A document holder includes a flat base part, front and rear wall parts, a pair of lateral wall parts, and a cover part. Each of the front and rear wall parts extends upwardly from a respective one of front and rear edges of the base part. The lateral wall parts extend between the front and rear wall parts, and cooperate with the latter to confine a document holding space with an open top. The cover part is hinged to the rear wall part, is movable so as to cover and uncover the open top of the document holding space, and is formed with a window section that permits viewing into the document holding space when the latter is covered by the cover part.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a document holder, more particularly to a document holder that facilitates viewing of documents therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional document holder 1 is shown to comprise a flat base part 112, front and rear wall parts 111, 113, a pair of lateral wall parts 115, and a cover part 114. The front and rear edges 1121, 1122 of the base part 112 extend in a longitudinal direction, and are spaced apart in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. Each of the front and rear wall parts 111, 113 extends upwardly from a respective one of the front and rear edges 1121, 1122 of the base part 112. The lateral wall parts 115 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and are formed with a plurality of pleats 1153. Each of the lateral wall parts 115 further extends in the transverse direction, is connected at one end 1152 to the front wall part 111, and cooperates with the front and rear wall parts 111, 113 to confine a document holding space 116 with an open top. A plurality of partition plates 1156 extend in the longitudinal direction, and have opposite ends connected respectively to the lateral wall parts 115. The partition plates 1156 cooperate with the lateral wall parts 115 to divide the document holding space 116 into a plurality of volume variable spaces. The cover part 114 is hinged to a top edge 1131 of the rear wall part 113, and is movable between a closed position, where the cover part 114 covers the open top of the document holding space 116, as best illustrated in FIG. 2, and an open position, where the cover part 114 uncovers the open top of the document holding space 116, as best shown in FIG. 1. The front wall part 111 and the cover part 114 are provided with interlocking male and female fasteners 1141, 1111 for retaining releasably the cover part 114 at the closed position.
In use, the male fastener 1141 on the cover part 114 is pulled apart from the female fastener 1111 on the front wall part 111 to permit movement of the cover part 114 to the open position. The documents are then put into the volume variable spaces of the document holding space 116. After moving the cover part 114 to the closed position, the male fastener 1141 on the cover part 114 is brought to engage the female fastener 1111 on the front wall part 111.
It is noted that the conventional document holder 1 has no window section to permit viewing of the documents inside when the cover part 114 is at the closed position, thereby resulting in inconvenience. In addition, although the conventional document holder 1 is provided with a wide document holding space 116, no space is allocated for receiving accessories, such as pens, coins, cellular phones, etc.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a document holder that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.
Accordingly, a document holder of this invention comprises a flat base part, front and rear wall parts, a pair of lateral wall parts, and a cover part. The flat base part has a front edge, a rear edge, a bottom surface, and a top surface opposite to the bottom surface. The front and rear edges extend in a longitudinal direction, and are spaced apart in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. Each of the front and rear wall parts extends upwardly from a respective one of the front and rear edges of the base part. The lateral wall parts are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. Each of the lateral wall parts extends in the transverse direction, is connected to at least one of the front and rear wall parts, and cooperates with the front and rear wall parts to confine a document holding space with an open top. The cover part is hinged to a top edge of the rear wall part, is movable between a closed position and an open position, and is formed with a window section. In the closed position, the cover part covers the open top of the document holding space. In the open position, the cover part uncovers the open top of the document holding space. The window section is registered with the open top of the document holding space and permits viewing into the document holding space when the cover part is disposed at the closed position.


A ground electrode is disposed between a card-side connector and an upper panel, movably forward or backward in the card insertion direction, the ground electrode including protuberances projecting through the protuberance receiving holes of the upper panel. The ground electrode is energized to move forward in the card insertion direction by means of a torsion spring such that, when the PC card is inserted into a 16-bit card slot corresponding to a predetermined high driving voltage, the protuberances in the protuberance receiving holes are moved backward in the card insertion direction against the spring force of the torsion spring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a PC card which is inserted into a card slot of a personal computer, for example, in order to extend the functions of the personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a personal computer is made up mainly of a computer body having an operation function, a memory function, and the like, a key board for inputting a signal to the computer body, a memory including a floppy disk and the like for storing memory in the computer body, and a display for indicating a program, an operational result, and the like.
Furthermore, the personal computer is provided with a card slot into which a PC card can be additionally attached in order to extend the memory contained in the computer body, add a modem, provide an IDE interface with an external CD-ROM drive and a hard disk, and the like. The size and shape of the PC card is specified by PC Card Standard and Standard by JEIDA (Japan Electric Industry Development Association).
For personal computers, a 32-bit byte has been gradually employed instead of a 16-bit byte in order to enhance processing speeds. Accordingly, there are two types of PC cards having respective sizes and shapes, that is, 16-bit PC cards and 32-bit PC cards. Similarly, card slots on the personal computer side are roughly divided into two groups, that is, 16-bit and 32-bit card slots.
Further, with respect to personal computers, in order to reduce the consumption electric power, the driving voltage for the computer body has been changed from 5.0 V to 3.3 V. For ordinary uses, the driving voltage for 16-bit PC cards is set at 5.0 V, while that for 32-bit PC cards at 3.3 V. Since the driving voltage has been reduced from 5.0 V to 3.3 V, the 32-bit PC card and the card slot are provided with ground electrodes for reinforcing the grounding, in order to secure the transmission or reception of a signal between the PC card and the personal computer.
The PC card is provided with a card key groove formed on the left side viewed in the card insertion direction, so that the PC card can be prevented from being improperly inserted, turned inside out, and can be distinguished between 16-bit and 32-bit PC card types. The card-side key groove of the 16-bit PC card is wider than that of the 32-bit PC card.
With this difference between the card-side key groove widths, the 16-bit PC card can be inserted into the 16-bit card slot and also into the 32-bit card slot. On the other hand, the 32-bit PC card can only be inserted into the 32-bit card slot, and is prevented from being inserted into the 16-bit card slot. As a result, the respective protuberances of the ground electrode provided for the card slot of the 32-bit PC card are prevented from being inserted into the 16-bit card slot which has no parts for receiving the protuberance. This protects the ground electrode, the card insertion hole of the card slot, and the like.
A 32-bit PC card of the above-described type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-58163, and is publicly known.
The PC card produced according to the above-described conventional technology includes a frame of which one end functions as a connector-attachment port and accommodates a circuit board inside thereof. Two panels form lids at the opposite sides of the frame and a connector is disposed in the connector attachment port of the frame for connecting the circuit board to the personal computer. A ground electrode is provided between one of the two panels and the connector for connecting the ground of the circuit board to the ground of the personal computer.
Further, one of the two panels is perforated to provide plural protuberance-receiving holes in the position corresponding to the connector attachment port. The ground electrode is composed of a flat plate elongated in the connector-lengthwise direction and protuberances are formed on the flat plate and project through the respective protuberance-receiving holes.
The above-described conventional 16-bit PC card is provided with the card-side key groove having a different size from that of the 32-bit PC card so that it can be distinguished from the 32-bit PC card, and moreover, the 32-bit PC card can be prevented from being inserted into the 16-bit card slot, as described above.
On the other hand, users require PC cards which are available as both the 16-bit and 32-bit cards. For the purpose of meeting this requirement, it is necessary to provide a PC card which can be inserted into either of the 16-bit and 32-bit card slots, irrespective of the shapes and sizes of the card slots of personal computers.


A wind tower erection device and method for erecting wind turbine towers which avoid the need for using expensive cranes. The device and method employs a stacker unit for anchoring to the wind turbine foundation, a plurality of intermediate modules, and a mechanical actuator for raising the intermediate modules vertically. The stacker unit has a receptacle allowing for lateral sliding of intermediate modules inside of the stacker unit. In one embodiment, the stacker unit has a receptacle for lateral sliding of intermediate modules inside of the stacker unit. The stacker unit and the intermediate modules each have at least one open side to for positioning of tower sections within the stacker unit and stacked intermediate modules. A bridge crane section is initially placed on top of the stacked intermediate modules. The bridge crane is raised vertically as additional intermediate modules are added at the bottom, thereby allowing wind tower sections to be winched into place using the crane, each being added on top of the other as the stacked intermediate modules increase to the necessary height.

This invention relates to a method and system for erecting wind energy turbines that allow one to avoid the use of specialized and expensive cranes.
Wind turbines are becoming ever more popular as the expense of electrical energy continues to increase. A typical wind turbine uses a rotary driven generator mounted atop a tower which can reach 80 meters or more in height. The next generation of towers will reach a height of 120 meters at the hub. In fact, 1.5 MW-2.5 W generators at 80 meters high are the staple of this industry because of what the highway systems can operate. The current method to erect towers with 80 meter hub height is with 3 cranes. A 50 ton crane is used for the blades and the hub to suspend them for pre-assembly prior to the use of a 450 ton crane to take the assembly to the 80 meter level. Prior to raising the assembly a 250 ton crane will set the first two tower sections. The first tower section is 90′ long with a 14′ diameter at the base and weighs approximately 90,000 pounds. The next section is 75′ and 75,000 pounds and the section diameter decreases to around 12′. The third tower section and final 75′ section weighs less than 75,000 pounds and tapers to 8′ in diameter. This piece is lifted by the 450 ton crane while the erectors are inside the towers on spiral stairs making connections using the interior flange bolt method, as does all the components above the base. It therefore takes 2 cranes to set the towers upright prior to erection.
Typically the three above-referred to tower sections come to the building site on large trucks, as does the wind turbine housing, hub, and the blades, which themselves are normally 145′ long. The large cranes used in the typical tower erection often are very expensive, renting for $88,000/week or $240,000/month plus maintenance. Furthermore, 38 trucks are required to mobilize the cranes and cost $100,000 to bring into the site as well as out. Thus, time is of the essence and a way to avoid the use of, for example, a 450 ton crane would be hugely desirable and save money.
There have been attempts in the past to eliminate large high tonnage lifting cranes for erecting wind turbines. Those for the most part have been unsuccessful since they themselves are highly specialized and expensive equipment. Such an example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,646 which uses a climber device. One problem with such devices is that strength of the structure is not increased as the device climbs the erected tower sections and the first tower section must still be set with a heavy duty crane. Another problem is the expense and slowness of operation. With the enormous forces exerted on the tower that is being climbed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,646, it is likely that one would still need a large crane or another device to set the generator and the hub.
Accordingly there is a continuing need for the development of wind energy turbine erection devices which are cheap in construction, which increases in load bearing strength when the wind turbine is being erected, and which avoids the use of highly expensive large tonnage cranes on the job site.
This invention has as its primary objective the fulfillment of this continuing need by developing a new erection system and method which is quick, inexpensive, superior in economics and construction strength (load bearing capacity during erection).
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of attaching a hub with rotor blades to the housing atop the wind turbine tower sections.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.


The invention relates to the in situ regeneration of heterogeneous oligomerization catalysts which are used in the liquid phase oligomerization of ethene.

Ethene (synonym: ethylene) is the simplest olefin (alkene). Its empirical formula is C2H4; it therefore has two carbon atoms and is also referred to as C2 olefin. Because of its high reactivity, ethene is an important synthesis unit in the chemical industry.
By far the greatest volume of ethene is polymerized to polyethylene, one of the most widely used and ubiquitous bulk polymers, usually in the form of packaging film. Polyethylene is a chain polymer in which the ethene monomer[—CH2—CH2—] is repeated many times as a chain member. A polyethylene chain polymer therefore has a very large number of carbon atoms, far more than 96.
It is also possible to prepare other olefins having four, six or eight carbon atoms from ethene. This is accomplished by way of oligomerization. In ethene oligomerization, ethene reacts essentially with itself and forms olefins having more than two carbon atoms, called oligomers. For example, two ethene molecules can react to give a butene molecule, i.e. an olefin having four carbon atoms (C4 olefin for short). This reaction is also referred to as dimerization; butene is the dimer of ethene. Three ethene molecules together form a hexene (C6 olefin) (trimerization), and four ethene molecules form a C8 olefin as oligomer (tetramerization). In parallel, two butenes formed beforehand can form an octene. This is because several reactions proceed simultaneously in parallel in the oligomerization: the primary reaction is that of ethene with itself. Secondary reactions proceed between ethene and already formed ethene oligomers or oligomers with one another.
Compared to polymerization, oligomerization gives rise to molecules having a much smaller number of carbon atoms. The limit can be set at sixteen carbon atoms. Another important feature of an oligomerization is that new olefins are formed in turn from olefins and not saturated chains.
All in all, an ethene oligomerization in the context of this invention is understood to mean the chemical reaction of ethene to form olefins having a carbon number of four to sixteen.
Ethene oligomerization is practiced in industry for preparation of C4, C6 and C8 olefins. These serve in turn as reactants for more complex chemicals, for example higher alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters.
From a chemical engineering point of view, oligomerization processes can be divided into those which are conducted in the gas phase and those which proceed in liquid phase. In addition, heterogeneously catalyzed operations are distinguished from homogeneously catalyzed processes.
In gas phase operations, the oligomerization is conducted under conditions under which ethene is gaseous. The oligomers may then likewise be gaseous or else liquid.
In the liquid phase oligomerization, the ethene is introduced into the reactor in liquid form. Since ethene is liquid only under very high pressure, the liquid phase oligomerization of ethene is usually implemented by dissolving gaseous ethene in a liquid solvent and effecting the oligomerization in the liquid solvent. The oligomers are then also present in the solvent. The advantage of liquid phase oligomerization over gas phase oligomerization is the better exploitation of the reactor volume and better removal of the heat of reaction with the solvent (oligomerization is highly exothermic!). Overall, liquid phase oligomerization achieves a better process intensity than gas phase oligomerization.
Disadvantages of liquid phase oligomerization are the need for a solvent and the difficulty of product removal: product removal is the recovery of the oligomers from the reaction mixture which comprises, as well as the desired oligomers, also unconverted ethene, any solvent, and catalyst. If the process is homogeneously catalyzed, the catalyst is dissolved in the same phase as the reactant and the oligomerizate. If the catalyst cannot remain in the product mixture, it has to be removed accordingly. This presents additional complexity from a chemical engineering point of view.
By contrast, catalyst removal is simpler in heterogeneously catalyzed operations in which the catalyst is present in a different phase from the reactants, generally in the solid state. Both in the heterogeneously catalyzed liquid phase oligomerization and in the heterogeneously catalyzed gas phase oligomerization, the solid catalyst remains in the reactor, while the fluid product mixture is being drawn off from the reactor.
The fact that the heterogeneous catalyst remains in the reactor enables constant reuse thereof. However, this has the consequence that the catalyst loses activity with increasing service life and increasingly forms unwanted by-products. This is probably because the active sites of the catalyst become covered with deposits, such that there is no longer any contact with the ethene. These deposits are probably longer-chain by-products extending as far as low molecular weight polyethylene and/or catalyst poisons consisting of N-, O- or S-containing molecules. It is also possible for active metals in the catalyst to be oxidized in the oligomerization and hence to lose activity.
Fortunately, the deactivation of heterogeneous oligomerization catalysts is reversible: for instance, it is possible to reactivate the catalyst from time to time, as a result of which it very substantially regains its initial performance.
The prior art describes some methods of reactivating oligomerization catalysts: for instance, DE102009027408A1 describes the regeneration of a heterogeneous catalyst based on nickel oxide, silicon dioxide and aluminum dioxide. It is used preferentially in the oligomerization of C3 to C6 olefins. For removal of organic deposits, they are burnt off with a hot oxygenous gas stream. This is done in an oven. A disadvantage of this method is that the catalyst has to be deinstalled from the reactor and transferred into the oven for reactivation. On completion of regeneration, the catalyst has to be reinstalled in the reactor. This is associated with a comparatively large amount of manual work and causes long shutdown times of the oligomerization plant.
A simpler method in that respect is the regeneration, described in EP0136026B1, of a heterogeneous zeolite catalyst used in the mixed oligomerization of C2 and C3 olefins. The regeneration here is effected in situ, i.e. at the normal location of the catalyst, namely in the reactor. For the regeneration itself, the olefin stream to the catalyst is shut down and the reactor with the catalyst present therein is purged with a hot oxidizing gas. Regeneration in situ has the crucial advantage that the catalyst need not be deinstalled from the reactor and then reinstalled for regeneration. A disadvantage of this process is that the reactor has to be designed so as to have sufficient thermal stability to withstand the hot regeneration gases as well. Provided that the reactor is designed for gas phase oligomerization in any case—as is the case in EP0136026B1—the extra costs are acceptable. By contrast, making a reactor optimized for liquid phase oligomerization capable of withstanding regeneration with hot gases is associated with considerable extra costs. Furthermore, it is questionable whether all heterogeneous catalysts can be regenerated with hot gas, since the examples of EP0136026B1 are concerned solely with zeolitic catalysts. Particularly those catalysts containing nickel, chromium, iron or titanium as active metal behave completely differently in the oligomerization from the zeolites consisting solely of aluminum oxides and silicon oxides. It is therefore to be expected that such catalysts will need a different regeneration.
The regeneration of a chromium-based catalyst which is used in the liquid phase oligomerization of ethene is described in WO2014082689A1. However, this concerns a homogeneous catalyst system which is regenerating ex situ, i.e. outside the reactor.
There are also examples in the prior art of in situ regeneration of catalysts which are used in the liquid phase oligomerization of ethene (WO2011112184A1, WO2010110801A1), but these are also all homogeneous systems.
The in situ regeneration of heterogeneous catalysts which are used in the liquid phase oligomerization of ethene is not currently known to have been described to date.

Regeneration of a heterogeneous catalyst in ethene oligomerization


An ultrasound beacon is incorporated into a needle of a drug delivery system utilizing high intensity ultrasound energy during certain cancer treatments. The beacon is configured to generate a electrical feedback signal in response to an initial ultrasound signal sent by an ultrasound transmitter. The electrical feedback signal is then sent along two electrical conductors of the needle and further over a cable back to the electronic unit. The feedback signal is then used to generate high intensity focused ultrasound using time-reversal acoustics principles. Therapeutic application of the system of the invention includes applying high intensity focused ultrasound at the site of drug delivery to enhance local tissue uptake of injected medication.

The present invention relates to medical devices using Time-Reversal Acoustics (TRA) methods for ultrasound-assisted therapy. One advantageous example of such therapy is needle-based targeted drug delivery into a tumor. Enhanced penetration of drug into the tumor is achieved by subjecting the tumor tissue to ultrasound energy which is focused at the tumor location using the method of the invention. More particularly, a beacon for focusing ultrasound energy is provided at the tip of a dual-function needle, which delivers the drug into the treated tissue and at the same time acts as a hydrophone enabling TRA system to focus ultrasound exactly at the site where the drug was injected.
Focusing of ultrasonic waves is a fundamental aspect of most medical applications of ultrasound. The efficiency of ultrasound focusing in biological tissues is often significantly limited by spatial heterogeneities in sound velocity in tissues and the presence of various reflective surfaces and boundaries. The refraction, reflection and scattering of ultrasound in inhomogeneous media can greatly distort focused ultrasound field. There are many methods for improving the ultrasonic focusing in complex media based on the phase and amplitude corrections in focusing system but they are often too complicated and in some cases do not provide necessary improvement. The concept of TRA developed initially by M. Fink of the University of Paris provides an elegant possibility of both temporal and spatial concentrating of acoustic energy in highly inhomogeneous media. The TRA technique is based on the reciprocity of acoustic propagation, which implies that the time-reversed version of an incident pressure field naturally refocuses on its source. The general concept of TRA is described in an article by Fink, entitled "Time-reversed acoustics," Scientific American, November 1999, pp. 91-97, which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,336 to Fink, which is also incorporated herein by reference, describes a device for localization and focusing of acoustic waves in tissues.
An important issue in the TRA method of focusing acoustic energy is related to obtaining initial signal from the target area. It is necessary to have a beacon to provide an initial signal from the focal region. In the TRA systems described in the prior art, most common beacon is a hydrophone placed at the chosen target point. Other possible beacons are highly reflective targets that provide an acoustical feedback signal for TRA focusing of acoustic beam.
Remarkably, scattering and numerous reflections from boundaries, which may greatly limit and even completely diminish conventional focusing, lead to the improvement of the focusing ability of the TRA system. Fink et al. have demonstrated a strong robustness of TRA focusing: the more complex the medium, the sharper the focus.
The advantages of the TRA-based focusing systems (TRA FS) over conventional ultrasound focusing are as follows:                1. TRA FS is capable to precisely deliver ultrasound energy to the chosen region regardless of the heterogeneity of the propagation medium, for example behind the ribs or inside the skull. The ability to effectively localize ultrasound energy and avoid exposure of surrounding tissues is important in many medical applications including ultrasound surgery and the ultrasound enhanced drug delivery.        2. TRA FS can produce more effective spatial concentration of ultrasound energy than traditional systems; the focus volume can approach ultrasound diffraction limit, it can be spherical rather than elongated ellipsoidal typically formed by most traditional focusing systems.        3. TRA FS can produce pulses with arbitrary waveforms in a wide frequency band. Ability to generate various waveforms is important in many applications, for example for optimizing the outcome of the ultrasound stimulated drug delivery where the main mechanism of ultrasound action, sonoporation, is related to cavitation and the threshold of cavitation depends strongly on frequency and the form of the applied signal.
Several examples of TRA FS employing a passive ultrasound reflector or an active ultrasound emitter as a TRA beacon are described in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,201,749 to Govari et al. as well as a European Patent Application No. EP1449564, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Described is a TRA-based high intensity ultrasound system designed for isolation of pulmonary veins. The beacons, described in these references, are active or passive piesotransducers designed to reflect or emit ultrasound signal to be detected by an array of transducers. In case of an active beacon, the electrical energy is typically delivered thereto via electrical leads from the control unit. The electrical energy is converted by the active beacon into the acoustic energy and transmitted to the outside the body where it is picked up by outside sensors to determine the exact location of the beacon. Alternatively, the beacon may comprise a passive ultrasound reflector, such as the one having a geometry that produces a sharp and easily distinguishable ultrasound signature. Alternative designs of the reflector include the design with substantially higher reflectivity of the ultrasound signal then that of the surrounding tissues, including the design of the beacon with predefined resonant frequency and high Q or a bubble containing an ultrasound agent.
An important area of medical application of ultrasound is targeted drug delivery, specifically for cancer treatment. Tumor chemotherapy is often associated with severe side effects caused by the interactions of cytotoxic drugs with healthy tissues. In addition, tumor cells often develop resistance to drugs in the course of chemotherapy (cross-resistance or multi-drug resistance). Direct injection of drugs in the tumor substantially reduces or eliminates side effects of chemotherapy and increases therapeutic windows of drugs.
Acoustically-activated drug delivery systems are typically therapeutic agents bound to nano- or micro-scale carriers. These are administered to a patient and then activated by extracorporeal ultrasound transducers. Acoustic activation releases the therapeutic agent and induces cavitation that enhances drug uptake in the patient's cells. A high dosage of toxic drugs may be delivered to a point of interest while minimizing negative side effects.
Acoustic activation technology shows promise for the treatment of drug-resistant cancer tumors and other diseases. Triggering the intracellular drug uptake by focused ultrasound enhances treatment efficacy. Ultrasound is proven to be an effective drug delivery modality. An advantage of ultrasound in this application is that it is non-invasive, can penetrate deep in the interior of the body, and can be carefully controlled via a number of parameters including frequency, power density, duty cycle, and time of application. Physicians do not currently have a means to accurately sonicate only an area of interest where the drug has been injected, in order to improve drug uptake to diseased cells and reduce side effects to healthy tissue.

Ultrasound-assisted drug-delivery method and system based on time reversal acoustics


The window unit of the invention comprises four peripheral channel members linked with corner members to form a window frame. Two glass panels are spaced by this frame to form an inner chamber, the louver blind structure of the invention being located completely therein. The louver blind structure comprises a plurality of horizontal slats pivotally supported at both their extremities and each having an integral toothed wheel engaging a complementary rack on an actuator bar, the latter positioned adjacent to a side peripheral channel member and being free to move upwards or downwards along it. This upward or downward movement imparts a pivoting movement to the slats. The louver blind structure further comprises a support channel member supporting a reversible electrical motor having a driving shaft. This shaft has an eccentric stud which engages the actuator bar and must therefore be kept properly alined so as to resist radial forces exerted thereon. When the driving shaft rotates, it imparts a linear upward or downward movement to the actuator bar, thus pivoting the slats consequently. The alignment of the shaft is done by means of an L-shaped plate bored and threadingly engaged by an alignment sleeve, the latter being coaxially engaged by the driving shaft and disposed adjacent the actuator bar. This alignment of the shaft reduces the chances of breaking the actuating parts of the louver blind structure.

It is well known that a double glazed window is very advantageous for its efficient thermal insulation. This is a result of the two glass panels trapping an air layer therebetween. Of course, it is necessary that the double glazed window unit be thoroughly sealed, else said unit would lose its particular insulating properties.
Louver blinds are often used with window structures for be positioned anywhere between a first and a second position that respectively allow most of the light to come through the window or block most of it, louver blinds being relatively aesthetic and inexpensive.
It is known in the art to incorporate a louver blind structure into a double glazed window unit, the slats of the louver blind being positioned between the two glass panels. The slats still allow an air layer to exist between the glass panels, and therefore the window unit does not lose its insulating properties, unless it is not properly sealed. One of the main advantages with this structure is that both slats and window form a single integral structure, and consequently simplifies the handling of the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,040 issued in 1972 to the applicant Fernand ROY (hereafter the '040 patent) shows a typical louver blind structure for a double glazed sealed window unit. The window unit 1 comprises a peripheral frame 3, 4 spacing the glass panels 2 in a parallel relationship and a plurality of stud shafts 10, 11, axially aligned in pairs, that are engaged by and support the slats 9 in a parallel fashion. On one side of the window unit, inside the frame, the stud shafts have an enlarged diameter 19 and have outwardly protruding pins 20 that are inserted into complementary openings 21 inside an elongated vertical actuator bar 22. If actuator bar 22 is lifted or lowered, it will rotate pins 20 which will cause the reciprocating movement of stud shafts 10, 11 and slats 9. This will allow the user to position slats 9 as desired, i.e. anywhere between a closed overlapping position wherein the louver blind structure blocks most of the light and an opened spaced position wherein the louver blind structure allows most of the light to pass through. An outer gear wheel 42 allows an operator to lift or lower the actuator bar, and thus to simultaneously pivot the slats at the desired angle.
There are three main problems related to such structures. The first problem is that the drive mechanism, e.g. manually actuated wheel 42 in the '040 patent, is positioned outside the window unit. It therefore requires space to be installed around the window, e.g. a hole fitted in the wall adjacent to the window for the casing of the wheel. This is not desirable, since the conventional window openings cannot be used without modifications to accommodate such a window and louver blind assembly, complicating the installation of the assembly significantly. The second problem is that, due to the moving parts that link the drive mechanism with the actuating mechanism, it is difficult if not impossible to perfectly seal the window unit. The double glazed window unit therefore loses a fraction of its efficiency because of this leak in its insulation. The third problem is related to the fact that it is very complicated to reach the louver blind structure once the window unit is sealed and installed. However, the problem only comes up if it is necessary to reach the louver blind structure: some parts, such as moving parts, are prone to breaking, and in the known art, these moving parts are not installed very securely. Indeed, the driving shaft, linking the power means (the manually operated gear wheels 40 to 42 in the '040 patent) to the actuating means (the actuator bar 22 in the '040 patent), will be prone to loosen its engagement with the actuating means since it is supported at its two extremities by two moving parts, namely the power means and the actuator means. If there is to be a problem with the louver blind structure, it becomes very expensive to repair them.

Motorized louver blind structure in a double glazed window unit and method of assembling the blind structure


Disclosed examples provide processes for fabricating a semiconductor product and for forming a patterned stack with an aluminum layer and a tungsten layer, including forming a first dielectric layer on a gate structure and on first and second regions of a substrate, forming a diffusion barrier layer on the first dielectric layer, forming a tungsten layer on the diffusion barrier layer, forming an aluminum layer on the tungsten layer, forming a hard mask on the aluminum layer, forming a patterned resist mask which covers the hard mask above the first region and exposes the hard mask layer above the second region, dry etching the hard mask and the aluminum layer above the second region using the patterned resist mask layer, removing the resist mask, and dry etching the tungsten layer using the hard mask layer to expose the first dielectric layer above the second region.

Metallization structures are used to conduct current and provide electrical connection to transistor terminals and other semiconductor devices in discrete semiconductor products and integrated circuits. Thick aluminum metal interconnection structures formed over pre-metal dielectrics can accommodate high current levels for power switching applications and the like. However, aluminum is a soft metal, and vertical pressure on the aluminum formed above transistor gate structures during manufacturing or packaging can damage the gate structure.

Semiconductor product and fabrication process


An ECU increases an engine rotation speed when the ECU determines that an inclination angle of an uphill is larger than or equal to a predetermined value, an accelerator is off and a vehicle speed in a direction opposite to a travelling direction of a vehicle, indicated by a specified range, is increasing. Subsequently, the ECU acquires an engine stall predicted vehicle speed, and calculates a predetermined value used in an immediate engine stall determination condition from a current rate of increase per unit time of a turbine rotation speed. Then, the ECU determines that immediate engine stall determination is affirmative when a rotation speed difference between the engine rotation speed and the turbine rotation speed becomes smaller than the predetermined value, and executes engine stall prevention control.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a control device and control method for a vehicle on which an internal combustion engine that serves as a driving force source is mounted.
2. Description of Related Art
A vehicle on which an internal combustion engine that serves as a driving force source is mounted is generally equipped with an oil pump that is driven by driving force from the internal combustion engine, and driver's operation is assisted through power steering, brake assist, or the like, by hydraulic pressure generated by the oil pump. In such a vehicle, when an engine stall occurs while travelling, the oil pump stops, and assist operation, such as power steering and brake assist, is stopped, so driving operation is problematically influenced. Then, the vehicle that travels using driving force from the internal combustion engine includes a control device that executes engine stall prevention control for preventing occurrence of an engine stall.
There is known a control device of this type (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-180987 (JP 2010-180987 A). When a vehicle speed increases in a direction opposite to a specified range in a state where an accelerator pedal is not depressed on an uphill and then the engine rotation speed of an internal combustion engine has decreased, the control device shift the inside of a transmission into an interlock state to restrict movement of a vehicle.
The control device described in JP 2010-180987 A is applied to the vehicle on which the internal combustion engine and the automatic transmission are mounted. Then, when neither the accelerator pedal nor a brake pedal is depressed on an uphill, and when the vehicle speed increases in a direction opposite to a specified range and, as a result, the engine rotation speed has decreased at a rate of change higher than or equal to a predetermined value, the control device determines that an engine stall is likely to occur. Then, the control device changes engagement states of a plurality of frictional engagement elements of the automatic transmission, and shifts the inside of the automatic transmission into an interlock state to stop the vehicle.
In addition, there is known a control device (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-96051 (JP 2010-96051 A). When a vehicle has travelled in a direction opposite to a specified range, the control device increases power output from an engine to restrict a change of a vehicle speed.
The control device described in JP 2010-96051 A, for example, increases an engine torque to restrict a rate of increase in vehicle speed in a direction opposite to a specified range in a situation that, while travelling on a narrow uphill, the vehicle and an oncoming vehicle cannot pass each other and the vehicle is reversed to a passing place, a driver does not change the specified range but only releases a brake pedal to intentionally reverse the vehicle in the opposite direction. Then, when the vehicle speed in the opposite direction has reached a predetermined value, the control device further increases the engine torque to keep the vehicle speed constant.
However, when the above-described control device described in JP 2010-180987 A determines that the vehicle starts travelling in a direction opposite to a specified range, the control device establishes an interlock state inside the automatic transmission to stop the vehicle, but the control device does not allow the vehicle to travel in the direction opposite to the specified range.
In addition, the control device described in JP 2010-96051 A restricts the vehicle speed or the rate of increase in the vehicle speed when the vehicle starts travelling in a direction opposite to a specified range, so the flexibility of adjustment of the vehicle speed by a driver is limited. That is, in the case where the driver desires to cause the vehicle to quickly travel in an opposite direction as well, the vehicle speed or the rate of increase in the vehicle speed is restricted, the vehicle may not reverse at a desired speed or it may take a time until the vehicle reaches a desired vehicle speed. Furthermore, the control device described in JP 2010-96051 A controls the engine torque on the condition that the brake pedal is released, so, for example, the driver is problematically not able to cause the vehicle to travel in an opposite direction at a desired speed while adjusting a depression amount of the brake pedal. As a result, the vehicle may not be reversed at a vehicle speed intended by the driver.
Therefore, both the control devices described in JP 2010-180987 A and JP 2010-96051 A are not able to freely adjust the vehicle speed in response to the condition of a travelling road, such as the width, gradient or curvature of an uphill or downhill, a presence of another surrounding vehicle, or the like, when the driver intentionally causes the vehicle to travel in a direction opposite to a specified range. Thus, both the control devices described in JP 2010-180987 A and JP 2010-96051 A are configured to prevent an engine stall; however, the behavior of the vehicle intended by the driver is not achieved, so drivability may deteriorate.

Control device and control method for vehicle


A modular household dispenser for fluent solids or liquids includes a rectangular casing for mounting on a wall or beneath a cupboard, and a hopper slidably mounted in the open front end of the casing. The hopper includes an inverted frusto-pyramidal bottom, the dispensing lower end of which is closed by a valve. Springs bias the valve to a closed position, whereby the valve automatically closes following a dispensing operation. During use, the hopper is slid outwardly to a dispensing position. A small container is located beneath the valve in the dispensing position for receiving any overflow. Upon completion of a dispensing operation, the hopper is slid inwardly to the storage or non-use position. The entire structure is relatively simple, compact and easy to install and use.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dispenser for household use, and in particular to a modular dispenser for fluent solids and liquids.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the average household, there are many products, e.g. solid or liquid detergents which remain in and are dispensed from their original containers, i.e. the containers supplied by the manufacturer. The result is often a mess in a laundry room or at the very least the need for regular wiping of spills.

Modular dispenser for fluent solids or liquids


A cleaner for circuit boards includes two elongate hollow housings positioned one above the other to provide a slot between two facing walls. Each wall has an aperture therein spaced from its ends, and brushes extending into the slot from the walls, both in advance of and behind the apertures, to restrict air flow to the apertures to entry at the ends of the slot. Ion emitters are carried by each wall, between two brushes in advance of the apertures. Motor driven fans are in the housings to draw air across the printed circuit board and into the apertures. The housings also contain a power supply for the ion emitters and a motor to drive pinch rollers.

The present invention relates to a cleaner for a printed circuit board, or similar planar object.
In the manufacture of printed circuit boards, it is important that the board be clean before photo-sensitive film is laminated to it, or photo-resist screening is laminated to it. These printed circuit boards, at this stage of their production, have conductive patterns on them of very high line and space definition, meaning that the lines are quite thin, with very small spaces between the lines. Any extraneous material, known in the industry as "trash" is apt to interfere with the circuitry, such as by connecting a pair of conductors where no such connection is desirable. When this occurs, the printed circuit board is unacceptable, and must be rejected. Heretofore, there has been a relatively high rejection rate, despite the utilization of relatively intensive labor input in order to provide the boards free of "trash".
Apparatus has previously been suggested for the cleaning of printed circuit boards. Maca U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,662 and Call U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,582 are examples of machines for cleaning printed circuit boards, which include brushing the boards and applying liquid cleaning material to them.
Murray, et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,333 discloses an apparatus for cleaning aperture cards which includes a pair of rotating brushes and electro-static eliminators. These are provided in a first compartment of the machine, and adjacent to that compartment is a second compartment which houses a motor for driving feed rollers and rotating cleaning brushes, and also contains a motor-driven fan. Air enters the cleaning compartment through an upper opening, and passes through a removable filter, and thence through the cleaning compartment, passing through a second removable filter at a lower part of the cleaning compartment, and from thence travels laterally across the bottom of the cleaning compartment, where it passes through an opening in a wall of the cleaning compartment, and into the suction chamber of the motor-driven fan. The apparatus is bulky and the air does not sweep across the objects being cleaned, from the ends, towards the center.
Herbert, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,042 discloses a paper-cleaning apparatus which is positioned above a moving web of paper, and which includes a suction nozzle having attached to it an ion emitter, follwed, in the direction of paper movement, by a first brush, an entry for air to be drawn into the nozzle and thence to a blower, and then a second brush, the air being drawn through the two sets of brushes.
Other machines for cleaning webs through use of brushes and ion emitting devices are shown in Sroka U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,737, Landry, et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,987 and Schwartz, et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,980,933. Further, Koppehele U.S. Pat. No. 3,189,929 discloses a machine for wiping a traveling film which includes a pair of box-like chambers having spaced, opposed walls providing a slot between them, terry cloth wiping elements mounted on the walls, and suction elements connected to each of the chambers. Durst U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,277 shows a machine for cleaning slats of venetian blinds, utilizing feed rollers, brushes of a rotating character, and a sprayer for liquid material.


Disclosed herein are a lithium air battery having a multi-layered electrolyte membrane and a method of manufacturing the same. The lithium air battery includes a first electrolyte membrane capable of obtaining high ionic conductivity on a lithium negative electrode surface while minimizing the content of polymer and positioning a second electrolyte membrane with high resistance to oxygen radicals on the air electrode. Accordingly, the multi-layered electrolyte membrane can improve an electrolyte filling characteristic and a conductive characteristic of lithium ions, suppress oxygen radicals from being carried from an air electrode, and suppress a growth of lithium dendrite to largely improve a battery lifespan.

A lithium air battery is an electrochemical energy conversion device which includes a lithium negative electrode, a lithium ion conductive electrolyte, and an air electrode in which reversible electrochemical reaction of oxygen and lithium ions may occur. Generally, the lithium air battery has theoretical energy density of 11,000 Wh/kg to provide high energy density as compared with a conventional lithium ion battery. Further, as compared with the conventional lithium ion battery, the lithium air battery is not expensive, is eco-friendly, and has excellent stability, and as a result, active research and development of the lithium air battery has been conducted as a power source for electric vehicles.
However, in order to commercialize such a lithium air battery, there are still many things to be improved. For example, rate of decomposition reaction during charging may be reduced by solid products such as Li2O2 which may be generated in the air electrode during discharging of the lithium air battery. Further, the solid products may not be dissolved in the liquid electrolyte to block pores of the air electrode, and as a result, charge/discharge efficiency may be reduced. Further, since the lithium air battery is driven in an open system unlike conventional lithium secondary battery, the used liquid electrolyte may be evaporated and deterioration of battery performance may occur.
In addition, the conventional lithium air battery has a problem that the battery performance may be rapidly reduced as the liquid electrolyte is easily evaporated during the charging and discharging processes, or loss due to leakage may be generated. Further, because a liquid electrolyte with high reactivity is used, there is a problem in that lithium dendrite may be formed on the lithium negative electrode during charging and discharging to deteriorate charge/discharge efficiency and a lifespan.
Accordingly, the research and development for solving problems including volatilization of the electrolyte and the growth of dendrite which are generated in the lithium air battery, oxidative decomposition of the polymer due to active oxygen radicals generated in the air electrode, and the like has been urgently required.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Lithium air battery having multi-layered electrolyte membrane and manufacturing method thereof

IUCF-HYU (Industry-University cooperation Foundation Hanyang University)


A family of electrophilic trifluoromethylating reagents which can be synthesized by comparatively simple, inexpensive routes, and for which the reactivity can be varied according to need. A composition of matter according to the first embodiment of the invention comprises a compound having the formula: ##STR1##. in which A comprises H or F and B comprises F, SCF.sub.3, OCF.sub.3, OCHF.sub.2, S.sup.+ (CF.sub.3)C.sub.6 H.sub.5, NO.sub.2 or an NO.sub.2 substituent. In a second embodiment of the invention, a process for preparing a trifluoromethyl diphenylsulfonium triflate compound corresponding to the formula shown above comprises reacting phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfoxide or one of its derivatives with an aromatic compound in which A comprises H or F and B comprises H, F, SCF.sub.3, OCF.sub.3, OCHF.sub.2, S.sup.+ (CF.sub.3)C.sub.6 H.sub.5, NO.sub.2 or an NO.sub.2 substituent. In a third embodiment of the invention, a trifluoromethylation process comprises reacting a trifluoromethyl diphenylsulfonium triflate corresponding to the formula shown above with an electron rich substrate.

The trifluoromethyl group (CF.sub.3) is an important structural moiety in diverse classes of bioactive organic molecules. The CF.sub.3 group has a bigger van der Waals radius than that of a CH.sub.3 group and the same electronegativity as oxygen (Table 1).
The C--F bond in trifluoromethylated compounds results in added stability and lipophilicity of the molecule. As a consequence, the introduction of a trifluoromethyl group into organic molecules often changes their physical, chemical, and physiological properties. Compounds containing the trifluoromethyl group are found in a variety of commercially important dyes, polymers, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals. The dye industry has found that trifluoromethylated chromophores exhibit increased light fastness compared with the nonfluorinated compounds. Trifluoromethylated polymers have high thermal stability and enhanced mechanical and electrical properties. Many
TABLE 1 van der Waals radius and electronegativity of different groups Group/ van der Waals Group/ atom radius (.ANG.) atom Electronegativity CF.sub.3 2.7 CF.sub.3 3.5 CH.sub.3 2.0 CH.sub.3 2.3 CCl.sub.3 3.5 C 2.5 F 1.4 F 4.0 H 1.2 H 2.1 O 1.5 O 3.5 Cl 3.0
of these polyfluorinated polymers find application as liquid crystals. In a wide variety of agrichemicals and pharmaceuticals, the properties of the trifluoromethyl group, i.e., to increase lipophilicity and to act as an inhibitor of enzyme action, are key reasons for incorporation. Thus, a variety of reagents have been developed in order to introduce the CF.sub.3 group into organic molecules. Currently, there are three available methods for directly introducing a CF.sub.3 group into target compounds: (i) organometallic based on CF.sub.3 Cu, (ii) nucleophilic based on CF.sub.3 SiMe.sub.3, and (iii) electrophilic based on S-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzothiophenium triflate.
By nucleophilic and electrophilic are meant techniques or reagents that will transfer a CF.sub.3 group to an electron-deficient or electron-rich portion, respectively, of the target molecule. Organic molecules, while retaining electrical neutrality, will often show a partial separation of charge on their constituent atoms, especially due to the effect of electron-withdrawing or electron donating substituents. Aromatic rings and double and triple bonds are typical electron-rich environments. The presence of electron withdrawing substituents such as F.sup.-, Cl.sup.-, NO.sub.2.sup.-, N(SO.sub.2 CF.sub.3).sup.-, N(SO.sub.2 F).sub.2.sup.-, CN.sup.- can produce electron-deficient regions in molecules.
The introduction of a CF.sub.3 group into an electron rich environment is becoming more and more important in organic and bioorganic synthesis. It is not a trivial task, however. It is extremely difficult to generate the CF.sub.3 cation chemically, due to its high electronegativity (3.45). In 1984, Yagupol'skii reported two trifluoromethyl sulfonium salts, trifluormethyl-p-chlorophenyl(2,4-dimethylphenyl)sulfonium hexafluoroantimonate (1) and trifluoromethyl-p-chlorophenyl-p-anisylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate (2), that were capable of acting as trifluoromethylating reagents. Yagupol'skii, L. M.; Kondratenko, N. Y.; Timofeeva, G. N. Zh. Org. Khim. 1984, 20, 115; Chem. Abstr. 1984, 100, 191494e. Compounds 1 and 2 react with sodium p-nitrothiophenolate in DMF to give p-nitrophenyl trifluoromethyl sulfide in high yield. However, 1 and 2 were synthesized from the extremely hygroscopic intermediate fluoro(trifluoromethyl)-p-chlorophenylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate. Both products, 1 and 2, are also extremely hygroscopic. Furthermore, they are unreactive with the highly activated aromatic compound N,N-dimethylaniline.
In 1990, Umemoto reported power-variable electrophilic trifluoromethylating reagents (FIG. 1) that can transfer the CF.sub.3 group to different kinds of organic molecules. Umemoto, T.; Ishihara, S. Tetrahedron Lett. 1990, 31, 3579; Umemoto, T.; Ishihara, S. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1993, 115, 2156. They react readily with strongly activated aromatic systems, e.g. N,N-dimethylaniline. Although these reagents are very useful, they are prepared by using multistep, inconvenient synthetic routes that require gaseous CF3I or CF3Br for the triflouromethylation reaction. These reagents, although available commercially, are expensive. ##STR2##
Umemoto also described several other trifluoromethylating reagents with varying power to transfer the CF.sub.3 group, which are shown in FIG. 2. The synthesis of these reagents was described as time consuming, and in some cases the yields were poor. Umemoto, T. Chem. Rev. 1996, 96, 1757-77. ##STR3##
There is an evident need for trifluoromethylating reagents which can be synthesized by straightforward, economical, efficient methods, and which are stable and easy to handle, and which will transfer the CF.sub.3 group in good yield to a wide variety of target molecules that have electron-rich centers.

Trifluoromethylating reagents and synthesizing processes


For some types of cardiac operations it is advantageous to execute the procedure on the working, beating heart, i.e., without arresting the heart and imposing extra-corporeal circulation on the heart. However, where such a procedure is performed, it is simultaneously necessary to immobilize the appropriate myocardial part during the time required for the surgical procedure. For this purpose, a device is provided having a solid part which has a source of a magnetic field to be applied externally to the area of the cardiac muscle to be immobilized, and ferromagnetic fibers which are introduced into the myocardium of this part of the heart muscle in the desired length, position and form. During the existence of the induced magnetic field, the ferromagnetic fibers are attracted toward the solid part of the device. By compression of the myocardium between the ferromagnetic fibers and the part inducing the magnetic field, and immobilization of this myocardial region is achieved.

The present invention relates to a myocardial stabilizer for immobilizing a particular part of a working heart, so as to enable an indicated operation on heart wall structures, particularly the coronary arteries.
For illustration of the invention there may be considered the most frequent cardiosurgical operation, which is indisputably a direct revascularization of the myocardium through operation on coronary arteries. Most of these operations are still performed using extra-corporeal circulation on an arrested heart. In recent years, however, a method has been used more and more often in indicated cases where reconstruction, i.e., peripheral anastomosis of vascular substitute, is feasible on a working heart without its arrest and without using extra-corporeal circulation. This means, of course, the risk in these operations is taken to another, substantially lower level in order.
Anastomosis of the vascular substitute, most often of the patient's veins themselves, is a delicate operation. When applied to as delicate an artery as the coronary artery, a necessary and sufficient condition is a perfect technical execution for the operation to be viewed as successful. The coronary artery is located under the epicardium, and its movement is therefore connected with the heart muscle movement itself. Since the frequency of cardiac beats cannot be decreased below a certain level, this method has its physiological limits. Thus, there is a certain contradiction in the necessity of a perfect placing of stitches into edges of a longitudinally opened coronary artery, on the one hand, and a continuous movement of the operation field, i.e., the heart and artery, on the other hand.
At the present time, there are two devices which are applied to immobilize the portion of the coronary artery to be operated on during the operation. In principle, these involve something like a fork with arms either joined together or individually controlled. One method brings calm to the operation field by applying pressure on a specific point of the cardiac muscle. Another method consists in contacting a respective area of the cardiac muscle with a surface of the device which is provided with suction holes, so that the muscle area is sucked into the device at the contact point of the device and the cardiac muscle.
These devices are much in use at the present time. However, they have their disadvantages. Thus, the handling of a device using pressure cannot exclude the possibility of pressure damage to the cardiac wall structures, particularly with longer operations and the application of higher pressures. Other disadvantages of these methods include limits on pressure adjustment, the tendency of a moving cardiac muscle to slip out from under the device, and the impossibility of using these devices, in practice, for all coronary arteries now being reconstructed, regardless of their anatomical position.
The device using a vacuum or suction principle is an improvement over the previous one. The stabilizer OCTOPUS.TM. is considered the most acceptable. It is characterized by two independent flexible arms with terminals of various forms provided with various numbers of suction holes. The bases of the arms and the whole suction mechanism are placed outside the operating table, and the surgeon handles only the terminals, which he can place as desired and then clamp the terminal walls on a given area by connecting the suction. This enables access even to coronary arteries on the adverse side of the heart.
A disadvantage of this procedure is again the possible damage of the cardiac muscle structures by negative pressure and generation of slight subepicardial and myocardial bleeding, the long-term consequences of which are not yet quite clear. In principle, there arises a range of small phenomena which are colloquially referred to in some places as "suckflecks."
Both of these devices are, in their various modifications, also relatively quite expensive. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a myocardial stabilizer to immobilize a particular part of a working heart to enable an operation on the coronary arteries, without the disadvantages of the above-described prior art devices and procedures.


Disclosed are an enhancement solution for enhancing chemiluminescence, and a method for preparing a chemiluminescent solution. The method comprises Step A: dissolving methylglucamine in water, adjusting the pH to 8-9, then adding an N-alkyldimethylmannosamine quaternary ammonium salt, acridine orange, BSA, glycine, MgCl2, and ZnCl2 respectively to a diethanolamine solution, stirring to dissolve them, and diluting to a constant volume, to obtain an enhancement solution; and Step B: diluting a chemiluminescent substrate with the enhancement solution, to obtain a chemiluminescent solution. When used in the field of immunoassays, the enhancement solution of the present invention increases the sensitivity and linear range of detection, reduces the cost, and is free of contamination.

Field of the Invention
The present application relates to an enhancement solution for enhancing chemiluminescence and a method for preparing a chemiluminescent solution.
Related Arts
Chemiluminescence, as an immunoassay technology that is rapidly developed and widely used at abroad recently, has the characteristics of high sensitivity, wide linear range of detection, absence of contamination, and others. At present, the existing chemiluminescent immunoassays mainly include, for example, luminol, isoluminol, acridine, and dioxetane derivative (e.g. CSPD, CDP-SATR, and AMPPD) systems. The acridine and isoluminol are directly labeled for tracing, and thus are of direct chemiluminescence. The luminal and the dioxetane derivatives (e.g. CSPD, CDP-SATR, and AMPPD) are of enzymatic chemiluminescence. CSPD, CDP-SATR, AMPPD, and their enhancement solutions are mostly imported and highly expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,772 discloses the luminescence enhancing effect of poly(vinylbenzyl(benzyldimethylammonium chloride)) micelles on dioxetane compounds. U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,836 discloses the luminescence enhancement of dioxetane compounds by poly(vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride). Chinese Patent No. CN1719254A discloses a luminescent solution having CSPD as a substrate, and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, BSA, octadecyl fluorescein, and 1,2-dimyristoyl-Sn-glycero-3-phosphate disodium salt (DGPD) as an enhancement solution. However, the cost is high, and the preparation is complex, which are not conducive to the wide use of the product.

Enhancement solution for enhancing chemiluminescence and method for preparing chemiluminescent solution


A putter having only one paddle grip (10) at one end of the shaft, allowing finger-tip squeezing of the long flat sides of the grip. Shaft (11) has appropriate surfaces to permit slippery finger and finger-tip holds. A head (12) contains heel (26) and toe (24) cavities with discs (32) to distribute head weight for pendulum putter stroke and plumb control, and to adjust total weight of the putter for comfort. A finger-tip grip methodology permits precise pendulum motion of the putter, minimizing pushing or pulling of the putt.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to putters, specifically to putters which permit the generation of precise pendulum putts.
2. Description of Prior Art
Increased putting accuracy is essential for improving golf scores. There are uncontrollable and controllable factors affecting such accuracy. Uncontrollable factors are moisture and grain of the grass, wind, and contour of the ground. Controllable factors are the ability of a golfer to compensate for the uncontrollable factors and use existing putters to propel a ball at the right speed and in the desired direction without pushing the ball to the right or pulling it to the left. This push or pull problem is a pesky one for most golfers and some inventors have addressed it with unsuccessful putter designs.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,738 to Mr. and Mrs. Mundt (1991) discloses a complex Pendulum Putting Device which permits the generation of precise pendulum strokes. As a putter, this device appears to have the capability of eliminating pushes and pulls by means of a pendulum swing. Unfortunately, the device has moving parts. Such moving parts on a putter do not comply with the Rules of Golf as approved by the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland. Therefore, it cannot be used to play golf. Instead, it is being advertised and sold by Mr. Mundt as some sort of training tool.


There is disclosed a polishing apparatus comprising: a polishing table having a first axis and a counterweight provided on the polishing table. The polishing table is adapted to be subjected to a circular orbital motion in which the first axis of the polishing table is rotated about an orbit center axis while the orientation of the polishing table is kept substantially constant. The counterweight cancels a centrifugal force generated by the circular orbital motion of the polishing table.

The present invention relates to a polishing apparatus for polishing a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, so as to enable the workpiece to have a flat and mirror-finished surface.
With recent rapid progress in technology for fabricating high-integration semiconductor devices, circuit wiring patterns have been becoming increasingly fine and, as a result, spaces between wiring patterns have also been decreasing. As wiring spacing decreases to less than 0.5 microns, the depth of focus in circuit pattern formation in photolithography or the like becomes shallower. Accordingly, surfaces of semiconductor wafers on which circuit pattern images are to be formed by a stepper are required to be polished by a polishing apparatus to an exceptionally high degree of surface flatness. To accomplish such a high degree of surface flatness, it has become common to use a polishing apparatus known as xe2x80x9cCMPxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cChemical Mechanical Polisherxe2x80x9d.
FIG. 9 shows a main part of an example of a conventional polishing apparatus for CMP. This apparatus comprises a rotatable polishing table (turntable) 122 having a polishing cloth 120 adhered to an upper surface thereof. The polishing apparatus also comprises a wafer holder 124 for holding a substrate W to be polished, such as a semiconductor wafer, and an abrasive liquid supply nozzle 126 for supplying an abrasive liquid Q to the polishing cloth 120. The wafer holder 124 is adapted to rotate and press the substrate W against the turntable 122. The wafer holder 124 is connected to a drive shaft 128. The drive shaft 128 is supported by a wafer holder head (not shown) through a pneumatic cylinder so as to be vertically movable.
In this polishing apparatus, the substrate W is held on an elastic mat 130 provided on a lower side of the wafer holder 124 and is pressed against the polishing cloth 120 on the turntable 122. While the substrate W is pressed against the polishing cloth 120, the turntable 122 and the wafer holder 124 are rotated, to thereby effect relative movement between the polishing cloth 120 and the substrate W. During this movement, the abrasive liquid Q is supplied from the abrasive liquid supply nozzle 126 onto the polishing cloth 120. As the polishing liquid Q, for example, use is made of a suspension obtained by suspending fine abrasive particles in an alkali solution. Thus, polishing of the substrate W is conducted by utilizing the effect of chemical polishing using alkali and the effect of mechanical polishing using abrasive particles.
In the above-mentioned polishing apparatus, polishing is conducted by rotating the polishing table 122 about an axis thereof, so that polishing cannot be conducted at the center of rotation where no displacement occurs between the polishing cloth 120 and the substrate W. Therefore, in order to conduct polishing at a position spaced apart from the center of rotation, the size of the polishing table 122 is determined so as to have a diameter which is at least twice the diameter of the substrate. Thus, the polishing table 122 is caused to have a large area, with the result that the polishing apparatus also becomes large and requires costly equipment. This becomes a serious problem with a tendency towards the size of the substrate increasing.
As a countermeasure, it is considered to employ, instead of or in combination with the above-mentioned polishing apparatus, a polishing apparatus in which a polishing table is subjected to a circular orbital motion. In this apparatus, any point on a polishing surface of the polishing table is subjected to the same motion. Therefore, the polishing table is required to have a diameter which is only at least a total of the diameter of the substrate and a value twice the radius of the orbit. That is, the size of the polishing table can be substantially equal to the size of the substrate.
However, in the above-mentioned polishing apparatus, the polishing cloth readily deforms during polishing due to elasticity thereof and enters a space between the projecting portions of the substrate W, so that polishing is conducted with respect to not only the projecting portions, but also the recessed portions therebetween. This leads to undulation of a polished surface of the substrate or difficulty in grinding of the projecting portions of the substrate. As a countermeasure, for example, it has been proposed to conduct polishing by a method using an abrasive plate, which is obtained by binding abrasives such as silica particles with the use of a binder and which is adhered to the polishing table. In this method, polishing is conducted by slidably moving the substrate W held by the wafer holder 124 while pressing the substrate W against the abrasive plate. In this arrangement, during sliding movement of the substrate relative to the abrasive plate, the binder is broken down or melted, to thereby release the abrasive particles. Polishing is conducted by the action of these released particles.
In the above polishing method, the abrasive plate is harder than the polishing cloth, so that the substrate can be polished without undulation occurring. Further, polishing is conducted by using only free particles from the abrasive platte, without using a slurry type abrasive liquid containing a large amount of abrasive particles. Therefore, the amount of abrasive particles used can be reduced, leading to a reduction in the cost of operation and ease of maintenance.
For conducting the above-mentioned circular orbital motion of the polishing table, it is considered to displace the center (center of gravity) of the polishing table from the center axis of the drive shaft and connect the polishing table to an upper end of the drive shaft at the center of the polishing table. In this case, in accordance with the circular orbital motion of the polishing table, a centrifugal force is generated in proportion to the distance between the center axis of the drive shaft and the center of the polishing table, and acts on the polishing table. This causes vibration of the drive shaft. In order to prevent such a vibration of the drive shaft, a counterweight having a center of gravity at a position spaced apart from the center axis of the drive shaft is attached to a predetermined position on the drive shaft, to thereby cancel the centrifugal force acting on the drive shaft.
When the position in an axial (heightwise) direction of the center of gravity of the polishing table and the position in an axial (heightwise) direction of the counterweight are different, a rotational moment is generated and acts on the drive shaft. To cancel the rotational moment, an additional counterweight is provided at different axial position on the drive shaft. However, this leads to an increase in length of the drive shaft and thus in size of the polishing apparatus.
In view of the above, the present invention has been made. It is an object of the present invention to provide a polishing apparatus which can be made compact without impairing the circular orbital motion of the polishing table.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a first axis, the polishing table being adapted to be subjected to a circular orbital motion in which the first axis of the polishing table is rotated about an orbit center axis while the orientation of the polishing table is kept substantially constant, and a counterweight provided on the polishing table for cancellation of a centrifugal force generated by the circular orbital motion of the polishing table. In this apparatus, vibrations imparted to the drive shaft due to the centrifugal force will be able to be suppressed. Further, in this apparatus, there is no need to attach the counterweight directly to the drive shaft and, therefore, the counterweight can be provided at a position (or height) axially close to the polishing table, to thereby reduce the length of the drive shaft and hence, the size of the apparatus.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a polishing apparatus comprising a polishing table having a first axis, the polishing table being adapted to be subjected to a circular orbital motion in which the first axis of the polishing table is rotated about an orbit center axis while the orientation of the polishing table is kept substantially constant, a cylindrical support member having a center axis and provided around the polishing table, and a stationary bearing provided around the cylindrical member so as to allow the cylindrical support member to rotate about the center axis in response to the circular orbital motion of the polishing table. In this apparatus, due to the stationary bearing constructed as stated above, it will become possible to support the polishing table in a stable condition.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


Since the magnitude of a nonlinear effect depends on the nonlinearity coefficient of the microstructured fiber and the intensity of pump light, either the nonlinearity coefficient or the intensity of pump light are adjusted. The nonlinearity coefficient is modified by introducing a nonlinear refractive index profile that has the inverse characteristic of the intensity distribution of either the pump or the signal light. The intensity of the pump light is adjusted by an optical amplifier, an optical attenuator, or a pre-emphasizing filter under the control of a control unit. The control unit controls the intensity of the pump light based on a look-up table which is prepared in advance by experiment or calculation, or based on a function of the pump and signal wavelength.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the cancellation of the effects caused by the wavelength dependence of the nonlinearity coefficient of highly nonlinear microstructured fibers in all-optical signal processing applications.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Nonlinear phenomena in optical waveguides (including optical fibers) enable all-optical signal processing, which can overcome many limitations given by conventional signal processing in the electrical domain. These nonlinear phenomena include effects such as self-phase modulation, cross-phase modulation, four wave mixing and Raman amplification.
One of the most promising nonlinear waveguides are small-core microstructured optical fibers, also called photonic crystal fibers (PCFs). The high index contrast between core and cladding in PCFs strongly confines the light in the core region. Thus, a small core and the use of a core material with a high nonlinear refractive index allow the realization of fibers with a nonlinearity coefficient γ well above that of conventional highly nonlinear fibers. Increasing the nonlinearity coefficient reduces the length required to achieve a certain magnitude of nonlinearity. This relaxes requirements regarding the chromatic dispersion characteristics, which limit the wavelength range of various all-optical signal processing applications such as cross-phase modulation (see non-patent document 1), four wave mixing (FWM) (see non-patent document 2) and parametric amplification. However, another limitation that so far has not been overlooked arises due to the wavelength dependence of the nonlinearity coefficient.
In the following, equations valid in the case of self-(SPM) and cross-phase modulation (XPM) will be given. The nonlinear phase shift experienced by light of the wavelength λi propagating through a fiber with the length L is given by (see non-patent document 3),φ(λi)=bγ(λi,λj)PjLeff(λj)  (1)where Pj is the optical input power of the light of the wavelength λj inducing the nonlinear effect, Leff the effective length,
                                          L            eff                                          (                          λ              j                        )                          =                              1            -                          ⅇ                                                -                                      α                                                              (                                              λ                        j                                            )                                                                                L                                                          α                                      (                              λ                j                            )                                                          (        2        )            The index i represents the signal light and index j the pump light.
The attenuation α(λ) is wavelength dependent. The value of the constant b depends on the type of nonlinear effect (SPM or XPM), as well as on the state and evolution of the polarizations of signal (λi) and pump (λj) light. The nonlinearity coefficient is defined by (see non-patent document 4)
                                                                        γ                                                  (                                                            λ                      i                                        ,                                          λ                      j                                                        )                                            =                                                                    2                                                                                π                                                        λ                    i                                                                                ∫                                          ∫                                                                                n                            2                                                                                (                                                          x                              ,                              y                                                        )                                                                                I                                                                                (                                                          x                              ,                              y                              ,                                                              λ                                i                                                                                )                                                                                I                                                                                (                                                          x                              ,                              y                              ,                                                              λ                                j                                                                                )                                                                                ⅆ                          x                                                                                ⅆ                          y                                                                                ∫                                          ∫                                                                        I                                                                                (                                                          x                              ,                              y                              ,                                                              λ                                i                                                                                )                                                                                ⅆ                          x                                                                                ⅆ                          y                                                                                ∫                                                      ∫                                                                                I                                                                                (                                                                      x                                    ,                                    y                                    ,                                                                          λ                                      j                                                                                )                                                                                ⅆ                                x                                                                                ⅆ                                y                                                                                =                                                                    2                                                                                π                                    λ                                                                                n                        _                                            2                                                                                (                                                                        λ                          i                                                ,                                                  λ                          j                                                                    )                                                                                A                      eff                                                                                (                                                                        λ                          i                                                ,                                                  λ                          j                                                                    )                                                                                (        3        )            where n2(x,y) is the local nonlinear refractive index, I(x,y,λ) the optical intensity distribution for a certain wavelength λ,
                                                        n              _                        2                                          (                                          λ                i                            ,                              λ                j                                      )                          =                              ∫                          ∫                                                                    n                    2                                                                          (                                          x                      ,                      y                                        )                                                                                I                                                        (                                          x                      ,                      y                      ,                                              λ                        i                                                              )                                                                                I                                                        (                                          x                      ,                      y                      ,                                              λ                        j                                                              )                                                                                ⅆ                  x                                                                  ⅆ                  y                                                                          ∫                          ∫                                                I                                                        (                                          x                      ,                      y                      ,                                              λ                        i                                                              )                                                                                I                                                        (                                          x                      ,                      y                      ,                                              λ                        j                                                              )                                                                                ⅆ                  x                                                                  ⅆ                  y                                                                                (        4        )            is the average nonlinear refractive index, and
                                          A            eff                                          (                                          λ                i                            ,                              λ                j                                      )                          =                              ∫                          ∫                                                I                                                        (                                          x                      ,                      y                      ,                                              λ                        i                                                              )                                                                                ⅆ                  x                                                                  ⅆ                  y                                                                                ∫                                      ∫                                                                  I                                                                          (                                                      x                            ,                            y                            ,                                                          λ                              j                                                                                )                                                                                ⅆ                        x                                                                                ⅆ                        y                                                                                ∫                          ∫                                                I                                                        (                                          x                      ,                      y                      ,                                              λ                        i                                                              )                                                                                I                                                        (                                          x                      ,                      y                      ,                                              λ                        j                                                              )                                                                                ⅆ                  x                                                                  ⅆ                  y                                                                                (        5        )            is the so called effective area.
In the case of FWM the overlap integrals in (3) are taken over spatial field distributions of the four wavelengths involved (see non-patent document 5).
[Non-Patent Document 1]
    Photonics Technology Letter vol. 15, no. 3 Mar. 2003 p437[Non-Patent Document 2]    Photonics Technology letters, vol. 15, no. 3, March 2003 p440[Non-Patent Document 3]    "Nonlinear fiber optics", Academic Press, 2nd edition, (1995)[Non-Patent Document 4]    T. Kato, Y. Suetsugu, and M. Nishimura, "Estimation of nonlinear refractive index in various silica-based glasses for optical fibers", Opt. Lett., 20(22): 2279-2281 (1995)[Non-Patent Document 5]    G. Agrawal, "Nonlinear fiber optics", Academic Press, 2nd edition, (1995) ch. 10, p. 408
FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of a square-lattice hole structured photonic crystal fiber.
The wavelength dependence of the nonlinear phase shift is exemplarily studied for XPM in a PCF with a square-lattice hole structure as depicted in FIG. 1. The core is formed by displacing the four center holes outwards by δ=0.1Λ. The ratio between the hole-diameter d and the lattice period Λ is set to d/Λ=0.9. The silica glass matrix is assumed to be F-doped with 1 wt-%, which increases the nonlinear refractive index by a factor of 1.4 compared to pure silica [T. Kato, Y. Suetsugu, and M. Nishimura, "Estimation of nonlinear refractive index in various silica-based glasses for optical fibers", Opt. Lett. 20(22): 2279-2281].
In the structure of FIG. 1, light is confined in area A but penetration of light outside the area A occurs. In order to calculate the nonlinear phase shift defined by (1) and (3) a finite element method is employed for determining the optical intensity distribution in the PCF. In this example the wavelength of the signal and the pump light are set less than 2 nm apart. Thus, the intensity distributions of the two wavelengths can be assumed to be identical.
FIG. 2 plots the relative nonlinear phase shift over a range of 40 nm for various lattice periods, which correspond to different core sizes and thus different values of the nonlinearity coefficient. The results reveal that with decreasing core size the wavelength dependence of the relative nonlinear phase shift φ(λ)/φ(1550 nm) increases. For a γ of 72 W−1km−1 the relative change amounts to 6.5% over a wavelength range of 40 nm.
In the above example, it was assumed that pump and signal wavelength propagate with nearly the same group velocity, i.e., the walk-off between the two wavelengths is negligible. Moreover, it was assumed that the coupling efficiency into the PCF and the transmission loss are wavelength independent.
As described above, in the PCFs, there is wavelength dependence of the nonlinear phase shift. As the nonlinear phase shift corresponds to the efficiency of PCFs as nonlinear device, the difference in nonlinear phase shifts for different wavelengths induces the difference in the efficiency of nonlinear device for different wavelengths, which is made from PCFs. When considering using the PCFs for nonlinear devices in the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission system, this causes the problem.

Device for canceling the wavelength dependence of the nonlinearity coefficient of microstructured fibers