The present invention provides a ventable ski hat for enabling a skier to selectively vent body heat, the ventable ski hat essentially comprising a superficial insulative fabric layer, a deep moisture-wicking fabric layer, zipper structure, a mesh fabric layer, and an insulative head band member. Together the superficial fabric layer and the deep fabric layer define a superior vent portion and an inferior crown-receiving portion. The superior vent portion comprises an anterior-superior portion, a posterior-superior portion and a selectively-ventable vent aperture. The zipper structure is located at the vent aperture for selectively venting the vent aperture. The zipper structure is medially aligned along a wearer's head in superior adjacency to the wearer's superior head surface, thus defining an insulative air layer. The zipper structure thus enables the wearer to selectively vent body heat from the insulative air layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a cold weather hat for use during winter sporting activities. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thermally insulative hat, which may be selectively vented during winter sporting activities to more readily exhaust heat to the surrounding atmosphere via convective currents. The present invention thus provides users with a means to prevent bodily discomfort or overheating during rigorous winter sporting activities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Key to success in any winter sporting activity is the requirement to dress warmly. It is noted that the human body ordinarily remains at a fairly constant temperature of 37° Celcius (98.6° Fahrenheit). It is very important that this body temperature be maintained and, since there is a continuous body heat gain from internal body processes, there must also be a continuous body heat loss to maintain body heat in balance. Excess heat must be absorbed by the surrounding air or lost by radiation. As the temperature and humidity of the environment in which a human body is active varies, the human body automatically regulates the amount of heat it gives off. However, the human body's ability to adjust to varying environmental conditions is limited. Furthermore, although the body may adjust to a certain (limited) range of atmospheric conditions, it does so with a distinct feeling of discomfort. The following is a brief discussion of how atmospheric conditions affect the body's ability to maintain a heat balance and the background information supporting the development of the present invention.
The human body gains and loses heat by radiation, convection, conduction, evaporation, and as a by-product of other physiological processes that take place within the body, namely the oxidation of food, other chemical processes, and by friction and tension within muscle tissues. Most body heat, however, is produced by the foods consumed by the individual, which body heat must be removed continuously or body temperature would steadily rise. The principal routes of body heat loss include radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation. Radiation is the transfer of heat as infrared heat rays from a warmer object to a cooler object without physical contact. The human body loses heat by the radiation of heat waves to cooler objects nearby such as ceilings, floors and walls. If these objects are at a higher temperature, the human body absorbs heat by radiation. Incidentally, air temperature has no relationship to the radiation of heat to and from objects. Skiers, for example, are, on occasion, able to comfortably remove clothing in bright sunshine even though the air temperature is very low because the radiant heat from the sun is adequate to warm the skier. In a room at 21° C. (70° F.), about 60 percent of heat loss is by radiation in a resting person.
Conduction is the process by which body heat is transferred to a substance or object in contact with the body, such as chairs, clothing, jewelry, air or water. At rest, about 3 percent of body heat is lost via conduction to solid objects. The contact of air or water with the human body results in heat transfer by both conduction and convection. Convection is the transfer of heat by the movement of a liquid or gas between areas of different temperature. When cool air makes contact with the body, it becomes warmed and less dense. The less dense air then rises. Subsequently, cool air makes contact with the body and is carried away as it warms by conduction and becomes less dense. The faster the air moves, the faster the rate of convection. When at rest, about 15 percent of body heat is lost to the air by conduction and convention.
Evaporation is the conversion of a liquid to vapor. Water has a high heat of evaporation, and because of this characteristic, every gram of water (as found in perspiration) evaporating from the skin takes with it a relatively great deal of heat—on the order of about 0.58 kilocalories per gram of water. Under normal conditions, about 22 percent of heat loss occurs through evaporation. Under extreme conditions, about 4 liters of perspiration are produced each hour, and this volume can remove about 2,000 kilocalories of heat from the body. This is approximately 32 times the basal level of heat production.
Even though there are wide fluctuations in environmental temperature, the human body's homeostatic mechanisms can maintain a normal range for the internal body temperature. If the body heat production equals the body heat loss, the body maintains a constant core temperature near the earlier cited 37° C. Body heat losses may be classified in two general categories, namely, loss of sensible heat and loss of latent heat. Sensible heat is given off by radiation, convection and conduction. Latent heat is given off in the breath and by evaporation or perspiration. In perfectly still air, the layer of air around a body absorbs the sensible heat given off by the body and increases in temperature. The layer of air also absorbs some of the water vapor given off by the body, thus increasing the relative humidity. This means the body is surrounded by an envelope of moist air that is at a higher temperature and relative humidity than the ambient air. Therefore, the amount of heat the body can lose to this envelope is less than the amount it can lose to the ambient air. When the air is set in motion past the body, the envelope is continually being removed and replaced by the ambient air, thereby increasing the rate of heat loss from the body. When the increased heat loss improves the body heat balance, the sensation of a breeze is felt; when the increase is excessive, the rate of heat loss makes the body feel cool and the sensation of a draft is felt.
From the foregoing discussion, it is evident that the three factors, namely temperature, humidity, and air motion, are closely interrelated in their effects upon the comfort and health of winter sports enthusiasts. In fact, a given combination of temperature, humidity, and air motion will produce the same feeling of warmth of coolness as a higher or lower temperature in conjunction with a compensating humidity and air motion. The term given to the net effect of these three factors is known as the Effective Temperature. Effective Temperature cannot be measured by an instrument, but can be found on a special psychometric chart when the temperatures and air velocity are known. The combinations of temperature, relative humidity, and air motion of a particular Effective Temperature may produce the same feeling of warmth of coolness. However, they are not all equally comfortable. Relative humidity below about 15 percent produces a parched condition of the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and lungs, and increases susceptibility to disease germs. Relative humidity above about 70 percent causes an accumulation of moisture in the clothing. For the best health conditions, relative humidity ranges from about 40 to 50 percent for cold weather and from 50 to 60 percent for warm weather.
As earlier stated, most of the body heat produced by the human body comes from oxidation of the food humans eat. The rate at which this heat is produced is referred to as the metabolic rate. Among the factors that affect the metabolic rate are the following: exercise, nervous system, hormones, body temperature, food ingestion, age and several other variables of lesser direct involvement, namely gender, climate, sleep, and malnutrition. During strenuous exercise activity, such as skiing or snowboarding, the metabolic rate may increase to as much as 15 times the normal rate; in well-trained athletes, the rate may increase to a rate 20 times the normal metabolic rate.
In this regard, adequate clothing protection for the winter sports enthusiast is essential. Adequate clothing protection should not only include means for retaining body heat in adjacency to the skin of the athlete, but also means for selectively releasing or venting body heat from areas in adjacency to the skin to help maintain a more agreeable body heat level. Without a means to release or vent body heat, it is noted that skiers often experience a great increase in body heat, which generally causes discomfort during those intervals between strenuous activities, which intervals are marked by relatively little bodily activity. Typically, the intervals of little bodily activity occur during ski lift or tow periods to the start of a ski run and the like. For example, after a strenuous downhill run, the body heat increases dramatically, but downhill motion causes air movement over the body, thus causing the removal of excess heat from the body. The period of strenuous exercise is countered with air motion and thus creates a sense of body heat balance. However, after the downhill run is complete and the skier becomes sedentary on a ski lift, the body heat is still at a high level, causing the body to perspire and overheat. During this period goggles may fog up as heat leaves the facial area exposed beneath an insulative hat and perspiration may build up on the superficial head surfaces, both of which events may cause bodily discomfort during the described period of inactivity.
It is estimated that as much as 50 to 80 percent of body heat is lost through the head of a strenuously exercising human body. In this regard, adequate head wear protection is essential for both retaining and venting body heat as may be required. It is noted that different types of head wear with vents have been developed in an attempt to aid users in the pursuit of maintaining a more leveled body heat balance. It is further noted that the prior art teaches a great variety of head wear or hats with air vents. Some of the more pertinent prior art relating to head wear incorporating venting systems and the like is described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,990,096 ('096 patent), which issued to Rothchild, discloses a Ventilated Hat. The '096 patent teaches a hat with ventilation means preferably enabled through the use of slide fastener or zipper means. Rothchild thus essentially claims a hat having a crown to cover the head of the wearer, which crown comprises at least one slit for communicating with the outer atmosphere. One end of the slit is disposed at a point adjacent the top of the crown and the other end of the slit terminates at a point adjacent the base of the crown. The slide fastener means are adapted to close the slit in selective degrees as desired by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,051,084 ('084 patent), which issued to Patton, discloses an Adjustable Cap. The '084 patent teaches a cap comprising two similar substantially rectangular plies of fabric superimposed one on the other, which together constitute the crown and head band. The plies are joined together along one longitudinal edge and a short edge, thereby leaving the plies unjoined at the other longitudinal edge and at least partly along the last named short edge. An outward projection extends from each of the plies at the unjoined portion at the short edge thereof. The projections are adapted to overlap each other and form the cap to the head of the wearer. Further, adjustable fastening means are located along the unjoined longitudinal edges of the plies at the projections. A continuous cuff is secured to the unjoined longitudinal edges of the plies and is coextensive with the projections. The cuff comprises sufficient width so as to overlap the projections when turned upward.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,349,471 ('471 patent), which issued to Starbeck, discloses Headgear. The '471 patent teaches a ventilated head covering or headgear which comprises a plurality of similarly contoured pieces secured together. Certain of the similarly contoured pieces are selectively detached one from the other to provide flaps, which flaps are foldable back upon themselves to form openings in the crown. Mesh-like materials span the resultant openings and slide fasteners coact with the flaps and other pieces in the crown for fastening the flaps to the crown and close the openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,622 ('622 patent), which issued to Kaufman, discloses a Ventilated Hat. The '622 patent teaches an all weather runner's hat, the design of which promotes airflow around the head and hair of a person while, at the same time, deflecting rain. The Ventilated Hat comprises a generally hemispherical shell; a brim which is attached to the shell at an angle of about 15 degrees from horizontal and varies in width around the circumference; a number of vents positioned in the crown for ventilation; a headband; and a means of attaching the headband with spacers to create a novel air gap to allow air flow around the head and hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,526 ('526 patent), which issued to Thompson, discloses a Convertible Garment Having a Ventilation Opening and a Storage Pouch. The '526 patent teaches a garment wherein certain portions of the garment have ventilation openings incorporated into the design, which openings are preferably opened or closed via slidable fastening means or zipper means. A sublayer of fishnet-like mesh material is disposed at the opening for venting air from the garment to the outside atmosphere, which material may also be utilized to store the garment. In this regard, the garment may be condensed and stored in the mesh material which doubles as a storage pouch for the garment.
From a review of these patents and other prior art generally known in the relevant art, it will be seen that the prior art does not teach an insulative, ventable ski hat for enabling a skier to selectively vent body heat, which insulative ventable ski hat essentially comprises a superior vent portion and an inferior crown-receiving portion. It will be further seen that the prior art does not teach an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the superior vent portion comprises an anterior-superior portion, a posterior-superior portion and a selectively-ventable vent aperture, the vent aperture being intermediate the anterior-superior portion and the posterior-superior portion. It will be further seen that the prior art does not teach an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the vent aperture comprises open-closure means for selectively venting the vent aperture, the vent aperture being substantially elliptical in configuration. It will be further seen that the prior art does not teach an insulative, ventable ski hat comprising an elliptical vent aperture, which elliptical vent aperture necessarily comprises a major axis and a minor axis. The prior art does not teach an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the major axis of the elliptically shaped vent aperture is medially aligned along a skier's head. Given the fact that a skier's head necessarily comprises a superior head surface, it will be seen that the prior art does not teach an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the open-closure means is in spaced relation in superior adjacency to the superior head surface thus defining an insulative air layer, the open-closure means thus enabling a user to selectively vent body heat from the insulative air layer.
It will be further seen that the prior art does not teach an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the vent aperture comprises a mesh fabric layer in inferior adjacency to the open-closure means, which mesh fabric layer and open-closure means together form a selectively-ventable, mesh-filtered vent. It will be further seen that the prior art does not teach an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the open-closure means is defined by a zipper, which zipper comprises a main axis that coincides with the major axis of the substantially elliptical vent aperture. It will be further seen that the prior art does not teach a ventable ski hat wherein the ventable ski hat comprises a superficial fabric layer and a deep fabric layer, the superficial fabric layer comprising an insulative fabric material and the deep fabric layer comprising a moisture-wicking fabric material. Still further, it will be seen that the prior art does not teach an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the major axis of the substantially elliptical vent aperture has a measured dimension ranging from about 5 inches to 6 inches and wherein the minor axis has a maximum measured dimension of about 1.5 inches.
The prior art thus perceives a need for an insulative, ventable ski hat for enabling a skier to selectively retain or vent body heat during strenuous winter sporting activities, as needed or desired by the skier, which insulative ventable ski hat essentially comprises a superior vent portion and an inferior crown-receiving portion. In this regard, the prior art perceives a need for an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the superior vent portion comprises an anterior-superior portion, a posterior-superior portion and a selectively-ventable vent aperture intermediate the anterior-superior portion and the posterior-superior portion. Further, the prior perceives a need for an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the vent aperture comprises open-closure means for selectively venting the vent aperture, the vent aperture being substantially elliptical in configuration when in a fully open state and substantially linear when in a fully closed state. Still further, the prior art perceives a need for an insulative, ventable ski hat comprising an elliptical vent aperture, which elliptical vent aperture necessarily comprises a major axis and a minor axis, the major axis of the elliptically shaped vent aperture being designed for medial alignment along a skier's head from the anterior-superior portion to the posterior-superior portion. The prior art thus perceives a need for an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the open-closure means is designed to be in spaced relation in superior adjacency to the superior head surface of a skier, thereby defining an insulative air layer and the open-closure means thus enabling a user to selectively retain or vent body heat from the insulative air layer.
The prior art further perceives a need for insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the vent aperture comprises a mesh fabric layer in inferior adjacency to the open-closure means, which mesh fabric layer and open-closure means together form a selectively-ventable, mesh-filtered vent. Still further, the prior art perceives a need for an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the open-closure means is defined by a zipper, the zipper comprising a main axis that coincides with the major axis of the substantially elliptical vent aperture. The prior art perceives an additional need for a ventable ski hat wherein the ventable ski hat comprises a superficial fabric layer and a deep fabric layer, the superficial fabric layer comprising an insulative fabric for retaining body heat in adjacency to the superior head surface and the deep fabric layer comprising a moisture-wicking material for conveying perspiration or liquid away from head surfaces. Still further, the prior art perceives a need for an insulative, ventable ski hat wherein the major axis of the substantially elliptical vent aperture has a measured dimension ranging from about 5 inches to 6 inches and wherein the minor axis has a maximum measured dimension of about 1.5 inches.

Ventable ski hat and method of manufacture thereof


A metal rear cover for a terminal and a terminal are provided. The metal rear cover includes a base plate provided with at least one micro-seam band, and the micro-seam band includes a plurality of micro-seams. The plurality of micro-seams are arranged equidistantly, a distance between two adjacent micro-seams is larger than a width of the micro-seam, the at least one micro-seam band divides the base plate into at least two radiation parts including a first radiation part and a second radiation part. A conducting switch is coupled between the first radiation part and the second radiation part, and configured to disconnect or connect the first radiation part with the second radiation part, so that transceiving of different preset frequency ranges can be achieved by the metal rear cover, when the conducting switch disconnects or connects the first radiation part with the second radiation part.

At present, a metal rear cover of a mobile phone is generally provided with two plastic isolation strips to divide the metal rear cover into three segments of metal parts, so that a radio frequency efficiency of an antenna within the mobile phone can be improved by means of slits among the metal parts. However, as the user has increasingly higher appearance requirements of the mobile phone, a proportion of the metal portion of the metal rear cover of the mobile phone is required to increase, thus resulting in a decrease of a proportion of the plastic isolation strip. In this case, with the decrease of the proportion of the plastic isolation strip, the radio frequency efficiency of the antenna within the mobile phone is reduced, thus affecting a user experience of the mobile phone.

Metal rear cover for terminal and terminal

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


This rotation-linear motion conversion apparatus (10) includes: a pinion shaft (20) in which a pinion gear (22) is formed; a rack bar (30) in which a rack gear (32) that engages with the pinion gear (22) and a support surface (31) along a longitudinal direction are formed; and a support part (40) that supports the rack bar (30) movably along the support surface (31). The support part (40) prevents a movement of the rack bar (30) in a direction X perpendicular to a surface (30a) in which the rack gear (32) is formed.

Rack and pinion apparatuses are used in steering apparatuses that arbitrarily change the travel direction of a vehicle.
A rack and pinion apparatus includes a pinion shaft in which a pinion gear is formed and a rack bar in which a rack gear that engages with the pinion gear is formed. The rack and pinion apparatus converts a rotation motion of the pinion shaft into a linear motion of the rack bar by the action between the pinion gear and the rack gear.
When a steering wheel is rotated, the pinion shaft is rotated via a steering shaft. In accordance with the rotation of the pinion shaft, the rack bar is reciprocated in the width direction of the vehicle and changes the direction (travel direction) of a tire (wheel) via a link member.

Rotation-linear motion conversion apparatus and steering apparatus


A set of agents is provided for probing/detecting the activation of Rho-associated protein kinase I and II individually encoding their amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:1 for ROCKI and SEQ ID NO:2 for ROCKII) in biological samples. The agents include one antibody to specifically recognize ROCKI Ser1333 phosphorylation and one antibody to specifically recognize ROCKII Ser1366 phosphorylation. The agents can be used for pathological analysis in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurological diseases or other diseases/disorders involving ROCKs and also for basic medical research. Moreover, the agents can be used for screening inhibitors against ROCKI and II.

Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCKs), the downstream effectors of Rho A, belong to the member of a serine/threonine protein kinase family. This molecule play key roles in many cellular processes, including the regulation of cell adhesion, migration, contractility, growth, apoptosis, centrosome duplication, and cytokinesis. ROCKs also play the key role in the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurological diseases. Two ROCK isoforms, have been identified in mammals, ROCKI and ROCKII. They have the similar domain structure and composed of a kinase domain in the N-terminus, a RhoA-binding domain and a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain in the C-terminal region. The signaling pathways for regulating ROCK activity in cells includes: (1) the combination of RhoA and ROCK, (2) proteolytic cleavage of the C-terminal inhibitory domain in apoptotic cells, (3) the intracellular second messengers, such as arachidonic acid, or (4) the interaction with several proteins, such as stimulation by polo-like kinase-1 (Plk1) and nucleophosmin, and repression by GTP binding protein (Gem and Rad, for instance) and the ROCK inhibitor (Morgana).
Recently, the methods for detecting the ROCK activation including: (1) to indirectly determine ROCK phosphorylation by measuring the inhibitor-sensitive phosphorylation ROCK downstream subtracts (e.g. myosin light chain (MLC), myosin binding substrate (MBS), LIM kinase (LIMK), and α-adducin); or (2) to measure the catalytic activity of the purified ROCK kinase by in vitro kinase assay. However, the phosphorylation levels of ROCK downstream subtracts do not directly correspond to the respective activations of ROCKI or ROCKII in cells and tissues. And the ROCK kinase in vitro kinase assay requires high amount of purified ROCK protein that is unfavorable for detecting ROCK activity in cells and tissues. In addition, the loss of RhoA binding during sample preparation might result in the disadvantage of assay. There is no any method can directly and efficiently measure the respective activation of ROCKI and ROCKII. Therefore, these traditional methods are not sufficient to determine ROCKI and ROCKII activation in tissues to evaluate the relationship between the ROCKs activation and diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer or neurological diseases.
It is therefore attempted by the applicant to deal with the above situation encountered in the prior art.


An aramid article is disclosed having improved resistance to penetration by sharp implements. The article is woven with tough, low dtex, aramid yarns of low dtex filaments in a tight plain weave configuration; and, when used in several layers, the layers are not stitched together.

There is a need for protective garments exhibiting improved penetration resistance from sharp pointed implements. However, attention has been directed primarily toward ballistics and toward garments which provide protection from ballistic threats. This invention relates to articles which protect from penetration, such as stabs or thrusts from sharp instruments such as awls or ice picks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,358, issued Nov. 26, 1996 (U.S. Ser. No. 08/421,350, filed Apr. 12, 1995) on the application of Foy and Miner, discloses a penetration resistant article made from tightly woven aramid yarn having a low linear density and a high toughness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,195, issued Feb. 9, 1993 on the application of Harpell et al., discloses a penetration resistant construction wherein adjacent layers of woven aramid or linear polyethylene fabric are affixed together by regular, close, paths. The affixing is preferably by means of stitching.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,050, issued Jul. 25, 1989 on the application of Droste et al., discloses a body armor made from laminated layers of aramid fabrics wherein yarns in the fabric are made from filaments with a linear density of less than 1.5 dtex.


A method and apparatus for transversely sealing multi-ply diaper webs including an ultrasonic horn assembly above the web and an anvil assembly below the web, and including orbiting the two assemblies with points of orbit intersection at two spaced apart points on the web and with one of the assemblies being resiliently mounted so as to yield when the two assemblies come in contact during sealing.

This invention relates to apparatus and method for ultrasonic sealing disposable diapers and, more particularly, to sealing with an orbitally movable horn and anvil.
It is known that ultrasonic sealing is commonly used in many applications to weld various types of web materials together. A majority of these applications utilize a stationary mounted ultrasonic member (power supply, converter, booster, horn) in connection with a rotating patterned anvil roll member. The horn is the part of the vibratory or ultrasonic member that comes in contact with the product and effects sealing in combination with the anvil. The vibratory energy is transferred directly to the webs as they pass through these members causing them to melt and bond to each other. This approach, because of its tangential contact time, is limited to speeds and construction that require a minimal seal time.
One current apparatus employs a shuttle mechanism to increase sealing time. The vibratory member clamps down on the web with an anvil member underneath and travels with the web for a predetermined distance where it releases--having sealed a specific area--and returns to the starting point for another cycle. This is a chain drive system with complicated dynamics which makes it difficult to control.
Ultrasonic sealing on the fly has been successful because of the small area that the vibratory member has been required to seal, i.e., tangential contact to the patterned anvil roller. The drawbacks to this system are limited web speed, the product orientation required for a good seal and is limited to putting a good seal only on small areas.
The problem is that many product constructions, such as training pants, require a substantial increase in seal time due to the multiple webs and the increased sealing area. To run these on present systems would require a slower web feed rate making it more costly and changing the orientation of the web or product as it passes.

Apparatus and method for ultrasonic sealing disposable diapers


A method of refreshing DRAM. The method of the invention utilizes the time, in which CPU is executing a cache hit cycle, an input/output cycle, an interrupt acknowledge cycle or an idle cycle, to perform a least one refresh cycle for refreshing DRAM. It uses the time, in which CPU does not access DRAM, to perform the refresh cycle. Besides, it needs to insert the rest of the refresh cycles, which are required to be accomplished during a fixed time period, to replace any operational cycle of DRAM before the end of the fixed time period comes.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of controlling dynamic random access memory (DRAM). More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of refreshing DRAM for increasing operation efficiency of a computer system.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, DRAM is used to serve as main memory of a computer, And, the memory cells of DRAM have a plurality of small capacitors in its inner. While data are written into DRAM in a writing cycle, the capacitors are charged, and while data are read from memory cells in following reading cycle, the amount of charges stored in the capacitors indicate the logic states of the memory cells. DRAM suffers current leakage of capacitors since each DRAM memory cell composes of a capacitor. Therefore, typical DRAM needs so-called refresh cycles, and DRAM can update its inner data during the refresh cycles.
According to the memory storage capacity, various DRAM are refreshed by operating various refresh cycles, for example: EQU 4M.times.4.fwdarw.4096 cycles at 64 ms; and EQU 1M.times.4.fwdarw.1024 cycles it 16 ms.
That is various DRAM perform different refresh cycles if the number of their memory row addresses are different. For 4M.times.4 DRAM, it is usually required to perform one DRAM refreshing during (64 ms/4096) time period.
The conventional methods of refreshing DRAM are described in the following.
A conventional method of refreshing DRAM is provided in early computer system. When DRAM is required to perform DRAM refreshing, the operation of a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer is suspended, and the operation of CPU is not rightened until the DRAM refreshing is accomplished by a DRAM controller. In this manner, the utilization efficiency of the system decreases, such as about 3% to 5%, since it needs to stop CPU for a long time period to perform DRAM refreshing, in order to avoid transferred data loss between DRAM and CPU.
Till the 386-computer are, the refresh cycle of DRAM is hidden into the DRAM cycle, such as a Hidden Refresh method, which is described by Frenkil et al in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,072. In Hidden Refresh method, a register is used to keep a record for performing one refresh cycle every specific CPU cycles, and the register is set up by a basic input output system (BIOS). When the time for refreshing DRAM starts, DRAM controller suspends current work of DRAM and inserts one refresh cycle into normal clock cycles, hereby DRAM is refreshed by DRAM controller.
Referring to FIG. 1, which is a flow chart illustrating a conventional Hidden Refresh method.
Step 100: when a computer system is turn on, BIOS installs a set of default settings into a register, to define a predetermined time period to perform one refresh cycle, for instance considering 4M.times.4 DRAM. DRAM is required to perform one refresh cycle during (64 ms/4096) time period.
Step 110: judging whether the end of a predetermined time period has come. Returning to the step 100 if the end of the predetermined time period has not come, and executing a step 120 if the end of the predetermined time period has come.
Step 120: judging whether CPU is performing a DRAM cycle. Namely judging whether CPU is using,) DRAM. Executing a step 130 if CPU is not performing a DRAM cycle, and executing a step 140 if CPU is performing a DRAM cycle.
Step 130: performing one refresh cycle if CPU is not performing a DRAM cycle.
Step 140: if CPU is performing a DRAM cycle, the DRAM cycle is suspended, and insert one refresh cycle to replace the DRAM cycle. Meanwhile, current request for accessing DRAM must be delay so DRAM is performed to refresh.
The Hidden Refresh method is better than the first. Because DRAM controller just inserts one refresh cycle before the predetermined time period ends, CPU is not occupied if CPU is processing the other work, such as calculation, during the refresh cycle. Accordingly CPU of a computer system with DRAM performing Hidden Refresh method operates more efficiently.
However, for current DRAM, the refresh cycle must be performed every (64 ms/4096) in the Hidden Refresh methods for current synchronous dynamic access random (SDRM). the refresh cycle is performed for 3 to 5 clock cycles: for extend data out DRAM (EDO DRAM), it requires 60 to 90 nanoseconds to perform one refresh cycle; and all these refresh cycles are regularly arranged in the DRAM cycles.
In present computer system, it requires more DRAM cycles to operate specific function, such as AGP technology, in which a part of DRAM is used to serve as graphic memory. The system efficiency depends on the efficiency of utilizing DRAM, the refresh cycle of DRAM has significant influence of DRAM utilization efficiency, thus it is effective for improving the system efficiency if avoiding the refresh cycles occupy the DRAM cycles.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a novel method of refreshing DRAM for preventing most of the refresh cycles from occupying the DRAM cycles.

Method of refreshing dynamic random access memory


A mesa-shaped superconducting-superlattice structure is formed and adhered with epoxy onto a dielectric substrate where plural superconducting layers and plural insulating layers are naturally and alternately stacked. A λ/4 micro strip line (which means the length of the strip line is one-fourth of the wavelength of a microwave to be introduced) is electrically connected via a metallic film onto the mesa structural portion of the superconducting-superlattice structure, and a metallic electrode is electrically connected to the additional mesa structural portion of the superconducting-superlattice structure via a metallic film.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for generating a constant voltage and a method for fabricating the device which are preferably usable for various electronic devices and precision electronic measuring instruments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a primary voltage standard device has been employed which utilizes a Josephson device. The Josephson device consists of two superconductors, the superconductive electrons of which are interacted one another. As a typical Josephson device can be exemplified a tunnel junction element which is composed of a multilayered structure of superconductor/insulator/superconductor. The Josephson element can exhibit some constant voltage steps at the quantized voltage in the current-voltage characteristic to the ac Josephson effect when a microwave is applied. In this case, the constant voltage steps are determined primary on the frequency of the microwave, so the Josephson device can be utilized in the voltage standard device.
A Josephson element practically usable can be fabricated as follows. First of all, a multilayered structure of niobium thin film (˜100 nm)/aluminum oxide thin film (˜2 nm)/niobium thin film (˜100 nm) is formed, and then, micro-processed. In this case, several ten thousand and more Josephson elements can be integrated. Practically, in the case of fabricating a voltage standard device of several metallic Josephson elements, thousand to ten thousand Josephson elements are connected in series to generate a standard voltage of several volts to several ten volts because one element can generate a voltage of about 1 mV.
As mentioned above, the fabricating technique of the conventional Josephson element using metallic superconductors and the constant voltage-generating technique are established and earn confidence. In the conventional Josephson voltage standard device, however, it is required to arrange several thousand to several ten thousand elements two-dimensionally, so that the arrangement area is increased and it becomes difficult to apply a microwave uniformly on all of the arranged elements. In this point of view, it is desired to decrease the arrangement area and thus, down-size the voltage-generating device itself.

Device for generating a constant voltage and method for fabricating the same


Compositions are provided comprising water-stable semi-conductor nanoplatelets encapsulated in a hydrophilic coating further comprising lipids and lipoproteins. Uses include biomolecular imaging and sensing, and methods of making comprise: colloidal synthesis of CdSe core NPLs; layer-by-layer growth of a CdS shell; and encapsulation of CdSe/CdScore/shell NPLs in lipid and lipoprotein components through an evaporation-encapsulation using zwitterionic phospholipids, detergents, and amphipathic membrane scaffold proteins.

Semiconductor nanocrystals have recently been the subject of extensive multidisciplinary studies due to their unique physical, optical, and electronic properties.1 Their major enabling property is bright and stable fluorescence emission that can be tuned across a broad range of wavelengths and excited with broadband light. This characteristic has enabled diverse applications as imaging agents and molecular probes in cells and tissues1a as well as light-emitting components of diodes and display devices.1b,1c These particles have become especially useful in single-molecule imaging applications where their unique combination of high photon emission rate and compact size have facilitated the discovery of a host of new biomolecular phenomena.2
The prototypical materials used in these applications are either quasi-spherical quantum dots (QDs) or elongated nanorods (NRs).3 But recently a new class of semiconductor nanocrystal has emerged called a nanoplatelet (NPL) with a variety of unusual structural and optical properties.3b,4 NPLs are thin crystalline sheets with atomically flat surfaces, tunable from 1.2 to 2.8 nm in thickness4a,5 and roughly 5 to 700 nm in lateral dimensions,6 and thus are colloidal analogues of quantum wells. A quantum well is a thin semiconductor layer which confines electrons and/or holes in the thin dimension of the layer surface, whereas the movement in the wide lateral dimensions is not restricted, The NPL fluorescence emission bandwidth is exceptionally narrow (8-20 nm full-width at half maximum, FWHM) compared to QDs (typically 25-35 nm FWHM) and organic fluorophores (typically 35-45 nm FWHM). The NPL light collecting efficiency can be very large; a single CdSe NPL with 1.5 nm thickness and 30 nm lateral dimensions has a molar extinction coefficient near 5×107 M−1 cm−1, roughly 1,000-times that of green fluorescent protein. In addition, unlike QDs, NPLs have high surface-area-to-volume ratios, which may allow both efficient transfer of energy and charge and efficient modulation of their optical properties by changes in their local environment. Together, these properties could allow multiplexed imaging with reduced spectral crosstalk as well as enhanced sensitivity for analyte detection. Recently CdSe-based NPLs have been coated with CdS shells resulting in greatly enhanced fluorescence quantum yields,7 which is a critical step forward in the production of bright NPLs suitable for imaging in oxidizing environments.
However, it is an outstanding current challenge to stabilize NPLs in aqueous solutions compatible with cells and tissues. Like QDs and NRs, these materials are synthesized in organic solvents at high temperature, and the resulting colloids are coated with aliphatic ligands (e.g. oleic acid) that render them insoluble in polar solvents. With very large surface areas, we have found that conventional phase transfer techniques used for core/shell CdSe/CdS QDs, such as ligand exchange with hydrophilic thiolates, can damage the NPL structure and/or quench the fluorescence entirely.

Lipoprotein nanoplatelets: fluorescent, zwitterionic probes for molecular and cellular imaging

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS


Systems, methods and apparatus for acquiring an image from within a body lumen are provided. Systems embodying features of the invention include an intracorporeal imaging component for acquiring imaging information, an image information recording component, and an image information playback component. Methods for acquiring image information from within a body lumen include steps of acquiring imaging information, storing image information, and playing back imaging information. Imaging information may be played back as acquired, or non-sequentially, or composite images may be formed by combining, filtering, enhancing, or subtracting images and the composite images displayed. Devices embodying features of the invention include optical imaging components such as an optical IGW, an optical imaging recording component, and an optical image playback component. The systems, methods and devices are suitable for use with angiopoplasty, stent delivery, and other intracorporeal clinical procedures.

Intracorporeal devices are devices suitable for introduction into a patient's body, for example, into a body lumen of a patient. Many clinical procedures require the insertion of wires, tubes, probes or other objects into a body lumen of a patient. For example, guidewires and catheters may be used for gaining access to the coronary vasculature, as in an angiogram or in angioplasty. A guidewire is a thin, flexible device used to provide a guiding rail to a desired location within the vasculature (or other body cavity) of a patient. A balloon catheter is a device with an interior lumen with at least a portion of the catheter being able to expand. In coronary angioplasty, a balloon catheter, guided by a guidewire, is positioned within a partially-occluded coronary artery where its balloon portion is expanded in order to press against and enlarge the lumen of a blood vessel in which it is situated. Alternatively, endoscopy requires the introduction of an endoscope into the lumen of a patient, as may be done during a colonoscopy.
Imaging of internal body lumens provides clinicians with information useful in many clinical situations and procedures. Imaging may be accomplished using electromagnetic radiation (such as, e.g., optical radiation, infrared radiation, and radiofrequency radiation). For example, where a patient is suspected of having an occlusion in an artery, optical imaging of the artery and the artery wall can provide information about the type, severity and extent of an occlusion or lesion and so improve the diagnosis and treatment of the patient. Intracorporeal imaging is useful for the placement of guidewires, catheters, endoscopes, and other instruments in desired locations within a patient's body, typically within a body lumen.
The ability to decide where to locate a catheter during a clinical procedure can be improved by providing interior images of the body lumen, such as the blood vessels during angioplasty or the colon during colonoscopy. It is often critical to the success of an angioplasty procedure that a balloon catheter be properly located within a blood vessel. Thus, imaging by guidewire, catheter, or other such device can be of great importance to the success of the procedure.
Imaging endoscopes, guidewires and catheters have been described, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,321,501 and 5,459,570 to Swanson et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,003 to Tearney et al. Catheters adapted for optical imaging using non-visible light may be useful as well, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,075 to Cassells et al. Such imaging devices typically use an optical fiber to carry light. Imaging systems may be used to obtain image information from within a body lumen, as discussed by Swanson et al. and Tearney et al., and may be used to obtain image information from peripheral tissues as well, such as teeth, as discussed by Nathel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,182. All patents and patent applications, both supra and infra, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Optical imaging of internal lumens may be performed using endoscopes, guidewires, and catheters. One method useful for optical imaging is termed "optical coherence tomography" (OCT). OCT utilizes optical interference between two halves of a split optical beam to detect small differences in path-length between light reflected from a fixed surface and light reflected from an object to be imaged, as described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,003 to Tearney et al. OCT may be used with intracorporeal instruments to image within a body lumen. OCT typically uses a short coherence-length light source, and a single-mode optical fiber is typically used to direct and to carry the optical radiation. In addition, an OCT system may include such other components as an interferometer, an optical radiation detector, a reference optical reflector, and a beam director to direct or rotate the optical beam. The beam director may include a prism, a lens, or a mirror.
In OCT, a beam divider is used to divide the optical radiation from an optical radiation source along a first optical path to a reflector and along a second optical path to the structure being viewed. An optical radiation detector is positioned to receive reflected optical radiation from the reflector and reflected optical radiation from the structure and to generate a signal in response to the reflected optical radiation. The signals from the detector may be utilized to generate an image or to obtain other information about the structure being viewed.
An optical fiber or bundle of fibers may be used to carry optical radiation. Optical fibers may be part of an optical assembly, and may be clad or wrapped with other materials for strength and to improve the efficiency of optical transmission. A ferrule may be attached to an end of the optical fiber to strengthen and protect the optical fibers, and to facilitate the attachment of optical fibers to other optical instruments.
An imaging instrument typically has a window to allow optical access between the exterior of the device and an optical fiber or light path within the device. In addition, an optical fiber, or the entire optical instrument, may be rotated within an internal lumen to provide a complete optical scan of a region of the lumen.
The optical path of an optical imaging instrument for use within a body lumen must connect to other instruments in order to pass optical information to other instruments and ultimately to an operator. Thus, the optical path must be configured to operably connect with other optical instrumentation external to the patient's body. Thus, it is often advantageous to have a window in an imaging catheter, imaging guidewire (IGW), endoscope, or other imaging probe to allow optical access between the exterior of the device and the optical fiber or light path within the device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,003 to Tearney et al. discloses a rigid plastic clear window.
In coronary angioplasty, a guidewire and an angioplasty catheter are threaded through a patient's vascular bed to bring the distal ends of the guidewire and catheter to and beyond the site of the lesion. For effective use of a balloon angioplasty catheter, the distal end of the balloon angioplasty catheter preferably extends to a position distal to the lesion. For this reason, it is vital that the clinician have accurate knowledge of the extent of the lesion and the condition of the lumen wall.
To do so, the imaging instrument must be located within the body lumen containing the lesion, positioned adjacent or near to the lesion. Typically, an imaging instrument will be advanced distally into the lumen, until a lesion is encountered. The instrument will often be advanced further distally to determine the extent and margins of the lesion, and to position therapeutic instruments across the lesion so that the entire lesion may be treated.
After such distal positioning within a lumen across a lesion, where a clinician wishes to observe or document the condition of a body lumen during an invasive procedure, an imaging instrument may be retracted proximally ("pulled-back") to scan the lumen in order to display real-time images of the lesion and lumen wall. Such a pull-back scan may take more than one and a half minutes. In many instances a clear saline wash solution is used to remove or dilute blood within the lumen in the region around the imaging apparatus in order to provide better visualization of the vessel walls. However, such a saline wash introduce large volumes of fluid into the patient. Saline does not carry as much oxygen as blood, so that excessive amounts may reduce oxygenation within a patient's tissues, and increasing blood volume may stress the heart, so that excessive washing may be harmful to a patient. High intensity illumination within a body lumen, using visible light or other radiation, including ultrasound radiation, may be used in an attempt to improve the quality of images obtained in saline and to obtain better images through blood or partially-diluted blood. However, intense radiation within a body lumen may be harmful to a patient's tissue, particularly if the tissue is exposed to such radiation for a minute and a half or more.
As a result, prior art methods present clinicians with the poor choices of either limiting illumination intensity and exposure time in consideration of patient health and comfort, resulting in poor quality images, or ignoring patient health and comfort by using higher intensity illumination and longer exposure times, resulting in possible tissue damage. Accordingly, devices and methods for obtaining high quality images from within a body lumen while minimizing damage and stress to the patient are desired.

System and methods for imaging within a body lumen


Seismic wave reception device comprising a hydrophone and/or a geophone and method for coupling it (or them) with a solid medium such as the subsoil.

The present invention relates to a seismic wave reception device comprising a hydrophone and/or a geophone and to a method for coupling it (or them) with a solid medium such as the subsoil.
The device according to the invention finds applications notably in seismic monitoring or exploration operations in an underground formation.
It is well-known to monitor the long-term state variations of a reservoir during production, either a hydrocarbon reservoir or a reservoir intended for storage of gas or of other substances, etc, by means of a seismic system comprising a seismic impulsive source or a seismic vibrator emitting elastic waves in the ground and a reception device comprising seismic pickups arranged at the surface or in wells and coupled with the formations to be monitored, in order to pick up the waves reflected by the discontinuities and to record them, so as to form representative seismograms. At predetermined time intervals, seismic investigations are carried out so as to determine by comparison the changes that have occurred in the reservoir as a result of the development thereof.
Geophones coupled with the formation, at the surface or in wells, are generally used as seismic pickups. The geophones can be lowered into the wells suspended from a cable or fastened to a tubing and tightly pressed against the wall of the well by articulated pads or springs. They can also be lowered into a well fastened to the outside of a casing and embedded in the cement injected into the annular space between the casing and the well wall. The geophones can also be installed in a well drilled therefore and filled with cement.
It is also well-known to use hydrophones that are coupled with the formations by means of the fluids that fill the wells.
Various long-term seismic monitoring systems are described for example in pats. EP-591-037 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,594), FR-2,593,292 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,009), FR-2,728,973 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,311), FR-2,775,349 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,020.
The combined use of a geophone 1 and of a hydrophone 2 at the same point affords considerable advantages for separating seismic waves 3, 4 propagated along a common direction but in the opposite direction in relation to one another (FIG. 1). In fact, geophone 1 measures the projection, on the axis of the geophone, of the velocity vector of the particles of the explored medium under the effect of the waves, and hydrophone 2 measures the pressure. In a homogeneous medium 5 where the propagation velocity is constant, these two quantities are connected by the relation:
P=xcex5Z V/cos xcex1, where:
P is the pressure,
z the seismic impedance of the medium,
xcex5 a coefficient equal to +1 or xe2x88x921, according to the direction of propagation of the wave,
V the velocity of the particle on an axis parallel to the direction of propagation thereof,
and
xcex1 the angle between the axis of the geophone and the direction of propagation.
This is the case in conventional Vertical Seismic Prospecting (VSP) operations where the pickups installed along a well detect downgoing waves as well as upgoing waves, and it is well-known that, by using pairs of geophones and hydrophones positioned at a distance from one another along a well, it is possible to simply separate the waves of these two types by means of a linear combination of the velocity and pressure measurements, and:
Desc=Pxe2x88x92zV/cos xcex1
Mont=P+zV/cos xcex1
The seismograms of FIGS. 2A, 2B correspond to data recorded in a vertical well respectively by a geophone (velocity data V) and a hydrophone (pressure data P). The seismograms of FIGS. 2C, 2D respectively correspond to the difference (Pxe2x88x92V) and to the sum (P+V).
Whereas data V and P both comprise upgoing waves (M) and downgoing waves (D), their difference only comprises downgoing waves (FIG. 2C) and their sum, upgoing waves (FIG. 2D).
Putting this wave discrimination into practice through the combined use of hydrophones and of geophones however leads to coming up against the problem of coupling the hydrophones with the medium.
In the case of measurements in wells, coupling of the hydrophones with the formations is obtained by means of the mud filling the well, which is a serious disadvantage because it is directly exposed to waves referred to as fluid waves whose amplitude is most often much higher than that of the waves propagated in the medium and which are to be observed. amplitude is most often much higher than that of the waves propagated in the medium and which are to be observed.
The device and the coupling method according to the invention allow to couple very efficiently hydrophones and/or geophones with a medium such as an underground formation for example, notably by avoiding the parasitic effects linked, in applications to well seismics, with the direct immersion thereof in mud.
The seismic wave reception device comprises at least one hydrophone, a closed flexible-walled sheath filled with a liquid and intended to be tightly coupled with the medium substantially over the total surface thereof, in which the hydrophone is immersed, the sheath being closed at one end by a sealed plug provided with a sealed duct for a cable connecting the hydrophone to a signal acquisition means.
The reception device can also comprise at least one geophone that is coupled with the medium in the vicinity of the closed sheath containing the hydrophone, and which is connected to the signal acquisition means.
The geophone and/or the hydrophone in its closed sheath can be, for example, tightly coupled with the medium by a hardenable material such as cement interposed between them and a cavity provided in the medium.
The method according to the invention allows to couple a seismic wave reception device comprising at least one hydrophone with a solid medium such as the subsoil, in which a cavity allowing it to be buried in the medium is provided. The hydrophone is immersed in a closed flexible-walled sheath filled with a liquid, which is closed at one end by a sealed plug provided with a sealed duct for a cable connecting the hydrophone to a signal acquisition device, and substantially the total flexible wall of the sheath is coupled with the medium by injecting into the cavity around the sheath a hardenable material such as cement.
At least one geophone arranged in the vicinity of the sheath containing the hydrophone can also be coupled with the medium by means of the same hardenable material.
The reception device is for example placed in an intermediate space between a well and a tube lowered into the well, and it is coupled with the medium by injecting the material into at least part of this space.

Device for receiving seismic waves and method for coupling them with a solid environment

Abstract: The device comprises at least one hydrophone (2) immersed in a closed flexible-walled sheath (7) filled with liquid (8) that is closed at one end by a sealed plug (9) provided with a sealed duct for a cable (10) connecting the hydrophone to a signal acquisition means (E). The sheath is arranged in a cavity (6) and tightly coupled with medium (5) substantially over the total surface thereof, preferably by means of a hardenable material such as cement. A geophone can be placed in the same coupling material in the vicinity of sheath (7) containing hydrophone (2).

Abstract: Application: seismic prospecting or monitoring operations in an underground formation, notably in order to discriminate the seismic upgoing and downgoing waves.

Gaz de France Compagnie Generale de Geophysique


A dispenser for dispensing bags from a roll includes a base, a bag separator, and a swing arm pivotably mounted on the base that includes a roll retaining portion shaped and arranged for being received in an axial opening of the roll. The swing arm is pivotable with respect to the base about a pivot axis in a braking direction in which the roll retaining portion travels toward the base. A spring is operatively connected between the swing arm and the base to bias the swing arm in the braking direction whereby, when the roll retaining portion is received in the axial opening, the roll retaining portion engages the roll and urges the roll into braking engagement with the base.

Bag dispensers are used to dispense individual bags from a roll. For example, bag dispensers are commonly used to dispense individual bags from a roll of bags in a produce department of a grocery store. Conventional dispensers include a support that mounts the roll on a base while allowing the roll to rotate about an axis to unroll bags from the roll. In addition, typical dispensers include a bag separator that tears individual bags from the roll along preformed zones of weakness to separate the bags as they are unrolled from the roll. As bags are removed from the roll, it loses weight, making it more likely to freewheel in use. This may result in too many bags being pulled off the roll at one time. In addition, freewheeling can cause the roll of bags to become misaligned with the separator, and bags coming off the roll are more difficult to tear from the roll if they are not aligned with the bag separator. Still further, freewheeling can permit the roll to "jump" on the dispenser, causing the roll to over-rotate and permitting the leading bag to position itself under the roll or behind the roll with respect to the bag separator where it is difficult to grasp.


In a semiconductor device having a trench-gate structure in which polysilicon doped with boron is embedded in a trench, insulating film formed on the inner wall of the trench comprises ONO film, and silicon nitride film constituting the ONO film is formed to such film thickness and film quality that boron can be suppressed from passing through the silicon nitride film. Silicon oxide film is formed so that a top oxide film is thin and a bottom oxide film is thick.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method therefore and, more particularly, to a semiconductor device having a trench gate structure and a manufacturing method therefore.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor devices having a trench gate structure in which gate insulating film is formed on a side wall of a trench formed in one surface of a semiconductor substrate and in which a gate electrode is embedded in the trench are known.
In some of the semiconductor devices as described above, the gate insulating film comprises laminate film formed of silicon oxide film, silicon nitride film and silicon oxide film, referred to as ONO (Oxide Nitride Oxide) film. By forming the gate insulating film of the ONO film, each of these semiconductor devices has a higher gate withstand voltage than a semiconductor device whose gate insulating film is formed of only silicon oxide film (for example, JP-A-2001-196587).
Furthermore, in a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a trench gate structure as described above, a gate electrode is generally formed of polysilicon doped with impurities such as B (boron), P (phosphorous) or the like. After the gate electrode is formed, interlayer insulating film is formed on the gate electrode, and a heat treatment is carried out to flatten the interlayer insulating film. When an impurity diffused layer for a source region or the like is form ed after the gate electrode is formed, ion implantation is conducted to form a source region and etc. after the gate electrode is formed, and a heat treatment is conducted to diffuse the impurities.
In the manufacturing process described above, particularly when P+-type polysilicon doped with boron is used as a gate electrode, when the heat treatment is conducted after the formation of the gate electrode, boron contained in the gate electrode may be diffused into the gate insulating film. Accordingly, the film quality of the gate insulating film is deteriorated, which may result in a withstanding voltage of the gate insulating film that is lower than a set value.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


A pre-expanded particle of a polyethylene resin based on a non-crosslinked linear very low density polyethylene having a density of 0.88 to 0.915 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt index of 0.1 to 20 g/10 min. which can be used to produce a cellular molded article having superior flexibility, excellent bonding together of the particles, and both large tensile strength and large elongation at break.

The present invention relates to pre-expanded particles of a polyethylene resin. More particularly, the invention relates to pre-expanded particles of a polyethylene resin which are applicable to a process for producing cellular molded articles by heating pre-expanded particles with a heating medium, such as steam, in a mold which can be closed but cannot be hermetically sealed.
Polyethylene resin foams are widely used as cushioning packaging material for high-grade goods such as office automation equipment, as a result of their good flexibility and their superior toughness and lack of brittleness compared to polystyrene and polypropylene resin foams. In these polyethylene resin foams, polyethylene resins such as crosslinked low density polyethylene, non-crosslinked linear low density polyethylene, and the like, can be used; however, since the resin densities of these kinds of low density polyethylene generally exceed 0.915 g/cm.sup.3, the obtained foams are too hard to use for softer cushioning applications, and in addition, have limited toughness. Improved flexibility can be obtained by using a copolymer, such as ethylene with vinyl acetate, which gives a softer pre-expanded particle. However, the melting point of this kind of ethylenevinyl acetate copolymer is low, with the result that the obtained foam has a poor heat resistance.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Tokkyo Kokai) No. 61-51008 discloses a polyethylene resin pre-expanded particle made using a crosslinked linear very low density polyethylene. However, when this kind of crosslinked linear very low density polyethylene is used, the melt viscosity of the obtained pre-expanded particles is increased and a higher pressure of heating medium is required during molding, compared to the case of using a non-crosslinked compound. This is disadvantageous with respect to the molding cost and cycle. Moreover, a further disadvantage is that recycling is difficult because of the crosslinking of the polyethylene.
The present invention has been realized in consideration of these kinds of problems inherent in the previous technology. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide pre-expanded particles of a polyethylene resin, which can produce cellular molded articles having superior properties, such as flexibility, toughness, tensile strength, and so forth.

Pre-expanded particles of polyethylene resin

Kanegafuchi Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


A method of aligning lumber from which a first pair of cants has been removed to provide blocks for feeding along a sawing line before they are fed in the sawing line. The block is charged in a longitudinal direction to pass by the control device. The control device defines the block's side profile and outlines the even or sawed surface, after which the block falls on its side and is charged transversely against at least two adjustable stops, which have been positioned in a desired manner so as to ascertain an optimum amount of wood products at the next processing stage. The block always falls with the same side up so that the edge which was the upper edge while measuring the block's profile, is transferred transversely against the adjustable stops.

This invention relates to a method of aligning lumber. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the alignment of blocks in which a first pair of cants has been removed.
The lumber is usually obtained in a rough form, as logs, and a first pair of cants is removed from the logs to provide blocks which are to be fed to a saw mill.
The alignment and positioning of the block with respect to the sawing line has an important effect on the amount of full-edged lumber produced from each block. Nowadays the alignment of the block is in practice generally done by hand, based on a visual inspection or an eye-sight calculation only. While using this method, it is very difficult to achieve an optimal result. On the other hand, alignment of the board by hand is a relatively slow process, and it is therefore not suitable for saw mills with a large capacity.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method and a system for rapidly aligning those blocks formed from logs from which the first pair of cants has been removed.
A more specific object of the invention is to align the aforesaid blocks with optimum accuracy without touching the individual blocks with hands.
A further object of the invention is to align lumber, particularly logs or blocks from which the first pair of cants has been removed, in a saw mill before feeding the blocks in alignment with a sawing line in which the block sides are unscrambled and/or the block is divided into cants.
To these ends, the invention consists in the provision of a method of aligning lumber which is made from blocks from which a first pair of cants has been removed to provide for cant-removed blocks hereinafter referred to as blocks for feeding along a sawing line, which comprises charging the (cant-removed) block in a longitudinal direction to pass by a control device, which control device defines the block's side profile and outlines the even sawed surface; after which the block is permitted to fall on its side, and then after the block has fallen on its side, the block is transversely charged against at least two adjustable stops which are positioned in a desired manner according to the above-mentioned information so as to ascertain an optimum amount of wood products at a next processing stage in accordance with the information obtained from the control device.
As a further feature, the block always falls with the same side up, so that the edge which was the upper edge while measuring the block's profile is then transferred against the adjustable stops. The block is passed through a pair of prop rollers situated symmetrically on both sides of the block, and these prop rollers have an inclined surface, with one of the pair of rollers forcing the blocks to fall in the same direction each time.
Accordingly, the blocks will always fall in the same direction. Therefore, the blocks is so controlled that it will and can fall only in one and the same direction.
Other objects, advantages and the nature of the invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description of the invention described in connection with the drawing.

Method and system of aligning lumber, especially blocks from which the first pair of cants has been removed


A recorded disk preproducing system in which a signal pattern recorded on a master disk is transferred to a reproducing disk positioned in close contact with the master disk upon exposure to flashing light. The master disk includes a thin film of a light screening material such as in organic compound, chalcogen compound, or the like formed on a transparent glass substrate, and an information signal is recorded on the thin film as a pattern of varied light transmission. The reproducing disk has a thin film of a heat sensitive material such as amorphous chalcogen compound formed on a transparent resin substrate, and the optical density and/or a light reflectance of the heat sensitive thin film is varied in accordance with the recorded signal pattern of the master disk upon exposure to the flashing light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recorded disk reproducing system for reproducing a recorded disk having information signals such as video signals or aural signals sequentially recorded in the form of variations of the light transmission and/or the light reflectance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently a recording system has been proposed in various articles in which a recording medium is used consisting for example of an amorphous chalcogen compounds such as AsSe or GeTe which absorb the heat of a light. This causes a phase transformation or chemical reaction by the absorbed heat energy and thereby changes its light transmittance (transmission factor) and/or light reflectance (reflection factor), whereby a light beam having a relatively high light intensity, such as an argon laser beam is focussed into a small spot having a diameter of about 1 .mu.m, modulated in accordance with the signals to be recorded, such as video signals or aural signals and then projected on the recording medium. The portions illuminated by the intense light beam are heated, chemically changed and cause blushing, thus changing their light transmittance and light reflectance and thereby sequentially recording them in the form of a pattern corresponding to the signals to be recorded.
Since this recording system requires no particularly high-intensity laser beam and the recording can be effected in the air, the system is attracting notice as a means of providing a video disk device capable of recording and reproducing signals. However, a practical video disk device as well as reproducing device using such recording medium have not been realized.

Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co., Ltd.