A method for screening of compounds for binding differentiation at various drug target binding sites is used with a device measuring the enthalpy of reaction for the binding. The method includes merging test ligand with target compound and merging test ligand with target compound in the presence of at least one blocking agent. A first heat of reaction is detected for the merged test ligand and target compound solution and a second heat of reaction is detected for the merged test ligand and target compound solution in the presence of a blocking agent. The two heats of reaction are compared to determine whether a reaction has occurred.

This disclosure relates generally to screening compounds for binding with targets, including drug targets, and more specifically to the differentiation of binding at different sites on targets, including drug targets, an example being differentiation of inhibitory binding at a specific substrate site and inhibitory binding at some other substrate, cofactor, regulator, or signaling site on an enzyme target.
Molecules that can inhibit or otherwise modify the activity of a drug target can be good drug candidates or leads, so there is a great deal of interest in screening compound libraries against drug targets to find such leads. For example, molecules that bind to an enzyme at a site that would otherwise bind a substrate or cofactor can slow down the reaction or even prevent the substrate from reacting. Additionally, a lead molecule that binds to an allosteric regulatory site can modify the enzymatic process, which could also be useful for therapeutic purposes. However, a good drug candidate also needs to be specific to the enzyme being targeted; it is generally not good therapeutically for a drug candidate to affect many different enzymes in a large class.
Enzymes, which are biomolecules that catalyze reactions between other molecules and are key to biological function, constitute one class of drug targets. In the enzymatic process, the enzyme binds the reacting molecule or molecules at specific binding sites, the case of two reacting molecules being the most common. For example, ATP kinases catalyze reactions between ATP (adenosine 5′-triphosphate) and a second, enzyme-specific substrate, resulting in a phosphorylated product and ADP (adenosine 5′-diphosphate). An enzyme may also bind cofactors that act to enable the enzyme function, as well as binding other inhibitors, effectors, or signaling partners. Thus, it is often the case that enzymes have more than one binding site that affects the rate of catalysis, including substrate sites, one or more cofactor sites, and other regulatory or signaling sites.
One way to screen for leads that are specific to a particular enzyme is to target a specific site on the enzyme that binds a substrate, cofactor, regulator, or signaling partner that is largely specific to the enzyme. As an example of this strategy, consider screening for binding to a protein kinase. ATP-dependent protein kinases catalyze reactions between ATP and a protein substrate, with the particular protein substrate being different for different protein kinases. Since ATP binding is common to all ATP kinases, a test compound that binds solely to the ATP-binding site on a target enzyme has a significant chance of binding to many other kinases. On the other hand, a test compound that binds to the same site as the protein substrate for that enzyme is a candidate for being more specific to that enzyme target. In this example, one would screen for binding to the same site as the protein substrate. This example can be extended to other kinases (e.g., non-protein substrates, ADP-dependent kinases and other non-ATP kinases) as well. Examples of targets other than kinases with multiple binding sites include G-proteins, which all hydrolyze GTP (guanosine 5′-triphosphate) but transfer signals between enzyme-specific GPCR (G-protein coupled receptor) regulators and downstream signaling targets; monomeric GTPases, which all hydrolyze GTP but signal specific molecules; and dehydrogenases, including those that use NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), NADP+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate), or FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide) to dehydrogenate a second, enzyme-specific substrate.
More broadly, many proteins in any given family often share a common substrate, cofactor, regulator, or other ligand (such as an upstream or downstream signaling partner), while also having a different substrate, cofactor, regulator, or other ligand that is more specific to the protein of interest. Targeting the binding sites of the more specific ligands on protein drug targets can be useful in drug discovery.
In drug discovery today with enzyme targets, an endpoint assay is often used to determine if an enzymatic reaction has gone to completion, and in the initial high-throughput screening phase, as many as millions of drug candidates are screened using this type of assay. In such a screen, an inhibitor is added to the enzyme-cofactor-substrate mixture, and the mixture is tested for reaction. Today, the majority of high-throughput assays are designed to detect the converted substrate, i.e., they detect the endpoint of the enzymatic process (such as in the widely-used antibody-binding assays for protein phosphorylation). Such assays do not easily differentiate between binding of inhibitors at different sites. While follow-up kinetic studies and titration measurements of inhibitor activity can help differentiate between inhibitors that compete with a particular ligand for binding and those that do not, there is a pressing need to develop high-throughput methods that can easily and directly discriminate between binding at different binding sites, including as an example discriminating between competitive inhibition at different binding sites.
The need for high-throughput methods has increased in recent years as researchers and companies have turned to combinatorial methods and techniques for synthesizing, discovering and developing new compounds, materials, and chemistries. For example, pharmaceutical researchers have turned to combinatorial libraries as sources of new lead compounds for drug discovery. See Handbook of Drug Screening (R. Seethala and P. B. Fernandes, eds., Marcel Dekker Inc., 2001) for a review of progress in this area. The recent explosion in the number of potential drug targets due to the accelerated implementation of genomics technologies and the completion of the Human Genome sequence has only increased the need to develop effective high-throughput methods for screening against drug targets. Combinatorial methods are also being applied to other industries, as illustrated by companies such as Symyx Technologies® that is applying combinatorial techniques to materials discovery in the life sciences, chemical, and electronics industries.
To further illustrate the use of combinatorial chemistry methods and the need for improved methods, we now discuss the example of pharmaceutical research in this area in more detail. Pharmaceutical researchers have turned to combinatorial libraries as sources of new lead compounds for drug discovery. A combinatorial library is a collection of chemical compounds that have been generated, by either chemical synthesis or biological synthesis, by combining a number of chemical "building blocks" as reagents. For example, a combinatorial polypeptide library is formed by combining a set of amino acids in every possible way for a given compound length (i.e., the number of amino acids in a polypeptide compound). Millions of chemical compounds can theoretically be synthesized through such combinatorial mixing of chemical building blocks.
Once a library has been constructed, it must be screened to identify compounds which can be used as leads to design drug candidates possessing some kind of biological or pharmacological activity. For example, screening can be done with a specific biological compound, often referred to as a target, which participates in a known biological pathway or is involved in some regulatory function. The library compounds that are found to react with the targets are candidates for affecting the biological activity of the target, and hence can be useful leads for developing a candidate for a therapeutic agent.
Since combinatorial methods involve looking at a large number of compounds and reactions in parallel, there is a need for tools that can measure reactions and interactions of large numbers of small samples in parallel, consistent with the needs of combinatorial discovery techniques. Preferably, users desire that these tools enable inexpensive measurements and minimize contamination and cross-contamination problems.
One method for measuring reactions and interactions is calorimetry. Calorimetry can be used to measure the thermodynamics and kinetics of reactions without requiring that reactants be labeled (e.g., radio-labeled or labeled with fluorophores) or immobilized on surfaces. Most other current methods require some modification of either the substrate or a cofactor (fluorescent labeling, surface anchoring, etc.) [Handbook of Drug Screening, R. Seethala and P. B. Fernandes, eds., Marcel Dekker Inc., 2001]. These modifications add steps and cost to an assay, and they can potentially modify the reagents in undesired ways that may not be understood at the time of an assay. Furthermore, it would be useful to have a method capable of replacing the cost of antibodies that are used in many enzyme endpoint assays, as it is largely the single largest cost contributor to overall screening cost. Calorimetry does not rely on antibody binding to products of enzymatic reactions.
In some cases, the sample to be studied is precious, and it might not be acceptable to use the relatively large amount of material required by a standard microcalorimeter to perform only one measurement. For example, one may desire to study a natural extract or synthesized compound for biological interactions, but in some cases the available amount of material at concentrations large enough for calorimetry might be no more than a few milliliters. Performing a measurement in standard microcalorimeters, such as those sold, for example, by MicroCal® Inc. (model VP-ITC) or Calorimetry Sciences Corporation® (model CSC-4500), requires about 1-2 ml of sample, which means that one would possibly be faced with using a majority or all of the precious material for one or a small series of measurements. Tools that enable calorimetric measurements with much smaller sample sizes would be helpful in overcoming this limitation. Furthermore, standard microcalorimeters require hours for one measurement, whereas high-throughput screening requires orders of magnitude higher throughput.
In drug development activities, it is sometimes the case that a strongly binding drug lead was discovered for a particular drug target, only to have it later determined that the drug lead is not specific enough to the target or has other drawbacks that render it not useful for further drug development. In such cases, investigators may chose to reinvestigate the drug target and look for drug hits or leads that bind to sites on the target other than the binding site for the previously discovered drug lead. As an example, investigators have sometimes found inhibitors of ATP kinases that are strong binders to the ATP binding site, only to learn that the inhibitors are not sufficiently specific to the kinase of interest, or otherwise bind or interact with other molecules in a way that produces adverse effects. One approach that an investigator may take in such a case is to reinvestigate the drug target to find drug hits or leads that bind to sites other than the ATP binding site. There is a need for high-throughput screening methods that allow investigators to screen for binding to a site other than the binding site of a previously discovered strongly binding ligand. In particular, there is a need for such methods that are also generic in the sense that they do not require labeling (e.g., fluorescent, chemiluminescent, or radio-labeling) of compounds, immobilization of compounds on surfaces, or other assay-specific modifications of the molecules being studied.

Screening for ligand binding at specific target sites


A fire barrier system for use in aircraft, ship or offshore drilling platform comprises a flexible graphite sheet. Methods of providing fire barrier protection in an aircraft, ship or offshore drilling platform comprise installing the described fire barrier system in the aircraft, ship or offshore drilling platform. Additionally, the fire barrier system when installed in the aircraft, ship or offshore drilling platform is described.

Airline safety is of great concern to public. Tragically, there have been a number of incidents where an otherwise survivable accident has had fatal results due to ignition of the interior of the aircraft caused by burning jet fuel external to the aircraft. While airports in particular are well staffed and equipped to fight fires, there is often a brief time delay before fire terminating measures can be put in place, simply because the equipment is not at the location of the fire. In such a circumstance, the difference of a few short minutes in prevention of burnthough of the fuselage of an aircraft can save lives and property in a postcrash fire accident in which the fuselage remains intact. See, e.g. the report to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) entitled "Full-Scale Test Evaluation of Aircraft Fuel Fire Burnthrough Resistance Improvements" by Timothy R. Marker. DOT/FAA/AR-98/52 January 1999, Final Report. Additionally, the FAA is adopting upgraded flammability standards for thermal and acoustic insulation material used in transport category airplanes. The federal regulation FAR 25.856(b) applies to insulation materials installed in the lower half of the fuselage because that area is most susceptible to burnthrough from an external fuel fire, and applies to aircraft having a passenger capacity of 20 or greater. Similarly, there have been a number of fire accidents on ships and on offshore drilling platforms in which prevention of burnthough of structures can save lives and property.
Blankets have previously been suggested for use in providing thermal and/or acoustic insulation in aircraft and other vehicles to shield passengers from noise and temperature extremes. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,659, which describes an insulation blanket that includes fibrous insulation, foam insulation, or a combination thereof encased within a heat-sealable polymer comprising a rubber-toughened thermoplastic polyolefin. The thermoplastic polyolefin is described as preferably being flame retardant as well. See column 4, lines 14-26, which notes that flame retardancy may be achieved by blending the thermoplastic polyolefin with one or more flame retardant agents including intumescent materials, e.g., "expanding graphite." The blanket additionally comprises a high temperature resistant layer 16 as part of the construction, such as ceramic paper, woven ceramic fibers, woven fiberglass fibers, ceramic non-woven scrims, and fiberglass non-woven scrims. See column 5, lines 52-65. Similar burn through resistant nonwoven mats are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,951. The mat is made up of non-respirable and/or biosoluble base fibers that are stated to be capable of retaining their integrity and dimensional stability during 4 minutes of exposure to a fluctuating high pressure flame front at a temperature of 1100° C. Examples given of non-respirable base fibers which make up the nonwoven mat are quartz fibers; aluminosilicate, aluminoborosilicate or alumina ceramic oxide fibers; partially oxidized pitch based fibers; and partially oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers having mean diameters greater than 6 microns. See the Abstract.
Laminate sheet materials for fire barrier applications are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,670,291. The laminate comprises a first layer comprised of polymeric material and a second layer comprised of non-metallic fibers. See the Abstract. The second layer may be, for example, a laminate may comprise vermiculite coated paper having metal oxide coated regions thereon, available from the 3M Company under the trade designation "NEXTEL Flame Stopping Dot Paper." See column 17, lines 50-55.
Flexible graphite is a well-known material used in a variety of industrial, commercial and domestic applications because of its chemical inertness and unique electrical and thermal conduction properties. It is of particular use as a gasketing or sealing material in automobile engines, piping flanges and vessel joints and as a fire proof covering for walls or floors. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,400.
A method for making expandable graphite particles is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,404,061, wherein graphite flakes are intercalated by dispersing the flakes in a solution containing an oxidizing agent e.g., a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acid. Upon exposure to high temperature, the particles of intercalated graphite expand in dimension as much as 80 to 1000 or more times its original volume in an accordion-like fashion in the c-direction, i.e. in the direction perpendicular to the crystalline planes of the constituent graphite particles. The exfoliated graphite particles are vermiform in appearance, and are therefore commonly referred to as worms. The worms, i.e. expanded graphite, may be compressed together into flexible sheets which, unlike the original graphite flakes, can be formed and cut into various shapes for gasket and sealing purposes.
An alternative embodiment of a flexible graphite sheet is made in U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,218 by compressing a mixture of fine particles of intercalated, exfoliated, expanded natural graphite with fine particles of intercalated, unexpanded, expandable particles of natural graphite, the unexpanded particles being more finely sized than the expanded particles. The resulting sheet of flexible graphite is stated to exhibit improved fire retardant and sealability properties.
Filmy graphite materials are described in US Patent Application No. 2007/0032589 (the "'589 application"). In the background section of this application, it is pointed out that a process has been developed in which a special polymer film is graphitized by direct heat treatment (hereinafter, referred to as a "polymer graphitization process"). Examples of the polymer film used for this purpose include films containing polyoxadiazole, polyimide, polyphenylenevinylene, polybenzimidazole, polybenzoxazole, polythiazole, or polyamide. The '589 application goes on to describe a method for providing a thick filmy graphite having excellent physical properties using a short-time heat treatment at relatively low temperatures. In this application, it was noted that by controlling the molecular structure and molecular orientation of the polyimide (particularly the birefringence or coefficient of linear expansion), transformation into a quality graphite is enabled.

Fire barrier protection for airplanes comprising graphite films


A centrifugal blood separation apparatus having an optical camera control system with a focused, stationary light source. A diffusion plate mounted on a rotor, rather than on or near the light source, allows an intense light beam to be transmitted from the light source to the rotor and then diffused at the rotor across an observation region. Different characteristics of a diffusion surface allow different lighting regions within the observation region. The diffusion plate has upper and lower plates with a diffusion surface sealed between the plates. This prevents degradation or contamination of the diffusion surface by abrasion, dirt, blood components or other materials that might incidentally contact the diffusion surface.

Blood collection and processing play important roles in the worldwide health care system. In conventional blood collection, blood is removed from a donor or patient, separated into its various blood components via centrifugation, filtration and/or elutriation and stored in sterile containers for future infusion into a patient for therapeutic use. The separated blood components typically include fractions corresponding to red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. Separation of blood into its components can be performed continuously during collection or can be performed subsequent to collection in batches, particularly with respect to the processing of whole blood samples. Separation of blood into its various components under highly sterile conditions is critical to most therapeutic applications.
Recently, apheresis blood collection techniques have been adopted in many blood collection centers wherein a selected component of blood is collected and the balance of the blood is returned to the donor during collection. In apheresis, blood is removed from a donor and immediately separated into its components by on-line blood processing methods. Typically, on-line blood processing is provided by density centrifugation, filtration and/or diffusion-based separation techniques. One or more of the separated blood components are collected and stored in sterile containers, while the remaining blood components are directly re-circulated to the donor. An advantage of this method is that it allows more frequent donation from an individual donor because only a selected blood component is collected and purified. For example, a donor undergoing plateletpheresis, whereby platelets are collected and the non-platelet blood components are returned to the donor, may donate blood as often as once every fourteen days.
Apheresis blood processing also plays an important role in a large number of therapeutic procedures. In these methods, blood is withdrawn from a patient undergoing therapy, separated, and a selected fraction is collected while the remainder is returned to the patient. For example, a patient may undergo leukapheresis prior to radiation therapy, whereby the white blood cell component of his blood is separated, collected and stored to avoid exposure to radiation. Alternatively, apheresis techniques may be used to perform red blood cell exchange for patients with hematological disorders such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, whereby a patient's red blood cell component is removed and donated packed red blood cells are provided to the patient along with his remaining blood components. Further, apheresis may be used to perform therapeutic platelet depletion for patients having thrombocytosis and therapeutic plasma exchange for patients with autoimmune diseases.
Both conventional blood collection and apheresis systems typically employ differential centrifugation methods for separating blood into its various blood components. In differential centrifugation, blood is circulated through a sterile separation chamber, which is rotated at high rotational speeds about a central rotation axis. Rotation of the separation chamber creates a centrifugal force directed along rotating axes of separation oriented perpendicular to the central rotation axis of the centrifuge. The centrifugal force generated upon rotation separates particles suspended in the blood sample into discrete fractions having different densities. Specifically, a blood sample separates into discrete phases corresponding to a higher density fraction comprising red blood cells and a lower density fraction comprising plasma. In addition, an intermediate density fraction comprising platelets and leukocytes forms an interface layer between the red blood cells and the plasma. Descriptions of blood centrifugation devices are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,887 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/413,890.
To achieve continuous, high throughput blood separation, extraction or collection ports are provided in most separation chambers. Extraction ports are capable of withdrawing material from the separation chamber at adjustable flow rates and, typically, are disposed at selected positions along the separation axis corresponding to discrete blood components. To ensure the extracted fluid exiting a selected extraction port is substantially limited to a single phase, however, the phase boundaries between the separated blood components must be positioned along the separation axis such that an extraction port contacts a single phase. For example, if the fraction containing white blood cells resides too close to the extraction port corresponding to platelet enriched plasma, white blood cells may enter the platelet enriched plasma stream exiting the separation chamber, thereby degrading the extent of separation achieved during blood processing. Although conventional blood processing via density centrifugation is capable of efficient separation of individual blood components, the purities of individual components obtained using this method is often not optimal for use in many therapeutic applications. For example, centrifugation separation of blood samples is unable to consistently (99% of the time) produce separated platelet components which have less than 1×106 white blood cells per every 3×1011 platelets collected. The presence of white blood cells in platelet products increases the risks of viral exposure and immunological complications upon infusion into a patient.
The purity of extracted blood components using density centrifugation is currently limited by the control of the position of phase boundary layers between separated components provided by conventional centrifugation devices and methods. The position of phase boundaries along the separation axis depends on a number of variables. First, phase boundary positions depend on the relative flow rates of individual blood components out of the separation chamber. Second, phase boundary positions depend on the rotational velocity of the separation chamber about the central rotation axis and the temperature of the blood undergoing separation. Third, phase boundary positions vary with the composition of the blood undergoing processing. Blood sample composition may vary considerably from donor to donor and/or from patient to patient. In addition, blood composition may vary significantly as function of time for a given donor or patient, especially as blood is recycled through the separation chamber multiple times. Given the sensitivity of the phase boundary position to many variables, which change from person to person and during processing, it is important to monitor the position of the phase boundaries during blood processing to ensure optimal separation conditions are maintained and the desired purity of selected blood components is achieved. In addition, accurate characterization of the positions of phase boundaries allows for separation conditions to be adjusted and optimized for changes in blood composition during processing.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that a need exists for methods and devices for monitoring and controlling the processing of whole blood samples and blood component samples. Particularly, optical monitoring methods and devices are needed which are capable of accurately characterizing the separation, extraction and collection of blood components processed by density centrifugation, including providing controlled stroboscopic light sources with consistent duration and intensity of illumination. An effective light source and a control mechanism are disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/905,353 and its divisional application Ser. No. 11/867,816. These applications provide stroboscopic LED light sources for use with devices for improving the processing of fluids, such as blood, components of blood and fluids derived from blood. The application relates to apparatus for controlling the processing of blood into blood components, particularly components for stroboscopic LED light sources for centrifuges. The stroboscopic apparatus comprises a first light source with reflective surfaces spaced around a central illumination axis, and light-emitting diodes spaced away from the axis radially outward from the reflective surfaces. An additional light source comprises a modified parabolic reflector surrounding a light emitting diode, the parabolic reflector having walls spaced outwardly from an axis of symmetry such that focal points fall radially outwardly from a center of the LED, forming a circular focal area. A controller that energizes the diodes for selected periods of time comprises a pair of switches connected in series, with an LED connected between the switches. One of the switches is connected to ground and is closed at the end of a period of illumination.
An exemplary optical monitoring system for a density centrifuge having a separation chamber rotating about a central rotation axis comprises at least one light source, a light collection element and a detector. Rotation of the separation chamber about a central rotation axis results in separation of the blood components in the separation chamber according to density along rotating separation axes oriented perpendicular to the central rotation axis of the centrifuge. Both the light source and light collection element are arranged such that they are periodically in optical communication with an observation region positioned on the density centrifuge. In one embodiment, the light source and detector are arranged such that an optical cell of the separation chamber is periodically rotated into and out of the observation region. The light sources are capable of generating an incident light beam having a selected wavelength range including, but not limited to, visible light, infrared light and/or ultraviolet light. It has been found, however, that diffusing a focused, columnar light beam near the observation region can improve performance.

Blood processing apparatus with sealed diffuser in optical control apparatus


A 3-seat seating grouping is presented that includes a center seat configured for vertical translation from a lower position to a raised position when converted from an upright to an inclined mode. The center seat can be disposed between an aft-facing seating assembly and a fore-facing seating assembly, and be configured to overlap both when in a lie-flat position. Non-overlapping footspace can be shared between a center passenger and an aft-facing passenger. When upright, a center seat can be at the same height as a non-translating aft- or fore-facing seat, reducing loads on a seat track during aircraft take-off. Seats within the 3-seat group can be angled or aligned with respect to cabin longitudinal axis. A plurality of 3-seat groups can be combined in various orientations to span a cabin. Groups can be arranged to mirror each other to maximize seating directed to an aisle.

Optimizing an aircraft seating arrangement can include both maximizing seating as well as attending to passenger needs and comfort. A tension between the two naturally exists, since increasing seating density can often result in provision of narrower seats and shorter leg space that can restrict movement and make a passenger feel cramped. Generally, the more spacious and comfortable a seat, the more an airline can charge for the seat, but the fewer the number of seats that can be provided.
A traditional aircraft seat can include a seat base on which a passenger sits and a seatback against which a passenger leans back. The seatback is typically adjustable to move between a generally upright "takeoff and landing position" and a slightly reclined "traveling" position. Aircraft seats are typically arranged side-by-side in rows transverse to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft with the seats facing forward in the direction of travel. The seat rows are typically spaced apart from one another so that in commercial aircraft, seats are usually arranged having a pitch between 27 and 82 inches to provide legroom between the rows. Longitudinal aisles may be provided that divide the seats into sections. For example, the seating arrangement may include two aisles that divide the seating arrangement into a center section and two side sections to provide improved ingress and egress to the rows and access to emergency exits.
To maximize profit, airlines charge higher fares for upgraded or premium seating. For example, a premium seat may be wider, and recline farther, and be arranged to provide more legroom than a standard seat. Some aircraft are divided into different class cabins, with each having a different seating arrangement. For example, an aircraft may have a higher fare "first class" cabin near the front of the plane and a lower fare "coach" class cabin at the rear of the plane. More recently, airlines have introduced "business class" seating, which can provide more comfort than coach class but remain less expensive than first class seating.
Seats that are convertible between a "takeoff and landing" position to a "lie-flat" sleeping position have been introduced to allow the seats to be used as "beds." These seats have proven popular on long haul and international flights during which a passenger may desire to sleep aboard the aircraft. While lie-flat seating can provide additional comfort to passengers, and higher revenue to airlines, lie-flat seating occupies additional space, limiting the number of seats that a fuselage can accommodate. For example, when seats are oriented at an angle relative to a vehicle floor, a lie-flat seating arrangement typically has a seat pitch of about 58 to 63 inches, significantly greater than the pitch of coach class seating which generally ranges from 27 to 34 inches. Angled lie-flat seating can place one passenger's head over the feet of the passenger directly behind him or her. Non-angled lie-flat seating typically has a pitch of 76 to 82 inches, and may rely on an alternative arrangement of seats to facilitate efficient utilization of space in the aircraft.
Some attempts to optimize a lie-flat seating arrangement have included angling the seats in a horizontal plane in a "chevron" style in an attempt to increase seating density while providing lie-flat seating. Other attempts have included overlapping portions of the seats vertically, placing a passenger's feet underneath the head of another passenger seated in front of him. For example, an arrangement can include seats that recline at an angle so that the feet of a passenger in a rearward seat extend below the head of a reclined passenger reclined in front. Other arrangements include seats that are placed back-to-back lengthwise, with alternate seats placed substantially above the passageway floor with the remaining seats below the passageway floor, so that the back of the upper seat reclines over the back of the adjacent lower seat.
More recently, a seating arrangement has been proposed that includes a raised seat that overlaps two lower seats when reclined a lie-flat position. By exploiting generally unused vertical space seating density can be increased to maximize passenger capacity while providing fully reclining seating.
While fit for their intended purposes, most prior art arrangements are plagued by several drawbacks and disadvantages. For example, some prior art seating arrangements configure the seat of a first passenger to cover the head of a second passenger, providing a generally undesirable configuration. Other prior art arrangements fail to efficiently utilize horizontal and/or vertical space, decreasing the cost effectiveness of the arrangement. Raised seating arrangements generally result in greater loads being applied to the floor, necessitating the use of heavier and more expensive support structures to satisfy federal airline safety requirements, particularly those that regulate take-off conditions. In addition raised seating may impede provision of overhead storage bins, and reduce cargo space for passenger carry-on luggage.


An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes a plurality of forwarding processors, the plurality of forwarding processors each including a memory having a forwarding host table and a forwarding route table. The information handling system also includes at least one switching device coupled to the plurality of forwarding processors, the at least one switching device including a memory having a destination module and port table, a switching device host table and a switching device route table, wherein the at least one switching device is configured to perform an extended lookup in at least one of the switching device host table and switching device route table based on values included in a fabric header of information routed to the switching device to determine a destination of the information. A method for extending lookup tables is also provided that adds lookup tables in a switching device.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for routing information in an information handling system. In particular, embodiments disclosed herein are related to systems and methods for extending L3 lookup tables and routing information using the extended L3 lookup tables.
2. Discussion of Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems that perform routing functions rely on lookup tables for performing the routing functions. These lookup tables have a finite size that is generally determined by the size of the memory allocated for the tables. As a result, the number of entries, and possible forwarding destinations are limited by the size of these routing tables. What is needed is a system and method for extending the lookup routing tables and routing information using the extended lookup routing tables.

Systems and methods for routing information in an information handling system using extended L3 lookup tables


A method and system for cleaning a surface of a substrate after an etching operation includes determining a plurality of process parameters associated with the surface of the substrate. A plurality of application chemistries are identified based on the process parameters. The plurality of application chemistries includes a first application chemistry as an emulsion having a first immiscible liquid combined with a second immiscible liquid and solid particles distributed within the first immiscible liquid. The plurality of application chemistries including the first application chemistry are applied to the surface of the substrate such that the combined chemistries enhance the cleaning process by substantially removing the particulate and polymer residue contaminants from the surface of the substrate while preserving the characteristics of the features and of the low-k dielectric material through which the features are formed.

Semiconductor devices are obtained through various fabrication operations. The fabrication operations define a plurality of features on semiconductor wafers (wafers or substrates) that span multiple levels. At the base level, plurality of transistor devices with diffusion regions is defined. In subsequent levels, interconnections using metal lines are defined and electrically connected to the underlying transistor devices resulting in semiconductor devices such as the integrated circuits (IC), memory cells, etc. Low-k dielectric materials are used to separate and insulate these features and other layers to obtain fully functional semiconductor devices. To provide better insulation between features and to further reduce coupling capacitance and power consumption, the dielectric constant of the low-k dielectric materials used is further reduced by introducing pores and by doping with chemicals such as carbon or fluorine. The resulting ultra low-k dielectric materials are good insulators, use less power, and result in reduced coupling capacitance.
During the various fabrication operations, the substrate is exposed to various contaminants. Any material or chemical used in the fabrication operations to which the substrate is exposed is a potential source of contamination. Chemicals, such as process gases, etching chemicals, deposition chemicals, etc., used in the various fabrication operations leave deposit on the surface of the substrate as particulates or polymer residue contaminants. The sizes of the particulate contaminants are in the order of the critical dimensions of the features being fabricated on the substrate. During fabrication, these contaminants lodge into hard-to-reach areas, such as in a trench surrounding delicate features. Conventional cleaning process use mechanical cleaning to clean the surface of these particulate and polymer residue contaminants. However, with technological advances leading to decreasing feature size, cleaning the surface using mechanical cleaning processes becomes quite challenging as the delicate features may get easily damaged. If the contaminants are not properly removed, the features in the vicinity of these contaminants may potentially become inoperable. Removal of such small contaminants without adversely affecting the features or the low-k material on the wafer is quite challenging.
Additionally, the ultra low-k dielectric material used in insulating features poses new challenges as the material properties, such as mechanical strength, thermal stability and adhesion to different substrate layers among others, are sometimes compromised. As the ultra low-k dielectric material is exposed to the rigors of the various fabrication operations, the dielectric material may get physically or chemically damaged by the process chemicals and/or by the fabrication processes. The damage may be due to depletion of carbon content from a portion of the ultra-low-k dielectric material immediately adjacent to the features and exposed to the process chemicals. The depletion of the carbon results in an increase of the dielectric constant in the dielectric film layer. During a stripping operation, for example, stripping plasma used to strip a carbon based photoresist layer near a feature, may damage the low-k material that is exposed to the stripping plasma by depleting the carbon from the low-k material. The carbon depletion in the low-k material results in an increase of the dielectric constant in the low-k dielectric film layer contributing to capacitive coupling. It is, therefore, essential to substantially restore the characteristics of the low-k dielectric film layer by either removing or repairing the damaged low-k dielectric film layers through which features are formed so that the functionality of the features and that of the integrated circuit devices, are preserved.
Additionally, metals have been used as conducting materials in integrated circuit production for a long time. Presently, tungsten is used at the front end to make contact with the transistors while aluminum and copper are the preferred metals for back end of the line interconnects. These metals are chemically very reactive and can react with moisture and oxygen in the ambient environment as well as other process chemicals applied to the surface leading to metal corrosion. The corrosion of metals will negatively impact the electrical integrity of the fabricated device, which necessitates metal passivation during the process flow.
It is clear from above that a most desired cleaning method should be able to perform multiple functions listed above, namely, particle removal, polymer residue removal, damaged low-k removal and repair, and metal passivation. It is in this context that embodiments of the invention arise.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A bumper structure for a motor vehicle includes a cross member, and a crash box placed between the cross member and a longitudinal member, with the crash box having an attachment zone. Bolts extend through walls of the attachment zone and the longitudinal member for securing the crash box to the longitudinal member by forcing the attachment zone against the wall of the longitudinal member. The attachment zone undergoes hereby locally an elastic or plastic deformation for realizing a self-centered disposition of the crash box in relation to the longitudinal member. The walls of the attachment zone and the longitudinal member extend at a tolerance distance before the crash box is secured to the longitudinal member.

The present invention relates, in general, to a bumper structure for a motor vehicle.
Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
A standard bumper structure is typically mounted on the front or rear of a motor vehicle between the plastic shell construction, which encloses the vehicle body, and the body-supporting structure or chassis of the motor vehicle, and includes a cross member for connection to two longitudinal members of the chassis. To prevent damage to the vehicle structure in the event of a frontal or rear impact at low speed, crumpling or deformation elements, called crash boxes, are arranged between the longitudinal members and the cross member. Crash boxes are thin-walled, normally rectangular elements of steel, aluminum or plastic, and can be manufactured by joining compressed sheet-metal shells or by shaping a single-piece element, e.g. an extruded aluminum section. In the event of an impact, the crash boxes convert the generated kinetic energy into deformation work to prevent permanent damage to the longitudinal members when a critical stress level has been exceeded.
There are many ways to secure the crash boxes to the longitudinal members. Crash boxes may be supported by flanged plates mounted to the end surface of the longitudinal member. The region of the longitudinal member has also an attachment zone to enable a threaded engagement between the components. Thus, there is a need for arrangement of a respective flange. This type of attachment of the crash box requires therefore the provision of additional components so that the overall weight of the motor vehicle is increased.
German utility model no. DE 298 08 143 U1 describes a securement of crash boxes to the longitudinal members on the side by means of transverse bolts. Like the afore-described support of the crash boxes on the end surface of the longitudinal members, this construction too requires increased installation space.
Regardless of the type of attachment of the crash box to the longitudinal member, the provision of tolerance compensating elements, in particular in the form of oblong holes, is necessary. These tolerance compensating elements are normally provided in the flanged plates. Installing crash boxes without flanged plates requires a tolerance compensation between the cross member and the crash box, using complex threaded engagements.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved bumper structure which obviates prior art shortcomings and is compact and lightweight so as to utilize the available installation space upon the longitudinal members in an optimum manner while reliably compensating tolerances in the attachment zone between the longitudinal members and the crash boxes.


A system for transferring and recording image data. A host device outputs a video signal representative of image data and a request signal effective to request recording of the image data. A recording device is responsive to the request signal to return to the host device a gating signal defining a preceding preparation interval and a succeeding transfer interval and effective to enable the host device to complete preparation of transfer of the image data within the preceding preparation interval and to carry out the transfer of the image data during the succeeding transfer interval from the host device to the recording device so that the recording device records the image data.

The present invention relates to image recording devices receptive of a video signal from a host device, such as computer, for recording or printing an image which may be normally displayed by a CRT display device controlled through the host device.
FIG. 7 illustrates the recording operation of the conventional recording device, in which image data is transferred to the recording device in the form of a video signal. At first, a desired image is held in the host device, and a video signal line is connected to the recording device. Then, a request or command signal is inputted into the recording device from the host device so as to enable the recording device. Thereafter, the recording device starts to receive image data representative of the held image in the form of a video signal through the connected signal line. The recording device counts a predetermined period of time in response to the command signal such that the image data is transferred within the period and the image is also held during the period. Alternately, the operator watches a printing unit of the recording device and holds the connection of the signal line until the operator recognizes the completion of image recording.
However, in the prior art, a transfer interval of the image data in the form of the video signal is not uniformly determined, but is varied according to the scanning timing of the video signal and gradation levels of the image to be recorded. Thus the predetermined period is determined sufficiently long to cover the variable transfer interval, thereby causing the problem that redundant time is consumed during the image data transfer.
Further, it may happen that the recording device may have trouble incidentally so that the recording device can not receive or admit the transmitted video signal. In such case, there is caused the problem that the host device inadvertently transfers the image data which can not be recorded safely by the recording device.
Furthermore, in the case that the operator controls the image data transfer while watching the printing unit of the recording device, there is the caused problem that the operation is time consuming and inconvenient when the host device and the recording device are located away from each other.

System for readying host device to transfer data to recording device in response to gating signal sent from recording device


Disclosed is a gate signal delay compensating LCD that comprises an LCD panel including a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines insulated from and crossing the gate lines, a plurality of TFT each of which having a gate electrode connected to the gate line and a source electrode connected to the data line, a pixel electrode connected to a drain electrode of the TFT and a common electrode facing the pixel electrode, liquid crystal filled between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, and a signal delay compensator connected to ends of the gate lines to compensate for the gate signal delay; a gate driver for supplying a gate signal for turning on and off the TFT to the gate line so as to drive the LCD panel; a data driver for supplying a data voltage that represents an image signal to the data line so as to drive the LCD panel; and a signal controller connected to a signal source, the gate driver and the data driver, and processing the image signal provided by the signal source to enable the gate driver to supply a signal for turning on the TFT and the data driver to supply a data voltage to the pixel.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an LCD, a panel and a method for compensating for gate signal delay. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for providing a gate signal delay compensating LCD, a panel and a method to be easily implemented without an additional driving integrated circuit (IC) and to compensate for gate-on signal delay due to resistance and capacitance of a gate line without unnecessarily affecting the LCD panel characteristics.
(b) Description of the Related Art
The thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) is one of major LCDs, and a target project for the LCD is to increase the size of the LCD panel as well as its resolution. The bigger size and higher resolution of the LCD panel requires longer data lines and gate lines in the panel, which increases line resistance. More crossover points between the lines increase parasitic capacitance of each line. Particularly, when designing a panel of high through-hole ratio to be required in the future, the increased overlaps of the pixels and lines delay signals greatly.
FIG. 3 shows the above-described gate signal delay of a conventional LCD panel. Referring to FIG. 3, a gate signal is provided as a square wave at an input point. However, when transmitted to a corresponding line on the panel, the signal is delayed at an end of the gate line because of the line resistance and capacitance. Accordingly, the square wave is distorted. The gate signal at the end of the gate line has a delayed waveform because of the distortion. The gate signal delay worsens charging characteristics of each pixel in the LCD panel, because the longer signal delay shortens the gate-on interval of the gate signal. This causes the charging amount at each pixel to fall short from the specification.
To solve the deteriorated image problem caused by the signal delay at the large LCD panel of high resolution, a driving method for supplying signals at both ends of the gate lines on the LCD panel is suggested. However, this method increases the number of driver IC, and therefore, hindering cost competitiveness.

Gate signal delay compensating LCD and driving method thereof


A corner join in a box is formed from a blank having a base section (2) and two side wall panels (4, 6) each joined thereto via a fold line (3, 5). A joining flap (15) is joined to one of the side wall panels (6) via a fold line (7). The fold line of the joining flap (15) essentially defines the corner, and the point of intersection of the three fold lines (3, 5, 7) is located in the base panel approximately at the corner. The side wall panels are joined to one another by placing the joining flap in contact with the second side wall panel (4) such that it overlaps the later in an overlap area, and fixing it to the side wall panel. A mastic-like filler (204; FA) is applied in or on the inside of the panel fold line (3) to which the fixing flap (15) is fixed at the location of the overlap area with the fixing flap (15). The invention further relates to a box and blank made of solid board which has been coated on one or both sides with a coating that is essentially impermeable to gas and has been provided with air passages through the coating, and to a method for making the air passages.

According to a first main aspect the invention relates to a method for forming a corner join at a comer of a box,
wherein the box has been/is formed from a blank comprising a base panel, a first side wall panel joined to said base panel via a first panel fold line, a second side wall panel joined to said base panel via a second panel fold line and a joining flap joined to the first side wall panel via a joining flap fold line;
wherein the joining flap fold line essentially determines the corner when the corner join has been formed;
wherein the first and second panel fold lines and the joining flap fold line essentially intersect one another at the bottom of the comer at the base panel and the first and second side wall panels extend as far as the corner when the comer join has been formed, and
wherein the first side wall panel is joined to the second side wall panel by placing the joining flap such that it overlaps the second side wall panel in an overlap area on the second side wall panel and fixing it thereto.
A method of this type is generally known. With this arrangement, both according to the prior art and also according to the invention still to be described below, the joining flap can either be placed with its inside against the outside of the second side wall panel and fixed thereto, for example by gluing or stapling, or placed with its outside against the inside of the second side wall panel and fixed thereto, for example by gluing or stapling. Placing the joining flap with the outside against the inside of the second side wall panel is preferred since the box to be obtained is then as flat as possible on the outside, which is practical for further manipulation and further handling of the box.
One problem with corner joins formed in this way is that the box is not completely gas- and liquid-tight at the corner. In general, a free flow channel from the interior of the box to the exterior of the box and vice versa remains through the corner point of the corner join located at a base panel. This is, in particular, a significant disadvantage when forming boxes which have to have a controllable interior atmosphere since the more or less free, uncontrolled communication between the interior and the exterior of the box disturbs the control of the atmosphere in the interior of the box and makes this appreciably more difficult and frequently even impossible.
According to the first main aspect, the invention relates in particular to a method of the type mentioned at the start, wherein, in addition, a mastic-like filler is applied, preferably in the form of a bead, in or on the inside of the second panel fold line, at the location of the overlap area.
Such a method is disclosed in FR 2 178 687, which corresponds to NL-A 73.03732. NL-A 73.03732 discloses, in FIGS. 4 and 5 and the associated part of the description, a method corresponding to the pre-characterising clause of Claim 1. According to NL-A 73.03732 a filling consisting of a tacky mixture is injected into each of the overlap join locations after the box has been fully folded and after the side wall panels have been fixed to one another by means of the joining flap, in order to make the box light-tight in the corners. This method has a number of disadvantages. As a result of injecting the filling consisting of a tacky mixture only after setting up the box and fixing the side wall panels to one another an additional subsequent operation is required which prolongs the time needed for production of one box and thus makes the production speed slower. A further disadvantage is that although a light-tight corner join can allegedly be achieved by the method according to NL-A 73.03732, it is not possible to produce a reliable light-tight corner join by this method.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved method for forming a corner join at a corner of a box, in particular a box for use under so-called controlled atmospheric conditions, which method results in an essentially gas- and/or liquid-tight corner join.
The abovementioned aim is achieved according to the invention in that the mastic-like filler is applied to the blank before the joining flap is placed against the second side wall panel and fixed thereto. Said mastic-like filler can be applied to the flat blank before folding the box, but it is also entirely conceivable that the mastic-like filler is applied after partially folding the box from the blank prior to fixing the joining flap to the second side wall panel. Especially in the case where the joining flap is placed with its outside against the inside of the second side wall panel and is fixed thereto, it is also conceivable that the mastic-like filler is initially applied to the underside of the joining flap and that the mastic-like filler is automatically transferred into or onto the inside of the second panel fold line at the location of the overlap area on placing the joining flap against the second side wall panel and pressing onto the latter for fixing, for example in that the mastic-like filler has been applied to the downward-facing bottom edge of the joining flap or in that the mastic-like filler has been applied in excess to the bottom of the outside of the joining flap and on pressing the joining flap against the inside of the second side wall panel is expressed between the two and transferred into or onto the inside of the second panel fold line. The essential feature is that the mastic-like filler, which, as can be seen from the above, can thus also be the adhesive for joining the joining flap to the second side wall panel, forms a sealing plug or seal, which, in particular, ensures that the join is sealed from the outside via the socalled corner point, that essentially is located on or close to the point of intersection of the first panel fold line, the second panel fold line and the joining flap fold line, towards the interior of the box and vice versa, by the mastic-like filler, which if appropriate can also be an optionally setting adhesive. Because the mastic-like filler is applied to a suitable position on the blank even before the joining flap is placed against the second side wall panel and is fixed thereto, this operation can be carried out simultaneously with another operation for forming the box, in particular if the formation of a box from a blank is automated. The mastic-like filler can be applied simultaneously with the application of further adhesive tracks or adhesive strips or simultaneously with certain folding operations. A further advantage of the application of the mastic-like filler prior to fixing the joining flap to the second side wall panel is that the air seal, or at least the reliable and simple production thereof, can be improved in this way. Specifically, the mastic-like filler will then be expressed on producing the corner join, that is to say joining the joining flap and the second side wall panel to one another, and will thus be distributed over a larger area and improve the liquid and gas seal. Said expression takes place in particular if the bottom edge of the joining flap which faces the base panel is in contact with or close to the base panel when the box is in the assembled state.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the blank is based on board or paper. However, the essence of the invention can also very readily be applied when forming corner joins in a box which is formed from a blank of a completely different type of material, such as, for example, plastic or metal.
In order to obtain a good and reliable seal it is particularly advantageous according to the invention if the filler is at least applied in or on that end of the second panel fold line which faces towards the corner.
It is particularly advantageous according to the invention if the mastic-like filler is applied to the blank before the first side wall panel is raised with respect to the base panel by folding about the first panel fold line. This is because the blank is then relatively most easily accessible for administration means for applying the mastic-like filler. Especially in the case where, in the raised position, the joining flap is located on the inside of the box and extends as far as or very close to the base panel and the filler has been applied in or to that end of the second panel fold line that faces towards the corner and/or to the bottom edge of the joining flap which, in the raised position, faces the base panel, a good gas- and liquid-tight corner join can then be achieved by pressing the bottom edge of the joining flap into the mastic-like filler when raising the first side wall panel and thus laterally forcing out excess filler.
Since the second panel fold line can form a channel to the corner, it is furthermore advantageous according to the invention if the filler is applied as a bead, which in particular extends in or on the inside of the second panel fold line. In this way it can be substantially ensured that the seal of, ultimately, the corner is further ensured by substantially reliable sealing of the channel towards that point. In this context it is particularly advantageous if the bead extends, preferably uninterrupted, along essentially the entire overlap area. If the joining flap extends as far as the base panel or to very close to the base panel, a good seal/closure between the underside of the joining flap and the base panel can in particular also be ensured in this way. In this case it is not absolutely essential under all circumstances for the mastic-like filler also to be applied directly in or to that end of the second panel fold line that faces towards the corner, although this is still advantageous.
In order further to ensure a tightly sealed, in particular gas- and liquid-tight sealed corner join, especially with regard to the reliability of the seal, it is advantageous according to the invention if the outside of the joining flap is provided with at least one adhesive strip which extends uninterrupted from the bottom edge of the joining flap, which faces towards the base panel, to the top edge of the joining flap, which faces away from the base panel, and if the adhesive strip is applied such that, when the corner join has been formed, it abuts the filler at the bottom edge of the joining flap, said filler preferably extending uninterrupted from said location of abutment to into the corner, at least when the corner join has been formed. This prevents a connecting channel, running towards a corner point, for gas/liquid communication between the interior and the exterior of the box from being able to form between the joining flap and the second side wall panel. The reason for this lies in particular in the fact that the mastic-like filler is also expressed when producing the corner join, which reliably ensures the abutment of the filler and the adhesive strip.
The production or leaving behind of such a connecting or communication channel between the joining flap and the second side wall panel can be further prevented/counteracted independently of the solution outlined in the previous paragraph, or as a supplement thereto, if the inside of the second side wall panel is provided with at least one adhesive strip which extends uninterrupted from the filler to at least the top end of the overlap area, and preferably beyond this, and abuts the filler. The uninterrupted adhesive strip extending over the height (viewed relative to the base panel) of the overlap area can thus be/have been provided both at the location of the overlap area on the second side wall panel and on the joining flap or even on both. The reason for this lies in particular in the fact that the mastic-like filler is also expressed on producing the corner join, which reliably ensures the abutment of the filler on the adhesive strip.
If the second side wall panel has been provided with a second top flap which has been formed in one piece therewith and which is joined to the second side wall panel via a second top flap fold line, which runs parallel to the second panel fold line, and has been or is folded so that it points towards the inside of the box, it is then also highly advantageous according to the invention if a mastic-like filler is applied, preferably in the form of a bead, in or on the inside of the second top flap fold line, at the location of the overlap area. In a manner comparable to that in the case of the underside of the corner join, this prevents/counteracts a communication channel to the top corner point located at the top of the corner join from being able to form at the top of the corner join.
In this context the top corner point is in particular understood to be the region in the vicinity of the point of intersection of the joining flap fold line and the second top flap fold line.
In order to prevent/counteract the formation of a communication channel, or the risk of the formation thereof, between the joining flap and the second side wall panel through to the top corner point in the case of a second side wall panel having a top flap, it is furthermore advantageous according to the invention if the mastic-like filler has been applied in or on the second top flap fold line in such a way that, when the corner join has been formed, it abuts the top end of the adhesive strip, at least assuming that the adhesive strip has been applied to the joining flap and/or that the mastic-like filler in or on the second top flap fold line abuts the top end of the adhesive strip, at least assuming that the adhesive strip has been applied or has been co-applied to the second side wall panel.
If the first side wall panel has been provided with a first top flap which has been formed in one piece therewith and which is joined via a first top flap fold line, which runs parallel to the first panel fold line, to the first side wall panel and has been or is folded so that it points to the inside of the box so as partially to overlap the second top flap at the corner in an overlap zone, it is advantageous according to the invention, in order to improve the reliability of the gas-liquid-tight seal of the corner join, if a mastic-like filler is applied, preferably in bead form, in or on the inside of the first top flap fold line at the location of the overlap zone (between the first and second top flap). With such an embodiment the seal can also be improved instead of or in addition to this if the overlap zone is provided with at least one adhesive strip, either applied to the inside of the first top flap or applied to the outside of the second top flap, which adhesive strip extends uninterrupted over the entire overlap zone in a direction essentially parallel to that of the second top flap fold line.
With the method according to the invention the mastic-like filler used can advantageously be an adhesive, in particular an adhesive such as is customary for gluing blank sections of a blank when forming boxes. The adhesive will preferably be the same as that used for gluing the joining flap to the second side wall panel.
In order further to improve, or to be able further to improve, the gas- and/or liquid-tightness of the corner join with the method according to the invention it is advantageous according to the invention if the first panel fold line and/or the second panel fold line and/or the first top flap fold line and/or the second top flap fold line are crease lines, the groove of which, that is to say the depression, is located on the inside of the fold line concerned. This has the advantage that when folding about the respective fold line there is no bulging towards the interior of the box, which bulging would make it more difficult to produce a gas- and/or liquid-tight closure/seal at the corner join to be formed. In the case of the second panel fold line and the second top flap fold line such bulging would be able to impede flat contact of the joining flap with the second side wall panel, or could make this more difficult, which, as will be clear, increases the risk of the formation of a communication or connecting channel through to the bottom or top corner point between the second side wall panel and the joining flap. On corresponding grounds it is advantageous, at least in the case where the joining flap comes to lie inside the box, if the joining flap fold line is a crease line, the groove of which is located on the outside of the joining flap fold line, since this results in a clean outside fold curve which ensures that the joining flap fits well on the remainder of the blank when the box has been formed.
In order to be able to guarantee the seal between, on the one hand, the joining flap and the second side wall panel and, on the other hand, at least if present, between the second top flap and the first top flap with virtually 100% certainty and, at the same time, also to be able to ensure a robust join between the abovementioned parts, it is advantageous according to the invention if adhesive is spread over the entire overlap area and/or the overlap zone. Both in the case of the overlap area and in the case of the overlap zone, adhesive can be spread either on one side or on both sides with this procedure. In this context, spreading on one side is understood to mean that adhesive is spread on only one of the contact surfaces and spreading on both sides is understood to mean that adhesive is spread on both contact surfaces. In relation to spreading with adhesive it must also be pointed out that the adhesive coating concerned can be either a thin or a thick adhesive coating, depending on what the requirements will be under the circumstances.
So as to be able further to improve the gas- and/or liquid-tightness of the corner join, or at least to be able to improve the reliability thereof, it is advantageous according to the invention if the joining flap has been/is constructed such that when the corner join has been formed the bottom edge of the joining flap is in contact with or virtually in contact with the base panel. Correspondingly, in the case of a second top flap it is advantageous if the joining flap has been/is constructed such that when the corner join has been formed the top edge of said flap is in contact with or virtually in contact with the underside of the second top flap.
According to a second main aspect of the invention, which advantageously can also be used in combination with the first main aspect of the invention which has been discussed above, (i.e. the gas- and/or liquid-tight corner join of a box and the method for obtaining such a corner join), the invention relates to a method for obtaining boxes which breathe in a controllable manner, wherein the blank, from which the box is/has been made up, has been produced from solid cardboard, preferably solid board, with a core of, for example, grey board, and has been coated on one or both sides with a coating, for example of plastic, such as PE, which is impermeable to gas, especially air, characterised in that the coating has been/is provided with air passages which open into the part of the core located behind the respective air passages. Here the controlled or at least controllable breathing is obtained by providing the coating with air passages which open into the part of the core located behind the coating, in particular behind the passages made therein. With this arrangement the coating can be a layer stuck on in film form or a layer applied in some other way, for example by impregnation, such as, for example, a layer of plastic or of protein. For example, it is highly conceivable that a coating has been or is provided with micropores. In this way the permeability of the coating is adjustable by means of the selection of the micropores. The core is made of a material that is permeable to gas, especially air. In this way the coating is able to allow gas, especially air, to pass through via the air passages and the core is able to allow gas, especially air, to pass through via a diffusion process. A major advantage here is that there is no direct communication between the interior and the exterior of the box, so that a bellows-like pumping action, which would result in forced transport of gas, is not produced as a consequence of shocks and movement of the panels.
According to an advantageous embodiment, with this arrangement the air passages have been/are made in one or more side wall panels, preferably outside the overlap areas. In this way it is possible to prevent the permeability of the box as a whole, which, specifically with regard to the control of the atmosphere to specific desired conditions, must as far as possible be reliably adjustable, from being influenced by the load in the box, that is to say the filling placed therein, which filling will completely or partially cover the base and could thus influence the permeability of the base.
Advantageously the air passages will be scores in the blank extending through the coating as far as the core or will be obtained by making such scores. A major advantage of such a method is that it is then possible to work with a single type of coating, which in principle is impermeable to gas, the permeability via the box walls then being adjustable depending on the product to be packed in the box by making a larger or smaller number of scores, or at least scores having a larger or smaller effective surface area/effective length.
The length of the scores, viewed parallel to the blank surface, will in general be approximately 10 mm to approximately 50 mm.
So as to affect the vertical loading capacity of the box as little as possible by the scores, it is advantageous according to the invention if the scores extend transversely to the respective panel fold line. This means that when the box has been made up and scores have been made in the side wall or side walls thereof the scores will extend vertically.
In the case of a blank covered with coating on both sides it is advantageous according to the invention if the air passages on one side of the blank have been/are made offset somewhat with respect to the air passages on the other side of the blank. In the case of air passages in the form of scores, this means that the scores on one side have been offset somewhat transversely to their longitudinal direction with respect to the scores on the other side, the scores on either side then running parallel to one another. By adjusting said offset depending on the properties of the materials used in the blank, in particular the properties of the core and the product to be packed in the box, it is possible to meet the desired permeability requirements, which are dependent on the circumstances.
In order to prevent the core from disintegrating between the scores, in particular by a sort of delamination in the plane of the blank, it is advantageous according to the invention if the offset is at least 5 to 10 mm. So that transport is possible between adjoining scores made from either side, according to the invention the offset will in general be at most approximately 30 to 40 mm. With larger offsets, in particular offsets greater than 70 mm, the transport capacity by means of diffusion through the core material will decrease appreciably in view of the relatively large offset; the various aspects will be partly dependent on the material properties, such as the permeability of the core material.
Advantageously, the air passages per coating will have been made in accordance with one or more groups of matrix patterns. In the case of air passages being made on both sides, said matrix patterns will then have been made offset somewhat with respect to one another on either side.
According to the first main aspect of the invention, the invention furthermore also relates to a box provided with one or more corner joins obtained by the method according to the invention.
According to the first main aspect the invention furthermore also relates to a rectangular box having a rectangular base panel, having two transverse walls or longitudinal walls, each forming a first side panel, and having two longitudinal walls or, respectively, transverse walls, each forming a second side panel, wherein the box has been provided with four corner joins, each obtained by the method according to the invention.
According to the second main aspect of the invention, the invention also relates to a box obtained from a blank according to or obtained in accordance with one of Claims 20-28, wherein the box has an access opening, wherein the blank has been made up of blank sections joined via fold lines into one piece, wherein the joins of the blank sections to one another are essentially gas-tight and wherein the surface spanned by the blank is essentially closed. With this arrangement the blank sections can thus have been fixed to one another essentially gas-tight and preferably also essentially liquid-tight, in accordance with various methods, such that no or at least virtually no gas and/or liquid transport between the interior and the exterior of the box is possible via the fixings. With this arrangement the surface spanned by the blank will furthermore be essentially closed, that is to say no free, essentially unimpeded passages between the one side and the other side of one wall section, base section or lid of the box will be possible. The permeability of the box is then adjusted/obtained in a controlled manner by providing air passages in accordance with one or more of Claims 20-28.
Furthermore, in accordance with both the first main aspect and the second main aspect the invention relates to an assembly of a box according to the invention and a filling placed in the box, wherein the filling comprises a living product and/or vegetables and/or fish and/or meat and wherein the access opening to the box is closed in an essentially gas-tight manner or, if appropriate, in a manner such that controlled gas permeability via the closure of the access opening is possible. With this arrangement the access opening can be closed off using a transparent film, which can be fixed to the box around the edges of the access opening by means of adhesive or some other means. The film could, for example, be of gas-permeable construction, for example permeable via a diffusion process.
Both in accordance with the first main aspect and in accordance with the second main aspect, the invention also relates to the use of a box according to the invention for packing and/or storing and/or transporting living products and/or vegetables and/or fruit and/or meat and/or fish.
Likewise in accordance both with the first main aspect and with the second main aspect of the invention, the invention furthermore also relates to a box blank which in particular is suitable for use of the method according to both the first main aspect and the second main aspect of the invention, which box blank is provided with an essentially rectangular base panel, wherein a transverse end wall panel is joined via a first panel fold line to the base panel along each of two opposite first sides, wherein a longitudinal wall panel is joined via a second panel fold line to the base panel along each of the two other sides, which transverse wall panels and longitudinal wall panels form the wall panels when the box has been made up, wherein the transverse wall panels are joined to joining flaps via joining flap fold lines on opposite side edges, which joining flaps extend in the extension of the transverse and longitudinal wall panels when the blank is flat, wherein the joining flaps are in contact with the adjoining longitudinal wall panel in an overlap area in each case, when the box has been made up, characterised in that
such an adhesive pattern of adhesive has been applied to each joining flap and/or to each overlap area; and/or
a mastic-like filler, such as adhesive/said adhesive, has been so applied in the region of each overlap area in or on each adjacent second panel fold line that, in a box folded and made up from the blank, wherein each joining flap has been/is glued to an adjoining longitudinal wall panel, at least the corner point located at the point of intersection of the first panel fold line, the second panel fold line and the joining flap fold line is closed off towards the interior of the box by the adhesive in the adhesive pattern and/or the mastic-like filler.
With a box blank of this type the adhesive pattern and/or the filler, such as is required for, in particular, the first main aspect of the invention, can have already been applied beforehand to the blank such that each seam extending from said point of intersection has been closed off by the adhesive or, respectively, the filler.
With this arrangement the box blank can have been formed from solid cardboard, preferably solid board of the sandwich type, but the box blank can also have been formed from corrugated board.
In particular in connection with the second main aspect of the invention, the box blank will advantageously have been provided on at least one side, preferably on both sides, with a coating, in particular a layer produced from a gas- and/or liquid-tight material, in particular a plastic or a protein.
According to a further embodiment, in particular with regard to the second main aspect of the invention, the box blank has been advantageously provided on at least one side, preferably on both sides, with a coating, in particular a layer, produced from a gas- and liquid-tight material, in particular a plastic, wherein the coating has been provided with air passages in accordance with the invention (in particular one or more of Claims 20-28).
According to a third main aspect, derived from the second main aspect, the invention also relates to a method for packing living products. Such a method is disclosed in International Patent Publication WO 93/22138. Said third main aspect of the invention can very well be used in combination with the first main aspect and/or the second main aspect of the invention.
With said known method a box is folded from a flat blank made of corrugated board, which box has been provided with essentially gas- and liquid-tight walls and is closeable at the top with the aid of flaps which are closeable over the removal opening, or by means of a plate-shaped lid that can be fixed over the removal opening. The box is therefore gas- and liquid-tight. During use, living products, such as vegetables or fruit, are enclosed in the box and a gas or gas mixture that is essentially inert, such as a gas mixture containing a high concentration of nitrogen, is then introduced into the box. By this means gas exchange in the box as a result of the residual metabolism of the living products is essentially prevented, as a result of which the period for which the products can be packed in the box is extended. The walls of said known box have been provided with at least one layer of polyethene, such that a particular specific gas permeability is obtained, said permeability being chosen depending on the products to be packed and on the storage conditions. The polyethene layer is completely moisture-tight, so as to prevent the board from losing its strength and thus to prevent the box from losing its bearing capacity.
Said known method has the disadvantage that a gas or gas mixture having a particular specific composition has to be introduced into the box, which is technically complex, time-consuming and expensive and, moreover, can easily lead to mistakes. Moreover, such a gas mixture can adversely affect the moisture balance in such a packaging. A further disadvantage of said known method is that the box has to have a particular specific gas permeability, which, moreover, is highly dependent on the storage and use conditions. After all, if the living products are stored in the box at relatively high temperatures, the gas permeability can be higher, as a result of which the storage conditions in the box can become less good. Furthermore, said specific requisite gas permeability has the disadvantage that the box is suitable for only one application, as a result of which a large number of different boxes will be needed to be able to transport a wide variety of types of products to a wide variety of destinations.
According to a third main aspect, the aim of the invention is a method of the type described three paragraphs ago, with which the said disadvantages have been avoided, whilst retaining the advantages thereof. To this end a method according to the invention is characterised in that the products are placed in a box, such as a cardboard box, having gas- and liquid-tight walls, after which an access opening in the box is closed off by means of a closure, such as a film, preferably a transparent film, which box, when closed, is essentially gas- and liquid-tight except for micro-openings in at least a number of wall panels of the box, which micro-openings have been provided to allow permeation of gas and/or liquid through the wall panel or each wall panel concerned, wherein the micro-openings together have a surface area of less than 0.1%, more particularly less than 0.05%, of the total outer surface area of the box. With this arrangement an atmosphere in the box having at least a raised CO2 content can be produced and maintained by the residual metabolism of the living products packed in the box.
In contrast to the known method, with a method according to the invention a natural balance between the gases exists in the interior of the box, which balance is obtained as a consequence of the limited natural metabolism of the packed products. As a consequence of, inter alia, said natural metabolism, the relative atmospheric humidity inside the box will be able to increase to virtually 100% or, optionally, a lower desired value.
Loss of moisture from the packed products is suitably prevented from occurring by adjusting the atmospheric humidity inside the box to a relatively high level. This offers the advantage that less or even no excess weight has to be packed when filling the boxes since the packed products will at least virtually retain their initial weight during storage and transport. As a result, on balance, more economic use is made of the available volume, as a result of which storage and transport costs are even further reduced. Moreover, the quality of the packed product is better retained by this means.
Within the framework of all main aspects of the invention, living products must be understood to be all those natural products which in the packed state at least partially display a natural metabolism, by means of which exchange of at least oxygen with the environment takes place.
Under the influence of the said natural metabolism, the concentration of oxygen (O2) in the box falls and, at the same time, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the box rises. By this means an atmosphere is created in which the products acquire a relatively long shelf life. The natural metabolism of the living products is suppressed. Moreover, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the box is prevented from becoming unacceptably high by the residual leakage that takes place.
In an advantageous embodiment a method according to the third aspect of the invention is characterised in that a box is used in which the micro-openings have a maximum width of less than 20 micrometers, more particularly an average width of between 10 and 20 micrometers.
Micro-openings of such a small width or cross-section have the advantage that moisture is not able to pass through said micro-openings unimpeded. Moisture will pass through the micro-openings only by, for example, capillary action or by suction action of the board located in or behind the micro-openings, as a result of which limited moisture transport through the wall of the box is possible. Moreover, the fact that gas transport, or at least gas migration through the wall of the box is possible through said micro-openings is of more importance for influencing the atmosphere in the box, in particular the O2/CO2 ratio. Such micro-openings are also the subject of the second main aspect of this invention.
Closing off the open side or access opening of the box with the aid of a, preferably flexible, film offers the advantage that said film is simple to fix on longitudinal edges of the box, whilst it takes up little space. By making the film transparent, the contents of the box can be inspected without the gas-tightness thereof having to be broken.
Making the micro-openings in the wall sections of the box offers the abovementioned advantages. Making said micro-openings by perforating the at least one coating with the aid of board fibers offers the advantage that no further steps for processing the board are required. The at least one coating needs to be applied only to one surface of the board of a suitable roughness, such that fibers will protrude through the coating. With this arrangement said fibers have the advantage that they will ensure capillary action.
Surprisingly, it has been found that micro-openings having a total surface area of, for example, 0.1% or less of the total outer surface area of the box lead at least to a particularly good gas and moisture balance inside the box, virtually unaffected by the ambient temperature. In this context micro-openings must be understood as also comprising damage to the coating, for example in the case of punch and fold lines.
In a further preferred embodiment a box according to the invention is characterised in that support columns have been formed in the corners of the box, preferably from the joining flaps by means of folding.
The support columns in the corners of the box offer the advantage that the box has high strength in the vertical direction, so that good stacking of filled boxes is possible. Folding of such support columns from the joining flaps offers the advantage that there are fewer seams, whilst, moreover, the complete box can then be folded from a single blank. The support columns offer the advantage that adequate bearing capacity is maintained even if the board becomes somewhat damp, whilst the boxes can nevertheless be placed close against one another by the side wall panels and/or end wall panels.

METHOD FOR FORMING A CORNER JOIN AT A CORNER OF A BOX, METHOD FOR MAKING A SOLID BOARD BLANK PERMEABLE TO AIR, BOX OBTAINED USING ONE OR BOTH METHODS, ASSEMBLY OF A BOX AND FILLING, THE USE OF A BOX AND A BOX BLANK


A flashlight lens cover has a generally cylindrical body member and a generally circular cap member which is pivotally connected to the body member. A spring member urges the cap member to an open position. When inward force is imparted to opposite sides of the body member, said sides move relatively closer together causing a first end and second end to move relatively further apart causing a retaining ledge of a latch member to be moved away from engagement with an edge portion of the cap causing the cap member to move to an open position until manually closed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flashlight lens cover. More specifically, it relates to a flashlight lens cover which has a cap member pivotally mounted to a body member which is spring loaded to an open position when a latch is released.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of pivotally mounted lens covers on rifle scopes and binoculars is well known in the art. One example of a spring loaded lens cover for a rifle scope is shown in Vissing, U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,285. The Vissing lens cap is opened by the manipulation of a finger projection 17 as shown in FIG. 1.
Another example of an eye piece cover for gun scopes and binoculars is shown in Darkenwald, U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,629. The Darkenwald device is also provides a spring loaded cover which is opened by the depression of a spring clip 48 which is riveted to tubular body member 16. Each of these devices require the user to specifically locate and manipulate a particular latch release mechanism.
Numbers, U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,864 discloses a threadedly mounted cap for the lens opening of optical equipment such as cameras. Numbers provides a complex over center spring 22 which can be arranged to bias the lens cap in either an opened or closed direction.
The provision of light beam modifiers for flashlights and the like is also known. For example, Matthews, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,761,467 discloses a light beam modifier which has a body portion which is clamped onto the flashlight head and which has a spring loaded flip up cover 40. As is the case with many flip up lens covers, opening the cover requires manipulation of a finger-actuable portion 114 of the hook member 110 as is shown in FIG. 4 of the Matthews.
There remains a need for a flashlight lens cover (which term is intended to include covers for rifle lens, binoculars or other optical devices) which allows a user to quickly and easily open the flip up cover when use of the device is desired. There also remains a need for a lens cover device which is useful and inexpensive to manufacture and use.