A breathing aid for laryngotomoy tracheostomy patients includes a filter house made from plastics material, which is provided to receive a replaceable filter and which is made in one piece with a cover having perforations, the cover being provided to close the filter house via a flexible integral hinge strip. The breathing aid includes a hood applicable upon the cover and having a downwardly directed suction channel through which the inhaled air has to pass before it reaches the filter, the hood having a recess which by cooperation with the hinge strip guarantees the correct orientation of the hood and holds it in this position. The filter house can be secured to an adhesive foil which has rectangular or square shape and the filter house is so orientated in relation to the foil that the pivot axis of the hinge will be parallel to one of the sides of the foil.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention refers to a breathing aid for laryngotomy tracheostomy patients.
2. Description of Prior Art
For patients of this kind it is very important that the air inhaled through the larynx as far as possible will have the same properties as the air which normally may pass through the nose and pharynx. For this purpose aids have been developed which filter the air and moisten it. Further it is important that these aids will enable the patient to take a shower bath without risk, to be out in the open air also in rainy weather, and so forth.
By SE 462 367 it is previously known to arrange a so called preheating shield which may be slid onto the filter house or the cover thereof and which when applied will effect that the inhaled air will consist of the air column which is pre-warmed by the heat from the human body and which raises from the chest and lower neck region of the patient. It may be emphasized that a breathing aid which is intended for use by tracheostomy patients in addition to said filtering and moistening function should include a valve making it possible for the patient to talk. The mentioned SE patent describes such a breathing aid having, however, no valve for tracheostomy patients.
The known breathing aids are encumbered with some other serious drawbacks. One of them is that the filtering house has to be provided with a separate cover which may be difficult to apply and which easily may be lost. A second drawback is that the heating shield--which enables the patient to take shower baths without the risk of inhaling water--easily may be displaced from its initial correct position and/or may be erroneously applied such that the sucking channel thereof will be wrongly directed. This, of course, entails a considerable risk for the patient as inhaling water or air strongly mixed with water may bring forth serious damage.

Breathing aid for laryngotomy tracheostomy patients


An ultraviolet absorbing polymer, and photographic elements containing such a polymer, which polymer includes units formed from monomers of the structure of formula (II): A photographic element containing an ultraviolet absorbing polymer which includes units formed from monomers of the structure of formula (I): ##STR1## wherein: p and q are, independently, 0 or 1;. L and L.sub.2 are bivalent linking groups; PA1 R.sub.9 is a non-hydrogen group which does not contain any unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds; PA1 R.sub.10 is H, alkyl group, aryl group, or heterocyclyl group; PA1 A is an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable group; the benzene ring of the benzotriazole and the 2'-hydroxyphenyl ring each may be further substituted or unsubstituted.

Typical photographic elements use silver halide emulsions (although other light sensitive materials have been known), silver halide having a native sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet radiation ("UV") as used in this application means light having a wavelength of 300-400 nm. Such UV sensitivity is usually undesirable in that it produces an image on the photographic element which is not visible to the human eye. Furthermore, the image dyes in the color photographs are known to fade due to action of UV light. Also other organic molecules such as unused color forming couplers in the emulsion layers and optical brightners in the paper support degrade due to action of UV light and generate undesirable color stains on the finished photographs. Therefore, photographic elements typically contain a UV absorbing compound (sometimes referred to simply as a "UV absorber"). Another function of UV absorbers is to prevent the formation of undesirable patterns caused by electrostatic discharge in silver halide photographic materials. In general, UV absorbers impart light stability to organic molecules in various products which are susceptible to degrade as a result of the action of UV.
Generally, an effective UV absorber should have its peak absorption above a wavelength of 320 nm. The absorption peak may be at a longer wavelength, as long as absorption drops off sufficiently as it approaches the visual range (approximately 400 to 700 nm) so that no visible color is shown by the compound. In addition, to be effective, a UV absorber should have a high extinction coefficient in the desired wavelength range. However, for the most desirable UV protection, the high extinction coefficient should be at those wavelengths sufficiently below the visual range so that the compound should not be visually yellow.
Both conventional and polymeric UV absorbers have been used in photographic elements. Examples of conventional (that is, non-polymeric) UV absorbing compounds are shown by formula (III A) and (III B) below, currently used in color paper as a mixture have the following structures. ##STR2## It has however, been observed that these compounds and other non-polymeric UV absorbers have a propensity to crystallize out in the coatings. This results in migration of the compound to the surface causing an undesirable blooming effect. Recently, it has been suggested that such compounds are associated with high health risk factors.
It is known that polymer latexes obtained by polymerization of UV absorbing monomers, can be utilized as UV absorbing agents which do not have many of the disadvantages associated with non-polymeric UV absorbers. Photographic performance advantages of UV absorbing polymer latexes have been described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,235. That patent discloses a polymerizable 2'-hydroxyphenyl benzotriazole having a 5'-position substituent on the 2'-hydroxyphenyl ring chromophore.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,539 discloses synthetic solid polymers (that is, plastic materials) containing UV absorbers of the 2'-hydroxyphenyl benzotriazole type. The described UV absorbers for such use can include those having a 4'-substituent with a secondary alcohol substituent (such an --OH substituent sometimes being referenced herein as an "unblocked" or "unprotected" alcohol group). Similar compounds are described for use in sunscreens, suntanning lotions, optical lenses and similar applications, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,027 as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,133,745, 3,529,055, 3,445,566, Journal of Macromolecular Science--Pure Applied Chemistry, Vol. A30 (9& 10), page 741-755 (1993)), and Japanese published patent application (Kokai) JP 63205334. Research Disclosure May, 1991, Item 32592 discloses a polymerizable side chain attached to the 5'-position instead of to 4'-position in the hydroxyphenyl ring. The side chain can contain an unprotected secondary alcohol group. U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,922 discloses similar compounds for use in photographic elements. However, the secondary alcohol group is again unblocked.
It is desirable to provide a UV absorbing polymer and photographic elements containing such a polymer, which polymer contains units formed from a 2'-hydroxyphenyl benzotriazole monomer, and which has good stability in a photographic element environment as well as a high extinction co-efficient and a UV absorption which drops rapidly at or near 400 nm and exhibit little or no yellow coloration.

2'-hydroxyphenyl benzotriazole based UV absorbing polymers and photographic elements containing them


This invention provides a process of preparation of novel polymorphic hemifumarate salts of 8-chloro-6,11-dihyfro-11-(4-piperidylidene)-5H-benzo[5,6]-cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridine, hereinafter called “desloratadine”. These polymorphic salt forms show much higher solubility in water and also in protic organic solvents compare to the parent desloratadine. The process of preparing the polymorphic forms comprising:                a) mixing the ethanolic solution of desloratadine and fumaric acid at a temperature of from about 55° C. to 70° C., and stirring for 30 to 45 minutes after mixing, and thereafter filtering the solid thereby prepared in hot condition; to yield the polymorphic form 2 having a DSC of 232° C.±2° C.; or        b) mixing the ethanolic solution of desloratadine and fumaric acid at a temperature of form about 15° C. room temperature (25° C.) and stirring at this temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, then filtering at room temperature; to yield the polymorphic form 1 having a DSC of 224° C.±2° C.

It is known that desloratadine as actually used for pharmaceutical formulation has very little or no solubility in water. Another aspect of the drug is that desloratadine is not stable and shows discoloration during stability studies. These dual characteristics of the drug require non-flexible special formulation design to prevent degradation and to retain potency. It has been found (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,274) that in solid dosage form desloratadine, containing acidic excipients along with lactose monohydrate resulted in a large amount (14%) of decomposition after one week at 40° C. and 75% relative humidity.
The present invention provides a stable novel desloratadine hemifumarate salt with high water solubility and compatibility with a wide range of excipients for pharmaceutical formulation. The process of preparation of polymorphic form of desloratadine hemifumarate salt produces consistently high quality of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. Stochiometrically one molecule fumaric acid is combined with two molecules of desloratadine.
The invention provides pharmaceutically elegant and desirable properties needed for a drug to be administered to allergic patients, that has excellent color and thermal stability for solid dosage form and is free of undesired solvating agents such as water and organic solvents.
Related patents include:                U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,716 which discloses descarbonylethoxyloratadine possessing antihistaminic properties with substantially no sedative properties. This U.S. patent also discloses methods of making descarbonylethoxyloratadine, pharmaceutical compositions it and methods of using the compositions to treat allergic reactions in mammals. The compound is taught to form salts with fumaric acid among other pharmaceutically acceptable acids.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,997 discloses pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating allergic rhinitis using descarbonylethoxyloratadine.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,274 pharmaceutical compositions containing descarbonylethoxyloratadihe.        PCT WO 99/01450 discloses polymorphs of descarbonylethoxyloratadine and pharmaceutical compositions containing them. The polymorph forms are different from those of this invention. Polymorphs of loratadine are disdosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,347.

Salt and polymorphs of desloratadine hemifumarate


An hydraulic braking system of the brake-by-wire type has an hydraulic pressure source comprising an hydraulic accumulator adapted to be charged by a pump. An accumulator isolating valve is so positioned and biased to correspond to the direction of flow from the accumulator to a solenoid-operated proportional valve. The valve is biased into a closed position in opposition to the flow from the pump to the accumulator.

This invention relates to hydraulic braking systems of the brake-by-wire type for vehicles of the kind in which hydraulic fluid from a high pressure source is supplied to a wheel brake under the control of a proportional solenoid-operated valve which, in turn, is actuated in response to signals from a pressure transducer associated with a brake-applying pedal.
In known brake-by-wire systems of the kind set forth the high pressure source comprises an hydraulic accumulator which is adapted to be charged by operation of an hydraulic pump. The pressure in the accumulator is determined by a pressure sensor working in conjunction with an isolating valve which is operative to isolate the pump from the accumulator when the pressure in the accumulator attains a given value. This valve effectively isolates the accumulator from the proportional operated solenoid valves so that the accumulator is not discharged due to leakage through the proportional operated solenoid valves when left to stand for a long period.
In one known system of the kind set forth the pressure sensor is located in the first line between the pump and proportional valve, and the isolating valve is located in a second line between the accumulator and a connection in the first line between the pressure sensor and the proportional valve. The relative positions of the pressure sensor and the isolating valve, under certain circumstances, may lead to concerns about reliability, power consumption, safety and packaging of the system. This is because the isolating valve must be opened in order to measure the accumulator pressure.
With regard to reliability the pressure sensor, isolating valve and proportional valve may all be subjected to large-magnitude pressure transients if pressure in a down stream high-pressure supply gallery decays before the isolating valve re-opens. This would occur if pressure in the first line decays over time due to leakage and then the isolating valve is suddenly opened introducing the accumulator pressure to the first line.
Excessive power consumption, leakage and consequent wear and energy consumption (recharging accumulator) will occur if the isolating valve is held open between successive brake applications in order to reduce accumulator-sensor fatigue due to supply gallery decays before the isolating valve re-opens. In addition excess heat dissipation from the solenoid of the isolating valve may occur. The isolating valve must incorporate a spring capable of opposing maximum accumulator pressure to keep the accumulator charged when the supply line pressure has decayed through leakage. Thus a high solenoid force must be maintained after opening to oppose this high spring force.
Since the accumulator pressure is monitored only when the isolating valve is open, periodic opening takes place for monitoring purposes but such movements may exacerbate the reliability problems discussed above. As a result since accumulator faults may not be detected immediately the driver may be unaware of faults when braking is required.

Hydraulic braking systems of the brake-by-wire type for vehicles


A process for producing a monolithic ceramic electronic component, which includes: providing a ceramic slurry, a conductive paste, and a ceramic paste; forming a plurality of composite structures each comprising a ceramic green sheet produced by shaping the ceramic slurry, internal circuit element films formed by applying the conductive paste partially onto a main surface of the ceramic green sheet so as to provide step-like sections, and a ceramic green layer which compensates for spaces defined by the step-like sections, the ceramic green layer being formed by applying the ceramic paste onto the region on the main surface of the sheet on which the element films are not formed, so as to substantially compensate for the spaces; forming a green laminate by laminating the composite structures; and firing the green laminate, wherein the ceramic paste contains ceramic powder, an organic solvent, and an organic binder. A monolithic ceramic electronic component produced through the process; a ceramic paste; and a production process for the ceramic paste are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a monolithic ceramic electronic component and a production process therefor, and to a ceramic paste and a production process therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a monolithic ceramic electronic component comprising internal circuit element films formed between ceramic sheets, and ceramic layers which compensate for spaces defined by step-like sections which are formed by the internal circuit element films, each ceramic layer being formed so as to have a pattern negative to that of the corresponding film, and a production process for the component; and to a ceramic paste which is advantageously employed for forming the ceramic layer, and a production process for the paste.
2. Background Art
When a monolithic ceramic electronic component, such as a monolithic ceramic capacitor, is produced, a plurality of ceramic green sheets are provided and the sheets are then laminated. In accordance with the intended function of the monolithic ceramic electronic component, an internal circuit element film, such as a conductive film or a resistive film, is formed on a specific ceramic green sheet, the film being an element of a capacitor, a resistor, an inductor, a varistor, a filter, etc.
In recent years, miniaturization and weight reduction of electronic devices such as mobile communication devices have been progressing. For example, when a monolithic ceramic electronic component is employed as a circuit element in such an electronic device, the size and the weight of the electronic component must be reduced. For instance, there has been increasing demand for a monolithic ceramic capacitor of small size and large capacitance.
A typical process for producing a monolithic ceramic capacitor is as follows. Dielectric ceramic powder, an organic binder, a plasticizer and an organic solvent are mixed together, so as to prepare a ceramic slurry. The resultant ceramic slurry is shaped into a sheet having a thickness of some tens of xcexcm by means of a doctor-blade method or a similar method on a support, such as a polyester film, which is coated with a silicone resin serving as a peeling agent, to thereby form a ceramic green sheet, and the sheet is then dried.
Subsequently, onto a main surface of the ceramic green sheet, a conductive paste is applied through screen printing, so as to produce a plurality of patterns which are separated from one another. Thereafter, the resultant sheet is dried, to thereby form internal electrodes serving as internal circuit element films on the sheet. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a ceramic green sheet 2 on which internal electrodes 1 are formed so as to be distributed at a plurality of positions as described above.
Subsequently, the ceramic green sheet 2 is peeled off the support and cut into pieces of appropriate size. Thereafter, predetermined amounts of the pieces are laminated as partially shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, predetermined amounts of ceramic green sheets not containing internal electrodes are laminated on opposite surfaces of the resultant laminate, to thereby form a green laminate 3.
The green laminate 3 is pressed in a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal plane, and then cut into laminate chips 4 as shown in FIG. 3, the chips being of appropriate size so as to be employed as individual monolithic ceramic capacitors. Subsequently, the binder is removed from each of the chips, the resultant chip is fired, and then external electrodes are formed on the chip, to thereby produce a monolithic ceramic capacitor.
In order to reduce the size of such a capacitor and increase the capacitance thereof, the ceramic green sheets 2 and the internal electrodes 1, which are laminated, must be increased in number, and the ceramic green sheets 2 must be thinned.
However, when the laminated sheets and electrodes are increased in number and the sheets are thinned, the internal electrodes 1 are accumulated. Consequently, difference in thickness becomes more apparent between a portion at which the electrodes 1 are provided and a portion at which the electrodes 1 are not provided; or a portion at which relatively large amounts of the internal electrodes 1 are provided in a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal plane and a portion at which small amounts of the electrodes 1 are provided in the vertical direction. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the appearance of the resultant laminate chip 4 is deformed such that a main surface of the chip assumes a convex shape.
When the laminate chip 4 is deformed as shown in FIG. 3, a relatively large strain arises during pressing at the portion at which the internal electrode 1 is not provided or the portion at which relatively small amounts of the electrodes 1 are provided in a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal plane. In addition, adhesion between the ceramic green sheets 2 is lowered, and a structural defect such as delamination or micro-cracking tends to occur, the defect being caused by internal stress of the chip during firing.
When the laminate chip 4 is deformed as shown in FIG. 3, the internal electrode 1 is undesirably deformed, which may cause a short circuit.
The aforementioned problems may lower the reliability of the resultant monolithic ceramic capacitor.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) Nos. 56-94719, 3-74820, and 9-106925 disclose a method in which a ceramic green layer 5 is formed on a region of a ceramic green sheet 2 on which internal electrodes 1 are not formed, as shown in FIG. 4, to thereby substantially compensate for spaces defined by step-like sections which are formed by the internal electrodes 1 on the ceramic green sheet 2.
In the case in which the ceramic green layer 5 which compensates for spaces defined by the step-like sections is formed, when a green laminate 3a is formed as partially shown in FIG. 5, there is no substantial difference in thickness between the portion at which the electrodes 1 are provided and the portion at which the electrodes are not provided; or between the portion at which relatively large amounts of the internal electrodes 1 are provided in a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal plane and the portion at which small amounts of the electrodes 1 are provided in the vertical direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the resultant laminate chip 4a tends not to be undesirably deformed as shown in FIG. 3.
Consequently, the aforementioned structural defect such as delamination or micro cracking, or short circuit due to deformation of the internal electrode 1 tends not to occur, thereby enhancing the reliability of the resultant monolithic ceramic capacitor.
The aforementioned ceramic green layer 5 which compensates for spaces defined by the step-like sections has a composition similar to that of the ceramic green sheet 2, and the layer 5 is formed by applying a ceramic paste containing dielectric ceramic powder, an organic binder, a plasticizer and an organic solvent onto the green sheet 2. In order to form the layer 5 through printing at high accuracy so as to attain a thickness (e.g., 2 xcexcm or less) which is equal to that of the internal electrode 1, the dispersibility of the ceramic powder in the ceramic paste must be high.
In connection with the foregoing, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 3-74820 discloses a method for preparing a ceramic paste in which ceramic powder is dispersed by use of a three-roll mill. However, it is difficult to increase dispersibility of the ceramic powder through use of a three-roll mill only.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 9-106925 discloses that a ceramic slurry for forming a ceramic green sheet 2 is prepared by mixing dielectric ceramic powder, an organic binder and a first organic solvent having a low boiling point, and the resultant slurry is employed for forming a ceramic green sheet 2; and that the slurry is mixed with a second organic solvent having a boiling point higher than that of the first organic solvent, and the resultant mixture is heated so as to remove only the first organic solvent from the mixture, to thereby prepare a ceramic paste for forming a ceramic green layer 5 which compensates for spaces defined by step-like sections.
When the ceramic paste is prepared through at least two mixing steps, the dispersibility of the ceramic powder is improved to some extent. However, since the slurry or paste contains the organic binder, the viscosity of the slurry or paste becomes high during mixing. This imposes a limitation on improving dispersibility of the ceramic powder when an apparatus such as a ball mill is employed.
As already mentioned, there is a requirement for high dispersibility of the ceramic powder contained in the ceramic paste employed for forming the ceramic green layer 5 which compensates for spaces defined by step-like sections, the layer being very thin and having a thickness equal to that of the internal electrode 1. When the thickness of the internal electrode 1 decreases, the ceramic powder must exhibit a correspondingly higher dispersibility.
Even when dispersibility of the ceramic powder is low in the ceramic green layer 5, the ceramic green sheet 2 provided on the layer 5 may compensate for such low dispersibility to some extent. However, when the thickness of the sheet 2 decreases, the sheet cannot fully compensate for such low dispersibility.
Therefore, as the development of a monolithic ceramic capacitor of small size and large capacitance has progressed, there has been a growing need for high dispersibility of the ceramic powder contained in the ceramic green layer 5 which compensates for spaces defined by step-like sections.
In order to enhance dispersibility of the ceramic powder in the ceramic paste during mixing, the viscosity of the paste may be decreased. However, when the amount of the aforementioned organic solvent of low boiling point is increased in order to decrease the viscosity of the paste, removal of the solvent following dispersion of the ceramic powder requires a prolonged period of time.
When a monolithic ceramic capacitor is produced by firing a green laminate 3a including three different elements, i.e., ceramic green sheets 2, internal electrodes 1 and ceramic green layers 5 which compensates for spaces defined by step-like sections which are formed by the electrodes, these three elements shrink during debinding and then firing. Consequently, stress due to differences in the physical properties of these three elements arises in the capacitor, and the stress may cause structural defects within the capacitor.
In the process disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 9-106925, the organic binder contained in a ceramic paste for forming a ceramic green layer 5 which compensates for spaces defined by step-like sections is the same as that contained in a ceramic slurry for forming a ceramic green sheet 2. Briefly, the organic binders are dissolved in the same organic solvent. Therefore, when the ceramic green sheet 2 is laminated on the ceramic green layer 5 which has been dried, the organic binder contained in the dried layer 5 is dissolved with the organic solvent contained in the sheet 2, and thus the layer 5 may be impregnated with the organic solvent. In view of the above, the ceramic paste disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 9-106925 is not necessarily suitable for a ceramic paste for a very thin ceramic layer such as the ceramic green layer 5 which compensates for spaces defined by step-like sections.
Hereinabove, problems to be solved are described with reference to a monolithic ceramic capacitor, but similar problems may be involved in other monolithic ceramic electronic components, such as a monolithic inductor.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing a monolithic ceramic electronic component which enables solution of the above-described problems; and a monolithic ceramic electronic component produced through the process.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a ceramic paste which is suitable for forming a very thin ceramic green layer such as the above-described ceramic layer which compensates for spaces defined by step-like sections; and a process for producing the paste.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a process for producing a monolithic ceramic electronic component. The process comprises the following steps.
Firstly, a ceramic slurry, a conductive paste and a ceramic paste are provided.
Subsequently, a plurality of composite structures are formed, each comprising a ceramic green sheet which is formed from the ceramic slurry; internal circuit element films which are formed by applying the conductive paste partially onto a main surface of the ceramic green sheet so as to provide step-like sections; and a ceramic green layer which compensates for spaces defined by the step-like sections, the ceramic green layer being formed by applying the ceramic paste to the region on the main surface of the ceramic green sheet on which the element films are not formed, so as to substantially compensate for the spaces.
Subsequently, the composite structures are laminated, to thereby form a green laminate. Then, the green laminate is fired.
The process for producing a monolithic ceramic electronic component comprises the above essential steps, wherein the ceramic paste for forming the ceramic green layer which compensates for step-like sections comprises ceramic powder, an organic solvent, and an organic binder. A characteristic feature of the process of the present invention resides in the organic binder contained in the ceramic paste.
That is, the organic binder is a mixture formed by physically mixing two different organic binders, such as a mixture of polyvinyl butyral and a cellulose ester, a mixture of a polyacrylate and a cellulose ester, a mixture of polyvinyl butyral and polyvinyl acetate, or a mixture of polyvinyl butyral and a polyacrylate; or a copolymer predominantly comprising an alkyl acrylate and/or an alkyl methacrylate.
When the aforementioned copolymer predominantly comprising an alkyl acrylate and/or an alkyl methacrylate is employed as the organic binder, the copolymer may contain, as a copolymerization element, a reactive monomer having a carboxyl group, an alkylene oxide group (RO)n, a hydroxyl group, a glycidyl group, an amino group or an amido group.
Preferably, the ceramic paste comprising the organic binder is produced through the following steps.
The production process for the ceramic paste comprises a first dispersion step in which a first mixture containing ceramic powder and a first organic solvent undergoes processing for providing a primary dispersion; and a second dispersion step in which a second mixture containing an organic binder and the first mixture which has undergone the first dispersion step undergoes processing for providing a secondary dispersion. It should be noted that the organic binder is added during the second dispersion step. In addition to the first organic solvent, a second organic solvent having a relative evaporation rate lower than that of the first organic solvent is employed. The second organic solvent may be added during the first dispersion step or the second dispersion step. Alternatively, the second organic solvent may be added during the first dispersion step, and further added during the second dispersion step. After completion of the second dispersion step, the second mixture is heated, to thereby selectively remove the first organic solvent from the mixture.
In the present invention, the ceramic slurry for forming the ceramic green sheet preferably contains ceramic powder which has a composition substantially the same as that of the ceramic powder contained in the ceramic paste for forming the ceramic green layer which compensates for spaces defined by step-like sections.
Preferably, a dielectric ceramic powder is contained in the ceramic slurry and ceramic paste. In this case, when internal circuit element films are internal electrodes which are arranged so as to provide capacitance therebetween, a monolithic ceramic capacitor can be produced.
Preferably, a magnetic ceramic powder is contained in the ceramic slurry and ceramic paste. In this case, when internal circuit element films are formed as hook-shaped conductive films, a monolithic inductor can be produced.
The present invention also provides a monolithic ceramic electronic component produced through the above-described production process.
The present invention also provides a ceramic paste as described above, and a process for producing the paste.

Monolithic ceramic electronic component and production process therefor, and ceramic paste and production process therefor


A method of extending the shelf life and of enhancing the keeping quality of fruits which comprises contacting said fruits with amines selected from the group consisting of naturally occurring monoamines, diamines, polyamines related amino acids and their non-toxic salts; esters of naturally occurring related amino acids; naturally occurring precursors of monoamines, diamines, polyamines and their non-toxic salts; naturally occurring metabolites of monoamines, diamines, polyamines and their non-toxic salts; and synthetic analogues of the naturally occurring monoamines, diamines, polyamines and their non-toxic salts.

Many fruits, including tomatoes, have a brief shelf life and period of keeping quality after reaching the ripe stage of development. Consequently, they are often harvested at an unripe stage and held in cool conditions during transport and prior to marketing. At that point, attempts are made to induce ripening, but ripening is often incomplete and the resultant quality is less than that of naturally-ripened fruit. Furthermore, even well-ripened fruits may rapidly become subject to over-softening, bruising, and other injury, and are more susceptible to invasion by pathogens.
Many attempts have been made to develop treatments which decrease the spoilage of fruits and vegetables, and among these attempts are methods which use amines to achieve their purpose.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,460,710 describes a method and fungicidal composition for controlling organisms which cause decay of citrus fruits. The method involves contacting the fruits with 2-aminopyridine or its salts.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,578,752 discloses a method for the control of destructive diseases of citrus fruits. The method involves contacting the fruits with an aqueous solution of salicyl anilide solubilized by the addition thereto of a synthetic organic amine base. Among the organic amine bases found suitable as a solubilizer for the salicyl anilide are amino methyl propanol, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, morpholine, aminobutanol, and di-ethylamine.
As another method, U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,409 describes treating fresh fruits and vegetables with a solution of an amide of a thioacid of a particular fatty acid series. The treatment allegedly prevents or reduces decay caused by certain types of rot organisms to which many food commodities are commonly subject while being shipped to marketing centers and ultimately distributed to consumers.
While the above-described methods may be useful for their particular purpose, i.e., preventing or controlling diseases and/or decay caused by certain organisms, there still remains room for substantial improvement in methods of extending the shelf life and enhancing the keeping quality of fruits.

Method of extending shelf life and enhancing keeping quality of fruits


In turn-off semiconductor components such as GTO thyristors, the semiconductor body can be locally overheated and destroyed as a consequence of inhomogeneities. The anode-side emitter is therefore doped with additional substances that locally compensate the emitter doping above the operating temperature and locally reduce the current amplification factor of the anode-side transistor structure. An increased turn-off current is thus achieved.

The invention is directed to a turn-off semiconductor component having a semiconductor body with at least one first emitter zone of first conductivity type, at least one base zone of second conductivity type adjacent to the first emitter zone, an inner zone of the first conductivity type adjacent to the base zone, and at least one second emitter zone of the second conductivity type adjacent to the inner zone and that has a given doping concentration of first substances.
When turning semiconductor components of the recited type off, such as, for example, GTO thyristors or IGBTs, regions having increased current density, what are referred to as current lines or filaments, can occur due to inhomogeneities. When the current density becomes extremely high, the semiconductor body can be destroyed by overheating.

Turn-off semiconductor component having amphoteric properties


A bead holder provides storage of a plurality of beads and having individual tubular containers therein for separation and containment of like kind beads. The bead holder includes multiple rectangular boxes, each rectangular box has a clasp closure and store in an upright orientation and a plurality of individual tubular containers with plastic stopper closures. The bead holder is made of a transparent plastic material to allow visual access of all the assortment of beads within each tubular container.

This invention relates to a system of containers for small craft items such as beads or the like which compartmentalizes similar craft items together and provides visual access to all of the craft items within each of the compartments.
People who work with beads either as a hobby or in their profession may accumulate hundreds of different designs and types of beads which vary by color and size as well as material. Until now, it has been difficult to easily store the multitude of types of beads such that they are all visually accessible and easily retrievable to the person during use, as well as providing containers that are stackable and easily transportable.
In the prior art as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,743 (""743) issued to Dalbo, a bead tray is disclosed wherein individual compartments lay adjacent to each other within a tray formation. A pair of individual compartments butt up to each other at their end walls so that the front walls of each compartment are adjacent to the peripheral wall of the tray. A funnel opening from each compartment has an aperture through the peripheral wall of the tray for retrieval of the beads. In order to visually distinguish each of the types of beads contained in each compartment of the prior art, a single tray must be unlayered to expose and view the different beads stored therein. The bead storage tray disclosed in U.S. Patent ""743 would necessarily require an extremely long length to view dozens of different beads at one time. This configuration would not provide for easy storage and transport of the beads. In addition, to remove a particular type of bead from its compartment, the entire tray must be tilted on an angle to allow the bead to flow through the funnel. If the tray is long in order to contain many dozens of types of beads, tilting the tray to retrieve a particular bead would be cumbersome. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a bead holder which allows a person to easily transport and visually distinguish more than a hundred different types and colors of beads at one time.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned concerns by providing a bead holder for storage of a plurality of beads and for the separation of like kinds of beads having an open frame with a sleeve formation and a solid top surface with through front and rear openings. The frame slidably receives a drawer therein. The drawer has an open-ended top providing access to the interior of the drawer. The interior of the drawer has a predetermined width and length for receiving a plurality of outer cases therein. Each outer case has a width corresponding with the interior width of the drawer. Each outer case is capable of receiving storage tubes having removable plastic plug closures. A plurality of storage tubes are capable of placement and storage within each outer case.
Another aspect of the invention provides that the frame, drawer, outer case and storage tubes are made from a clear plastic material to provide visual access to a multitude of beads stored therein.
In another aspect of the invention, the sleeve formation of the frame is open along five sides having reinforced edges and corners to outline the frame, and a solid plastic top surface to prevent the outer cases being inadvertently dislodged from the drawer when the drawer is within the frame.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the parallel lower edges of the frame have a rail guide formed along an inner surface of the lower edge. The drawer has a bottom surface having a pair of rails positioned to align with the rail guide on the frame to provide easy slidable movement of the drawer within the frame.


A seat includes a seat bottom, a seat back, a seat mounting structure configured to support the seat bottom and the seat back, the seat mounting structure configured to slidably couple to the rail assembly, and an occupant restraint system including a seat belt coupled to a retractor assembly. The retractor assembly is configured to slidably couple to the rail assembly such that the retractor assembly moves along the rail assembly as the seat mounting structure is moved along the rail assembly, the occupant restraint system configured to transfer load to the rail assembly disposed in the vehicle floor.

Current vehicle regulations require that automobiles be equipped with an occupant protection system as a safety feature during an impact event or rapid vehicle deceleration. One typical occupant protection system is a seat belt which physically restrains the occupant during such an impact event. In order to accommodate various sizes and shapes of occupants, seats of motor vehicles are provided with a fore-and-aft adjustment mechanism to enable the occupant to position themselves a desired distance from the vehicle instrument panel and/or brake and accelerator pedals. In known systems, anchorages for the seat belts are fastened to the vehicle floor at the outboard sides of the seat. When the seat position is adjusted, the seat belt becomes tightened or loosened around the occupant, requiring it to be readjusted. Mounting the seat belt anchorages to a movable portion of the seat avoids this problem, however, such designs impose cost and weight penalties since the adjuster must be designed to withstand significant mechanical loads. Accordingly, while such systems work well for their intended purpose, it is desirable to provide an improved seating system.

Movable vehicle seat with integrated occupant restraint system


A manually operated, hand-held liquid spraying device which includes a non-pressurized, refillable or non-refillable container, is disclosed. The sprayer is a completely contained device wherein an internal cam in one part of the device which is rotated, causes a displacement of a piston, a part of which is a cam follower. Piston displacement vacates a chamber which is simultaneously charged with liquid. The piston is moved as a result of the cammed motion against a responsor biasing it. The biased responsor generates a hydraulic pressure on the liquid now in the chamber vacated by the piston, since a check valve traps the liquid in the chamber. The liquid is released from the chamber by depressing a push button device, which action uncovers a port in an outlet conduit permitting liquid to flow from the chamber through the conduit and out through a flow connected nozzle in response to the responsor-urged piston moving down through the liquid in the chamber. .Iadd.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention hereinafter to be described is a hand-held spraying device which through its unique arrangement of features and parts permits an atomized spray comparable to that found in aerosol type sprayers now currently enjoying widespread acceptance on the open market. However, aerosol sprayers have disadvantages in that they must be pre-charged, usually with a propellant such as freon or the like, at relatively high pressures. In addition their entire contents are subject to this high pressure, even in storage. Further, such devices often retain high residual pressure even when in the so-called "empty" condition, hence are of high potential danger when discarded.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices now currently enjoying favor in the art of atomizing dispensers include the manually operated sprayer described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,471,065 to C. E. Malone. In this device an inner chamber is pressurized by applying a downwardly directed force to the device. This results in one portion telescoping into another portion and operates to effect a pumping action by compressing a spring and simultaneously drawing liquid into a chamber below a piston. Since the piston is urged against the liquid, and a valve below the liquid in the chamber entrance closes, the liquid is trapped therein until released by an appropriate discharge device.
However, while the above sprayer is advantageous over aerosol bombs and the like, it does have certain practical limits insofar as pressure chamber volume is concerned, because in its telescoping member concept its length must be increased, either to charge or discharge, hence liquid capacity under pressure is, of necessity, limited. Thus it is evident that such volume limitations, from a practicality point of view are inherent in these devices.
Other prior art sprayers of the hand-held type usually require constant hand action to pump liquid, such as by triggering or squeezing and the like, and while these enjoy relatively wide-spread usage they do have the disadvantage of poor spray rate control, poor atomization, and from a user standpoint, require much physical effort to operate.
Accordingly, these disadvantages, inherent in the above and in other type devices of this nature, are believed overcome by the herein to be presented invention as will be more apparent from the description which follows.


Embodiments of the invention apply block spreading to transmitted signals to increase the number orthogonally multiplexed signals. The principle of the disclosed invention can be applied to reference signals, acknowledgement signals, and channel quality indication signals. In any given time interval, the set of transmitted signals is defined by two sequences: the baseline sequence, and the block spreading sequence. Different transmitters using the same baseline sequence can be identified by using different block spreading sequences.

Embodiments of the invention are directed, in general, to wireless communication systems and can be applied to generation and multiplexing of signals in multi-user wireless communications systems based on single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA).
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a transmitter 110 and a receiver 150 in a wireless communication system 100. For simplicity, transmitter 110 and receiver 150 are each equipped with a single antenna but in practice they may have two or more antennas. For the downlink (or forward link), transmitter 110 may be part of a base station (also referred to as Node B), and receiver 150 may be part of a terminal (also referred to as user equipment—UE). For the uplink (or reverse link), transmitter 110 may be part of a UE, and receiver 150 may be part of a Node B. A Node B is generally a fixed station and may also be called a base transceiver system (BTS), an access point, or some other terminology. A UE, also commonly referred to as terminal or mobile station, may be fixed or mobile and may be a wireless device, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless modem card, and so on.
At transmitter 110, a reference signal (also referred to as pilot signal) processor 112 generates reference signal symbols (or pilot symbols). A transmitter (TX) data processor 114 processes (e.g., encodes, interleaves, and symbol maps) traffic data and generates data symbols. As used herein, a data symbol is a modulation symbol for data, a reference signal symbol is a modulation symbol for reference signal, and the term "modulation symbol" refers to a real valued or complex valued quantity which is transmitted across the wireless link. A modulator 120 receives and multiplexes the data and reference symbols, performs modulation on the multiplexed data and reference symbols, and generates transmission symbols. A transmitter unit (TMTR) 132 processes (e.g., converts to analog, amplifies, filters, and frequency up-converts) the transmission symbols and generates a radio frequency (RF) modulated signal, which is transmitted via an antenna 134.
At receiver 150, an antenna 152 receives the RF modulated signal from transmitter 110 and provides a received signal to a receiver unit (RCVR) 154. Receiver unit 154 conditions (e.g., filters, amplifies, frequency down-converts, and digitizes) the received signal and provides input samples. A demodulator 160 performs demodulation on the input samples to obtain received symbols. Demodulator 160 provides received reference signal symbols to a channel processor 170 and provides received data symbols to a data detector 172. Channel processor 170 derives channel estimates for the wireless channel between transmitter 110 and receiver 150 and estimates of noise and estimation errors based on the received reference signal. Data detector 172 performs detection (e.g., equalization or matched filtering) on the received data symbols with the channel estimates and provides data symbol estimates, which are estimates of the data symbols sent by transmitter 110. A receiver (RX) data processor 180 processes (e.g., symbol demaps, deinterleaves, and decodes) the data symbol estimates and provides decoded data. In general, the processing at receiver 150 is complementary to the processing at transmitter 110.
Controllers/processors 140 and 190 direct the operation of various processing units at transmitter 110 and receiver 150, respectively. For example, controller processor 190 may provide demodulator 160 with a replica of the reference signal used by reference signal processor 112 in order for demodulator to perform possible correlation of the two signals. Memories 142 and 192 store program codes and data for transmitter 110 and receiver 150, respectively.
The disclosed invention is applicable, but not restricted to, frequency division multiplexed (FDM) reference signal transmission for simultaneous transmission from multiple UEs. This includes, but is not restricted to, OFDMA, OFDM, FDMA, DFT-spread OFDM, DFT-spread OFDMA, single-carrier OFDMA (SC-OFDMA), and single-carrier OFDM (SC-OFDM) pilot transmission. The enumerated versions of FDM transmission strategies are not mutually exclusive, since, for example, single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) may be realized using the DFT-spread OFDM technique. In addition, embodiments of the invention also apply to general single-carrier systems.
FIG. 2 is an example of a block diagram showing an OFDM(A) transmitter of the reference signal (RS). It comprises of the RS sequence generator 201 and the Modulate block 202, which generate a reference signal block 203. Samples 203 are transmitted over the air. Modulate block further consists of a Tone Map 202A, insertion of zeros or other signals 202B, and the IFFT in 202C. Tone Map 202A can be arbitrary. Elements of apparatus may be implemented as components in a programmable processor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP).
FIG. 3 is an example of a block diagram showing a DFT-spread OFDM(A) (bracketed letter "A" means that the statement holds for both DFT-spread OFDM and DFT-spread OFDMA) reference signal (RS) transmitter. It comprises of the RS sequence generator 301 and the Modulate block 302, which generate a reference signal block 303. Samples 303 are transmitted over the air. Modulate block further consists of: DFT 302D, Tone Map 302A, insertion of zeros or other signals 302B, and the IFFT in 302C. Tone Map 302A can be arbitrary. Elements of apparatus may be implemented as components in a programmable processor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP).
Embodiments of the invention will be described using a family of mathematically well studied sequences, known as CAZAC sequences, as transmitted reference signals for several purposes including coherent demodulation of the data signal and possible channel quality estimation. CAZAC sequences are defined as all complex-valued sequences with the following two properties: 1) constant amplitude (CA), implying that magnitudes of all sequence elements are mutually equal and 2) zero cyclic autocorrelation (ZAC). Well-known examples-of CAZAC sequences include (but are not limited to) Chu and Frank-Zadoff sequences (or Zadoff-Chu sequences), and generalized chirp like (GCL) sequences. Nevertheless, the use of CAZAC reference signals is not mandatory for this invention. There is a need to define reference signal (RS) generation and transmission such that multiple reference signals can be simultaneously orthogonally multiplexed. Such generation should allow efficient use of the RS resources, which will in turn maximize the number of simultaneously multiplexed RS transmitters. Although the exemplary embodiment considers for brevity RS generation and multiplexing, exactly the same principles can be used to orthogonally multiplex other signals and increase their number, including acknowledgement signals (ACK/NAK) and channel quality indication (CQI) signals.

Method and apparatus for increasing the number of orthogonal signals using block spreading


A self-contained, automatic, floating fish feeding device which is characterized by multiple legs provided with floats at one end, the legs converging upwardly at the opposite end to a frame plate which supports a hanger for suspending a barrel containing fish food. The barrel is equipped with a battery-operated electric motor coupled to a feed-propelling device which periodically dispenses pelletized feed flowing by gravity from the barrel, by operation of a timing mechanism. A solar dome may be provided on the plate for generating electricity and charging a battery which operates the motor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automatic fish feeding devices and more particularly, to a floating fish feeding device which is self-contained and self-operated by a timing mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, the floating fish feeding device is characterized by multiple legs provided with floats at one end and converging at the opposite end to receive a plate and barrel hanger for suspending a barrel or container which contains fish food. A battery-operated motor is located beneath or in the barrel and the motor shaft is fitted with a spinner plate for receiving feed from the barrel by gravity and distributing the feed in a fan-shaped pattern at predetermined intervals determined by the timing mechanism. A solar dome may be provided on the floating fish feeding device for enlosing a solar panel and charging the battery.
Fish farming, and particularly catfish farming, wherein fish are raised under controlled conditions in small bodies of water such as ponds, is an ever-increasingly important source of food. Currently, such fish are fed periodically, and usually daily, by workers who supply particulate protein feed to the fish by hand or by operation of homemade mechanical fish feeding devices, in an amount determined by a formula according to the average size or age of the fish. It is essential in the raising of fish such as catfish, that the fish be fed regularly, since the fish are concentrated in a much smaller area than they would normally be in a wild habitat. Accordingly, the expense of maintaining reliable personnel to insure regular feeding often accounts for a major portion of the overhead involved in fish farming operations. The problem of overfeeding or underfeeding is always present, since as the fish grow, it is often difficult to estimate or calculate how much feed is necessary at any given point in time, in order to insure optimum growth of the fish. Accordingly, while underfeeding will inhibit the growth and general health of fish, overfeeding of the fish may result in polluting the pond or lake where the fish are grown, thereby contributing to fish kills and also inhibiting fish growth and health.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of apparatus have been developed in the prior art to automatically feed catfish and other varieties of fish grown in small ponds and lakes for commercial purposes. Unfortunately, such devices have, for the most part, proved unsuccessful, particularly on a commercial scale, and the majority of fish growers still employ the expensive hand-feeding method of operation. Automatic fish feeding devices may be broadly divided into two major categories. The first includes continuously operable, electrically-powered mechanisms which deposit feed into a body of water at a predetermined rate. These devices are characterized by a primary disadvantage, in that the feeding habits of fish may vary drastically according to weather conditions, growth rate and other factors. Accordingly, the continuously operating machines may deposit an excess of feed due to these variables, which results in pollution of the water body. Moreover, these devices are also subject to power failure. A second classification of feeding mechanisms is that in which the dispensing of feed is induced by the normal feeding activity of fish, wherein the fish actuate the feeding mechanism by contacting a triggering mechanism located beneath the surface of the water. These "demand-responsive" feeding devices are potentially more efficient than the continuously operated electric feeders, since they are capable of providing fish food on demand, both during active and inactive feeding periods. However, these devices are subject to a disadvantage, in that they require the continuous provision of food at or near the triggering mechanism, in order to attract the fish and induce the triggering response. Accordingly, the machines tend to be rather complex, thereby increasing the possibility of mechanical failure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,433, dated Dec. 30, 1969, to B. M. Fleming, details a "Self-Fish Feeder" which is mounted over a fish-containing body of water and has a particulate feed-containing hopper. A combined feed trough and grid structure is suspended on a rod from a conveyor means which is mounted interiorally of the hopper. As the fish contact the feed trough during normal feeding, a resulting movement of the food trough occurs and this movement, caused by the fish "rooting" around a trough-grid combination, is translated through the rod structure to the conveyor means. The conveyor means and related structure then operate to both break up the particulate fish feed around a discharge opening in the hopper and help move the feed through the opening into the trough-grid combination, thereby recharging the trough with feed. A "Fish Self-Feeder" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,142, dated May 1, 1973, to James W. Kahrs, et al. The fish self-feeder is mounted over a body of water containing fish and has a particulate feed-containing hopper consisting of a tapered receptacle containing a funnel having the spout directed through an opening in the bottom of the container. A pendulum rod hangs vertically from the center of the spout by means of a suspension pin hooked into opposed openings in the spout. A feeder plate is adjustably and vertically positioned on the rod, thereby forming a spaced obstruction for feed particles falling through the spout. The lower end of the pendulum terminates in a submerged bumper head, which, when disturbed by the fish, causes relative motion between the feeder plate and funnel spout, thereby producing a partial discharge of feed into the water. U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,163, dated June 26, 1973, to Dale A. Bush, describes a "Demand-Responsive Fish Feeder". This fish feeder is operable to dispense quantities of particulate feed into a fish-containing body of water in response to normal feeding activities of the fish. The hopper contains a supply of feed above the water surface and an actuating means, disposed externally of the hopper, includes a lower portion extending below the water surface and is operable to release desired quantities of feed in response to movement of the lower portion by fish adjacent to the lower portion. A "Fish Feed Discharging Apparatus" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,300, dated Aug. 19, 1986, to Mikael Sterner. The apparatus is designed to discharge fish feed and includes a feed-proportioning device connected to a probe mechanism which is at least partially immersed in water and is excitable by fish for activating the proportioning device to discharge a quantity of feed to the fish. The probe device contains an element which is sensitive to sound and/or pressure waves, reacts to fish movement and sends signals to an electrical device for activating the portioning device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,086, dated Oct. 13, 1987, to Kei Mori, details an "Underwater Fish Feeding Plant". The fish feeding plant utilizes a solar ray collecting device and an algae cultivating device installed in the sea, or in a lake or pond. The plant includes multiple cylinders which are vertically oriented in the water and are connected by horizontal cylinders. A solar ray collecting device is installed on the water surface above the structure and a culture device for cultivating algae or similar marine life is installed in the water. Solar rays collected by the solar ray collecting device are transmitted to the culture device for cultivating the algae through an optical conductor cable. U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,087, dated Oct. 13, 1987, also to Kei Mori, details a "Concentrated Fish Feeding Device". The concentrated fish feeding device utilizes a solar ray collecting device and an algae-cultivating device installed in the sea, or in a lake or pond. The device includes a water-immersed culture device for cultivating algae or the like, a photo-sensitive light source for supplying light rays to the algae culture device and an illuminated light source for entirely illuminating the algae culture device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,719, dated Nov. 3, 1987, also to Kei Mori, details a "Fish Feeding Device" which utilizes a solar ray collecting device and an algae cultivating device. The fish feeding device includes multiple cylinders vertically installed in a water body, a solar ray collecting device and/or artificial light sources mounted on the cylinders, cultivation devices suspended from the cylinders for cultivating algae and optical conductors for supplying solar rays and/or artificial light rays to the cultivation devices.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved floating fish feeding device which is self-contained, automatic and capable of feeding fish according to predetermined time sequences.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved floating fish feeding device which is equipped with an optional solar dome containing a solar panel for charging a battery which periodically operates a feed-dispensing mechanism according to a timing device.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a self-contained, floating fish feeding device which is characterized in a preferred embodiment by multiple legs provided with floats at one end and converging at the opposite ends to support an optional solar dome containing a solar panel for charging a battery which is used to power the device. A food-containing barrel is suspended beneath the converging ends of the legs above the plane of the floats. The barrel supports or encloses a feed-dispensing motor and a spinner plate is positioned beneath the barrel and receives feed from the barrel by gravity and periodically dispenses the feed in a fan-shaped pattern responsive to operation of a timing device.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a floating fish feeding device which utilizes a solar dome containing a solar panel that is exposed to the sun throughout the daylight hours, in order to recharge a battery used to operate a feed-dispensing mechanism.


Described is a novel packaging of MCM tiles without wire-bond interconnections and in a total thickness which is reduced relative to conventional MCM packaging. The MCM tile includes a substrate with a plurality of peripheral metallizations and at least one chip flip-chip mounted on the substrate. The PWB is provided with an aperture which is smaller than the size of the silicon substrate but larger than the outside dimensions of the mounted chips. The substrate is positioned on the PWB so that its ends overlap areas of the PWB adjacent the aperture and the chips fit into the aperture. Peripheral metallizations on the substrate are interconnected to metallizations on the PWB by either solder reflow technology or conductive adhesive technology.

Portable industrial and consumer products tend toward smaller size, lower cost and increased functionality. These requirements place greater emphasis on the development of semiconductor packaging technologies which can accommodate larger, more complex integrated circuits in thinner packages.
Conventional surface mount technology utilizes leaded plastic packages. However, as the pitch and size of the leaded plastic packages keep on being reduced, such problems as poor solder assembly yields, due to poor control of lead coplanarity, and poor fine pitch solder printing yields, due to continuing shrinking of the lead pitch, continue to remain of major importance.
One type of packaging which seemed to overcome these problems is an Overmolded Plastic Pad Array Carrier (OMPAC) technology. OMPAC assembly utilizes a double-sided printed circuit or wiring board laminate. (Hereinafter the printed circuit board or printed wiring board will be referred to as "PWB"). The top side metallization of the PWB is comprised of a die pad for die attachment of an integrated circuit (IC) unit and grounding and wirebond fingers. The IC unit may include a semiconductor chip (a die), or multiple semiconductor chips, or a Multi-Chip Module (MCM) tile including one or more chips and/or some other elements of the device on a commonly shared silicon substrate. The wirebond fingers extend outward to plated through holes (hereinafter referred to as "thruholes") in the PWB located near the edge of the package. The thruholes provide an electrical continuity from the top side to the bottom side of the PWB. The signal path is completed on the bottom side of the PWB by plated copper traces extending from the thruholes to solder pads for solder bump termination. Except for the solder bumps, all metal features on the PWB are typically photodefined, etched and electroplated with copper, nickel and gold. Conventional epoxy die attach and wire bonding technologies are used to interconnect the integrated circuit unit to the PWB. After the die and wire bonding, the PWB is overmolded using conventional epoxy transfer technology. After post-mold curing, the packages are solder bumped and electrically tested. Subsequently these are referred to as "ball grid array" (BGA) packages. Solder bumps are used for further interconnection of the BGA package, for example, to a "mother board". The mother board typically has a much larger area than the OMPAC BGA package, upon which may be arranged a number of other interconnected lumped electrical elements, such as capacitors, transformers, and resistors, which cannot be conveniently integrated into the chips or modules, as well as other packaged IC's, BGAs, plugs and connectors.
The major advantages of OMPAC BGA packages as compared to leaded surface mount packages include increased packaging interconnect density due to an evenly spaced matrix of solder connections on the bottom side of the package, higher solder assembly yields, and no lead coplanarity problems.
In FIG. 11 of the drawings is shown a schematic representation in cross-section of a representative prior art OMPAC BGA, 110, with an IC unit, 111, being a single die or chip component. Device 110 includes a PWB, 112, provided with wirebond fingers, 113, a polymer coating which acts as a solder mask, 114, on the fingers, thruholes, 115, contact pads, 116, wires, 117, interconnecting the die to wirebond fingers 113, and a molding compound, 118, enclosing the die, the wires and those portions of wirebond fingers 113 which are bonded to the wires. Contact pads 116 are further provided with solder bumps, 119, for interconnection to a mother board (not shown).
In FIG. 12 of the drawings is shown a schematic representation of another prior art device, 120, a variant of the OMPAC BGA. Here the IC unit is a silicon-on-silicon MultiChip Module (MCM) tile, 121, including a plurality of chips or dies, 122 and 123, flip-chip mounted by means of solder or conductive adhesive reflow technology to interconnection circuitry (not shown) on a silicon interconnection substrate, 124. Silicon substrate 124 is mounted on a PWB, 125, which is provided with wirebond fingers, 126, a solder mask, 127, plated thruholes, 128, and contact pads, 129. The silicon substrate is interconnected by means of wires, 130, to wirebond fingers 126. A protective shell, 131, filled with highly compliant encapsuling material, such as silicone gel, 132, protects the MCM tile and the wirebonds. Contact pads 129 are provided with solder bumps, 133, for interconnection to a mother board (not shown).
In contrast to device 110, device 120 shown in FIG. 12 avoids the molding step, thus avoiding exposure of the assembly to rigors of the molding process. However, device 120 continues the use of wirebond interconnections between the IC unit and the wirebond fingers. Wire bonding is a time-consuming procedure, which becomes more time-consuming as the number of I/O counts per die or MCM tile keeps on increasing. Also, in order to provide viable interconnections, the wirebond fingers on the PWB are gold-over-nickel plated copper. By eliminating the wirebond interconnection, the need for expensive gold-over-nickel plating of copper on the PWB would be eliminated. This would lead to a significant cost reduction. Thus, it is desirable to produce a device without wirebond interconnections. Furthermore, it is desirable to reduce the thickness of the packages.

Packaging multi-chip modules without wire-bond interconnection


Known polarization image detection systems produce an image illustrating structural information of a viewed scene which is representative of the degree of linear polarization. The present invention describes an improved detector system which enables more information to be extracted from the scene. The system comprises an optical arrangement having an optical axis (4) about which a retarder (1) and a linear polarizer (2) can be independently rotated, for producing a focussed image on a detector. This arrangement can be expressed mathematically in terms of Stokes parameters and Mueller matrices, and the expression can then be solved to provide three different polarization images representative of the viewed scene.

The present invention relates to polarisation image detection systems.
Most of the light that reaches our eyes or man-made sensors comes indirectly through scattering. An object is usually viewed by observing the scattered light that is reflected from the object's surface. Scattering is the observable interaction between light and matter and occurs at all wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum. These scattering processes are fundamental to the production of polarisation in the universe.
When light or any form of electromagnetic radiation is reflected from a surface it may become polarised, the type and degree of polarisation being a function of angle of incidence, surface structure/texture and material type. Certain materials can also alter the polarisation state of electromagnetic radiation passing through them. These materials are known as optically active materials.
A polarisation image detector forms an image signal indicating variations in optical polarisation of light from a scene. When the signal is reproduced as a picture on a television screen, it illustrates surface structure of the scene rather than reflected intensity or colour. Polarisation image detectors may be used in a number of fields, for example in microscopy, medical diagnosis, meteorology and so on.
A known polarisation image detector described in British Patent Specification 1472854 comprises two television camera tubes which receive light via a beam splitter comprising a partially reflecting mirror and via respective polarisers of which the polarising directions are set at right angles to one another. After gamma correction to compensate for non-linearities of the camera system, the video signals are combined to form a polarisation representative picture signal.
In another known form of polarisation image detector, instead of two camera tubes, there can be used a single tube having two separate photo-sensitive screens or there can be used a single camera with a single screen in association with a polariser, for example a rotating polarising plate or an electro-optic crystal, operable to change periodically the polarisation direction of the light received by the camera, and with signal delay means operable to bring the signals obtained during the respective periods into synchronism.
In our earlier patent application No. 8125282, we describe a polarising image detector comprising polarising means for receiving optical radiation from a scene and for forming images of the scene respectively constituted by radiation components which differ in respect of the polarisation thereof, two charge-coupled area imaging devices for forming electrical picture signals corresponding to said images, and means for combining said picture signals to form a signal containing information about the polarisation of the optical radiation from the scene.
One example of our earlier invention was described in which the means for receiving optical radiation from the scene and for forming separate images with different polarisation comprised a Wollaston block double image prism and lens arrangement. This arrangement split the partially polarised light received from the scene into two orthogonally polarised images which are focussed onto two separate charge-coupled devices (CCDs). The electrical picture signals produced by these CCDs are summed and subtracted, and a signal representing the division of their subtraction by their sum is applied to a television receiver or stored on a video recorder or further processed by a data processor to give structural information concerning every point on the scene as opposed to colour or brightness information produced by a conventional television arrangement.
In other examples described in our earlier patent application, the Wollaston block is replaced by a Glan-Thompson prism. Various alternative arrangements are described in which, for example, the electrical picture signals produced by the charge-coupled devices are digitised by analogue-to-digital converters and processed by computer to form the required polarisation-dependent image data. The advantage of the latter arrangement is that known digital techniques for image enhancement or recognition could then be applied to the data to improve the quality of the polarisation-dependent image data extracted. These earlier systems are only capable of resolving linear polarisation forms.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a polarisation image detection system which can resolve all forms of polarisation information emanating from a scene or object under examination. The new system can produce three different types of image representing the polarisation factor, degree of polarisation and polarisation phase angle for elliptically polarised light. It should be noted that elliptical polarisation includes all polaristaion types; linear and circular polarisation forms are just two specific cases of elliptical polarisation.


In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides an door locking assembly splice including an extension tube having opposing top and bottom ends, a lock rod connection assembly connected to the top end of the extension tube, a handle connection assembly connected to the extension tube between the top end and the bottom end of the extension tube, and a cam assembly connected to the bottom end of the extension tube, that enables a damaged door rod locking assembly to be easily, quickly, and efficiently repaired.

The railroad industry employs a variety of auto-rack railroad cars for transporting newly-manufactured vehicles such as automobiles, vans, and trucks. Auto-rack railroad cars, known in the railroad industry as auto-rack cars, often travel thousands of miles through varying terrain. Auto-rack cars can have one deck, and often are compartmented, having two or three decks. Each auto-rack car typically has multiple vertically extending doors at each end of the auto-rack car. Newly manufactured vehicles are loaded into and unloaded from an auto-rack car for transport by one or more persons (each sometimes called a "loader") who drive the vehicles into or out of the auto-rack car (when the respective doors are open).
For example, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, one type of known auto-rack car indicated by numeral 10 includes a frame 12 supported by trucks 14a and 14b, each of which have several wheels (such as wheel 16) configured to roll along railroad tracks 18. The frame 12 supports two opposing sidewalls 20a and 20b and a roof 22
One problem relating to certain known auto-rack cars such as auto-rack car 10 involves the doors and associated door locking assemblies of these auto-rack cars. In certain of these known auto-rack cars, each end of the auto-rack car includes two separately openable doors that are respectively hingedly connected along opposite vertical edges of a door frame. This enables the doors to swing outwardly from the transverse plane of the door frame (relative to the tracks) to provide access to the interior of the auto-rack car. In certain of these known auto-rack cars, each door includes a plurality of connected sections. Each section is hingedly attached to an adjacent section by one or more vertically extending hinges. More specifically, in many of these known auto-rack cars, each door includes a first section hingedly connected to a vertical edge of the door frame by vertically extending hinges, a second section hingedly connected to the first section by vertically extending hinges, and a third section hingedly connected to the second section by vertically extending hinges.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, known auto-rack car 10 includes a first door 40a hingedly connected along a first vertical edge of the door frame 30. The first door 40a includes: (a) a first section 42a hingedly connected to the first vertical edge of the door frame 30 by a plurality of vertically extending hinges (such as hinge 43a); (b) a second section 44a hingedly connected to the first section 42a by vertically extending hinges (such as hinge 45a); and (c) a third section 46a hingedly connected to the second section 44a by vertically extending hinges (such as hinge 47a). Known auto-rack car 10 also includes a second door 40b hingedly connected to a second vertical edge of door frame 30. The second door 40b includes: (a) a first section 42b hingedly connected to the second vertical edge of the door frame 30 by vertically extending hinges (such as hinge 43b); (b) a second section 44b hingedly connected to the first section 42b by vertically extending hinges (such as hinge 45b); and (c) a third section 46b hingedly connected to the second section 44b by vertically extending hinges (such as hinge 47b).
In certain of these known auto-rack cars, each end of the auto-rack car also includes multiple door locking assemblies for each door. More specifically, in certain of these known auto-rack cars, two vertically extending door rod locking assemblies are attached to each door (including a first or outer door rod locking assembly and a second or inner door locking assembly). Other such known auto-rack cars only include a single (inner) door locking assembly attached to each door. Each door rod locking assembly includes an elongated lock rod rotatably attached to an exterior side of the respective section of the door by a plurality of vertically spaced apart brackets. The lock rod is rotatable about a vertically extending axis that is slightly spaced from the outer surface of the door to facilitate rotation of the lock rod. Each door rod locking assembly also includes a handle attached to and extending transversely from the lock rod to facilitate selective rotation of the lock rod.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, known auto-rack car 10 includes: (a) an outer door rod locking assembly 50a rotatably connected to the first section 42a of door 40a; (b) an inner door locking assembly 70a connected to the second section 44a of door 40a; (c) an outer door rod locking assembly 50b rotatably connected to the first section 42b of door 40b; and (d) an inner door locking assembly 70b connected to the second section 44b of door 40b. The outer door rod locking assembly 50a includes a relatively short lock rod 52a and a handle 54a attached to and extending radially from the lock rod 52a. The inner door locking assembly 70a includes a relatively long lock rod 72a and a handle 74a attached to and extending transversely from the lock rod 72a. The outer door rod locking assembly 50b includes a relatively short lock rod 52b and a handle 54b attached to and extending transversely from the lock rod 52b. The inner door locking assembly 70b includes a relatively long lock rod 72b and a handle 74b attached to and extending transversely from the lock rod 72b.
In certain of these known auto-rack cars, certain of the door rod locking assemblies include an upper cam structure including an upper locking tongue or finger that transversely extends from the lock rod. Upon suitable rotation of the lock rod, the upper locking tongue of the upper cam structure coacts with an upper tongue receiver (secured at the top of the door frame) to provide a useful mechanical advantage to close the door and secure the door in the closed position. Likewise, certain of the door rod locking assemblies include a lower cam structure including a lower locking tongue or finger that transversely extends from the lock rod. Upon suitable rotation of the lock rod, the lower locking tongue of the lower cam structure coacts with a lower tongue receiver (secured at the bottom of the door frame) to provide a useful mechanical advantage to close the door and secure the door in the closed position.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, known auto-rack car 10 includes: (a) an upper cam structure 76a attached to the top of the lock rod 72a, and that includes an upper locking tongue or finger 78a that extends from the lock rod 72a; and (b) a lower cam structure 80a attached to the bottom of the lock rod 72a, and that includes an lower locking tongue or finger (not shown) that extends from the lock rod 72a. Known auto-rack car 10 also includes: (a) an upper cam structure 76b attached to the top of the lock rod 72b, and that includes an upper locking tongue or finger (not shown) that extends from the lock rod 72b; and (b) a lower cam structure (not labeled) attached to the bottom of the lock rod 72b, and that includes a lower locking tongue or finger (not shown) that extends from the lock rod 72b. FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 also show certain of the upper and lower tongue receivers such as tongue receivers 81a, 81b, and 82a.
In certain of these known auto-rack cars, certain door rod locking assemblies only include a lower cam structure including a lower locking tongue or finger that transversely extends from the relatively short lock rod. Upon suitable rotation of the lock rod, the lower locking tongue of the lower cam structure coacts with a lower tongue receiver (secured at the bottom of the door frame) to provide a useful mechanical advantage to close the door and secure the door in the closed position.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, known auto-rack car 10 includes: (a) a lower cam structure 58a attached to the bottom of the lock rod 52a, and that includes a lower locking tongue or finger (not shown) that extends from the lock rod 52a; and (b) a lower cam structure (not labeled) attached to the bottom of the lock rod 52b, and that includes an lower locking tongue or finger (not shown) that extends from the lock rod 52b. FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 also show lower tongue receivers such as lower tongue receiver 83a.
In certain of these known auto-rack cars, the lock rods are made of steel tubing, the handles are made of steel, the upper cams are made of steel, the lower cams are made of steel, and the tongue receivers are made of steel.
During use or operation of certain such known auto-rack cars, such locking assemblies are sometimes subjected to various damaging impacts or forces. For example, during the coupling process for two such known adjacent auto-rack cars, one or more of the opposing respective couplers (such as coupler 90 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4) of the two adjacent auto-rack cars that are being connected may not be aligned. In such situations, one or more of the couplers of the two adjacent auto-rack cars are at an offset or angled position when the auto-rack cars come together for coupling. When this happens, the offset or angled coupler of one of the auto-rack cars can engage the opposing auto-rack car (to which it is suppose to be coupled) in an undesired position. This undesired position of the coupler can cause the couple to engage the lower portion of one of the inner door rod locking assemblies. Specifically, the offset coupler (which is at approximately at the same height or level as the lower portions of the inner door rod locking assemblies 70a and 70b shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4) can impact and damage such lower cam structure and/or the lower portion of the lock rod of either of the inner door rod locking assemblies. For example, the lower cam structure 80a and/or the bottom of the lock rod 72a may be damaged by such an offset coupler. In such instances, such damaged components can become difficult to operate or can become inoperable such that the inner door rod locking assembly does not properly operate or operate at all. This can prevent the door from properly closing or opening, which creates various issues.
In such cases, the damaged inner door rod locking assembly cannot be easily, quickly, or efficiently repaired because the entire lock rod, lower cam, and upper cam that are formed as one integral member need to be replaced. More specifically, when this damage occurs, the damaged auto-rack car must be taken out of service and brought into repair shop. This known repair is done in a repair shop (instead of in the field or in a railroad yard) partially for safety reasons due to the height of the auto-rack car. This process takes the damaged auto-rack car out of service for repair and is thus time consuming, inefficient, and costly.
Accordingly, there is a need to solve these problems.

Auto-rack railroad car door locking assembly splice


A method for having a mobile price transaction system including comparisons. The system obtains information about prices and transactions involving products and services in real time over a wireless link. The actions include making a price comparison inquiry to a central server for the product, service, or price information. The inquiry is formatted in the central server for transmission to sources of the information such as vendors or their web sites. After receiving a response from the sources, the response is suitably formatted and is displayed on the mobile unit. The information will often be available locally on the central server, but the present invention includes commanding remote sources to provide an action such as a response, including a response at a desired time or for desired conditions.

Purchasing transactions are an integral part of our way of life, such as in trade and travel, and affect everyone personally. However, in the prior art, purchasing transactions are often hit or miss actions with price as the primary and most often the only determinant factor. Small changes in a price, for example, will often create very large changes in the perceived value of a business transaction, and will strongly influence trade, tourism, and most other facets of life. However, especially with respect to impulse purchases, price comparisons must be fast, accurate and convenient to have maximum effect and often are not adequate in this respect.
Ideally, details of a comparison will be transparent to the user, with the user seamlessly having the ability to take advantage of a bargain or to make a price comparison under the exact conditions the user chooses. In the prior art purchasing transactions were susceptible to manipulation. The buyer often received misleading, incomplete or even no information regarding other factors that are as important as price. The fully informed and intelligent selection of a specific merchant, vendor, or service provider requires the customer to evaluate extensive collateral information and reach a timely decision. This collateral information may include choice of color, size, and feel in the environment of expected use, weight, warranty, quality, reliability, and availability. The reputation of the vendor, service, return privileges, manufacturer, make, year of manufacture, product or service attributes, expected features in next year models, sales tax, and shipping costs are also important factors in a purchasing decision.
The factors that the customer should consider and weigh are many, and are not always amenable to intelligent processing on the fly. In the prior art the comparison of prices was conducted by a query to an individual web site of the vendor or the vendors belonging to that particular group. The answer was parsed for presentation on a stationary device or a mobile device without prioritizing, categorizing and ranking. Without the aid of comprehensive algorithms and software to fully optimize the individual value proposition, the customer may make a bad decision, generating a return of the merchandise or cancellation of the service.
Expeditious, timely and value enhancing transactions are in the best interest of everyone; customers, vendors and governments. Trade and tourism are often adversely affected if users expect more or believe they received less than they are entitled to due to inadequate information and poor communication.
Presently comparisons are often made in an ad hoc manner, such as by chance or by advertising forced on the consumer. These methods are inconvenient, annoying, costly, and may provide incomplete information for making a decision, thus dissatisfying consumers and also vendors who must deal with the resulting cost of product returns or the loss of repeat customers. An example is in precious metals, where gold coins are sometimes advertised as weighing a certain number of avoirdupois ounces. Without knowing the ratio of a troy ounce (480 grains) to an avoirdupois ounce (437.5 grains), the consumer would have to guess at the value.
Knowledgeable advisors may charge relatively excessive rates, defeating the reason for getting the advice. It is in the best interest of both a government wishing to encourage trade and tourism and of a user desiring trade or tourism to have simple, reliable price comparisons and transactions.
Standard methods for making comparisons, rather than providing a benefit to the government and users seeking trade or tourism, create confusion and uncertainty. This is especially true, as stated before, of cases involving ambiguous values, for example, unfamiliar systems of units of weights and measures, currencies, quality standards, cultural standards and so forth.
In addition, to foster competition in a free economy it is necessary that vendors not cooperate to set prices. Thus there is a prohibition in having one organization as a standard setter or clearinghouse of prices, if the effect is to restrict competition. Even in a competitive market, the consumer faces a daunting task if he/she has to conduct independent research to secure the best price and value on any given product or service. The consumer generally desires access to an unbiased way of freely and expeditiously conducting a price search based on chosen criteria and optimizing the acquisition cost to obtain a value that meets individual parameters. However, the search must be easily and quickly accomplished.
In the prior art items are often tagged with a label that has a bar code attached. This requires the act of scanning by the customer or sales clerk. Some items, like garments, have tags sewn or clipped on that may alert by audible sound if the tag is not removed or if the item is being removed without authorization. These methods are often not satisfactory, since they act only to prevent theft with no direct benefit to the customer.
In the prior art, mobile communication devices such as a cellular telephone/mobile device (CT/MD) do not have spread sheet capabilities, since mobile devices such as a CT/MD have data entry and viewing limitations. There is a longstanding need for providing spreadsheets with a CT/MD.