An improved polymerization process for making essentially non-agglomerated ethylene polymers, especially EPR polymers, based on the use of a high activity vanadium catalyst, which utilizes an alkylated metal chain transfer agent to moderate the kinetics of the polymerization reaction so as to avoid formation of an undesirable amount of agglomerated polymer.

It is well known that the molecular weight of ethylene polymers can be controlled by the use of chain transfer agents. The much preferred chain transfer agent employed by the art is hydrogen and for a number of good reasons. It is a relatively cheap gas that is easily fed in controlled concentrations with ethylene to the reactor. Other choices of chain transfer agent include metal alkyl compounds. They are disadvantaged by having to be added to the reactor as liquids, typically dissolved in volatile solvents, which can introduce a volatility problem to the reaction system. As a result, they are more difficult to meter to the reaction. They are also more expensive than hydrogen and they contribute metal contaminant to the ethylene polymer. Most importantly, hydrogen is a superior chain transfer agent.
It is also well known that chain transfer agents affect ethylene polymerization catalyst activities. However, this effect differs among the chain transfer agents and is dependent upon the selected catalyst system. Chain transfer agents can reduce catalyst activity, and the extent of such reduction is dependent upon the chain transfer agent chosen and the catalyst system. Higher activity catalysts can be correlated with higher productivities of ethylene polymer. So, it follows that when chain transfer agents are used, an objective is to achieve as high a level of catalyst activity as possible within the framework of the molecular weight targets of the polymerization reaction. A chain transfer agent system that enhances the activity of the catalyst over that achievable with hydrogen would have significant value to the art.
There is a family of high activity vanadium catalysts that have been described for the polymerization of olefins such as ethylene and .alpha.-olefins, that are based on the use of a supported reduced and complexed vanadium halide catalyst precursor. Illustrations of these catalysts can be found in Beran et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,842, patented Apr. 2, 1985. Beran et al. described an ethylene polymerization catalyst comprising a supported precursor of a vanadium halide/electron donor complex and alkylaluminum or boron halides to form a reduced vanadium catalyst precursor, which when combined with alkylaluminum cocatalyst and alkyl halide promoter, provides enhanced polymerization and productivity plus a superior polyethylene product. According to Beran et al., the process involves polymerizing ethylene with or without at least one C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 alpha-olefin monomer in the gas phase at a temperature between about 30.degree. C. to about 115.degree. C. wherein the monomers are contacted with a catalyst composition comprising a vanadium complex and a modifier which are impregnated on a solid, inert carrier. Beran et al. differentiate by the use of a supported precursor, a cocatalyst and a promoter in which the supported precursor comprises a vanadium halide-electron donor reaction product and modifier impregnated on a solid, inert carrier. The halogen in the vanadium halide is chlorine, bromine or iodine, or mixtures thereof. A particularly preferred vanadium halide is a vanadium trihalide, such as vanadium trichloride, VCl.sub.3. The electron donor is a liquid, organic Lewis base in which the vanadium halide is soluble. The electron donor is selected from the group consisting of alkyl esters of aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids, aliphatic ketones, aliphatic amines, aliphatic alcohols, alkyl and cycloalkyl ethers, and mixtures thereof. Preferred electron donors are alkyl and cycloalkyl ethers, such as tetrahydrofuran ("THF"). Between about 1 to about 20, preferably between about 1 to about 10, and most preferably about 3 moles of the electron donor are complexed with each mole of vanadium used.
The disclosure of Beran et al. is incorporated herein by reference. The vanadium catalysts of Beran et al. are hereinafter characterized as the "Beran et al. Catalyst System."
Cozewith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,753, patented Sep. 10, 1985, disclose a process for making EPR and EPDM resins or elastomers utilizing a catalyst system that comprises a hydrocarbon-soluble vanadium compound in which the vanadium valence is 3 to 5 and an organo-aluminum compound, at least one of the vanadium compound/organo-aluminum pair selected must also contain a valence-bonded halogen. The vanadium compounds are vanadium oxy halide, vanadium halides and complexes of a Lewis base capable of making hydrocarbon-soluble complexes with VCl.sub.3, such as tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran and dimethyl pyridine. Illustrative examples of vanadium compounds are vanadyl trihalides, alkoxy halides and alkoxides such as VOCl.sub.3, VOCl.sub.2 (OBu) where Bu=butyl, and VO(OC.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.3, with the most preferred vanadium compounds being VCl.sub.4, VOCl.sub.3, and VOCl.sub.2 (OR). The patent's cocatalyst is preferably an organo-aluminum compound such as AIR.sub.3, Al(OR')R.sub.2, AlR.sub.2 Cl, R.sub.2 Al--O--AlR.sub.2, AlR'RCl, AlR.sub.2 I, Al.sub.2 R.sub.3 Cl.sub.3, and AlRCl.sub.2, where R and R' represent hydrocarbon radicals, the same or different. The most preferred organo-aluminum compound is cited to be an aluminum alkyl sesquichloride such as Al.sub.2 Et.sub.3 Cl.sub.3 or Al.sub.2 (iBu).sub.3 Cl.sub.3. The reaction is effected in at least one mixfree reactor, with essentially one active catalyst species, using at least one reaction mixture which is essentially transfer agent-free, and in such a manner and under conditions sufficient to initiate propagation of essentially all of the copolymer, chains simultaneously, wherein the copolymer chains are dispersed within the reaction mixture. According to the patentees,
Chain transfer agents for the Ziegler-catalyzed polymerization of alpha-olefins are well known and are illustrated, by way of example, by hydrogen or diethyl zinc for the production of EPM and EPDM. Such agents are very commonly used to control the molecular weight of EPM and EPDM produced in continuous flow stirred reactors..sup.1 FNT .sup.1 It is to be noted that Cozewith et al. describe polymerization in a reaction system where initial catalyst surge is not a problem. PA0 "However, at the least the last part of the reduction is carried out using zinc metal or alkyl zinc compounds of the formula R.sub.2 Zn where R is as described above. The preferred material is elemental zinc in a fine powdered form." PA0 straight chain acyclic dienes such as: 1,4-hexadiene, 1,6-octadiene, and the like; PA0 branched chain acyclic dienes such as: 5-methyl-1,4-hexadiene, 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene, 3,7-dimethyl-1,7-octadiene and the mixed isomers of dihydro-myrcene, dihydroocinene, and the like; PA0 single ring alicyclic dienes such as: 1,4-cyclohexadiene, 1,5-cyclooctadiene, 1,5-cyclododecadiene, and the like; PA0 multi-ring alicyclic fused and bridged ring dienes such as: tetrahydroindene, methyltetrahydroindene, dicyclopentadiene, bicyclo(2,2,1)-hepta-2,5-diene, alkenyl, alkylidene, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkylidene norbornenes such as 5-methylene-2-norbornene (MNB), 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB), 5-propyl-2-norbornene, 5-isopropylidene-2-norbornene, 5-(4-cyclopentenyl)-2-norbornene, 5-cyclohexylidene-2-norbornene, and the like. PA0 a supported precursor containing a high activity vanadium catalyst complexed with an electron donor and reduced with a modifier; PA0 an aluminum cocatalyst; PA0 a metal alkyl chain transfer agent where the metal is from Groups 2 and 12 of the Periodic Table Of The Elements, and PA0 a halogenated organic promoter.
There is substantial literature indicating the creation of a catalytically active vanadium by the reduction of vanadium halides to a reduced, viz. divalent, state. Carrick et al., JACS, vol. 82, p. 1502 (1960) describe the reduction of VCl.sub.4 to the divalent state for of a vanadium ethylene catalyst utilizing conventional reducing agents, such as triisobutylaluminum and zinc alkyls. Karol et al., JACS, vol 83, pp. 2654-2658 (1961) discuss the partial and total reduction of vanadium halides such as VCl.sub.4 to divalent structures and the catalytic activity resulting with respect to the polymerization of ethylene to polyethylene.
Jacob et al., Z. anorg. allg. Chem., 427, pp. 75-84 (1976) illustrate the complexity of such reduction reactions in the presence of THF. From the teachings of Beran et al., the resulting divalent vanadium compounds are complexes which include THF in the structure.
Cumulative to the above, Smith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,318, patented Dec. 17, 1985, describe a number of procedures for making VX.sub.2, where X is halogen, which involves the reduction of VX.sub.4 or VX.sub.3 by reaction with reducing agents followed by the complexation of the VX.sub.2 with an ether such as THF. Such is effected on a support surface. Also, Smith et al. discloses that in forming the catalyst, once the catalyst is combined with the support, the combination is subjected to a reducing agent "using a hydrocarbon soluble reducing agent such as a dialkyl zinc compound . . . " Smith et al. emphasized reduction with zinc in the following passage to be found at column 3, lines 49-59:
According to the patent, the catalysts are useful for the polymerization of ethylene alone or with a variety of 1-olefin monomers to make homopolymers and copolymers. Illustrative of the 1-olefin monomers are one or more of propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexane and 1-octene.
Roling et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,242 teach chemisorption of a V.sup.(V) oxyhalide, such as O=VCl.sub.4, vanadium alkoxide or VCl.sub.4 onto a metal oxide support having its surface hydroxyl groups reacted away with a substantially stoichiometric amounts of Group 13.sup.2 metal (i.e., Al, Ga) alkyl, followed by further treatment with an alcohol to narrow the molecular weight distribution of the resultant polymer. FNT .sup.2 New notation of the Periodic Table Of The Elements, see Chemical and Engineering News, 63(5), 27, 1985); as noted in CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 67th Edition, CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., inside frontcover.
A number of significant problems have been noted with the fluid bed operability of high activity vanadium catalysts, including the vanadium catalyst encompassed by the Beran et al. Catalyst System, in the polymerization of ethylene and .alpha.-olefins to produce elastomeric polymers, such as ethylene-propylene copolymers (EPR). These problems are oftentimes characterized by the formation of polymer chips, chunks, sheets and lumps in the fluid bed, which in some cases can lead to sudden defluidization. Another set of problems can occur with high activity vanadium catalysts on starting up of the fluid bed and/or during transitioning of the reactor. For example, startup of a gas-fluidized polymerization reactor goes through a sensitive stabilization period due to impurities trapped in the reaction system. Low (ppm) level impurities have a deactivating influence on the catalyst and contribute to polymer particle adhesion. The net effect is that layers of polymer fines containing high concentrations of catalyst are formed on reactor surfaces and in places where mixing forces are reduced. When polymerization is then initiated, localized hot spots can result, with consequent chunking and eventual reactor shutdown.
Although such difficulties have occurred in a variety of ethylene polymerization operations with such catalysts, they have been most pronounced under EPR operating conditions, especially under EPM operating conditions, where there are relatively high concentrations of propylene in the reactor and a low-crystallinity resin is being produced. In this case, these difficulties are believed to stem from a number of contributing factors, such as (i) the magnitude of the initial kinetic spike in the standard catalyst reaction profile, which is much greater with propylene as a comonomer than with .alpha.-olefins higher than propylene and (ii) the elastomeric nature of the EPM resin being produced, which can soften, become sticky and agglomerate due to the increase in temperature associated with hot spots and reaction surges.
Important variables in influencing the degree of stickiness leading to more or less agglomeration are the polymerization reaction temperature and crystallinity of the polymer being produced. Higher temperatures increase the propensity to form agglomerates, and less crystalline polymers, such as ultra low density polyethylene, ethylene/propylene copolymers (EPM), and ethylene/propylene/diene monomer (EPDM), usually display a greater tendency to agglomerate. EPM and EPDM polymers having a density less than 0.88 g/cc are noted for their capacity to soften and agglomerate.
Those polymerization conditions which result in stickiness and agglomeration of the polymer are termed "polymerization conditions that normally would yield an undesirable amount of agglomerated polymer with high activity vanadium catalysts," in order to characterize this invention so as to compensate for the variety of reactants, polymerization conditions and catalyst compositions encompassed herein.
Elastomeric ethylene-alpha-C.sub.3 -C.sub.18 olefin copolymers encompass ethylene-propylene copolymers (EPR) (inclusive of EPM or EPDM copolymers), ethylene-butene copolymers, and the like. Illustrative of such polymers are those comprised of ethylene and propylene or ethylene, propylene and one or more dienes. Copolymers of ethylene and higher alpha-olefins such as propylene often include other polymerizable monomers, such as non-conjugated dienes, illustrated by the following:
Of the non-conjugated dienes typically used to prepare these copolymers, dienes containing a double bond in a strained ring or .alpha. position, are preferred. The most preferred dienes are 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB) and 1,4-hexadiene. The amount of diene, on a weight basis, in the copolymer can range from about 0% to about 20% with about 0% to about 15% being preferred. The most preferred range is 0% to 10%.
The preferred EPR copolymers are copolymers of ethylene-propylene (EPM) or ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM). The average ethylene content of the copolymer could be as low as about 10% on a weight basis. The preferred minimum is about 25%. A more preferred minimum is about 30%. The maximum ethylene content may be about 85% on a weight basis. The preferred maximum is about 80%, with the most preferred maximum being about 75 weight % ethylene.
High activity vanadium catalysts would be desirable for EPR products because they achieve efficient comonomer incorporation in the polymers with relatively random distribution of the comonomers in the polymer structure. However, their above-noted deficiencies for producing EPR polymers in a fluid bed, such as producing a high initial surge in the polymerization rate which causes exothermic temperature excursions that can soften the polymer in the course of polymerization and foul the bed by virtue of resin agglomeration, thereby degrading fluid bed operability, has impaired their use for such applications. The initial surge is strongest when propylene is one of the comonomers polymerized with ethylene and is present in relatively high concentrations. The problem is magnified in EPR copolymers because of their low softening temperature. Thus, there is a need for a high activity vanadium-based catalyst system that can produce EPR-type polymers at acceptable productivity levels without inducing agglomeration. There is also a need for a high activity vanadium catalyst system that is effective in producing a variety of ethylene-containing polymers with low softening temperatures.
From the various studies done, a correlation is seen to exist between initial kinetic surge in the reaction and agglomeration of polymer particles in the bed. It is thus concluded that moderation of the initial kinetic surge establishes the catalyst system's capability of moderating the agglomeration problem. It would be most desirable to have a catalyst system for the polymerization of ethylene to homopolymers and copolymers, that not only reduces the kinetic surge in the polymerization, but also achieves reasonable superior activities, thereby enhancing the possibility of greater production of polymer of good quality.

Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology Corporation


Disclosed is a cable chain return system 100 that includes a spring 170 for assisting folding and organization of a cable chain 110. When a customer replaceable unit (CRU) 210 is extended from a chassis 140 to gain access to connectors on the back of the CRU 210, the cable chain 110 is extended. When the CRU 210 is moved back into the chassis 140, a plurality of folding curves 130 organize the cable chain 110, and cables 118 therein, without damaging the cables 118 or inhibiting positioning of the CRU 210 in the chassis 140. One of these curves 130 is initiated by the spring 170 and therefore aids in returning and organizing of the cable chain 110.

Customer replaceable units (CRUs) have provided a convenient and simple way of replacing appliances such as disk drives in servers, RAID devices, etc. Drives, such as hot spares, mirror drives in a RAID unit, or any type of replacement drive can be easily removed or replaced using CRU devices. Disk drives can be plugged and unplugged from the chassis of RAID units, servers, computers, etc. with cables having connectors that connect to the back of the unit. Hence, the CRUs are a practical and convenient way to replace appliances, such as disk drives, that are utilized in the computer and electronics industry.

Cable chain return system and associated methods


A process is provided for protecting a primate host from a self-replicating infection by an immunodeficiency retrovirus. Protection is achieved by administering to the primate host a combination of a pharmaceutically effective amount of a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and a pharmaceutically effective amount of a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor prior to exposure to the immunodeficiency retrovirus. The administration is effective if provided in a single dose within 24 hours of the exposure. A regime of regular daily doses is also effective in providing protection against an immunodeficiency retrovirus becoming self-replicating after infecting a primate host. A process for controlling retrovirus transmission within a population includes the administration to a subpopulation at high risk for contracting an immunodeficiency retroviral infection the detailed combination prior to sexual exposure to a source of immunodeficiency retrovirus so as to preclude the immunodeficiency retrovirus from becoming self-replicating in a member of the subpopulation.

Despite the fact that significant progress has been made slowing the advancement of the symptoms of AIDS associated with HIV infection, in the absence of an effective vaccine, HIV continues to spread globally. The spread of HIV persists in part because an infected individual remains a potential source of injection. It is clear that current treatment of monitoring viral titer and in response to a titer exceeding a preselected threshold commencing treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has not prevented new infections.
An attractive method of controlling the spread of HIV would be to provide an individual exposed to a potential source of HIV with a pre-exposure prophylactic treatment. As HIV and, in particular HIV-1, often begins with a comparatively small population of retroviral particles being transmitted to a new host and within a few days self-replicating into a retroviral titer detectable in host blood serum. If the establishment of a retroviral could be blocked before the HIV burden expands into a self-propagating infection, an individual could avoid contraction of HIV.
Previous attempts at pre-exposure prophylaxis have met with limited success. Prophylactic activity has been demonstrated with the NtRTI, tenofovir in monkey models challenged with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV).1-3 Unfortunately, oral daily dosing and pre-exposure prophylaxis with tenofovir at a dose equivalent to that used in humans proved to only be partially protective against rectal SHIV transmission.4
HAART therapy involves the administration of a combination including at least three active compounds classified by the mode of operation as an NRTI, an NtRTIs, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), protease inhibitor, and an entry inhibitor. While HAART is effective in lowering retroviral titer in a host, concerns remain as to the long term toxicity and the retained potential to infect others. It is also unknown if initiating HAART therapy in a pre-exposure prophylactic regimen would be efficacious. As a result, society remains devoid of a pre-exposure prophylactic regimen to prevent an individual from developing self-propagating retrovirus infection subsequent to initial exposure.
Thus, there exists a need for a chemoprophylactic composition and dosing regimen effective in blocking early stage infection by retrovirus in a host founder cell population. There also exists a need for a chemoprophylactic composition formulated with a vehicle amenable to user compliance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Inhibition of HIV infection through chemoprophylaxis

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services


Provided are an aggregate-removing filter material enabling the efficient removal of aggregates while preventing the clogging by the aggregates, an aggregate removal method, a white blood cell-removing filter, and a blood product filtering method. An aggregate-removing filter material for removing aggregates in a blood product, which is composed only of fibers having a fiber length of 100 to 1000 mm, and a fineness of 0.7 to 4.0 dtex, and has a basis weight of 20 to 100 g/m2, and a no-load bulk density of 0.03 to 0.10 g/cm3.

In recent years, in the field of blood transfusion, a blood transfusion before which mixed white blood cells contained in a blood product have been removed from the blood product, so-called leukapheresis has been spread. This is because it has been revealed that a relatively minor side effect such as headache, nausea, chill, and febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reaction, which are associated with blood transfusion, and a serious side effect such as alloantigen sensitization, viral infection, and graft versus host disease (GVHD) after blood transfusion, which may severely affect some blood recipients, are caused by the white blood cells mixed in the blood product that is used mainly for blood transfusion.
A method for removing white blood cells from a blood product is roughly divided into two types: a centrifugal separation method of separating and removing white blood cells by using a centrifugal separator utilizing the specific gravity difference between blood cell components; and a filter method of removing white blood cells by adhesion or adsorption using a filter material composed of a fiber assembly such as nonwoven fabric, a porous structure having continuous pores, or the like. Between them, the filter method of removing white blood cells by adhesion or adsorption is simply operated, and has an advantage of low cost, and the like, therefore, has been widely spread.
Many of the filter devices for removing white blood cells, which are currently available on the market, are constituted of multiple kinds of filter materials, and in the upstream close to an inlet port of blood, a coarse aggregate-removing filter material for removing aggregates of a blood product is arranged. Further, in the downstream part on the side of an outlet port, a fine white blood cell-removing filter material for removing white blood cells is arranged. The aggregate is made by the aggregation of a red blood cell, a white blood cell, a platelet, fibrin, fibrinogen, other denatured proteins, a fat globule, and the like.
The aggregate is present in the size of from around equal degree to that of a white blood cell in the smallest one to exceeding 1 mm in the largest one, and is enriched in adhesion. Further, as to the aggregate, there is a tendency that the longer the storage time of a blood product is, and/or the lower the storage temperature is, the larger the number of aggregates is, and the larger the size is. Therefore, when a blood product is treated only by a white blood cell-removing filter material without using an aggregate-removing filter material, there may be a case where the white blood cell-removing filter material is clogged with aggregates, and it becomes difficult to maintain the flow rate to be expected.
Further, in order to improve the quality of a blood product, white blood cell removal before storage, which performs the removal of white blood cells on the blood collection day or the next day after the blood collection, has become the mainstream. In recent years, in order to efficiently perform the white blood cell removal, the number of the facilities for performing the removal is reduced, and the number of the blood products treated in one facility is increased. In the facility, because a blood product is collected also from far away, the number of the bloods to be filtered after the refrigerated storage for one day is increased, therefore, the number of the bloods generating aggregates is also increased. Accordingly, during the filtration, flow failure is generated, and when the filtration is stopped, the blood product has to be discarded, therefore, the precious blood product is wasted. Therefore, there is a strong need for a filter to which an aggregate-removing filter material has been introduced.
In order to address such a problem, for example, in Patent Literature 1, a filter device having a structure in which in the upstream of a filter material for removing white blood cells, two or more kinds of the filter materials for removing aggregates, which are selected from the group consisting of nonwoven fabric, woven fabric, and knitted fabric, and have a bulk density different from each other in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 g/cm3, are arranged, and the bulk density of the aggregate-removing filter material is increased on the lower part of the downstream side has been disclosed.
In Patent Literature 2, a filter device composed of multiple kinds of fibrous materials, and defined by XY of an average fiber diameter X and an average fiber interval Y of fibers has been disclosed. This filter device has a structure in which a filter material of XY>50 is arranged in the upstream to capture larger aggregates, a filter material of 50≥XY>7 is arranged in the downstream to capture relatively smaller aggregates, and a filter material of 7≥XY is arranged further in the downstream to remove white blood cells.
In Patent Literature 3, a filter material for removing aggregates in which there are at least two kinds of pore groups of a pore group A having the individual pore diameter of 500 μm or more, and a pore group B having the individual pore diameter of 150 to 500 μm, and the average pore diameter of the pore group A is 600 to 1500 μm, the average pore diameter of the pore group B is 200 to 450 μm, and the opening ratio is 40% or more has been disclosed.
In Patent Literature 4, a filter device in which the first to third elements are contained, and the first element is set as a filter material for removing gel (this is a synonym of a relatively large aggregate), the second element is set as a filter material for removing minute aggregates, and the third element is set as a filter material for removing white blood cells has been disclosed.
In Patent Literature 5, an aggregate-removing filter material composed of spunlace nonwoven fabric using short fibers has been disclosed. Further, In Patent Literature 6, an aggregate-removing filter material using base fabric of long fibers, and using short fibers has been disclosed.

Aggregate-removing filter material, aggregate removal method, white blood cell-removing filter, and blood product filtering method


An ultrasonic humidifier having stackable and detachable water reservoirs for easy expansion of its water storage capacity. A user can build the ultrasonic humidifier with a number of desired units of the stackable and detachable water reservoirs vertically to suit the usage and to accommodate the space in which the humidifier is used in. Each unit of the stackable and detachable water reservoirs has its own individual floater and draining device to control the replenishment of water to the unit it is attached to. The ultrasonic humidifier having stackable and detachable water reservoirs allows user to refill individual water reservoir unit separately.

Conventional humidifiers are common household electronic appliances to enhance the moisture content in the air. Existing humidifiers are mainly designed and confined to have a single water reservoir for the water supply of the appliance. When in need, for example, for larger space such as an office and a classroom, a humidifier having a larger water reservoir is required. However, a larger size humidifier often is heavy, bulky and takes up countertop space, it is often too heavy to refill water and causes spilling during the refill process.
Existing humidifiers such as the ones in U.S. Pat. No. 8,777,187 and U.S. PG-Pub 2016/0356514, both disclose having a water level controlling device connected to a draining device. In both disclosed humidifiers, the water supply/storage unit and its capacity is limited. Furthermore, the mist output unit is centrally positioned in which the water supply/storage unit surrounds and embraces the mist output unit.
One of the many disadvantages of the above-mentioned conventional and existing humidifiers includes the incapability to expand or adjust the water storage capacity due to their single water reservoir setup. And even if one attempts to enlarge the single water reservoir, another disadvantage arises; that is, due to the configuration of the water supply/storage unit and the mist output unit mentioned above, the conventional and existing humidifiers can be heavy, bulky and take up much of the countertop space, overall presenting undesirable design and nonpractical use.
Accordingly, it is thus an object of the present disclosure to provide a humidifier with stackable and detachable water reservoirs for an easy water refill mechanism as well as providing the capability for expanding its water storage capacity.


A phase locked loop tuning system includes a phase comparator for generating pulse error signals having pulses with durations corresponding to the magnitude of a phase and/or frequency deviation between a frequency reference signal and a frequency-divided signal derived from a local oscillator signal. A low pass filter is responsive to the pulse error signals for generating a tuning voltage for controlling a voltage controlled local oscillator to tune standard frequency RF carriers. So that a substantial portion of the tuning system may be incorporated in a single integrated circuit, a pulse converter is provided to convert an analog AFT signal to pulse error signals similar to those generated by the phase comparator but with durations representing the magnitude of a deviation between the frequency of the IF picture carrier and its nominal value. The AFT related pulse error signals are selectively applied to the low pass filter to accommodate the tuning of nonstandard frequency RF carriers. The tuning system may include a duty cycle control unit to control the duty cycle of the AFT related error pulses in accordance with the selected channel so that the sensitivity of the tuning system is more uniform throughout the tuning range.

The present invention pertains to the field of tuning systems with automatic fine tuning provisions.
Automatic fine tuning (AFT) arrangements are widely employed in tuning systems for radio and television receivers to correct for errors of the frequency of the local oscillator signal due to variations of the characteristics of components within the tuning system. However, tuning systems which are not particularly susceptible to frequency errors due to component variations can also employ AFT arrangements to correct for frequency offsets in the received signal which may be introduced, for example, by frequency conversion apparatus utilized with cable and master antenna installations. Thus, tuning systems which include a phase locked loop (PLL) for synthesizing a local oscillator signal from a relatively stable frequency reference signal generated by a crystal oscillator arrangement often also include an AFT arrangement which is selectively enabled to control the frequency of the local oscillator signal after the PLL has caused the local oscillator signal to have a nominal frequency associated with a selected channel to correct for frequency offsets of the respective RF signal.
Since PLLs for the most part comprise digital circuits and AFT arrangements for the most part comprise analog circuits, respective integrated circuit technologies may not be compatible with each other. As a result, the incorporation of a significant portion of a tuning system including a PLL and an AFT arrangement into a single integrated circuit is hindered. So that a PLL tuning system and AFT provisions for it may be incorporated in a single integrated circuit, the analog AFT arrangement may be replaced by a second phase locked loop configuration for reducing the error between the actual frequency of an IF signal and its desired value due to a frequency offset of a respective RF signal. However, a PLL configuration for the AFT function, because of its digital nature, tends to be more susceptible than analog AFT arrangements to peculiar RF signal conditions such as, e.g., the overmodulation of the RF signal, than analog AFT arrangements. In addition, such PLL AFT configurations may require modification of conventional IF circuits to provide the type of signals which are processed in PLLs. Therefore, there is a need for AFT arrangements which while analog in nature are compatible with integrated circuit technologies for PLLs.
While analog AFT arrangements have advantages over digital AFT arrangements in PLL tuning systems, they tend to be more affected by variations in the gain versus frequency characteristics of the tuning system. Variations of the gain versus frequency characteristics result for the most part because the voltage controlled oscillators typically employed in such tuning systems are appreciably more sensitive to changes of the control voltage in the UHF range than in the VHF range. To account for the relative insensitivity of the local oscillator to changes of the control voltage in the VHF range and still ensure a reasonable response time in the VHF range, time constants associated with the tuning system may be selected to be relatively short. While such selections satisfy the response time requirements in the VHF range, they tend to increase the gain of the tuning system in the UHF range, where the gain is already relatively high, and thereby tend to make the operation of the tuning system in the UHF range approach instability. Therefore, there is a need for apparatus for effectively controlling the sensitivity of a tuning system including an analog AFT arrangement in accordance with the frequency band in which a selected channel resides.

AFT Arrangement for a phase locked loop tuning system


A battery includes a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate, a separator interposed between the first and second electrode plates, a closed-end cylindrical metal case accommodating these three elements, and a sealing member sealing an opening of the metal case with an insulating member interposed therebetween. The first and second electrode plates are wound with the separator interposed therebetween to form a wound electrode group. A center axis portion of the wound electrode group is substantially the same as a center axis of a cylinder of the metal case, and contains no power-generating element. A first current collector lead coupled to the first electrode plate extends toward the opening of the metal case, and joined to an inner sidewall surface of the metal case. A second current collector lead coupled to the second electrode plate extends toward the opening of the metal case, and joined to the sealing member.

Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries have high energy density, and are thus widely used as power supplies of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptop computers.
Out of nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, lithium ion secondary batteries have a high voltage of 3.6 V, and may be 50% by mass and about 20-50% by volume of nickel-hydrogen batteries when compared at the same power generation energy. The lithium ion secondary batteries have high energy density and can be thus miniaturized. Furthermore, without memory effect, lithium ion secondary batteries account for a largest share of power supplies of mobile phones and laptop computers.
Small lithium ion secondary batteries are divided into those in a cylindrical shape and those in a flat shape. The smaller, the more easily the batteries are fabricated in the cylindrical shape. As shown in Patent Document 1, a cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery accommodates a wound electrode body inside a cylindrical battery can. The battery can is formed by fixing a sealing plate to an opening of a closed-end cylindrical body with an insulating member interposed therebetween by crimping. The wound electrode body is formed by interposing a separator between positive and negative band-like electrodes and winding them in whorls. The wound electrode body has a through-hole in a winding core center.
A positive electrode current collector plate is welded onto the end edge of the positive electrode of the wound electrode body. The top of the lead extending toward the positive electrode current collector plate is welded onto the back surface of the sealing plate. A positive electrode terminal projecting outside is formed in the sealing plate. On the other hand, a negative electrode current collector plate is welded onto the end edge of the negative electrode of the wound electrode body (i.e., the bottom of the battery can). The surface of the negative electrode current collector plate is welded onto the bottom of the closed-end cylindrical body. A plurality of projections extending to the bottom of the closed-end cylindrical body are formed concyclically on the surface of the negative electrode current collector plate in a portion corresponding to the through-hole of the wound electrode body.
In welding the negative electrode current collector plate onto the bottom of the closed-end cylindrical body, a columnar electrode rod is inserted into the through-hole of the wound electrode body so that the top of the electrode rod comes into contact with the back surface of the negative electrode current collector plate, and so that an electrode piece comes into contact with the back surface of the closed-end cylindrical body to face the electrode rod, with the negative electrode current collector plate accommodating the wound electrode body inside the closed-end cylindrical body. By flowing a current between the electrode rod and the electrode piece, the negative electrode current collector plate and the closed-end cylindrical body are resistance-welded. As a result, the negative electrode current collector plate and the closed-end cylindrical body are jointed and electrically coupled together at junctions between the tops of the projections of the negative electrode current collector plate and the bottom of the closed-end cylindrical body.

Battery and manufacturing method of the battery

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


Therapeutic medical garments for scar treatment includes a composite fabric for treating dermatological scars, wherein a layer of textile fabric and a layer of a therapeutic agent produce a composite sheet suitable for the treatment of dermatologic scars resulting from traumatic, surgical or other injuries to the skin. The composite sheet may be fashioned into garments fitted to the patient for convenience of use, optimization of skin contact, and single step application of pressure therapy and the therapeutic agent. A process of use of the medical garment for applying therapeutic agent and pressure therapies.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to therapeutic medical garments for the treatment of scars, and more specifically for the prevention or management of hypertrophic scars and keloids.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Therapeutic medical binder garments have been used for many years to apply pressure to anatomic regions after surgical procedures such as reduction mammaplasties, abdominoplasties, and rhytidectomies (face-lifts). Similar pressure application garments have become a standard of care in the management of hypertrophic scars and keloids subsequent to burn injuries.
As disclosed in my co-pending patent application Ser. No. 08/200,152 filed Feb. 23, 1994, silicone elastomer materials are also used in the medical field for the management of dermal scarring which often results from burns, traumatic injuries, or surgical incisions. These silicone materials soften scar tissue and improve the cosmetic as well as functional aspects of such scars over a period of weeks and months. The biological mechanism for this effect is poorly understood. It is, however, known that the therapeutic benefit is derived independently of pressure applied to the scar surface.
It is common practice in the scar management field to combine pressure therapy with silicone sheeting in highly critical areas such as the hands or face, or other areas of aesthetic, importance. In this fashion, a maximum effect can be achieved in a minimum amount of time.
Difficulties arise in placing silicone sheeting materials under textile garments over complex contours of the body. These difficulties primarily relate to an inability to avoid wrinkles and folds in the silicone elastomer, patient compliance with the tedious application on a daily basis, positioning and maintenance of the sheet during movement, and providing optimal skin contact.
My co-pending patent application Ser. No. 08/200,152 discloses an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) of silicone and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) which has improved physical properties while having decreased thickness. While it is possible to apply the IPN material over complex anatomical contours under pressure application devices without folds or gaps, it is still a tedious task and maintaining position remains difficult.
For the purpose of this invention, the terms silicone elastomer, silicone gel, or silicone IPN will be equivalent and used interchangeably, since it is believed that this invention may be accomplished with any of these materials.

Therapeutic medical garments with silicone sheeting component for scar treatment, process of manufacture and use


Apparent distance of a pixel within an optical field of view is determined. Incoming light is scanned along a raster pattern to direct light for a select pixel onto a light distance detector. The distance is sampled for each pixel or for a group of pixels. The light distance detector includes a concentric set of rings sensors. The larger the spot of light corresponding to the pixel, the more rings are impinged. The diameter of the spot is proportional to the distance at which the light originated (e.g., light source or object from which light was reflected). Alternatively, a variable focus lens (VFL) adjusts focal length for a given pixel to achieve a standard spot size. The distance at which the light originated correlates to the focal length of the VFL.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for determining an optical distance, such as a distance of an object within a field of view, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for scanning distances within a field of view.
A conventional camera includes an objective lens and a light detector, such as a photographic film, CCD array or other photosensitive device or structure. Light from a viewing environment enters the camera through the objective lens and impinges on the light detector. The portion of the viewing environment for which light enters is the camera's field of view. Some cameras pass the light to a viewfinder or eyepiece allowing an operator to select a desired field of view from the background environment. To take a picture or record, the light detector captures frames of the background light from the field of view.
Often the field of view is divided into discrete picture elements or pixels. In conventional digital video cameras the light detector records data for each pixel within the field of view for a given video frame. The data includes color, intensity and the pixel coordinates (i.e., x,y coordinates).
Conventional still cameras and video cameras include optics for focusing within the field of view. Thus, an operator can select to focus on a near field object or a far field object. Some cameras even include autofocus devices which automatically adjust the focal length of the objective lens to focus within the field of view.

Optical scanning system with variable focus lens


A valve control device and related method of valve control which enhances performance characteristics of an internal combustion engine that utilizes push rods and extends the useful life of the valve control device is provided. The valve control device includes a valve engagement assembly which, in response to movement of the camshaft associated with the engine, interacts with a first valve closure mechanism associated with the valve such that the valve is efficiently opened and closed. The valve engagement assembly includes a rocker arm, which is pivotally connected to the engine and associated with a push rod which is reciprocable in response to movement of the camshaft. Further, a second valve closure mechanism is associated with the push rod for actuating downward movement of the push rod in cooperation, and substantially in unison, with the first valve closure mechanism which is engageable with the rocker arm. Each valve closure mechanism can be a compression spring of predetermined stiffness or elasticity and relative strength. The push rod can be connected to the rocker arm through a ball and socket joint that allows the push rod to rotate and spin during the upward and downward movement of the push rod.

This invention relates generally to valve control devices for engines and, more particularly, to valve control devices and related methods of valve control for valves associated with internal combustion engines that utilize push rods. Proper control of engine valves is well recognized as an essential means of maximizing performance characteristics of many internal combustion engines. Therefore, a considerable amount of effort has been expended in the development of valve control devices which efficiently and effectively regulate the valves of internal combustion engines.
A variety of valve control devices for internal combustion engines are known. Typically, they include a rocker arm which is engageable with a push rod and a valve stem which is associated with one or more valve springs. Movement of the camshaft of the engine actuates the push rod, thereby pivoting the rocker arm against the stem of the valve and the biasing force of the spring or springs so as to temporarily open the valve.
FIG. 9 depicts a representative example of a conventional valve control device for an automobile engine which engine includes a cylinder head 10 having a valve 12 whose stem 14 extends through the cylinder head and through the valve guide 15 and is capped by a retainer 16. A rotatable camshaft 18 having a cam lobe 20 with a neutral circular surface 22 and an arcuate lifting apex 24 also extends axially beneath the cylinder head. The valve control device includes a pair of valve springs 26 and 27 and a rocker arm 28 which is pivotally connected to the cylinder head through shaft 30 and associated with a reciprocable push rod 32 that extends longitudinally through a thoroughbore 34 in the cylinder head 10. The valve springs 26 and 27 are compression springs which are situated around the protruding portion of the stem 14 and against the retainer 16, thereby holding the valve 12 projected in its normal closed position and appropriately maintaining the seat pressure exerted on the valve 12. (See, FIG. 9). Valve spring 26 is also stronger than valve spring 27.
The rocker arm 28 includes a contact roller 36 which is rotatably mounted on a roller shaft 38 situated at the end of the rocker arm that is adjacent to the stem 14. The top end of the push rod 32 is received within a concavity defined in the rocker arm 28. When the push rod is aligned with the neutral circular surface 22 of the cam lobe 20, the contact roller of the rocker arm is typically almost in contact with the stem 14.
As the cam lobe 20 rotates, its arcuate apex 24 moves the push rod 32 longitudinally upward such that the contact roller 36 of the rocker arm 28 impacts the stem 14 as the rocker arm pivots. Consequently, the contact roller 36 pushes the stem 14 of the valve 12 against the combined biasing force of the valve springs 26 and 27 and the valve is opened. As the cam lobe continues to rotate, the push rod moves in relation to the arcuate apex such that the now compressed valve springs expand and force the push rod longitudinally downward by thrusting the side of the rocker arm adjacent to stem 14 upward or clockwise (See, FIG. 9). The push rod thus returns to its neutral position.
Other variations of valve control devices also exist, including devices that have a valve lifter 37 situated at the bottom of the push rod for transmitting the action of the camshaft to the push rod. (See, FIG. 9).
While devices of this nature have performed reasonably well in terms of valve regulation, they have a number of drawbacks. For instance, the rocker arm that is a component of such devices tends to be damaged too frequently due to the stress induced on it by repeated rapid engagement with the valve stem. The end of the valve stem may also tend to wear or fail too quickly due to the biasing force of the valve springs acting directly on the valve. Moreover, to the extent that energy from the engine is utilized to actuate such devices upon their interaction with the camshaft, less energy from the engine is available for moving or otherwise operating the motor vehicle. This utilization of energy tends to have a negative effect on performance characteristics of the engine, on overall fuel economy, and on the engine's output of pollutants into the atmosphere as well as on engine and oil operating temperature and overall wear and tear on the engine. These disadvantages have prompted the automobile industry to employ overhead cam assemblies.
It should, therefore, be appreciated that there exists a definite need for a valve control device, and related method of valve control, which is capable of enhancing certain performance characteristics of an internal combustion engine utilizing push rods and the useful life of valve control devices, and which tends to improve fuel economy and lessen the engine's output of certain pollutants, and which further tends to reduce oil and engine operating temperature and wear and tear on the engine.


A vehicle system to reduce parking tickets is described. The vehicle system includes a communication interface that receives vehicle operator preferences regarding ticketing risk and parking preferences. A processing device calculates an instruction signal which is sent to an autonomous mode controller. The autonomous mode controller moves the vehicle to a pick up location or a new parking spot as a function of the instruction signal.

Metered or time based paid parking can create disruption for some vehicle operators when the metered parking is set to expire. Vehicle operators are faced with the choice of risking a parking ticket for an expired meter or disrupting an activity to either put more money in the meter or move the vehicle.


A plasticizer composition comprises phthalates of C.sub.9 alcohols obtained by an oxo reaction and a hydrogenation of C.sub.8 olefins which have 3 to 20 wt. % especially 7 to 20 wt. % of olefins having one isobutane skeleton and less than 3 wt. % of olefins having quaternary carbon and more than 90 wt. % of a total of n-octenes, monomethylheptenes and dimethylhexenes and more than 0.8 especially 1.1 to 2.0 of a ratio of a total of n-octenes and monomethylheptenes to dimethylhexenes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasticizer composition of phthalates of C.sub.9 alcohols. More particularly, it relates to a plasticizer composition of phthalates of C.sub.9 alcohols which give excellent antifreezing property and durability in ageing and other properties as a plasticizer.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
It has been known to use dioctyl phthalate (referring to as DOP) prepared from 2-ethylhexanol as a plasticizer, DOP has excellent characteristics of plasticizing efficient, antifreezing property and electric resistance (volume resistivity), however DOP has inferior durability in ageing (volatile loss).
It has been highly required to obtain a plasticizer having superior property than DOP from the viewpoints of long life of plastics.
It has been known that the durability in ageing (volatile loss) can be improved by using higher alcohols for the preparation of the plasticizer, and olefins for the preparation of phthalates have been studied.
Dinonyl phthalates (referring to as DNP) obtained from C.sub.4 olefins obtained by various processes have significantly improved durability in ageing (volatile loss). However, dinonyl phthalates have not widely used as a plasticizer because either of antifreezing property, electric resistance, plasticizing efficiency or processability is highly inferior.
The known C.sub.8 olefin or C.sub.8 olefin compositions as a starting material for dinonyl phthalates include (1) 2,4,4-trimethylpentene as a dimer of isobutene; (2) C.sub.8 fraction in polymerized gasoline prepared by using a solid phosphoric acid; (3) a dimer of n-butene obtained by using certain organoaluminum compound and nickel compound as a catalyst; and (4) C.sub.8 .alpha.-olefin obtained by polymerization of ethylene.
The components of the known C.sub.8 olefins or C.sub.8 olefin compositions and plasticizing characteristics of the corresponding dinonyl phthalates and dioctyl phthalate (DOP) are shown in Table 1.
All of dinonyl phthalates has superior durability in ageing (volatile loss) to that of DOP.
However, dinonyl phthalates prepared from (1) 2,4,4-trimethylpentene or (2) the C.sub.8 fraction of polymerized gasoline have inferior antifreezing property, plasticizing efficiency and processability whereas dinonyl phthalates prepared from(3) the dimer of n-butene or (4) the C.sub.8 .alpha.-olefin have inferior electric resistance.


The present invention relates to a method of increasing the brightness of pulp, pulp made from such methods and methods of using such pulp.

Bleaching is a common method for increasing the whiteness of pulp. Industry practice for improving appearance of fluff pulp is to bleach the pulp to ever-higher levels of brightness (the Technical Association of the Pulp & Paper Industry ("TAPPI") or the International Organization for Standardization ("ISO")). However, bleaching is expensive, environmentally harsh and often is a source of manufacturing bottleneck. Widespread consumer preference for a brighter, whiter pulp drives manufacturers to pursue ever more aggressive bleaching strategies. While highly bleached pulps are "whiter" than their less-bleached cousins, they are still yellow-white in color. A yellow-white product is undesirable. Countless studies suggest that consumers clearly favor a blue-white over a yellow-white color. The former is perceived to be whiter, i.e., "fresh", "new" and "clean", while the latter is judged to be "old", "faded", and "dirty".
While bleaching directly elevates brightness, it only indirectly elevates whiteness. Due to the latter, bleaching is not always the most efficient method for boosting product whiteness. For example, even after aggressive bleaching, a product's whiteness can always be extended beyond that achievable with bleaching alone by judicious addition of colorant.
The practice of pre-coloring papermaking pulp is not usually done nor is it necessarily desired. With the former, intentional alteration of optical properties often ends up degrading product specifications such as TAPPI brightness, which is undesirable. With the latter, one runs the risk that colorants may not survive the unpredictable manufacturing environments of downstream processes. This is because previously applied colorant can be adversely affected chemically and/or physically during post-processing operations resulting in unexpected or undesirable color changes or even full loss of color. Furthermore, some colorants can be lost or rendered ineffective during various post-processing operations disrupting process health and reliability. Therefore, any optical enhancement is usually accomplished by addition of tinting colorants, fillers, and/or fluorescent dye during the papermaking stage. A process for enhancing the whiteness, brightness, and chromaticity of papermaking fibers has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,514. The process relates to adding photoactivators, particularly water-soluble phthalocyanines, to papermaking fibers to enhance their optical properties by a catalytic photosensitizer bleaching process. The resulting bleached papermaking fibers can be advantageously incorporated into paper sheets.
With fluff pulp, as well as most pulp and paper products, TAPPI brightness serves as the de facto standard in lieu of an industry-specific whiteness specification such as CIE Whiteness (Commission Internationale d'Eclairage). Because of this, brightness serves two key roles. First, brightness is a manufacturing parameter. Second, brightness is a specification for classifying finished product grades. The implicit, but dubious, assumption to this day has been that brightness is equivalent to whiteness. Common papermaking practice is to either add blue tinting dyes or tinting pigments and/or different types of blue-violet fluorescent dyes to boost whiteness properties. Tinting colorants are either finely ground colored pigments suspended in a dispersant or synthetically produced direct dyes. Tinting dyes have some affinity to cellulose while tinting pigments have little to none.
Fluorescent whitening agents (FWA) or optical brightening agents (OBA) are used in the pulp and paper industry are of three types: di-, tetra-, or hexasulphonated stilbene compounds, for example. These chemicals require ultraviolet (UV) light to excite fluorescence. While there is strong UV content in daylight, even common office lights produce enough UV light to permit some excitation. During papermaking, OBAs are added at the wet end of papermaking processes, which include for example, the machine chest and/or the fan pump, where the fiber solution is at low consistencies that are less than about 3% solids. At these conventional addition points, much OBA is lost to waste as the OBA does not necessarily have a strong affinity to the fibers in solution. Accordingly, the OBA must be added at high concentrations (lbs/ton of fiber or pulp) in order to achieve high quality fibers having high brightness and high brightness improvements.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a pulp having improved whiteness and brightness. A need also exists for a method for making whitened/brightened pulp for any use, especially papermaking and fluff pulp, while using less OBA to obtain such levels of whiteness and brightness at less cost. The present invention seeks to fulfill these needs and provides further related advantages.

Method for treating kraft pulp with optical brighteners after chlorine bleaching to increase brightness


A method of etching a semiconductor wafer includes providing a wafer having a portion thereof to be etched. A highly doped region is formed in the periphery of the wafer which is subsequently etched. The highly doped region of the wafer is substantially etch resistant to an etchant relative to the portion of the wafer being etched.

Silicon pressure sensors have broad applications in a multitude of industries. These sensors typically include a thin, flexible diaphragm and a transducer overlaps the diaphragm. Electronic circuitry is employed in the operation of silicon sensors. In an integrated sensor, this other circuitry is disposed on the same chip as the diaphragm. Non-integrated sensors do not have on-board circuitry.
The fabrication of semiconductor devices in general and silicon pressure sensors in particular requires various types of silicon etches employing different etchants. Wet etches are commonly employed in the fabrication of semiconductor devices and KOH (potassium hydroxide) is a well known wet etchant. KOH is an anisotropic etchant that will etch silicon in the {100} plane at a substantially higher rate than it will etch {111} silicon. Further, KOH will etch silicon dioxide while silicon nitride is etch resistant to KOH.
The diaphragm of a pressure sensor is typically formed by etching a cavity into the backside of a silicon wafer a sufficient depth to create the thin diaphragm. KOH is typically used to etch the cavity and a silicon nitride layer is employed as a mask. It is known to cover the edge of the silicon wafer with the silicon nitride mask layer to protect the wafer edge from being etched and also to protect the wafer from other damage during processing. One particular scheme uses a combination of LPCVD and plasma nitride formed over the wafer edge.
There are significant problems associated with utilizing well known etch protection methods. These problems are typically due to failure to compensate for defects in or on the wafer edge. Edge defects are often caused by high temperature processing such as the formation of epitaxial spikes during epitaxial layer growth. Edge damage such as cracks and chips can also be caused while placing wafers in a wafer boat for nitride layer deposition or the like. This can further create undesired particles along the wafer edge.
Nitride layers typically employed for protection are not perfectly conformal relative to defects on the wafer edge and defects are often thicker than the nitride film employed. Since this nitride does not always completely cover the wafer edges, the edges are somewhat exposed to etchant during steps such as the cavity etch. The etch of these exposed portions of the wafer follows high etch rate secondary planes and may cause significant damage. Undesired etching of the wafer edge, in addition to undesireably etching wafer portions, can cause additional pits, cracks and the like that create stress and significantly damage the die being fabricated on the semiconductor wafer, especially those at the wafer edge. This greatly affects product yield.
Another detrimental effect of the well known utilization of nitrides to protect wafer edges is that silicon nitride is generally a very high stress film. The nitride creates stress on the silicon wafer that causes cracks to develop. Stress is also caused in the wafer by epitaxial and buried layers fabricated therein. This may also cause a silicon nitride coating to crack and expose the wafer to etchant.
In view of the above, it would be highly desirable to have a method to protect the wafer edge during semiconductor processing such as the formation of cavities in pressure sensors.


Apparatus, systems, and methods described herein relate to the manufacture and use of single pouch battery cells. In some embodiments, an electrochemical cell includes a first current collector coupled to a first portion of a pouch, the first current collector having a first electrode material disposed thereon, a second current collector coupled to a second portion of the pouch, the second current collector having a second electrode material disposed thereon, and a separator disposed between the first electrode material and the second electrode material. The first portion of the pouch is coupled to the second portion of the pouch to enclose the electrochemical cell.

Embodiments described herein relate generally to the preparation of battery cells and more particularly to systems and methods of preparing and using single pouch battery cells in a battery module.
Lithium-ion electrochemical (battery) cells typically include alternating layers of anode and cathode separated by separators. A combination of one anode and one cathode separated by one separator can be referred to as one stack. Multiple stacks are normally connected in parallel and inserted into a pouch to form a battery cell. The number of stacks within a battery cell (and according a pouch) is usually relatively large (e.g., >20) so as to increase the capacity. The pouch also includes an electrolyte (e.g., an organic solvent and dissolved lithium salt), normally introduced in a carefully controlled environment, to provide media for lithium ion transport. The amount of electrolyte within a pouch can be proportional to the number of stacks within the pouch, i.e., more electrolytes for more stacks.
In manufacturing, a battery cell can be constructed by stacking alternating layers of electrodes (typical for high-rate capability prismatic cells), or by winding long strips of electrodes into a "jelly roll" configuration (typical for cylindrical cells). Electrode stacks or rolls can be inserted into hard cases that are sealed with gaskets (most commercial cylindrical cells), laser-welded hard cases, or enclosed in foil pouches with heat-sealed seams (commonly referred to as lithium-ion polymer cells).
One promising application of lithium-ion battery cells is in automotive battery packs, which typically include a large number of battery cells, sometimes several hundreds, even thousands, to meet desired power and capacity needs. Each battery cell can further contain a plurality of stacks (i.e., anodes, cathodes, and separators) and electrode leads (i.e., tabs). Several cells are usually joined together through battery tabs and bus-bars (i.e., interconnecting units) to form a module. A typical battery pack can then include tens of such modules. As a result, a significant amount of jointing, such as welding, is normally needed to deliver the desired amount of power and capacity in a battery pack.

Single pouch battery cells and methods of manufacture


A transistor operated by changing the electrostatic potential of an island disposed between two tunnel junctions. The transistor has an island of material which has a band gap (e.g. semiconductor material). Source and drain contacts are provided. The transistor has a first tunnel junction barrier disposed between island and source, and a second tunnel junction barrier disposed between island and drain. The island is Ohmically isolated from other parts of the transistor as well as a substrate. A gate electrode is capacitively coupled to the island so that a voltage applied to the gate can change the potential of the island. The transistor has n- and p-type embodiments. In operation, applying a gate voltage lowers (e.g., for positive gate bias) or raises (e.g., for negative gate bias) the conduction band and valence band of the island. When the conduction band or valence band aligns with the Fermi energy of the source and drain, tunneling current can pass between the source, island and drain.

Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices such as MOSFET transistors are commonly used in high speed, highly integrated circuits. Integrated circuit manufacturers are constantly increasing the operating speed and decreasing the size of MOSFET transistors. Such improvements yield smaller, faster ICs with more functions at lower cost.
Various problems exist with scaling MOSFET devices below 0.1 microns, however. For example, with channel lengths less than 0.1 microns the required channel doping levels become very high. It is difficult to produce high doping levels with high uniformity over the surface of a wafer. Therefore, different MOSFETs manufactured on the same wafer will have very different characteristics if high doping levels are used. Also, capacitive coupling between drain and source regions of individual MOSFETs becomes significant. Problems also exist in mass producing such devices.
For these reasons, researchers have been investigating transistor devices based on the quantum behavior of electrons in very small devices. A number of such devices that exploit electron tunneling are known in the art.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,827 to Baba et al. discloses a tunneling transistor device having an insulated gate. The transistor operation is provided by band bending in a current channel adjacent to the gate electrode, as in a MOSFET device. The drain electrode forms an Esaki tunnel junction with the current channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,711 to Harder et al. discloses a tunneling transistor using an insulated gate electrode disposed adjacent to a tunneling layer. The tunneling layer has a band gap energy different from that of semiconductor source and drain contacts. A voltage applied to the gate changes an energy barrier height of the tunneling layer, thereby controlling a tunnel current through the tunnel layer. The device must be operated at low temperature so that thermally excited carriers do not provide conduction through the tunnel layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,793 to Shibata discloses a tunneling MOSFET transistor device having an insulated gate contact. Adjacent to the gate contact is a short current channel. Source and drain contacts are separated from the current channel by dielectric tunnel barriers about 30 Angstroms thick. The device exhibits negative resistance characteristics due to discrete energy states in the current channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,274 to Tamura discloses a tunneling transistor. The transistor of Tamura has a middle layer high dielectric constant material disposed between two tunnel junctions. The middle layer is in direct contact with a gate electrode. Source and drain electrodes are provided in contact with the tunnel junctions. When a voltage is applied to the gate electrode, the electrical potential of the middle layer is changed, thereby allowing electrons to tunnel between source and drain. A problem with the device of Tamura is that current will flow to and from the gate electrode when the device is on. Therefore, the device of Tamura requires continuous gate current for continuous operation. This is highly undesirable in many applications.
In addition to the above, others have investigated the uses of single electron transistors having tunneling junctions. A single electron transistor has a very small metallic or semiconductor island disposed between two tunnel junctions having a high resistance. Source and drain contacts are made to the tunnel junctions. A gate electrode capacitively coupled to the island provides switching control. The island is made sufficiently small such that an energy required to charge the island with a single electron is greater than the thermal energy available to electrons in the source and drain contacts. The energy required to charge the island with a single electron is given by E.sub.c =e.sup.2/ 2C, where e is the charge of an electron, and C is the capacitance of the island. This energy requirement for charging the island is termed the Coulomb blockade.
In operation, a voltage applied to the gate electrode capacitively raises or lowers the potential of the island. When the island potential is lowered by a certain amount, electrons can tunnel through one tunnel junction onto the island, and tunnel through the other tunnel junction off of the island. In this way, current is allowed to flow through the island for certain values of gate voltage. The resistance of a single electron transistor exhibits oscillations as gate voltage changes monotonically.
Available thermal energy increases with temperature, of course, so a single electron transistor has a maximum temperature at which it can be operated. The maximum operating temperature is determined by the capacitance of the island, which is a function of the island size. For devices to operate at room temperature, the capacitance C must be less than about 10 Attofarads. Realizing such low capacitance requires that the island be very small (e.g., less than 10 nm on a side) and located relatively far from the source, drain and gate. It is very difficult to make a single electron transistor which operates at room temperature.
An important concern in the design of a single electron transistor is the resistance of the tunnel junctions. It is best for a single electron transistor to have tunnel junctions with relatively high resistances (i.e., much greater than a quantum resistance R.sub.q =h/2e.sup.2.apprxeq.26 KOhms, where h is Planck's constant). If the resistance of the tunnel junctions is too low, then the number of electrons on the island is not well defined. Operation of a single electron transistor requires that the tunnel junctions have sufficiently high resistances such that electron locations are well defined as being either in the island or outside the island. However, high tunnel junction resistance results in a high resistance between source and drain contacts, even in a fully `ON` state. A high resistance limits the switching speed and increases the power consumption of the device. Therefore, single electron transistors are limited in their electrical characteristics and potential applications.
A distinguishing characteristic of single electron transistor devices is that the island can be made of semiconductor material or metal. The island does not need to be made of material having an electron energy band gap.

Electrostatically operated tunneling transistor


A coil case with a coil receptacle for receiving a coil winding is formed integrally with cover flaps which are swingably joined to either end of the coil receptacle by hinge portions. The coil case has mounting pawls formed thereon. The coil winding is received inside the coil case and the cover flaps are closed, whereby a leakage magnetic field cancellation coil is assembled. The cancellation coil is mounted onto the deflection yoke by engaging the mounting pawls with a part of the deflection yoke. Since the coil case and the cover flaps are formed integrally with each other, the number of component parts is reduced, thereby facilitating manufacture. Further, the size of the cancellation coil is reduced, thereby reducing the material costs, hence, the production costs of the apparatus. Since the cancellation coil can be mounted onto the deflection yoke by a single-step operation utilizing the mounting pawls, the efficiency of the mounting operation is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a deflection yoke apparatus having a cancellation coil for canceling a leakage magnetic field leaking from the deflection yoke.
2. Description of the Related Art
Studies and reports have recently been made of the adverse influence on human bodies (especially in the case of pregnant women) caused by leakage magnetic fields leaking from the deflection yoke of the cathode-ray tube of a television receiver, a display or the like. Means, therefore, have become adopted to prevent the adverse influence of leakage magnetic fields leaking from the deflection yoke of such electronic equipment.
FIG. 1 illustrates a deflection yoke apparatus having a means for such prevention. The apparatus has a deflection yoke 1, and a leakage field cancellation coil 4 provided on the top side, the bottom side, or both of a large-diameter portion 3 of the head of a bobbin 2 of the yoke 1. The leakage field cancellation coil 4 comprises a ring-shaped coil winding (not shown) accommodated in a box-shaped coil case 5. When the coil case 5 accommodating the coil winding is covered with a coil cover 7 having a leg 6, the coil case 5 and the coil cover 7 are integrated with each other. An arm-shaped joint 10 having a bent base portion is mounted on an end face 8 of the large-diameter portion 3 (the face 8 being on the same side as the neck). When pawls 11 of the joint 10 are brought into engagement with engagement bores 12 in the leg 6 of the coil cover 7, the leakage magnetic field cancellation coil 4 is mounted onto the joint 10, hence, onto the deflection yoke 1.
With the deflection yoke apparatus having the leakage magnetic field cancellation coil 4, a leakage magnetic field leaking from the horizontal or vertical deflection coil(s) of the deflection yoke 1 is offset by a cancellation magnetic field generated by the leakage magnetic field cancellation coil 4. In this way, the leakage magnetic field leaking to the outside of the cathode-ray tube is diminished to thereby prevent adverse influence on human bodies.
However, the conventional deflection yoke apparatus has the following drawback. The provision of the leakage magnetic field cancellation coil 4 necessitates preparing the coil case 5 and the coil cover 7, which are separate members, as different formed products. This formation inevitably requires high material costs. In addition, the leakage magnetic field cancellation coil 4 inevitably forms a large assembly when the coil case 5 and the coil cover 7 are integrated together.
Another drawback comes from the manner in which the leakage magnetic field cancellation coil 4 is mounted onto the deflection yoke 1, that is, the mounting of the cancellation coil 4 being accomplished through the intervention of the joint 10. This means an increase in the number of component parts. In addition, the operation of assembling the leakage magnetic field cancellation coil 4 assembly, and mounting the cancellation coil 4 onto the deflection yoke 1 is complicated, and has poor operational efficiency.


Agitators having processing grates intended to mix and process food or other materials in a kettle either with or without heating of the materials, the mixing structures of the invention being particularly useful in the processing of food such as mashed potatoes to produce a product which has naturally-occurring "lumps" indicative of the use of real potatoes in the production of the product. The processing grates of the invention are preferably employed with horizontally disposed rotary shaft agitators operable within a kettle having a substantially hemispherical bottom portion, inner walls of the kettle being preferably scraped by scraping elements of the agitators to prevent burn-on of food materials during a mixing and/or cooking process. The processing grates of the invention can also function mounted to diagonally disposed rotary shaft agitators, the processing grates acting to reduce a food material such as potatoes to a homemade "lumpy" consistency. The potatoes are cooked either prior to or during subjection to the mixing action of the present agitators to produce a desirable product consistency such as is associated with a homemade mashed potato or similar product.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to agitator structures used in the mixing of foods and particularly to the mixing of foods such as mashed potatoes to yield a homemade "lumpy" consistency.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and many other materials have long been mixed in kettles or in containers of various shapes and sizes through the use of agitator structures. Mixing of such materials through the use of agitator structures has also been commonly accomplished in the art before, during and/or after heat treatment such as cooking in the case of food materials and the like. While agitator structures can provide a desired mixing capability without the scraping of a kettle wall, for example, scraping elements are often provided so that interior surfaces of a kettle or container can be continually scraped during the mixing process. Agitators capable of mixing food materials while the materials are being heated and/or cooked include the agitator described by Groen, Jr. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,057, the Groen agitator having a diagonally mounted shaft which extends into the open end of a mixing kettle with scraping elements being mounted to that end of the diagonal shaft which extends into the mixing kettle. The scraping elements scrape interior surfaces of the kettle and are maintained in contact therewith by virtue of an accurate placement of the diagonally-disposed agitator shaft relative to the kettle. Care must be taken in the placement of the Groen shaft relative to a kettle when using the Groen, Jr. agitator. The Groen, Jr. agitator also finds itsmost convenient use when operated with a mixing kettle which is open to the atmosphere. Agitators operable about a horizontal axis within a mixing kettle or the like are described by Giusti, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,266, Giusti providing scraping elements which are mounted in fixed positions on the agitator. Since the scraping elements of Giusti are not capable of pivotal movement by virtue of structure mounting the scraping elements to the agitator, the scraping elements of Giusti do not continuously "track" the interior surfaces of a kettle especially when these interior surfaces are "out of round" as is often the case with cooking kettles. Pardo et al, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,571,091; 4,790,667 and 4,818,116 as well as Gabriele in U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,510, describe agitator structures having scraping elements which continuously track the interior surfaces of a kettle within which materials are being mixed, the scraping elements being resiliently biased into contact with interior surfaces of the kettle even when such interior surfaces are "out of round". The agitators of Pardo et al have been shown to be particularly useful in the mixing of food materials which are being heated and/or cooked. The continual and substantially complete mixing and scraping action of the Pardo et al agitators facilitate mixing of food materials without damage thereto and also act to prevent "burn-on" of food materials to walls of a kettle during mixing and/or cooking. The Pardo et al agitators exhibit extremely efficient mixing and scraping actions due in part to the ability of the scraping elements to maintain contact with interior walls of a kettle even when the kettles are not manufactured with perfectly spherical interior surfaces. The scraping elements of the Pardo et al agitators are contoured with scraping edges which conform to localized portions of interior surfaces of a kettle, the scraping elements being spring-biased for pivotal movement to assure contact between the scraping edges and the surfaces of the kettle. The particular mounting arrangements of the scraping elements in the Pardo et al agitators and in the Gabriele agitator allow efficient mixing and/or scraping while allowing the scraping elements to be readily removed from the agitators for cleaning of the scraping elements and of the agitators. The agitators of the present invention can take the form of the diagonal shaft agitator of Groen, Jr. as described above or preferably the horizontal shaft agitators of Pardo et al and of Gabriele as well as other diagonal shaft and horizontal shaft agitators as exist in the art, the Pardo et al agitators and the Gabriele agitator being preferred in combination with the structures of the present invention.
The prior art also includes a consideration of the desirability of producing certain food products such as mashed potatoes with a "lumpy" consistency such as occurs in a "homemade" mashed potato product. The advent of instant food materials such as instant mashed potatoes and the like has resulted in mashed potato products, particularly in commercial food situations, which are perceived as being inferior to mashed potatoes or similar products formed directly from real, cooked whole potatoes. Such instant potato products usually have the characteristic of being extraordinarily "smooth", that is, without lumps such as are characteristic of homemade mashed potatoes formed directly from real, cooked whole potatoes. The present invention provides agitator structures useful in the processing of a mashed potato product which readily, easily and efficiently produces a "lumpy" consistency indicative of the use of real potatoes in the preparation of the mashed potato product. The resulting "lumpy" mashed potatoes, especially in a commercial or institutional food situation, causes the mashed potato product to have a greater perception of value due to the realization by the consumer that the mashed potato product is formed of real potatoes and is not an instant potato product.


Disclosed is a basic culture medium for mesenchymal stem cells, and a cell therapeutic agent cultured and differentiated using same. The basic culture medium reduces the time taken from collection to mass culturing by increasing the proliferation rate of undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells derived from an adult tissue such as human marrow and adipose tissue, and also is capable of various differentiations into treating agents for bone-forming cells, for cartilage cells, or for fat cells.

In particular, in the field of regenerative medicine using tissue engineering, the use of stem cell technology is becoming a new territory for intractable disease treatment. Accordingly, stem cell research is getting more attention. Stem cells are recognized as a problem solver not only for curing disease but also for repairing damaged tissues.
Stem cell differentiates into particular cells under an appropriate condition, by having replicative ability when it is still undifferentiated. Stem cell can be classified into Embryonic Stem Cell and Adult Stem Cell, depending on its origin. Human embryonic stem cell is acquired from an embryo that can grow to a human being. Therefore, it has an excellent cellular proliferation and differentiation ability, but is tied with life ethics. Adult stem cell is limited with differentiation ability, compared with embryonic stem cell. However, it is developed into a stem cell by taking from cells inhuman organs such as marrow, blood, brain, skin, etc. Therefore, it has less life ethics issues.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell is separated from adult marrow at first (Y. Jiang et al., Nature, 418:41, 2002). After that, it is confirmed that there found mesenchymal stem cell just like marrow, from skin, blood, muscle, brain tissues (J. G. Toma et. al., nat. Cell Biol., 3:778, 2001:M, Sampaloesi et al., Science, 301:487, 2003: Y. Jiang et al., Hematol., 30:896, 2002). Also, it is found that Adipose-derived Stem Cell that is acquired from fatty cell has the same differentiation potency like marrow (B. Cousin et al., BBRC., 301:1016, 2003).
The method of separating mesenchymal stem cell from human marrow and the method of separating mesenchymal stem cell from fatty cells are explained in Pittenger et al., (Science 284:143, 1997) and van et al., (J. Clin, Invest., 58:699, 1976). These literatures employ alpha-MEM, DMEM medium and 10-20% of small fetal serum for culturing cells.
However, there rarely exists any mesenchymal stem cell in adult cell (such as marrow, fatty tissue, etc.). In addition, these cells have low proliferation rate when they are undifferentiated. If undifferentiated, it is difficult to keep it for a long term. Therefore, if there is no screened medium, it is known to be difficult to multiply/culture/preserve in vitro.
The composition of mammal's cell culture medium consists of about 50 different kinds. They are classified into the followings: 1) a part that is used for cellular biosynthesis, 2) a part that is used for biological energy metabolism, 3) a part that is used either to act as a catalyst for various metabolisms or to adjust intracellular physiological phenomena. That is, the medium that is used for cellular culturing consists of composition of isotonic solution and buffer solution, nutrients (that include sources of energy such as amino acid, vitamins, inorganic base, etc.), and various types of supplements.
Depending on the cellular type, it provides hormones, growth factor, fat, vitamins, and suppresses the activation of protein breakdown enzyme, by providing 5-20% of blood serum. Then it promotes the growth and revitalization of mammal cells, by acting as a pH adjusting buffer. The composition of medium to culture mammal cells varies depending not only on concentration but also on the type of medium. With this method, M119 medium is made and therefore primary chick is cultured (Morgan, et al., 1950), based on body fluid composition in 1950's.
For the type of culturing medium, there are media that are used in common and simple for culturing cells, as shown in Minimal essential medium (MEM) (Eagle, 1955) and Dulbecco's modification of Eagle's medium (DMEM) (Dulbecco, et al., 1959). Just like Isocove's modification of DMEM (IMDM), Ham's F-12 (Ham, 1965) and Connaught Medical Research Laboratories (CMRL)-1666, it is possible to classify into media with more being complex and with more various components.
The growth curve of mammal cells has the lag phase of 2-3 days. The concentration of living cells significantly decreases from the end of lapse period due to the accumulation of lactate (the end product of glucose) and ammonium (the end product of glutamine metabolism). The main metabolic pathway of mammal cell is used as the main source of carbon and energy of glucose and glutamine. Once glucose is metabolized by mammal cell, it becomes Pyrubic Acid through glycosis. Also, it synthesizes hexane by making pentose by Pentose phosphate pathway. Pyrubic acid that is made through glycosis is disintegrated into CO2, H2O, lactate or fatty acid with TCA circuit among those carbon source that are used in cellular metabolism for mammals, apart of Glutamin becomes Glutamate during metabolism process. Glutamate enters into TCA circuit, and makes a Carbon Skeleton for the synthesis of other amino acids. Main istes of mammals are lactate and ammonia. However, the discharge of alanine is also significant. Lactate and ammonia change the pH of inside of cells and lysosome, such that they can be poisonous to cells. Likewise, the type of medium for culturing should be different, because they are different in physiological mechanism and nutrient requirement depending on the type of cultured cells.
Therefore, in order to proliferate/culture adult cell derived (marrow, fatty cells, etc.) undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cell, the condition of medium should vary depending on the growth condition of undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cell.
There have been a number of researches conducted on culturing medium in vitro that multiplies/cultures undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cell.
Patent Literature 1 (a method of mass production of growth factor using mesenchymal stem cell) is based on DMEM. Adding Ham's F-12 will accelerate the differentiation of growth factor from mesenchymal stem cell. Accordingly, it describes about serum-free medium that manipulates to synthesize significant amount of human growth factor. However, this is to mass produce basic fibroblast growth factor, venular endothelial cell growth factor or human transforming growth factor-beta, rather than the proliferation of mesenchymal stem cell in a basic medium that is mixed with DMEM and Ham's F-12.
Patent Literature 2 (medium composition that is required for cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell that includes soybean protein hydrolysate) is a technology to add soybean protein hydrolysate to hypoglycemosis DMEM (including fetal bovine serum), in order to reduce the amount of fetal bovine serum.
Patent Literature 3 (a method of manufacturing papilla tissue using mesenchymal stem cell) and Patent Literature 4 (a method of manufacturing papilla tissue using mesenchymal stem cell) are technologies to induce differentiation into papilla tissues, after culturing mesenchymal cells in DMEM medium, DMEM/F-12, F-12, McCoy's 5A, RPMI 1640 medium, Williams's medium E, or IMDM (Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Modification). This relates to medium added with hydrocortisone, insulin, Transferrin and Sodium selenite in commercialized basic cell culturing medium.
Patent Literature 5 (mesenchymal stem cell culturing medium & a method of culturing mesenchymal stem cell using it) is a technology to culture by adding insulin, hydrocortisone, EGF, LIF, GM-CSF, etc. based on mixed medium (that is added with nutrient mixture) in commercialized medium. This is a technology to mix nutrient mixture in already-commercialized culturing medium.
Patent Literature 6 (adipose pluripotent stem cell & a cellular therapy product that contains it) is based on DMEM medium. It is about technology to multiply mesenchymal stem cell by adding Keratinocyte-SFM medium (that is also added with NAC, rEGF, BPE, insulin, etc.). Its basic cell culturing medium is DMEM medium.
Patent Literature 7 (culture of adult stem cell or its fraction, composition of pharmaceutical treatment and cancer treatment) and Patent Literature 8 (separated pluripotency adult stem cell and its separation/culturing) are technologies to culture mesenchymal stem cell by using DMEM/Ham's F-12 mixed medium, DMEM medium and DMEM/F-12.
These conventional technologies are limited to those that culture previously commercialized medium by adding additives such as growth factor.
However, our patent (Patent Literature 9) (a method of special culturing of cartilage cells for early culturing of cartilage cells) is the one to develop culture medium without adding additives such as growth factor, etc. By using early-cultured medium (ABM-C) of Patent Literature 9, the mesenchymal stem cell (one that is separated from adult cells such as marrow and fat) is cultured. However, there found morphological anomaly during cell culturing as shown in FIG. 13. Also, without adhesiveness, it floats on cell culturing medium. Therefore, mesenchymal stem cell does not proliferate, the one that multiplies being attached to in vitro.

Mesenchymal stem cell basic culturing medium


A CVT transmission having an input drive, a continuously variable variator, a sub-transmission to achieve at least two operating ranges (low and high) each with continuously variable gear ratios, and having a direct-shift stage for switching between a first operating range (low) and a second operating range (high) with continuously variable gear ratios. For the first operating range (low) the sub-transmission includes a non-positive clutch, such as a friction clutch, and for the second operating range (high) it includes a positive clutch, such s a jaw clutch.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CVT transmission having an input drive, a continuously variable variator, a sub-transmission to achieve at least two operating ranges (low and high) with continuously variable gear ratios, and having a direct-shift stage for switching between a first operating range (low) and a second operating range (high) with continuously variable gear ratios. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for operating such a CVT transmission.
Description of the Related Art
The term CVT refers to a stepless transmission; the letters CVT stand for continuously variable transmission. To increase the transmission ratio range of a stepless transmission—its gear ratio spread—it is known from European published application EP 2 275 709 A1 to position a planetary gear set after the stepless transmission. The controllable planetary gear set enables two-range shifting and shifting into reverse. In addition, it is known from German published unexamined application DE 102 61 900 A1 to provide a multi-range CVT with fixed engageable gears, for example for moving off or for top speed; however, when these fixed transmission ratios are in operation, the variator is uncoupled. Consequently there is only one stepless range; stepless operation is not possible in all driving ranges.
An object of the present invention is to simplify the operation of a CVT transmission having an input drive, a continuously variable variator, and a sub-transmission to achieve at least two operating ranges (low and high) having continuously variable gear ratios and having a direct-shift stage for switching between a first operating range (low) and a second operating range (high) with continuously variable gear ratios.