operably coupled to convert the controlled current into a controlled voltage. The voltage controlled oscillator is operably coupled to convert the control voltage into the recovered clock.

Communication systems are known to transport large amounts of data between a plurality of end user devices, which, for example, include telephones, facsimile machines, computers, television sets, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, etc. As is also known, such communication systems may be local area networks (LANs) and/or wide area networks (WANs) that are stand-alone communication systems or interconnected to other LANs and/or WANs as part of a public switched telephone network (PSTN), packet switched data network (PSDN), integrated service digital network (ISDN), the Internet, etc. As is further known, communication systems include a plurality of system equipment to facilitate the transporting of data. Such system equipment includes, but is not limited to, routers, switches, bridges, gateways, protocol converters, frame relays, private branch exchanges, etc.
The transportation of data within communication systems is typically governed by one or more standards that ensure the integrity of data conveyances and fairness of access for data conveyances. For example, there are a variety of Ethernet standards that govern serial transmissions within a communication system at data rates of 10 megabits per second, 100 megabits per second, 1 gigabit per second and beyond. Another standard, which is for fiber optic data conveyances, is Synchronous Optical NETwork (SONET) that provides various high data rate protocols, including one for 10 gigabits per second. In accordance with such standards, many system components and end user devices of a communication system transport data via serial transmission paths. Internally, however, the system components and end user devices process data in a parallel manner. As such, each system component and end user device must receive the serial data and convert the serial data into parallel data without loss of information.
Accurate recovery of information from high-speed serial transmissions typically requires transceiver components to operate at clock rates that are equal to or higher than the rate of the received serial data, which, for today's high-speed systems, requires very high clock rates. Such high clock rates limit the usefulness of prior art clock and data recovery circuits since such clock and data recovery circuits require precise alignment of the received serial data with the high-speed clock to recover an embedded clock signal in the data stream and/or to recover the data, which is difficult to achieve using today's integrated circuit fabrication techniques. In addition, the high-speed serial data requires the clock and data recovery circuits to have a bandwidth wide enough to handle the high-speed serial data, which is also difficult to achieve using today's integrated circuit fabrication techniques.
As the demand for data throughput increases, so do the demands for precision high-speed serial transceivers (i.e., a transmitter and a receiver, where the receiver includes a clock and data recovery circuit). The increased throughput demands are pushing some current integrated circuit manufacturing processes to their operating limits, where integrated circuit processing limits (e.g., device parasitics, trace sizes, propagation delays, device sizes, etc.) and integrated circuit (IC) fabrication limits (e.g., IC layout, frequency response of the packaging, frequency response of bonding wires, etc.) limit the speed at which the high-speed serial transceiver, and particularly the clock and data recovery circuit, may operate without excessive jitter and/or noise.
A further alternative for high-speed serial transceivers is to use an IC technology that inherently provides for greater speeds. For instance, switching from a CMOS process to a silicon germanium or gallium arsenide process would allow integrated circuit transceivers to operate at greater speeds, but at substantially increased manufacturing costs. Currently, for most commercial-grade applications, including communication systems, such alternate integrated circuit fabrication processes are too cost prohibitive for wide spread use. In additional to the cost of these alternative IC fabrication processes, they do not lend themselves well to large-scale integration, especially when compared to CMOS IC fabrication processes.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that can accurately recover data and a clock signal from received high-speed serial transmissions.

High-speed wide bandwidth data detection circuit


A system and method for preparing mail pieces is disclosed. A business provides one or more designs for a mail piece to a data center, which converts the designs to a format suitable for viewing via an on-line network connection utilizing a browser. A custom Web site for the business is created and accessed by the business's employees. A defined design for a mail piece is selected, information to be included on the mail piece is provided, and a mailing list is provided to the data center. Multiple requests for mailings are combined by the data center into a single print run and arranged in a presort sequence to allow for postal discounts. The aggregated mailing is printed, and the entire mailing is mailed by the data center.

In today's highly competitive business world, advertising to customers, both potential and previous, is a necessity. A business bears the expenses of advertising to inform, persuade or remind target buyers of the business' goods, services or goodwill, with the ultimate goal being that an advertisement will result in the sale of the goods or services. Additionally, many businesses desire to thank customers for recent purchases and offer additional related goods or services to the customer, thereby promoting customer loyalty.
One method for such advertising is by direct mail. There are many different ways a business, both large and small, can conduct an advertising campaign using direct mailings. Suppose, for example, a large company has multiple satellite offices or franchises located in different geographic areas, but requires each office to utilize the same style and look for its advertising to retain a single corporate identity. Typically, the company's marketing department will design a standard mailing and make the design files available to the sales representatives in each of the satellite offices. The sales representative will select a design, customize the file by adding contact information, and print the desired number of copies. Alternatively, the sales representative may also use a commercial printing service to print the mailing. Once the mailing has been printed, the sales representative must address the mailing and apply the proper postage to produce a finished mail piece. The finished mail piece can then be sent to the intended recipient.
There are problems, however, with the generation and sending of conventional direct mailings as described above. For example, there is the risk that a sales representative will make unauthorized changes to the design of the mail piece before printing, thereby removing any uniformity in design between the different satellite offices. Additionally, the printing of the mailing by the sales representative may be time consuming, and the quality of the finished mail piece is limited by the performance of the equipment upon which the mail piece is printed. Additionally, a small number of mailings each year may not justify the expense of maintaining the mailing, shipping and printing equipment in house. While the use of a commercial printing service can eliminate the need to maintain such equipment and ensure a high quality product, the use of such a service may be cost prohibitive, especially for a mailing that does not contain a large number of pieces. Furthermore, the sales representative may not be able to take advantage of postal discounts for mailing rates if the mailing is not pre-sorted or does not contain a sufficient number of pieces.
Thus, there exists a need for an economical and efficient method and system for mail piece production that reliably controls the format and design of the mail pieces.

Method and system for customized mail piece production utilizing a data center


A method for filtering spam directed at mobile phones in a short message system (SMS). A short message includes message content, and both a mobile phone number and a first authentication code of a destination mobile phone. A second authentication code of the destination mobile phone is stored in a memory. The short message is received and the first authentication code and the second authentication code are extracted from the short message and the memory, respectively. If it is ascertained that the extracted first authentication code does not match the extracted second authentication code, then the short message is determined to be SMS spam and is prevented from being subsequently received by the destination mobile phone. Otherwise the short message is determined to not be SMS spam and is not prevented from being subsequently received by the destination mobile phone. An authentication apparatus within the SMS performs the method.

The short message system (SMS) has become a very popular approach to distribute advertising because of its largest possible range of audiences and low cost. This obviously results in a more and more serious SMS spam problem.
Spam is not new in the information technology (IT) industry. Notorious email spam has bothered Internet users for a long time. There are already some technologies that may deal with the email spam, including content filtering, white list and black list. However, one of the most important and effective methods for preventing email spam is to protect email address carefully and not reveal email address to spammers unconsciously.
The SMS spam problem is becoming more complex, because the numbers of mobile phones are more regular and continuous. SMS spammers needn't collect the numbers of mobile phones as email spammers. SMS spammers can easily obtain a large amount of mobile phone numbers by emulating each number of a predefined continuous phone number segment, which is also a very popular method for existing SMS spam systems.

Method and apparatus for filtering short message system spam

International Business Machines Corporation


A method and apparatus for depositing self-aligned base contacts where over-etching the emitter sidewall to undercut the emitter contact is not needed. A semiconductor structure has a T-shaped emitter contact that comprises a T-top and T-foot. The T-top acts as a mask for depositing the base contacts. In forming the T-top, its dimensions may be varied, thereby allowing the spacing between the base contacts and emitter to be adjusted.

Fabricating base contacts in heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT's) using self-alignment techniques is commonly used, because self alignment techniques allow the base contacts to be placed as close to the emitter as possible, which helps reduce extrinsic resistance in the HBT. Shown in FIG. 1A is an HBT. The HBT is fabricated on a substrate, and includes a subcollector 20, collector 30, base 40, emitter 50, collector contact 60, base contacts 70, and emitter contact 80. The base contacts 70 are fabricated using a self-alignment technique. In this technique, the portion of the emitter 50 not covered by the emitter contact 80 is etched away using an isotropic wet-etchant. The wet-etchant also etches away a portion of the emitter 50 (i. e., over-etches) located under the emitter contact 80 to create an emitter having a slanted or sloped sidewall, which undercuts the emitter contact 80. The sloped sidewall is a result of the isotropic nature of the etchant. Subsequently, the base contacts 70 are deposited on the base 40 by metal evaporation using the emitter contact 80 as a "mask", as shown in FIG. 1A. By using the emitter contact 80 as a "mask" and controlling the "undercut" of the emitter 50 under the emitter contact 80, the spacing between the emitter 50 and base contacts 70 can ideally be controlled.
However, one problem with the self-alignment technique is the use of wet-etching to over-etch the emitter sidewall. Wet-etching does not always provide consistent results across all HBT's fabricated on a given wafer. As a result, the performance characteristics of all the HBT's cannot be accurately characterized. Furthermore, depending on the semiconductor used for the emitter, it is not always possible to over-etch the emitter sidewall. Indium Phosphide (InP), for example, is one semiconductor to which the over-etching technique is typically not applicable. As a result, a significant limitation is placed on the semiconductors that can be used in the HBT.
Inconsistencies in over-etching the emitter sidewall may also result in short-circuits between the base contacts 70 and emitter 50 as shown in FIG. 1B. Furthermore, even if the base contacts 70 are placed sufficiently far enough from the emitter 50 to prevent short-circuits, they may still lie close enough to the emitter 50 to generate an undesirable leakage current.
To overcome the problem with self-aligned base contacts using over-etching, base contacts which are lithographically aligned to the emitter are used. Using photoresist and either optical lithography or e-beam lithography, regions can be defined in the photoresist on the base, where the base contacts will be deposited. However, lithographically aligning the base contacts 70 places a high demand on the accuracy of the lithography tool. As a result, restrictions are placed on how close the base contacts 70 may be aligned to the emitter 50 sidewall. Furthermore, lithographically aligning the base contacts 70 often results in an asymmetrical placement of the base contacts 70 relative to the emitter 50, as shown in FIG. 1C.
Another approach for fabricating contacts involves depositing a metal stack on the emitter as discussed in H. Masuda et al., "Indium Phosphide and Related Materials," 1995, Conference Proceedings, pp. 644–647. The bottom layer in the metal stacks is tungsten silicide and the top layer is tungsten. These layers are used because when exposed to a reactive ion etch (RIE), the bottom layer etches faster than the top layer, allowing a T-shaped electrode to be formed. The T-shaped electrode is then used as a mask for depositing base contacts. However, using such a scheme results in excess parasitic resistance because the metals needed for such a technique have high resistivity.
As a result, there is a need for a method and apparatus that provides self-aligned base contacts that are symmetrically deposited with respect to the emitter. There is also a need for a method and apparatus that provides the desired spacing between the base contacts and emitter that does not rely on over-etching the emitter sidewall to undercut the emitter contact. There is also a further need for a method and apparatus that provides self-aligned base contacts and does not induce unnecessary excess parasitic resistance in the HBT.

Method and apparatus for allowing formation of self-aligned base contacts


Provided is a method for manufacturing a printed wiring board, which can enhance the peel strength between an insulating layer and a conductive pattern by a two-step process, that is, a semi-hardening and full-hardening of the insulating layer. In the method for manufacturing the printed wiring board having one or more layers of a conductive pattern and an insulating pattern, an insulating pattern is formed on an insulating substrate, and at least one of the insulating substrate and the insulating pattern is semi-hardened. A conductive pattern is formed on the insulating substrate and/or the insulating pattern, thereby providing a stack structure. Then, a thermal treatment is performed on the stack structure to fully harden the semi-hardened insulating substrate and/or insulating pattern, and the conductive pattern is fired.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a printed wiring board, in which a wiring pattern is formed using an inkjet process, and more particularly, to a method for manufacturing a printed wiring board, which can enhance the peel strength between an insulating layer and a conductive pattern by a two-step process, that is, a semi-hardening and full-hardening of the insulating layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the electronic devices, computers, communication devices, and so on, semiconductors or electronic components are mounted on a printed wiring board. Circuit patterns (conductive patterns) of the printed wiring board are highly densified by the miniaturization of the devices or high performance of the semiconductors.
Generally, the circuit patterns of the printed wiring board are formed using a subtractive process. In the subtractive process, the circuit patterns are formed using an electroless plating process, a patterning process, an electrolyte plating process, and an etching process. The subtractive process, however, is complex and presents a problem of having to dispose of waste liquid during the plating process or the etching process.
To solve this problem, techniques have been developed which form a conductive pattern and an insulating pattern on a surface of a substrate using an inkjet process. If the wiring pattern (insulating pattern/conductive pattern) is formed using the inkjet process, circuit width or pitch can be reduced and multi-layer architecture can be easily implemented. A method for forming the wiring pattern using the inkjet process is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 1999-163499 and 2005-210079.
According to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1999-163499, a printed wiring board is manufactured by simultaneously printing a conductive pattern and an insulating pattern, whose thickness is identical to that of the conductive pattern, on an insulating substrate using an inkjet process.
According to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-210079, an insulating pattern is formed an insulating substrate and a conducive pattern is then formed. Then, a multi-layered printed wiring board is manufactured by repeating the two steps. Specifically, the conductive pattern and the insulating pattern are printed on a polyimide film, and the insulating pattern is fully hardened by heating or infrared lamp. Then, the conductive pattern is formed on the hardened insulating pattern and is heated (fired).
The above-described conventional methods have a problem in that the peel strength between the insulating layer and the conductive layer is low because the conductive pattern is printed on the fully hardened insulating layer (insulating substrate or insulating pattern) and is fired, the peel strength between the insulating layer and the conductive layer is low.

Printed wiring board and method for manufacturing the same


A system and method for comparing binary data words are provided, which method includes splitting a first and a second data word (A, B) to be compared to one another into at least two subwords, one having high-order bits (hA, hB) and the other having low-order bits (nA, nB), and separately comparing each pair of the corresponding two subwords (hA, hB; nA, nB) in a separate comparing device. The intermediate comparison results of the comparing devices are gated in a logic device, e.g., an AND gate, to yield an overall result as a function of a control signal which is applied to a correction device, which is connected between at least one of the comparing devices and the logic device.

In safety-relevant systems, such as an ABS (anti-lock braking system) in a motor vehicle, malfunctions of the electronic components must be reliably detected, so redundancies are usually provided for fault detection, e.g., in the corresponding control devices for such safety-relevant systems. Thus, for example, in known ABS systems, the complete microcontroller is duplicated, and all ABS functions are redundantly computed and checked for agreement. If a discrepancy occurs in the results, the ABS system is switched off.
To reduce costs, conventional control systems utilize two CPUs (central processing units) which are implemented on one silicon chip, instead of using two complete microprocessors. In this case, all functions are likewise computed redundantly, and the respective output values are compared. Such a microcontroller is known as a dual-core computer. In a dual-core computer, the two sets of redundantly computed data are usually compared bit for bit. As a result, even in the event of a discrepancy between the lower-order data bits (e.g., least significant bits (LSB)), an error-specific system response, such as shutdown, occurs, although such an error in the lower-order data bits usually would not have a significant effect. An availability problem results, because the system is shut down even in the cases of errors for which a shutoff would not be necessary.
In today's systems, errors are generally handled irrespective of the relevance of the erroneous data. In other words, the same system response results irrespective of whether the fault has occurred in higher-order or lower-order bits, addresses, or data.
A comparable problem also occurs when using today's redundant communication systems, where messages of individual channels are usually provided with a checksum, e.g., CRC, coding and decoding taking place in a communication controller, rather than in the microcontroller itself which is the actual source or destination of the data.

Method and device for comparing binary data words


A testing apparatus includes a public test board, a single DUT (device under test) test board and a holder. The public test board includes a plurality of public test channel sets each having a plurality of public signal terminals for receiving test signals. On the single DUT test board, a plurality first signal terminals are arranged according to the pin layout of a DUT, a plurality second signal terminals are arranged according to the terminal layout of a public channel set, and a plurality traces are arranged for electrically connecting corresponding first and second signal terminals. The holder can connect the pins of the DUT to corresponding first signal terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a testing apparatus, and more particularly, to a testing apparatus with high efficiency and high accuracy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The variety and number of electronic devices increase with the rapid development of technology. The manufacturing process of each component in these electronic devices during mass production includes circuit design, wafer fabrication/testing, device packaging/testing, and product assembly, etc. Device testing is an essential stage since it screens out defects at the early phase of production so as to reduce manufacturing cost and to guarantee the quality of the final product. Normally, a test flow proceeds by disposing a device under test (DUT) on a test board. The test signals generated by a tester are then transmitted to the DUT via the test board and the test results can thus be recorded. The test board normally includes a plurality of functional holes for containing chips or other electronic devices, or for serving as signal terminals. According to the type of the DUT, traces are fabricated on the test board based on a specific circuit layout so that the functional holes for containing the DUT can be electrically connected to those for transmitting signals.
Reference is made to FIG. 1 for a top-view diagram illustrating a prior art testing apparatus 100. The testing apparatus 100 includes a test board 10 and a holder 16. The holder 10 is disposed on the test board 10 and includes a plurality of jacks. The number and arrangement of the jacks are designed according to the pin layout of a specific DUT. Multiple public test channels 15, disposed on the peripheral region of the test board 10, are electrically connected to the jacks of the holder 16 via a plurality of traces 18. Therefore, by disposing the DUT into the holder 16, test signals generated by a tester can be transmitted to the DUT via the public test channels 15, the traces 18 and the holder 16. The prior art testing apparatus 100, customerized for a specific DUT, can not be applied to other types of DUTs. However, various types of electronic devices have different circuit designs, product specifications or operational modes. Due to the high expense of the test boards, it is impractical to use a tailor-made test board 10 for each type of DUT in mass production.
References are made to FIGS. 2 and 3 for a top-view diagram and a bottom-view diagram illustrating another prior art testing apparatus 200. The testing apparatus 200 includes a public test board 20 and a holder 26. The holder 26 is disposed on the public test board 20 and includes a plurality of sockets and pins. The number and arrangement of the sockets and the pins are designed according to the pin layout of a specific DUT. The public test board 20 includes 4 public test channel sets 21-24 and a plurality of connecting terminals 25. Each of the public test channel sets 21-24, disposed in the peripheral region of the public test board 20 in a symmetrical manner, includes a plurality of public signal terminals for receiving the test signals transmitted from the tester. The connecting terminals 25 are disposed in the central region of the public test board 20. Prior to performing tests, the pins of the holder 26 are welded onto appropriate connecting terminals 25. The connecting terminals 25 containing the pins of the holder 26 are then electrically connected to appropriate public signal terminals among the public test channels 21-24 via the manually-welded wires 28. Therefore, by inserting the DUT into the holder 26, the test signals generated by the tester can be transmitted to the DUT via the public test channels 21-24, the wires 28 and the holder 26.
The prior art testing apparatus 200 having the plurality of connecting terminals 25 can be applied to the holders 26 which are designed for various types of DUTs. However, the wires 28 need to be manually welded before testing different types of DUTs. Not only time—and labor—consuming, the quality of manual welding also largely influences the accuracy of the test. Meanwhile, since the public signal terminals in the public test channel sets 21-24 have a symmetrical arrangement, only one of the public test channel sets 21-24 is required for testing a specific DUT. However, since the manually-welded wires 28 occupy large space, there may not be sufficient space in the testing apparatus 200 for containing multiple holders 26. In order to test multiple DUTs simultaneously, the wires 28 may have a very complicated arrangement which lengthens the welding process and increases the time for subsequent debugging. The prior art testing apparatus 200 requires highly-sophisticated welding techniques, consumes more labor and provides low test efficiency.

Testing apparatus with high efficiency and high accuracy


Magnets 1 are pressed against a vehicle body (side plates, a rotary shaft, a supporting beam 12 of springs 10, etc.), which travels on an endless track comprising the magnets 1, a chain 5, etc., by auxiliary wheels 9 having a plurality of springs 10 which are different from a chain driving wheels 6a of the endless track, and also suspension function is given between each magnet 1 and the chain 5 by springs 4. When the idler wheels 8a with gears are pressed against the vehicle body by springs 8c, slacks are generated in the endless track in front of the traveling direction, thereby improving the traveling performance for traveling on the traveling surface having an uneven spot or curvatures. Further, a plurality of endless tracks each capable of traveling independently are combined to constitute the traveling device, which form the endless track magnetic traveling device fit for various uses.

There are disclosed conventional endless track magnetic traveling devices as a technology of this type in JP-A47-40635, JP-A51-79498, JP-A 56-79069, JP-A 60-18464, JP-A61-89184, etc., wherein the endless track magnetic traveling device is used as various devices depending on its purpose, for example, an apparatus such as an ultrasonic inspection device.
The conventional endless track magnetic traveling devices set forth above can travel smoothly on a horizontal surface having no uneven spot on the traveling surface, thereby performing an excellent traveling performance. However, these conventional endless track magnetic traveling devices have not considered the traveling surface having an uneven spot.
Further, these conventional devices comprise a vehicle body and two endless tracks which have the same dimensions and are provided at both sides of the vehicle body.
In the conventional endless track magnetic traveling device set forth above, there are following problems to be solved.
First, in the conventional traveling devices of this type, connecting portions for connecting each magnet constituting each endless track are needed to be loosened to have the slack so as to get over the uneven spot of the traveling surface. That is, when there is the slack on each connecting portion, the traveling device can travel on a ceiling surface 60 having an uneven spot 60a as shown in FIG. 58. However, since the weight of the traveling device including driving wheels 93 is applied to magnets 91 located adjacent to both ends of the endless tracks at the front and rear thereof in the traveling direction but not applied to the magnets constituting the endless tracks comprising a combination of the magnet 91 and the chain 92 when traveling on the ceiling surface 60, it is not assured that the danger of falling of the traveling device is sufficiently avoided.
Accordingly, in the conventional traveling device having such a wall surface moving mechanism, it is necessary to increase attraction of each magnet. This is solved by taking a measure, for example, as disclosed in a traveling device of JP-A47-40635 wherein an interval between driving wheels 93 is widened by a spring 94 (FIG. 59), and an endless track is extended in the traveling direction thereof. However, when the endless track is extended, the traveling performance is decreased on the uneven spot of the traveling surface so that the weight of the traveling device can not be supported by all the magnets 91 by way of a chain 92 when traveling on the uneven spot 60a of the ceiling surface 60 as shown in FIG. 60. As a result, there occurs a possibility of the falling of the traveling device. Further, the endless track can not be extended in the traveling direction (to widen the interval between the driving wheels 93) unless the magnets 91 attracted to the traveling wall surface are slid.
To solve the aforementioned problems of the traveling device when traveling on the ceiling surface, a traveling device as disclosed in JP-A 63-90484 has a load dispersion type crawler in which magnets are supported by a guide plate fixed to a traveling device body, so that it can not get over the uneven spot easily.
In the conventional traveling device as disclosed in JP-A61-89184, as shown in FIG. 61, a buffer member( which is not shown but covering an outer periphery of a magnet 91) is provided between magnets 91 and a chain 92 respectively constituting an endless track so as to press the magnets 91 against a traveling surface 60. However, a sufficient stroke is not assured by merely pressing the magnets 91 against the traveling surface 60 with the buffer member between the link-shaped endless track and the traveling surface 60. Accordingly, the traveling device does not sufficiently travel on the traveling surface 60 having a curvature of a large uneven spot such as a weld bead. Still further, since there is no mechanism for pressing the chain 92, and the magnets 91 and the chain 92 are connected to one another by pins 95, the magnets 91 have large freedom in their movement, namely, they are movable largely, leading to a possibility that the magnets 91 interfere with one another.
More still further, there is disclosed in a traveling device in JP-A 2-92788 wherein a linear actuator is disposed on a crawler 1a (traveling device comprising an endless track) which is actuated when a sensor detects the uneven spot 60a of the traveling surface 60 so that the traveling device gets over the uneven spot 60a of the traveling surface 60. This has however the problem that the traveling device becomes large scaled, and the magnets of the endless tracks 97 do not slide at the portion where they are attracted to the traveling surface 60 as denoted by A in FIG. 62. Accordingly, it is necessary to supply endless track to the front of the traveling direction by the length corresponding to the portion where they are recessed at the uneven spot 60a of the traveling surface 60. However, there is not taken sufficient measure to cope with this problem.
Whereupon, there is an invention for a traveling device which travels on a wall surface having a curvature and is disclosed in JP-A3-231079 in which the magnets of the crawler travel along a gap between a guide rail so that the guide rail meeting the curvature must be prepared every time it is needed, which generates a replacement operation.
The conventional crawler comprises, as disclosed in FIG. 63 (a) which is a plan view of the crawler and in FIG. 63 (b) which is a side view, a single body 98 and two endless tracks 97 which are arranged in parallel with each other. The traveling of these endless tracks 97 is controlled by a driving source (not shown) by way of driving wheels 93 so that the traveling device can be operated to be traveled to the right or left or turned. Accordingly, the capacity and the range of application of the traveling device are restricted in view of the structure thereof. Further, in a traveling device as shown in FIGS. 64 (a) and (b), a longitudinal direction of a motor 99 for the driving wheels 93 of each endless track 97 crosses at right angles with the traveling direction of the traveling device, and the motor 99 is arranged inside a vehicle body 98, so that the driving wheels 93 are positioned at the front and rear of the body 98, causing a possibility of occurrence of unstable movement such as the swinging to the right or the left owing to the backlash at each endless track 97 when the traveling device starts the traveling.
Although it is a known technique to perform remote control when mounting a battery or a generator on a vehicle body, there was a problem that battery or the generator is too heavy to be mounted on the magnet crawler, and hence it was difficult to be practiced.
Further, the conventional traveling device of this type has another problem that the sliding portion is worn, iron dust is magnetized by the magnet crawler so that iron dust bites into the sliding position, causing a bad influence on the traveling device since the traveling device employs a steel structure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an endless track magnetic traveling device which is improved in traveling performance when traveling on the traveling surface having an uneven spot or a curvature.
It is another object of the invention to provide an endless track magnetic traveling device which is excellent in utilization thereof.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an endless track magnetic traveling device which is excellent in traveling performance in such a manner that it can turn without damaging the traveling surface and also can travel on the traveling surface even at a high temperature.
It is more still another object of the invention to provide an endless track magnetic traveling device capable of traveling by endless tracks which are easily controllable in their traveling.
It is a still other object of the invention to provide an endless track magnetic traveling device which is light-weight.
It is more still other object of the invention to provide a coupling-type endless track magnetic traveling device capable of traveling on a complex traveling surface and capable of changing the number of endless tracks depending on uses thereof.


A surfboard with a surfboard body (1) extending along a longitudinal direction (L) and having an upper surface and a bottom surface. An electrical battery pack (2) is removably positioned in an upper compartment accessible from the upper surface. An electrically driven water-jet configured to propel the surfboard is provided with electrical power from the electrical battery pack. The electrically driven water-jet is provided in a propulsion module (3) that is removably positioned in a lower compartment accessible from the lower surface. The upper compartment and the lower compartment partly overlaps each other as seen along the longitudinal direction (L).

US 2011/0201238 A1 discloses an electrically powered, water-jet propelled surfboard. However, the technical design makes it difficult to manufacture the board and install the propulsion system. It is also difficult to perform fault-finding and service.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,731,555 also discloses a powered surfboard. This surfboard is designed to preserve energy of surfer during paddling. Furthermore, the design of also this surfboard makes it difficult to manufacture the board and install the propulsion system. It is also difficult to perform fault-finding and service.
Thus, there exist a need for an improved electrically powered water-jet propelled surfboard addressing amongst others the above discussed problems with the prior art surfboards.

Electrically powered, water-jet propelled surfboard


A dolly is provided for facilitating removal and installation of brake drums on vehicles. The dolly includes a frame having a cradle portion for supporting a brake drum. Wheels are rotatably mounted on the frame for moving the frame over a support surface into position beneath a brake drum. A handle projects from the frame for manually manipulating the frame into and out of position relative to the brake drum. An elevating linkage is provided for raising and lowering the frame relative to the wheels to lift and lower the brake drum relative to the vehicle.

It is very difficult to handle outboard brake drums on trucks and trailers in order to service or replace the drums or to perform service on the brakes and associated parts. Heretofore, the most common procedure in removing and installing brake drums has been by manual manipulation. This is extremely difficult and dirty work and is prone to cause injuries, including serious back injuries. These operations have caused a considerable amount of lost-time as well as workman's compensation claims for a shop proprietor.
Outboard brake drums, such as used on large trucks, can weight as much as 120 pounds each. They are very awkward to grasp and handle; they are positioned at a height that requires a person to stoop or bend; and they frequently are positioned beneath an overhead obstruction, such as a truck or trailer bed.
Overhead lifts, hoists or cranes might be considered a logical solution to these problems. However, it must be understood that vertical access to the brake drums often is difficult or impossible because of the overhead obstructions. In addition, such implements are prone to scratch or damage portions of the vehicle itself.
The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing a very efficient, simple to operate and cost effective dolly which can be used by an operator. In fact, the dolly is readily operable by an operator's two hands and actually can be manipulated over a supporting surface with a single hand.


A new Philodendron plant particularly distinguished by having very small, narrow green leaves, compact vines with short internodes and dense growth habit, and vines that produce lateral branches, is disclosed.

The invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Philodendron scandens oxycardium plant named 'UFM1'. 'UFM1' originated by exposing cuttings of Philodendron scandens oxycardium, not patented, to gamma-ray radiation in Gainesville, Fla. After treatment, the cuttings were grown in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla. The inventors selected the new Philodendron approximately 1 year later as a single branch mutation within the population of treated plants.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tip cuttings in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla. has shown that the unique features of this new Philodendron are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have not been applied for. 'UFM1' has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.


The gripping characteristics of the contact surface of a sole, a grip, handle, glove or the hand are enhanced by having applied thereto an aqueous mixture of:. a) a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion; and PA1 b) a silicone polymer micro emulsion;. and allowing said applied aqueous mixture to dry thus forming a thin film or a thin treated layer of either a continuous or discontinuous nature which imparts enhanced gripping characteristics to the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to coatings for contact surfaces and more specifically to coatings which impart enhanced gripping characteristics to substrates on which they are applied.
2. Prior Art
The handles of tools and sports equipment are generally made of hard materials such as wood, metal and composite materials (i.e. graphite and fibre glass). To improve one's grip on the aforementioned, a layer of soft material (i.e. rubber, plastic, leather or fabric) is often added to a hard handle. One's grip can be further improved by the use of a glove normally made from soft materials such as rubber, leather or fabric.
Sport and work footwear rely on non-rigid composite materials and or leather to form a pliable foundation for the sole, to which a layer or layers of softer material is added to perform as a traction or gripping aid for the contact surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,231 discloses a method for dissolving an oil modified, styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene block copolymer at high temperature in a suitable aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and further applying the thus formed coating solution to the contact area of a handle or a glove. Upon drying, the coating provides an increase in the coefficient of friction of the contact surface. The specific physical properties of the coating include a hardness of 20 to 40 Shore A, a tensile strength of 700 to 1700 psi, an elongation of 400 to 1400% and a tear resistance of 100 to 400 pli.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,391, a division of U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,231, teaches the preparation of the coating solution from an oil modified, styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene block copolymer, a plasticized polyvinyl chloride elastomer, a silicone rubber or a polyurethane elastomer. The specific physical properties are identical to those of the coating of U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,231.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,440, a continuation in part to U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,231, describes the coating being prepared from a cross-linked acrylic polymer, a plasticized polyvinyl chloride elastomer, a silicone rubber, or a polyurethane elastomer. The specific properties of the coating, having been changed from those stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,231, include a hardness of 10 to 40 Shore A, a tensile strength of 400 to 1700 psi, an elongation of 200 to 1400% and a tear resistance of 50 to 400 pli.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,139 discloses surface coating formulations which provide anti-slip and increased frictional characteristics for surfaces which are in frequent contact with water and for application to the surfaces of plastic foam structures. The formulations consist of styrene/ethylene/butylene/styrene block copolymer, methylmethacrylate copolymer, rubber tackifiers, particulate colloidal or powdered silicon dioxide and glass microspheres. They are generally intended for the decks of surfboards and wind surfing equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,429 discloses an adhesively tackified leather glove wherein at least a portion of the interior and the exterior are tackified using isobutylene-butene copolymer and a hydrocarbon tackifying resin and at least a portion of the interior is detackified with a nitrocellulose and silicone resin solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,832, a divisional of U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,429, discloses a process for tackifying leather glove material by immersing the material in an organic solvent solution containing the hydrocarbon tackifying resin and the isobutylene-butene copolymer, evaporating the solvent, detackifying at least a portion of the inner side by further applying thereto a solution containing nitrocellulose and a silicone resin, evaporating the solvent carrier and further sewing the leather into a glove.

Grip and friction enhancement compositions