Propylene homopolymers or propylene-olefin copolymers, having at least one olefin selected from ethylene and xcex1-olefins having 4 or more carbon atoms where the propylene content in this copolymer is 98% by weight or more, are provided that are suitable for producing films with excellent antistatic performance, high rigidity and metallizability.

The present invention relates to a propylene base polymer and a film comprising the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a polypropylene film which is excellent in antistatic performance and also relates to a film which has a high rigidity and excellent metallizability, and a propylene base polymer which can provide the same.
A polypropylene film has excellent rigidity, transparency and gloss and therefore is widely used as a packaging material.
However, a polypropylene film has a high electrical insulating property and is liable to be statically charged, so that various problems are brought about in practical uses. When a polypropylene film is given an antistatic performance by adding an antistatic agent, a large amount of the antistatic agent has to be added in order to obtain the satisfactory performance, and this has caused the problems that the antistatic agent bleeds out on the film surface with time. Further, it is tried to lower a crystallinity of polypropylene to thereby improve an antistatic performance of an antistatic agent added. However, there has been occurred the problem that while the antistatic performance is raised, the resulting polypropylene film is reduced in a rigidity.
And a polypropylene film has an excellent rigidity, transparency and gloss and therefore is widely used as a wrapping material. In general, a polypropylene film has a gas permeability, so that a polypropylene film which is deposited on a surface thereof with metal its used for uses in which a gas barrier property is required such as a food packaging material. However, there is the problem that deposited metal layer is easily peeled off because of a lower adhesiveness between the polypropylene film surface and deposited metal. Publicly known is a technique in which in order to improve a peeling strength of deposited metal, the polypropylene film surface is subjected to corona treatment and/or flame treatment and then metal is deposited. However, these techniques are unsatisfactory for improving the peeling strength, and therefore practical demand allows further improvement in the peeling strength to be desired.
An object of the present invention is to provide a polypropylene film which is excellent in an antistatic performance and has a high rigidity and a propylene base polymer which can provide the same. Specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a polypropylene film which has satisfactory antistatic performance in practical use, by adding a small amount of an antistatic agent as compared with those of conventional polypropylenes, which is provided with more excellent antistatic performance than ever by adding the same amount of an antistatic agent as ever and which has a high rigidity, and a propylene base polymer which can provide the same.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a polypropylene film which has a high rigidity and a good metallizability and a propylene base polymer which is suited for producing the above described polypropylene film. In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a propylene base polymer which is excellent in a film processability and has a good aluminum-depositing property and which is excellent in a rigidity and a polypropylene film comprising the above described propylene base polymer.
The present inventors have made extensive research in order to solve the problems described above. As a result, we have found that a propylene base polymer in which the respective characteristics of an isotactic pentad fraction, a melt flow rate, weight average molecular weights of solubles of 0xc2x0 C. or lower, 50xc2x0 C. or lower and 90xc2x0 C. or lower obtained by a cross fractionation chromatography, boiling pentane extractables and boiling heptane extractables fall in specific ranges, has the anticipated performance, and the film prepared by using polypropylene composition obtained by adding an antistatic agent to the propylene base polymer has excellent antistatic performance and the film prepared by using the propylene base polymer has an excellent metallizability and a high rigidity. And we have achieved the present invention based on the above findings.
The present invention consists in the following items.
1. A propylene base polymer having the following characteristics (1) to (5):
(1) it is a propylene homopolymer or a propylene-olefin copolymer of propylene with at least one olefin selected from ethylene and xcex1-olefins having 4 or more carbon atoms, wherein a propylene content in this copolymer is 98% by weight or more,
(2) a melt flow rate (MRF: 230xc2x0 C., 21.18N) falls in a range of 0.5 to 20 dg/min,
(3) an isotactic pentad fraction [mmmm] falls in a range of 0.89 to 0.95,
(4) boiling pentane extractables (C5-Ext) are 0.5% by weight or more; boiling heptane extractables (C7-Ext) are 5% by weight or less; and (C5-Ext) and (C7-Ext) reside in a relation of (C7-Ext) greater than 3.5 (C5-Ext), and
(5) solubles of 0xc2x0 C. or lower obtained by a cross fractionation chromatography have a weight average molecular weight of 7xc3x97104 or more, and solubles of 50xc2x0 C. or lower have a weight average molecular weight of 6xc3x97104 or more.
2. A propylene base polymer according to item 1, further having the following characteristics (6) and (7):
(6) existential ratio of a meso dyad and a racemic dyad in the pentad comply with a two-site model based on Bernoullian statistics, wherein a statistical parameter xcex1 falls in a range of 0.989xe2x89xa6xcex1xe2x89xa60.995, and
(7) solubles of 90xc2x0 C. or lower obtained by a cross fractionation chromatography have a weight average molecular weight of 6xc3x97104 or more.
3. A film prepared by using polypropylene composition obtained by adding an antistatic agent to the propylene base polymer as described in item 1.
4. A film prepared by using the propylene base polymer as described in item 2, which the film has an excellent metallizability.
The present invention shall specifically be explained below.
The propylene base polymer of the present invention is a homopolymer of propylene or a copolymer of propylene with at least one olefin selected from ethylene and xcex1-olefins having 4 or more carbon atoms. When the propylene base polymer is a copolymer, a propylene content in the copolymer is 98% by weight or more, preferably 98.5% by weight or more and more preferably 99% by weight or more. Use of such propylene base polymer that a propylene content in the copolymer is less than 98% by weight is liable to provide a film having an unsatisfactory rigidity.
The propylene base polymer of the present invention has a melt flow rate (MRF: 230xc2x0 C., 21.18N) falling in a range of 0.5 to 20 dg/min, preferably 1 to 15 dg/min. The polymer having an MFR falling in the range described above provides a film which has excellent in an antistatic performance and metallizability and has a high rigidity.
In the propylene base polymer of the present invention, an isotactic pentad fraction [mmmm] which is an index of a stereoregularity of propylene base polymer falls in a range of 0.89xe2x89xa6[mmmm] 0.95, more preferably 0.90xe2x89xa6[mmmm]xe2x89xa60.94. The [mmmm] is determined according to a method described in A. Zambelli et al., Macromolecules Volume 8, pp. 687 to 689 (1975). If the [mmmm] is less than 0.89, the antistatic performance is elevated, but the rigidity of the resulting film is reduced. On the other hand, if the [mmmm] exceeds 0.95, the film has a high rigidity, but the antistatic effect is reduced. In this case, the antistatic effect and the antistatic performance mean a surface resistivity of a film blended with an antistatic agent, and the smaller the surface resistivity is, the larger the antistatic effect is, and the more excellent the antistatic performance is.
And also, if the [mmmm] is less than 0.89, the metallizability of the film is elevated but the rigidity of the film is reduced. On the other hand, if the [mmmm] exceeds 0.95, the film has a high rigidity, but the metallizability is damaged.
In this case, the metallizability means an adhesiveness between propylene base polymer and a deposited metal layer in a metallizing film obtained by heating and evaporating desired metal at a vacuum degree of 10xe2x88x924 Torr or less to deposit the above gaseous metal on the polypropylene film surface.
Also, the propylene base polymer of the present invention provides a film having a high rigidity and a good metallizability if the existential ratio of a meso dyad and racemic dyad in the pentad comply with a two-site model based on Bernoullian statistics, wherein a statistical parameter xcex1 falls in a range of 0.989xe2x89xa6xcex1xe2x89xa60.995, preferably 0.989xe2x89xa6xcex1xe2x89xa60.994 and more preferably 0.990xe2x89xa6xcex1xe2x89xa60.994.
When the xcex1 falls in these range, the film having a high rigidity and an excellent metallizability, is obtained.
The two-site model based on Bernoullian statistics is a model described in Y. Inoue, Y. Itabashi, R. Chujo and Y. Doi, Polymer, Volume 25, pp. 1640 to 1644 (1984). If the above statistical parameter xcex1 exceeds 0.995, the film having a high rigidity is obtained, but the metallizability is reduced. On the other hand, if the statistical parameter xcex1 is less than 0.989, the film has excellent metallizability, but the rigidity is reduced.
In the propylene base polymer of the present invention, the boiling pentane extractables (C5-Ext) have to be 0.5% by weight or more; the boiling heptane extractables (C7-Ext) have to be 5% by weight or less; and (C5-Ext) and (C7-Ext) have to reside in a relation of (C7-Ext) greater than 3.5xc3x97(C5-Ext). If the (C5-Ext) are less than 0.5% by weight, the antistatic performance and metallizability are reduced, and if the (C7-Ext) exceed 5% by weight, the resulting film is reduced in a rigidity.
When the (C7-Ext) are less than 3.5 times of the (C5-Ext), the low molecular weight components in the copolymer are excessive, and the resulting film is reduced in a rigidity.
In the propylene base polymer of the present invention, the solubles of 0xc2x0 C. or lower obtained by a cross fractionation chromatography have a weight average molecular weight of 7xc3x97104 or more, and the solubles of 50xc2x0 C. or lower have a weight average molecular weight of 6xc3x97104 or more. If the solubles of 0xc2x0 C. or lower obtained by the cross fractionation chromatography have a weight average molecular weight of less than 7xc3x97104 or the solubles of 50xc2x0 C. or lower have a weight average molecular weight of less than 6xc3x97104, brought about the problem that the resulting film is reduced in a rigidity.
Further, the propylene base polymer of the present invention is preferable which has such a composition that the solubles of 0xc2x0 C. or lower obtained by a cross fractionation chromatography have a weight average molecular weight of 7xc3x97104 or more; the solubles of 50xc2x0 C. or lower have a weight average molecular weight of 6xc3x97104 or more; and solubles of 90xc2x0 C. or lower have a weight average molecular weight of 6xc3x97104 or more.
The metallizability of the resulting film is reduced if the propylene base polymer has such a composition that the solubles of 0xc2x0 C. or lower obtained by the cross fractionation chromatography have a weight average molecular weight of less than 7xc3x97104; the solubles of 50xc2x0 C. or lower have a weight average molecular weight of less than 6xc3x97104; and the solubles of 90xc2x0 C. or lower have a weight average molecular weight of less than 6xc3x97104.
In this case, the cross fractionation chromatography is obtained by combining a temperature-raising elution fractionation method (TREF) with a gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and a crystallinity distribution and a molecular weight distribution of a polymer can be known at the same time. That is, it is a method in which a sample solution at high temperature obtained by completely dissolving a propylene base polymer in ortho-dichlorobenzene is charged into a column filled with an inactive carrier such as glass beads, and the temperature of the column is lowered to deposit the sample onto a carrier surface; then, the temperature of the column is slowly elevated while allowing ortho-dichlorobenzene to flow in the above column; the concentrations of the propylene polymers eluted at the respective temperatures are detected, and at the same time, the components eluted at the respective temperatures are sent to a GPC apparatus by every fraction by on-line; and the molecular weights and the molecular weight distributions of the respective components are calculated from the chromatograms thus obtained. The higher the crystallinity of the eluted component is, the higher the elution temperature is raised, and therefore a distribution in the crystallinity of the polymer can be known by determining the relation of the elution temperature with the eluted amount (% by weight) of the polymer.
In the method described above, a lowering rate of the column temperature, has to be controlled to a rate required for crystallization of the crystalline component contained in the propylene base polymer of the sample at the respective temperatures, and a raising rate of the column temperature has to be controlled to a rate at which dissolution of the eluted components at the respective temperatures can be completed. Such lowering rate and raising rate of the column temperature is determined by carrying out a preliminary experiment.
(1) Production Process of the Propylene Base Polymer of the Present Invention
The production process of the propylene base polymer of the present invention shall not specifically be restricted as long as it provides the propylene base polymer satisfying the characteristics described above, and the following process can be shown as an example thereof. That is, it is a process in which (co)polymerized propylene or propylene with other olefins using a catalyst comprising a solid catalyst component (A) comprising magnesium, titanium, halogen and an electron-donating organic compound as essential components, an organoaluminum compound (B) and an electron-donating organosilane compound (C).
The solid catalyst component (A) is a catalyst component for polymerizing olefin obtained by carrying halogenated titanium on a carrier comprising a primary structural component of an Mg compound precipitated from a solution state and can be produced by the following method. A magnesium compound represented by a formula Mg(OR1)n(OR2)2xe2x88x92n or MgR3m(OR4)2xe2x88x92m (wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 each represent independently an alkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group or an aromatic group having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, and m and n each represent independently an integer of 0 to 2) or a mixture thereof is reacted with a monohydric alcohol represented by a formula R5OH (wherein R5 represents a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms) or a polyhydric alcohol in an inactive hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of carbon dioxide to obtain a component (a).
The resulting component (a) is mixed and reacted with halogenated titanium represented by a formula TiXp(OR6)4xe2x88x92p (wherein X represents chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br) or iodine (I); R6 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group or a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms; and p represents an integer of 1 to 4) and halogenated silane represented by a formula SiXq(OR7)4xe2x88x92q (wherein X represents Cl, Br or I; R7 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group or a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms; and q represents an integer of 1 to 4), a siloxane compound having an Sixe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Si bond or a mixture of the above siloxane compound and a silane compound represented by a formula R8sSi(OR9)4xe2x88x92s (wherein R8 and R9 each represent independently an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group or a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms; and s represents an integer of 1 to 4) to obtain a solid product (I).
The solid product (I) is reacted with a monohydric alcohol represented by a formula R10OH (wherein R10 represents a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms) or a polyhydric alcohol and a cyclic ether and dissolved and reprecipitated to obtain a solid product (II). A component (b) comprising halogenated titanium represented by the formula TiXp(OR6)4xe2x88x92p is reacted with the above solid product (II) to obtain a solid product (III). A mixture of the component (b) and an electron-donating compound (IED) is reacted with the above solid product (III) to thereby obtain a solid product (IV) The solid product (IV) thus obtained can be given as an example of the solid catalyst component (A).
In this case, capable of being given as examples of the electron-donating compound (IED) are oxygen-containing electron-donating compounds such as alcohols, phenols, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, esters of organic acids or inorganic acids, ethers, acid amides and acid anhydrides, and organosilane compounds such as dialkoxysilanes and trialkoxysilanes.
To be more specific, capable of being given as examples thereof are methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, octanol, phenol, cresol, naphthol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, acetophenone, benzophenone, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, octylaldehyde, benzaldehyde, naphthaldehyde, methyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, vinyl acetate, propyl acetate, octyl acetate, cyclohexyl acetate, cellosolve acetate, ethyl propionate, methyl butyrate, ethyl valerate, ethyl stearate, methyl chloroacetate, ethyl dichloroacetate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl crotonate, ethyl cyclohexanecarboxylate, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, butyl benzoate, propyl benzoate, octyl benzoate, cyclohexyl benzoate, phenyl benzoate, benzyl benzoate, ethyl toluate, methyl toluate, amyl toluate, ethyl ethylbenzoate, methyl anisate, xcex3-butyrolactone, xcex1-valerolactone, coumarin, phthalide, diethylphthalate, dibutylphthalate, di-2-methylpropylphthalate, di-2-ethylhexylphthalate, dioctyl phthalate, diheptylphthalate, diisopropylphthalate, dipropylphthalate, dimethylphthalate, succinic anhydride, benzoic anhydride, ethylsilicate, dialkoxysilanes such as dimethyldimethoxysilane, diethyldimethoxysilane, dipropyldimethoxysilane, diisopropyldimethoxysilane, dibutyldimethoxysilane, diisobutyldimethoxysilane, di-t-butyldimethoxysilane, dicyclopentyldimethoxysilane, dicyclohexyl-dimethoxysilane, methylethyldimethoxysilane, methylpropyldimethoxysilane, methylisopropyldimethoxysilane, methylisobutyldimethoxysilane, methylcyclopentyldimethoxysilane, methylcyclohexyldimethoxysilane and isopropylisobutyldimethoxysilane, and trialkoxysilanes such as methyltrimethoxysilane, ethyltrimethoxysilane, propyldimethoxysilane, isopropyltrimethoxysilane, butyltrimethoxysilane, isobutyltrimethoxysilane, cyclohexyltrimethoxysilane, cyclohexyltriethoxysilane, cyclopentyltrimethoxysilane and cyclopentyltriethoxysilane. These electron-donating compounds (IED) can be used as well in combination of two or more kinds thereof.
Capable of being given as examples of the organoaluminum compound (B) are trialkylaluminums such as triethylaluminum, triisobutylaluminums and trihexylaluminum, and dialkylaluminum halides such as diethylaluminum halide. Further, a mixture of trialkylaluminum and dialkylaluminum halide can be given as an example thereof. Triethylaluminum and triisobutylaluminum can be given as the examples of the preferred organic aluminum compound (B)
Capable of being given as examples of the electron-donating organosilane compound (C) are tetraalkoxysilanes such as tetraethoxysilane and tetrapropoxysilane, dialkoxysilanes such as dimethyldimethoxysilane, diethyldimethoxysilane, dipropyldimethoxysilane, dibutyldimethoxysilane, diisobutyldimethoxysilane, dicyclopentyldimethoxysilane, methylethyldimethoxysilane, methylpropyldimethoxysilane, methylisopropyldimethoxysilane, methylisobutyldimethoxysilane, methylcyclopentyldimethoxysilane, methylcyclohexyldimethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane, diethyldiethoxysilane, dipropyldiethoxysilane, dibutyldiethoxysilane, diisobutyldiethoxysilane, t-butylmethyldiethoxysilane, dicyclopentyldiethoxysilane, methylethyldiethoxysilane, methylpropyldiethoxysilane, methylisopropyldiethoxysilane, methylisobutyldiethoxysilane, methylcyclopentyldiethoxysilane, methylcyclohexyldiethoxysilane and isopropylisobutyldimethoxysilane, and trialkoxysilanes such as methyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, ethyltrimethoxysilane, ethyltriethoxysilane, propyltrimethoxysilane, propyltriethoxysilane, isopropyltrimethoxysilane, isopropyltriethoxysilane, butyltrimethoxysilane, butyltriethoxysilane, pentyltrimethoxsilane, pentyltriethoxysilane, isobutyltrimethoxysilane, isobutyltriethoxysilane, cyclohexyltrimethoxysilane, cyclohexyltriethoxysilane, cyclopentyltrimethoxysilane, cyclopentyltriethoxysilane, octyltrimethoxysilane, octyltriethoxysilane, dodecyltrimethoxysilane and dodecyltriethoxysilane.
Among them, capable of being preferably given as the examples thereof are diisobutyldimethoxysilane, isopropylisobutyldimethoxysilane, diisobutyldiethoxysilane, propyltrimethoxysilane, propyltriethoxysilane, isobutyltrimethoxysilane, isobutyltriethoxysilane, isopropyltrimethoxysilane, isopropyltriethoxysilane, isobutylmethyldimethoxysilane, isobutylmethyldiethoxysilane, ethyltriethoxysilane, ethyltrimethoxysilane, butyltrimethoxysilane, butyltriethoxysilane, pentyltriethoxysilane and pentyltrimethoxysilane.
These electron-donating organosilane compounds (C) can be used as well in a mixture of two or more kinds thereof.
In the polymerization process for producing the propylene base polymer of the present invention, the solid catalyst component (A) is used preferably in a state that it is subjected to prepolymerization treatment by reacting in advance with a small amount of xcex1-olefin.
The prepolymerization treatment can be carried out using the solid catalyst component (A) and an organoaluminum compound (E).
The organoaluminum compound (B) described above can be used for the organoaluminum compound (E), and the organoaluminum compound (B) and the organoaluminum compound (E) may be the same or different. Triethylaluminum and triisobutylaluminum can be given as the examples of the preferred organoaluminum compound (E).
An electron-donating organosilane compound (D) can be used, if necessary, for the prepolymerization treatment. The electron-donating organosilane compound (C) described above can be used for the electron-donating organosilane compound (D). The electron-donating organosilane compound (D) and the electron-donating organosilane compound (C) may be the same or different.
Capable of being given as the examples of the preferred electron-donating organosilane compound (D) are diisobutyldimethoxysilane, diisobutyldiethoxysilane, propyltrimethoxysilane, propyltriethoxysilane, isobutyltrimethoxysilane, isobutyltriethoxysilane, isopropyltrimethoxysilane, isopropyltriethoxysilane, isobutylmethyldimethoxysilane, isobutylmethyldiethoxysilane, ethyltriethoxysilane, ethyltrimethoxysilane, butyltriethoxysilane and pentyltriethoxysilane.
These organosilane compounds can be used as well in a mixture of two or more kinds thereof.
In the prepolymerization treatment, an inactive hydrocarbon solvent is used for the polymerization reaction, and propane, butane, isobutane, pentane, isopentane, hexane, heptane, octane, benzene and toluene can be given as examples of this hydrocarbon solvent.
With respect to the use proportions of the respective catalyst components in the prepolymerization treatment, the proportions of a titanium atom (Ti) contained in the solid catalyst component (A), an aluminum atom (Al) contained in the organoaluminum compound (E) and a silicon atom (Si) contained in the electron-donating organosilane compound (D) can be selected from the ranges of 1000 greater than Al/Ti greater than 0.05 and 100 greater than Al/Si greater than 0.05, preferably 300 greater than Al/Ti greater than 0.1 and 60 greater than Al/Si greater than 0.1 and more preferably 50 greater than Al/Ti greater than 0.5 and 40 greater than Al/Si greater than 0.8.
The concentration of the solid catalyst component (A) in the hydrocarbon solvent can be selected from a range of 0.05 to 30% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 15% by weight and more preferably 0.5 to 8% by weight.
The prepolymerization treatment can be carried out at a reaction temperature falling in a range of xe2x88x9210 to 90xc2x0 C., preferably 0 to 60xc2x0 C. and more preferably 5 to 40xc2x0 C.
Ethylene, propylene, 1-butene and 1-hexene can be used as an xcex1-olefin used in the prepolymerization treatment. Ethylene and propylene are preferred, and propylene is more preferred. The amount of xcex1-olefin polymerized in the prepolymerization treatment is 0.05 to 100 g, preferably 0.05 to 30 g and more preferably 0.1 to 10 g per g of the solid catalyst component (A).
A method of feeding the respective catalyst components into the hydrocarbon solvent in the pre-polymerization treatment may be either of a method in which the components (A), (E) and (D) are fed at the same time and a method in which they are fed separately. The solvent used in the prepolymerization treatment may be separated from the catalyst subjected to the prepolymerization treatment by decantation, and the same solvent may be used or a solvent different from the solvent used in the pre-polymerization treatment may be substituted for it.
The main polymerization is carried out by using a propylene or propylene and olefin other than propylene, and capable of being used for a polymerization method thereof is any of a slurry polymerization method in which propylene is polymerized by using a hydrocarbon solvent, a solution polymerization method, a bulk polymerization method in which propylene itself used for polymerization is utilized for a dispersing medium in the form of a liquefied propylene and a gas-phase polymerization method in which propylene is polymerized in the form of gaseous propylene without using a dispersing medium. The gas-phase polymerization method is preferably used.
When using the slurry polymerization method, the main polymerization may be carried out in the same solvent as used in the prepolymerization treatment after decanting the solvent used in the prepolymerization treatment or a solvent different from the solvent used in the pre-polymerization treatment.
The respective components in the main polymerization are used in proportions falling in the following ranges.
A proportion of the total amount of aluminum atoms (Al) contained in the organoaluminum compound (B) and the organoaluminum compound (E) to a titanium atom (Ti) contained in the solid catalyst component (A), is selected from a range of 700 greater than Al/Ti greater than 5, preferably 500 greater than Al/Ti greater than 10 and more preferably 300 greater than Al/Ti greater than 10.
A proportion of a silicon atom (Si) contained in the electron-donating organosilane compound (C) to a titanium atom (Ti) contained in the solid catalyst component (A) is selected from a range of 300 greater than Al/Si greater than 0.1, preferably 100 greater than Al/Si greater than 0.51 and more preferably 60 greater than Al/Si greater than 1 a silicon atom (Si) contained in the electron-donating organosilane compound (D) used in the prepolymerization treatment shall be outside calculation).
When using two or more kinds of the electron-donating organosilane compounds (C), the compounds can be added so that the same mole ratio to each electron-donating organo-silane compound is obtained.
In feeding the solid catalyst component (A), the organoaluminum compound (B) and the electron-donating organosilane compound (C) each described above to a propylene polymerization system in the main polymerization, the components (A), (B) and (C) can be fed either at the same time or separately.
The main polymerization is different in polymerization conditions according to the selected production process but can usually be carried out at an industrially suitable polymerization temperature and polymerization pressure. For example, the polymerization temperature can be controlled to a range of 0 to 100xc2x0 C., preferably 20 to 90xc2x0 C. and more preferably 30 to 85xc2x0 C. In the case of a slurry polymerization method, the polymerization pressure can be controlled to a propylene partial pressure in a gas phase part falling in a range of 0.01 to 1.5 MPa, preferably 0.1 to 1.3 MPa and more preferably 0.3 to 1.2 MPa. In the case of a bulk polymerization method, the propylene partial pressure in the gas phase part is fundamentally prescribed by the polymerization temperature.
Further, in the case of a gas-phase polymerization method, the propylene partial pressure can be controlled to a range of 0.1 to 3.5 MPa, preferably 0.5 to 3.0 MPa and more preferably 1 to 2.8 MPa.
In the main polymerization, a molecular weight-controlling agent can suitably be used for the purpose to control a molecular weight of resulting polypropylene. Hydrogen can suitably be used as a molecular weight-controlling agent, that is, a chain transfer agent. Further, the polymerization can be carried out as well by disposing several polymerization vessels in series. In this case, the polymerization conditions of the respective polymerization vessels may be the same or different.
Further, in the main polymerization, propylene is homopolymerized or unsaturated hydrocarbons selected from ethylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene and 1-octene as the other olefin are copolymerized with propylene.
When using a slurry polymerization method and a bulk polymerization method, a component (a soluble polymer) dissolved in a hydrocarbon solvent or liquefied propylene can be removed from the propylene base polymer but can be added, if necessary, to the product.
Thus, the propylene base polymer of the present invention satisfying the requisites described in claim 1 or claim 2 is obtained.
(2) Polypropylene Film
The propylene base polymer of the present invention can suitably be used as a raw material for a biaxially oriented polypropylene film obtained by conventionally known film-fabricating processes, for example, a tenter process in which sequential orientation is carried out and a tubular process in which simultaneous biaxial orientation is carried out. A process for producing a polypropylene film using the propylene polymers of the present invention shall specifically be explained below with reference to the tenter process as an example thereof.
An antistatic agent and, if necessary, additives such as an antioxidant, a light-resisting agent, a weathering agent, a lubricant, an antiblocking agent and a colorant are added to the propylene base polymer as long as the object of the present invention is not damaged to thereby prepare a polypropylene composition. Usually, the composition described above is pelletized by means of an extruder.
A polypropylene film described in claim 4, is prepared by using the composition which additives such as an antioxidant, a light-resisting agent, a weathering agent, a lubricant, an antiblocking agent and a colorant are added to the propylene base polymer, as long as the object of the present invention is not damaged to thereby.
Usually, the composition described above is pelletized by means of an extruder.
Well known antistatic agents can be used for the antistatic agent. Anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants can be given as examples of the above antistatic agent.
Capable of being given as examples of the anionic surfactants are fatty acid salts, higher alcohol sulfuric acid ester salts, liquid fatty oil sulfuric acid ester salts, sulfuric acid salts of aliphatic amines, aliphatic amides, sulfonic acid salts of dibasic fatty acid esters, alkylallylsulfonic acid salts and formalin-condensed naphthalenesulfonic acid salts.
Aliphatic amine salts, quaternary ammonium salts and alkylpyridinium salts can be given as examples of the cationic surfactants. Capable of being given as examples of the nonionic surfactants are polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkylphenol ethers, polyoxyethylene alkyl esters, sorbitan alkyl esters and polyoxyethylene sorbitan alkyl esters. Imidazoline derivative surfactants, higher alkyl amino surfactants (pentaine type), sulfuric acid ester and phosphoric acid ester surfactants and sulfonic acid surfactants can be given as examples of the amphoteric surfactants.
Capable of being given as examples of a surfactant mixture are anionic mixture surfactants, cationic mixture surfactants, nonionic mixture surfactants, anionic and nonionic mixture surfactasnts and cationic and nonionic mixture surfactants.
The polypropylene composition molten in the extruder is extruded from a T die and molded into a sheet. Then, it is cooled and solidified on a chill-roll, and subsequently the above tabular molded article is stretched in a longitudinal direction (machine direction: hereinafter referred to as ┌vertical direction┘) by means of a heated roll to prepare a monoaxially oriented film. Then, the monoaxially oriented film thus obtained is introduced into a tenter, passed through a preheating part and stretched in a lateral direction (transverse direction:hereinafter referred to as ┌lateral direction┘), and it is rolled up to thereby obtain the polypropylene film of the present invention.
In the tenter process described above, the melting temperature of the polypropylene composition in the extruder falls in a range of 200 to 300xc2x0 C., preferably 220 to 280xc2x0 C. The preheating temperature in stretching in a vertical direction, falls preferably in a range of 110 to 160xc2x0 C.; the stretching temperature in a vertical direction falls preferably in a range of 110 to 160xc2x0 C.; and the stretching ratio in a vertical direction falls preferably in a range of 3.0 to 9.0 times.
The preheating temperature in stretching in a lateral direction, falls preferably in a range of 160 to 200xc2x0 C.; the stretching temperature in a lateral direction falls preferably in a range of 140 to 170xc2x0 C.; and the stretching ratio in a lateral direction, falls preferably in a range of 3.0 to 11.0 times.
Use of the polypropylene composition comprising the propylene base polymer of the present invention as a raw material makes it possible to prepare a biaxially oriented film at a high speed and a high efficiency by the tenter process described above. The resulting film can be subjected, if necessary, to heat treatment for stress relaxation or corona treatment and flame treatment for improving the printability and the metallizability.
Included in the film of the present invention are a laminated film prepared by laminating with other films and a metal-deposited film obtained by depositing metal thereon as well as a single layer film of itself.
Conventional methods can be applied as a method for depositing metal on the biaxially oriented polypropylene film according to the present invention. Capable of being used is, for example, a method in which prescribed metal is heated, molten and evaporated in a vacuum deposition apparatus having a vacuum degree of 10xe2x88x924 Torr or less, to deposit gaseous metal on a biaxially oriented film surface which is improved in a wetting property by corona treatment or flame treatment. In addition to the above vacuum deposition method, a spattering deposition method and an ion plating method can be used. Examples of metal used for deposition include gold, silver, platinum, copper, nickel, chromium, tin, titanium, zinc, germanium, aluminum and selenium which are usually used. In particular, aluminum is suitably used for a packaging material.
When the propylene base polymer described in claim 1 of the present invention, is used, obtained is the film having the satisfactory antistatic performance in practical use, by adding a small amount of an antistatic agent compared with those of a conventional propylene base polymer and the excellent antistatic performance by adding the same amount of an antistatic agent as used for a conventional propylene base polymer, and a polypropylene film having a high rigidity is obtained.
The propylene base polymer described in claim 2 of the present invention is suited for fabricating a film having a high Young""s modulus (excellent rigidity), a small heat-shrinkage ratio (excellent heat resistance) and a good metallizability. That is, conventional metal-deposited biaxially oriented polypropylene films have had the defects that the adhesiveness with metal is weak and a metal-deposited film is lifted and separated due to friction and that the deposited film is peeled off by blocking under a high temperature and a high humidity. However, the polypropylene film of the present invention is characterized by that it has an excellent heat resistance as well as an increased adhesiveness with a deposited film, so that it is less liable to cause lifting of the deposited film. Further, if a composition containing the propylene base polymer of the present invention is used for a molding material, a biaxially oriented polypropylene film can be fabricated at a high efficiency by a tenter process.

Propylene base polymer and a polypropylene film using the same


A grounding connector for an electronic device having a first housing element and a second housing element comprising a ground clip, a cam surface and a follower. The ground clip is electrically coupled to a first housing element, and selectably electrically coupled with the second housing element. A cam surface is positioned on the first housing element and in proximity to the ground clip. The follower is slidably positionable on the second housing element, and has a first end that engages the cam surface and a second end that engages the ground clip. The ground clip is electrically coupled to a second housing element while the electronic device is in each of the collapsed orientation and the articulated orientation. Upon movement between the collapsed orientation and the articulated orientation, the cam surface directs the follower to electrically decouple the ground clip from the second housing element.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates in general to electronic devices, and more particularly, to a grounding connector for an electronic device. The disclosure is well suited for application to a mobile telephone which includes a first and second housing element, although the disclosure is not limited in scope thereto.
2. Background Art
For electronic devices that have multiple housing elements, such as two housing elements which move relative to each other, it is difficult to create a good ground between the two housing elements. Generally a coaxial cable or flex cable is not direct or optimal for providing a good ground between the two housing elements. It is desirable to create a direct connection between the two housing elements for Desense, ESD and RF reasons, among others.
The difficulty of providing a direct connection is that during movement of the housing elements relative to each other, it is advantageous to disconnect the grounding contact, as rubbing contact while the components are moving relative to each other causes noticeable drag and undesirable wear to the plating on the grounding contact.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a direct ground connector which remains connected when the electronic device is in a collapsed orientation and an articulated orientation, but wherein the connection is precluded during relative movement of the housing elements.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a good ground connector when the electronic device is in a collapsed orientation and an articulated configuration while minimizing wear of the contact surfaces of the ground connector.
These objects as well as other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims, and drawings.

Grounding connector for an electronic device


Embodiments relate to systems and methods for implementation on a mobile device to force the mobile device into a secure state upon detection or determination of a triggering event. Once it is determined that a triggering event has occurred, each application operating on the mobile device is caused to immediately unreference sensitive objects and a secure garbage collection operation is performed upon the unreferenced sensitive objects to render data associated therewith unreadable. The mobile device is then caused to enter a secure state, in which the mobile device cannot be accessed without authorization. A microprocessor within the mobile device is configured to determine the existence of the triggering event according to a configuration data structure and to perform the secure garbage collection.

Many known mobile devices support objects, such as those in Java to send, receive, or at least use data, voice, and/or multi-media (audio/video). These objects may be involved in sensitive information from cellular networks and with many different services. However, garbage collection operations presently performed on mobile devices have security deficiencies.
A non-limiting example of the deficiencies includes collection of unreachable objects. For example, FIG. 1 shows a typical state of a heap between garbage collections of unreferenced objects. A typical garbage collector waits until memory becomes low before collecting unreachable objects. Thus, an object may become unreachable well before it is collected. This creates an unpredictable window of opportunity for an attack, especially if the memory recovery itself is not secure.
For mobile devices employing content protection, once the user locks the mobile device, there is a period of time between when the lock command or trigger is initiated and the device actually becomes locked. This delay presents a window of opportunity for an attack while the device finishes encrypting its data. During this window of opportunity, it is possible that the device may be subject to unauthorized access and some of the unencrypted data read.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method to force a mobile device into a secure state


A method, an apparatus, and a program of predicting an obstacle course, capable of appropriately predicting a course of an obstacle even under a complicated traffic environment, are provided. The course, which the obstacle may take, is predicted based on the position and the internal state of the obstacle, and at the time of the prediction, a plurality of courses are probabilistically predicted for at least one obstacle. When there are a plurality of obstacles, the course in which different obstacles interfere with each other is obtained from the predicted courses, which a plurality of obstacles may take, and the predictive probability of the course for which the probabilistic prediction is performed from the courses in which they interfere with each other is lowered. Probability of realizing each of a plurality of courses including the course of which predicted probability is lowered is calculated.

Conventionally, as a technique to improve safety of a vehicle such as a four-wheeled vehicle, a technique to avoid collision by determining risk that the vehicle collides with the obstacle with high accuracy is known. For example, the following patent document 1 discloses the technique relating to a collision avoidance apparatus provided with a yaw rate sensor for detecting yaw rate of a subject vehicle, a velocity detection device for detecting a velocity of the subject vehicle, and a radar device for detecting a position and a velocity of a surrounding obstacle.
In the conventional technique, a predicted travel trajectory of the subject vehicle is obtained by the yaw rate sensor and the velocity sensor and a predetermined area on both sides of the predicted travel trajectory is obtained as a predicted travel area of the subject vehicle, and on the other hand, a predicted travel trajectory and a predicted travel area of the obstacle are obtained based on a position and a velocity of the obstacle detected by the radar device. After that, a collision point or an adjacent point of the both is calculated from each predicted travel area of the subject vehicle and the obstacle. Also, collision risk is determined by calculating target deceleration and acceleration and target deceleration, and when the risk of collision arises as a result of the determination, a velocity control of the subject vehicle is performed according to the target deceleration and acceleration and the target deceleration.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2799375

Method, apparatus and program of predicting obstacle course


A turbine blade includes an airfoil, platform, shank, and dovetail. The shank includes opposite forward and aft faces corresponding with leading and trailing edges of the airfoil, and opposite first and second sides corresponding with pressure and suction sides of the airfoil. The shank further includes lugs extending outwardly from the two sides, with a first lug having an inverted skirt extending outwardly toward the platform to join the shank aft face. The skirt cooperates with a seal body when mounted in the engine for reducing inter-blade leakage.

The present invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and, more specifically, to turbine blades therein.
In a gas turbine engine air is pressurized in a compressor and mixed with fuel in a combustor for generating hot combustion gases. Turbine stages extract energy from the combustion gases for powering the compressor and producing useful work.
A high pressure turbine (HPT) immediately follows the combustor and includes one or more rows of turbine rotor blades which extract energy from the gases for powering the compressor.
A multistage low pressure turbine (LPT) follows the HPT and includes additional rotor blades which also extract energy from the combustion gases for typically powering an upstream fan in a turbofan aircraft engine application.
In yet another configuration, an intermediate pressure turbine (IPT) is disposed between the HPT and the LPT and includes additional turbine stages which also extract energy from the combustion gases for producing additional work. In this configuration, the IPT may be joined to a low pressure or booster compressor disposed upstream from the high pressure compressor for providing power thereto. And, the LPT powers an external drive shaft which may be used for powering an electrical generator in a typical industrial gas turbine engine application.
Since the rotor blades of the HPT are subject to the hottest temperatures of the combustion gases and rotate at high speed they are subject to considerable thermal and centrifugal stresses during operation. In order to improve their life and durability, the HPT turbine blades are typically formed of superalloys, such as nickel-based metal, for their enhanced strength at elevated temperature.
The turbine blades typically include hollow airfoils having cooling circuits therein through which is circulated cooling air bled from the compressor during operation. The blades also include an integral platform which defines the inner boundary for the hot combustion gases, with an integral supporting dovetail being disposed therebelow.
The blade dovetail includes one or more pairs of dovetail tangs or lobes which are mounted in corresponding dovetail slots in the perimeter of the supporting turbine rotor disk. Axial-entry dovetails are common and extend through axial dovetail slots disposed around the perimeter of the rotor disk.
Centrifugal loads generated during operation of the rotating blades are carried radially inwardly through the dovetail lobes into the corresponding disk posts which define the dovetail slots around the perimeter of the rotor disk. Since the blade airfoil, platform, and dovetail are specifically configured for different purposes they experience different thermal and centrifugal loads during operation which must be suitably limited for ensuring a long useful life of the turbine stage.
Correspondingly, the supporting rotor disks must also be suitably configured for carrying the centrifugal loads from the row of rotor blades with limited stress for ensuring the long useful life thereof as well.
Since the blade dovetails are discrete components spaced apart around the perimeter of the rotor disk and separated from each other by the intervening disk posts, corresponding inter-blade spaces or voids are created which must be suitably sealed during operation. Hot combustion gases flow between the blades during operation outside the blade platforms. And, cooling air bled from the compressor is channeled through the disk slots and through cooling channels extending radially through the individual rotor blades.
Accordingly, individual seal bodies are typically configured to fill the inter-blade voids between adjacent dovetails and above the corresponding disk posts therebetween. The seal bodies limit the leakage between the forward and aft faces of the blades when mounted to the perimeter of the rotor disk. These seals also control the operating temperature of the disk posts for maximizing the useful life of the rotor disk.
Turbine efficiency is affected by many interrelated parameters. Fundamentally, turbine efficiency may be increased as combustion gas temperature increases, but hotter combustion gases increase the heat loads on the turbine components which must be suitably cooled. Bleeding cooling air from the compressor in turn reduces efficiency of the engine since the bleed air is not used in the combustion process.
Furthermore, the aerodynamic profiles of the turbine blades themselves affect engine efficiency, and the airfoil configuration also affects thermal and centrifugal loads and stresses not only in the airfoils themselves but also in the supporting platforms, dovetails, and rotor disk posts.
In a recent development of a three-spool industrial gas turbine engine having an HPT, IPT, and LPT for driving an electrical generator, engine efficiency is being increased by improving the 3-D aerodynamic configuration of the turbine airfoils in the second stage of the HPT, for example. Modem analysis tools are being used to refine the 3-D configuration of the second stage airfoil for improving the efficiency thereof, which blades experience a larger twist relative to the axial dovetails than conventionally found. Such axial dovetails have proven durability in conventional turbines and permit corresponding long life of the supporting rotor disk.
The increased twist or turning of the airfoil root or hub at the inner platform correspondingly changes the load paths to the axial dovetail which is not similarly twisted or turned about the radial axis.
The airfoil hub turning requires suitably inclined or angled axial splitlines between the adjacent platforms in the row of turbine blades. The blade platforms therefore are twisted relative to the supporting axial dovetail and affect the centrifugal load path therethrough as well as the collective configuration thereof.
Since both the axial dovetail and inter-blade seal body are axisymmetrical the inter-blade spacing is affected by the 3-D airfoil and twisted platform which can lead to undesirable flow leakage between the blades.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved turbine blade having a twisted platform joined to an axial dovetail with features for reducing inter-blade leakage.


Techniques for utilizing a time-to-live timeout on a logical connection to a resource (e.g., a database) from a cache are provided. When a logical connection to the resource is obtained, a timeout is set specifying the amount of time the logical connection can be utilized. If the timeout expires, the logical connection is closed and the underlying physical connection can be returned to the cache.

The present invention relates to computer systems. More specifically, the invention relates to providing a time-to-live timeout on a connection that is borrowed from a connection cache.
In computer systems, it is common for an application to obtain a connection to a desired resource. An application programming interface (API) can define the calls that obtain a connection, access the resource, close a connection, and the like. For example, the Java database connectivity (JDBC) is an API that allows Java applications to connect and access databases.
Establishing a connection and closing a connection can take unwanted time and processing capability. Accordingly, it is known to pool connections in a connection cache. When an application wants a connection from the cache, a request for a connection from the cache is sent and fulfilled with a connection from the cache (or a new connection). When that application is finished with the connection, the application closes the connection and the connection is returned to the cache. Thus, if another application (or the same one at a later point in time) requests a connection from the cache, the connection can be readily been given from the cache, if available.
Applications, however, do not always utilize connections in an ideal manner. Sometimes, an application will not return a connection when it is finished. For example, an application that dies due to an exception may not inform the cache manager that it is done with the connection. Accordingly, some connection cache implementations utilize an abandoned timeout that will return a connection to the cache if the connection has not been active for a specified amount of time.
Just as it may be undesirable to have an application not use a connection for a relatively long period of time, it may also be undesirable to have a connection in the cache that has not been utilized for a specified amount of time. Accordingly, an inactivity timeout can be utilized to close connections that have been in the cache unused for a period of time longer than the timeout.
Although these mechanisms have improved the efficiency of connection cache systems, it would be desirable to have innovative techniques of improving the efficiency of connection caches. Additionally, it would be beneficial if this functionality could be achieved without requiring unnecessary changes to applications requesting and using the connections.

Time-to-live timeout on a logical connection from a connection cache


A new class of diketo acids constructed on nucleobase scaffolds, designed as inhibitors of HIV replication through inhibition of HIV integrase, is described. These compounds are useful in the prevention or treatment of infection by HIV and in the treatment of AIDS and ARC, either as the compounds, or as pharmaceutically acceptable salts, with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, used alone or in combination with antivirals, immunomodulators, antibiotics, vaccines, and other therapeutic agents. Methods of treating AIDS and ARC and methods of treating or preventing infection by HIV are also described.

The human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, encodes three key viral enzymes through its pol gene and these enzymes are critical for the replication of this virus [Fauci, Science, 239, 617-622 (1988); Katz & Skalka, Annu. Rev. Biochem., 63, 133-173 (1994); Frankel, Annu. Rev. Biochem., 67, 1-25 (1998)]. For this reason, these enzymes of the pol gene have been targeted as potential sites of attack in the development of HIV antiviral chemotherapeutic agents [De Clercq, J. Med. Chem. 38, 2491-2517 (1995); Clin. Microbiol. Rev., 10, 674-693 (1997); De Clercq, Nature Reviews: Drug Discovery, 11, 13-25 (2002)]. Drug discovery involving two of these enzymes, HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) and HIV protease (PR), and subsequent clinical applications of some of these therapeutic agents in combination therapy for the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS related complex (ARC) in HAART (highly-active antiretroviral therapy) have suggested that this methodology of targeting key viral enzymes represents a useful approach in antiviral chemotherapy [Johnson & Gerber, in "Advances in Internal Medicine," vol. 44. Mosby: St. Louis, 1-40 (2000); De Clercq, Nature Reviews: Drug Discovery, 11, 13-25 (2002); Miller & Hazuda, Current Opinion in Microbiology, 4, 535-539 (2001); Asante-Appiah & Skalka, Adv. Virus Res., 52, 351-369 (1999); Nair, in "Recent Advances in Nucleosides: Chemistry and Chemotherapy," Elsevier Science: Netherlands, 149-166 (2002); DeClercq, Intl. J. Biochem. Cell Biol. 36, 1800-1822 (2004)]. While HIV RT and HIV PR have been extensively studied with respect to therapeutics, the third enzyme of the pol gene, HIV integrase, has received much less consideration [Miller & Hazuda, Current Opinion in Microbiology, 4, 535-539 (2001); Nair, Rev. Med. Virol., 12, 179-193 (2002); Nair, Current Pharmaceutical Design, 9, 2553-2565 (2003)].
At present there are no drugs in clinical use for HIV/AIDS where the mechanism of action is inhibition of HIV integrase. HIV-1 integrase is a protein of 32 kDa encoded at the 3′-end of the pol gene [Asante-Appiah & Skalka, Adv. Virus Res., 52, 351-369 (1999); Esposito & Craigie, Adv. Virus Res., 52, 319-333 (1999)]. It is involved in the integration of HIV DNA into the host cell chromosome. Because integrase has no human counterpart and because it plays the significant role of completing the invasion of the human cell cell by HIV, it is an attractive target for the discovery of inhibitors of therapeutic potential.
Incorporation of HIV DNA into host chromosomal DNA in the cell nucleus catalyzed by integrase apparently occurs by a specifically defined sequence of 3′-processing or tailoring and strand transfer/integration reactions [Asante-Appiah & Skalka, Adv. Virus Res., 52, 351-369 (1999); Esposito & Craigie Adv. Virus Res., 52, 319-333 (1999)]. Prior to the initiation of the integration process, there is assembly of viral DNA, previously produced by reverse transcription, on the integrase. HIV integrase recognizes specific sequences in the LTRs of viral DNA. Following assembly of viral DNA on integrase, the processing of viral DNA occurs where there is site specific endonuclease activity and two nucleotides are cleaved off from each 3′-end of the double helical viral DNA to produce the tailored viral DNA recessed by two nucleotides and bearing a terminal CAOH-3′. For this initial 3′-processing step, integrase apparently activates the phosphodiester bond towards cleavage. The recessed viral DNA thus produced is joined in the next step to host cell DNA in the nucleus through a trans-esterification reaction. In this step, integrase positions the 3′-OH end of the viral DNA for nucleophilic attack on the phosphodiester bond in the host DNA. In the subsequent step, there is cleavage of 4-6 bp in host DNA and the coupling involves the joining of processed CAOH-3′ viral DNA ends to the 5′-phosphate ends of the host DNA. Finally, there is repair of the resulting gapped intermediate mediated by host cell enzymes, although a role here for the integrase is also possible.
A variety of compounds are inhibitors of HIV integrase but some of these compounds are non-specific inhibitors of the enzyme while evidence suggests that others may possess some specificity. The various classes include nucleotides, oligonucleotides, dinucleotides, and miscellaneous small molecules including heterocyclic systems, natural products, diketo acids, sulfones and others [Nair, Rev. Med. Virol., 12, 179-193 (2002); Nair, Current Pharmaceutical Design, 9, 2553-2565 (2003); Chi and Nair, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 14, 4815-4817 (2004); Nair and coworkers, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 122, 5671-5677 (2000)].
The class of previously studied compounds that are most directly relevant to this patent are diketo acids with aryl or heteroaryl substitutions. Some of these compounds are inhibitors of HIV integrase, but most commonly of only the strand transfer step. The integrase inhibition data have been reported in several scientific publications [Wai, et al., "4-Aryl-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid inhibitors of HIV-1 integrase and viral replication in cells," J. Med. Chem. 43, 4923-4926 (2000); Pais, G. C. G., et al., "Structure activity of 3-aryl-1,3-diketo-containing compounds as HIV-1 integrase inhibitors," J. Med. Chem. 45, 3184-3194 (2002); Marchand, C., et al., "Structural determinants for HIV-1 integrase inhibition by β-diketo acids," J. Biol. Chem. 277, 12596-12603 (2002); Sechi, M., et al., "Design and synthesis of novel insole beta-diketo acid derivatives as HIV-1 integrase inhibitors," J. Med. Chem. 47, 5298-5310 (2004); Zhang, et al., "Azido-containing aryl β-keto acid HIV-1 integrase inhibitors," Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 13, 1215-1219 (2003)]. Other publications in the area are of peripheral relationship to this patent application.
The mechanism of inhibition of HIV integrase by diketo acids may be the result of interaction of the functional groups on these compounds with metal ions in the active site of integrase, resulting in a functional sequestration of these critical metal cofactors [Grobler, J. A., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 99, 6661-6666 (2002)].
The most directly related patents to this application are: Selnick, H. G. et al., (Merck & Co. Ltd.), "Preparation of nitrogen-containing 4-heteroaryl-2,4-dioxobutyric acids useful as HIV integrase inhibitors," WO 9962513; Young, S. D., et al., (Merck & Co. Ltd.), "Preparation of aromatic and heteroaromatic 4-aryl-2,4-dioxobutyric acid derivatives useful as HIV integrase inhibitors," WO 9962897; Fujishita, T., et al., Yoshinaga, T., et al. (Shionogi & Co. Ltd.), "Preparation of aromatic heterocycle compounds having HIV integrase inhibiting activities," WO 0039086; Akihiko, S., (Shionogi & Co. Ltd.), "Medicinal compositions containing propenone derivatives," WO 0196329; Payne, L. S., et al., (Merck & Co. Ltd.; Tularik, Inc.), "Preparation of 1,3-diaryl-1,3-propanediones as HIV integrase inhibitors," WO 0100578; Egbertson, M., et al., (Merck & Co. Ltd.), "HIV integrase inhibitors," WO 9962520.
Some of the patents cited above are closely related. However, none of the patents or publications describe the class of compounds according to the present invention. In particular, compounds according to the present invention have a nucleic acid base (nucleobase) scaffold, which is a requirement for potent activity and which was not previously recognized.
Structures of the three most active compounds described in previous patents and publications are shown below. They are representative of the best of the previously known inhibitors. They inhibit the strand transfer step in the HIV integrase assay but do not show significant inhibition of the 3′-processing step of integrase action.
In vitro anti-HIV activity data   Compd. No:S-1360L-731988L-708906IC50 (μM):0.14*1.05.5**CC50 (μM):110*Not Given88.3**Therapeutic786*Not Given16**IndexPatents:WO 0196329WO 9962513WO 9962520Publications:Hazuda, D. J., et al.,Hazuda, D. J., et al.,Science 287, 646-Science 287, 646-650650(2000)(2000)*Anti-HIV-1 data of Yoshinaga et al from Proc. 9th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, 2002 (no 8, p 55) cited by DeClercq, Int. J. Biochem. & Cell Biol., 36, 1800-1822 (2004).**These in vitro anti-HIV-1 data were reported for compound L-708906 by the DeClercq laboratory [Pannecouque, C., et al., Current Biology, 12, 1169–1177 (2002)].
However, the class of compounds described by us in this invention is not only significant because of the strong inhibition of both the 3′-processing and strand transfer steps of HIV integrase, but also because of its enhanced potency and therapeutic index as evidenced by in vitro anti-HIV activity. Critical in the design of our compounds is the nucleic acid base (nucleobase) scaffold, which is a requirement for potent activity and which was not previously recognized.
As an example, in a side by side in vitro anti-HIV activity comparison with AZT (PBMC cell-based assay), the compound of the present invention shown below with a uracil scaffold (see also general formula I) had a therapeutic index of >10,000 and was more active than AZT (therapeutic index=5,511). This compound is also far more active than the anti-HIV integrase inhibitors previously described in the publications and patents cited above. The therapeutic index of the best known HIV integrase inhibitor previously reported (see compound number S-1360 in Table above) in in vitro anti-HIV assays was only 786.

Diketo acids with nucleobase scaffolds: anti-HIV replication inhibitors targeted at HIV integrase

University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.


A method, apparatus, and electronic device with mitigated lossy antenna resonance are disclosed. A transceiver chassis may connect to a wireless network. A slider chassis may move relative to the transceiver chassis between an open position and a closed position. A first temporary grounding connection between the slider chassis and the transceiver chassis may connect in a closed position. A second temporary grounding connection between the slider chassis and the transceiver chassis of the slider phone may connect in the open position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and device of a slider-design mobile telephone. The present invention further relates to mitigating unwanted coupling and lossy antenna resonance.
2. Introduction
Mobile telephone handsets may come in a wide variety of designs. The mobile telephone handset may be solid block design. The transceiver, display, and keypad may all be contained within the same housing.
The mobile telephone handset may be a flip-phone design. The transceiver and keypad may be contained in a transceiver chassis while the display may be contained in a display chassis. The display chassis may be attached at the bottom to a hinge at the top of the transceiver chassis. The display chassis may move away from the transceiver chassis.
The mobile telephone handset may be a rotating phone design. The transceiver and keypad may be contained in a transceiver chassis while the display may be contained in a rotational chassis. The rotational chassis may be attached at the bottom to a pivot at the top of the transceiver chassis. The rotating chassis may move rotationally while parallel to the transceiver chassis.
The mobile telephone handset may be a slider design. The transceiver and keypad may be contained in a transceiver chassis while the display may be contained in a slider chassis. The slider chassis may be attached to the transceiver chassis by a series of tracks, or some other mechanism that allows the slider chassis to move laterally along the transceiver chassis.

Slider grounding to mitigate unwanted coupling and lossy antenna resonance


The present embodiment relates to an optical connector capable of reducing a pressing force applied to each of a plurality of optical fibers simultaneously held by a ferrule and effectively reducing fiber damage. The optical connector includes a ferrule including a plurality of through holes and a plurality of optical fibers held by the ferrule with end faces of the optical fibers protruding from the ferrule. The maximum curvature of the end face of each of the optical fibers and a variation amount of a protrusion amount of each of the optical fibers are adjusted to enable excellent many-to-many PC connection.

MPO (Multi-fiber Push On) connector standards of IEC define, for an MT (Mechanically Transferable) ferrule that holds twelve single-core optical fibers (hereinbelow, referred to as "SCFs"), that a protrusion amount of each of the optical fibers from the MT ferrule is 1 μm to 3.5 μm, a variation of the protrusion amount of each of the twelve optical fibers (the difference between the maximum protrusion amount and the minimum protrusion amount) is 0.3 μm or less, and a curvature radius of an end face of each of the optical fibers (hereinbelow, referred to as the "fiber end face") is 1 mm or more.
Typically, in an MPO connector that optically connects a pair of MT ferrules each of which holds a plurality of optical fibers, in order to PC (Physical Contact)-connect optical fibers whose fiber end faces are opposed to each other (cores each located on the center of a cladding) with a low pressing force, the tip part of each optical fiber held by the MT ferrule (hereinbelow, referred to as the "fiber tip part") is protruded from the MT ferrule so that the cores easily make contact with each other.
On the other hand, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses an MPO connector that butts MT ferrules, each of which holds a plurality of multicore optical fibers (hereinbelow, referred to as "MCFs"), against each other to simultaneously PC-connect the MCFs located on one side and the MCFs located on the other side (referred to as "many-to-many PC connection").
Generally, an MCF also includes cores present at a position other than the central part of the fiber. Thus, in order to PC-connect two MCFs which are opposed to each other, it is necessary to bring the MCFs into surface contact with each other in a wider area than that in a typical SCF. Thus, in PC connection between MCFs, it is necessary to elastically deform a wide area of each fiber end face. Accordingly, a pressing force applied to the fiber end face of each of the two opposed MCFs is likely to increase as compared to a typical SCF. In Non-Patent Document 1, the fiber tip part is not fixed to a hole of the MT ferrule, and the protrusion amount of the MCF from the front end face of the MT ferrule is set at 4 μm or more, which is larger than a typical protrusion amount. Further, the center-to-center distance between a central core which is disposed on the central axis of the MCF and peripheral cores which are disposed surrounding the central axis is set at 50 μm.


A synaptic array according to the present invention comprises a plurality of electrically-adaptable elements. Electrons may be placed onto and removed from a floating node in each electrically adaptable element associated with at least one MOS insulated gate field effect transistor, usually the gate of the transistor, in an analog manner, by application of first and second electrical control signals generated in response to an adapt signal. The inputs to all synaptic elements in a row are connected to a common row input line. Adapt inputs to all synaptic elements in a column are connected together to a common column adapt line. The current supplied to all amplifiers in a column is commonly provided by a sense line. In order to adapt the synaptic elements in the M row by N column matrix of the present invention, the voltages to which a given column n of the matrix is to be adapted are placed onto the input voltage lines, and the synaptic elements in column n are then simultaneously adapted by assertion of an adapt signal on the adapt line for column n. The vectors of input voltages for adapting successive columns may be placed sequentially onto the row input voltage lines and used to adapt the columns of synaptic elements by assertion of the adapt signals on the appropriate column adapt lines until the entire array is electrically adapted. After each synaptic element has been adapted, the current flowing through it will be maximized when the voltage at the input of the synaptic element equals the voltage to which the synaptic element has been adapted. An electrically adaptable winner-take-all circuit has its inputs connected to the column-sense lines of the array.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to artificial neural networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to an array of electrically-adaptable synapses for use in a neural network.
2. The Prior Art
Several schemes for using a matrix of electronic devices for neural network applications have been proposed. To date, all such schemes involve using "weights" to control the amount of current injected into an electrical node "neuron". In most prior art structures, these weights were set by controlling the value of a resistor or the saturation current of a transistor. The limitation of any such scheme is that the value of any parameter of an electronic device in an integrated circuit is not well controlled. For example, the saturation currents of two MOS transistors of the same size can differ by a factor of two if these devices are operated in the sub-threshold regime. The "training" mechanism that adjusts the weights must take these uncertainties into account by iterating and testing the outcome of the weight adjustments process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,044 discloses and claims a synaptic element comprising an adaptive amplifier. The amplifier incorporates a floating gate element and may be adapted by exposing a portion of the floating gate of the adaptive amplifier to a source of ultraviolet light. This synaptic element may be used as a trainable synapse in which the weights may be adjusted to compensate for typical transistor nonuniformities and to otherwise manipulate the weights.
It is desirable to provide an adaptive mechanism which may be adapted by electrical means whereby the amplifier electrically adjusts itself to any uncertainty in device parameters, as part of the training process. Such a synaptic element is disclosed in parent application Ser. No. 07/525,764, filed May 18, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,920. This synaptic element has the advantage that it may be electrically adapted while the circuit is in its normal operating regime. The present application extends the disclosure of the parent application to include an electrically-trainable neural network.

Electrically adaptable neural network with post-processing circuitry