The present invention provides improved methods for the production of recombinant peptides from bacterial cells.

The present invention relates generally to improved methods for the production of recombinant peptides from bacterial cells.
Although bioactive peptides can be produced chemically by a variety of synthesis strategies, recombinant production of peptides, including those in the 50 amino acid size range, offers the potential for large scale production at reasonable cost. However, expression of very short polypeptide chains can sometimes be problematic in microbial systems, including in bacterial cells such as Escherichia coli. This is true even when the peptide sequence is expressed as part of a fusion protein. As part of a fusion protein, peptides may be directed to specific cellular compartments, i.e. cytoplasm, periplasm, or media, with the goal of achieving high expression yield and avoiding cellular degradative processes.
Preparation of a peptide from a fusion protein in pure form requires that the peptide be released and recovered from the fusion protein by some mechanism and then obtained by isolation or purification. Methods for cleaving fusion proteins have been identified. Each method recognizes a chemical or enzymatic cleavage site that links the carrier protein to the desired protein or peptide [Forsberg et al., I. J. Protein Chem. 11, 201-211, (1992)]. Chemical cleavage reagents in general recognize single or paired amino acid residues which may occur at multiple sites along the primary sequence, and therefore may be of limited utility for release of large peptides or protein domains which contain multiple internal recognition sites. However, recognition sites for chemical cleavage can be useful at the junction of short peptides and carrier proteins. Chemical cleavage reagents include cyanogen bromide, which cleaves at methionine residues [Piers et al., Gene, 134, 7, (1993)], N-chloro succinimide [Forsberg et al., Biofactors 2, 105-112, (1989)] or BNPS-skatole [Knott et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 174, 405-410, (1988); Dykes et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 174, 411-416, (1988)] which cleaves at tryptophan residues, dilute acid which cleaves aspartyl-prolyl bonds [Gram et al., Bio/Technology 12, 1017-1023, (1994); Marcus, Int. J. Peptide Protein Res., 25, 542-546, (1985)], and hydroxylamine which cleaves asparagine-glycine bonds at pH 9.0 [Moks et al., Bio/Technology 5, 379-382, (1987)].
Of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,802 which describes a series of recombinant peptide expression vectors that encode peptide sequences derived from bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) linked via amino acid cleavage site sequences as fusions to carrier protein sequences. In some fusion protein constructs, an acid labile aspartyl-prolyl bond was positioned at the junction between the peptide and carrier protein sequences. BPI-derived peptides were released from the fusion proteins by dilute acid treatment of isolated inclusion bodies without prior solubilization of the inclusion bodies. The released peptides were soluble in the aqueous acidic environment. In addition, BPI-derived peptides were obtained from fusion proteins under conditions where the fusion proteins were secreted into the culture medium. Those secreted fusion proteins were then purified and treated with dilute acid to release the peptide.
Of additional interest are the disclosures of the following references which relate to recombinant fusion proteins and peptides.
Shen, Proc. Nat""l. Acad. Sci. (USA), 281, 4627 (1984) describes bacterial expression as insoluble inclusion bodies of a fusion protein encoding pro-insulin and xcex2-galactosidase; the inclusion bodies were first isolated and then solubilized with formic acid prior to cleavage with cyanogen bromide.
Kempe et al., Gene, 39, 239 (1985) describes expression as insoluble inclusion bodies in E. coli of a fusion protein encoding multiple units of neuropeptide substance P and xcex2-galactosidase; the inclusion bodies were first isolated and then solubilized with formic acid prior to cleavage with cyanogen bromide.
Lennick et al., Gene, 61, 103 (1987) describes expression as insoluble inclusion bodies in E. coli of a fusion protein encoding multiple units (8) of xcex1-human atrial natriuretic peptide; the inclusion bodies were first isolated and then solubilized with urea prior to endoproteinase cleavage.
Dykes et al., Eur. J. Biochem., 174, 411 (1988) describes soluble intracellular expression in E. coli of a fusion protein encoding xcex1-human atrial natriuretic peptide and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase; the fusion protein was proteolytically cleaved or chemically cleaved with 2-(2-nitrophenylsulphenyl)-E-methyl-3xe2x80x2-bromoindolenine to release peptide.
Ray et al., Bio/Technology, 11, 64 (1993) describes soluble intracellular expression in E. coli of a fusion protein encoding salmon calcitonin and glutathione-S-transferase; the fusion protein was cleaved with cyanogen bromide.
Schellenberger et al., Int. J. Peptide Protein Res., 41, 326 (1993) describes expression as insoluble inclusion bodies of a fusion protein encoding a substance P peptide (11a.a.) and xcex2-galactosidase; the inclusion bodies were first isolated and then treated with chymotrypsin to cleave the fusion protein.
Hancock et al., W094/04688 (PCT/CA93/00342) and Piers et al. (Hancock), Gene, 134, 7 (1993) describe (a) expression as insoluble inclusion bodies in E. coli of a fusion protein encoding a defensin peptide designated human neutrophil peptide 1 (HNP-1) or a hybrid cecropin/mellitin (CEME) peptide and glutathione-5-transferase (GST); the inclusion bodies were first isolated and then: (i) extracted with 3% octyl-polyoxyethylene prior to urea solubilization and prior to factor Xa protease for HNP1-GST fusion protein or (ii) solubilized with formic acid prior to cyanogen bromide cleavage for CEME-GST fusion protein; (b) expression in the extracellular supernatant of S. aureus of a fusion protein encoding CEME peptide and protein A; (c) proteolytic degradation of certain fusion proteins with some fusion protein purified; and (d) proteolytic degradation of other fusion proteins and inability to recover and purify the fusion protein.
Lai et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,154 and Callaway, Lai et al. Antimicrob. Agents and Chemo., 37:1614 (1993) describe expression as insoluble inclusion bodies of a fusion protein encoding a cecropin peptide and the protein encoded by the 5xe2x80x2-end of the L-ribulokinase gene; the inclusion bodies were first isolated and then solubilized with formic acid prior to cleavage with cyanogen bromide.
Gramm et al., Bio/Technology, 12:1017 (1994) describes expression as insoluble inclusion bodies in E. coli of a fusion protein encoding a human parathyroid hormone peptide and a bacteriophage T4-encoded gp55 protein; the inclusion bodies were first isolated (6% wt/vol.) and then were treated with acid to hydrolyze the Asp-Pro cleavage site.
Kuliopulos et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 116:4599 (1994) describes expression as insoluble inclusion bodies in E. coli of a fusion protein encoding multiple units of a yeast xcex1-mating type peptide and a bacterial ketosteroid isomerase protein; the inclusion bodies were first isolated and then solubilized with guanidine prior to cyanogen bromide cleavage.
Pilon et al., Biotechnol. Prog., 13, 374-379 (1997) describe soluble intracellular expression in E. coli of a fusion protein encoding a peptide and ubiquitin; the fusion protein was cleaved with a ubiquitin specific protease, UCH-L3.
Haught et al., Biotechnol. Bioengineer., 57, 55-61 (1998) describe expression as insoluble inclusion bodies in E. coli of a fusion protein encoding an antimicrobial peptide designated P2 and bovine prochymosin; the inclusion bodies were first isolated and then solubilized with formic acid prior to cleavage with cyanogen bromide.
The above-references indicate that production of small peptides from bacteria has been problematic for a variety of reasons. Proteolysis of some peptides has been particularly problematic, even where the peptide is made as a part of a larger fusion protein. Such fusion proteins comprising a carrier protein/peptide may not be expressed by bacterial host cells or may be expressed but cleaved by bacterial proteases. In particular, difficulties in expressing cationic antimicrobial peptides in bacteria have been described by Hancock et al. WO94/04688 (PCT/CA93/00342) referenced above, due in their view to the susceptibility of such polycationic peptides to bacterial protease degradation.
The production of peptide for preclinical and clinical evaluation often requires multigram quantities [Kelley, Bio/Technology 14, 28-31 (1996)]. If production of recombinant peptides can be achieved at this large scale, such production can potentially be economical. However, downstream processing steps for the production of peptides and proteins from bacteria can often contribute a significant fraction of total production cost. Initial recovery of peptide from bacterial inclusion bodies of fusion proteins, for example, generally requires multiple distinct processing steps, including the following four steps: (1) cell disruption/lysis, (2) isolation of inclusion bodies from the disrupted/lysed cells, (3) solubilization of the isolated inclusion bodies in denaturant or detergent to obtain solubilized fusion protein, and (4) fusion protein cleavage and separation of peptide and carrier protein. It is desirable that aspects of the recombinant production process be improved and/or optimized in order to make large-scale production of peptides by recombinant means more economically viable.
There continues to exist a need in the art for improved methods for recombinant production of peptides from bacterial cells, particularly for simpler methods that do not require a multiplicity of steps, including, for example, the step of isolation or purification of peptide fusion proteins or the step of isolation or purification of inclusion bodies comprising the fusion proteins in order to obtain the recombinant peptide.
The present invention provides improved methods for the production of recombinant peptides from bacterial cells. The improved methods preclude the need for the isolation and solubilization of inclusion bodies or the isolation and purification of peptide fusion proteins. The improved methods accomplish cell disruption/lysis and release of peptide from bacterial cells or bacterial cell cultures in a single step. Fusion proteins useful in methods of the invention comprise at least one peptide sequence, a carrier protein sequence, and at least one acid-sensitive amino acid cleavage site sequence located between the peptide sequence and the carrier protein sequence. The invention provides improved methods for the microbial production of peptides from such fusion proteins expressed intracellularly in bacterial cells. The recombinant peptides recovered according to the invention are released by acid cleavage at the acid-sensitive cleavage site(s) in the fusion protein. Recombinant peptides are thus efficiently and economically produced according to the invention.
The invention thus provides an improved method for obtaining a peptide from bacterial cells after expression inside the cells of a fusion protein, wherein the fusion protein comprises the peptide, a carrier protein and an acid-cleavable site between the peptide and the carrier protein, with the improvement comprising treating the bacterial cells with acid under conditions sufficient in a single step to disrupt or lyse the cells and release the peptide from the fusion protein. An improved method may include the additional step of obtaining the released peptide separated from the disrupted or lysed cells. According to the invention, the released peptide may be separated from the disrupted or lysed cells by a separation device, such as a centrifugation device or a filtration device. The invention also provides an improved method for obtaining a peptide from bacterial cells after expression inside the cells of a fusion protein, wherein the fusion protein comprises the peptide, a carrier protein and an acid-cleavable site between the peptide and the carrier protein with the improvement comprising the following steps: (a) treating the bacterial cells with acid under conditions sufficient to disrupt or lyse the cells and release the peptide from the fusion protein; (b) separating soluble material from insoluble material after step (a); and (c) recovering the released peptide in the soluble material after step (b). According to the invention, the soluble material may be separated from the insoluble material by a separation device, such as a centrifugation device or a filtration device. Improved methods of the invention may be employed where the bacterial cells are in cell culture media for the acid treatment, or where the bacterial cells have been separated from cell culture media for the acid treatment, or where the bacterial cells are in cell culture media in a fermentation vessel for the acid treatment. According to methods of the invention, preferred acid-cleavable sites in the fusion protein include an Asp-Pro cleavage site. Preferably, the carrier protein is expressed as an insoluble protein inside the bacterial cells.
Improved methods of the invention for recombinant microbial production of peptides from fusion proteins are based on the surprising discovery that bacterial cell disruption/lysis and peptide release may be accomplished simultaneously in a single step. According to the invention, no process step is required for the isolation from the cells of inclusion bodies and solubilization of such inclusion bodies prior to peptide release and recovery. Similarly, no process step is required for the purification of the fusion proteins expressed in large amounts intracellularly as soluble or insoluble proteins in bacterial host cells prior to peptide release and recovery. Remarkably, peptides efficiently produced as components of fusion proteins by the bacterial host cells are efficiently cleaved and released from the fusion proteins by a single step of cell disruption/lysis and peptide release. It is particularly surprising that peptides according to the invention effectively made in E. coli are released in soluble form in this single step of cell disruption/lysis and peptide cleavage and are easily recovered from insoluble cell material. By way of example, recombinant BPI-derived peptides having one or more of the biological activities of BPI (e.g., LPS binding, LPS neutralization, heparin binding, heparin neutralization, antimicrobial activity) have been produced and recovered according to the methods of invention. Thus, the invention provides improved methods of bacterial cell production of functional recombinant peptides.

Methods for recombinant peptide production


The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides having homology to certain human uncoupling proteins (“UCPs”) and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention, and methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention.

Uncoupling proteins or "UCPs", believed to play a role in the metabolic process, have been reported in the literature. UCPs were first found and described in the brown fat cells of hibernating animals, such as bears. UCPs were believed to help such hibernators and other cold-weather adapted animals maintain core body temperatures in cold weather by raising their body's resting metabolic rate. Because humans possess relatively small quantities of brown adipose tissue, UCPs were originally thought to play a minor role in human metabolism.
Several different human uncoupling proteins have now been described. [See, generally, Gura, Science, 280:1369-1370 (1998)]. The human uncoupling protein referred to as UCP1 was identified by Nicholls et al. Nicholls et al. showed that the inner membrane of brown fat cell mitochondria was very permeable to proteins, and the investigators traced the observed permeability to a protein, called UCP1, in the mitochondrial membrane. Nicholls et al. reported that the UCP1, by creating such permeability, reduced the number of ATPs that can be made from a food source, thus raising body metabolic rate and generating heat. [Nicholls et al., Physiol. Rev., 64, 1-64 (1984)].
It was later found that UCP1 is indeed expressed only in brown adipose tissue [Bouillaud et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 82:445-448 (1985); Jacobsson et al., J. Biol. Chem., 260:16250-16254 (1985)]. Genetic mapping studies have shown that the human UCP1 gene is located on chromosome 4. [Cassard et al., J. Cell. Biochem., 43:255-264 (1990)].
Another human UCP, referred to as UCPH or UCP2, has also been described. [Gimeno et al., Diabetes, 46:900-906 (1997); Fleury et al., Nat. Genet., 15:269-272 (1997); Boss et al., FEBS Letters, 408:39-42 (1997); see also, Wolf, Nutr. Rev., 55:178-179 (1997)]. Fleury et al. teach that the UCP2 protein has 59% amino acid identity to UCP1, and that UCP2 maps to regions of human chromosome 11 which have been linked to hyperinsulinaemia and obesity. [Fleury et al., supra]. It has also been reported that UCP2 is expressed in a variety of adult tissues, such as brain and muscle and fat cells. [Gimeno et al., supra, and Fleury et al., supra].
A third human UCP, UCP3, was recently described in Boss et al., supra; Vidal-Puig et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 235:79-82 (1997); Solanes et al., J. Biol. Chem., 272:25433-25436 (1997); and Gong et al., J. Biol. Chem., 272:24129-24132 (1997). [See also Great Britain Patent No. 9716886]. Solanes et al. report that unlike UCP1 and UCP2, UCP3 is expressed preferentially in human skeletal muscle, and that the UCP3 gene maps to human chromosome 11, adjacent to the UCP2 gene. [Solanes et al., supra]. Gong et al. describe that the UCP3 expression can be regulated by known thermogenic stimuli, such as thyroid hormone, beta3-andrenergic agonists and leptin. [Gong et al., supra].


Disclosed is a flexible substrate having a thermal contact that provides a continuous high thermal conductivity path from a heat generating component to a heat sink. In one embodiment, the thermal contact includes a metallic trace including a raised feature of thermally conductive material. A solder ball or fillet may be used to make a connection between the raised feature and the heat generating component or between the raised feature and the underlying heat sink or both.

Flexible circuits have been used to carry heat generating components such as integrated circuit chips and power switching applications because the thin flexible circuits can provide a short path to an underlying heat sink. In such systems, "dummy" thermal solder bumps are applied to the chips and soldered to the flexible circuits to provide a heat path from the integrated circuit chip to the flexible circuits. Thermal vias are then provided through the flexible circuits by way of copper through holes to the bottom surface of the flexible circuits. The flexible circuit is then bonded to a heat sink using a thermal adhesive which is a resin filled with thermally connective material. However, the greatest resistance to heat flow in the system that is the thermal adhesive which has a relatively low coefficient of thermal conductivity.
The present invention provides alternatives and advantages over the prior art.

Integrated circuit with a chip on dot and a heat sink


A graphene-based laminate including a doped polymer layer is disclosed. The graphene-based laminate may include a substrate; a graphene layer disposed on the substrate and including at least one layer; and a doped polymer layer disposed on at least one surface of the graphene layer and including an organic dopant.

Graphene is a material with high conductivity and stable electric, mechanical and chemical characteristics. Graphene has about 100 times higher electron mobility than silicon and about 100 times higher current flow rate than copper. Therefore, recently there has been much research into various aspects of graphene.
Graphene consists of only carbons having relatively small atomic weights, and thus is easily processable into 1- or 2-dimentional nanopatterns. This may be applied to control semi-conductive or conductive characteristics of a material, and to manufacture a wide range of functional devices, such as sensors and memory devices, based on a variety of chemical bonds of carbons.
The field of transparent electrodes is one application field of graphene with rapidly increasing marketability. Due to the long use of indium tin oxide (ITO) as a major transparent electrode material, problems have arose such as indium resource depletion and an increase in costs. Furthermore, indium is breakable and thus is not be applicable in flexible products that are foldable or extensible. For these reasons, there has been an increasing need for the development of graphene as an alternative to indium.
However, efficient synthesis and transfer of graphene, or appropriate dopants are not yet available, so that currently available graphene-based electrode devices fail to ensure satisfactory quality and scale required in practical production.

Graphene-based laminate including doped polymer layer


An easily packaged torque monitoring system accurately captures driveline torque data for use by engine, transmission or other vehicle controllers. The torque monitoring system utilizes a structural member to hydraulically connect a driving member with a driven member. A pressure-sensing device is operatively connected with a fluid chamber in the structural member through which the driving member drives the driven member. The pressure-sensing device senses a pressure level within the chamber. The amount of torque transmitted from the driving member to the driven member is directly linearly related to the sensed pressure. In one embodiment, the pressure-sensing device is a surface acoustic wave sensor in contact with the hydraulic fluid that wirelessly relays a sensor signal (i.e., a signal with a value corresponding with sensed pressure and thus with torque) to a controller.

Monitoring engine torque in the drive train of a vehicle allows the engine, the transmission and vehicle controls to utilize this information to modify engine output, transmission ratio as well as motor/generator speed or torque, in the case of a hybrid transmission. Known torque monitoring systems present a variety of challenges. For example, a mechanically-mounted strain gauge presents packaging challenges due to electronic wiring needed to interconnect the strain gauge with a control signal receiver and controller. Additionally, magnetorestrictive technologies used to sense torque have significant packaging issues and may be cost prohibitive.
A magnetorestrictive material having magnetic characteristics that change with a change in torque requires the use of a drive line shaft or other torque-transmitting component having a nickel content that is cost prohibitive both from a material and processing standpoint. Additionally, packaging of a pick-up component, such as wire brushes, that can relay the magnetic change of the shaft, is difficult and requires additional assembly time.

Torque monitoring system and method of monitoring engine torque


An enclosure for an electrical connection between two high-voltage cables that includes an electrically nonconductive separator integral with a mounting base for receiving the high-voltage cables. An electrically nonconductive tubular cover extends over the electrical connection and the high-voltage cables and is releasably attached to the base. The separator has at least two resiliently mounted fingers, and the electrically nonconductive cover extends over the fingers to depress and move the fingers into contact with the high-voltage cables, thereby securing the high-voltage cables in the mounting base. The high-voltage cables are extended beyond the mounting base a distance equal to a desired spacing separating the electrical connection between the high-voltage cables and an electrical conductor associated with the mounting base. The tubular cover is transparent so that the electrical connection joining the high-voltage cables can be visually inspected through the cover.

The present invention generally relates to an high-voltage connection enclosure and more particularly, to an improved enclosure for connecting high-voltage cables connected to high-voltage gas-filled tubes, for example, neon tubes used for signage.
High-voltage, gas-filled tubes have been widely used for signage for decades. Some neon signage has the gas-filled tubes depicting letters and numbers completely enclosed in a housing that protects the electrical components and electrical connections from the weather. With other sign constructions, the sign is composed of individual gas-filled tubes representing letters and numbers that are individually mounted to an exterior wall or other surface of a structure without the benefit of an enclosure over all of the components. In that construction, the individual gas-filled tubes must be wired together in a high-voltage circuit that is powered from a secondary winding of a transformer. In a known manner, the wire from a gas-filled neon tube has an electrode that is connected to a conductor or wire, for example, a high-voltage gaseous tube and oil ignition (xe2x80x9cGTOxe2x80x9d) cable. In many applications, the electrical connection between the neon tube electrode and one end of the high-voltage GTO cable is accomplished utilizing a known connector P-K connector. The other end of the GTO cable is then connected to either one side of the secondary winding of the transformer or an electrode of an adjacent gas-filled neon tube. Thus, the gas-filled neon tubes are connected in series with the secondary winding of the transformer. In some applications, a single GTO cable is connected to adjacent gas-filled tubes. While such a connection would seem to be efficient, since the PK connectors are often located within a wall of the structure, the diagnosis and correction of a fault is time consuming and difficult. In other applications, a GTO cable from one gas-filled tube is connected or spliced with a GTO cable from an adjacent gas-filled tube in a junction box. Such known junction boxes have at least one electrically conductive terminal to which the ends of both GTO cables are mechanically connected and secured, thereby electrically connecting the GTO cables together. Other terminal boxes have two electrically conductive terminals connected with a electrically conductive bar, and an end of each of the GTO cables is attached to one of the terminals.
Such junction boxes permit gas-filled neon tubes to be very easily connected together. In some applications, the P-K connectors extend through the exterior wall of a building; and the junction boxes are in a relatively protected environment. In other applications, the P-K connectors and the junction boxes are mounted on the exterior wall of the building, and thus, must be impervious to harsh weather conditions.
Of significant concern is the potential for arcing or a short circuit between the exposed ends of the GTO cable and any grounded metal component within the junction box. To minimize the potential for arcing within the junction box, regulations are implemented setting forth a minimum distance between a cable connection and a metal portion of the junction box. Over the years, the specified minimum distance has increased, and more recent regulations may require different minimum distances depending on whether the junction box is located inside or outside a structure. Operating in an environment in which the regulations constantly change is a particular challenge with respect to the junction box design.
Further, there is a continuing requirement to make junction boxes more reliable and easier to use. For example, some junction box designs have various loose parts that must be assembled in the process of splicing two cables together. Further, after the cable splice is made and the junction box is permanently mounted, all junction boxes are opaque; and therefore, the junction box must be opened or partially disassembled to check the integrity of the splice.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved enclosure for connecting the ends of high-voltage GTO cables that can be readily changed to meet regulations that are constantly changing. Further, there is a need for a junction box that permits the integrity of the splice to be checked without having to disassemble the junction box. Further, there is a need for a junction box design that is easier to handle in the connecting of the GTO cables.
The present invention provides a high-voltage connection enclosure that is less susceptible to arcing and short circuits that may potentially result in a fire. The enclosure of the present invention is easy to use and permits a visual inspection of the electrical connection between two GTO cables without having to remove a cover or in any way disassemble the enclosure. Further, the enclosure of the present invention automatically secures the GTO cables in the enclosure as an enclosure cover is attached. Thus, the present invention provides a more consistent, reliable and higher quality, high-voltage electrical connection between ends of GTO cables. The invention is especially useful in providing an electrical connection with a high-voltage, gas-filled tube used for signage in which the electrical connection is exposed to a wide range of temperature and moisture conditions.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention and the described embodiments, an apparatus is provided for enclosing an electrical connection between two high-voltage cables. The apparatus has an electrically nonconductive separator integral with a mounting base for receiving the high-voltage cables. An electrically nonconductive tubular cover extends over the electrical connection and the high-voltage cables and is releasably attached to the mounting base.
In one aspect of the invention, the separator has two passages in a base portion to separately receive the high-voltage cables. The high-voltage cables are extended beyond the mounting base, so that the electrical connection is separated from an electrically conductive portion of the mounting base by a desired spacing. The separator also has fingers that are moved by the tubular cover into contact with the high-voltage cables to secure the high-voltage cables in the separator.
In a still further aspect of the invention the electrically nonconductive cover is sufficiently transparent so that the electrical connection joining the high-voltage cables can be visually inspected through the cover.
In another embodiment, the present invention includes a method of electrically connecting two high-voltage cables by first inserting each of the high-voltage cables into a separate passage formed of a nonconductive material integral with a mounting base. Next the high-voltage cables are extended a distance beyond the mounting base equal to a desired separation between an electrical connection between the cables and an electrical conductor associated with the mounting base. The ends of the high-voltage cables are joined together to form the electrical connection; and then, an electrically nonconductive tubular cover is placed over the electrical connection and the high voltage cables and is releasably attached to the mounting base.
In an aspect of that invention, the method further comprises securing the high-voltage cables in the mounting base.
Various additional advantages, objects and features of the invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the presently described embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

High-voltage connection enclosure and method


An X-ray diagnostic apparatus of an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry determines a concentration of a contrast agent in contrast-enhanced image collection based on first reference information in which a recommended contrast in a contrast-enhanced image is associated with each region of interest to be subject to collection of the contrast-enhanced image, and on second reference information that indicates a relation among a generation condition of an X-ray, a concentration of a contrast agent, and a contrast. The processing circuitry calculates setting information of an injector to inject a contrast agent to the subject based on the determined concentration of a contrast agent.

In X-ray diagnostic apparatuses, contrast-enhanced imaging has conventionally been performed in which a catheter is inserted in a blood vessel of a subject, and a contrast agent is injected from an injector, to collect an X-ray image. In the contrast-enhanced imaging, for example, injection conditions, such as a dilution ratio and an injection speed of a contrast agent, are determined for each part to be imaged based on experience, and are set to the injector.

X-ray diagnostic apparatus and medical-information processing apparatus


An improved use counter for endoscopic instruments is mounted in the ferrule of the distal portion of an endoscopic instrument having separable proximal and distal portions. The counter includes a ratchet wheel having inner and outer teeth and a bimetallic coil having a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end of the bimetallic coil is attached to a hub portion of the ferrule and the free end of the bimetallic coil engages the inner teeth of the ratchet wheel. An inwardly extending tooth in the ferrule engages the outer teeth of the ratchet wheel to prevent backward movement of the ratchet wheel. The outer surface of the ratchet wheel is also provided with incremental indicia viewable through a window in the ferrule. As the bimetallic coil is heated and cooled when the instrument is sterilized, the free end of the coil engages and advances one tooth of the ratchet wheel. Movement of the free end is preferably limited by stops. A spring biased locking and disabling pin is mounted in the ferrule and engages a stepped width portion of the ratchet wheel. The pin prevents advancement of the ratchet wheel during shipping and disables the instrument after a predetermined number of sterilizations.

This invention relates to surgical instruments. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for automatically counting the number of times a surgical instrument has been sterilized. This invention finds particular use in endoscopic surgical instruments which are preferably disposed of after a certain number of uses.
Endoscopic surgery is widely practiced throughout the world today and its acceptance is growing rapidly. In general, endoscopic surgery involves one or more incisions made by trocars where trocar tubes are left in place so that endoscopic surgical instruments may be inserted through the tubes. A camera, lens, or other optical instrument is often inserted through a first trocar tube, while a cutter, dissector, or other surgical instrument is inserted through a second trocar tube for purposes of manipulating and/or cutting the internal organ. It is often desirable to have several trocar tubes in place at once in order to receive several surgical instruments. In this manner, an organ or tissue may be grasped with one surgical instrument, and simultaneously may be cut with another surgical instrument; all under view of the surgeon via the optical instrument in place in a trocar tube.
By 1996, it is expected that more than two million additional endosurgeries will be performed per year that, in 1990, were done via open surgery (MedPRO Month, I:12, p. 178). The advantages of endoscopic surgery are clear in that it is less invasive, less traumatic and recovery is typically quicker. As a result, many new instruments and devices for use in endosurgery are introduced every year. Most endoscopic instruments have similar configurations with a proximal handle, an actuation mechanism, and distal end effectors coupled by a tube through which the actuation mechanism extends. The end effectors take many forms such as grippers, cutters, forceps, dissectors and the like. Some endoscopic instruments are provided with a ferrule on the tube so that the tube which carries the end effectors can be rotated relative to the handle. Initially, endoscopic surgical instruments were very expensive, partly because they must be very small but still durable and reliable and the materials necessary to provide these features are expensive.
Recently, a number of "disposable" endoscopic instruments have been introduced and their use is now widely accepted. One of the advantages of disposable endoscopic instruments over reusable instruments is that because they are used only a single time, there are no sterilization problems, and no concerns about the dulling or nicking of blades or wearing of parts. However, in order to justify disposing of instruments after a single use, the instruments have to be much less expensive than the reusable tools. In order to manufacture the instruments less expensively, the disposable instruments therefore use less expensive materials. As a result, the disposable instruments are less durable than the reusable instruments, which is not of concern where the instruments are used only once. However, in order to reduce the costs of medical procedures, many hospitals and surgeons have recently started to sterilize and reuse the "disposable" endoscopic instruments. This practice can be problematic. While the disposable endoscopic instruments typically are not so fragile that they must be disposed of after a single use, clearly, they may not be used as many times as the typical stainless steel reusable instruments as they are more likely to malfunction and dull after several uses. Presently, there is no scientific mechanism available for determining how many times a medical instrument has been used, and the surgeon or the surgical staff must devise their own system to keep track of the number of times a tool has been used so that it will not be used after its useful life has expired.
Parent application Ser. No. 07/998,951 discloses an apparatus for counting the number of times a surgical device has been sterilized. The apparatus includes an indicator having sequential indicia and a heat responsive member for indicating a next one of the indicia. Mechanical, fluid mechanical and electronic versions of the invention are disclosed. In one of the mechanical versions, the indicator is a ratchet member having teeth, a direction limiting pawl, and a display surface containing indicia. A heat responsive element such as a bimetallic member engages the teeth of the ratchet and advances the ratchet each time the apparatus is subjected to the heat of sterilization. The direction limiting pawl prevents the ratchet member from moving backwards once it is advanced. A housing with a window can mask the display to indicate one of the indicia as advanced by the heat responsive element. Preferred embodiments of the mechanical version disclosed in the parent application thereto include a ring-like ratchet member with interior teeth and an exterior display surface. The number of teeth is preferably one or more less than the number of indicia so that upon advancing the ratchet member to the last indicia, it can be advanced no further. The bimetallic element is mounted inside the ring and the housing covers the outer surface of the ring. The housing may be formed from the ferrule of an endoscopic surgical tool or may be formed as part of the handle of such a tool. A disengagable locking pin is provided to prevent movement of the ratchet member during shipping and the locking pin may be coupled to packaging so that it is automatically removed when the surgical tool is removed from its packaging.
Parent application Ser. No. 07/999,228 discloses an apparatus for counting the number of times a temperature cycle occurs which includes an indicator having sequential indicia and a temperature responsive member for indicating a next one of the indicia. Again, mechanical, fluid mechanical and electronic versions of the invention are disclosed, and in the mechanical version, the indicator can be a ratchet member having teeth, a direction limiting pawl, and a display surface containing indicia. A temperature responsive element such as a bimetallic member engages the teeth of the ratchet and advances the ratchet each time the apparatus is subjected to a preset temperature cycle. A housing with a window masks the display to indicate one of the indicia as advanced by the temperature responsive element. Preferred embodiments of this mechanical version include a ring-like ratchet. member with interior teeth and an exterior display surface The number of teeth is preferably one or more less than the number of indicia so that upon advancing the ratchet member to the last indicia, it can be advanced no further. The bimetallic element is mounted inside the ring and the housing covers the outer surface of the ring. A disengagable locking pin is provided to prevent movement of the ratchet member until activated.
The mechanical embodiments of the parent applications have a few disadvantages when miniaturized for use, for example, with endoscopic surgical instruments. First, the direction limiting pawl which is used to prevent backward movement of the ratchet member must be very small, e.g., approximately 0.15 inches long with a diameter of approximately 0.01 inches. Moreover, in an exemplary embodiment used with endoscopic surgical instruments, the depth of ratchet teeth is only approximately 0.015 inches. Given the relative criticality of alignment necessary to permit accurate functioning of the counter, these dimensions make the direction limiting pawl difficult and/or expensive to manufacture in large amounts. While, an escapement mechanism was suggested as an alternative to the direction limiting pawl when used with a rotating ratchet member, because the escapement mechanism would be driven by the free end of the bimetallic member, realization of this embodiment would also be difficult and/or expensive in large amounts.
Another minor disadvantage of the mechanical embodiments of the parent applications involved the use of disengagable locking pins which was used to prevent activation of the counter. It was recognized, however, that by leaving the pin engaged in the counter during sterilization, the counter mechanism could be defeated.
Patent application Ser. No. 08/016,596 discloses endoscopic instruments having a reusable portion (the handle and actuating means) and a disposable portion (the tube, push rod and end effectors). The two portions can be coupled and uncoupled so that the disposable portion may be disposed of while the reusable portion may be reused with a new disposable portion. As with the completely disposable endoscopic instruments, some surgeons may choose to reuse the disposable portion a few times before replacing it. In these situations, it is important to alert the surgeon and/or the surgical staff before the disposable portion has been used too many times. The counting mechanisms described in the other parent applications do not specifically disclose how they can be used with endoscopic instruments having separable disposable and reusable parts.

Apparatus for counting the number of times a surgical instrument has been used


This invention relates to a means and method of hinging a glass door panel on an adjoining wall, either glass or non-glass. This invention uses a friction clamping method to secure the glass between surfaces lined with flexible gaskets. When torque is applied to the clamp screws, the flexible gaskets swell laterally to provide a large gripping surface area. The invention also includes an actuating mechanism that allows for wide range of rotation with absolute reputability. The actuating mechanism utilizes a main pivot roller that incorporates two indexing detents. A spring loaded sub pin roller rotates along the periphery of the main pivot roller providing a consistent index to each of the two detents.

A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hinges, and in particular to a pressure hinge that can be used to hinge a glass panel door to a glass panel wall or to a wall of other material, shape, or orientation with respect to the door.
B. Problems in the Art
The need for a device to hinge glass, and particularly unframed glass, was largely spawned by the rising popularity of frameless all-glass shower enclosures. A variety of devices have been used to hinge glass panels. Continuous improvements have been made in an effort to design a hinge that minimizes fabrication and installation costs, allows for a wide range of rotation with consistent return to its original position, is of high quality, and is aesthetically pleasing to the user.
It is not a trivial matter to design a hinge that meets these goals. Glass is relatively heavy. It is not easily modified, for example, by drilling holes through it or even cutting into it.
One device commonly used is a hinge that fastens to the glass through holes drilled in the glass. Specifying that holes be made in the fabricated product is undesirable. Such a design is less flexible in that once the holes are drilled, the exact location of the hinge cannot easily be adjusted. Consequently, greater accuracy by the installer is required in the field, measuring and installing of the fabricated glass. Also, the fabricator and temperer of the glass must be accurate and capable of great detail. Thus, using a hinge that requires holes in the glass results in a more expensive process. Holes can also present potential breakage problems.
Other hinge designs clamp onto the glass to eliminate drilling through the glass. These hinges, however, suffer from a variety of problems. One common problem in the prior art is the inability of the device to maintain a secure grip on the glass. If the clamp on the hinge does not firmly grip the glass, loosening or misfitting can occur. If additional torque is applied to the clamp screws to attempt to establish a secure grip, more stress and strain is placed on the glass panel. Furthermore, applying additional torque results in a more difficult, time consuming and expensive installation.
A second problem involves the inability of the prior art to consistently return a glass door panel during rotation to certain predetermined angles. It is frustrating to a user to open and close a glass door which does not index with such absolute repeatability.
Another problem in the prior art concerns the design of internal parts of the hinge. Many of the devices have internal parts that rub or experience forces which tend to wear out their internal mechanisms. When the internal mechanism begins to wear, the hinge can lose its accuracy and become less effective.
Most hinges currently used are made of a non-corrodable metal (e.g., brass, stainless steel, aluminum) because of strength and durability, and because the hinges will constantly be exposed to moisture and humidity. The prior art is plagued, however, by grain structure flaws. It is commonplace to utilize forging methods to manufacture a glass door hinge. Inherent in such a method are flow control problems that result in grain structure flaws. These structural flaws weaken the hinge body with the hinge tending to lose its accuracy and become less effective.
Another widespread problem exists when the prior art is used to hinge a glass door panel to a wall. Typically, the base plate mounted on the wall and the main body of the hinge are designed with abutting flat surfaces. This design is susceptible to a rocking motion when the hinge rotates, which tends to loosen the base plate screws under an axial load.
Finally, the prior art tends to suffer from a lack of aesthetic appeal. Glass panels and doors are often incorporated in designs for their aesthetic qualities. A hinge that subtracts from the aesthetic appeal of its environment may not be desired even when functionally adequate. For example, if the environment is a frameless all-glass shower enclosure, consumers are likely to prefer a metal hinge with a lustrous finish over a hinge with a dull finish or a hinge with a minimum number of protrusions or visual interruptions.
All the prior art suffers from one or more of the aforementioned problems. Thus, there is a need in the art for a hinge that can firmly grip glass surfaces in a way that minimizes costs, achieves absolute repeatability in indexing, is durable, easy to install, and is aesthetically pleasing.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a device and method which improves over or solves the problems and deficiencies existing in the art.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device and method which firmly grips glass doors and panels.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device and method which hinges glass panels in a way that permits for a wide range of rotation with absolute repeatability in indexing.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device and method which minimizes structural flaws.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device and method which deters the loosening of the wall plate screws when a glass panel is hinged on a wall.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device and method that is aesthetically pleasing so as to compliment its environment.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device and method that minimizes fabrication and installation costs.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device and method that is durable.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the accompanying claims and specification.

Pressure hinge device for glass door or panel


In response to a coasting drive instruction for measurement of a driving resistance of a hybrid vehicle, the coasting control procedure of the invention prohibits a change of a gear position in a transmission and stops both an engine and a motor MG1. The coasting control procedure calculates a canceling torque, which cancels out a torque applied to a ring gear shaft or a drive shaft via a power distribution integration mechanism by generation of an inertia torque accompanied with a rotation speed change of the motor MG1. The calculated canceling torque is set to a torque command Tm2* of a motor MG2, and the motor MG2 is driven and controlled with the torque command Tm2*. This arrangement makes the ring gear shaft or the drive shaft completely free and enables accurate measurement of the driving resistance of the hybrid vehicle during such a coasting drive of the hybrid vehicle in a fully non-driving state.

One proposed hybrid vehicle has a driving system where a planetary gear unit functions to mutually connect a crankshaft of an engine, a drive shaft, a rotating shaft of a generator (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 10-295003). In response to a demand for a non-driving state, a vehicle control device mounted on the hybrid vehicle regulates a rotation speed of the generator within an allowable rotation speed range, thus preventing the over speed of the generator.

Hybrid vehicle and driving resistance measurement method of hybrid vehicle


A device includes a sliding base, supporting posts, and hydraulic oil; the sliding base has cavities, an oil passage communicating with the cavities, and oil seals secured around respective cavities, and it is movable along a guide rail secured on a bed of an injection molding machine; the supporting posts each have a room on a lower end, and are inserted in respective cavities such that the rooms communicate with the cavities; the posts touch and prop a movable wall of the molding machine at upper ends, which wall is supported by and movable along guide rods, and has bushings around the guide rods; the hydraulic oil is injected into the sliding base and the posts until the axes of each bushing and the corresponding guide rod are aligned; thus, alignment of the axes of each bushing and the corresponding guide rod will be maintained when the movable wall is moving.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an adjustment device for a movable wall of an injection molding machine, more particularly one, which will help lengthen the service life of the injection molding machine.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional plastic injection molding machine 1 includes a bed 11, a heating device 12, a mold 13, a movable wall 14, a fixed wall 15, a rear seat 16, a mold closing device 17, and four guide rods 18. The guide rods 18 are secured to the rear seat 16 at first ends thereof, and securely joined to the fixed wall 15 at the other ends thereof. The movable wall 14 is supported on and movable along the guide rods 18. The mold 13 includes male female halves, which are secured on the movable wall 14, and the fixed wall 15 respectively. The heating device 12 is positioned on the bed 11 for melting plastic materials, and injecting the materials into the mold 13. The mold closing device 17 is connected to both the rear seat 16 and the movable wall 14 for moving the movable wall 14 along the guide rods 18, and it can be equipped with oil hydraulic cylinders or toggles.
Furthermore, the movable wall 14 is equipped with bushings 141 around the guide rods 18. Because the intermediate portions of the guide rods 18, along which the movable wall 14 will move, aren't propped with other articles, and the mold closing device 17, the movable wall 14, and the male (female) halves of the mold 13 together are very heavy in weight, axes of the guide rods 18 and bushings 141 of the movable wall 14, through which the guide rods 18 are passed, will change their direction, causing the orientation of the guide rods 18 in relation to the bushings 141 to undesirably change as shown in FIG. 2. Consequently, the bushings 141 will touch the guide rods 18 in an abnormal way, and wear down too rapidly.
Referring to FIG. 3, to overcome the above problem, adjustment devices 19 are connected to two ends of a bottom of the movable wall 14. The adjustment devices 19 are movable along guide rails 111 secured on the upper side of the bed 11, and each includes a fixed sloping block 191, a movable sloping block 192, and a bolt 193; the movable sloping block 192 is on the guide rails 111 with a sloping side thereof facing up while the fixed sloping block 191 has a sloping bottom touching the upper sloping side of the movable sloping block 192; the bolt 193 is connected to both the movable sloping block 192 and the fixed sloping block 191, used for changing position of the movable sloping block 192 relative to the fixed sloping block 191. Therefore, the two ends of the movable wall 14 can be adjusted in height, and the movable wall 14 will be propped up by means of the adjustment devices 19, maintaining the original direction of the axes of the guide rods 18 and the bushings 141 of the movable wall 14, and preventing the bushings 141 from touching the guide rods 18 in an abnormal manner to wear down too rapidly. Consequently, the bushings 141 have longer service life.
However, the bushings 141 will be prevented from touching the guide rods 18 to wear down in an abnormal manner only when the movable wall 14 is still. When the movable wall 14 is moving along the guide rods 18, it will still move up and down because the guide rails 111 aren't one hundred percent smooth owing to limitation on precision of manufacturing. Consequently, the axes of the guide rods 18 and the bushings 141 of the movable wall 14 will change their direction, and the bushings 141 will touch the guide rods 18 in an abnormal manner, and wear down too rapidly.

Adjustment device for a movable wall of an injection molding machine


A medicine dispenser adapted to administer liquid medicine via a retromolar pad area including a liquid collecting cylinder body and a soft plastic protective cover. The liquid collecting cylinder body includes a liquid discharge tube extending centrally from a top face thereof. The cylinder body is integrally formed with the liquid discharge tube, the latter having an open end at a top end. The protective tube has an internal hole matching the shape of the liquid discharge tube so that the latter can be fitted entirely into the internal hole of the protective tube. The deepest part of the internal hole of the protective tube is formed with a liquid discharge hole that is substantially at a right angle to the protective tube body so that liquid medicine flowing from the liquid discharge tube can bend at the rear section of the internal hole of the protective tube and out laterally from the liquid discharge hole. Hence, the direction of the discharge of the liquid medicine is in a parallel direction with the lateral direction of the subject's oral cavity. The liquid discharge tube is squeezed into the subject's mouth via a corner of the mouth and is entirely pushed into the oral cavity along the gap between the gums and the inner side of the cheek until the rear section of the liquid discharge tube is on one side of the retromolar pad area. Then the liquid medicine can be ejected laterally from the inwardly orienting lateral liquid discharge hole into the throat directly.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a medicine dispenser adapted to feed liquid medicine via a retromolar pad area, and more particularly to a medicine dispenser having a liquid discharge tube enveloped in a protective tube of soft plastic. The liquid discharge tube can be inserted into a subject's oral cavity from a comer of the mouth and be pushed further inwardly to its rear end until it is positioned naturally at the retromolar pad area at the rear sections of the gums so that liquid medicine can be ejected directly into the subject's throat, thus overcoming the problem of feeding subjects who are unwilling to open their mouth or who resist administration.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Administering medicine to a subject who resists taking medicine and refuses to open his/her mouth is a very difficult job. In the past, some people would force open the subject's mouth and feed the medicine using a spoon. However, the subject might easily get choked by the medicine. There has been developed a kind of medicine dispenser that resembles a syringe, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,126. However, as the medicine inevitably passes over the root of the tongue, the subject will likewise resist being fed the medicine.
There has also been developed a nipple-like medicine dispenser that has a Y-shaped liquid discharge passage, such that those taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,816,547 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,588,846. In use, the medicine is ejected in two directions past the root of the tongue directly into the esophagus via the lateral sides of the throat, so that the subject will not taste the bitterness of the medicine.
However, after several trials, the subject will learn to resist the user's administration of medicine by shaking his/her head or refusing to open his/her mouth. Hence, the administration of medicine becomes difficult. Even if the user can force open the subject's mouth, the amount of the medicine dispensed cannot be easily controlled or the medicine will not flow along the expected path along the throat into the esophagus. And the subject, usually a baby, will feel more uncomfortable when tasting the bitter medicine and will resist administration even more violently.
In the above-mentioned medicine dispensing structures, they are also pushed to the central section of the oral cavity of the subject, and the subject needs to open his/her mouth to allow administration. If the subject refuses administration by clenching his/her teeth or gums or closing his/her mouth firmly, the user has to think of every means or require the help of another person to try to force open the subject's mouth, which is very troublesome and may hurt the subject. Furthermore, if the subject is a very small baby, clenching its gums firmly may hurt its gums or teeth or even its oral cavity.

Medicine dispenser adapted to administer liquid medicine via a retromolar pad area


Installation for flocculation of water or sludge loaded with suspended matter comprising in succession: a polymer storage hopper, a polymer grinding device, and a line, pipe or other conveyor for transferring the polymer solution to the water or the sludge to be treated. The grinder device includes a wetting cone in which the polymer is poured, and at the bottom end of the cone: a chamber for grinding and removing the dispersed polymer comprising: a rotor, a stator, and a ring fed by a secondary water circuit. A method implementing the installation is also provided.

The invention relates to an installation for the flocculation of water or sludge loaded with suspended matter, such as for example sludge from dredging, from the mineral, urban or paper and pulp industry. It also relates to a flocculation method implementing the said installation.
Sludges can be flocculated by means of high molecular weight polymers and in particular by means of polyacrylamide. These polymers are water-soluble polymers generally used in powder form whereof the main drawback is that they dissolve in water with difficulty.
In most cases, particularly for low and medium consumption, the polymer is dispersed in the dissolution water using an ejector or a wetting apparatus avoiding the formation of lumps, called "fisheyes". The solution concentration remains low for high molecular weight products, and this dissolution must take place in tanks of sufficient size to obtain complete dissolution.
In certain cases, the polymer powder is injected directly into the water of the sludge to be treated, at the head of long transport lines, particularly in hot suspensions (30 to 60° C.). The powder dissolves during the transport and flocculates the solids. However, due to turbulence, the flocs are mechanically broken, causing high extra consumption of polymer. The installation is simple, but the yield is low.
Another solution is to avoid the complete dissolution of the polymer. In this case, the aggregation of the chains leads to apparent molecular weights much higher than the true molecular weights of the polymer. This is used especially for the flocculation of municipal sludge on centrifuge. In this case—the high concentration of the polymeric solution (5-10 g/litre of polymer for example)—the short dilution time (15 to 30 minutes)—and the very fast contacting time with the suspension (before or at the time of the polymer injection into the water to be treated) prevent the separation of the macromolecular chains, thereby leading to an increase in the size and strength of the flocs. A person skilled in the art has found in particular that the molecular aggregates obtained have the same characteristics as if use had been made of completely dissolved higher molecular weight polymers.
One alternative solution is to completely dissolve the polymer before injecting it into the suspension to be treated. In this case, dissolution generally takes place with polymer solutions in concentrations of 1 g/l for treating water and 3 g/l for sludge. Conventionally, this dissolution has the major drawbacks of requiring:                the use of large size and costly equipment, particularly and usually with two tanks, one for preparation and one for maturation/injection,        and preparation (residence) times that are generally longer than 1 hour.
Documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,588 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,192 describe a polymer dispersion apparatus which reduces the size of the powder to 100-200 microns and thereby shortens the dissolution time. However, this apparatus has the defect of clogging rapidly due to the consistency of the polyacrylamide which becomes particularly viscous in contact with the water and forms aggregates. To prevent this from occurring, it is necessary to rotate the grinder at very high speed ((10-13000 rpm) for a 200 mm ring) in order to self-clean the apparatus by centrifugal action. This method is not widespread industrially due to the technology of the apparatus and its limited throughput. In fact, at a maximum water throughput of 10 m3/h with a 200 mm ring in a concentration of 0.5%, only 50 kg/h of polymer is batched with problems of grid clogging and very short apparatus service life.
The problem that the invention therefore proposes to solve is to develop an installation for the flocculation of sludge loaded with suspended matter that uses a dispersion apparatus of the same type as the one previously described and which allows to disperse large quantities of polymer, in a high concentration, without the risk of clogging the grinding device.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Installation for the flocculation of sludge loaded with suspended matter, method using the installation


An electronic component mounting method includes a removing step, a first mounting step, a first attaching step and a second mounting step. In the removing step, a first feeder holding first electronic components is removed from an attaching portion of a component feeding device when there is a reason for removing the first feeder from the attaching portion. In the first mounting step, electronic components other than the first electronic component, out of electronic components to be mounted on a board, are mounted on the board when the first feeder is removed from the attaching portion. In the first attaching step, the first feeder is attached to another attaching portion, to which no feeder is attached, after the removing step. In the second mounting step, the first electronic component is mounted on the board from the first feeder attached to the other attaching portion after the first attaching step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a surface mounting apparatus for mounting electronic components on a printed circuit board and an electronic component mounting method using the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, there is known a surface mounting apparatus for mounting electronic components on a printed circuit board. Such a surface mounting apparatus includes a component feeding device, to which a plurality of tape feeders (hereinafter, referred to merely as feeders) for feeding electronic components are attached, in some cases. A board production method for efficiently mounting electronic components from the component feeding device in such a surface mounting apparatus is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-198914.
In an operation of mounting electronic components by the surface mounting apparatus as described above, electronic components may run out in each feeder attached to the component feeding device. If the electronic components run out in the feeder, they cannot be mounted on printed circuit boards. Thus, the mounting operation by the surface mounting apparatus is stopped in some cases.


The invention is intended to increase the density for mounting the semiconductor chips on a memory-module, to increase the capacity of the memory-module, and to realize the memory-module capable of coping with high-speed buses. The memory-module comprises a plurality of WPPs having protruded terminals as external terminals and wiring portions for expanding the pitch among the protruded terminals to be wider than the pitch among the bonding electrodes of semiconductor chips, TSOPs having semiconductor chips, outer leads as external terminals, and are mounted via the outer leads that are electrically connected to the bonding electrodes of the semiconductor chips, and a module board supporting the WPPs and the TSOPs, wherein the WPPs and the TSOPs are mounted by the simultaneous reflowing in a mixed manner on the module board.

The technology described below is the one discussed by the present inventors in studying and accomplishing the present invention, and is roughly as described below.
A memory-module is one of the module products mounting a plurality of semiconductor devices.
The memory-module includes a plurality of semiconductor devices having memory chips that are mounted on one surface or on both the front and back surfaces of a module board. In mounting the memory on a personal computer or a work station, the memory-module mounts the memory by being mounted on a mother board provided in the personal computer or the work station with each module as a unit.
As the semiconductor device mounted on the memory-module, there has been used the one of the surface mount type called SMD (surface mount device) having a semiconductor chip sealed with a resin and having lead terminals (external terminals) for drawing the electrodes to the outside of the resin-sealed portion, as represented by TSOP (thin small outline package) and TCP (tape carrier package).
Module products of various structures have been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 209368/1998, 258466/1989 and 86492/1995.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 209368/1998 discloses a CPU (central processing unit) module, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 258466/1989 discloses a memory-module mounting SMD parts having a DRAM (dynamic random access memory) chip. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 86492/1995 discloses technology for applying an underfiller resin in the MCM (multi-chip module).

Memory-Module with an increased density for mounting semiconductor chips


A folded optical zoom lens and an image pickup apparatus including the same are provided. The zoom lens includes a first reflection plate and a second reflection plate having reflection surfaces facing each other; a light incidence region disposed around the second reflection plate; a light exit region disposed in a hole in a center portion of the first reflection plate; and a mirror, which is disposed around the second reflection plate and reflects light incident via the light incidence region toward the first reflection plate. The mirror is configured to change a length of a an optical path of light incident via the light incidence region, reflected between the first reflection plate and the second reflection plate, and exiting the zoom lens via the light exit region.

1. Field
Apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a zoom lens and an image pickup apparatus including the same, and more particularly, to a folded optics zoom lens with reduced thickness and an image pickup apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A zoom lens is a lens capable of adjusting an angle of view of an image pickup apparatus, such as a camera, by changing a focal length. A general dioptric zoom lens includes a plurality of lens elements and may change a focal length by changing distances between the lens elements. However, since such a dioptric zoom lens includes a plurality of lens elements, the lens is longer and heavier than a single focus lens, and a length of the lens changes as a focal length is changed. Therefore, it is difficult to install an image pickup apparatus including an optical zoom lens in a thin portable device, such as a mobile phone.
In view of this, image pickup apparatuses for mobile phones generally use single focus lenses. Therefore, any zoom function provided by a mobile phone is not an optical zooming function, but rather a magnification of an image by an image processing circuit. Therefore, resolutions of magnified images are limited.

Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus including a deformable mirror


A tube beading apparatus for cold forming an annular external bead on a metal tube, the apparatus having a clamp to secure the tube, a beading die to form the bead and a powered ram to advance the die against the end of the tube. The beading die has a tube receiving channel surrounding a central mandrel which extends past the forward wall of the beading die, with the mandrel sized to fit into the bore of the tube to prevent deformation of the bore and with the tube receiving channel sized equal or smaller than the outer diameter of the tube, so that when the die is forced onto the end of the tube the tube wall is deformed into the annular bead. The shoulder of the clamp aperture holding the tube and the shoulder of the tube receiving channel are rounded to properly form the bead.

This invention relates generally to the field of devices which are used to impart an external annular or radial bead or shoulder to a hollow tube or pipe. More particularly, the invention relates to such devices utilizing a clamp to secure the tube, a beading die having an axial guide pin or mandrel surrounded by an annular tube receiving channel and means to mount the die onto a ram, whereby the die can be pressed against the end of the tube to force the tube against the clamp to produce the bead.
In many applications where gas or fluids need to be conducted through a tube, a fitting known as a bead/O-ring connection is used to seal the joint or connection between the tube and the component to which it attaches Such fittings are common in hydraulic, pneumatic and liquid systems. The normal production cycle in the industry is for the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), such as General Motors, Ford, Caterpillar to have the beaded fluid line assembly fabricated by a specialty fabrication vendor which specializes in the high speed high volume production of "blue-printed" fluid line assemblies that have the bead/O-ring seal configuration. Typical methodology for producing a beaded tube utilizes either a two-step procedure using one die to reduce the tube diameter and a second die to form the bead, or the use of rotary forming equipment. The beaded tube may be connected to the system several different ways, typically utilizing a mated male nut and female nut combination with the O-ring sealing any gap between the bead and one of the nuts. When the systems fail and a beaded tube connection needs to be replaced, it is usually necessary to obtain a replacement OEM tube. This often results in considerable delay before the equipment can be used again. The concept behind this invention is to provide a means for the duplication of traditional, highly specialized, high production, normally non-duplicatable, procedures at the after-market or repair shop level with inexpensive tooling that simplifies the process.
It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which enables formation of a beaded replacement tube of proper size from standard tube stock, obviating the need to locate an OEM replacement part. It is a further object to provide such an apparatus which utilizes a clamp to grasp the tube and provide a deformation backstop, a beading die having an axial mandrel which corresponds to the internal diameter of the tube being shaped and an annular receiving channel to receive the end of the tube, and a powered ram to advance a beading die against the tube and backstop to cold press the tube to form the radial bead in a single operation step.


A circuit comprises a delta phi generator, a startup circuit, and a level detector. The delta phi generator has a desirable operating state for developing a delta phi voltage at an output node in response to an input voltage, and an undesirable operating state. The startup circuit is coupled to the delta phi generator. The startup circuit ensures that the delta phi generator does not operate in the undesirable operating state. The level detector comprises a comparator with an offset. The comparator has a first input coupled to the output node, a second input coupled to a reference voltage, and an output coupled to the startup circuit. The level detector detects the delta phi voltage, and in response, disables the startup circuit.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to circuits that generate a delta phi signal, and more specifically, to delta phi generator having a start-up circuit.
2. Related Art
Bandgap references typically use a circuit that includes a pair of semiconductor devices, biased at different current densities, to generate a voltage across a resistor that is representative of absolute temperature. When the signals are generated using a pair of bipolar transistors this voltage is called a delta Vbe signal. The semiconductor devices can also be PN junction diodes or MOS transistors. Because the voltage can be generated from devices other than those with a Vbe, a more general term that can be used for this signal is a delta phi signal. The delta phi signal or a signal that is generated coincident with the delta phi signal is then used as a key element in generating a voltage reference or some other useful function. One issue with typical delta phi generators is that there may be two stable states and only one of which is useful in generating the delta phi signal. To overcome this a start-up circuit is provided to ensure that the delta phi generator will be in the desired stable state. One of the difficulties with such start-up circuits is in reliably detecting which state the delta phi generator is in especially while using minimal current to perform the detection. Also due to power glitches, the delta phi generator can switch out of the useful state.
Accordingly there is a need to improve upon the techniques for ensuring that the delta phi generator is in the desired state.

Delta phi generator with start-up circuit


Removal control performing both first and second control in series is performed. The first control involves rotating the plurality of developer bearing members in a state in which the developing bias is applied to the plurality of developer bearing members so that force acting on opposite-polarity particles from a normally charged toner in the direction of moving the particles from the developer bearing member toward the image bearing member. The second control involves rotating one developer bearing member at a faster circumferential velocity than the other developer bearing member in a state in which the developing bias is applied to the plurality of developer bearing members or the developing bias is turned off so that the force acting on the opposite-polarity particles from the normally charged toner in the direction of moving the particles from the developer bearing member toward the image bearing member.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that includes a developing device having a plurality of developer bearing members and forms an image according to an electrophotographic recording method or the like.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a laser beam printer, a facsimile, or a printing apparatus which uses an electrophotographic system uniformly charges the surface of an image bearing member and performs image exposure with the aid of a semiconductor laser or an LED to thereby form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member. The electrostatic latent image is visualized as a developer image by a developing device. After that, this visible image is transferred to a transfer member, and the transferred visible image (developer image) is fixed to the transfer member by a fixing device and is output.
In recent years, the demand for improving the printing speed and the image quality of an image forming apparatus has increased, and a developing device provided in such a high-speed image forming apparatus that prints images at a high speed includes a plurality of developer bearing members that bears a developer.
Specifically, a developing device having a plurality of developer bearing members is proposed as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-305352 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-29569. The developing device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-305352 uses a magnetic mono-component developer as a developer.
More specifically, in the developing device, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a first developing sleeve 41a and a second developing sleeve 41b are disposed closely to each other in an opening of the developing device 4 having a developer stored therein, facing a photosensitive member 2.
The photosensitive member 2 rotates in the direction indicated by an arrow in the drawing and the first developing sleeve 41a and the second developing sleeve 41b rotates in the direction indicated by an arrow in the drawing. That is, when the first developing sleeve 41a is at a position near the photosensitive member 2, the moving direction of the photosensitive member 2 is the same as the moving direction of the first developing sleeve 41a. Moreover, when the second developing sleeve 41b is at a position near the photosensitive member 2, the moving direction of the photosensitive member 2 is the same as the moving direction of the second developing sleeve 41b. In a portion (hereinafter referred to as a "SS portion") where the first developing sleeve 41a and the second developing sleeve 41b face each other at a close distance, the moving direction of the first developing sleeve 41a is opposite to the moving direction of the second developing sleeve 41b.
The developer in the developing device 4 is conveyed to the vicinity of the second developing sleeve 41b by agitating and conveying members 44 and 45 and is further conveyed to the vicinity of the SS portion with rotation of the second developing sleeve 41b in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing. Here, when the developer passes through the SS portion, the thickness thereof is regulated by the first developing sleeve 41a and a developer layer is formed on the surface of the second developing sleeve 41b. Although a portion of the developer layer closest to the photosensitive member 2 is provided for development, a developer which has not been provided for development is collected again into the developing device 4.
On the other hand, a developer which has not been born on the surface of the second developing sleeve 41b among the developer conveyed up to the vicinity of the SS portion is conveyed to the vicinity of a thickness regulating member 42 with rotation of the first developing sleeve 41a in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing. When the developer passes through a gap (hereinafter referred to as a "SB portion") between the thickness regulating member 42 and the first developing sleeve 41a, the thickness thereof is regulated by the thickness regulating member 42, and a developer layer is formed on the surface of the first developing sleeve 41a. Although a portion of the developer layer closest to the photosensitive member 2 is provided for development, a developer which has not been provided for development is conveyed to the SS portion in which the first developing sleeve 41a and the second developing sleeve 41b face each other at a close distance. A portion of the developer conveyed to the SS portion is collected into the developing device 4, and the remaining developer is conveyed to the second developing sleeve 41b to form a portion of the developer layer on the second developing sleeve 41b.
In such a system that performs development using a plurality of developing sleeves, when the developer layer of the first developing sleeve 41a is formed in the SB portion of the developing device, a portion of an external additive included in the developer is separated from the developer to accumulate in the SB portion as clusters of agglomerates. Further, a portion of the clusters of agglomerates accumulating in the SB portion passes through the SB portion at a certain time to reach the SS portion. These clusters of agglomerates having moved to the SS portion remain in a certain longitudinal position near the SS portion and accumulate gradually as illustrated in FIG. 2. The clusters of agglomerates accumulating in a certain amount or more inhibit formation of a coated layer of the second developing sleeve 41b. When formation of the coated layer of the second developing sleeve 41b is inhibited, the coated layer of the second developing sleeve becomes thinner than that of a portion where formation of the coated layer is not inhibited. When image formation is performed in this state, as illustrated in FIG. 2, an image defect which becomes a white stripe occurs on a halftone image at a position identical to the position where clusters of agglomerates accumulate in the longitudinal direction.

Image forming apparatus configured to execute removal control


A programming method of a multilevel memory cell is able to store a plurality of bits in a plurality of levels. The method includes writing a logic value in the multilevel memory cell by setting one of the programming levels thereof, these levels being included in the plurality of levels, with respect to a reference level according to the symbol to be written and to a previous programming level. The writing step is repeated until a highest possible value for the levels is reached. A multilevel memory device includes a plurality of multilevel memory cells organized into sectors, split into a plurality of data units whereon a programming operation is performed in parallel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a programming method for a multilevel memory cell able to store a plurality of bits in a plurality of levels.
The invention further relates to a multilevel memory device comprising a plurality of multilevel memory cells organized into sectors, the sectors being split into a plurality of data units wherein a programming operation is performed in parallel.
The invention relates, particularly but not exclusively, to a Flash memory device, and the following description is made with reference to this application field with the only aim of simplifying illustration.
2. Description of the Related Art
As it is well known, in the Flash memory field, the multilevel technique is now widely accepted as a means to increase data density, with an equal physical density of the memory cells.
Known are multilevel memory devices which can store several logic values in a single memory cell. These devices are made in the form of integrated electronic circuits, which have achieved a sufficient degree of reliability to allow their large scale production for several technical and commercial applications.
The market of semiconductor integrated electronic devices is showing great interest in multilevel memory devices because they can offer information storage densities which are at least double in comparison with two-level memory devices, both by using the same technology and the same circuit area occupation.
The operation of such multilevel memory devices will now be briefly described. The different programming state of a memory cell results in a different value of the threshold voltage Vth thereof.
Of course, for a two-level cell, there can be only two values, corresponding to a logic 0 and a logic 1 respectively. In this case, the amount of information that can be stored is equal to one bit per cell.
Instead, a multilevel memory cell can store more than one bit. From the electrical point of view, this results in more than two possible threshold voltage values. The amount of information that can be stored in a single multilevel cell increases according to the following relation:Number of bits per cell=log2(number of values of Vth)
From the physical point of view, the possibility of altering the threshold voltage Vth, and therefore of programming the multilevel memory cell, is realized by the floating gate structure of the transistor which form the memory cell. The gate region is DC-isolated but it can be accessed by charge injection processes of the Channel Hot Electrons and/or Fowler-Nordheim Tunneling Effect type.
When suitably controlled, these processes allow the amount of charge caught in the floating gate to be modulated, thereby allowing the effect of the latter on the threshold voltage Vth value to be changed.
The possibility of generating, in a large number of cells, a set of threshold voltage levels which can be distinguished from each other upon reading is thus used to increase the density of the stored data.
However, the multilevel technique has inherently the disadvantage of slowing the processes of reading and programming each cell.
Additionally, there are applications—e.g., the implementation of a FAT memory for disk-on-silicon embodiments—which require the writing of small amounts of data, usually at non-contiguous addresses, for which the programming times are significantly longer.
In fact these applications require, for data updating, erasing/programming cycles to be performed. Considering the time taken by such operations, two major problems stand out:
the updating time per bit becomes unacceptable if the amount of data to be updated is small;
an auxiliary memory is needed to store data not to be updated, which data are nevertheless erased, the erasing being carried simultaneously out on a whole sector.
These problems make the use of current Flash memory architectures improposable.
Furthermore, power consumption is critical to such applications: all the energy used to store data which require no updating, but which are involved in the erasing/programming process, is lost with respect to the updating operation.
Power usage is the more inefficient the smaller is the ratio between the data to be updated and the sector size.

Programming method for a multilevel memory cell


A reduced insertion force mezzanine connector is used to couple first and second circuit boards. In one embodiment a connector frame has a first end disposed against the first circuit board and defining a first wall, and an opposing second end disposed against the second circuit board and defining a second wall generally parallel with the first wall. A plurality of wafers are disposed. Each wafer has a first edge in sliding contact with the first wall and an opposing second edge in sliding contact with the second wall. A plurality of electrically conducting pathways extend along each wafer from the first edge to the second edge. A wafer guide structure defines a plurality of wafer-support aisles on the first and second walls for receiving the edges of the wafers to constrain the wafers with a fixed spacing and generally parallel alignment. A plurality of terminals are biased to protrude laterally into each wafer support aisle, and are spaced along the wafer support aisle such that each wafer is movable within the respective wafer support aisle between a first position, wherein each electrically conducting pathway is disposed between adjacent terminals, to a second position, wherein each electrically conducting pathway is in electrical contact with a terminal on the first wall and an associated terminal on the second wall.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic connectors. More particularly, the present invention relates to electronic connectors for connecting circuit boards.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of circuit boards and circuit board connectors are used in computer systems. The main circuit board ("main board") of a computer system such as a PC or server is typically referred to as a motherboard, having a plurality of electronic components connected by electrical communication pathways. Motherboard components include processors, drive controllers, video controllers, primary memory, interrupt controllers, and BIOS, as well as electronic connectors for interfacing with additional components. Electronic connectors are typically included with a main board for connecting additional circuit boards, such as a "daughter card," to provide electronic communication (i.e. the transfer of power and signal information) between the motherboard and the circuit boards to be connected. The terms "daughter card" and "daughter board" are routinely interchangeably used to refer to an extension or "daughter" of a motherboard or other main board. A daughter board may include plugs, sockets, pins, or connectors for attaching still other boards to the daughter card.
The term "mezzanine card" is often used to describe a daughter card mounted closely in parallel to a main board to expand the functionality of the main board. This closely-spaced, parallel arrangement helps achieve a compact form factor, which is particularly desirable in applications such as blade servers to minimize blade size and maximize blade density. The connector used to connect a mezzanine board to another circuit board may be referred to as a mezzanine connector. One practical application of a mezzanine board is to expand upon the functionality of the main board to which it attaches, without requiring a redesign of that main board or a redesign of the way in which the main board may attach to another circuit board. For example, a piece of hardware may be upgraded periodically by creating a new mezzanine card having additional or modified functionality, without necessitating a redesign of the main board, itself. One illustration of this mezzanine-type arrangement of circuit boards is the attachment of a MIDI daughter board parallel to a sound card, wherein the sound card itself is attached to a PC motherboard either in a mezzanine arrangement or at a selected angle with respect to the motherboard. The MIDI daughter board may be used to expand the functionality of the sound card without requiring a redesign of the main sound card or the way it attaches to the motherboard.
As electronic packaging becomes increasingly dense, the number and density of high-speed electronic connectors increases. Consequently, the mechanical integrity of circuit boards and supporting infrastructure is limited, such as in the case of thin blade servers. Such circuit boards and infrastructure may be prone to failure due to the relatively high mating forces between components, such as between two circuit boards. Conventional electronic connectors typically include two connector members each having an array of mating terminals or pins that are frictionally joined with one another as a result of mechanically coupling the two connector members. Thus, the forces required to mechanically couple the two connector members includes the force required to frictionally join a large number of mating terminals. Connecting the two connector members typically requires pressing one connector member into engagement with the other connector member, which applies a similar force to the two boards being connected, as well as to any supporting structure for the two boards. These forces and relative movement can damage the circuit boards or supporting structures. Furthermore, the individual pins on one connector are prone to damage if misaligned with the mating pins on the opposing connector prior to joining the circuit boards.
Therefore, improved connectors for electronic circuit boards are needed. One area for improvement would be to reduce the force required to connect two circuit boards. It would be desirable to provide a connector that can connect two circuit boards with zero insertion forces in order to avoid stress on the circuit boards. It would also be desirable to increase the reliability and durability of connectors so they are less prone to being damaged with use. Still further, it would be desirable if such a connector provided for the passage of cooling air flow so that it could be positioned anywhere on the circuit boards without adverse thermal affects.

International Business Machines Corporation


An electrically conductive adhesive sheet for joining structural elements, the adhesive sheet comprising Bucky paper impregnated with an adhesive resin is provided. A method of forming an electrically conductive joint between structural elements and a process of making an electrically conductive adhesive sheet for joining structural elements are also provided.

The use of adhesives is required in many engineering applications in which the bonding of structural elements is necessary. Bonding is a joining technique that is light weight and does not require making holes as other joining techniques such as for example bolting.
In some applications, it is necessary that the joint between structural elements is not only of good shear strength but is also a good electrical conductor. These applications include the following:                In helicopter applications, one may need to run electricity from the pilot control board (usually located inside the cabin) to the engine (located above the cabin). Electrical circuits sometimes run across joints. When bonded joints are used instead of bolted joints, such bonded joints should be electrically conductive.        In Electro Magnetic Interference Shielding (EMI shielding) applications, it is necessary to ensure that there are no leaks of the electromagnetic field across the shield. If joints are present in the shield, these must either be tight or electrically conductive. Bolted joints may or may not be effective for such applications. It should be noted that when non-electrically conductive bonded joints are used, leaking may occur.        For lightning protection purposes, it is necessary to provide conductive shielding. Joints that may be present in such a shield should be conductive to dissipate away electrons.Other applications in which electrically conductive joints are used are automotive components, windmills, etc.
Adhesives for the above applications are usually made of polymers such as epoxies and polyurethanes, which are not electrically conductive. Efforts have been attempted to increase the conductivity of these adhesives by adding carbon black. However, large amounts of carbon black are required which adds much weight to the adhesive and decreases its shear strength.
Carbon nanotubes are carbonaceous materials, which have received a great deal of interest since the early 1990s. Adhesives containing carbon nanotubes mixed with adhesive resins have been reported.
Bucky paper is a network of carbon nanotubes which can be handled as conventional fiber mats. Bucky paper composites for various applications (such as EMI shielding) including composites made of Bucky papers impregnated with resins have been described.
The present description refers to a number of documents, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Electrically conductive adhesives comprising bucky paper and an adhesive resin