A moving electrical contact for connecting a track-mounted moveable carriage to a signal rail. The moving electrical contact comprises a spring plate secured to the moveable carriage on one end and a contact pad attached to the other end of the spring plate. The contact pad is biased against the signal rail by the tension in the spring plate. The contact pad is constructed from approximately sixteen layers of a wire mesh consisting of tin coated, stainless steel conductive wire knitted in a tricot pattern and may include conducting jelly.

The present invention relates to an improved electrical contact for systems having a track-mounted, movable carriage in which power, control and/or monitored information is transmitted to and/or received from the movable carriage.
Moving electrical contacts are often used in systems that include an electrically-powered carriage that moves along a track. The movable carriage may be controlled by electrical signals transmitted to the movable device from a remote location. Also, the movable device may transmit information in the form of electrical signals to the remote location.
A system that uses moving electrical contacts to transmit power, control and/or monitored information is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,380 issued to Benson. Benson discloses a track mounted camera system adapted for surveillance of a large area. The system includes a carriage that is driven by a drive assembly longitudinally along a track assembly that is positioned along a selected path. A pair of electrically conducting signal rails are mounted adjacent and parallel to the track to provide power to the electric motor. Video cameras are mounted to the carriage for monitoring selected portions adjacent to the path. Output signals from the cameras are transmitted on the signal rails to a remote monitoring location. Control signals for controlling placement of the carriage along the track are also transmitted on the signal rails to the carriage.
The signal rail is a pair of spaced apart, electrically isolated conductors comprising cylindrical, copper tubing mounted and supported within semi-cylindrical grooves of an isolation block made of electrically insulating material. Each conductor is in slidable contact with at least one corresponding isolated slidable electrically conductive brush along the length of the rail. Each brush is biased against the respective conductor by a spring that is inserted within a support also made of electrically insulating mnaterial. The brushes are mounted to a support platform that is connected to the carriage thereby providing a moving electrical contact between the carriage and the signal rails.
Another prior art moving electrical contact is disclosed in the track-mounted surveillance system described in FIGS. 1, 1a. A carriage 15 carrying cameras 17 moves by wheels 10 attached thereto. The moveable electric contact consists of a pair of electrically conductive graphite wheels 10 which are mounted on a moveable carriage 15 and form an electrical connection with the carriage. The graphite wheel pair is in electrical contact with a pair of signal rails that extend longitudinally along the track (not shown). As the carriage moves along the track, the graphite wheel pairs provide an electrical connection between the carriage and the signal rails.
While the prior art moveable electric contacts worked for their intended purposes, a significant drawback of these prior art contacts is that they generate acoustic noise levels that are unacceptable for particular applications. For instance in track-mounted surveillance systems, high acoustic noise levels generated by the moving electrical contacts may enable people in the monitored area to determine the location of the carriage along the track. Another problem with the prior art contacts is that they are prone to wear and tear from continued used which causes the electrical connection to become unreliable.
By constructing moving electrical contacts in accordance with the present invention, undesirable acoustical noise is significantly reduced, a stable and reliable electrical connection is maintained and the life expectancy of the contact is significantly increased.

Moving electrical contact for track mounted systems


An image editing apparatus including: an image-data obtainer which obtains: first-face and second-face image data respectively created by reading first and second faces of a document, the first-face image data being as first target data, the second-face image data being as second target data; a receiver which receives a command for executing a processing for one of the first and second target data; and an image processor which, upon receipt of the command by the receiver, executes, for the one target data, a processing based on the command and executes, for another of the first and second target data, a processing symmetrical to the processing based on the command with respect to an axis extending through a center of an image corresponding to the one target data and extending in a sub-scanning direction during reading of the document.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executable by a computer of the image editing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Document scanning sometimes results in acquisition of an undesired scan image such as an image with an undesired margin and an image with inclined contents. In such a case, the acquired image needs to be edited by deleting the margin from the scan image or rotating the scan image to adjust inclination of the contents.
For example, there is known a technique of correcting scanning displacement in front and back images of a slip after scanning of front and back faces of the slip. Specifically, one of the front and back faces is determined as a reference face, and edge information is detected from an image based on the reference face. On the basis of the detected edge information, positional displacement due to the scanning displacement is corrected for each of the front and back images.

Image editing apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program executable by image editing apparatus


The present invention is an environmental barrier for an OLED. The environmental barrier has a foundation and a cover. Both the foundation and the cover have a top of three layers of (a) a first polymer layer, (b) a ceramic layer, and (c) a second polymer layer. The foundation and/or the cover may have a at least one set of intermediate barrier each having (a) an intermediate polymer layer with (b) an intermediate ceramic layer thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the foundation has a substrate upon which at least a top is deposited. An OLED is constructed upon the top, opposite the substrate. The cover of at least a top then placed over the OLED. The placement may be by gluing or preferably by vacuum deposition. For use as a display, it is preferred that either the ceramic layer(s) in the foundation, cover or both is substantially transparent to the light emitted by the OLED. Each layer of the foundation and the cover is preferably vacuum deposited. Vacuum deposition includes monolayer spreading under vacuum, plasma deposition, flash evaporation and combinations thereof. It is further preferred that all layers are deposited and cured between rolls or rollers to avoid the defects that may be caused by abrasion over a roll or roller.

The present invention is related to environmental barrier material for organic light emitting devices (OLED), including light emitting polymer(s) (LEP). The environmental barrier prevents contact of environmental oxygen and/or water to the LED.
Use of Light Emitting Organic Devices (sometimes known as Light Emitting Polymer, or LEP, Devices) in flat panel displays, and other information display formats, is currently limited by the poor environmental stability of the devices see C. Gustafson, Y. Cao, G. M. Treacy, F. Klavetter, N. Colaneri, and A. J. Heeger, Nature Vol. 35, Jun. 11, 1992, pages 477-479. Because of this poor environmental stability, devices are currently fabricated on glass substrates and have glass covers laminated over the top as an environmental barrier. Thus, even though the active portions of the device are of a lightweight, thin film, flexible polymer construction, the finished part is heavy and rigid because of the glass sheets needed as environmental barriers to protect the device from contact by permeation of oxygen and/or water vapor.
It has been previously reported that the single pass, roll-to-roll, vacuum deposition of a three layer combination on a PET substrate, namely
PET SUBSTRATE/PML Polymer Smoothing Layer/Oxide Layer/PML Layer can be more than three orders of magnitude less permeable to oxygen and water vapor than a simple oxide layer on PET alone. J. D. Affinito, M. E. Gross, C. A. Coronado, G. L. Graff, E. N. Greenwell, and P. M. Martin, Polymer-Oxide Transparent Barrier Layers Produced Using the PML Process, 39th Annual Technical Conference Proceedings of the Society of Vacuum Coaters, Vacuum Web Coating Session, 1996, pgs. 392-397, and J. D. Affinito, Stephan Eufinger, M. E. Gross, G. L. Graff, and P. M. Martin, PML/Oxide/PML Barrier Layer Performance Differences Arising From Use of UV or Electron Beam Polymerization of the PML Layers, Thin Solid Films, Vol. 308, 1997, pgs. 19-25. This is in spite of the fact that the effect on the permeation rate of the PML layers alone, without the oxide layer, is barely measurable. It is believed that the reason for this tremendous improvement in barrier properties was due to two mechanisms:
1) Permeation rates in the roll-to-roll coated oxide-only layers were found to be conductance limited by holes in the oxide layer that arose when the coated substrate was wound up over system idlers/rollers and onto itself in the take up roll. The oxide coating on the tops of the sharp features and debris, on the conformally oxide coated substrate, were found to fracture. These fractures were, apparently, because these rough surface features carried all of the load (since they stick up above the plane of the substrate) when the substrate is wound up after coating. In the single pass, PML/Oxide/PML process the PML smoothing layer covered all rough, sharp, and/or uneven features in the substrate topography as well as buried any foreign debris on the substrate surface. Thus, there were no high points to fracture.
2) The PML top coat also protected the oxide layer from damage due to rough portions of the system idlers/rollers as well as from the back side of the substrate as the material was wound up.
There is, therefore, a need to encapsulate LEP devices in a flexible, transparent, environmental barrier that permits viewing while preventing ingress of oxygen and water vapor from the environment.
1. G. Gustafson, Y. Cao, G. M. Treacy, F. Klavetter, N. Colaneri, and A. J. Heeger, Nature, Vol 35, Jun. 11, 1992, pages 477-479.
2. J. D. Affinito, M. E. Gross, C. A. Coronado, G. L. Graff, E. N. Greenwell, and P. M. Martin, Polymer-Oxide Transparent Barrier Layers Produced Using The PML Process, 39th Annual Technical Conference Proceedings of the Society of Vacuum Coaters, Vacuum Web Coating Session, 1996, pgs 392-397.
3. J. D. Affinito, Stephan Eufinger, M. E. Gross, G. L. Graff, and P. M. Martin, PML/Oxide/PML Barrier Layer Performance Differences Arising From Use of UV or Electron Beam Polymerization of the PML Layers, Thin Solid Films, Vol 308, 1997, pg. 19-25.
The present invention is an environmental barrier for an OLED. The environmental barrier has a foundation and a cover. Either the foundation, the cover or both may have a top of three layers of (a) a first polymer layer, (b) a ceramic layer, and (c) a second polymer layer. The foundation and/or the cover may have a at least one set of intermediate barrier each having (a) an intermediate polymer layer with (b) an intermediate ceramic layer thereon. In constructing the flexible environmental barrier, the foundation is made on a substrate. An OLED is constructed upon the top, opposite the substrate. The cover of at least a top then placed over the OLED to encapsulate the OLED. The placement or encapsulation may be by gluing or laminating the cover to the foundation over the OLED or preferably by vacuum deposition of the cover layers onto the OLED. It is most preferred that the substrate, foundation and cover be flexible.
For use as a display, it is preferred that either the ceramic layer(s) in the foundation, cover or both is substantially transparent to the light emitted by the OLED.
Each layer of the foundation and the cover is preferably vacuum deposited. Vacuum deposition includes monolayer spreading under vacuum, plasma deposition, flash evaporation, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, evaporation and combinations thereof. It is further preferred that all layers are deposited and cured between rolls or rollers to avoid the defects that may be caused by abrasion over a roll or roller.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.

Environmental barrier material for organic light emitting device and method of making


A method determines a location of a single-phase-to-ground fault in an ungrounded power distribution system. The method detects the faulty phase of the distribution system having the fault and compares a difference between an angle of a voltage and an angle of a current measured at a root of a faulty feeder and boundaries of each section of the faulty feeder to determine a faulty section of a faulty feeder having the fault. A line segment of the faulty section is tested for a change of a sign of a voltage on the faulty phase in the faulty section to determine a faulty line segment. The location of the fault is determined based on a distance from a terminal bus of the faulty line segment to a location along the faulty line segment having a value the voltage on the faulty phase equals zero.

Ungrounded power distribution systems are widely used, especially at medium voltage levels, e.g., less than 50 kV. Compared with the grounded distribution systems, the ungrounded systems do not have neural wires to connect with the ground, and they are connected to ground through phase-to-ground capacitances of power lines. When a single-phase-to-ground fault occurs, the fault currents of ungrounded systems are less than normal load currents, thus the system can continue to operate until the fault is corrected.
However, as a result of the fault, the lines of the power distribution system experience over-voltages, which can damage the lines when the fault is not corrected in a timely manner. Thus, fault detection and location estimation is important for the sale and stable operation of ungrounded power distribution systems.
Several methods have been used for locating single-phase-to-ground faults in ungrounded distribution systems. For example, a method described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,671 for determining a section of the system having a fault uses a directional element to determine faults on ungrounded power systems, which following enablement under selected input current conditions, determined zero sequence impedance, in response to values of zero sequence voltage and zero sequence current.
Another method described in US 2003/0085715, introduces a measurement signal having a measurement frequency on the line having a fault. The fault location is determined for a selected segment based on a measured residual current corresponding to the measurement signal, and a predetermined relative impedance of the power distribution system. However, usage of additional frequency measurements is not optimal for some applications.
Accordingly, there is a need for determining locations of single-phase-to-ground faults in ungrounded power distribution systems.

Method for locating faults in ungrounded power distribution systems

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC RESEARCH LABORATORIES, INC.


A system and method is introduced for combining a secure device with a non secure user machine for using and sharing secure data seamlessly through the non secure user machine. The secure device runs in a separate, “parallel world” to the user machine so that the user machine cannot access secure data while it is being used. Even if the user machine is already compromised, the secure data and its usage remain protected from the likes of key logging and screen captures. The secure device authenticates secure data handling to the user so that the user is able to differentiate between a secure and a non secure data usage, as well as identify false imitations of the secure environment.

Protecting data in a computing environment that is connected to the network has become a challenge in light of cyber attacks and inside jobs. The key forms of security that were relied upon just a few years ago, such as physical security and encryption, are now bypassed successfully by attackers.
The situation gets worse when such attacks remain unknown for a certain period of time or perhaps even indefinitely. It is therefore difficult to state anything about the security of a machine that is connected to the internet. Simple questions regarding security can no longer be answered: "has the machine been compromised?", "Is the data I'm typing or viewing now safe from interception?", "Has my data been altered without my knowledge?"
The reality is that if a machine is connected to the network then there is no guarantee regarding the security of the machine, and once a security breach occurs, all assets on that machine can be comprised. It is worth noting that even a machine that is not directly connected to the network or even unconnected machines can be compromised in various ways through a combination of cyber security and insiders.
In the attempt to defend against such attacks, there is an asymmetry between the role of the defender of a network and the attacker. The defender maintains current security infrastructure, going through logs trying to identify a possible threat, patching security fixes, adding layers of security and monitoring the machine and network for possible potential threats.
The attacker searches for a single weakness and uses that weakness to gain access to the user data.
The present invention presents a different approach to protecting data from cyber attacks and inside attacks. In this disclosure we present a "parallel world" of security or a parallel environment to the user unauthenticated, non secure environment which is usable yet secured and isolated. The "worlds", the parallel and the non secure one, never intersect so that what is secured remains secure and the rest, the non secure, unauthenticated data, stays out of the secure world. The two "worlds" are both controlled through the non secure user environment so that the user has a seemingly single, standard environment experience.
Since the parallel worlds never intersect, if a data breach occurs in the non secure user machine, the sensitive data on the parallel world remains secure and can be used through the use machine even when the user machine is compromised, without risking the secure data.
In order to prevent the user from mistaking between secure data handling and non secure, normal data handling on the user machine, the parallel world authenticates itself to the user so that the user can tell the secure parallel world is currently in use, rather than a non secure one. This can protect the user from an imitation created by an attacker, or protect even from just a standard, non secure unauthenticated application that the user can type secure data into by mistake.
The parallel world can protect various types of sensitive data such as documents, emails, code, images, videos; Data may be shared between parallel world entities; Sensitive data entry such as authenticating with username password to a website; Editing of documents, emails and code; Protecting data usage on cloud computing and so forth.
The usage of the protected data is transparent to the user and protected data can be shared and safely sent to other users, yet for example unintended recipients cannot make use of received secure data. Similarly, data is also protected from entities other than users, such as an automated server.
The parallel world adds identification and authentication to users and servers, data can be shares between users securely and communication to a server can be secured.
The parallel world restores the importance of physical security and encryption so that these two, quite old securing methods can become once again the highlight of securing data.
This disclosure presents a way to handle secure data and non-secure data through a common interface while allowing a user to identify secure handling of secure data.
This disclosure aims at protecting secure data even if an intrusion has already occurred, and protects even from an inside data breach.
In this disclosure a secure and isolated environment is created for handling sensitive, secure data so that the data can be used and shared transparently while keeping the data protected. Data is created, used, shared and communicated separately from the non secure user machine and is kept in a secure environment throughout its entire lifetime.
Each user has a secure environment working in parallel to their machine. Data that is considered sensitive is created and used only in that secure environment. User can communicate sensitive data to other users who can use the data using their secure environment. The parallel world can be configured with permissions for single users as well as for groups of users. Similarly, permissions can be managed in that way through individuals and groups.
Some of the motivation of this disclosure is to protect secure data from being copied or intercepted by any means, even through the likes of key loggers and display snapshots. The data is to remains protected from administrators that back up the data for example, so that mass copying of protected data is prevented. The data is to remain protected if sent to the wrong recipient. The data is to be accessed by its intended users only and is to be protected from others throughout the lifetime of the data. Since the secure data remains in the parallel world, mass copying even of authorized data for the user, to a media outside the parallel world is prevented.
There is thus a widely recognized need for protecting data in the manner described above even when the non secure user machine has already been compromised and it would be highly advantageous to have such a method devoid of the above limitations.

System and method for a secure environment that authenticates secure data handling to the user


An embodiment of the present invention is method of forming an array of 2 transistor DRAM cells organized in rows and columns in which the rows represent words and columns represent bits of the words, each bit column having a pair of balanced, true and complement bit lines, the bit lines being connected in a hierarchical bit line structure, comprising at least one local bit line pair and one global bit line pair, a sensing circuit connected to the global bit line pair detects a differential voltage transition on either line during a read access and provides a sensing strobe signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an array of 2 transistor DRAM cells organized in rows and columns, and in particular to an array in which the rows represent words and columns represent bits of the words, each bit column having a pair of balanced, true and complement bit lines, the bit lines being connected in a hierarchical bit line structure, comprising at least one local bit line pair and one global bit line pair, a sensing circuit connected to the global bit line pair detects a differential voltage transition on either line during a read access and provides a sensing strobe signal.
2. Description of Background
Random access memories (RAMs) are well known in the art. A typical RAM has a memory array wherein every location is addressable and freely accessible by providing the correct corresponding address. Dynamic RAMs (DRAMs) are dense RAMs with a very small memory cell. High performance Static RAMs (SRAMs) are somewhat less dense (and generally more expensive per bit) than DRAMs, but expend more power in each access to achieve speed, i.e., provide better access times than DRAMs at the cost of higher power and area. In a typical data processing system, the bulk of the memory is DRAM in main memory with faster SRAM in cache memory, closer to the processor or microprocessor. Caching is an effective technique for increasing microprocessor performance. RAMs are commonly made in the well-known complementary insulated gate field effect transistor (FET) technology known as CMOS.
A typical CMOS logic circuit, for example, includes paired complementary devices, i.e., an n-type FET (NFET) paired with a corresponding p-type FET (PFET), usually gated by the same signal. Since the pair of devices have operating characteristics that are, essentially, opposite each other, when one device (e.g., the NFET) is 'ON' and conducting (ideally modeled as a resistor (R) in series with the closed switch), the other device (the PFET) is 'OFF', not conducting (ideally modeled as an open switch) and, vice versa. For example, a CMOS inverter is a series connected PFET and NFET pair that is connected between a power supply voltage (Vdd) and ground (GND). A typical static random access memory (SRAM) cell, ideally includes a balanced pair of cross-coupled inverters storing a single data bit with a high at the output of one inverter and a low at the output of the other. A pair of pass gates (also ideally, a balanced pair of FETs) selectively connects the complementary outputs of the cross-coupled inverter to a corresponding complementary pair of bit lines. A word line connected to the gates of the pass gate FETs selects connecting the cell to the corresponding complementary pair of bit lines. During a cell access, the pass gates are turned 'ON' to couple the bit line contents to the cross-coupled inverters. In a well designed SRAM, once data is stored in a cell and unless power is lost, the cell maintains that data until it is overwritten.
A DRAM cell is essentially a capacitor for storing charge and a switch, a pass transistor (also called a pass gate or access transistor) that switches 'ON' and 'OFF' to transfer charge to and from the capacitor. Thus, a typical DRAM cell is much smaller (denser) than a typical SRAM cell, e.g., <¼. Data (1 bit) stored in the cell is determined by the absence or presence of charge on the storage capacitor. Since each cell has numerous leakage paths from the storage capacitor, unless it is periodically refreshed, charge stored on the storage capacitor eventually leaks off. Each DRAM cell is read by coupling the cell's storage capacitor (through the access transistor) to a bit line, which is a larger capacitance, and measuring the resulting voltage difference on the bit line. Since each time a cell is read, the voltage on the storage capacitor is equalized with the voltage on the bit line, the cell's contents are destroyed by the read, i.e., a destructive read.
As is further well known in the art, the maximum voltage that an FET pass gate will pass is its gate to source voltage (Vgs) reduced by the FET turn-on or threshold voltage (VT), i.e., the stored voltage (VSt) on the storage capacitor (Ccell) is VSt=Vgs−VT. The magnitude of the signal (Vsig) transferred to the bit line with capacitance CBL is Vsig=CCellVSt/(Ccell+CBL). In a typical state of the art DRAM (e.g., 256 Mbit or 1 Gbit) with up to 512 or even 1024 bits on each bit line, CBL is at least one order of magnitude larger than Ccell. So, Vsig is typically at least an order of magnitude smaller than the supply voltage, Vdd, and is, typically, a few hundred millivolts (mv). Further, that signal develops exponentially with a time constant dependent upon the overall RC time constant of the signal path, i.e., where 'R' includes the FET on resistance and C=Ccell+CBL. Thus, developing a sufficient bit line signal to sense, i.e. to transfer a portion of Vst to the bit line, typically accounts for most of the read time of a state of the art DRAM.
Unfortunately, DRAM read time has been much longer than SRAM read time, e.g., an order of magnitude. Consequently, this longer read time has been a significant deterrent to using DRAM in high performance logic chips and the primary reason less dense but faster SRAM is used for cache memory.
Thus, there is a need for high performance DRAMs, especially with reduced cell read times and more particularly, for high performance DRAMs suitable for embedded use in logic chips.

Hierarchical 2T-DRAM with self-timed sensing

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for processing circuit boards containing area array surface treated bonding sites, such as noble metal terminal pads of a Land Grid Array (LGA) assembly. The circuit board includes a plurality of apertures patterned about the bonding site to form a footprint. A protective cover shaped to conform to the footprint includes posts registered to removably fit into the apertures. The protective cover remains overlaid on the circuit board during fabrication processes such as solder screen printing, rework, and washing, and then removed. Thus, contamination from the fabrication processes is avoided, as well as eliminating possible sources of contamination from use of adhesive tape for protection.

The invention is generally related to processing of printed circuit boards, and more particularly, to the processing of printed circuit boards that include an area array assembly, such as Land Grid Array (LGA).
As silicon technology advances, there is a trend for higher density electrical interconnection of components on a circuit board or Printed Wiring Board (PWB). Increasingly, Pin Through Hole (PTH) attachment of electronic components is inadequate due to the limited number of interconnections possible thereby. The hole prevents overlaying separate conduction paths. In addition, practical dimensions of the holes and pins for inserting in the holes further limits PTH attachment to low density electronic components.
xe2x80x9cStandardxe2x80x9d Surface Mount Technology (SMT) is used often used when PTH is not applicable or not desired, such as when interconnecting components having lead pitches of approximately 50 mils (1.27 mm). Surface Mount Technology allows overlaying multiple conduction paths across a given point on the circuit board and can be used on both sides of the circuit board. Multiple SMT components are typically placed on an upward face of a circuit board prepared with solder paste printing. The leads of the SMT components are simultaneously attached through a mass reflow process where an infrared heat source melts the solder paste printing to electrically and mechanically attach the leads to the circuit board.
With more complex microprocessors and higher throughput Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Fine Pitch Technology (FPT) interconnect components having peripheral leads having a pitch ranging from about 20-40 mils (0.5-1.0 mm) are used. FPT is based on 50 mil standard SMT production, but with minor changes and tighter process controls.
Ultra-Fine Pitch Technology (UFPT) enables interconnection of components having hundreds of peripheral leads with lead pitches of about 0.5 mm (20 mils) or less. For higher lead counts ranging from hundreds to thousands of leads, area array packaging techniques are used, and are characterized as having a group of connection elements, such as solder bumps or alternate interconnect pads arranged as rows and columns beneath a component package body.
For solderable array packages, such as Ball Grid Array (BGA) and micro-BGA area integrated circuit packages, the input and output points are solder balls arranged in a grid pattern on the underside of the component. However, cyclic temperature variations in applications can pose solder fatigue reliability problems to the ball solder connections. Interconnections with less sensitivity to cyclic temperature fatigue include Column Grid Array (CGA) in which solder columns are used rather than solder balls.
Land Grid Arrays (LGA) are often used for high lead count packaging that have interconnection requirements where solder connection cannot provide adequate reliability. LGA is also often used when a capability is desired for readily replacing a component or modules onto the circuit board without costly and time consuming solder repair and assembly processes, thus enhancing the repairability and upgradeability of a circuit board. Land Grid Arrays (LGA) are integrated circuit (IC) packages (e.g., an LGA socket) in which conductive bumps in an array are mechanically held without the use of solder by an LGA interposer to corresponding conductive terminal pads that form the bonding site on the circuit board. Consequently, the LGA packaging is not subjected to the temperature expansion of BGA and CGA packaging during reflow and thus finer lead pitches are achievable.
Area array packages drive different requirements on the circuit board for surface finish and assembly, unlike PTH and standard SMT packages. For example, Ball Grid Array (BGA), Column Grid Array (CGA), and Land Grid Array (LGA) each have a requirement for coplanarity of bonding sites not necessarily accommodated by generally used solderable surfaces. Moreover, depending on the type of array packaging used, surface treatment of the bonding site on the circuit board, such as by Organic Surface Preparation (OSP) or gold plating, is required to ensure interconnection reliability of LGA termination. Specifically, to ensure LGA interconnection reliability, LGA surface treatment of the circuit board must include noble metal plated (e.g., gold/nickel) terminal pads at the bonding site.
Area array surface finish treatments should be kept free of contaminants to ensure reliable electrical interconnection of the attached area array component, such as an LGA socket. Since a circuit board may include other components assembled by PTH attachment and standard SMT and FPT, keeping the surface finish clean and free of contaminants may be difficult due to the number of circuit board fabrication processes that may occur between the time that the surface finish is applied and the area array components are affixed to the circuit board. These bonding sites are thus subject to contamination during PWB fabrication, including presence of resist or mask residues. These bonding sites are further subject to contamination during, assembly including presence of flux residues, solder transfer, and various adherent or semi-adherent organic and inorganic residues transferred to the bonding site during all phases of circuit board handling, assembly, test and repair operations. Avoiding contamination is particularly significant for an LGA assembly where an LGA interposer presses the LGA component into electrical contact with the surface treated bonding site, rather than having a solder contact wherein the melting of the solder may overcome surface contaminants. The LGA interposer grips the circuit board and self aligns to the bond site through apertures in the circuit board.
Conventionally, area array bonding sites have been protected during various processing steps through the temporary application of an adhesive film, e.g., a KAPTON(copyright) tape having a silicone-based adhesive available from Du Pont. However, protection of the bonding sites with tape masking may introduce a source of contamination when a portion of the tape, or the adhesive residue from the tape, remains on the bonding site.
Residue from adhesive tape may entrap fluids during processing of the circuit board, such as during cleaning. Also, residue may encourage condensation and retention of water thereafter. The tape residue itself, or contaminants entrapped during processing of the circuit board, may also detrimentally chemically react with the circuit board. For example, presence of contamination on the surface treatment can create conditions for both electrochemical corrosion and metal migration allowing for either oxidized, insulating layers to form on a bonding site, or growth of conductive metal filaments between separate interconnection paths. Applications and removal of adhesive tape can also cause slivers of metal to be dislodged on the circuit board, such as removing and redepositing gold LGA terminal pads from the bonding site.
Therefore, aggregate contaminations can create either open circuits between an area array contact and a bonding site, or short circuits across adjacent contacts. The defects may be immediate, or dependent on factors such as temperature, frequency of a signal utilizing the contact, humidity, vibration, etc., and thus be intermittent. The defects may also be latent, such as a contaminant that oxidizes over time becoming insulating.
In addition to potential for generation of LGA contact defects, a masking process is constrained by the time required to place and remove the tape, as well as additional steps of inspection and test required to verify correct removal, thus increasing production costs.
Consequently, a significant need exists for protecting area array surface treated bonding sites during assembly processing of a printed circuit board.
The invention addresses these and other problems associated with the prior art by providing an apparatus and method of protectively covering a bonding site on a circuit board during processing using a combination of a protective cover and a plurality of posts that engage and align the cover over an area array bonding site of a printed circuit board.
In many embodiments, adhesive is not required to effectively retain the protective cover in position over the bonding site. Thus, the protective cover does not leave residue on the bonding surface like tape or film that are prone to failure during removal, especially with the increased removal forces required to overcome the adhesive. Consequently, the protective cover does not become a source of contamination to the bonding site from residue of the adhesive or a failed portion of the protective cover.
Consistent with one aspect of the invention, a method for processing a circuit board having an area array bonding site includes overlaying a protective cover over the bonding site by registering a plurality of posts secured to one of the protective cover and the circuit board into a plurality of apertures disposed in the other of the protective cover and the circuit board. With the protective cover overlaid on the circuit board, various fabrication processes may then be performed and then the protective cover is removed.
Consistent with an additional aspect of the invention, an assembly of a circuit board having an area array bonding site on a surface of the circuit board is overlaid by a protective cover. The protective cover is removably registered to the bonding site by a plurality of posts secured to one of the protective cover and the circuit board into a plurality of apertures disposed in the other of the protective cover and the circuit board.
Consistent with another aspect of the invention, a method of fabricating a protective cover and an assembly of the protective cover and circuit board is described. The circuit board has a plurality of apertures forming a footprint encompassing an area array bonding site on a surface of the circuit board. Base material is sized for the footprint and a plurality of posts are bonded to the base material in a pattern corresponding to the footprint to form the protective cover.
Consistent with yet another aspect of the invention, a cover has a base member shaped to at least correspond to an area array bonding site on a surface of a circuit board. The cover has a plurality of posts coupled to a face and registered for a plurality of apertures on the circuit board.
These and other advantages and features, which characterize the invention, are set forth in the claims annexed hereto and forming a further part hereof However, for a better understanding of the invention, and of the advantages and objectives attained through its use, reference should be made to the Drawings, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is described exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Processing of circuit boards with protective, adhesive-less covers on area array bonding sites

International Business Machines Corporation


Heat-treated lactic and/or glycolic acid compositions are provided herein which are useful for antimicrobial treatment of surfaces, preferably food surfaces including fruits, vegetables and animal carcasses. These heat-treated lactic and/or glycolic acid compositions have an average molecular weight preferably less than or equal to about 700 D and are mixtures of single molecules of the acid and ester complexes of the acid molecules containing two to no more than about ten molecules per complex. Preferably, these compositions comprise more than about 50 weight percent of the ester complexes, and more preferably about 75 weight percent. Aqueous solutions of these materials and methods for making and using the materials are also provided.

Trends toward shorter cooking times, consumer demand for safety, and willingness to use litigation are increasing the pressure on the food industry to reduce risks in the food chain. Meats are of particular concern because they are easily contaminated with microorganisms and are an ideal environment for growth of bacteria. Pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Clostridium, Escherichia coli 0157:H7, and the like can be present. Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni are the leading causes of bacterial diarrhea. Listeria ingestion results in a high mortality rate. Escherichia coli 0157:H7 is also particularly severe and the number of incidences are increasing. The primary source of 0157:H7 infection is through beef products; however, several recent outbreaks occurred by ingestion of acidic foods, fruits and vegetables and other sources not normally associated with food poisoning, indicating that 0157:H7 is particular hardy. Today's systems to control pathogenic bacteria still result in periodic food safety problems. Only continued analysis and control (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point HACCP!) as implemented by the Food and Drug Administration) and a multifaceted approach will allow a reasonable risk. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)-approved antimicrobial treatments include hot water, steam and organic acids, such as lactic acid (up to 2.5%).
The use of organic acids, such as lactic acid, for decontamination of carcasses has been extensively studied because they reduce bacterial counts and are safe. The drawbacks of organic acid sprays is that high concentrations of the acids should not be used because of loss of sensory quality. Discoloration and the threshold for tasting the acid begins at about two percent.
Lactic acid has been used as an antimicrobial agent for treating animal carcasses. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,890, issued Jan. 12, 1993 to van den Niewelaar, et al. for "Method for Improving the Bacteriological Quality of Slaughtered Poultry"; Grau, F. H. (1986), "Microbial Ecology of Meat and Poultry," Advances in Meat Research, Vol. 2, pp 1-47; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,140 issued Mar. 3, 1992 to Watanabe for "Aqueous Bactericide for Animal Treatment." Application of lactic acid to meats causes a pH drop which results in death and sublethal injury to microorganisms (Anderson, M. E. and Marshall, R. T. 1989!, "Interaction of concentration and temperature of acetic acid solution on reduction of various species of microorganisms on beef surface," Journal of Food Protection 52(5):312-315). The pH remains low for a relatively short time because of the natural buffering in meat as discussed above. After spraying of hot calf carcasses with 1.25% (v/v) lactic acid, a surface pH fall of more than three units has been found. However, after 72 hours the pH had returned to its initial value. Repeating a lactic acid treatment of broiler carcasses neither decreased the surface pH further nor enhanced the bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. See Woolthuis, C. H. J. and Smulders, F. J. M. (1985), "Microbial Decontamination of Calf Carcasses by Lactic Acid Sprays," J. Food Protection 48(10)832-837;
At high levels of initial contamination acceptable concentrations of lactic acid may not effect marked microbial lethality as theorized by Baird-Parker (Baird-Parker, A.C. 1980! "Organic Acids," in Microbial Ecology of Foods. L Factors affecting life and death of microorganisms," J. H. Silliker et al. (eds.), Academic Press, New York, pp. 126-135). When the initial contamination was low, the lethality effect of lactic acid on aerobic colony counts, though significant, did not exceed two or exceptionally three log.sub.10 cycles. (See: Snijders, J. M. A. et al. 1979!, "Dekontamination schlachtwarmer Rinderkorper mit organishen Sauren," Fleischwirtschaft 59:656-663; Smulders, F. J. M. and Woolthuis, C. H. J. 1983!, "Influence of two levels of hygiene on the microbiological condition of veal as a product of two slaughtering/processing sequences," J. of Food Protection 46:1032-1035; Smulders, F. J. M. and Woolthuis, C. H. J. 1983!, "The immediate and delayed microbiological effects of lactic acid decontamination of calf carcasses. The influence on conventionally boned versus hot boned and vacuum packaged cuts," J. of Food Protection 48:838-847; Smulders, F. J. M. and Kortenknie, F. 1985!, "Control of the bacteriological condition of calf brain. II. Effect of lactic acid decontamination and frozen storage," Int. J. Food Microbiol. 2:293-299; Van Netten, P. et al. 1984!, "A note on catalase-enhanced recovery of acid injured cells of gram negative bacteria and its consequences for the assessment of the lethality of L-lactic acid decontamination of raw meat surfaces," J. Applied Bacteriology 57:169-173; Gill, C. O. and Penney, N. 1985!, "Modification of in-pack conditions to extend the storage life of vacuum packed lamb," Meat Science 14:43-60.) However, after storage of lactic acid-treated meat surfaces a so-called delayed bacteriostatic effect was found (Smulders and Woolthuis 1985!, supra). It has also been found that lamb cuts treated with 5% lactic acid and vacuum packaged in foil laminate remained unspoiled for 12 weeks of chilled storage (Gill and Penney 1985! supra).
Lactic acid is a natural metabolite of mammalian muscle tissue and has been generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA for human consumption. Sprays at less than or equal to 2.5 percent (by weight lactic acid have been approved for antimicrobial treatment of carcasses. High molecular weight polymers of lactic acid (polylactic acid) can be formed into food packaging materials. These materials biodegrade to form lactic acid, and their use for packaging of foods has also been generally recognized as safe by the FDA. See, e.g. Conn, R. E., et al. (1995), "Safety assessment of polylactide (PLA) for use as a food-contact polymer," Food and Chemical Toxicology 33(4)273-283.
Polylactic acid has been used for a number of purposes including biodegradable implants for wound healing, timed release vehicles for drugs, fertilizers and the like, films, and grocery bags. These usages generally specify high molecular weight (e.g. above about 8,000 D) polymers.
Polylactic acid up to a molecular weight of about 15,000 D is produced by heating and condensation of lactic acid. Depending on their molecular weight, these materials can be gel-like or resinous products. Low molecular weight lactic acid materials having molecular weights up to about 15,000 daltons (D) can be prepared by condensing free (monomeric) lactic acid with or without catalysts. Classic polymerization of lactic acid to high molecular weight polymers (above about 15,000 M.W.) is a three-step process: 1) polycondensation to low molecular weight material; 2) depolymerization and cyclic dimerization to lactide; and 3) repolymerization of the lactide to high molecular weight polylactic acid (PLA) by a ring-opening reaction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,034 issued Oct. 18, 1994 to Fridman et al. entitled "Lactide Polymerization" teaches making a polylactic acid composition with molecular weight between 300 and 500 by heating 85-90 weight percent lactic acid in aqueous solution to 115.degree. C. to 125.degree. C. to remove water, and then further heating to 170.degree. C. to 175.degree. C. to form the polylactic acid over a period of 5 to 8 hours. This material was then further polymerized to form high molecular weight polylactides.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35320 issued Aug. 27, 1996 to Kinnersley, et al. for "Method for Regulating Plant Growth" and divisional patent thereof, U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,841, discloses heating lactic acid to 100.degree. C. under vacuum for 21/2 hours to form oligomers of lactic acid having up to six molecules. Such compositions having up to six molecules were also formed by heating the dimer of L-lactic acid under reduced pressure. The dimer was obtained by hydrolysis of L-lactide. The compositions are used in aqueous solutions of 1-1000 ppm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,127 issued Dec. 28, 1993 to Sinclair et al. for "Lactide Production from Dehydration of Aqueous Lactic Acid Feed" teaches removal of water from lactic acid (88%) by heating at 120.degree. C. to 185.degree. C. under nitrogen bubbling. At various (unspecified) times, aliquots were removed and analyzed, and included oligomers of up to four molecules as well as lactide. At 150.degree. C. (90 torr), the composition contained 27.8 weight percent monomers, 27.8 weight percent dimers, 20.2 weight percent trimers, 10.3 weight percent tetramers and 8.6 weight percent lactide. The object of this process was to maximize lactide production.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,739 issued Jan. 31, 1989 to Franz et al. for "Oligomeric Hydroxycarboxylic Acid Derivatives, Their Production and Use," discloses distilling lactic acid under argon atmosphere to 160.degree. (presumably degrees C.) for varying periods of time up to eight hours, to produce product having 12 or more lactic acid units.
None of the foregoing references teach useful heat-treated lactic acid compositions having average molecular weights less than about 700 D, and consisting of a mixture of lactic acid molecules and ester complexes of lactic acid molecules containing two to no more than about ten molecules per complex. Nor do these references teach dilute aqueous solutions having concentrations less than about 10 weight percent of the heat-treated lactic acid. Nor do any of the foregoing references teach uses of such compositions, particularly uses of such compositions as antimicrobial agents for cleaning surfaces such as meat carcasses.

Heat-treated lactic and/or glycolic acid compositions and methods of use

The Curators of the University of Missouri


An inkjet recording apparatus includes a holding face, an inkjet head including plural nozzles arranged along a predetermined direction correspondingly with a predetermined resolution, a first moving mechanism which performs a first movement of moving at least one of the inkjet head and the holding member in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, a second moving mechanism which performs a second movement of moving the holding member in the predetermined direction, and a first movement controlling unit which controls the first moving mechanism to perform the first movement first and second times. In the second time, the inkjet head and the holding member are moved in directions that are opposite to directions in the first time. A second movement controlling unit controls the second moving mechanism to, after the first movement for the first time, perform the second movement by one half of a distance corresponding to the predetermined resolution.

JP-A-2003-311953 discloses an inkjet printer in which ink is ejected from a line-head type inkjet head extending in a main scanning direction, onto a sheet transported in a sub-scanning direction, thereby printing an image on the sheet. In the inkjet printer, plural pressure chambers for applying a pressure to the ink are formed in the inkjet head while being adjacently arranged in a matrix pattern and in a highly dense manner. Nozzles which correspond respectively to the pressure chambers are formed in an ink ejection face in a highly dense manner. Therefore, the printer can print a high-resolution image on the sheet.


A load cell adapted to be positioned between a foundation and each of several support members for a storage vessel. The load cell includes a circular flex plate having a pair of concentric cylindrical members of different diameters secured to opposite surfaces. A mounting pad adapted to be fastened to the foundation is secured to one of the cylindrical members. A mounting plate is secured to the other cylindrical member. The mounting plate has either a single threaded bore or a threaded stud positioned at the common axis of the cylindrical members for securing the mounting plate to a vessel support member. A strain sensor mounted on the flex plate measures the load-induced deflection of the flex plate.

A manufacturer or a user of bulk materials generally wants to keep track of the amount of goods contained in a storage vessel, such as a large bin or silo. A number of conventional instruments mounted inside the storage container are available for this purpose. There are level measuring indicators, some of which are mechanical, such as so called "plumb bobs", and others of which are electric, such as capacity probes, ultrasound ranging systems, and microwave ranging systems.
However, none of these conventional instruments give very accurate information about the weight of the stored material, and, since they are located inside the storage container, they can easily corrode or gum up with sticky material and require servicing. As a result of these problems with internal instruments, the presently preferred approach is to weigh the contents of the silo. This approach gives much more precise and valuable information, and, since the weighing devices are located outside the tank, the instruments are not subject to the effect of corrosive or abrasive materials, and thus normally do not require servicing.
One conventional device using load cells to weigh the contents of a storage container is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,155 to Kistler. The Kistler patent describes a load cell which basically consists of an inverted cup inside of which a two axis strain sensor is mounted. When a load is applied to the center of the top surface of this load cell, this top surface is spherically deformed. The magnitude of this deformation is measured using the two-axis strain sensor to provide an accurate measure of the applied load. The basic simplicity, relatively low cost and good accuracy of this type of load cell has made it very successful. However, like most other load cells, it cannot be bolted to either the foundation or a floor or other support structure. As a result, the vessel simply rests on the load cells without being solidly tied down. Consequently, a tall outdoor silo could easily topple in strong winds or during a minor earthquake. To prevent this, horizontal flexible tie rods are used to laterally restrain the silo or tank. Vertical tie rods, which cannot contact the tank or its support structure, are installed to prevent it from toppling over. This makes installation rather complex and expensive and large measuring errors may result if, for example, the tank is vertically restrained as a result of improper installation of the vertical tie bolts.
Several efforts have been made to modify the device shown in the Kistler patent to provide attachment to a floor or support structure through bolting or welding. However, all of these approaches either degrade the accuracy of the load cell or make the load cell incapable of withstanding certain types of loads without being damaged. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,997 to Kistler describes a cylindrical load cell having a lower mounting plate that is secured by multiple bolts to a floor, and an upper mounting plate that is secured by multiple bolts to a storage container support member. The load cell has a circular flex plate that is coupled to the upper and lower mounting plate at different radial positions so that the plate deforms in proportion to the weight of the storage container and its contents. The magnitude of the flex plate strain is measured by conventional strain sensing means to provide an indication of the weight of the contents of the storage container.
Although the device disclosed in the Kistler '997 patent may perform well in some applications, it is easily damaged by bending moments applied to the load cell. These bending moments can be caused by angular misalignments of the storage vessel support structures that are secured to the load cell. More particularly, since the load cell disclosed in the Kistler '997 patent is bolted to a vessel support member at multiple points, the angle between the support member and the upper surface of the load cell is fixed. Similarly, since the load cell disclosed in the Kistler '997 patent is bolted to a floor surface at multiple points, the angle between the floor surface and the lower surface of the load cell is fixed. As a result, any change in the angle between the support member and the floor surface must be accommodated by a lateral bending of the load cell.
Bending moments can also be applied to the load cell described in the '997 Kistler patent by lateral forces that the support structure applies to the load cell. A lateral force applied to the load cell by the support member will impart a bending moment to the load cell having a magnitude that is equal to the product of the force and the vertical thickness of the load cell (ie., the product of the force and the moment arm).
The design of the load cell described in the Kistler '997 patent is inherently incapable of accommodating substantial bending moments caused by either angular misalignments or lateral forces as described above. As a result, the load cells described in the Kistler '997 patent have been subject to frequent damage.

Load cell for weighing the contents of storage vessels


A method and an apparatus for heating a solid material in a process vessel are disclosed. The method includes the steps of: (a) supplying a charge of the solid material to the vessel to form a packed bed; (b) supplying a fluid to the packed bed to pressurise the contents of the vessel; (c) supplying steam to the vessel to heat the solid material in the packed bed by indirect heat exchange while maintaining the contents of the vessel under pressure; and (d) controlling the operating conditions in step (c). The operating conditions in step (c) are controlled to transfer heat to the solid material and allow water in the solid material to be removed as a liquid phase in a first xe2x80x9cwetxe2x80x9d stage of the method and to transfer heat to the solid material to boil at least a part of the remaining water from the solid material as a vapor phase in a second xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d stage of the method.

The present invention relates to processing a charge of a solid material to heat the solid material.
The present invention relates particularly, although by no means exclusively, to processing a charge of a solid material which has low thermal conductivity under conditions including high temperature and pressure.
The present invention relates more particularly to:
(i) upgrading carbonaceous materials, typically coal, under conditions including high temperature and pressure to increase the BTU value of the carbonaceous materials by removing water from the carbonaceous materials; and
(ii) cooling the heated carbonaceous materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,523 to Koppelman discloses a process for upgrading coal by the simultaneous application of temperature and pressure.
Koppelman discloses thermal dewatering of coal by heating coal under conditions including elevated temperature and pressure to cause physical changes in the coal that results in water being removed from the coal by a xe2x80x9csqueezexe2x80x9d reaction.
Koppelman also discloses maintaining the pressure sufficiently high during the upgrading process so that the by-product water is produced mainly as a liquid rather than as steam.
Koppelman also discloses a range of different apparatus options for carrying out the upgrading process. In general terms, the options are based on the use of a pressure vessel which includes an inverted conical inlet, a cylindrical body, a conical outlet, and an assembly of vertically or horizontally disposed heat exchange tubes positioned in the body.
In one proposal to use a Koppelman-type apparatus, the vertically disposed tubes and the outlet end are packed with coal, and nitrogen is injected to pre-pressurise the tubes and the outlet end. The coal is heated by indirect heat exchange with oil that is supplied as a heat transfer fluid to the cylindrical body externally of the tubes. Further heating of the coal is promoted by direct heat exchange between the coal and steam which acts as a working fluid within the packed bed. In addition, the steam pressurises the tubes and the outlet end to a required pressure.
The combination of elevated pressure and temperature conditions in the tubes and the outlet end evaporates some of the water from the coal and thereafter condenses some of the water as a liquid. A portion of the steam generated following the addition of water also condenses as a liquid in colder regions of the tubes due to the elevated pressure. Steam which is not condensed, and which is in excess of the requirements for optimum pressurisation of the packed bed, must be vented. In addition, non-condensable gases (eg CO, CO2) are evolved and need to be vented. Periodically, liquid is drained from the outlet end.
Finally, after a prescribed residence time, the vessel is depressurised and the upgraded coal is discharged via the outlet end and subsequently cooled.
The above described proposal to use a Koppelman-type apparatus requires the use of oil as a heat transfer fluid at close to its operating temperature limit. This is undesirable from environmental and occupational health viewpoints. Other high temperature liquids such as molten salt or molten metal may be used as alternatives but these also have limitations in use.
In another proposal to use a Koppelman-type apparatus, steam rather than oil is used as a heat transfer fluid in direct rather than indirect contact with coal. The disadvantages of this proposal include limited options to scale up to a commercial plant size and difficulties in controlling heating rate.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for upgrading coal by the simultaneous application of temperature and pressure which does not rely on the use of oil as the heat transfer fluid.
According to the present invention there is provided a method of heating a solid material in a process vessel, which method comprises:
(a) supplying a charge of the solid material to the vessel to form a packed bed;
(b) supplying a fluid to the packed bed to pressurise the contents of the vessel;
(c) supplying steam to the vessel to heat the solid material in the packed bed by indirect heat exchange while maintaining the contents of the vessel under pressure; and
(d) controlling the operating conditions in step (c):
(i) to transfer heat to the solid material and allow water in the solid material to be removed as a liquid phase in a first xe2x80x9cwetxe2x80x9d stage of the method; and
(ii) to transfer heat to the solid material to boil at least a part of the remaining water from the solid material as a vapour phase in a second xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d stage of the method.
The term xe2x80x9coperating conditionsxe2x80x9d is understood to mean any conditions which have a bearing on the heating of the solid material and the removal of water from the solid material and includes, by way of example, operating conditions such as steam pressure, steam temperature and steam flow rate which influence the temperature in the packed bed.
It is preferred that step (d) comprises controlling the operating conditions so that a substantial portion of the steam condenses during indirect heat exchange with the solid material in the packed bed in the wet phase of the method.
It is preferred particularly that step (d) comprises controlling the operating conditions so that at least 80% of the steam condenses during indirect heat exchange with the solid material in the packed bed in the wet phase of the method.
It is preferred that the wet stage of the method heats the solid material to a temperature of the order of 250xc2x0 C.
It is preferred that the dry stage of the method includes:
(i) a xe2x80x9cdwellxe2x80x9d part during which the remaining water that is removed in the dry stage boils from the solid material; and
(ii) a subsequent heating part during which the solid material is heated to a final temperature.
It is preferred that the final temperature of the solid material in the dry stage be on average in the range of 270 to 420xc2x0 C. to ensure optimum upgrading of the solid material.
In order to achieve temperatures of at least 270xc2x0 C. in the dry stage, it is preferred that the method comprises supplying superheated steam during the dry stage of the method.
It is preferred particularly that step (d) comprises controlling the operating conditions so that the pressure of the superheated steam in the dry stage of the method is greater than the pressure in the packed bed so as to promote boiling of water in the packed bed.
Typically, step (d) comprises controlling the pressure of the steam in the wet stage relative to the pressure in the packed bed so as to control the condensing temperature of the steam to be less than that of the boiling temperature of water in the packed bed. This step ensures operation which avoids boiling of water exuded from the solid material in the packed bed during the wet stage of the method.
It is preferred that the method comprises:
(a) supplying superheated steam to a first process vessel to heat solid material in the packed bed in the first vessel by indirect heat exchange during the dry stage of the method;
(b) supplying steam discharged from the first process vessel to a second process vessel to heat solid material in the packed bed in the second vessel by indirect heat exchange during the wet stage of the method.
The above described use of two (or more) process vessels with separate charges of solid material is particularly advantageous because it makes use of steam in a superheated state in the dry stage to heat the solid material in the packed bed to temperatures to boil water from the solid material and to further heat the solid material to a final temperature and thereafter makes use of steam in the wet stage to heat solid material without boiling the water in the solid material.
It is preferred particularly that the method further comprises:
(a) discharging heated solid material from the first vessel after completing the wet and dry stages of the method and removing a required level of water from the solid material during these stages;
(b) filling the first vessel with solid material and pressurising the contents of the vessel; and
(c) changing the flow of steam so that the superheated steam flows first through the second vessel to heat the solid material in the packed bed by indirect heat exchange in the dry stage of the method and the steam discharged from the second vessel flows through the first vessel and heats solid material in that vessel by indirect heat exchange in the wet stage of the method.
It is preferred more particularly that the method comprises repeating the above described sequence of steps of emptying and filling the vessels and changing the flow of steam through the vessels.
According to the present invention there is also provided an apparatus for heating a solid material which comprises:
(a) a process vessel for containing a packed bed of the solid material; and
(b) a heat exchange circuit for supplying steam to the process vessel to heat the solid material in the packed bed via indirect heat exchange, which heat exchange circuit comprises:
(i) a heat exchange assembly in the process vessel, which assembly comprises a passageway for steam and a plurality of heat exchange surfaces which, in use, extend into the packed bed;
(ii) a condenser for condensing steam discharged from the heat exchange assembly; and
(iii) a boiler for generating steam for the heat exchange assembly from the water condensed in the condenser.
It is preferred that the exchange circuit further comprises a means for storing steam to allow for variations in flow and pressure during normal operating conditions, load/unload, start-up and shut-down.
It is preferred that the apparatus comprises two or more process vessels for containing packed beds of the solid material.
With this arrangement, it is preferred that the heat exchange circuit comprises one of the heat exchange assemblies in each of the vessels and that the heat exchange assemblies be connected together so that steam can flow in series or in parallel through the heat exchange assemblies.


Hormone replacement therapies are provided comprising solubilized progesterone alone and optionally with an estrogen, cyclic/sequential and continuous-combined dosing, and administered via transdermal HRT delivery systems.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a medical treatment that involves the use of one or more of a group of medications designed to increase hormone levels in women who lack adequate hormone production. HRT can mitigate and prevent symptoms caused by diminished circulating estrogen and progesterone hormones regardless as to whether the subject is pre-menopausal, peri-menopausal, menopausal or post-menopausal. However, specific disease states can exist during each stage of menopausal progression.
HRT via transdermal delivery is presently available in various forms. One therapy involves administration of one or more estrogens. Another involves administration of a chemical analogue of naturally occurring progesterone, called a progestin. Progesterone administration acts, in addition to treating other disease states, to mitigate certain undesirable side effects from estrogen administration including, for example, endometrial hyperplasia (thickening), and reducing the incidence of endometrial cancer.
Reference to progesterone, both naturally-occurring and bio-identical, is generally collectively referred to herein as "progesterone."
Various references generally suggest the use of the progestogen class of hormones for inclusion in transdermal therapies, typically in combination with an estrogen. The teachings within such references are generally limited to progestins however. Progestins are sometimes confused in the literature with progesterone or progestogens generally. Yet progestins are a distinct subclass of progestogens; a synthetic progestogen that has progestational effects similar to progesterone. Typically, synthetic progestins have higher activity and are administered at significantly lower dosages relative to natural progesterone.
The term "progestogen(s)," as used herein, is inclusive of naturally-occurring and bio-identical progesterone and all synthetic progestins. The term "bio-identical" hormones, as used herein, refers to hormones which are identical in chemical structure to the hormones naturally produced by mammals, including humans, and can be used, and are often referred to as, natural hormone replacement therapy, or "NHRT."
Prevailing transdermal patch technologies utilize progestins over progesterone. This is due to, among others, the difficulty with solubilizing natural progesterone which is relatively insoluble, particularly at high dosages. Solubilized drug substances are preferred in the manufacture of the various patch technologies, particularly matrix and reservoir technologies. Synthetic progestins typically have greater potency and therefore lower dosage requirements. The reduced amount of progestin drug substance relative to a given volume of drug product generally affords relatively easier formulation solubility. For example, a drug load of 2.7 mg of northethindrone acetate is provided within a 9 square cm round CombiPatch® product; a drug load of 4.8 mg of norethindrone acetate within the 16 square cm patch product.
Progesterone, on the other hand, is defined by a lower potency and therefore a higher dosage requirement. A much larger amount of progesterone drug substance is required, up to 200 mg, in a patch product. Given the higher dosage requirements and relative insolubility of progesterone, no transdermal patch employing a natural progesterone drug substance has been successfully commercialized.
Considering the current trend towards natural and bio-identical products, particularly with human hormones, the present disclosure provides, among other aspects, solubilized progesterone that can be used with transdermal patch technologies, and transdermal patches comprising progesterone, alone or in combination with at least one estrogen drug substance including, without limitation, estradiol, and other drug substances having estradiol or estradiol-like biological activity that are well known in the art.
Timing for HRT dosage administration is often varied cyclically, with estrogens taken daily and progesterone taken for approximately two weeks of every month; a method often referred to as "cyclic-sequential" or "sequentially-combined" HRT. This method is intended to mimic the natural menstrual cycle and typically causes menstruation similar to a period after the progesterone is stopped. This regime is most typically used in peri-menopausal or newly menopausal women as the alternative continuous method often resulting in irregular bleeding. An alternate method involving a constant dosage with both estrogen and progesterone delivered daily is called "continuous-combined" HRT. This method usually results in no menstruation and is used most often after a woman has been menopausal for some time.
With each of the cyclic-sequential or continuous combined methods, each of an estrogen and progesterone, as used herein, may be administered in the same or different dosage forms. When used in the same dosage form, the present disclosure includes each of an estrogen and progesterone in a transdermal patch. When administered in different dosage forms, the present disclosure provides for progesterone administered in a transdermal patch.
There is also a need for a pre-packaged cyclic-HRT with combination estrogen and progesterone. By way of example, doctors desiring to prescribe cyclic-HRT are required to prescribe two separate products, namely, an estrogen patch and a combination estrogen/progesterone patch or an estrogen patch along with another form of progesterone including oral or topical. Such separate dosing regimes often result in poor patient compliance due to, among others, confusion as to how and when to take each of the medications throughout the prescribed therapy period. Increased patient morbidity may result.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Transdermal hormone replacement therapies


A method and apparatus for handling a data object accessible by more than one node. A server in a communication network stores information relating to the data object stored at a first node. The server then receives a subscription request message from a second node. This subscription request message subscribes to updates relating to the data object stored at the first node. A copy of the data object is accessible by the second node. The server subsequently receives a publication message relating to a change to the data object stored at the first node and which indicates an identity of the data object and an indication of the changes. The server sends a notification message relating to the change to the data object towards the second node, which is usable by the second node to make corresponding changes to the copy of the data object accessible by the second node.

Presence, group and data management (PGM) enables IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) services and applications. By managing presence and group information, the user experience of a communications network is enhanced and IMS based services become more appealing to end-users.
Presence information typically refers to the status or availability of an end-user or resource in a network (termed a presentity). For example presence information can include a mood or location of the user, or the availability of different applications. The use of presence information allows users to manage how, when and with whom to communicate. Group and Data Management refers to the users' ability to handle network based groups and data such as contact lists, chat groups, et cetera.
PGM in an IMS network resides in the application layer of the IMS network. PGM provides presence, group and data management capabilities to other IMS applications. The use of open standards and protocols in PGM allows an operator to build applications that will attract the end-users. For applications to work across different networks and operators they must be standardized. An example of such a standardized application is Push-to-Talk (PTT), which is based on the OMA Push to talk Over Cellular (PoC) standard. However, non-standardized applications can also be developed using PGM functionality. Applications can be developed by a network operator or third party supplier.
Examples of applications that can be enriched with PGM functionality are Presence Enhanced Phone Book (PEP), Multimedia Telephony, Gaming, Widgets, Instant Messaging (IM), Dating, Enterprise services, IPTV, Push-To-Talk (PTT) and Advertising. PGM is an enabler in the operator's service networks that adds value by enhancing person-to-person communication as well as opening the way for new content-to-person applications. PGM can be used in many different applications.
In person-to-person and content-to-person applications, presence can be seen as a dynamic profile of status information for persons, resources, applications or machines that is visible to others. When applied to person-to person communications, presence provides users with the current status information (presence attributes and information) of other users. Examples of such presence information include person specific availability (the user can define his/her current availability, for example "in a meeting", "busy" or "vacation"), a tagline (a user can enter a free text, similar to the commonly used micro blogs), a mooed (a user can inform his/her friends about current mood, for example "angry", "stressed" or "happy"), a location (a user states where he/she is currently located, for example "at home", "at the office"). Service specific presence information may include Application Specific Availability (e.g. if a presentity is provisioned with a Telephony Service, is within coverage, has an appropriate handset, et cetera, the user is available for a telephone call), Service Description (e.g. a client can state what service capabilities it supports, for example Video Call, Instant Messaging, Chess Game etc.), or Session Participation (e.g. a client can indicate whether a user is currently involved in a session of some kind, for example a telephone call). Device specific presence information may include network availability or location, and may be updated a user or by resources such as the mobile network or other server based applications.
A presence service governs the access rules to the presence information so that only authorized entities are allowed to see or update the presence information. It handles the distribution of presence information to the interested entities.
Group and Data Management (G&DM) is the capability to manage network-based user-specific service-related information for different types of services. It can be seen as the self-provisioning aspect of an IMS terminal based application. Each end-user manages and owns this type of data, which is required by most applications. These data types are, for example, access lists related to presence information, groups used to set-up group calls and presence lists that are used for subscriptions to presence information for lists of users.
Group and data information is stored in a group and data management function where it can be accessed and manipulated (created, changed or deleted) by authorized users.
Message Waiting Indication (MWI) provides the possibility to subscribe and receive updates about pending messages in the network (e.g. unread emails or voice messages that haven't yet been played). The information is normally provided to PGM by so called Presence Network Agents (PNA), which publish the current state on-behalf of the user.
PGM can be used to enhance content-to-person applications by making up-to-date information available in the user terminal from almost any source or application. The content will be available in the terminal in the form of, for example, icons with attached messages. Examples include widgets, advertising and surveillance.
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) is an open-standard communications protocol for message-oriented middleware based on XML (Extensible Markup Language), and is used in IM, VoIP and file transfer signalling. XMPP uses an open systems approach of development and application, by which anyone may implement an XMPP service and interoperate with other organizations' implementations.
The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) formed an XMPP Working Group in 2002 to formalize the core protocols as an IETF instant messaging and presence technology. RFC 3920, RFC 3921, RFC 3922, RFC 3923 were approved by the Internet Engineering Steering Group as Proposed Standards in 2004. RFC 3920 and RFC 3921 have been superseded by RFC 6120 and RFC 6121 respectively, and RFC 6122 specifies the XMPP address format.
Google Docs is a suite of products that lets you create different kinds of online documents, work on them in real time with other people, and store your documents and your other files online. With an Internet connection, documents and files can be accessed from any computer. This guide gives a quick overview of Google Docs: http://support.google.com/docs/bin/answer.py?h1=en&answer=49008
Currently available conferencing service systems allow sharing of presentations, documents, desktops, etc. between participants in the conference. Currently, there are solutions to share files being modified; they must be stored in a common storage repository, but it is not possible to share file editing stored locally to each user in the conference.

Handling a shared data object in a communication network


A clamp for fastening plate-form bodies, such as solar panels, onto a support plate comprises two U-shaped portions opening in opposite directions with a common shank portion of the two U-shaped portions. The body, such as the solar panel, has its edge received in one of the U-shaped portions, such as the upper U-shaped portion, while the opposite edge is received in a lower U-shaped portion of an adjacent row of clamps. Preferably, an elastic part having a U-shaped and profiled surfaces is placed between each of the U-shaped portions and edges of the bodies to prevent damage to the plate-shaped bodies.

The present invention is directed to a clamp for fastening plate-form bodies to a support plate, an assembly using the clamp, as well as to a process for fastening the flat plate-form bodies to a support plate with the aid of the clamp.
For the fastening of flat plate-form bodies, depending on the material of the bodies, many kinds of possibilities offer themselves. Wooden materials and similar materials permit direct fastening by means of screws or nails or also with the aid of special fastening elements. However, brittle materials, such as glass or ceramics, are preferably glued or fastened with the aid of clamps to walls and the like.

Clamp for fastening plate-form bodies to a flat support plate


A thin film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode formed on the substrate, an electrically insulating layer formed on the substrate and covering the gate electrode, a channel layer made of semiconductor material and formed on the electrically insulating layer, an etch stop pattern formed on the channel layer and defining a first through hole and a second through hole; and a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the etch stop pattern. The source electrode extends into the first through hole to electrically couple to the channel layer. The drain electrode extends into the second through hole to electrically couple to the channel layer. Both the channel layer and the etch stop pattern are formed by using a single mask and a single photoresist layer.

In manufacturing a metal oxide TFT, six photolithographic processes each consisting of masking, light exposure and etching are required to form the metal oxide TFT, which include to form the gate electrode, the metal oxide (channel) layer, the etch stop layer, the source and drain electrodes, the through holes in an insulating layer over the source and drain electrodes and the pixel electrodes over the insulating layer. The six masking steps of the six photolithographic processes are expensive and complicated.
Furthermore, the TFT made by the method having such numerous masking steps has a poor dimensional precision, since each masking step needs to align the mask with the TFT, which unavoidably results in a tolerance. The disadvantage of the poor dimensional precision becomes more unfavorable in view of the current trend of high definition display.

Thin film transistor and method of making same


A method of manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic head is disclosed, including perpendicular magnetic recording head includes forming a primary magnetic pole having a flat top surface, where a shield layer over the primary magnetic pole and at the sides of the primary magnetic pole is formed in a single piece. The distance in the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction between the side surfaces of the primary magnetic pole and the side shield layer is longer than the distance in the thickness direction between the top surface of the primary magnetic pole and the shield layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to perpendicular magnetic recording heads which apply a perpendicular magnetic field to a recording medium, such as a disk with a hard layer, to record data on the medium. In particular, the invention relates to a perpendicular magnetic recording head including a primary magnetic pole having a flat top surface and an integrated shield layer including side shields disposed at the sides of the primary magnetic pole and an upper shield disposed over the primary magnetic pole, and to a method for manufacturing the perpendicular magnetic recording head. The magnetic recording head having such a structure exhibits low noise, and prevents side fringing and erasure of recorded signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Perpendicular magnetic recording is one of the techniques for high-density recording of magnetic data on a recording medium, such as a disk. Perpendicular magnetic recording has an advantage in high-density recording in comparison with horizontal magnetic recording.
For high-density recording, the intervals between recording tracks are reduced as the track width Tw of the primary magnetic pole is reduced. Accordingly, perpendicular magnetic recording heads adaptable to high-density recording make worse the problems of write fringing in recording media resulting from the spread of magnetic flux generated for writing from the primary magnetic pole and of erasing recorded signals in the adjacent recording tracks.
In view of such circumstances, some perpendicular magnetic recording heads have been developed which are provided with shields absorbing flux (side flux) spread to the sides of the magnetic pole before the flux reaches the recording medium so as to prevent the side flux from writing onto a recording medium and thus suppress write fringing and erasure of recorded signals.
In order to absorb a large amount of side flux in this magnetic head, it is preferable that not only the side shields be provided at both sides of the primary magnetic pole, but also an upper shield be provided over the primary magnetic pole.
The primary magnetic pole is often formed by plating. Unfortunately, the resulting top surface of such a magnetic pole bulges, and it is thus difficult to form a flat surface. A non-flat upper surface of the primary magnetic pole distorts signals to be recorded and thus hinder accurate recording on recording media, consequently causing noise during reproduction of the recorded signals. It is therefore preferable that the top surface of the primary magnetic pole be formed flat.
A perpendicular magnetic recording head having this structure has been disclosed in a non-patent document One Terabit Per Square Inch Perpendicular Recording Conceptual Design, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, Vol. 38, No. 4, July 2002 (particularly in FIG. 4) and a patent document Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-201710 (particularly in FIG. 16 B).
In order for the side shields and the upper shield to absorb a large amount of side flux, it is necessary to increase the total flux absorption of the shields. Hence, the side shields and the upper shield are formed in a single piece rather than in separated pieces.
The non-patent document proposes a perpendicular magnetic recording head having side shields and an upper shield which are integrated into one piece. However, this document does not teach how the structure is provided.
In order to integrate the side shields with the upper shield, the following process, as shown in FIGS. 26 to 28, is generally applied.
FIGS. 26 to 28 are fragmentary front views showing a process for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording head having side shields and an upper shield formed in a single piece.
First, after forming a plating base layer 102 on a nonmagnetic material layer 101, a magnetic material is deposited to form a primary magnetic pole 103 on the plating base layer 102 by frame plating or the like, as shown in FIG. 26.
Turning to FIG. 27, another nonmagnetic material layer 104 is formed over the primary magnetic pole 103 from the top to the sides, and a gap layer 105 is further provided over the nonmagnetic material layer 104.
Then, a shield layer 106 made of a magnetic material is formed over the gap layer 105 from above the primary magnetic pole 103 to the sides, as shown in FIG. 28. The shield layer 106 is cut to a predetermined height (for example, along line D-D in the figure). Thus, an integrated shield serving as side shields and an upper shield is provided.
However, the top surface of the primary magnetic pole 103 of this magnetic head is undesirably formed in a convex shape in the step shown in FIG. 26. Consequently, the resulting perpendicular magnetic recording head distorts record signals to increase noise.
It is therefore considered that the top surface of the primary magnetic pole 103 of the non-patent document is not flat and is accordingly liable to produce noise.
In order to flatten the top surface of the primary magnetic pole 103, the following process is generally applied.
FIGS. 29 to 34 are fragmentary front views showing a process for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording head whose primary magnetic pole has a flat top surface.
First, after forming a plating base layer 102 on a nonmagnetic material layer 101, a magnetic material is deposited to form a primary magnetic pole 103 on the plating base layer 102 by frame plating or the like, as shown in FIG. 29.
Turning to FIG. 30, another nonmagnetic material layer 104 is formed over the primary magnetic pole 103 from the top surface to the sides. Then, a first shield layer 110 is formed of a magnetic material over the nonmagnetic material layer 104, as shown in FIG. 31. The first shield layer 110 is cut along line D-D, shown in FIG. 31, together with the upper portion of the primary magnetic pole 103 so that a flat top surface 103a of the primary magnetic pole 103 is exposed at the surface of the first shield layer 110, as shown in FIG. 32.
Then, a gap layer 105 is formed over the first shield layer 110 and the upper surface 103a of the primary magnetic pole 103.
Turning to FIG. 34, a second shield layer 111 is formed over the gap layer 105 and is subsequently cut to a predetermined height (for example, along line D-D in the figure). Thus, the flat top surface 103a is provided to the primary magnetic pole 103 of the perpendicular magnetic recording head.
In the resulting perpendicular magnetic recording head shown in FIG. 34, the first shield layer 110 serves as the side shields and the second shield layer 111 serves as the upper shield.
However, since the first shield layer 110 and the second shield layer 111 are separated by the gap layer 105, they will be magnetically saturated in a short time. Thus, the shields cannot absorb a large amount of side flux as a whole, and consequently cannot prevent side fringing or erasure of recorded signals effectively.
The above-mentioned patent document discloses a perpendicular magnetic recording head having side shields disposed at both sides of the primary magnetic pole and an upper shield disposed over the primary magnetic pole in FIG. 16B of the document. The side shields and the upper shields in this structure are also separated. Although the patent document does not clearly describe the process for manufacturing such a perpendicular magnetic recording head, the head is considered to be made through the foregoing steps shown in FIGS. 29 to 34. Thus, the shields of the patent document do not also absorb a large amount of side flux as a whole, and consequently cannot prevent side fringing or erasure of recorded signals effectively
As described above, in a perpendicular magnetic recording head having an integrated shield serving as side shields and an upper shield, the primary magnetic pole inevitably has a convex top surface, and such a non-flat top surface distorts record signals to increase noise. On the other hand, in a perpendicular magnetic recording head whose primary magnetic pole has a flat top surface, the side shields and the upper shield are inevitably separated, and consequently cannot prevent side fringing or erasure of recorded signals effectively.
Hence, to flatten the top surface of the primary magnetic pole and to form the side shield and the upper shield in a single piece have been mutually contradictory.

Method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic head


In an injection molding machine configured to extrude a melted resin under temperature control and inject the resin into metal molds to provide a molded product, there are provided an HMI section having a built-in general-purpose operating system and configured to control a display section equipped with a touch panel, control modules, such as a main control section, a sequence processing section and a servo command section, having a dedicated microprocessor for each control element of the injection molding machine, and a driver section having servo amplifiers, hydraulic drivers, and so on, configured to be controlled by the control modules and to drive-control an actuator of the injection molding machine, in which, by variously combining together the control modules, it is possible to provide various kinds of injection molding machines, that is, an electric operation type, a hydraulic type and a hybrid type of these combination.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control apparatus for use in an injection molding machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known is, for example, an injection molding machine as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln Kokai Publication No. 2001-191383.
An injection molding machine may use various kinds of controls, such as in the injection, in measuring, in mold opening and closing, in extruding, and in the application of temperature.
In the injection molding machine of the above Publication, control of the injection molding is performed by a specific control device that is usable only for the injection molding machine.
A type of Control of an actuator in the injection molding machine, as well as measuring, mold opening/closing and extrusion operations is selected depending on whether an electrical operation type or a hydraulic type is used.
Thus, the use of such control types differs depending on whether an electrical type of operation, a hydraulic type of operation or a hybrid type of operation is used.
In the prior art, when a control target is an electrical operation of an actuator, a dedicated control device has been used and, when the control target is a hydraulic operation, a corresponding special control device has been used.
Therefore, the conventional injection molding device requires a dedicated control device. As a result it is difficult to provide a general-purpose machine.

Control device for use in injection molding machine