A metal plate and an electrode in a polymer lithium ion secondary battery or the like are welded certainly, and it is accomplished to further improve the reliability and the durability thereof. Each of an upper metal plate (7a) and a lower metal plate (9a) on the positive pole/terminal is welded to a pole/terminal of positive electrode (3) so that the pole/terminal of positive electrode (3) may be sandwiched from each of the upper and lower sides. Moreover, each of an upper metal plate (7b) and a lower metal plate (9b) on the negative pole/terminal is welded to a pole/terminal of negative electrode (5) so that the pole/terminal of negative electrode (5) may be sandwiched from each of the upper and lower sides. This eliminates occurrence of poor welding in the electric resistance welding.

Lithium ion secondary batteries have been used in recent years as a power supply with ability of charge and discharge of electricity which is incorporated in cellular phones or portable electric devices. Moreover, for example, batteries using a solid-like unfluidized electrolyte as the electrolyte without danger of liquid leakage are also known. There are various outside forms of such a lithium ion secondary battery, and the batteries, generally used for notebook type or pocketbook type portable electric devices and cellular phones, are flat type in many cases. In such a flat type lithium ion secondary battery, in order to produce electric current continuity between a main body of a secondary battery cell and the exterior, board-like electrodes are respectively located on the positive pole/terminal and the negative pole/terminal.
The pole/terminal of positive electrode is generally formed with thin aluminum or an aluminum base alloy having a thickness of about 0.07-0.1 mm by the press cut or the like, in order to satisfy the structural limitations in a part connected to the main body of the secondary battery cell, restrain and reduce the thickness of the whole secondary battery, and ensure high conductivity, and a metal plate (the so-called tab) further connected with the exterior terminal lead is welded to the tip portion in many cases. As the metal plate, materials with low electric resistance, excellent mechanical strength, and excellent weather resistance such as a nickel base alloy are used suitably in order to electrically and mechanically (based on strength of material) ensure the connection with the exterior. Moreover, the plate thickness is set, for example, to 0.1 mm or more in many cases.
The metal plate and the electrode are generally welded by the electric resistance welding or the ultrasonic welding, and the sure welding is strongly needed so that the metal plate may not be separated nor omitted from the electrode, while using the secondary battery or the like.
However, there is a problem that poor welding occurs in the case of the electric resistance welding between the above electrode and the metal plate.
The first reason for the difficulty of the electric resistance welding is the difference between aluminum and nickel melting points. That is, the pole/terminal of positive electrode is formed with aluminum or the aluminum base alloy, so the melting point is 660-700° C. On the other hand, the metal plate is formed with the material with both high mechanical strength and a comparatively high melting point, so the melting point is, for example, 1400-1455° C. in the case of the nickel base alloy. Therefore, the difference between the electrode and the metal plate melting points reaches about 800° C. Moreover, the boiling point of aluminum is 2486° C., the boiling point of nickel is 2731° C., and the boiling points also differ greatly.
The second reason for the difficulty of the electric resistance welding is the existence of an oxide film (aluminum oxide) formed on the surface of the aluminum plate. The melting point of aluminum oxide is as high as 2050° C., and in the case of the electric resistance welding between the aluminum plate and the nickel plate, it is necessary to dissolve the thin oxide film under the temperature of the weld part of about 2050° C. or higher. Here, the aluminum oxide film on the aluminum surface is generally called alumina, and the chemical formula thereof is Al2O3.
Thus, if a welding condition is set up so that the welding temperature may reach the melting point or more of the metal plate made of the nickel base alloy or the like, in the case of welding a pile of one electrode and one metal plate by the conventional general electric resistance welding process, aluminum or the aluminum base alloy of the electrode dissolves completely over a large area to the extent that the plate thickness is penetrated exceeding the size of a normal/regular nugget. Accordingly, the dissolved metal is spilt out, aluminum evaporates and scatters around violently after the aluminum plate of the weld part reaches the boiling point, or the like phenomenon occurs, which causes generation of a hole in the part and poor welding without the sure welding.
Moreover, when the welding temperature is adjusted under the melting point of the metal plate, such as the nickel base alloy, in order to avoid such a complete broad dissolution of the electrode, the poor welding such as the hole generation in the electrode or the spill of the dissolved metal does not occur. However, since the nickel base alloy on the metal plate surface does not fuse, the normal nugget of both the nickel base alloy and the aluminum base alloy is not formed, only the trace of the aluminum base alloy melting is left on the cross section surface after the welding, and the poor welding of the unsure welding occurs. Consequently, for example, the peeling test reveals that the electrode and the metal plate separate easily under very lower power than the specific tensile proof stress.
Then, it is desired that various conditions of the electric resistance welding are set in order to generate a distribution of the welding temperature in which the normal nugget can be formed from the junction surface between the metal plate and the electrode to the peripheral part. However, such a condition setup unavoidably becomes very delicate, since the difference between the metal of the metal plate such as the nickel base alloy and metal of the electrode such as the aluminum base alloy melting points, is too large. Moreover, the tip of the electrode pole is degraded and deformed as the welding is continued, so it is very difficult to continuously maintain the setup of the above preferable delicate welding conditions in the actual mass production process, and therefore it is difficult to reduce the occurrence rate of the poor welding.
In addition, if the positive electrode terminal strip is composed of a nickel plate like the negative electrode terminal strip, the electric resistance welding can be carried out. However, if the nickel plate composes the positive electrode terminal strip, the nickel plate may react electrically in the inside of the battery and dissolve, and thus it is not preferable.
As described above, it is technically difficult to perform the electric resistance welding of the thin aluminum plate and the nickel plate, and particularly, the welding of the positive electrode terminal strip and a wiring board is conventionally performed by the ultrasonic welding.
However, there have been the following problems in the ultrasonic welding. First, the setting ranges of oscillating strength and amplitude time of the ultrasonic welding are small, and it is difficult to maintain the optimum conditions of the welding. Secondly, it is difficult to stabilize the welding strength, and the poor welding may occur at a certain rate in the mass production process for manufacturing the products in large quantities. Because, in the ultrasonic welding, only a very thin alloy layer is produced at the interface between the electrode and the metal plate, both are in the weakly connecting state only on the surface in many cases due to increasing the roughness of both the surfaces, and it is difficult to accomplish the demanded electrically and mechanically sure welding state for the welded surface. Moreover, the natural oxide film generated on the surface of the metal plate made of aluminum or the aluminum base alloy presents obstacles, and the weak welding action by the ultrasonic welding tends to be still weaker. And if the electrode and the metal plate are welded weakly as described above, the electric resistance becomes high in the part thereof, with such unfortunate consequences as the voltage which can be transferred from the secondary battery cell outside through the electrode and the metal plate decreases or the electric current can be limited.
Thirdly, ultrasonic welding devices are more expensive than resistance welding devices, and the equipment expenses for mass production becomes high. Fourthly, the ultrasonic welding devices are larger than the resistance welding devices, and a larger floor space is required. Then, developments in the technique for welding the thin aluminum plate and the nickel plate by the electric resistance welding have been demanded.
It is necessary, for example, to weld for long time using the supersonic wave with still stronger energy density or the like in order to produce the still stronger welding state by such ultrasonic welding. However, if the welding is performed with such strong supersonic wave for long time, the electrode, made of the aluminum base alloy with the thin thickness and the lower melting point, dissolves in the range exceeding the size required for welding like the case of the above electric resistance welding, and the advantages of the ultrasonic welding itself cannot be employed efficiently. For example, if too strong ultrasonic welding is performed, a part of the electrode made of the aluminum base alloy is cut.
Moreover, although the utilization of the soldering method is also considered as a method of electrically and mechanically fixing the metal plate to the electrode other than the welding, the natural oxide film (alumina) as described above is generated on the surface of the electrode made of the aluminum base alloy, and therefore presents obstacles to the wettability and attachment of the solder, and the soldering becomes difficult. It is thought that the treatment of pre-applying powerful flux or the like to the surface of the electrode for processing the natural oxide film of the surface before the soldering is effective to overcome the above obstacles. However, the inevitable result is that the component of such a strong flux remains on the electrode or the metal plate after soldering, so there are unfortunate consequences that the remaining component may remarkably degrade the durability of the connection part between the electrode and the metal plate. For example, the remaining components may gradually corrode the electrode during the period of using the secondary battery, which would eventually be damaged, dropped out, or the like. Moreover, soldering the positive electrode terminal strip and the wiring board is not preferable, since the thin aluminum plate composing the positive electrode terminal strip is brought to high temperature, and the inside temperature of the battery also becomes high, resulting in the battery degradation.
The present invention has been achieved in view of the above problems. It is an object of the invention to provide a method of manufacturing a battery comprising the step of welding an electrode made of aluminum, an aluminum base alloy, or the like, and a metal plate made of a nickel base alloy or the like, in a polymer lithium ion secondary battery or the like, by means of an electric resistance welding process comprising an electric resistance welding step of securely welding the electrode and the metal plate, with eliminating the problems of poor welding such as hole generation or scattering to the surroundings due to the spilled metal in a welding part, and a battery with high reliability and durability in which a metal plate and an electrode are securely welded by such method.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method of manufacturing a weldment in which two or more objects being welded which made of a different material are easily welded by the electric resistance welding with high reliability, and a pedestal used for the method.

Battery, method of manufacturing the same, method of manufacturing weldment, and pedestal


The invention provides topical compositions and methods for using the compositions. The compositions can be used for the treatment of fibrotic or connective tissue disorders involving scarring, sub-dermal plaque accumulations, or fibrosis of muscle tissue. The disorders can be painlessly treated by the topical application of a composition described herein. One or more calcium channel blocker agents can serve as an active ingredient of the compositions, optionally in combination with, for example, one or more of emu oil and superoxide dismutase. The composition can further include pharmaceutically acceptable carriers that can facilitate the non-invasive transdermal delivery of the active(s) to subdermal sites.

Peyronie's disease has been known as a distinct malady for hundreds of years. The plaque of Peyronie's disease may develop following trauma to the penis that causes localized internal bleeding. While the symptoms and severity of the disease can vary, a common manifestation is a lump, plaque or scar tissue in the non-erect penis. The condition can result in painful erections and penile disfigurement, and is often associated with impotence.
Approximately one to ten percent of the male population experiences an incidence of Peyronie's disease in their lifetime. About 30 percent of men with Peyronie's disease also develop fibrosis (hardened cells) in other elastic tissues of the body, often in the hand or foot. Dupuytren's contracture of the hand and Ledderhose Fibrosis of the foot are examples of these conditions.
Peyronie's disease is typically treated with largely experimental approaches. Treatments that lack efficacy are discontinued and seemingly helpful treatments are continued. Surgery is the only current treatment for Peyronie's disease that has predictable efficacy. However, surgery can be undesirable and is usually indicated only after the disease has stabilized and the deformity prevents intercourse or causes extreme pain. Furthermore, surgery can result in various complications including a permanent shortening of the penis. While surgical intervention is currently the most effective treatment for a severe case of Peyronie's disease, the condition can reappear even after surgery.
There is a still a very strong need for effective therapies for Peyronie's disease and related connective tissue disorders. Most non-surgical treatments for Peyronie's disease are largely ineffective. Limited success has been found with intra-lesional injections of agents such as verapamil and clostridial collagenase. Laser technology has emerged as a means of reducing plaques and fibrosis. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of this approach has not been completely confirmed. The variety of treatment options for Peyronie's disease is testament to the serious need that remains for an effective treatment. A treatment is needed that would be tolerable to the patient in terms of cost, convenience, and comfort.


A method and apparatus for converting a high precision digital word into a high precision analog signal is disclosed. A sigma delta modulator applies a digital input signal to a dither signal to generate a combined signal for sampling. A digital-to-analog converter quantizes the combined signal. An analog filter provides a cutoff at a bandwidth of interest to remove out of band quantization noise and signals. An I transfer function and a Q transfer function can be coupled between the sigma delta modulator and the digital-to-analog converter for mapping of the combined signal. The apparatus can also include a phase interpolator for receiving the output signal and outputting a clock recovery phase.

Timing recovery units perform clock recovery and data retiming functions. Well known timing recovery schemes include a phase-locked loop (PLL). The PLL is basically a closed loop frequency control system, which operates by producing an oscillator frequency to match the frequency of an input signal. In this locked condition, any slight change in the frequency of the input signal first appears as a change in phase between the input signal frequency and the oscillator frequency. This phase shift then acts as an error signal to change the frequency of a local PLL oscillator to match the input signal frequency. Locking onto a phase relationship between the input signal frequency and the local oscillator accounts for the name phase-locked loop.
FIG. 1A illustrates a prior art timing recovery unit 10 as part of a high-speed transceiver, which provides receiver clocks that are synchronized to an incoming signal. The timing recovery unit 10 comprises a clock multiplying unit 15 including a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) 20, and a PLL loop 25 comprising a phase detector 30, a loop filter 40 and a phase interpolator 50. The clock multiplying unit 15 takes a reference clock and speeds it up to a high frequency. The VCO 20 is thus locked to the reference clock. A phase interpolator 50 takes the phase from the VCO 20 and shifts the phase either forward or backward to track frequency as well as phase from a received (Rcvd) signal. An output clock of the phase interpolator 50 drives a phase detector 30 which compares the output clock to the received signal and generates output current pulses proportional to the phase error between them. The output current pulses are filtered and integrated by a loop filter 40 to generate a voltage.
FIG. 1B illustrates a prior art implementation of the timing recovery unit of FIG. 1A. A quadrature low frequency analog control oscillator 60 is provided to control a phase interpolator 70. The control oscillator 60, which receives an input voltage, can operate from a positive frequency to a negative frequency. Phase interpolation is then performed to output a high speed recovery clock aligned with an incoming high speed signal. A benefit of this implementation is that the control elements are low frequency devices, and both the control oscillator 60 and the phase interpolator 70 are designed in analog form. A problem with this implementation, however, is that when the phase is "locked", the control oscillator 60 has to maintain that phase perfectly in perpetuity. Due to variations in manufacturing and introduction over many units, mismatches and imperfections degrade performance. The control oscillator 60 can cause phase errors induced by supply or substrate noise that can accumulate over many clock cycles. At higher frequencies, overload and saturation of the control oscillator 60 can affect the stability of the system. Leakage, drifts in frequencies, and other sensitivities caused by analog devices in prior art PLL's degrade performance and bit error rate (BER) targets.
What is needed is a PLL-based timing recovery unit that avoids sensitive analog circuitry, increases yield, and provides digital programmability in the system and preferably on the same integrated circuit chip. What is also needed is a timing recovery unit using both analog and digital devices to modulate phase and achieve sub-picosecond phase resolution in a timing recovery unit. What is also needed is a timing recovery unit that uses both analog and digital techniques on a single integrated circuit to convert a high precision digital word into a high precision analog signal while preventing an overload or saturation condition.

Phase noise shaping using sigma delta modulation in a timing recovery unit


A method for identifying a buried metal object using a three-dimensional steerable magnetic field (3DSMF) system. The method comprises generating a magnetic field vector (MFV) at a first MFV position above the buried metal object; measuring a time decay response at the first MFV position; generating a MFV at a next MFV position above the buried metal object; measuring a time decay response at the next MFV position; repeating the above steps until a complete 360-degree measurement of time decay responses of the buried metal object is completed; processing all measured time decay responses with a target search algorithm to determine a magnetic polarizability tensor of the buried metal object; and identifying the buried metal object by matching the magnetic polarizability tensor of the buried metal object to a known magnetic polarizability tensor of an object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to detecting and identifying metal targets in general and, more particularly, to a method for utilizing a steerable three-dimensional magnetic field sensor system to detect and identify metal targets, such as unexploded ordnance (UXO), underground utilities, high metal content landmines and low metal content landmines buried in the soil (or visually obscured) based on the electromagnetic response of the target to a time-domain wide bandwidth electromagnetic spectrum.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most electromagnetic induction (EMI) metal detectors use a loop antenna to create a magnetic field in the vicinity of a metal target for the purposes of detection and identification. One of the most important functions of a magnetic field antenna is to project a strong magnetic field at the site of the target.
Typical loop antennas are formed of multiple turns of wire around a central axis. The magnetic field strength of a loop antenna is a strong function of distance from the antenna. Far from the antenna, along the axis of the loop antenna, the field strength varies approximately as 1/r3, where r is the distance from the plane of the loop to the object. Off-axis, the antenna field strength and direction tends to be a very complex function of position, with the field intensity very strong near the wires in the loop and weaker near the center of the loop.
One of the consequences of the loop antenna's complex spatial field strength is the fact that a metal target is excited with a complex magnetic field. When a buried target of unknown depth is scanned with an EMI sensor, the spatial distribution of the excitation magnetic field at the target is not known. Some target identification algorithms assume that the target is excited with a uniform magnetic field. If the magnetic field is in fact complex, the target's time or frequency response to the field is not well characterized. This may tend to complicate or confound a target identification algorithm.
In addition, with the target at the center of the loop, the loop magnetic field antenna only measures the vertical component of a target's decay response.
In the time domain, a metal target can be modeled by defining a magnetic polarizability tensor:
      M    ⟶    =      (                                                      M              x                                                  (              t              )                                                0                          0                                      0                                                    M              y                                                  (              t              )                                                0                                      0                          0                                                    M              z                                                  (              t              )                                            )  where the diagonal components of the tensor are the time responses of the target to excitations in an orthogonal reference frame centered on the target. There exists a complimentary frequency domain version of the above equation. Models of this nature generally assume that the excitation field strength is uniform over the target's volume. For a loop antenna oriented directly over a target, the antenna only excites the vertical component of the target's time decay response, Mz(t). For accurate target classification, it is necessary to measure all three components of a target's magnetic polarizability tensor.
Recently, a steerable three-dimensional magnetic field sensor system has been developed that can project a strong magnetic field deeply into the ground; excite the target with a uniform magnetic field; and measure the three-dimensional components of the target's magnetic polarizability tensor (see International Application No. PCT/US01/13933, filed Apr. 30, 2002 and entitled Steerable Three Dimensional Magnetic Field Sensor System For Detection And Classification Of Metal Targets, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety). As noted above, prior art EMI metal detectors that use loop magnetic field antennas do not address all of these issues.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method of effectively utilizing the above-mentioned steerable three-dimensional magnetic field sensor system in an efficient manner and classifying (e.g., identify the type of) a metal target located below a surface.

Method for metal object identification using a three-dimensional steerable magnetic field antenna


A semi-conductor package in which an integrated circuit chip is connected to a substrate using wire-bonding is prepared by curing the die attach adhesive and encapsulating the wire bonds in one heating step. The encapsulant composition has a curing chemistry and a curing profile compatible with those of the adhesive.

Electronic devices contain numerous electrical circuit components, mainly transistors assembled in integrated circuit (IC) chips. Integrated circuit chips are mechanically and electrically supported on a substrate with either the active face (the surface containing the circuit elements) or the passive face confronting the substrate. This connection between the chip and its supporting substrate is referred to as first level chip interconnection.
A common method of first level chip interconnection is wire-bonding. The chip first is adhered to its substrate with an adhesive, typically in paste or film (tape) form. Depending on specific design parameters, either the active or passive face of the chip is adhered to either the active or passive face of the substrate. The active surface of the substrate carries a pattern of electrical terminals and usually electrical circuitry; however, the circuitry may be on the opposite surface of the substrate from the terminals. For the purpose of this specification, the active surface of the substrate refers to the side carrying the electrical terminals.
The substrate used in wire bonding can be either a rigid substrate, such as a metal leadframe, ceramic substrate, laminate, or it can be a flexible substrate, such as a polyimide flexible circuit.
The assembly is subjected to heat to soften the adhesive, the chip is contacted with the adhesive using light pressure, and then the assembly is put in an oven with a curing atmosphere of dry nitrogen to cure the adhesive. Typical curing schedules for epoxies are one hour at 150.degree. C.; typical curing schedules for polyimides are 30 minutes at 150.degree. C., followed by 30 minutes at 275.degree. C.
The active terminals on the surface of the chip are then connected to the active terminals on the surface of the substrate with a fine metal wire or ribbon in an automated operation known as wire-bonding.
The surface area of the applied adhesive may be smaller than the surface area of the chip in the case where the active side of the chip is attached to the substrate. This creates a gap between the substrate and the chip. After wire-bonding, this gap is filled with encapsulant by capillary action, and the encapsulant then cured. Alternatively, where the passive side of the chip is attached to the substrate, the encapsulant is used to cover the exposed active surface of the chip and the wire bonds connecting the electrical terminals of the chip with those on the substrate. Cure temperatures and times for the encapsulant typically range from 100.degree. C. to 175.degree. C. for one/half to two hours.
The encapsulated chip and substrate form what is known as a single-chip module or assembly. Other assemblies may contain multiple chips in a discrete package. For multi-chip packages, the procedure is the same for each individual chip. These packages, either the chip scale package or the multi-chip package, are in turn supported on a larger substrate, such as a printed circuit board, and interconnected with other electrical components. The interconnection between these discrete assemblies and the larger substrate is referred to as second level interconnection.
Alternatively, a bare IC chip can be directly attached to the printed circuit board in an assembly known as chip-on-board. Currently, the most widely used method for chip-on-board assembly is the wire-bonding method just described. However, the encapsulant is applied not just to the area under the chip, but also over the whole chip so as to protect it from environmental damage.
In addition to cost of materials, one of the major concerns in the semi-conductor industry is speed of manufacture, which itself translates into cost. If a process can be done faster with no loss in performance properties of the final assembly, the advantage would be an improvement welcomed by the industry.

Method of preparing an electronic package by co-curing adhesive and encapsulant

National Starch and Chemical Investment Holding Corporation


A method for reducing the interaction between carbon monoxide present in a heat exchange medium and metals on the shell side of heat exchange reformer apparatus used for reforming of hydrocarbons by treatment of the shell-side of said apparatus with an effective amount of at least one passivation compound containing at least one element selected from phosphorus, tin, antimony, arsenic, lead, bismuth, copper, germanium, silver or gold is described. Where volatile compounds are formed by the passivation compound, the method further comprises compound recovery to prevent contamination and deactivation of subsequent process steps. The method reduces side reactions, provides improved reformer tube lifetime and allows tubes to be treated in-situ without the need for process shutdown.

In the steam reforming process a process gas, i.e. a mixture of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam, and in some cases also carbon dioxide or other components, is passed at an elevated pressure through catalyst-filled heat exchange tubes disposed with in a vessel and which are externally heated on the shell side by means of a suitable heating medium, generally a hot gas mixture. The heating medium may be a combusting hydrocarbon fuel, a flue gas or the process gas that has passed through the tubes but which has then been subjected to further processing before being used as the heat exchange medium. For example GB 1 578 270 describes a process where a primary reformed gas is subjected to partial oxidation where it is partially combusted with oxygen or air and, in some cases is then passed through a secondary reforming catalyst bed (the process known as secondary reforming). The resultant partially combusted gas, by which term we include secondary reformed gas, is then used as the heat exchange medium, passed into the shell side of the primary reformer to heat the tubes. Where a secondary reformed gas is used as the heat-exchange medium, it normally contains methane, hydrogen, carbon oxides, steam and any gas, such as nitrogen, that is present in the feed and which is inert under the conditions employed. If flue gas is used as the heat exchange medium it typically contains large amounts of carbon oxides, steam and inert gasses.
Heat exchange reformers are typically fabricated from Ni-containing steels. Undesirable side reactions can occur under some conditions on the shell side of heat exchange reformer apparatus that are promoted by nickel and iron in the steel, particularly on the heat exchange tubes. The undesirable side reactions include methanation, shift and carburization reactions. We have realised that these reactions result either directly or indirectly from a catalytic interaction between metals in the steel and carbon monoxide (CO) present in the heat exchange medium. In steam reforming where the heat exchange medium in the primary reformer is the primary reformed gas that has been subjected to further processing, this problem is exacerbated by the desire, for economic reasons, to operate at low steam ratios, i.e. low steam to hydrocarbon ratios, which results in increased CO levels in the reformed gas used as the heat exchange medium in the primary reformer.
Methanation is the conversion of carbon oxides to methane and water, i.e. the reverse of steam reforming and is promoted for example by nickel. The CO reaction is depicted below;CO+3H2→CH4+H2O
The shift reaction is the reaction of carbon monoxide with steam to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen and is promoted for example by iron. The reaction is depicted below;CO+H2O→CO2+H2
Both these reactions can reduce the efficiency of the reforming process.
Carburization is believed to be, in part, the formation of metal-carbides on the surface of the steel by reaction of the metal with deposited carbon. The deposited carbon can result from both CO reduction and CO disproportionation reactions. These reactions occur on metal surfaces and may be catalysed by Fe, Ni or Cr. The carbon forming reactions are depicted below;                Reduction: CO+H2→C+H2O        Disproportionation: 2 CO→C+CO2
The carburization of steels is also known as 'metal dusting' and leads to corrosion of the metal surfaces, which may lead for example, to failure of the reformer tube. Increased levels of methane in the process gas may also arise via hydrogenation of the deposited carbon.
Because process efficiency and corrosion are effected by the carbon monoxide reactions it is desirable to reduce the interaction between carbon monoxide (CO) present in the heat exchange medium and metals in the steel on the shell side of reformer apparatus.
It is known that sulphur compounds such as dimethylsulphide added to a process gas in contact with a metal surface may suppress the carburization process, but have the disadvantage that the sulphur species formed are mobile and consequently may poison catalysts in subsequent catalysed process steps.
In WO 00/09441 a reforming process is disclosed wherein corrosion of the shell side of a heat exchange reformer by a high temperature secondary reformed gas used as heat exchange medium may be reduced by introducing a sulphur compound, such as dimethylsulphide into the secondary reformed gas after it leaves the secondary reforming apparatus and before it enters the heat exchange reformer as heat exchange medium. The amount of sulphur compound necessary to obviate such corrosion problems was stated to be such as to give a sulphur content of 0.2-20 ppm by volume in the secondary reformed gas. Because sulphur only binds weakly to the catalytic metal sites, to prevent contamination and deactivation of catalysts in subsequent process steps, the sulphur compounds were removed by passing the secondary reformed gas exiting the heat exchange reformer through a bed of a suitable absorbent for sulphur compounds, such as zinc oxide.
It has been found however that to be effective, higher amounts of sulphur in the heat exchange medium are required. However, increasing the level of sulphur in the heat exchange medium above 20 ppm by volume leads to difficulties with removal using conventional absorbents. Furthermore the provision of sulphur-removing apparatus adds additional cost and complexity to the reforming process.
WO 01/66806 describes a method for preventing nitridation and/or carburization of metal surface by adding a sulphur compound and a lower amount of a phosphorus compound to the process gas in contact with the metal. It is suggested that the phosphorus compound acts to prevent corrosive sulfidation of the metal surfaces that occurs when sulphur compounds are added to prevent the nitridation and/or carburization reactions. In the examples, addition of 2 ppm of phosphorus in the form of phosphorus pentoxide to a gas containing 20 ppm of hydrogen sulphide completely prevented the sulphur compound from adhering to the metal surfaces. However, it was also shown that if the metal surface was subjected to phosphine pre-treatment, nitridation of the metal was not prevented.
Attempts have been made to find alternatives to sulphur compound addition. For example, the carburization reaction may be reduced by using corrosion-resistant alloys prepared by alloying other elements with steel (see H. J. Grabke, Research Disclosure, 37031, 1995/69). Other elements cited included lead (Pb), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te). Antimony and arsenic alloys in particular were stated as having some effect on carburization however their effectiveness varied. This approach however, is expensive and cannot to be implemented in existing reactors without process shutdown.
Alternatively, the same author proposed that carburization may be reduced by applying a solution or slurry of Pb, As, Sb and Bi compounds to the apparatus however no details were provided on how this may be achieved.
Thus no methods have been disclosed that satisfactorily reduce the methanation, shift and carburization reactions on the shell side of reformer apparatus and in particular where the heat exchange medium for the reformer is the primary reformed gas that has been subjected to a further processing step comprising for example, a partial oxidation and secondary reforming step.

Metal passivation in a heat exchange reformer


A vertical semiconductor power device includes a plurality of semiconductor power cells connected to a bottom electric terminal disposed on a bottom surface of a semiconductor substrate and at least a top electrical terminal disposed on a top surface of the substrate and connected to the semiconductor power cells. The top electrical terminal further includes a solderable front metal for soldering to a conductor for providing an electric connection therefrom. In an exemplary embodiment, the conductor soldering to the solderable front metal includes a conductor of a high-heat-conductivity metal plate. In another exemplary embodiment, the conductor soldering to the solderable front metal includes a copper plate. In another exemplary embodiment, the solderable front metal includes a Ti/Ni/Au front metal. In another exemplary embodiment, the solderable front metal includes a Ti/Ni/Ag front metal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the cell structure, device configuration and fabrication process of power semiconductor devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel and improved device configuration and processes to manufacture trench MOSFET device with solderable front metal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional configurations of the trench semiconductor power devices in providing front metal as source metal contact and gate pad are confronted with the technical difficulties that the device configurations have limited capabilities of thermal conduction. The thermal conduction issues become even more pronounced when the semiconductor power devices are manufactured with reduced die size.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B for a side cross sectional view and top view of a device configuration as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,462,376 and 6,888,196 where the trench MOSFET devices have two dimensional source contact implemented with the tungsten plugs that extend into the source/body regions. The source metal contact is then electrically connected to the front metal composed of aluminum alloys. Aluminum wires are then formed on top of the front metal-layer composed of aluminum alloys. The thermal conduction of such device is limited when the die size is reduced due to an increase in the cell density. The thermal conduction path in a device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is through the back-metal (not shown) formed on N+ substrate with the heat conducted through the silicon, the tungsten plug, the aluminum front metal, and the aluminum wire to lead frame. The reduction in device die size results in less silicon area to transfer the heat generated during the times when the device is turned on. Moreover, the conventional aluminum wire bonding cannot provide adequate contact area to the front metal to efficiently transfer the heat to the lead frame. For these reasons, conventional device configurations of the semiconductor power devices encounter a technical limitation that would limit the device performances due the heat conduction difficulties, especially when the cell density is increased with the decreased die size.
As more semiconductor power devices are employed in portable devices, the die size for manufacturing the semiconductor power devices is further reduced and the cell density increased. Therefore, an urgent demand now exists in the art of designing and manufacturing semiconductor power devices to provide new and improved device configuration to resolve such limitations.

Device configuration and method to manufacture trench MOSFET with solderable front metal


An information processing device, comprising a reading unit that reads, from a recording medium that records information relevant to authentication, the information relevant to authentication, an acquisition unit that acquires information about a contact destination designated in association with the recording medium, when reading of the information from the recording medium by the reading unit remains continuously possible during a period of time between completion of a process instructed by a user who is authenticated based on the information recorded in the recording medium and elapse of a predetermined period of time after the completion, and a transmission unit that sends predetermined information to the contact destination specified by the acquired information.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, a computer data signal, a computer readable medium, and an information processing method.
2. Related Art
A system is available for authenticating a user, using a memory card or a memory medium, such as an IC card or the like, which records information. In the system using such an IC card, it is necessary to take measures against illegal use of an IC card left behind by the user. However, because of the measures, the user having lost their IC card cannot use a device until their IC card is re-issued.

Information processing device, information processing system, computer data signal, computer readable medium, and information processing method


A disposable tubing set having an array of flexible tubing and a method for holding an array of flexible tubing. The disposable tubing set has a frame for holding segments of the tubing. The frame includes at least two sides and a plurality of apertures defined in the sides. Segments of the tubing extend through and are completely enclosed by the apertures.

Hemapheresis refers to the separation of blood into one or more of its components or fractions such as red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma. In typical hemapheresis procedures, whole blood is withdrawn from a donor or patient, anticoagulant is added to the withdrawn whole blood and one or more desired components or fractions are separated from the anticoagulated whole blood.
In hemapheresis procedures, blood is withdrawn from a donor or patient through a needle that is inserted into the vein of the donor or patient. The needle communicates with tubing through which the blood flows (often with the aid of pumps) to a device that separates the blood into its components or fractions. The separation device is often housed in an instrument that controls and regulates many aspects of the hemapheresis procedure (e.g. flow rates). Hemapheresis procedures and systems that utilize an instrument and/or device that separates blood into its components without significant operator intervention are often referred to as "automated" procedures and systems.
Instruments used to perform automated hemapheresis procedures typically include a reusable hardware portion and a disposable tubing portion intended for one-time use only. The hardware portion may include pumps, such as peristaltic pumps for (1) withdrawing whole blood from a donor or patient, (2) introducing blood or blood components into a separation device for separating blood into its components and (3) withdrawing one or more blood components from the separation device for subsequent use or for return to the donor or patient. Either the hardware portion or the disposable tubing portion may include the separation device which, for example, can be a rotating centrifuge as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,172 or a rotating membrane as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,729.
The disposable tubing portion typically includes, among other things, the plastic tubing which transports the blood and/or blood components to and from the donor or patient and to and from the separation device. If a desired blood component is to be collected, the disposable tubing portion may also include plastic bags for collecting the desired blood component(s). Typically, the segments of the tubing are threaded over and engaged by the peristaltic pumps of the instrument. Peristaltic pumps include rotating members (rotors) driven by motors. Rotation of the pump rotors squeezes the tubing and consequently draws and pushes the blood or blood components through the tubing and through the system.
In the early days of automated hemapheresis, tubings of the disposable set were threaded over the individual pump rotors one at a time by the instrument operator. For example, in the Aminco (later Fenwal) Celltrifuge.RTM. Blood Cell Separator, tubing segments were individually threaded over six peristaltic pump rotors. Similarly, in the IBM/Cobe 2997, the individual tubing segments were threaded over six pump rotors. This required great care on the part of the operator who had to ensure that the correct tubing segment was mated with the correct pump rotor and that the tubing was properly loaded onto the particular pump, thus, significantly adding to the time required to "set-up" the hemapheresis instrument.
More recently, efforts have been made to reduce the required set-up time of the hemapheresis instrument. Several of the currently commercially available automated hemapheresis instruments utilize disposable sets which have combined the tubing in prepackaged modules, which may include housings through which the tubing is routed, or other means which allow the tubing segments to be quickly and correctly mated with the proper pump rotor. Placement of the module, housing or other means (containing the tubing segments) on the hemapheresis instrument results in simultaneous placement of the tubing segments over the respective pump rotors and ensures that the correct tubing segment is mated with the appropriate pump rotor.
One example of such a prepackaged module with integral tubing segments is the one used with the CS3000 (and CS3000 Plus) made and sold by Baxter Healthcare Corporation of Deerfield, Ill. and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,515 to DeVries (which is assigned to the assignee of the present application.) That patent describes a prepackaged fluid circuit module which includes a housing that can be removably positioned on a hemapheresis instrument in a predetermined relationship with respect to pump rotors. Tubing loops extending from the housing are disposed to interfit with selected pump rotors.
A similar device is used by the Cobe Spectra sold by Cobe Laboratories, Inc. of Lakewood, Colo. and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,339 to Bainbridge. That patent describes a pump housing or cartridge having continuous flexible tubing with U-shaped loops integral with the housing. The tubing loops mate with specific peristaltic pump rotors on the face of the Spectra instrument.
Another example of a disposable tubing set that includes an apparatus for holding tubing segments is the set used with the Mini-Autopheresis-C.RTM., also made and sold by Baxter Healthcare Corporation and described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,493 (which patent is also assigned to the assignee of the present application and which is incorporated by reference herein.) There, the disposable tubing set includes a tubing "organizer" in the form of a plastic rectangular frame. The frame is provided with slots for holding various tubing segments in a desired orientation. The frame is placed on the face of the instrument in such a way that the tubing segments are mated with particular pump rotors located on the face of the instrument. Another portion of the frame holds other tubing segments of the disposable tubing set in place so that when the frame is placed on the instrument, those tubing segments are mated with specific clamping devices on the instrument.
The tubing organizer described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,493 provides an efficient and inexpensive way of reducing the set-up time of the hemapheresis instrument. The disposable tubing set is preassembled at a factory where the tubing segments are manually inserted into the appropriate slots. As shown in the top figure of FIG. 11 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,493, the circular slots of the organizer frame include openings to allow the tubing to be inserted into the slots. However, because the openings are smaller than the diameter of the tubing, the tubing segments must be stretched, pinched and pushed into the slot to ensure proper placement. Occasionally, if the tubing has not been firmly placed within the slot, the tubing segment may become dislodged from the slot (leaving it to the hemapheresis instrument operator to reinsert the tubing into the appropriate slots) or the tubing may remain partially pinched or occluded.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a disposable tubing set having an organizer frame which includes the benefits of the earlier tubing organizer frame and improves the ease of assembly by eliminating the need to pinch, stretch and push the tubing into place. The present invention also improves the reliability of the frame by minimizing the risk that the tubing segments will become dislodged prior to use or pinched by the organizer frame.

Disposable tubing set and organizer frame for holding flexible tubing


A process for the production of durable photocatalytically active self-cleaning coating on glass by contacting a hot glass surface with a fluid mixture of titanium chloride, a source of oxygen and a tin precursor. The coating preferably comprises less than 10 atom % tin in the bulk of the coating and preferably there is a greater atomic percent tin in the surface of the coating than there is in the bulk of the coating. Preferably, the coating is durable to abrasion and humidity cycling.

It is known to deposit thin coatings having one or more layers with a variety of properties on to glass substrates. One property of interest is photocatalytic activity which arises by photogeneration, in a semi-conductor, of a hole-election pair when the semi-conductor is illuminated by light of a particular frequency. The hole-electron pair can be generated in sunlight and can react in humid air to form hydroxy and peroxy radicals on the surface of the semi-conductor. The radicals oxidise organic grime on the surface which both cleans the surface and increases the hydrophilic properties (i.e. wettability) of the surface. A hydrophilic surface is beneficial because water will wet the surface better, making the surface easier to clean with water containing little or no detergent. In addition, water droplets will spread over the surface reducing the distracting visual effects of rain or spray. Thus, photocatalytically active coated glass has a use in self-cleaning glass for windows.
Titanium dioxide may be deposited on to glass to form a transparent coating with photocatalytic properties. In WO 98/06675 a chemical vapour deposition process is described for depositing titanium oxide coatings on hot flat glass at high deposition rate. In EP 901 991 A2 a photocatalytically active titanium oxide coating deposited by DVD is disclosed.
Mixed oxide coatings of titanium with other metals are known. In GB 2 275 691 a glass substrate having a pyrolytically formed coating is described, characterised in that the coating comprises tin oxide and titanium oxide. The coating may be formed by contacting a hot glass substrate with a titanium containing precursor being the reaction product of octyleneglycol titanate and acetylacetonate together with a tin-containing coating precursor, for example tin dibutyl/diacetate. Similar mixed titanium/tin oxide coatings are disclosed in GB 2150044 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,687.
In WO 95/15816 sol gel processes for producing photocatalytically active titanium oxide coatings which contain tin oxide particles are described.
In WO 98/10186 it is stated that a photocatalytically active coating may contain one other type of mineral material for example an oxide of silicon (or mixture of oxides) of titanium, tin, zirconium or aluminium. It has been suggested in WO98/10186 that mixed oxides coatings containing titanium oxide or titanium oxide coatings may have advantageous optical properties for example by lowering the refractive index of the coating.
A problem arises with known photocatalytically active coatings based on titania in that the durability of the coating, especially to abrasion, may be poor. This is especially problematic because such coatings will often be used for their self-cleaning property and this use requires the coating to be on the outside surface of e.g. glazings where the coating may be particularly prone to abrasion.
The applicants have discovered that this problem may be addressed by depositing a titania coating containing tin on hot glass from a fluid containing a titanium precursor and a tin precursor.


The invention relates to a protective coating on at least one electrical conductor and/or semiconductor, especially an electric sensor, in which a porous first protective coating is applied directly to the surface of the electrical conductor and/or semiconductor and a gas-tight second protective coating is applied at least to regions of the first protective coating.

The present invention relates to a cover layer on at least one electrical conductor and/or semiconductor, especially of an electric sensor.
Cover layers for electrical conductors are known (DE-23 04 464 C2). They consist for example of barium-aluminum silicates, applied using the usual methods employed in ceramics technology. Such coatings are generally gas-tight cover layers.
In addition, porous cover layers are also known that consist for example of a metal, a metal alloy, an oxide, or a mixed oxide such as magnesium spinel, carbides, borides, nitrites of transition metals, or silicate minerals such as high-melting sintered glass or fireproof ceramic materials for example, which can also be applied as raw materials or mixtures of raw materials such as kaolin or talc, possibly with the addition of fluxes such as feldspar, nepheline syenite, or wollastonite, and then sintered.
In known protective layers, the gas-tight cover layer is applied to a solid electrolyte, while the porous first protective layer is located above the electrodes.
It has been found that when electrical conductors are covered with gas-tight cover layers, ions such as calcium, sodium, or oxygen ions migrate under the influence of the electrical voltages applied to the conductors, especially at higher temperatures, causing damage in the first protective layer and consequently in the conductors as well. In addition, discharges of oxygen ions can also release oxygen bubbles.

Cover layer for electrical conductors or semiconductors


Upper and lower contact discs (5, 6) are used for adjusting valve clearance with a mechanical cup tappet (1). The lower contact discs (6) have a substantially larger clearance adjusting range H.sub.SW than the upper contact discs (5). In this way, the invention succeeds in further reducing the total mass of the cup tappet (1) because, in an initial mounting of the cup tappet (1), the valve clearance is adjusted through the relatively small lower contact disc (6) and thus with relatively small mass fluctuations.

Valve tappets of the pre-cited type are used in valve gears of internal combustion engines and serve to transmit a lifting motion of a control cam to a gas exchange valve. It is known in this connection, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,198, to arrange both upper and lower contact discs in the region of the bottom of the tappet. In this document, which is considered as species-defining, the lower contact disc serves as a wear protection disc because the tappet housing as a whole is made of a light weight material such as aluminium. The upper contact disc of this prior art document, which has a substantially larger diameter than the lower contact disc, serves not only for an initial adjustment of valve clearance during assembly of the internal combustion engine but also for an adjustment of valve clearance in accordance to the operating periods of the internal combustion engine proposed by the manufacturer. During an initial mounting of the cup tappet already, adjusting ranges of, for instance, up to 3.5 mm fluctuations in thickness have to be realized. Thus, the force of the valve spring which loads the cup tappet towards the cam has to match the highest conceivable mass of the tappet and is thus higher than desirable. These possibly, relatively high oscillating masses of the tappet cause an unnecessary increase of friction work in the valve gear. In the case of subsequent adjustment of valve clearance during maintenance work on the internal combustion engine, the valve clearance is likewise corrected via the upper contact disc which therefore has a solid configuration. This means that upper contact discs in a large number of different thicknesses have to be kept in store by engine manufacturers and servicing stations. The main drawback of the prior art tappet of U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,198, however, is that it has a relatively large mass despite its light weight housing because valve clearance has to be compensated through its upper contact disc which is relatively "solid" compared to the lower contact disc and because it has a large adjusting range.

Mechanical cup pushrod for an internal combustion engine's valve gear


The present invention includes a sedation and analgesia system capable of gathering data from a single monitor associated with a single patient parameter in a manner that diminishes the probability of false positive alarms responses due to data artifact. The invention also includes a monitoring system that is able to detect imminent adverse patient conditions, where such conditions may be detected before an adverse patient condition actually occurs. The invention further includes methods for incorporating trend analysis into a sedation and analgesia system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to trend analysis and, more particularly, to trend analysis incorporated into the monitoring, processing, and output features of a sedation and analgesia system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sedation and analgesia system was developed to provide patients undergoing painful, uncomfortable or otherwise frightening (anxiety inspiring) medical or surgical procedures with a means for receiving sedative, analgesic, and/or amnestic drugs safely in a way that reduces the risk of overmedication with or without the presence of a licensed anesthesia provider. Due to significant advances in technology, the sedation and analgesia system is safe for use in hospital and ambulatory environments and may be operated by individuals other than trained anesthesiologists such as, for example, C.R.N.A.'s, trained physicians, or other trained operators. The sedation and analgesia system has gone far to meet the needs of practitioners who are unable to schedule anesthesia providers for every procedure where safe and effective sedation and analgesia could substantially mitigate fear and pain. The advent of a sedation and analgesia system devoted to these purposes provides these individuals with a drug delivery system integrated into a patient monitoring system that decreases the cognitive and manual workload required with the operation of anesthesia machines, yet keeps the clinician in the loop of patient management. The clinician maintains ultimate decision making responsibility following a "clinician knows best" philosophy. This advanced technology allows for a sedation and analgesia system to be operated at drug level effects less than general anesthesia without an anesthesia provider, providing the patient with a cost-effective and readily available means of sedation, amnesia, and/or analgesia.
An example of a sedation and analgesia system is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/324,759, filed Jun. 3, 1999 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This sedation and analgesia system electronically integrates, for example, the delivery of one or more sedative, analgesic, and/or amnestic drugs, the delivery of positive airway pressure, decreases or increases in drug delivery, the delivery of oxygen, changes in drugs to, for example, an opioid antagonist, requests for additional information from patient monitors, and the triggering of alarms, with the electronic monitoring of one or more patient physiological conditions. In one form, the system of the '759 application uses one or more sets of stored data-defining parameters reflecting patient and system states, the parameters being accessed through software to conservatively manage and correlate drug delivery to safe, cost effective, optimized values related to the conscious patient's vital signs and other physiological conditions.
Spurious monitored data or other factors may cause the sedation and analgesia system to take potentially hazardous action, to fail to take action in critical situations, or to alarm unnecessarily. For example, the sedation and analgesia system may be monitoring a patient's heart rate with an electrocardiograph (ECG) when the ECG becomes erratic. Based on the single monitor, the sedation and analgesia system may signal an alarm indicating, for example, a dangerously low heart rate, when the erratic ECG data is actually spurious. A high frequency of false positive alarms may annoy clinicians and may result in less attention being given to truly life-threatening conditions.
Generally, monitoring systems incorporated into medical devices monitor a given patient parameter with a dedicated monitor. Safe data sets are then established for the monitored parameter, where if monitored data falls outside of the safe range, alarm responses are initiated. Such systems may provide high sensitivity, where most true adverse patient conditions are detected, however, such systems may also be prone to false positive alarms that result from data artifact that falls outside of the safe data set. Further, many patient parameters, such as heart rate, in the event of an impending adverse patient condition will drop in a linear or monotonic fashion towards thresholds of the safe data set indicating an adverse patient condition. In existing monitoring systems, such a drop is generally not detected until the data is outside the safe data set; however, it may be apparent from viewing a patient's heart rate over time that an adverse patient event is imminent several seconds before the patient parameter actually drops out of the safe data set. Waiting until data crosses established safe data set thresholds may leave clinicians to play catch up in situations where a patient is already experiencing an adverse condition.

Systems and methods for providing trend analysis in a sedation and analgesia system


An image pickup apparatus capable of performing a zooming function without increasing a thickness of the image pickup apparatus, and obtaining depth information at the same time by using lens elements having different diameters, is provided. The image pickup apparatus includes lens elements, and image pickup regions respectively disposed in correspondence to the lens elements. At least two of the lens elements have different diameters. At least two of the image pickup regions have different sizes. A smallest image pickup region among the image pickup regions having a smallest size among sizes of the image pickup regions is disposed with respect to a lens element among the lens elements having a largest diameter. A largest image pickup region among the image pickup regions having a largest size among sizes of the image pickup regions is disposed with respect to a lens element among the lens elements having a smallest diameter.

1. Field
Apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to an image pickup apparatus including lens elements having different diameters.
2. Description of Related Art
Because thicknesses of mobile devices, such as mobile phones, are being continuously reduced, there is a demand to reduce thicknesses of optical systems of cameras disposed in mobile devices. When a thickness of an optical system is reduced, a focal length of the optical system is reduced, and thus a size of an image sensor is reduced. As a result, quality of an image picked up via the optical system may be deteriorated. The reason for the deterioration is that a number of pixels decreases as the size of an image is reduced. However, if a size of pixels of an image sensor is reduced in correspondence to the size reduction of the image sensor, images having sufficiently high resolutions may be obtained. Therefore, various attempts are being made to reduce pixel pitch of an image sensor. For example, a pixel pitch of current image sensors has been reduced to about 1 μm.
Meanwhile, because a thickness of a camera in a mobile device is limited, a unifocal lens with a short focal length is generally employed instead of a zoom lens with variable focal lengths. Therefore, it may be difficult for a camera of a mobile device to provide a zooming function. Most cameras in mobile devices provide a digital zooming function instead of an optical zooming function. In other words, because digital zoom is a function for magnifying a portion of an original image picked up by a camera merely via signal processing, quality of a magnified image may be deteriorated as an angle of view of the magnified image is narrowed.

Image pickup apparatus including lens elements having different diameters


A VPN server on a radio access network may initiate a virtual private network (VPN) over a shared network, e.g., Internet, on behalf of a wireless terminal. The VPN may span the shared network, but not span the radio access network. As a result, the radio access network may be able to analyze and manipulate data sent by the wireless terminal. Additionally, the VPN may securely transport the data through the shared network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communications and, more particularly, to a method and system for initiating a virtual private network over a shared network on behalf of a wireless terminal.
2. Description of Related Art
In a wireless network, a wireless terminal such as a cellular telephone or a computer with wireless modem may exchange signals with a radio access network. The radio access network may have a base transceiver station (BTS), which, in turn, communicates with a base station controller (BSC). The BSC may be coupled to a packet data serving node (PDSN) and/or a mobile switching center (MSC) and interworking function (IWF). The PDSN and the IWF may provide connectivity with a shared network, such as the Internet. The wireless terminal may communicate with a resource, such as a computer, on the shared network via the BTS, BSC, and PDSN or the BTS, BSC, MSC and IWF.
The radio access network and the shared network typically carry packets. Each of the packets is defined by a payload and a header. The payload has data, e.g., voice, video, or web content, to be transported over the radio access network and the shared network. The header has control information used by network elements on the radio access network and the shared network. The control information may include a source address and a destination address of the packet. The network elements may use the source address and the destination address to route the packet to a destination, e.g., the wireless terminal or the resource.
The wireless terminal typically initiates a virtual private network (VPN) over the radio access network and the shared network to securely transport the packets between the wireless terminal and the resource. The VPN securely transports the packets by encrypting the packets as a whole or, alternatively, encrypting the payload of the packets.
IPSec is a framework of open standards published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (I.E.E.E) for initiating the VPN. IPSec ensures confidentiality and integrity of data communications. IPSec provides methods for exchanging encryption/decryption keys with endpoints of the VPN, using the keys to encrypt and decrypt the payload of the packet, and adding headers to the packets. As a result, the packets can be securely transported over both the radio access network and the shared network.
The wireless terminal typically initiates the VPN so that the VPN spans both the radio access network and the shared network. The wireless terminal initiates the VPN by exchanging the encryption/decryption keys with the resource. Using the encryption key, the wireless terminal encrypts the payload of the packet. Alternatively, the wireless terminal may encrypt both the header and the payload of the packet. Then, the wireless terminal may insert the packet, as encrypted, into another packet having a source address of the wireless terminal and a destination address of the resource.
The wireless terminal sends the packet over both the radio access network and the shared network and to the resource. Network elements route the packet over both the radio access network and the shared network using the source and destination addresses in the packet. Upon receiving the packet, the resource uses the decryption key to decrypt the payload of the packet and the header of the packet, if necessary. The decryption key allow for recovering the payload of the packet as the payload existed prior to encryption.
Thus, the VPN allows for the wireless terminal to exchange packets with the resource over both the radio access network and the shared network without concern for the loss of privacy or integrity of the data in the payload.

Method and system for initiating a virtual private network over a shared network on behalf of a wireless terminal


A display system for two-dimensional displays wherein images are applied (e.g., photographically, printed or the like) to transparent sheets and transported through a viewing machine, the sheets being sequentially positioned in a back-lighted viewing window. The sheets are suspended from rods and stored behind the back-lighting area. The rods are arranged in a desired sequence in a storage rack having an entrance and exit. A chain is entrained on a circuitous pathway through the machine. The pathway starts at the exit end of the storage rack referred to as a pick-up station, then passes over the back-lighting area, extends downwardly between the back-lighted area and the window, passes under the back-lighting area and behind the stored display sheets to a return station that receives the sheets and directs them to the entrance to the storage rack, and then back to the pick-up station. The images are inverted on the sheets with the sheets suspended from the rods, e.g., in storage as they are inverted when positioned in the viewing window. As the sheets travel through the viewing window a guide channel lightly grips the sheets to keep the sheets taut for viewing.

Graphic displays as the term is used herein has reference to two-dimensional displays of all types and sizes which are intended to draw the attention of persons in the vicinity of the display, e.g., to influence decision making regarding products, events, etc. Such displays can be found in stores of every kind and description, (e.g., posters promoting products of the store), hotel lobbies, (e.g., back-lighted transparencies displaying facilities of the hotel), sporting events, (e.g., posters and transparencies advertising businesses of the community) and the like.
Whereas a shopper in a store will hardly be aware of the displays, it has been shown that such displays are noticed and purchasers are influenced by them. The competition for display space at the various locations is great and often the ability of a store owner to profit from the rental of display space is limited only by the space that is available.
It has also been shown that the type of graphic display makes a difference. For example, a back-lighted transparency gets more attention than a poster, and if the graphics of the display intermittently change, they get more attention than a stationary display. Displays that change by a visual rolling action capture more attention than instant display changes.


Embodiments include a liquid cooled electronic device including a compartment configured to enclose an electronic module therein. The compartment includes a stationary cooling plate disposed on an interior portion of the compartment, the stationary cooling plate comprising a liquid cooling system configured to remove heat from the stationary cooling plate and a plurality of electrical connectors configured to connect to the electronic module. The electronic module includes a mobile cooling plate configured to intimately fit with the stationary cooling plate when the plurality of electrical connectors are connected to the electronic device module. The heat generated by the electronic module is removed by the mobile cooling plate and the stationary cooling plate.

The present invention relates generally to an electronic device containing liquid cooled electronic modules, and methods for quickly removing and/or replacing electronic modules.
Normal operations of electronic devices are occasionally interrupted due to fault conditions. When this occurs, it is desirable to minimize the time required to repair the electronic device and return it to service. For this reason, electronic devices are often constructed with one or more electronic modules that can be quickly removed and replaced if needed.
In one example, an electronic device, such as a power supply, may have all the electronic components combined into a single module, which can be quickly removed and replaced without disturbing the enclosure, the incoming power connections, the circuit breaker, the outgoing power connections, or a combination of the above. In another example, a power supply may include several modules connected in parallel in order to increase the output current of the power supply. If one module fails, it can be quickly and conveniently replaced without disturbing the other modules or any of the other components of the power supply. In yet another example, a power supply may include several modules connected in series in order to increase the output voltage of the power supply. If one module fails, it can be quickly and conveniently replaced without disturbing the other modules or any of the other components of the power supply.
In general, the electronic modules may be air cooled or liquid cooled. In liquid cooled electronic devices, the electronic modules include one or more hydraulic connections where heat extracting fluids flow into and out of the electronic module under pressure. Quick replacement of air-cooled electronic modules can be achieved by providing plug-in connectors on the electronic module for the electrical connections. Liquid cooled electronic modules can also use plug-in connectors, but the replacement becomes more difficult due to the hydraulic cooling connections.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide a liquid cooled electronic module for an electronic device that can be replaced without disturbing the hydraulic cooling connections.

Liquid cooled electronic modules and methods for replacing the same


A boot assembly (10) and method for lining at least a portion of the periphery of a passageway between two compartments (4, 6) of a vehicle (8). The boot assembly (10) includes a boot body portion (16) formed to extend between the securement devices (12, 14) having opposed, first and second shoulders (24, 26). The securement devices are mounted proximate an opening formed in each opposed wall of the two compartments (4, 6). A retaining structure (20, 22) is provided on the body portion (16) to secure the body portion (16) to the securement devices (12, 14). The retaining structure (20, 22) includes a first lip portion (34) and a spaced apart second lip portion (36). The method for lining at least a portion of the periphery of a passageway between two compartments of a vehicle includes the steps of providing a boot assembly (10), inserting a first lip portion (34) of the boot into interengagement with a first shoulder (24) of a securement channel (12, 14), and deforming the second boot lip portion (36) to force the second lip portion (36) past the second channel shoulder (26) by rotating the retaining structure (20, 22) about the interengaged first lip portion (34) and first shoulder (24) until the second lip portion (36) passes beyond and resiliently engages the second shoulder (26).

With some vehicles the driver and passenger enclosure is provided by separate units which are joined together. Thus, cab and sleeper units of a truck provide one example of such a vehicle. The cab and sleeper are typically independently bolted or secured to the vehicle chassis. During operation, the truck cab and sleeper box move relative to one another as the chassis twists in response to travel across uneven ground. To accommodate this relative movement, the cab and sleeper are generally separated by a gap of up to three inches. The cab and sleeper units typically have opposed walls which are formed with an opening for convenient passenger access between the compartments. A weather seal is provided between the cab and sleeper to prevent moisture from entering the separation gap and passing into the passenger compartment when the vehicle is exposed to either elements.
One type of weather seal used with vehicles is a rubber boot. Mounting frames formed for retaining the rubber boot are secured to the opposed walls of the cab and sleeper units. Several attachment screws secure the rubber boot to the opposed mounting frames, substantially enclosing the separation between the adjacent units. A compression ring is often included to evenly distribute the forces which are exerted by the attachment screws. The rubber boot protects the interior of the passenger compartment by substantially preventing water and debris from passing through the aligned openings in the opposed walls, cab and sleeper box walls.
Several fastener-receiving holes are formed in the boot, with the attachment screws being inserted into the holes to mount the boot to the cab and sleeper units. When the vehicle is exposed to the elements, moisture may seep around the screws and through the holes formed in the boot. The moisture may then collect within the gap and pass into the interior of the vehicle, damaging the upholstery and potentially inducing the formation of rust. During operation of the vehicle, the boot will partially absorb the forces exerted by the relative movement of the cab and sleeper units. However, the vibration of the chassis and the forces exerted on the boot by the motion of the cab and sleeper units may slightly enlarge the size of the fastener-receiving holes, increasing the amount of moisture entering the passenger compartments.
The forces applied to the boot and attachment screws during operation may additionally gradually loosen the screws, with the rubber boot eventually becoming separated from the mounting frames. The released portions of the boot must then be secured to the mounting frame, or if necessary the boot must be replaced. Unless the driver has access to the tools required for replacing the seal, the driver must return the vehicle to an appropriate service facility if the boot loosens or pulls free during operation. Thus, maintenance, repair and replacement of the rubber boot assembly can be a time consuming interruption which may potentially significantly delay the truck driver.
A flexible boot assembly which is secured to the adjacent compartments without the use of fasteners and fastener-receiving holes would substantially prevent moisture and debris from entering the interior of the vehicle. By eliminating the use of screws or other types of fasteners, efficient replacement of the boot assembly may be completed without requiring specialized tools and a plurality of replacement parts. Such a fastener-free boot assembly would substantially prevent the entrance of moisture into the vehicle interior, even after long periods of continuous operation. Such a boot assembly would also absorb the forces exerted by motion of the cab and sleeper units without developing potential leakage paths.
One type of prior art flexible boot currently commercially available is mounted to a frame provided on the opposed walls of the vehicle compartments without attachment screws. The frame typically includes an opening formed to receive the flexible boot, which has opposed, arrowhead-shaped edges. The arrowhead-shaped edge, which is formed for insertion into the opening on the flange, is forced into the opening to secure the boot to the adjacent cab and sleeper compartments.
The arrowhead-shaped boot edges secure the sealing boot between the opposed walls of the adjacent compartments to prevent the leakage of water into the vehicle interior. The barb portion, large enough in size to hold the boot in place, requires a substantial installation force. The edges must be hammered or otherwise forcefully driven into the openings in the frame member. The installation of the sealing boot is both manually taxing and time consuming. The installation process is impeded by the restricted work area provided between the cab and sleeper. Moreover, to prevent release of the boot from the frame during vehicle operation, the arrowhead barb must be completely retained within the frame.
During operation of the vehicle, debris, snow and ice will collect on top of the sealing boot. The operational forces and vibration of the vehicle, and the weight of the material collecting on the boot, gradually urge the arrowhead-shaped barbs from the openings of one or both of the mounting frames. The arrowhead-shaped edge must be reinserted to prevent water from leaking into the interior of the vehicle. If the boot is not replaced, moisture will enter the compartments, eventually damaging the vehicle interior. Since the sealing boot is difficult to install, the time required to replace the sealing boot will significantly detain the driver. When replacement of the boot is necessary, the arrowhead-shaped barb must be disengaged from the channel. Manually removing the arrowhead-shaped barb from the channel is at least as difficult and time consuming as the insertion process, as the barb must be forcefully removed from the channel.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to have a fastener-free flexible boot assembly which may be installed without requiring the application of a significant amount of force to mount the boot to the vehicle. Should the boot assembly inadvertently become disengaged during operation, such a boot should be capable of being rapidly and efficiently re-installed without the expenditure of substantial time and effort. Moreover, such a fastener-free, flexible boot should be formed to withstand the forces applied during operation of the vehicle, including the weight of the snow and ice collecting on top of the boot, and should remain substantially intact during operation even in severe weather conditions. Still further, a flexible boot which may be manually removed without substantial effort would significantly improve the ease with which the cab and sleeper may be disassembled or the boot replaced.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a flexible boot assembly for obstructing the passage of water into the vehicle interior. The present boot assembly is installed without the use of screws, other types of fasteners or specialized tools, and it is easy to install and manually remove. Moreover, the fastener-free boot assembly of the present invention can be used in a novel method for conveniently and efficiently installing the boot assembly.
A primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a boot system for lining the passageway between compartments of a vehicle.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a boot assembly which may be easily installed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a boot system which will withstand the operational forces of the vehicle, preventing disengagement of the boot assembly during operation of the vehicle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a boot system which may be manually removed without difficulty.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a boot system which will withstand the weight of materials collecting on an exterior surface of the boot assembly.
A more general object of the present invention is to provide a boot system which may be inexpensively manufactured and efficiently and conveniently assembled.
The boot assembly and method of the present invention have other objects and features of advantage which will become apparent from and are set forth in more detail in the description of the Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention and the accompanying drawings.


A magnetic toner includes: magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic body; and inorganic fine particles that are present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles and are not a magnetic iron oxide and magnetic iron oxide particles that are present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles, wherein the inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles contain metal oxide fine particles, the metal oxide fine particles containing silica fine particles, and optionally containing titania fine particles and alumina fine particles, and a content of the silica fine particles being at least 85 mass % with respect to a total mass of the silica fine particles, the titania fine particles and the alumina fine particles; when a coverage ratio A (%) is a coverage ratio of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles and a coverage ratio B (%) is a coverage ratio of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles that are fixed to the magnetic toner particles' surface, the coverage ratio A and B/A satisfy prescribed ranges; and the magnetic iron oxide particles present on the magnetic toner particles' surface are from at least 0.10 mass % to not more than 5.00 mass % with respect to the total amount of the magnetic toner.

Numerous methods are known for the execution of electrophotography. At a general level, using a photoconductive material an electrostatic latent image is formed on an electrostatic latent image-bearing member (also referred to as a "photosensitive member" below) by various means. Then, a visible image is made by developing this electrostatic latent image with toner; as necessary the toner image is transferred to a recording medium such as paper; and a copied article is obtained by fixing the toner image on the recording medium by, for example, the application of heat or pressure. For example, copiers and printers are image-forming apparatuses that use such an electrophotographic procedure.
Previously, these printers and copiers were connected in networks and such printers were often tasked with printing from a large number of people. However, the modalities of use have grown increasingly diverse in recent years, and, for example, personal computers (PCs) and printers are also located locally outside the office and its normal environment, i.e., in high-temperature, high-humidity environments or low-temperature, low-humidity environments, and situations in which a task or activity is accomplished by printing an image are also on the increase. As a consequence, smaller size, high durability, and the ability to adapt to a wide range of environments are strongly desired in a printer.
A magnetic monocomponent development procedure using a magnetic toner (also referred to below simply as toner) is preferably used in relation to downsizing and high durability. When the environmental adaptability is more closely considered, the humidity presents itself among environmental factors as a factor that has a major influence on electrophotographic technology. The humidity contributes to quality variations in the development step as it has an effect on the amount and distribution of toner charge, and meanwhile it also has a major effect on the transfer step.
Considering problems related to the transfer step more closely, transfer defects are an example of image defects that are realized when there are problems during transfer. In the transfer step, the toner on the electrostatic latent image-bearing member is subjected to a transfer bias and is transferred onto the recording medium by electrostatic attraction. At this point, toner may remain on the electrostatic latent image-bearing member without undergoing transfer and the toner layer may undergo disturbances during transfer and defects and nonuniformity on the image may be produced as a result. These are called transfer defects. A discharge phenomenon—which can occur between the electrostatic latent image-bearing member and the transfer material due to the large bias being applied between the electrostatic latent image-bearing member and the transfer material—is a cause of transfer defects. When discharge occurs, the toner becomes an inversion component without maintaining the original amount of charge and undergoes re-transfer to the electrostatic latent image-bearing member. Due to this, the toner remaining on the electrostatic latent image-bearing member increases and the image may be disturbed and white voids may be formed.
In order to improve the transferability, countermeasures have been pursued to date through the external addition of a magnetic body while maintaining the flowability (Patent Literature 1, Patent Literature 2). However, the effects are inadequate in a high-humidity environment, in which discharge readily occurs.
On the other hand, toners have been disclosed that have sought to solve problems by focusing on the release of external additives (refer to Patent Literatures 3 and 4), but toner transferability again cannot be regarded as adequate in these cases.
Moreover, Patent Literature 5 teaches stabilization of the development—transfer steps by controlling the total coverage ratio of the toner base particles by the external additives, and a certain effect is in fact obtained by controlling the theoretical coverage ratio, provided by calculation, for a certain prescribed toner base particle. However, the actual state of adhesion by external additives is substantially different from the value calculated assuming the toner to be a sphere, and this theoretical coverage ratio has little effect with regard to the transferability in a high-humidity environment, which is the problem identified above, and improvement has thus been required.


A charging device for closed arc furnaces having at least one electrode around which the charge material is concentrically fed into the furnace. Conveyor devices run in protected fashion in an annular chamber disposed above a furnace cover. A plurality of magnets are suspended from the conveyor devices into the upper vessel of the furnace. A material feeding device enters the upper vessel through a passage in the upper vessel wall. The passage is provided with a sealing device to prevent gases from the upper vessel from escaping or the material feeding device may be enclosed in a gas-tight lock. The magnets pick-up the charge material from the material feeding device and deposit it concentrically around the electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a charging device for closed arc furnaces, and more particularly, to a charging device for closed arc furnaces having at least one electrode, especially for melting scrap, in which the charge is fed concentrically and evenly all around the electrode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Evenly loading the charge into the melting furnace contributes significantly to the reliable operation of the melting aggregate. This is especially true in the case of low-shaft furnaces that are designed with relatively high shafts and thus relatively high stock columns. While arc furnaces that can be closed with a cover are usually charged by means of a basket, there are various ways to load the material to be melted, including the flux agent, into the furnace head.
For example, German Patent Number DE 31 07 016 C2 discloses an arc furnace for melting ferriferous material, which loads the charge into the furnace by means of a reversible conveyor and discharge devices located at its end with associated charging tubes. In order to deposit the charge material fairly evenly on the stock column, it is disadvantageously necessary to have several charging tubes leading to the furnace head to fill a furnace.
Furthermore, a device for charging electrothermal melting furnaces is known from German Patent Number DE 33 14 943 C2, in which the charge is fed through the furnace roof concentrically to the electrode and evenly around the electrode. An annular chamber is provided, having a bottom with at least one closable opening that leads to the furnace vessel, through which the charge can be fed into the upper furnace vessel. The bottom of this annular chamber can be turned separately, so that the charge falls through the then opened opening into the furnace. In the charging device disclosed in DE 33 14 943 C2, the charge material falls from a great height onto the bottom of the empty annular chamber and there, when the bottom undergoes a turning movement, is spread over it, relatively, with high abrasion. In addition, this complicated device requires the movement of large and heavy parts, so that it is suitable only for relatively light bulk materials.


A heat dissipation assembly includes a blower holder, a blower, a first heat sink and a second heat sink. The blower includes an inlet and an outlet and is attached to the blower holder. The blower holder is secured to the first heat sink with the inlet of the blower exposed to the first heat sink. The second heat sink is mounted to the blower holder and confronts the outlet of the blower. The second heat sink thermally connects with the first heat sink via heat pipes.

1. Field
This invention is related to a heat dissipation assembly, and particularly to a heat dissipation assembly having a blower for dissipated heat generated by heat generating electronic devices.
2. Prior Art
It is well known that, during operation of a computer, electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs) frequently generate large amounts of heat. The heat must be quickly removed from the electronic device to prevent it from becoming unstable or being damaged. Typically, a heat sink is attached to an outer surface of the electronic device to absorb heat from the electronic device. The heat absorbed by the heat sink is then dissipated to ambient air.
Generally, a heat sink mainly comprises a heat conducting base and a plurality of heat dissipating fins extending from one face of the base. In use, the base has a face opposite the fins attached to an electronic device to absorb heat generated by the electronic device; then, the heat reaches the fins to be dissipated to the ambient air.
With the development of computer industry, electronic devices of the computer have more and more powerful capacity. Consequently, more and more heat is produced by the electronic devices. The heat sink aforesaid can not duly remove the heat from the electronic device; as a result, the heat accumulates in the electronic device and the heat sink, which produces adverse impact to the function of the electronic device. For enhancing the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat sink, a fan is typically desired to be combined thereto. Generally, the fan is an axial fan and located atop the fins of the heat sink to provide forced airflow to the fins to accelerate heat convection therein. However, the speedy upgrading trend in computer industry causes electronic devices to become more integration and powerful function, which results in more heat produced in the computer. Furthermore, a height of the computer is required to be smaller and smaller. The conventional axial fan can not meet such trends due to firstly a low air pressure thereof and secondly the mounting of the fan on the heat sink.
In order to overcome aforesaid disadvantages of the conventional heat dissipation device, a blower is used instead of the axial fan. The blower generally produces higher air pressure in comparison with the axial fan. The blower has an inlet for air entering thereto and an outlet for air flowing out of there. Generally, the blower located at a lateral side of the heat sink. The outlet confronts to the heat sink to blow cool air thereto. The air pressure of the blower at the inlet and the outlet of the blower both are high when the blower works. However, in the conventional heat dissipation device having a blower, only the airflow through either the inlet or the outlet of the blower is used to dissipate the heat generated by a heat generating electronic device. The high-pressured airflow produced by the blower is not fully utilized; that is to say, the blower of the heat dissipation device is not fully utilized. Therefore, the conventional heat dissipation device having a blower needs to be improved.

Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Quangdong Province

Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.