Curl removing device utilizable for the facsimile machine (1), in which the cutout portion (31) is formed on the holding part (28) of the curl removing plate (14) and it is formed in the plate holding part (13) the resilient hook member (24) which positions the curl removing plate (14) against the flat plate part (20) by being resiliently hooked to the cutout portion (31), and when the curl removing plate (14) is installed to the plate holding part (13), the curl removing plate (14) is slid on the flat plate part (20) so that the support shafts (22) of the support sections (21) are inserted in the support holes (30) of the support parts (29) in one direction (the direction shown by the arrow C) and the resilient hook member (24) is hooked to the cutout portion (31).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a curl removing device for removing a curl from a rolled paper by straining in a direction opposite to a curl direction thereof when deriving the rolled paper from a tray formed in an image forming apparatus such as facsimile machine which utilizes as a print paper the rolled paper in a roll form. In particular, the present invention relates to a curl removing device in which a curl removing plate used therein can be very easily installed in a main body of the image forming apparatus, thereby assembling work thereof can be easily done by simplifying assembling steps.
And the present invention relates to the curl removing device of the rolled paper in which number of parts can be reduced and easily assembled, thereby the cost thereof can be lowered. Further, the present invention relates to the curl removing device of the rolled paper in which clearance among the parts thereof can vanish, thereby uncomfortable noise due to the clearance can be avoided and it can prevent the parts from being broken due to the clearance.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, in the facsimile machine utilizing as the print paper the rolled paper which is rolled around a cylindrical core in a roll form, the curl inevitably occurs in the rolled paper derived from the core, and in case that the curl is not removed from the paper, the paper which is discharged from the facsimile machine after characters transmitted from the other facsimile machine are printed is inevitably curled, thus handling of the received papers becomes very troublesome. To dissolve this problem, it is conventionally proposed various devices for removing the curl from the rolled paper.
For instance, it is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application, Laid open No. Hei 5-238,617, a curl removing device in which a curl removing plate is fixed on a flange of upper cover in the facsimile machine by screws. In the curl removing device, the rolled paper derived from a tray is strained in a direction opposite to the curl direction thereof through cooperation between the nose part of curl removing plate and the guide bar arranged near the nose part, thereby the curl in the rolled paper is removed.
In the curl removing device disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Application, the curl removing plate is fixed on the flange of upper cover by the screws. In this way, if the curl removing plate is fixed by the screws, fixing work of the curl removing plate to the upper cover becomes very troublesome, therefore assembling work of the curl removing device cannot be easily done.
Thus, in order that assembling of the curl removing plate inside a main body of the facsimile machine can be simply conducted, there exists, for example, a curl removing device shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Here, it will be described based on FIGS. 9 and 10 the conventional curl removing device in which the curl removing plate can be simply assembled. FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically showing a relation between the curl removing plate and the plate holding part in the conventional curl removing device. And FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing a state that the curl removing plate is assembled to the plate holding part.
In FIGS. 9 and 10, the plate holding part 100 is formed in the facsimile machine and a pair of holding sections 101 are formed on the plate holding part 100. In each holding section 101, at the same side plane (in FIGS. 9. 10, the right side plane), a support shaft 102 is formed into one body. And a flat plate part 103 is positioned between the holding sections 101. The curl removing plate 104 is formed so as to have a curl removing part 105 having a folded top portion contacting with the rolled paper for removing the curl from the rolled paper by straining the paper in a direction opposite to the curl direction, and a holder part 106 continuously formed from the curl removing part 105 with a predetermined angle and a pair of supporting parts 108 which are formed at both side ends of the curl removing part 105 so as to be positioned at both sides of the holder part 106 and have supporting holes 107 respectively.
When the curl removing device is assembled by installing the curl removing plate 104 to the plate holding part 100, the holder part 106 is slid in the left direction on the flat plate part 103 and each support shaft 102 on the holding section 101 in the plate holding part 100 is fit into the supporting hole 107 formed in each supporting part 108 in the curl removing plate 104. Further, in order not to be produced the clearance in the lateral direction (in FIGS. 9 and 10, the clearance toward the right and left directions) due to that the supporting parts 108 moves along the support shafts 102 while the curl removing plate 104 rotates, the E-ring 109 is set to one of the support shafts 102 and thereby it is prevented the clearance between the holding section 101 and the supporting part 108 from producing. According to the above, the curl removing device shown in FIG. 10 is assembled. In the thus assembled curl removing device, it is not necessary to fasten the curl removing plate 104 by the screws, different from the curl removing device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application explained above, and the curl removing plate 104 can be comparatively easily assembled to the plate holding part 100.
However, in the curl removing device shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, it is utilized the E-ring 109 to vanish the clearance produced due to movement of each supporting part 108 in the curl removing plate 104 along the support shaft 102. At this time, it is necessary to conduct setting work of the E-ring 109 to the support shaft 102 within very narrow space and to use special jig for the E-ring 109. Therefore, setting work of the E-ring 109 to the support shaft 102 is very troublesome and difficult.
Further, in the above curl removing device, though assembling of the curl removing plate 104 to the plate holding part 100 is comparative easily done, it is necessary to set the E-ring 109 to the support shaft 102, thus number of assembling steps increases due to setting work of the E-ring 109 and assembling cost of the curl removing device is increased.
Next, another conventional curl removing device will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a side sectional view partially showing the curl removing device which is enlarged. The curl removing device 140 is utilized for the facsimile machine.
In the curl removing device 140, a bearing member 142 having an elliptical hole 142A is formed on lower surface of a upper cover 141 and a round shaft 143 made of iron is inserted in the bearing member 142. When the upper cover 141 is rotated around a rotating shaft 144 in the direction that the upper cover 141 covers upper space of a platen 145 and a recording head 146, that is, in the direction shown by an arrow C in FIG. 11, the shaft 143 is moved in the right direction in FIG. 11 within the hole 142A of the bearing member 142 though a shaft catch member 148 which is arranged to a print frame 147 and has a guide surface inclined in the right lower direction. Finally, the shaft 143 is caught in a catch groove of the shaft catch member 148 while the shaft 143 is faced to a curl removing plate 149 installed to the print frame 147, as shown in FIG. 11. The folded portion 149A of the curl removing plate 149 is arranged so as to face toward a rolled paper 150 and the shaft 143 caught by the shaft catch member 148 is arranged close against the curl removing plate 149, thereby it is formed a feeding path of the rolled paper 150, the feeding path being bent in the direction opposite to the curl direction of the rolled paper 150. Thus, when the rolled paper 150 derived from a tray 151 is passed through the feeding path, the curl of the rolled paper 150 is removed.
However, in the above curl removing device 140, to form the bent path in the direction opposite to the curl direction of the rolled paper 150, many parts such as the upper cover 141, the bearing member 142, the shaft 143, the shaft catch member 148 and the curl removing plate 149 are necessitated. Thus, there is a problem that assembling steps and parts for the curl removing device increase and the cost thereof also increases. And steps for inserting the shaft 143 into the bearing member 142 formed in the upper cover 141 and fixing the shaft 143 in the bearing member 142 so as not to come off by, for example, a stop ring are very troublesome, thereby it concludes to take a considerable long time for such steps. Therefore, there is a problem that the cost of the curl removing device further increases due to the above steps.
And however, in the above curl removing device 140, the shaft 143 used for forming the feeding path of the rolled paper 150 is inserted into the elliptical hole 142A formed in the bearing member 142,thus there occurs a problem that it inevitably produces a clearance between the shaft 143 inserted in the shaft catch member 148 and the bearing member 142. Based on the clearance, while the facsimile machine with the above curl removing device 140 is transported, collision between the iron shaft 143 and the bearing member 142 made of synthetic resin is repeated due to oscillation occurring while transportation. As a result, there is a problem that uncomfortable noise produces due to the clearance and the bearing member 142 is broken.

Curl removing device for rolled paper utilizable in image forming apparatus


A golf club head having a good impact-absorbing property improved to provide a good hitting feel without deteriorating the repulsion property, which includes a metallic face member 8 including at least a part of face F, and a metallic head body 9 to be joined with face member 8, wherein the face member 8 has back surface 8b, and the head body 9 has receiving surface 12 contacting a periphery 8be of the back surface 8b, and fold-back portion 14 which extends backward of the head from the receiving surface 12 and is folded toward the head center without contacting the back surface 8b so that it has opposite surface 18 facing the back surface 8b and it forms space 13 between them, and wherein at least one impact-absorbing member 15 made of an elastic material is disposed in the space 18 such that a front portion 15a thereof is in contact with the back surface 8b, a rear portion 15b thereof is in contact with the opposite surface 18 and a middle portion thereof between them extends in the space 13 without contacting both the face member and the head body to form a non-bound portion 15c.

The present invention relates to a golf club head capable of providing an excellent ball hitting feeling improved by enhancing an impact-absorbing property of the club head, which is exhibited at the time of hitting a golf ball, without lowering the repulsion property.
In recent years, in order to obtain a good ball hitting feeling, there is proposed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,899 B2, a golf club head "a" which includes, as shown in FIG. 13, a head body "b", a face plate "c" disposed on the front side of the head body, and an elastic member "d" for impact absorption disposed in a compressed state in a recess located between the head body "b" and the face plate "c". The elastic member "d" is disposed so that a back surface "d1" and peripheral surfaces "d3" and "d4" of the elastic member come into contact with the head body "b" and the front surface "d2" of the elastic member comes into contact with a back surface of the face plate "c".
In the club head "a" having such a structure, the peripheral surfaces "d3" and "d4" of the elastic member "d" are supported by the head body "b". Therefore, the head body "d" which accommodates the impact-absorbing elastic member "d" must be prepared into a relatively large size, so a free bending region Z of the face plate "c", which is not supported by the head body "b", tends to decrease. Since the bending of the face place "c" on impact becomes small, such a golf club head "a" is apt to deteriorate its repulsion property. Further, since the impact-absorbing elastic member "d" is disposed in such a state as being almost bound by the head body "b", generation of strain is restricted and, therefore, a vibration-absorbing effect might be decreased.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf club head having a high impact-absorbing property enhanced without lowering the repulsion property.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an iron-type golf club head having a good feeling of striking a golf ball and a good repulsion property.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description hereinafter.


A method for gathering information relating to the use of a continuous passive motion device can include receiving usage information from a continuous passive motion device processing unit. The usage information can include at least one duration of time that the continuous passive motion device was used. The method can also include storing the usage information such that the usage information is available within a historical dataset. Additionally, the method can include displaying at least a portion of the usage information from the historical dataset on a graphical user interface.

The present disclosure relates to devices and supports for stretching a human limb. More particularly, the present disclosure pertains to devices used for supporting a leg while applying flexion or extension forces of the type used for rehabilitating or exercising a knee joint.
Devices for stretching joints are commonly used by physical therapists for knee rehabilitation following injury or operation. A patient typically must undergo a physical therapy rehabilitation program for several weeks or months following such an event. During rehabilitation, the patient generally performs stretching exercises multiple times a day to develop strength and flexibility for the affected joint. Typically, a patient may undergo at least two types of knee rehabilitation exercises.
Flexion of the leg occurs by bending the knee joint to decrease the angle between the upper and lower portions of the leg. Flexion force is typically applied to a patient's leg by a physical therapist. During a flexion exercise, the patient lies face-up on a therapy table or other surface while a therapist applies force to the lower leg, bending it about the knee joint toward the upper leg. A structure may be placed under the knee to support the leg during flexion. Once the lower leg and upper leg are oriented at an optimal stretching angle, usually less than ninety degrees, the therapist then attempts to maintain the applied force and hold the leg at a static angle for a period of time, ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes. After the desired time has elapsed, the physical therapist then releases the applied flexion force in a controlled manner, and the leg is extended to a more relaxed position. This type of flexion exercise may be repeated several times during a single therapy session.
Similarly, extension exercises are typically also required for rehabilitation following a knee injury or operation. Extension of the leg occurs by straightening the leg at the knee joint, causing the angle between the upper and lower leg to increase. During an extension exercise, a physical therapist typically holds the lower portion of the leg or the foot of the patient in an elevated position while the patient lies face-up on a therapy table. The therapist then pushes the knee or upper part of the leg downward toward the table, causing the leg to straighten. When the leg is straightened to an optimal stretching angle, the therapist then attempts to statically maintain that position for a period of time. After the stretch is complete, the therapist then slowly releases the extension force applied to the leg, allowing the leg to return to a natural, relaxed position. This stretching exercise may also be repeated several times during a therapy session.
Devices for application of flexion or extension pressure to a patient's leg are known in the art. Such devices are commonly capable of providing either flexion or extension pressure, but not both. Such devices are also typically mounted to a table, and are not portable for use in a user's home. Also, rehabilitation therapy often requires a patient to visit a therapist's office several times a week. These trips can interfere with a patient's personal or work schedule and can create additional expense. A portable, easy-to-use stretching device would reduce the need for frequent visits to a therapist's office by allowing a user to perform flexion and extension exercises at home. A single portable device capable of providing both flexion and extension pressure without requiring extensive adjustment between modes is desired.
The application of flexion or extension force to the patient's leg can cause severe pain to the patient. During stretching, the therapist must communicate with the patient to avoid applying excessive force. The force feedback loop between the patient and the therapist necessarily causes fluctuation in the magnitude of applied pressure. Even minor fluctuations in the applied pressure, can detract from the rehabilitative effect of the exercise. Rapid or unsteady changes in applied force can cause injury to the patient. For optimal effectiveness, steady force application and steady force release are preferred. A device that allows the patient to control the applied force during both stretching and release is desired.
It may also be desirable to be able to track a patient's use of a device. For example, a doctor may prescribe that a patient use the particular device for a specific number of hours a day. Both the doctor and a participating insurance company may desire to review the data to ensure that the device is being used and is effective for rehabilitation.
Accordingly, there remains room for improvement with rehabilitation devices.

Retrofitted continuous passive motion devices


A device used to align the rear end of a vehicle that can be mounted on the axle of the vehicle and that generates a linear laser beam that is perpendicular to the axis of the axle so that measurements can be made between the beam and the frame of the vehicle to assist in properly aligning the rear end of the vehicle relative to the frame.

This invention relates generally to devices for use in properly aligning the rear end of a vehicle, and particularly devices of this type which are used for aligning the rear end of a race car.
As is well known, if the rear end of a vehicle is misaligned relative to the frame of the vehicle, problems are created in terms of the handling of the vehicle and tire wear. When misalignment of the rear end occurs in race cars, the problems are exacerbated by the high speed at which the vehicle travels, and even a variance of 1/4-inch can create major problems.
Accordingly, it is important that the rear end of a vehicle be precisely aligned, and several prior art devices have been used to assist in obtaining as precise an alignment as possible. One such device includes two stanchions having a string extending generally horizontally therebetween, and this device is set up so that the stanchions are placed alongside of the vehicle with the horizontal string extending generally parallel to the side of the frame of the vehicle. Several vertical strings are then hung from the horizontal string at spaced intervals along the length thereof and a small weight is attached to the lower end of the vertical strings to maintain them at their vertical disposition. A measurement is then made from each of the spaced vertical strings to the frame, and to the extent there is any difference in these measurements indicating misalignment of the rear end, some adjustment is made in the position of the rear end in relation to the frame. While this device provides some assistance in properly aligning the rear end, it has several disadvantages, including some inherent inaccuracy resulting from the use of three or more strings, and the fact that it takes a considerable amount of time (e.g., thirty minutes) to set the device up for use. Also, each time some adjustment is made in the rear end, the position of the device must be reestablished before a second set of measurements can be made.
Another known device includes a longitudinally extending narrow plate that is mounted on wheels at its ends and a beam generator is mounted on the plate to direct a linear laser beam in a direction parallel to the extent of the narrow plate. In use, the device is rolled up to a location adjacent one of the rear tires of the vehicle, and one edge of the plate is pressed against the side wall of the bottom of the tire. With the device in this position, the beam generator is then turned on to generate a beam that extends along the side of the frame of the vehicle, and measurements are made at spaced intervals along the length of the frame to determine the distance between the side of the frame and the beam. To the extent that these measurements are different from one another, they indicate misalignment of the rear end, and adjustments are then made in the position of the rear end and the aforesaid procedure is repeated until the measurements are equal to one another.
While this device is a substantial improvement over the above-described string device, it also has a problem in terms of accuracy. More specifically, the position of the beam relative to the frame is dependent upon the position of the narrow plate which, in turn, is dependent upon the surface configuration of the side of a vehicle tire. Because of the geometry of the path of the beam, even a 1/8-inch variance of the side wall of the tire can result in a 1/2-inch variance at the far end of the beam from a true line indication of the actual position of the rear end relative to the frame. Since even a 1/4-inch variance in the proper alignment of the rear end can create major problems in a race car, as discussed above, the potential for inaccuracy from this device is a serious drawback, and this drawback is compounded by the fact that the wheel of the vehicle on which the tire is mounted may include a further variance in the form of tire "wobble".
The present invention provides a device and method of use which overcomes the above-discussed known devices and which permits the rear end of the vehicle to be precisely aligned in a short period of time.


A border unit comprising a front panel (3) and a foot (4, 5) which when standing on a flat horizontal base surface supports the front panel (3) vertically with the bottom edge of the front panel (3) extending along the base surface. The unit (20) has end surfaces (21, 22) which are adapted to support each other around at least part of the cross section periferi of coaxially joined unit (20). Each unit (20) has at one end (22) a vertical rod (7) and at the other end (21) a recess which receives the rod (7) of an adjoining unit (20), to form a coupling (7, 11) for joining units. The coupling is located in a central part of the unit cross section; the end surfaces of the unit has a straight generatrice which is parallel to the rod and vertical when the unit stands on a horizontal base surface.

The present invention refers to a border unit.
The border unit is intended for building a border, particularly a temporary border.
Primarily, the border units are intended to form a border for a playfield, for example for in-line hockey or the like, but it should be clear, that the units could be used for establishing a border or edging for any purpose.
In particular, a playfield border can readily be established on and removed from any flat floor area or ground area, for example the ice of an icehockey rink.
A particular problem with borders of this type is that they on one hand must be easy to build and remove and on the other hand be stable in erected condition.
This and other objects are attained by the inventive border unit, which is defined in the appended claims, which form part of this specification.


A system and method involve detecting a modulated optical signal from an atmospheric propagation channel, wherein the modulated optical signal comprises an optical signal from an optical source modulated with a periodic signal at a modulation frequency greater than the bandwidth of the turbulence within the atmospheric propagation channel, and converting the detected modulated optical signal into a digitized electrical signal. The method also includes determining the root mean square signal power of an AC component of the digitized electrical signal at the modulation frequency. The method further includes determining the power spectral density of the digitized electrical signal, determining the magnitude of the peak component at the modulation frequency, and determining the effective optical depth of the atmospheric propagation channel using the magnitude of the peak component at the modulation frequency.

The transmission of the atmosphere along a path is defined as the amount of light that is not lost due to molecular scattering and/or absorption or newly created by emitting sources within the path. The transmission of the atmosphere is dependent on observation wavelength and path length, along with the molecular, aerosol, and particulate composition. A transmissometer is an instrument used to measure transmission of the atmosphere at a particular wavelength over a path. A transmissometer is particularly useful for characterizing propagation paths for laser systems. The transmission of the atmosphere effects how much light will actually reach the intended target. This metric is important in designing free-space optical and infrared systems such as laser radar, laser communications, laser range finders, etc. Transmissometers can also be used to measure molecular scattering in gas samples and attenuation in material samples.
Current transmissometer designs can be physically bulky, electronically complex, and susceptible to noise interference which limits dynamic range. A transmissometer design that reduces complexity and size, weight, and power (SWAP), improves noise resiliency, and increases signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio and dynamic range is highly desirable.

Atmospheric transmissometer using a modulated optical source

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY


An endorectal cooling device (ECD) includes an elongated body, a cooling fluid circuit, and a gas bubble removal device. The elongated body includes an insertable portion for insertion into a patient's rectum and an external portion that remains external to the rectum. The cooling fluid circuit is defined in the elongated body from the external portion to the insertable portion and circulates cooling fluid to regulate a temperature of a cooling surface on the insertable portion. The gas bubble removal device can include a coil, a tube, a mesh, and/or a hole that is disposed on or defined in the insertable portion of the elongated body, such as the cooling surface. A low-pressure source, such as a vacuum pump or a Venturi structure, can be fluidly coupled to the gas bubble removal device to remove fluid and bubbles by a suction force after the ECD is inserted into the rectum.

During thermal treatment of the prostate, energy is delivered from an energy-delivery device to eliminate or reduce the diseased cells in the prostate. An unwanted side effect of heating the diseased tissue can be over-heating adjacent non-diseased tissue and organs. For example, in the thermal therapy of the prostate, the rectum and other healthy tissues near the prostate can be heated beyond what is safe or healthy for the patient. It is desired to limit the thermal dose or maximum temperature applied to these tissues, such as the rectal wall proximal to the prostate.
Endorectal cooling devices (ECDs) can be used to maintain the temperature of the rectum and surrounding tissue at a safe level. These devices generally include an elongated body and an internal fluid circuit. An example of an ECD is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0193076, titled "Endocavity Temperature Control Device," published on Jul. 7, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
When existing ECDs are inserted into the rectum, a volume of air is introduced into the rectal cavity to form gas bubbles (e.g., air bubbles). The gas bubbles rise in the rectal cavity and become disposed between the ECD and the rectal wall proximal to the prostate. In addition, gas bubbles from intestinal gases naturally exist in the rectal cavity and behave similarly to the gas bubbles formed during ECD insertion. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates gas bubbles 100 disposed between the cooling surface 112 of ECD 10 and the rectal wall 120 of rectum 125 proximal to prostate 130. For purpose of this illustration and for clarity, the distance between the ECD's cooling surface 112 and the rectal wall 120 is illustrated as larger than it is in practice. In operation, the ECD's cooling surface 112 is disposed proximal or adjacent to the rectal wall 120, and gas bubbles 100 becomes trapped therebetween. For completeness, FIG. 1 illustrates a thermal applicator 140 inserted transurethrally through the upper and lower portions of prostate 130. These gas bubbles reduce the effectiveness of the ECD by impeding the heat transfer between the ECD and the rectal wall. Gas bubbles also create an acoustic impedance which can reflect ultrasound energy and affect tissue heating.
To remove the gas bubbles 100, the ECD 10 can be swept side to side.
It would be desirable to reduce or eliminate the gas bubbles in the rectal cavity.

Gas bubble removal for endorectal cooling devices


A rotor assembling method for a turbo-charger may include washing and preparing components of a rotor having a connector, a permanent magnet, end caps, a retention ring, and a center pipe, inserting the connector into the permanent magnet, thermally inserting one or more end caps into the connector by cooling the connector and heating the one or more end caps under a first high-temperature condition for a first predetermined time to form a permanent magnet assembly, thermally inserting the permanent magnet assembly into the retention ring by cooling the permanent magnet assembly and heating the retention ring under a second high-temperature condition for a second predetermined time to form a rotor assembly, thermally inserting the center pipe into the rotor assembly by heating the rotor assembly under a third high-temperature condition for a third predetermined time to form a rotor assembling body, and post processing the rotor assembling body.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a rotor assembling method for an electric turbo-charger and a rotor assembled by the same, and more particularly, to a rotor assembling method for an electric turbo-charger in which a temperature has less influences on a permanent magnet at the time of thermally inserting a rotor component and post processing is easier such as in tip clearance adjustment, and a rotor assembled by the same.
Description of Related Art
In general, a turbo-charger is a device that rotates a turbine by using pressure of exhaust gas discharged from an engine and thereafter, increases an output of the engine by supplying high-pressure air to a combustion chamber by using rotational force thereof. The turbo-charger has a problem in which a turbo-lag phenomenon occurs at low speed.
As a result, in recent years, an electric turbo-charger is applied, in which a compressor is driven by a drive motor at low speed and the compressor is driven by using the rotational force of the turbine that is rotated by the exhaust gas at high speed by driving a shaft of the turbo-charger with an electric motor.
The electric turbo-charger has an electric motor provided in a housing thereof, and in the electric motor, a rotor is installed on a shaft that connects a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel and a stator is installed in the housing thereof.
In particular, the performance or durability of the rotor depends on an interassembly method of a permanent magnet provided therein and a casing component for fixing the permanent magnet. That is, a connector, an end cap, a retention ring, and the like which are the casing components covering the permanent magnet are made of INCONEL materials, and have very high rigidity and are not easily processed.
Further, an irregular tolerance occurs on a connection surface of the shaft with the casing component due to a processing tolerance which occurs during processing and post processing is performed in order to remove the irregular tolerance. However, since INCONEL as the material of the casing component has high rigidity and precision is required for the assembly process, post processing is trouble and it is difficult to increase completeness.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Method of assembling a rotor for an electric turbo-charger


Botulinum toxin may be used to inhibit the cascade of events leading to acne. Results in preliminary studies have been dramatic. Without wishing to be bound by this theory, it is believed that botulinum toxin achieves this result through parasympathetic effects, inhibiting sweat gland activity, stimulating keratinocyte locomotion, anti-inflammatory effects, and possibly anti-androgenic effects. Botulinum toxin can play an important role in decreasing and even preventing the formation of acne.

Acne vulgaris
While not life-threatening, acne vulgaris can cause significant problems for affected individuals. Depending on its severity and other factors, recalcitrant acne can be psychologically debilitating, and can impose significant financial and emotional costs on those whom it afflicts. Despite some recent successes in acne therapy, treatment failures are still common, especially in adult women. While many adults "outgrow" this disease, there are some who continue to be afflicted during much of adulthood, despite continued medical advances. Unfortunately, the most potent acne medication in current use is administered systemically via a treatment that is teratogenic, an important issue for many women. There is an unfilled need for a more localized and effective treatment for acne, one with minimal side effects.
Acne, which most commonly occurs during adolescence, is influenced by several factors. The pathology centers on the pilosebaceous follicle, comprising the sebaceous gland, the follicle (pore), and the vellus hair. Factors that promote the formation of comedones (whiteheads or blackheads) include the following: (1) increased sebum production, (2) inflammation of the dermis and follicles by inflammatory mediators, (3) hyperkeratinization and obstruction of the upper region of the follicle, and (4) colonization of the follicle by the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes,
Adolescence is marked by an increase in levels of circulating androgens, particularly dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). The increased androgen levels are thought to cause sebaceous glands to enlarge and to increase sebum production. While most acne patients have normal hormone levels, there are reasons to conclude that increased sebum production plays an important role in acne. For example, there is a correlation between the rate of sebum production and the severity of acne. In addition, acne patients typically produce sebum that is deficient in linoleic acid, which is a potential cause of abnormal keratinization and follicular obstruction.
In response to increased sebum levels, Propionibacterium acnes, a gram positive, anaerobic, diphtheroid bacterium, often colonizes the sebaceous follicles. P. acnes exacerbates acne by acting as a chemo-attractant for neutrophils (a type of white blood cells, also called polymorphonuclear leukocytes, or PMNs). The neutrophils ingest the P. acnes, and in doing so release various hydrolytic enzymes that damage the follicular wall. The released follicular contents then invade the dermis and cause an inflammatory reaction, manifesting as pustules, erythematous papules, or nodules. In a separate route, P. acnes can hydrolyze triglycerides to free fatty acids, which also increase inflammation and follicular obstruction. P. acnes may also activate the complement components of the immune system, which can also lead to follicular obstruction.
The follicles are lined with squamous epithelium, a layer of cells that is contiguous with the skin surface. In an acne-prone individual, the shedding of cells from this lining is often impeded, perhaps due to an increased level of intracellular adhesion that promotes the retention of cells. The retained cells can obstruct the follicles, resulting in comedones. The exact cause of this inhibited shedding is unknown, but it may be related either to abnormalities in epidermal differentiation, or to abnormal sebum composition (e.g., a deficiency in linoleic acid).
It has also been demonstrated that increased sebum levels can irritate keratinocytes, causing the release of interleukin-1, which in turn can cause follicular hyperkeratinization.
The final common pathway in each of these acne-causing routes, which are not mutually exclusive, is follicular obstruction.
Current Acne Therapies
Currently-used acne therapies are directed at various aspects of the acne cascade. The most commonly used therapy is probably topical benzoyl peroxide, which has an antibacterial effect, and which may also decrease free fatty acids, resulting in a decrease in inflammation and follicular obstruction.
Topical and systemic antibiotics have been used to target P. acnes. The antibiotics that have been used for this purpose include erythromycin, tetracycline, clindamycin, and doxycycline. Predictably, the prolonged use of antibiotics often leads to the development of resistant strains of P. acnes.
Topical and systemic retinoids (derivatives of vitamin A) have been used to normalize the keratinization of the follicle, decreasing follicular obstruction and rupture. Systemic isotretinoin (Accutane™), which is highly effective for acne, unfortunately has serious adverse effects, most notably teratogenicity. Topical retinoids include tretinoin (Retin-A™), whose chemical structure is similar to that of isotretinoin.
The current state of the art in treating acne is summarized, for example, in the following two review articles: D. Krowchuk, "Managing Acne in Adolescents," Pediatric Dermatology, vol. 47, pp. 841-857 (2000); and B. Johnson et al., "Use of Systemic Agents in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris," American Family Physician, vol. 62, pp. 1823-1830, 1835-1836 (2000).
Advances in acne therapy have followed better understanding of its multiple causes. Most treatments are directed at normalizing keratin production (e.g., through the use of retinoids), or at controlling bacterial colonization. To the inventors' knowledge, no prior treatments have sought to affect either sweat gland production or keratinocyte locomotion, both of which can be factors in the follicular occlusion that leads to acne.
Botulinum Toxins and Pharmacology
Clostridium botulinum, an anaerobic bacterium, produces seven toxins that have similar neurotoxic effects, but that are antigenically distinct: serotypes A through G. These toxins are potent neuroparalytic agents that inhibit the release of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions and at neuroglandular junctions. See M. F. Brin, "Botulinum toxin: Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicity, and Immunology," Muscle and Nerve Supp. 6, pp. S146-S168 (1997); and 1. Kinkelin et al., "Effective Treatment of Frontal Hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin A," Brit. J. Dermatol., vol. 143, pp. 824-827 (2000).
Neither the synthesis nor the storage of acetylcholine is affected by botulinum toxin. Therefore, its effects are temporary. Botulinum toxin penetrates the endosomal membrane into the cytosol, where the secretion of acetylcholine is blocked. Botulinum toxin also appears to possess anti-inflammatory effects. Studies of the effect of botulinum toxin on glandular function have observed that its effects occur at the presynaptic terminal of the parasympathetic cholinergic nerves.
Botulinum toxin A (sold under the trademark Botox® by Allergan (Irvine, Calif.), and under the trademark Dysport® by Ipsen Limited (Maidenhead, Berkshire, United Kingdom)) has been used for certain therapeutic purposes at both neuroglandular and neuromuscular junctions. Its temporary neuromuscular blockade has found numerous previous uses, including the treatment of strabismus, migraines, achalasia, hemifacial spasm, rhytids, and spastic dysphonia. The injections have proven to be safe and effective for these purposes, with only minor side effects such as local swelling and transient weakness of nearby muscles. Botulinum toxins A and B have been reported to be well tolerated in patients who have used it.
Intracutaneous botulinum toxin A has become a primary therapy for axillary, palmar, solar, and frontal hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), as well as for gustatory sweating (Frey's Syndrome). It has also been shown to be an effective alternative to surgery in Hailey-Hailey disease, a benign familial pemphigus that affects primarily the groin and axillary folds (areas of high moisture).
Studies have found no long-term effects of botulinum toxin A in human tissue. Histological studies have found no nerve fiber degeneration, and no sweat gland atrophy as a result of therapy. Antibodies to botulinum toxin A have been found in fewer than 5% of patients receiving botulinum toxin A injections. There have been no reported cases of anaphylaxis in response to injections of botulinum toxin A.
Botulinum toxin B (sold under the trademark Myobloc™ and NeuroBloc™ by Elan Pharmaceuticals (Dublin, Ireland)) has been approved by FDA for use in treating patients with cervical dystonia.
All seven botulinum toxin serotypes (A through G) are available commercially from Metabiologics, Inc. (Madison, Wis.).
Neuromuscular Junction Blockade
The first reported clinical use of botulinum toxin A was its use in the treatment of strabismus in the 1970's. Injecting the small extraocular muscles resulted in a realignment of the muscles, straightening of the globe, and improvement of visual alignment in some cases. Subsequently, botulinum toxin A has been used therapeutically for several other purposes, both functional and cosmetic. It has proven effective in treating focal dystonias, spasmodic dysphonia, blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, torticollis, and cervical dystonia. It has also recently been used in facial plastic surgery, especially to treat rhytids (wrinkles).
In 1990, the use of botulinum toxin A was reported in ambulatory and nonambulatory cerebral palsy patients, namely by injecting different muscle groups to treat spastic diplegia. For example, double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies on the effect of botulinum toxin A on limb dystonias and spasticity have found significant subjective as well as objective benefits.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Academy of Neurology, the American Academy of Otolaryngology, and the National Institutes of Health have all released statements supporting the therapeutic efficacy of botulinum toxin A for a variety of clinical conditions. Among the conditions for which botulinum toxin A has been used are blepharospasm, strabismus, cervical dystonia, spasmodic torticollis, rhytids, hemifacial spasm, facial spasm, spasmodic dysphonia, focal hand dystonia, hyperfunctional facial wrinkles, Frey's syndrome, hyperhidrosis, adult spasticity, adjunctive treatment of spasticity in cerebral palsy, oromandibular dystonia, and other dystonias.
Neuroglandular Junction Blockade
The effects of botulinum toxin A as an anticholinergic agent at the neuroglandular junction have not been explored as extensively as those occurring at the neuromuscular junction. Clinical studies examining the effect of intracutaneous botulinum toxin for focal hyperhidrosis found complete abolition of sweating in the injected area within 3 to 7 days. No adverse effects were reported, and in a five month follow-up there were no clinical recurrences of the hyperhidrosis. See generally I. Kinkelin et al., "Effective Treatment of Frontal Hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin A," Brit. J. Dermatol., vol. 143, pp. 824-827 (2000).
Gustatory sweating is another area of neuroglandular dysfunction in which botulinum toxin A has proven effective. Gustatory sweating (or Frey's syndrome) is a disabling disorder in which the cheek skin sweats profusely during eating. The syndrome often occurs after parotidectomy, and may be due to the misdirection of the regenerating parasympathetic fibers that enervate the sweat glands of the face. Intracutaneous botulinum toxin A has been reported to significantly decrease or prevent sweating for over six months, with no clinical evidence of facial weakness in any patients.
Botulinum toxin A injected into the submandibular glands has been reported to significantly decrease salivation resulting from stimulation of the lingual nerves. The decreased salivation was temporary, and did not appear to be directly toxic to the acinar cells of the gland. See D. Suskind et al., "Clinical study of botulinum A toxin in the treatment of sialorrhea in children with cerebral palsy," Laryngoscope, vol. 112, pp. 73-81 (2002).
Canine studies have also shown that vasomotor rhinorhea, a parasympathetically controlled phenomenon, responds to topical botulinum toxin A.
While the duration of botulinum toxin A's action at the neuromuscular junction appears to be about three months, there appears to be a longer-lasting effect at the glandular level. Botulinum toxin A has produced anhydrosis for over 12 months in patients with gustatory sweating. The reason for the difference in duration of action is uncertain. Hypotheses include a higher rate of re-synthesis of SNAP-25 (the protein cleaved by botulinum toxin) in neuromuscular synapses, and a higher area of axonal sprouting and consecutive reinervation of muscle fibers as compared to that in glandular tissue.
To the inventors' knowledge, there have been no prior suggestions that botulinum toxin might be used in the treatment or prevention of acne.

Botulinum toxin in the treatment or prevention of acne

Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College


A platform residing viewing sensor and a pointing system/weapon. An operator system is remotely monitoring the scene on a display as viewed by the viewing sensor such that an operator system can gaze, acquire and track targets by scanning the scene with eyes and locking the eyesight onto a selected target and track the target with the eyes. The system further includes a dual camera sensor that follows and monitors the operator system's eyes motion so that the operator system can simultaneously monitor the external viewing sensor's scene, locking and tracking some selected target. The display coordinates of the selected target are utilized to point the pointing system/weapon on the external platform so that the operator system can fire at the target as desired. The problem is thus summarized as one of controlling the weapon pointing, movement and firing on a target that has been selected and is tracked by the eyes of an operator system viewing a display.

1. Field of the Present Invention
There is an urgent need for bypassing the operator for the tracking task and this is done by a video tracker, automatically. The operator will execute the initial target acquisition task which is more appropriate for human intervention.
The present invention relates to a controlling method and system for automatic positioning stabilization and aiming control allowing platform stabilization and pointing in a given direction so as to effect remote viewing of objects of interest and execution of object interdiction commands without exposing the operator to danger.
The present invention also relates to a controlling method and system for positioning measurement, and more particularly to a method and system for automatic stabilization and pointing control of a device that needs to be pointed at a determined direction, wherein output data of an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) installed in the device and target information date are processed to compute a platform rotation command to an actuator; the actuator rotates and stabilizes the device into the determined direction according to the platform rotation commands; a visual and voice device provide a user with visualization and voice indication of the automatic stabilization and pointing control procedure of the device.
The present invention relates to an innovative design of the automatic stabilization and pointing control of a device based on the MEMS technology, which is small enough and has acceptable accuracy to be integrated into many application systems, such as, laser pointing systems, telescopic systems, imaging systems, and optical communication systems. The stabilization mechanism configuration design is based on utilization of AGNC commercial products, the coremicro IMU and the coremicro AHRS/INS/GPS Integration Unit. The coremicro AHRS/INS/GPS Integration Unit is used as the processing platform core for the design of the MEMS coremicro IMU based automatic stabilization and pointing control of a device.
2. Description of Related Arts
In many applications, a user needs to command a device to be pointed and stabilized with specified orientation. For example, an antenna or a transmitter and receiver beam in a mobile communication system carried in a vehicle needs to be pointed at a communication satellite in orbit in dynamic environments. Or, a gun turret or a sniper rifle in the hands of a warrior of an Army elite sniper team needs to be pointed at a hostile target in a complex environment. A measurement device in a land survey system needs to be pointed at a specific direction with precision and stabilized.
Conventional systems for automatic stabilization and pointing control of a device are usually bigger, heavier, use more power, are more costly, and are used only in large military weapon systems, or commercial equipment, which systems use conventional expensive, large, heavy, and high power consumption spinning iron wheel gyros and accelerometers as motion sensing devices. The platform body of the systems must be large enough and strong enough to accommodate the gyros (and sometimes the accelerometers as well), so large gimbals with large moments of inertia must be used to support the platform. This in turn requires powerful torque motors to drive the gimbals. The result is that we have gimbaled systems for automatic stabilization and pointing control of a device whose cost, size, and power prohibit them from use in the emerging commercial applications, including phased array antennas for mobile communication systems. This is mostly due to the size and weight of the inertial sensors in the gimbaled systems for automatic stabilization and pointing control of a device.
Conventional gyros and accelerometers, which are commonly used in inertial systems to sense rotation and translation motion of a carrier, include: Floated Integrating Gyros (FIG), Dynamically-Tuned Gyros (DTG), Ring Laser Gyros (RLG), Fiber-Optic Gyros (FOG), Electrostatic Gyros (ESG), Josephson Junction Gyros (JJG), Hemisperical Resonating Gyros (HRG), Pulsed Integrating Pendulous Accelerometer (PIPA), Pendulous Integrating Gyro Accelerometer (PIGA), etc.
New horizons are opening up for inertial sensor technologies. MEMS (MicroElectronicMechanicalSystem) inertial sensors offer tremendous cost, size, and reliability improvements for imaging guidance, navigation, tracking, pointing stabilization and control systems, compared with conventional inertial sensors. It is well known that the silicon revolution began over three decades ago, with the introduction of the first integrated circuit. The integrated circuit has changed virtually every aspect of our lives. The hallmark of the integrated circuit industry over the past three decades has been the exponential increase in the number of transistors incorporated onto a single piece of silicon. This rapid advance in the number of transistors per chip leads to integrated circuits with continuously increasing capability and performance. As time has progressed, large, expensive, complex systems have been replaced by small, high performance, inexpensive integrated circuits. While the growth in the functionality of microelectronic circuits has been truly phenomenal, for the most part, this growth has been limited to the processing power of the chip.
MEMS, or, as stated more simply, micromachines, are considered the next logical step in the silicon revolution. It is believed that this next step will be different, and more important than simply packing more transistors onto silicon. The hallmark of the next thirty years of the silicon revolution will be the incorporation of new types of functionality onto the chip structures, which will enable the chip to, not only think, but to sense, act, and communicate as well.
MEMS exploits the existing microelectronics infrastructure to create complex machines with micron feature sizes. These machines can have many functions, including sensing, communication, and actuation. Extensive applications for these devices exist in a wide variety of commercial systems.
Micromachining utilizes process technology developed by the integrated circuit industry to fabricate tiny sensors and actuators on silicon chips. In addition to shrinking the sensor size by several orders of magnitude, integrated electronics can be added to the same chip, creating an entire system on a chip. This instrument will result in, not only the redesign of conventional military products, but also new commercial applications that could not have existed without small, inexpensive inertial sensors.
Recent advances in the solid-state MEMS technology make it possible to build a very small, light-weight, low-power, and inexpensive IMU. The coremicro IMU patented product employs the MEMS technology to provide angle increments (i.e., rotation rates), velocity increments (i.e., accelerations), a time base (sync) in three axes and is capable of withstanding high vibration and acceleration. The coremicro IMU is a low-cost, high-performance motion sensing device (made up of 3 gyros and 3 accelerometers) measuring rotation rates and accelerations in body-fixed axes.
Therefore, it is possible to develop an automatic stabilization and pointing control of a device incorporating the MEMS IMU technologies that create a lightweight miniature gimbaled system for a physical inertially-stable platform. When mounted on a vehicle, the platform points to a fixed direction in inertial space, that is, the motion of the vehicle is isolated from the platform. In practice, a two-axis pointing stabilization mechanism has two coupled servo control loops.

Method and system for automatic pointing stabilization and aiming control device


A gas chromatography system in which prefocusing of a sample analyte is provided through the use of an adsorbent coated porous layer open tubular trap tube. Through the use of an adsorbent coated collection device low boiling point components can be successfully trapped for preconcentration and injection at temperatures well above that necessary when employing conventional cryo-focusing.

This invention relates to a gas chromatography analysis instrument, and in particular, to a trap system for preconcentration and injection of a sample which employs an adsorbent coated trap column.
Gas chromatography is unsurpassed in its selectivity, sensitivity, and cost effectiveness. It is applicable for at least several hundred thousand compounds of low to moderate boiling point including compounds in the C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 range. The process is also unique in its ability to obtain complete speciation of complex mixtures of compounds.
In gas chromatography analysis the analyte mixture is separated into its components by eluting them from a column having a sorbent by means of a moving gas. In gas-liquid chromatography, which is the type most widely used at present, the column comprises a nonvolatile liquid sorbent coated as a thin layer on an inner support structure, generally the inside surface of a capillary tube. The moving gas phase, called the carrier gas, flows through the chromatography column. The analyte partitions itself between the moving gas phase and the sorbent and moves through the column at a rate dependent upon the partition coefficients or solubilities of the analyte components. The analyte is introduced at the entrance end of the column within the moving carrier gas stream. The components making up the analyte become separated along the column and elute at intervals characteristic of the properties of the analyte components. A detector, for example, a thermal conductivity detector or a flame ionization detector (FID) at the exit end of the analytical column responds to the presence of the analyte components. Upon combustion of the eluted components at the FID, charged species are formed in the flame. The flame characteristics are monitored through a biased ion detector which, along with associated signal processing equipment, produces a chromatogram which is a time versus detector signal output curve. The trace for complex mixtures includes numerous peaks of varying intensity. Since individual constituents of the analyte produce peaks at characteristic times and whose magnitude is a function of their concentration, much information is gained through an evaluation of a chromatogram.
Gas chromatography is often used for measuring the presence of minute concentrations of organic compounds. In order to permit an evaluation of a sample it generally must be enriched and introduced into the analytical column as a narrow sample "plug" so that the components eluting from the analytical column provide an adequate signal level with good output resolution.
Great strides have been made in the development of gas chromatography systems. The technique, however, provides additional opportunities for exploitation. One of the challenges posed to designers and users of gas chromatography equipment is a desire to provide fast analysis time needed, for example, to permit industrial process stream control or monitoring of internal combustion engine exhaust gases. In such applications, time dependent changes in concentrations of the analyte components can occur. Rapid analysis time permits analysis despite such transients.
In order to enrich organic compounds in vapor streams and inject them as a narrow sample plug to the separation column, electrically heated cold traps with bare metal tubes have been used extensively. The bare metal capillary tube is cooled to cryogenic temperatures and a sample analyte is admitted. The analyte materials undergo a phase change and adhere to the inside surface of the tube. After sample collection and enrichment, the metal tube is heated by passing an electric current through it. In a very short time, the tube is heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the trapped compounds. This results in a concentrated vapor plug which is injected into a gas chromatograph column. Such cold trapping or "cryo-focusing" can result in large concentration enrichments and very narrow injection bandwidths for the analysis of samples.
In some applications of gas chromatography analysis there is a desire to detect and measure concentrations of extremely low boiling point gases such as methane. While bare metal cold traps operate in a generally satisfactory manner, many lower boiling point compounds are difficult to cryo-focus in a bare metal tube because of the very low temperatures needed. In many applications, for example an industrial settings or where mobile monitoring may be desired, the availability of cryogenic temperatures is limited, and if necessary, poses a significant cost penalty and limits operational flexibility.
In accordance with the present invention, a gas chromatography apparatus is provided which enables rapid evaluation time and further enables the trapping and reinjection of very low boiling point gases including methane, which is notoriously difficult to trap. In accordance with this invention, a trap is provided in the form of a capillary tube which is coated with a substance which shows retention by adsorption of the compounds of interest For such adsorbent coated cold traps, efficient trapping and large concentration enrichments can be obtained at temperatures well above conventional trapping temperatures of the compounds. This can greatly reduce the cooling requirements for these devices. In accordance with this invention, several approaches toward implementing such an adsorbent coated trap are disclosed, including a system in which sample collection and reinjection occurs as the carrier gas stream flows through the trap in one direction, and an embodiment in which gas flow direction is reversed between operating modes. In addition to the adsorbent coated trap functioning as a means of concentration and reinjection of the analyte, the retention of the components of the mixture through adsorption on the column can be used as a means of initial separation of the analyte components.
Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The Regents of the University of Michigan


A MISFET according to this invention includes: a substrate having a semiconductor layer; an active region formed in the semiconductor layer; a gate insulator formed on the active region; a gate formed on the gate insulator; and a source region and a drain region, wherein: the active region is formed, in plan view, to have a body portion and a projecting portion projecting from a periphery of the body portion; the gate is formed, in plan view, to intersect the body portion of the active region, cover a pair of connecting portions connecting a periphery of the projecting portion to the periphery of the body portion and allow a part of the projecting portion to project from a periphery of the gate; and the source region and the drain region are formed in regions of the body portion of the active region which are situated on opposite sides of the gate in plan view, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to MISFETs and, more particularly, to MISFETs capable of reducing leakage current.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the SiGe heterojunction can be formed on a Si substrate and, in addition, has high carrier mobility, the SiGe heterojunction is expected to find applications in semiconductor devices of high-speed operation. A SiGe heteroMISFET (hereinafter will be referred to as "SiGe-HMISFET") has been proposed as one such semiconductor device.
FIG. 19 illustrates the construction of this conventional SiGe-HMISFET; specifically, FIG. 19A is a plan view of a selectively-grown mesa structure and FIG. 19B is a sectional view taken on line XIXB—XIXB of FIG. 19A.
As shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the SiGe-HMISFET has n-well 10 and LOCOS (field oxide: device isolation region) 2 at surface portions of Si substrate 1. The n-well 10 is formed in active region 3, while the LOCOS 2 formed to surround the active region 3.
On the n-well 10 are formed Si buffer layer 4, SiGe channel layer 5 and Si cap layer 6 in this sequence by selective growth. The Si buffer layer 4, SiGe channel layer 5 and Si cap layer 6 form a mesa configuration as shown in FIG. 19B. Hereinafter, these layers will be generally referred to as selectively-grown mesa 21. Gate insulator 7 comprising SiO2 is formed on the selectively-grown mesa 21, specifically, on the Si cap layer 6. On the gate insulator 7 is formed gate 8 comprising polysilicon. The gate 8 is formed to extend linearly in a central portion of the selectively-grown mesa 21 in plan view, as shown in FIG. 19A. Hereinafter, this gate structure will be referred to as "I-shaped structure". Source region 22 and drain region 23, which are doped with a p-type impurity, are formed in regions which extend over the selectively-grown mesa 21 and the surface portion of n-well 10 of the Si substrate 1 and which are situated on opposite sides of the gate 8 in plan view. A region which is situated below the gate 8 and between the source region 22 and the drain region 23 forms a channel region 24. Thus, this SiGe-HMISFET is a p-MISFET.
When the gate 8 of the SiGe-HMISFET thus constructed is applied with a voltage equal to or higher than the threshold voltage, p-channel is formed in SiGe channel layer 5c situated in the channel region 24, so that the SiGe-HMISFET functions as a transistor. Since the SiGe channel layer 5 of this transistor has high carrier mobility, the transistor operates at high speed.
There is a report that the incorporation of a SiGe channel layer into a MISFET leads to improved driving current (see Yee-chia Yeo and seven others, 0-7803-6441-4/00/$10.00C 2000IEEE for example.)
FIG. 20 is a frequency graph comparing the SiGe-HMISFET to an ordinary Si-MISFET as to frequency distribution of leakage currents.
As apparent from FIG. 20, the SiGe-HMISFET (which is of the p-channel type in FIG. 20 but may be of the n-channel type) is higher in leakage current (at a gate voltage of 0.25V) than the Si-MISFET (which is of the p-channel type in FIG. 20 but may be of the n-channel type.) Stated otherwise, the SiGe-HMISFET has a problem that leakage current occurs at low gate voltage. Though not shown, another problem with the SiGe-HMISFET is that its Ion-Ioff characteristics (subthreshold slope and threshold voltage) vary.
The ordinary Si-MISFET also involves such a leakage current problem though the leakage current value of the ordinary Si-MISFET is lower than that of the SiGe-HMISFET. It is therefore desirable to reduce the leakage current. There is a report about elucidation of the cause of occurrence of leakage current in a SOI (Silicon on Insulator)-MISFET, which is one of common MISFETs (see Toshiaki Iwamatsu and five others, IEEE ELECTRON DEVICE LETTERS, VOL. 18, NO. 10, OCTOBER 1997 for example.)

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A water color painting kit apparatus includes a color stand having a plurality of recesses with water color blocks secured in each recess. The blocks project upwardly from the outer surfaces in coplanar orientation. Three paint brushes are included, each having a stiff blade covered with a thin water absorbing sponge, including a lower rounded painting edge. One brush has a length to cover three immediately adjacent blocks, another brush covers two blocks and a third brush covers one block. A water tray has a water chamber with a water absorbing foam pad in the chamber. The top portion of the pad is above the water line in the chamber. The pad absorbs the water and creates a top-wall of predetermined moisture content. The blade engages the pad to moisturize the cover for controlled take up of the water color from the color block(s) for painting of an article.

The present invention relates to water color painting apparatus and to the method of painting therewith.
Painting with water colors is of significant interest to individuals of widely varying ages. Children as young as three years of age enjoy painting with water colors and the like. Such painting by children from kindergarten and upwardly can be significantly educational in developing a sense of color and art works. It is also of extreme suitability and interest for the enjoyment and development of handicapped individuals. With respect to handicapped persons, paintings can provide stimulation and therapeutic effects. Water color painting of pictures and the like is, of course, of interest to adults as well as children. In addition, painting of motif for textile industry, plaque art and vertical tapestry and other similar products is also of substantial significance.
Generally, the artist painting with water colors and the like therefor has involved the use of relatively small paint brushes having bristle ends. The water colors are provided in separate small containers which surround the color and contain water applied in picking upon the color with the brush. The user dips the brush into a water-bath, then onto a watercolor supply block within a confining container and finally applies the brush to the paper. Such action often results in extreme difficulty, particularly for young and inexperienced painters, in controlling color separation and application. Children also normally use the brush directly from one color unit to another and excess water in the brush leaves excess water behind on the color unit. Further, the water content in the color as applied to paper or other articles will vary and is often excessive.
Often in water color painting, it is desirable to use coordinated colors. With significant knowledge, coordinated coloring is readily supplied. Such techniques and abilities are difficult for children and other parties, particularly when beginning to develop an interest in painting. The technique is particularly difficult to apply in the conventional water color painting with bristle type brushes and the like.
There is therefore a need for a water color painting apparatus with improved and simplified painting procedures.


A method for correcting a thin-film formation program of semiconductor device includes the steps of measuring a thin-film thickness formed by thin-film formation equipment controlled by a thin-film formation program while cooling a wafer on which a thin-film has been formed; transforming the measured thickness into an electrical signal (d.sub.m); transforming a target thickness into a standard electrical signal (d.sub.0); comparing the electrical signal (d.sub.m) with the standard electrical signal (d.sub.0), and outputting a first signal to the thin-film formation equipment if the electrical signal (d.sub.m) is less than the standard electrical signal (d.sub.0) and outputting a second signal to the thin-film formation equipment if the electrical signal (d.sub.m) is greater than the standard electrical signal (d.sub.0). The first signal increases, and the second signal decreases the process variables of thin-film formation program. As a result, thickness uniformity can be maintained without error or time delay, by automatically correcting the thin film formation program.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for correcting a thin-film formation program of a semiconductor device and a thickness measuring apparatus therefor, and more particularly, to a method for correcting a thin-film formation program of a semiconductor device and a thickness measuring apparatus therefor, which is capable of obtaining a desired thin film thickness while preventing process failures and delays.
2. Background of the Related Art
To maintain reliability in the characteristics of a semiconductor device, the thin-films formed on wafers in each manufacturing process must be of uniform thickness. Generally, the process of thin-film formation has many variables (e.g., temperature, time, pressure, and gas flow rate) according to the thin-film material. If the process variables deviate from a predetermined value for a thin-film formation program, the thickness of the thin-film to be formed departs from the standard. Accordingly, in order to keep the uniformity of thin-film thicknesses, accurate information must be secured regarding the thicknesses of thin-films in response to a change in the process variables. Also, whenever the thickness of the thin-film departs from the standard, the process variables of the program must be promptly changed.
FIG. 1 illustrates a process of correcting a thin-film formation program for a semiconductor device according to the prior art.
In Step 1, thin-films of a semiconductor device are formed in a thin-film deposition unit (e.g., sputtering equipment, chemical vapor deposition equipment or an oxidation/diffusion furnace). In Step 2, the thickness of the thin-film formed in Step 1 is measured by using a thickness-measuring apparatus with a mechanical stylus, for example, an M-gauge or ellipsometer. In Step 3, the measured thickness is compared with a standard thickness. If the thickness differential in Step 3 is greater than a predetermined allowable deviation, the exact process variables of the thin-film formation program are calculated in Step 4 for correcting the thin-film formation program.
On the other hand, if the thickness differential in Step 3 is less than the allowable deviation, it is assumed that the reliability in the characteristics of the semiconductor device can be maintained, and, as a result, the next process for forming a thin-film can proceed in Step 5 without the need for any correction of the process variables of the thin-film formation program.
However, if the decision in Step 3, regarding the difference between the measured thickness and the standard thickness, and in Step 4, regarding the correction for the thin-film forming program are both manually made, the following problems may occur: i) the thickness may depart from the standard due to a correction error; ii) delays occur when the thin-film formation equipment is idled while the uniformity of the thicknesses of thin-films is checked periodically; and iii) product damage may result should immediate correction not be made.
FIG. 2 is a cross section of a cooling chamber 100 where a wafer on which the metal deposition process has been completed is cooled, within metal deposition equipment according to the prior art.
In a metal deposition process, a wafer is usually heated to a high temperature. Referring to FIG. 2, a processed wafer 10 is cooled to room temperature on a pedestal 20. The cooling chamber 100 is isolated from the exterior by a chamber wall 50 and a chamber lid 60 installed atop the chamber wall. After the cooling process is completed, the processed wafer 10 is lifted by a wafer lifter 30. Then, an isolation valve 40 is opened to pass a robot arm (not shown) for wafer transfer. After the transfer of the processed wafer 10 is completed, the isolation valve 40 is closed again.
The cooling chamber having the above structure only performs the function of cooling a high-temperature processed wafer. After the wafer is transferred to the exterior, the thickness of thin-film on the wafer can be measured by various thickness-measuring apparatus in accordance with the type of thin-film. In general, the thickness measurements are manually performed by an operator. If the difference between the measured thickness and the standard thickness is larger than the allowable deviation, the process variables of the thin-film formation program are manually calculated and corrected.
As stated above, some problems may occur, such as, a departure from the thickness standard due to a mistake by an operator who is manually correcting the process variables of the program. Also, delays are caused when the thin-film forming equipment is idled while periodically checking the uniformity of the thin-film thickness. Finally, an increase in product damage may occur should immediate correction not be made upon departure from the standard thickness.

Method for correcting thin-film formation program of semiconductor device and thickness measuring apparatus therefor


A translation machine having a storing unit for storing information of words and grammer rules, the translation machine being capable of translating sentences described in a source language into a target language includes a unit for dividing input sentence described in the source language into morphologic elements and for generating a mark-inserted sentence by adding a mark which represents an information of the detected morphologic elements, a unit connected to the dividing unit for analyzing a syntax of the morphologic elements in accordance with the information stored in the storing unit, and a unit connected to the analyzing unit for converting a structure of the syntax obtained in the dividing unit into a structure of syntax in the target language so that translated sentence is generated on a basis of the syntax structure in the target language obtained by the converting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a translation machine which is capable of generating a natural translated sentence. More particularly, the invention relates to the translation machine which is capable of translating an input sentence in accordance with a sentence pattern of the input sentence by an interaction with an operator.
2. Description of the Related Art
The inventors of the present invention know that there have been traditionally proposed some translation machines. A known translation machine mainly includes a CPU, a translation module, and storage units for storing a main dictionary, a user dictionary, grammatical rules and tree-structure converting rules. In operation, the above-mentioned translation machine is adapted to input a sentence described in a source language from a keyboard into a translation module under the control of the CPU and to translate the sentence described in the source language into a sentence described in a target language in the translation module using the main and user dictionaries and the grammatical and tree-structure converting rules.
In executing the translation from English to Japanese, for example, the above-mentioned translation module serves to divide the input sentence described in English word by word and to obtain grammatical information such as a Japanese equivalent to each word or a part of speech of the Japanese equivalent by consulting the dictionaries stored in the storage unit. If the subject word has two or more parts of speech, the Japanese equivalent matching to each part of speech can be output. As such, in translating the English sentence into a Japanese equivalent, the above-mentioned translation module generates two or more Japanese equivalent candidates on a basis of the part of speech obtained by consulting the dictionaries. It results in that the English sentence is ambiguously interpreted.
For example, when the English sentence "Time flies like an arrow" is input, some Japanese equivalents are provided depending on the interpretation of the part of speech of each word. That is, "Time" may be interpreted as a noun or a verb, "flies" may be interpreted as a noun or a verb, "like" may be interpreted as a noun or a preposition. The resulting Japanese equivalents are as follows:
1. " "(ya-no-youna-jikan-bae) (meaning that "arrow-analogous flies (insects) called as time")
2. " "(ya-no-youni-hae-wo-hakare) (meaning that "Measure flies as if an arrow moves through air")
3. " "(ya-no-youna-hae-wo-hakare) (meaning that "Measure arrow-analogous flies")
4. " "(jikan-bae-wa-ya-wo-konomu) (meaning that "Flies called as time are fond of an arrow")
5. " "(jikan-wa-ya-noyouni-tobu) (meaning that "Time passes as if an arrow moves through air")
A selection of a proper Japanese equivalent from these Japanese equivalent candidates depends on an operator's judgment.
For automating this part of translation, the above-mentioned translation machine works as follows. When an English sentence is input, the above-mentioned translation module takes the steps of dividing the English sentence into words by consulting the dictionaries for each word, and storing the combination of each speech part of each English word and its Japanese equivalent in a dictionary-consulting buffer. If the English word has two or more parts of speech, two or more combinations of each part of the English word and each Japanese equivalent are stored in the dictionary-consulting buffer. Then, the next process is to read the combinations for each word out of the dictionary-consulting buffer in accordance with the predetermined rules and to generate the Japanese equivalents on a basis of the combinations. One example of those Japanese equivalents is such that;
______________________________________ Input English Time flies like an arrow. Sentence: Part of Speech: Noun Noun Preposition Noun Japanese equivalent " " candidate: (ya-no-youna-jikan-bae) (meaning that "Arrow-analogous flies (insect) called as time") ______________________________________
If the candidate is not proper, the operator instructs the CPU to accept or correct the part of speech for each word, thereby the accepted or the corrected part of speech is fixed. The above-mentioned translation module serves to read the part of speech for another word and to reorganize the combination of parts of speech of each word composing the English sentence by reading another part of speech for another word from the dictionary-consulting buffer. The translating process of the reorganized combination results in offering the next combination of the parts of speech of the English sentence and its Japanese equivalent candidate. The above mentioned translation module produces the operation by the interaction with the operator. The above-mentioned repeated operations result in offering a high-quality translated sentence.
However, the above-mentioned translation machine cannot grasp which word is ambiguous considering a result of an interpretation, thereby it reads one combination of a speech part of each word composing the input sentence described in English and its Japanese equivalent depending on the predetermined rules stored in the dictionary-consulting buffer, and translates based on the combination and generates the translated equivalent candidate. Then, the operator accepts or corrects the part of speech of each English word by watching the translated equivalent candidate on the CRT. it results in removing ambiguity of the input sentence in an interactive manner with the operator.
The above-mentioned translation machine is designed to remove interpretative ambiguity of an input sentence by the operator's trial and error, thereby it requires the operator to keep an interaction with the machine, and as a result, the overall process of the translation is inefficient.
Further, the above-mentioned translation machine is designed to define the syntax structure of the input sentence on a basis of the grammatical rules stored in the memory. It results in that the translation machine outputs two or more translated equivalents when the verb contained in the input sentence has two or more sentence patterns. Hence, a user has to do the annoying operation of selecting a proper translated equivalent from the output translated equivalents.
In the following part, a process of finding a title of each English (source language) word for consulting the dictionaries used for the above-mentioned translation machine will be described in detail. Normally, in the dictionaries, the title of the English word is registered in lowercase. However, the word placed at the head of the input sentence has an uppercase at the head. Hence, the word placed at the head of the input sentence may be determined not to be registered in the dictionaries. For avoiding it, before consulting the dictionaries for the sentence-head word, the uppercase placed at the head of the word is converted into the lowercase. This dictionary-consulting mode is referred to as a standard mode.
On the other hand, for a specific sentence consisting of uppercases only such as a telex description, the standard mode is not effective. Hence, for such a sentence including the uppercases in the sentence-head word as well as the other words, all the uppercases included in the sentence are converted into the lowercases before consulting the dictionaries. This dictionary-consulting mode is referred to as an uppercase mode.
The above-mentioned translation machine requires an operator to select the standard mode or the uppercase mode in accordance with the input sentence.
For setting the dictionary-consulting mode, the above-mentioned translation machine automatically sets it as the standard mode in a case that no mode is set by the operator. When the standard mode is selected by the operator, the translation machine sets it as the standard mode. When the uppercase mode is selected by the operator, the translation machine sets it as the uppercase mode.
However, an ordinary sentence has both lowercases and uppercases. For example, a proper noun often contains an uppercase. At the standard mode, therefore, the translation machine does not convert the uppercases into the lowercases except that placed at the head of the sentence. The word having an uppercase is determined not to be registered in the dictionaries only if the uppercase does not appear at the head of the sentence. As a result, disadvantageously, the translation machine outputs the original English word as its translated equivalent. It means that it is necessary to set the dictionary-consulting mode as the uppercase mode for making effective use of the contents stored in the dictionaries.
If the dictionary-consulting mode is always set to the uppercase mode, the uppercase placed at the head of a proper noun, such as the name of a person, is converted into the lowercase even though it is not desired. In this case, if the dictionaries have a translated equivalent word to the proper noun, it results in disadvantageously outputting an erroneous Japanese equivalent as described below.
Input word: Mr. Brown
Translated equivalent
Standard mode: Brown (Shi: meaning a Japanese equivalent of "Mr.") PA1 Uppercase mode: (Chyairo.shi: "Chyairo" is a Japanese equivalent of a brown color)
Both of the above-mentioned disadvantages in the dictionary-consulting mode result in that the standard mode or uppercase mode is indiscriminately set without considering each word of the input sentence.


Improved desolventizer of the countercurrent type. Solvent laden solids enter a closed chamber wherein they are continuously agitated by stirrers. Steam from below rises up through a porous deck and the solids thereon whereupon the steam condenses to release its heat of vaporization thereby aiding in the evaporation of solvent in the solids. The desolventized solids exit the chamber through a discharge passage. The deck includes generally radially spaced apart, substantially parallel stainless steel bars supported on substantially radially extending carbon steel supports. The spaces or slots thereby defined by the bars define an open area covering up to about 30% of the surface area of the deck. The gaps between the bars are sufficiently narrow so as to reduce the likelihood of the solids being worked into the gaps. The bars have a cross sectional profile having a greater width at their top and a lesser width at their bottom so as to promote clearing of any material that might have been worked therebetween from the top side.

This invention relates to desolventizers for recovering residual solvent from solids, such as the flakes or meals of seeds which have had their oil and fat previously extracted by solvent extraction. The invention can also be applied to any solid on which the operation of solvent extraction has been performed. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved deck for use in a desolventizer, or the like.
Solvent-laden meals are obtained in the process of extracting oils and fats from seed materials, such as soybean, grape, sunflower seed, nut material, and the like. Solvents or extractants typically used for this purpose are, for example, benzene, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, or mixed solvents, such as mixtures of the above-mentioned hydrocarbons with alcohols, ketones, or generally polar solvents. The miscella formed in the extraction of the above-mentioned raw materials is separated from the residue (meal) and forwarded for further processing such as purification or distillation, or the like.
The residue of the extraction process, that is, the mixture of meal, solvent, and water, is treated in a desolventizing apparatus for the purposes of recovering the solvent and obtaining a low-solvent or solvent-free meal. Such meals may contain as much as 35% by weight of solvent prior to the desolventizing process.
Processes and apparatuses suitable for desolventizing solvent extracted solids have long been known. In these devices, solvent is typically evaporated from the meal by steam or steam-containing fluids with the solvent returned to a recovery apparatus such as a fractional distillation unit or the like in a mostly continuous operation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,806,297 to Hutchins, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,053 to Schumacher, disclose apparatuses of the countercurrent steam injection type for separating solvent from solvent laden solids in a continuous process.
Typically, such apparatuses consist of a plurality of chambers or compartments arranged in a vertical configuration. Solvent laden solids may be introduced into the uppermost chamber where they pass downwardly from an upstream to a downstream direction from chamber to chamber. The treated meal may be removed from the lowermost chamber. Live steam, or steam-containing vapors may be introduced below the deck of the lowermost chamber. The steam rises in countercurrent fashion through the solvent laden solids, with the solvent vaporizing. A mixture of steam and evaporated solvent is then channeled from the uppermost chamber to conventional recovery equipment.
The decks between chambers may include discharge passages or chutes for the downward movement of meal. The decks may also include bores or perforations to permit the upward movement of steam and evaporated solvent. The apparatus may include a centrally disposed vertical shaft running through the chambers with stirrers mounted on the shaft for rotation within each chamber. The stirrers may pass just above the top surface of the decks so as to keep the meal in a constant state of agitation.
One or more of the upper chambers may be used for pre-desolventizing. For this purpose, one or more of the upper decks may be constructed of double-walled imperforate steel, and have a central aperture surrounding the vertical shaft to permit the upward passage of steam and evaporated solvent. Steam may be admitted into the space between the double walls so as to provide indirect heating of the solvent laden solids.
One or more of the lower chambers may be used for stripping or toasting the meal after most of the solvent has been evaporated from the meal. For this purpose the decks may consist of a double wall construction having bores or perforations therethrough. The double wall construction permits steam to be admitted into the deck thereby heating the deck and inhibiting the condensation of steam thereon. The bores or perforations permit steam that is admitted below the deck to travel upwardly through the meal without substantially condensing in the meal.
In the chamber where most of the desolventizing may take place, the steam or steam-containing vapors admitted from below the deck rise through the solvent laden solids and may condense therein, thereby evaporating the solvent contained in the meal via the latent heat of evaporation of the condensing steam.
In some cases, the combination of liquid water and the high protein content in the meal can cause agglomeration of the meal, producing what are known in the art as "water balls". These water balls may be golf-ball-sized clumps of meal and water that are substantially impervious to the steam. As a consequence, solvent trapped in the water balls may not be removed by evaporation. This can lead to localized areas within the processed meal that have higher than desired concentrations of solvent.
In some of the prior art designs, undesirably high pressure drops are experienced as measured from downstream to adjacent upstream treatment zone. Often, this problem results from clogging of the perforations or bores that are provided in the decks that, ideally, allow steam communication from a downstream treatment zone to its adjacent, upstream treatment zone.
Additionally, when such clogging occurs, the steam primarily travels upwardly through the meal discharge chutes that are disposed in the deck surface to provide for passage of the meal through the deck from an upstream to downstream zone. When this happens, the meal can be impeded from making proper passage, thus increasing the chance that it will not be evenly distributed around the deck.
Typical designs provide deck bores or perforations in an amount of about 1-3% open deck space. These designs may be of some value in increasing steam velocity through the holes in the deck to inhibit the plugging or clogging problems, but the concentration of steam pressure at these few, discrete openings increases the likelihood of steam plume formations that drive deeply into or even divide the solvent laden meal into a plurality of segregated, clumpy masses resulting in non uniform solvent evaporation and possibly in the "water-ball" phenomenon referred to above.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for the provision of a deck structure that will promote more uniform steam pressure distribution from treatment zone to treatment zone and help solve the prior art problems referred to above.


A luminous radiator cover device includes: a lighting cover unit (2) including a looped frame (3) mounted to a front side of a vehicle (900), multiple hollow light-transmissive ribs (4) each disposed in and connected to the frame (3), and multiple lighting units (5) each disposed in a corresponding light-transmissive rib (4); and a control unit (6) connected electrically to the lighting units (5) of the lighting cover unit (2). The control unit (6) is operable to control the lighting units (5) of the lighting cover unit (2) to operate in a lighting mode, where lighting of each lighting unit (5) is varied in response to sound in the vehicle (900).

Generally, a vehicle is provided with a radiator cover at the front thereof. Such radiator cover includes a looped frame, and a plurality of ribs connected to and disposed in the looped frame. A space is formed between any adjacent two ribs to permit air to flow into a vehicle engine room therethrough, thereby dissipating heat.
Currently, the industry has developed a variety of lighting cover structures for a vehicle radiator, for example, a conventional illuminating vehicle radiator cover disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model No. M277661, and a conventional LED (light-emitting diode) lighting structure disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model No. M264142. In the conventional illuminating vehicle radiator cover, a light-emit ting optical fiber cord is embedded in a cover frame along a periphery thereof. Since light emitted by the optical fiber cord merely radiates from a looped area around the periphery of the cover frame, the conventional illuminating vehicle radiator cover has an inferior lighting effect. As to the conventional LED lighting structure, which has LEDs installed in a cover frame, since light emitting by the LEDs is concentrated to radiate frontward, the light coming out of the conventional LED lighting structure may dazzle a driver in an oncoming car and adversely affect driving safety. Furthermore, the lighting effects produced by the conventional illuminating vehicle radiator cover and the conventional LED lighting structure lack variation. Therefore, there is still room for improvements.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a luminous radiator cover device for a vehicle that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art. According to the present invention, there is provided a luminous radiator cover device for a vehicle. The luminous radiator cover device of this invention comprises at least one lighting cover unit, and a control unit.

Luminous radiator cover device for a vehicle


Levalbuterol L-tartrate affords crystals possessing properties desirable for use in a metered dose inhaler.

Levalbuterol (also known as (R)-albuterol) is a beta agonist useful as a relaxant of smooth muscle tissue, for example in the treatment of bronchospasm in patients suffering from asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is commercially available as a salt, levalbuterol hydrochloride, in a solution formulation adapted for administration by inhalation using a nebuliser and is sold in the United States under the brand name XOPENEX™. A process for the preparation of levalbuterol hydrochloride is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,745. It has been found that crystals of levalbuterol hydrochloride obtained by this process are plate-like in shape and possess properties generally undesirable in a product intended for administration using a metered dose inhaler.
It would be desirable to administer levalbuterol using a metered dose inhaler (MDI).
The particles of active ingredients for delivery into the lungs of patients using an MDI must meet some very demanding criteria. The patient must be able to receive reproducible doses of a safe and effective amount of the particles deep into the lungs. Thus, the particles of the active ingredient must be of a stable, microscopic size within an acceptable distribution range. In particular, they must be resistant to agglomeration into larger particle clusters, and must not change in size or morphology during storage under varying conditions of temperature and relative humidity or in the presence of formulation components, such as carriers or propellants. Preferably they should have an aerodynamically favorable shape, such as a fiber (Crowder T. M., et al., Pharmaceutical Research, Vol. 19. No. 3, March 2002).