A power train of a 7-speed transmission for a vehicle is provided which comprises a first, a second, and a third single-pinion planetary gear set on an input shaft. A first ring gear and a second planetary carrier, a second ring gear and a third planetary carrier, a third ring gear and a first planetary carrier are respectively fixedly connected. A first brake selectively connects a first sun gear to a transmission case, a second sun gear is fixedly connected to the input shaft to operate always as an input element, and a third brake selectively connects a third sun gear to the transmission case.

Generally, vehicle companies develop different types of power trains for automatic transmissions for vehicles. A 4-speed or 5-speed automatic transmission is usually adopted, and a 6-speed automatic transmission has also been developed and applied to vehicles. Recently, efforts have been made to develop a 7-speed automatic transmission.
For example, by assembling a single-pinion planetary gear set and a Ravineaux-type compound planetary gear set through three clutches and three brakes, seven speeds can be realized. More concretely, a single-pinion planetary gear set is disposed in a rear portion of a compound planetary gear set. A first planetary carrier of the single-pinion planetary gear set is directly connected to an input shaft such that the first planetary carrier always acts as an input element. A first clutch connects a first ring gear and a third sun gear of the compound planetary gear set, and a second clutch connects the first ring gear and a second sun gear of the compound planetary gear set.
A third clutch, operating as a variable input element, connects the second and third planetary carriers of the compound planetary gear set to the input shaft. At the same time, the second and third planetary carriers of the compound planetary gear set are variably connected to a transmission case through a first brake to selectively operate as a reaction element. A third ring gear of the compound planetary gear set is connected to an output gear to operate as an output element.
In addition, the second and third planetary carriers of the compound planetary gear set are connected to the transmission case by a one way clutch OWC such that a rotation of the second and third planetary carriers can be prevented, and a second brake is disposed between the transmission case and the second sun gear of the compound planetary gear set so that the second sun gear of the compound planetary gear set can operate as a selective reaction element. A first sun gear of the single-pinion planetary gear set is connected to the transmission case by a third brake so that the first sun gear of the single-pinion planetary gear set can operate as a selective reaction element.
In the power train as described above, a first speed is achieved by operating the first clutch and the first and third brakes. A second speed is achieved by canceling the first brake from its operation in the first speed, and operating the second brake. A third speed is achieved by canceling the second brake from its operation in the second speed, and operating the second clutch. A fourth speed is achieved by canceling the second clutch from its operation in the third speed, and operating the third clutch. A fifth speed is achieved through canceling the third brake from its operation in the fourth speed, and operating the second clutch. A sixth speed is achieved by canceling the operation of the first clutch, and operating the third brake. A seventh speed is achieved by canceling the second clutch from its operation in the sixth speed, and operating the second brake. Finally, reverse achieved by operating the second clutch, and the first and third brakes.
Although such a power train realizes seven forward speeds and a reverse speed, its adoption of a Ravineaux-type compound planetary gear set that is very large in the radial direction results in drag torque, and involves many operating elements in shifting. Additionally, the endurance of the planetary gear set deteriorates, and productivity and design freedom cannot be effectively obtained.

Power train for 7-speed automatic transmission for vehicles


A cationically polymerizable resin composition which comprises (A) a compound containing at least one ring selected from the group consisting of an oxirane ring and an oxetane ring; (B) an onium salt; (C) an organic peroxide; and (D) an alkaline filler except for a hydroxide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resin composition which cures by cationic polymerization, more specifically, to a resin composition which is useful for an encapsulating agent of a semiconductor, an electric insulating material, a sealing agent or a binder. The present invention also relates to a semiconductor package encapsulated by the resin composition and a circuit board mounted thereon such a semiconductor.
2. Prior Art
An epoxy compound or an oxetane compound have an oxygen-containing ring structure and cured to form a resinous polymer in the presence of a curing agent and/or a curing catalyst under heating or irradiation of light by utilizing their reactivity, and have been widely used as an encapsulating agent of a semiconductor or an electric insulating material.
As a curing agent of these compounds, a method of using a phenol-novolak compound has been known, but in this method, the reaction rate is relatively slow. Also, in the method an amino compound such as a polyamine or an acid anhydride compound such as pyromellitic anhydride is used.
It has been known that an oxirane compound or an oxetane compound is subjected to heat polymerization or photopolymerization by using a cationic polymerization catalyst. In the reaction system in which such a polymerization catalyst is formulated is stable at normal temperature and a high reaction rate can be obtained by heating or photoirradiation so that it has been attracted attention as a latent catalyst. As an onium salt, there has been generally used an iodonium salt, a sulfonium salt, a phosphonium salt, etc.
The onium salt is an acidic substance, and when a cured resin obtained by using the same is subjected to humidity resistance test, an extracted liquid shows an acidic property. This is because an onium salt remained in the resin after curing is liberated from the resin in the presence of moisture, and thus, when such a resin is used for encapsulation or electric insulation of electronic parts, the electronic parts or parts in the vicinity thereof are corroded or defected.
On the other hand, if an alkaline substance such as an amine, etc. is used in a composition containing an oxirane compound or an oxetane compound and an onium compound in combination to neutralize the acidic substance, cationic species of the onium salt are broken so that deactivation of a catalyst and inhibition of curing based thereon are generated.
Also, when such an onium salt is used as a curing catalyst, a high reaction rate can be obtained. However, in these days, it has been earnestly desired to develop a reaction system which provides a high reaction rate by using an onium salt catalyst which does not cause large effect on hygiene and environment.
An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems and to provide a cationically polymerizable resin composition which causes no curing obstruction, cures rapidly, excellent in preservation stability and does not cause increase in electroconductivity of an extracted water or corrosion.
The present inventors have earnestly studied to accomplish the above objects and as a result, they have found that the above objects can be accomplished by using an oxirane ring and/or an oxetane ring-containing compound in combination with a cationically polymerizable catalyst and an organic peroxide, and further using an alkaline filler as at least a part of a filler.
That is, the present invention relates to a cationically polymerizable resin composition which comprises
(A) a compound containing at least one ring selected from the group consisting of an oxirane ring and an oxetane ring;
(B) an onium salt;
(C) an organic peroxide; and
(D) an alkaline filler except for a hydroxide.
Component (A) to be used in the present invention is a compound having at least one oxirane ring and/or oxetane ring, and it may be a single species or two or more of mixtures. It is particularly preferred that Component (A) itself is a liquid at normal temperature, or Component (A) which is a solid at normal temperature is dissolved by a solvent or used in combination with a liquid state compound containing an oxirane ring to show a liquid state as a whole at normal temperature since it is easy in encapsulating operation or formation. It is more preferred that Component itself is a liquid state at normal temperature. Incidentally, a liquid state at normal temperature herein mentioned means a material which show fluidity at 25 to 40xc2x0 C.
As a compound having an oxirane ring, there may be used a low molecular weight or high molecular weight compound having more than two oxirane rings in the molecule which is generally so-called an epoxy resin, a reactive diluent having one or more oxirane ring in the molecule and a silane compound or a siloxane compound each having an oxirane ring in the molecule. As the epoxy resin, there may be exemplified by a bisphenol A type epoxy resin, a brominated bisphenol A type epoxy resin, a bisphenol F type epoxy resin, a novolak type epoxy resin, an alicyclic epoxy resin, a biphenyl type epoxy resin, an ether type or a polyether type epoxy resin, an oxirane ring-containing polybutadiene, a silicone epoxy copolymerized resin, etc.
As an epoxy resin which is a liquid state at normal temperature, there may be mentioned a bisphenol A type epoxy resin having an average molecular weight of about 400 or less; a branched polyfunctional bisphenol A type epoxy resin such as p-glycidylphenyldimethyltolyl bisphenol A glycidyl ether represented by the following formula:
a bisphenol F type epoxy resin; a phenol novolak type epoxy resin having an average molecular weight of about 570 or less; alicyclic epoxy resin such as vinyl(3,4-cyclohexene)dioxide(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)methyl 3,4-epoxycyclohexylcarboxylate, bis(3,4-epoxy-6-methylcyclohexyl-methyl)adipate, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)5,1-spiro(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)-m-dioxane, etc.; a glycidyl ester type epoxy resin such as diglycidyl hexahydrophthalate, diglycidyl 3-methylhexahydrophthalate, diglycidyl hexahydroterephthalate, etc.; a glycidyl amine type epoxy resin such as diglycidylaniline, diglycidyltoluidine, triglycidyl-p-aminophenol, tetraglycidyl-m-xylylene diamine, tetraglycidylbis(aminomethyl)cyclohexane, etc.; and a hydantoin type epoxy resin such as 1,3-diglycidyl-5-methyl-5-ethylhydantoin, etc., and an alicyclic epoxy resin is preferred since high curing rate can be obtained.
Also, an epoxy resin which is a solid or having a super high viscosity at normal temperature may be used in combination with the epoxy resin which is a liquid state at normal temperature. Such an epoxy resin may be exemplified by a bisphenol A type epoxy resin with a high nmolecular weight, diglycidyl biphenyl, a novolak epoxy resin, a tetrabromo bisphenol A type epoxy resin, etc.
The reactive diluent is a compound having one or more oxirane rings in the molecule and having a relatively low viscosity at normal temperature, and depending on the purpose, it may have other polymerizable functional groups than the oxirane ring, such as an alkenyl group including vinyl, allyl, etc.; or an unsaturated carboxylic acid residue including acryloyl, methacrylol, etc. As the reactive diluent as mentioned above, there may be exemplified by a monoepoxide compound such as n-butyl glycidyl ether, 2-ethylhexyl glycidyl ether, phenyl glycidyl ether, cresyl glycidyl ether, p-s-butylphenyl glycidyl ether, styrene oxide, xcex1-pinene oxide, etc.; a monoepoxide having other functional groups such as allyl glycidyl ether, glycidyl methacrylate, 1-vinyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexane, etc.; a diepoxide compound such as (poly)ethyleneglycol diglycidyl ether, (poly)propyleneglycol diglycidyl ether, butanediol glycidyl ether, neopentylglycol diglycidyl ether, etc.; and a triepoxide compound such as trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether, glycerin triglycidyl ether, etc.
As the silane compound having an oxirane ring, there may be exemplified by 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyl(methyl)dimethoxy silane, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxy silane, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyl(methyl)dimethoxy silane, etc. The silane compound is used by formulating a small amount based on the other Component (A) in order to improve adhesiveness particularly to the substrate.
As the siloxane compound having an oxirane compound, there may be exemplified by, in addition to 1,3-bis(3-glycidoxypropyl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane, a straight siloxane oligomer having a 3-glycidoxypropyl group similarly at the terminal thereof. The siloxane compound is used by formulating a small amount based on the other Component (A) in order to provide flexibility, impact resistance, heat resistance, adhesiveness to an inorganic base material, etc.
As the oxetane-containing compound, there may be exemplified by a monooxetane compound such as 3-ethyl-3-hydroxymethyloxetane, 3-ethyl-3-hexyloxymethyloxetane, 3-ethyl-3-allyloxymethyloxetane, 3-ethyl-3-benzyloxymethyloxetane, 3-ethyl-3-methacryloxymethyloxetane, 3-ethyl-3-carboxyloxetane, etc.; a dioxetane compound such as bis-{[ethyl(3-oxetanyl)]methyl}ether, 1,4-bis[ethyl(3-oxetanyl)methoxymethyl]benzene, bis{[ethyl(3-oxetanyl)]-methyl}carbonate, bis{[ethyl(3-oxetanyl)]ethyl}adipate, bis{[ethyl(3-oxetanyl)]methyl}terephthalate, bis{[ethyl(3-oxetanyl)]methyl}-1,4-cyclohexanecarboxylate, bis{4-[ethyl(3-oxetanyl)methoxycarbonylamino]phenyl}methane, xcex1,xcfx89-bis-{3-[1-ethyl(3-oxetanyl)methoxy]propyl(polydimethylsiloxane), etc.; and a polyoxetane compound such as oligo(glycidyloxetane-co-phenyl glycidyl ether), etc. Among these, 1,4-bis[ethyl(3-oxetanyl)methoxymethyl]-benzene is preferred since it has a low viscosity so that it is easily handled and shows high reactivity.
In the present invention, by using one or more of Component (A), a glass transition point of a cured product obtained by curing the composition can be optionally changed in the range of 70 to 200xc2x0 C.
It is preferred to use 20 to 80% by weight of an aliphatic epoxy resin and 20 to 80% by weight of an oxetane ring-containing compound in combination since it is cured at low temperature and short time of heating, and shows an excellent film strength, and more preferred is that each of which is contained in 40 to 60% by weight, respectively. Also, for the uses which require particularly adhesiveness, a bisphenol A type, a branched polyfunctional bisphenol A type or a bisphenol F type epoxy resin is further used in combination with the above components.
Component (B) to be used in the present invention is an onium salt which functions as a cationic polymerization catalyst for curing the composition by making Component (A) network structure which is formed by subjecting to ring opening of the oxirane ring and/or oxetane ring in component (A) by heating or photoirradiation. The onium salt can be used by formulating it in the composition as a latent catalyst, and can cure the composition within a short time by heating and/or photoirradiation.
The onium salt is typically an iodonium salt, a sulfonium salt, an ammonium salt, a phosphonium salt, a diazonium salt or a pyridinium salt represented by the following formula:
wherein
R may be the same or different from each other and represents an unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group;
E1 represents an iodine atom, a sulfur atom, a nitrogen atom, a phosphorus atom, a diazo group or an unsubstituted or ring-substituted pyridinio group;
E2 represents a sulfur atom or a nitrogen atom;
Z represents a zwitter ion which is BF4, PF4, AsF6, SbF6 or (C6H5)4B;
a is 2 when E1 is an iodine atom, 3 when E1 is a sulfur atom, 4 when E1 is a nitrogen atom or a phosphorous atom, or 1 when E1 is a diazo group or an unsubstituted or ring-substituted pyridinio group; b is 1 when E2 is a sulfur atom or 2 when E2 is a nitrogen atom;
c is an integer of 4 or 5,
and they may be used singly or in combination of two or more.
As R, there may be exemplified by a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, octyl, decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, etc.; a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms such as cyclohexyl, etc., which may be substituted by an alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms as mentioned above; an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms such as phenyl, 4-tolyl, 2,4-xylyl, 1-naphthyl, etc.; an aralkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms such as benzyl, 2-methylbenyl, 4-methylbenzyl, 2-phenylethyl, 1-naphthylmethyl, etc.; an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms such as vinyl, allyl, butenyl, etc.; and a monovalent substituted hydrocarbon group such as 4-hydroxyphenyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-ethoxyphenyl, 4-cyanophenyl, 4-chlorophenyl, 4-acetoxyphenyl, 4-propanoylphenyl, 4-methoxycarbonylphenyl, 4-ethoxycarbonylphenyl, 4-methoxybenzyl, 4-ethoxybenzyl, 4-t-butoxybenzyl, 4-nitrobenzyl, 4-cyanobenzyl, etc. Of these, it is preferred that at least one of R""s in the molecule is an aryl group or an aralkyl group, more preferably all Rxe2x80x2s are such a group since such a compound shows excellent curability.
E1 is as described above, and as the unsubstituted or ring-substituted pyridinio group, there may be exemplified by, in addition to the pyridinio group, a ring-substituted pyridinium group such as 2- or 4-methylpyridinio, 2,4-dimethylpyridinio, 2- or 4-cyanopyridinio, 2- or 4-methoxycarbonylpyridinio, 2- or 4-ethoxycarbonylpyridinio, etc. As E1 or E2, an iodine atom or a sulfur atom is preferred since excellent curing rate can be obtained.
Z is as described above, and SbF6 or B(C6H5)4 is preferred since excellent curability is shown by heating or photoirradiation within a short period of time, and B(C6H5)4 is particularly preferred since it shows no toxicity whereby it is needless to consider effects on hygiene and environment.
Such a preferred onium salt, there may be exemplified by a hexafluoroantimonate or a tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)boron salt including a diaryl iodonium such as diphenyl iodonium, phenyl(4-tolyl)iodonium, phenyl(4-cumyl)iodonium, phenyl(4-t-butylphenyl)iodonium, di(4-tolyl)iodonium, 4-tolyl(4-cumyl)iodonium, 4-tolyl(4-t-butylphenyl)iodonium, di(4-cumyl)iodonium, 4-cumyl(4-t-butylphenyl)iodonium, di(4-t-butylphenyl)iodonium, etc.; a substituted aryl group-containing iodonium such as phenyl(4-methoxyphenyl)iodonium, bis(4-methoxyphenyl)iodonium, etc.; an aralkyl group-containing iodonium such as phenylbenzyl iodonium, etc.; triaryl sulfonium such as triphenyl sulfonium, diphenyl(4-t-butylphenyl)sulfonium, tritolyl sulfonium, etc.; a substituted aryl group-containing sulfonium such as tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfonium, tris(4-methoxyphenyl)sulfonium, tris(4-ethoxyphenyl)sulfonium, tris(acetoxyphenyl)sulfonium, etc.; a benzyl structure-containing sulfonium such as methyl(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzyl sulfonium, methyl(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-naphthylmethyl sulfonium, etc. Of these, tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)boron salt is preferred in the view points of hygiene and environment maintenance, and tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)boron salt is particularly preferred since a suitable curing rate can be obtained. When it is used particularly in combination with Component (C), the composition can be extremely cured within a short period of time so that the diaryl iodonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)boron salt is particularly preferred.
A formulation amount of Component (B) may vary depending on the conditions of the composition to be used and the kinds of Component (A) and Component (B), but it is generally 0.5 to 10 parts by weight, preferably 2 to 8 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of Component (A) since stability of the system at an uncured state is good, suitably curing rate can be obtained and a cured encapsulation layer having excellent physical property can be obtained.
Component (C) to be used in the present invention has an effect of promoting the function of Component (B) as a cationic polymerization catalyst, particularly when Component (B), above all a B(C6H5)4 salt is used as a heat polymerization or a photopolymerization catalyst in combination with Component (C), the composition shows excellent effects that polymerization time can be shortened or an irradiation dose can be reduced.
As Component (C), there may be exemplified by a dialkyl peroxide, a peroxy ketal, a peroxy ester, a peroxy carbonate and a diacyl peroxide. Of these, a dialkyl peroxide, a peroxy ketal or an alkyl peroxy ester is preferred since a suitable decomposition temperature can be obtained, and more preferably those having a half decade temperature within the range of 60 to 130xc2x0 C.
A preferred Component (C) may be exemplified by a dialkyl peroxide such as dicumyl peroxide, t-butylcumyl peroxide, 1,3-bis(2-t-butylperoxyisopropyl)benzene, 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(t-butylperoxy)hexane, etc.; a peroxy ketal such as 1,1-bis(t-butylperoxy)cyclohexane, 1,1-bis(t-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane, 1,1-bis(t-amylperoxy)cyclohexane, 2,2-bis(t-butylperoxy)butane, n-butyl 4,4-bis(t-butylperoxy)valerate, ethyl 3,3-(t-butylperoxy)butyrate, etc.; an alkylperoxy ester such as t-butylperoxy-2-ethyl hexanoate, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl peroxy 2-ethylhexanoate, t-butylperoxy isobutyrate, t-butylperoxy maleate, t-butylperoxy benzoate, etc. These may be formulated as a pure product or a highly pure product, or may be used, depending on necessity, by dispersing or dissolving in a hydrocarbon, dimethyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, etc., or adsorbing to an inorganic fine powder such as calcium carbonate.
A formulation amount of Component (C) is preferably 0.01 to 1 part by weight, more preferably 0.03 to 0.3 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of Component (A) since curing reaction can be proceeded with good control, and the curing reaction can be rapidly carried out or can be completed with a low temperature heating.
Component (D) to be used in the present invention is an alkaline filler for neutralizing an acid generated by the radical decomposition reaction which is generated depending on the kinds of Component (B) and Component (C) remained after the curing reaction. According to the findings by the present inventors"", when other alkaline substance such as a hydroxide including magnesium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, etc. or an amine is previously formulated to subject to the neutralization reaction, (B) the onium salt is decomposed to inhibit its catalytic activity, but by formulating an alkaline filler such as Component (D), an acidic substance remained after curing can be removed without inhibiting catalytic activity of (B) the onium salt.
Here, the alkaline filler means a filler in which an extract solution extracted with pure water according to the following conditions shows a pH of 7 or more, typically 7 to 10. That is, 1 g of the sample is added to 20 ml of pure water and the mixture is stirred at normal temperature for 1 minute, and a probe of a pH meter is dipped in the extract, then the pH of the mixture after allowing to stand is measured. Provided that even when the above-mentioned conditions are satisfied, a hydroxide having an anionic hydroxyl group in the molecule such as magnesium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, etc. are excluded therefrom by the reason as mentioned above. Incidentally, an inorganic filler such as an oxide or a carbonate generally has a hydroxyl group on the surface thereof, and such hydroxyl groups existing on the solid surface do not cause any effects on the catalyst activity of the onium salt. Particle size and shape of the particles of Component (D) are not particularly limited.
As such Component (D), preferred are calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide and zinc oxide, and among silicon dioxide, titanium oxide and aluminum oxide, those in which an extract of which shows an alkaline property can be used. Component (D) may be used singly or in combination of two or more.
A formulation amount of Component (D) is generally 2 to 50-fold amount, preferably 5 to 15-fold amount based on the formulation amount of Component (B) to control the effects of Component (B) remained after oxidation.
The composition of the present invention is preferably a cationic polymerizable resin composition comprising
(A) 100 parts by weight of a compound having an oxirane ring and/or an oxetane ring;
(B) 2 to 8 parts by weight of an onium salt;
(C) 0.01 to 1 part by weight of an organic peroxide; and
(D) 5 to 15-fold amount of an alkaline filler except for a hydroxide based on the amount of Component (B).
In the present invention, a neutral or alkaline colorant may be formulated as Component (E) so as to not inhibit the function of Component (D). As the neutral or alkaline colorant, a colorant having a pH of the extract extracted by pure water in the same manner as mentioned above of 6 or more, typically 6 to 10. As the colorant mentioned above, there may be mentioned, for example, in addition to a black-colored pigment such as carbon black, black lead oxide, Crxe2x80x94Cu complex oxide, a complex oxide of Cuxe2x80x94Fexe2x80x94Mn; a colored inorganic colorant such as red iron oxide, cobalt blue, etc.; and an organic pigment such as a chromophthal type, a quinacridone type or a phthalocyanine type pigment, and these colorants may be used singly or in combination of two or more. Of these, those having a light-shielding effect dark color are preferred, and carbon black is particularly preferred.
A formulation amount of Component (E) is preferably 0.1 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of Component (A).
Into the composition of the present invention, a filler other than Component (D) may be formulated within the range which does not obscure the characteristics of the present invention. Such a filler may exemplified by, in addition to silicon dioxide, titanium oxide and aluminum oxide other than those which show an alkaline property; silicon nitride, boron nitride, etc., which can be added in an amount within the range in which the filler itself does not become an acidic including Component (D).
When a solid material is used as Component (A), whole Component (A) may be made a liquid state by using the above-mentioned reactive diluent, but depending on necessity, non-reactive diluent may be used. Also, Component (B) or Component (C) may be formulated by diluting them, or an apparent viscosity of the composition may be controlled by using a solvent to carry out operation smoothly depending on the uses of the composition. As such a non-reactive diluent or a solvent, there may be mentioned a high boiling point aromatic hydrocarbon such as p-cymene, tetraline, etc.; a ketone such as methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, etc.; an ether alcohol such as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, etc.; an ether ester of the above such as acetic acid ester, etc.; an ester such as dibutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, etc.
Moreover, into the composition of the present invention, an inorganic fiber, a flame retardant, an ion trapping agent, an inner releasing agent, a sensitizer, etc. Also, in order to improve adhesiveness to the substrate, a silane coupling agent other than the silane compound having an oxirane ring in the molecule also as mentioned Component (A), such as vinyl triethoxysilane, 3-methacryl-oxypropyltrimethoxysilane, etc., or a titanium coupling agent may be formulated.
The cationically polymerizable resin composition according to the present invention can be easily prepared by mixing the respective components uniformly at normal temperature or under a slight heating of 40xc2x0 C. or less, by using a mixing device such as a kneader, a stirrer-mixing machine, a three-rolls mill, etc. Said composition is stable at normal temperature and can be preserved for a long period of time, for example, 15 to 60 days or more, by optionally selecting Component (B) and Component (C) which act as catalysts.
The cationically polymerizable resin composition of the present invention can be cured by thermally or by photoirradiation, and either of the cases, it can be cured within a short period of time by heating or photoirradiation. In the case of thermal curing, a gel time is generally within 30 seconds at a temperature of 150xc2x0 C., preferably 1 to 10 seconds. In the case of photocuring, the composition can be cured by using a light source such as a high-pressure mercury lamp, xenon lamp, etc., at an irradiation of 1,000 mJ or more. Also, after photoirradiation to make the resin semi-cured conditions, then the composition is thermally cured to obtain a completely cured product.
Accordingly, by using the composition of the present invention, an encapsulating layer can be formed and cured by encapsulating the resin composition so that electronic parts are sealed in a mold into which the electronic parts are placed and heating generally at 80 to 200xc2x0 C., preferably 120 to 150xc2x0 C. using a usual RIM injection molding device or a transfer molding machine. The curing time may be optionally set depending on the composition of the resins, dimension, shape and molding temperature of sealing materials, but the curing rate of the cationic polymerizable resin composition at the above-mentioned molding temperature is extremely rapid as mentioned above.

Cationically polymerizable resin composition


Featured are methods and systems for assessing cardiac filing pressure non-invasively. Such methods include, inter alia, arranging a photoplethysmography (PPG) transducer on a finger of a patient and fluidly coupling a pressure transducer to the patient's mouth so that the pressure transducer measures expiratory pressure. The PPG transducer provides an output of a pulse volume signal of cardiac circulatory flow. Such methods also including determining a pulse amplitude ratio, using the pulse volume near the end of the expiratory effort and a baseline pulse volume, and assessing the pulse amplitude ratio so as to determine a filing pressure condition for the heart of the patient.

As reported by the New York Heart Association in 2008, heart failure was prevalent in 8.5 million patients in 2008 and this is increasing at an annual growth rate of 10.5%. Thus, by 2010 heart failure can be prevalent in an estimated 11.6 million patients. Further, and as reported by the American Heart Association in 2008, more than 1 million hospital discharges per year have a primary diagnosis of heart failure, the most common discharge diagnosis.
Patients admitted to the hospital with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) symptoms from severe fluid overload usually have had fluid build-up without symptoms for days or weeks prior to admission. Detection of elevated fluid prior to symptoms could prevent admissions for "acute" decompensated heart failure. Also, many patients with CHF are inadequately diuresed at discharge (i.e., not enough fluid has been removed prior to discharge). This, typically leads to re-admission of the patient for CHF. The rate of rehospitalization for heart failure is very high; about 20% at 30 days after discharge, and about 30% at 60-90 days after discharge.
As is known to those skilled in the art, measurement of left ventricular filing pressure (LVFP) allows detection of CHF and helps assessment of the efficacy of therapy for CHF. Left ventricular pressure can be measured directly by placing a catheter in the left ventricle to obtain the end diastolic pressure (LVDEP) or indirectly by placing a catheter in the pulmonary artery to measure the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP). It should be noted that measuring LV filing pressure using a catheter is generally considered the gold standard. The pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) technique that is used to measure either LVFP or PCWP is considered an invasive surgical procedure. Thus, there are attendants risks and costs associated with such a technique and the reported complications include catheter migration, arrhythmias, pulmonary artery rupture, thrombosis, infection, bleeding and pneumothorax.
Physical examination of a patient has poor sensitivity for detecting elevated cardiac filing pressure, especially in patients with chronic heart failure. Some common aids use to help in the diagnosis of elevated LVFP include chest X-ray, serum biomarkers (BNP, pro_BNP) and echocardiography. These techniques have important practical limitations. Also, clinical and radiographic methods of detecting CHF are generally insensitive to alterations in LVFP.
There have been attempts made to develop a non-invasive method and system for estimating LVFP to allow for early detection and treatment of CHF, which has been shown to reduce the rate of hospitalization and mortality. A non-invasive method of assessing PCWP has been reported that uses the strain phase of the Valsalva maneuver. In a Valsalva maneuver, the subjects or patients perform a forced expiration into a closed tube or strain against a closed glottis. This results in a unique, well-described cardiovascular response, involving both a rise and fall in arterial pressure and a momentary opposite-direction change in right and left heart stroke volume. The effect of the Valsalva maneuver on blood pressure for a normal heart and a heart diagnosed with heart failure is shown in FIG. 1.
In this method a non-invasive pulmonary tonometer and a digital pulmonary monitor is used to continuously acquire arterial and expiratory pressure signals during a Valsalva maneuver. A software program also is used to analyze the arterial pressure signals and derive a LVEDP using a predictive algorithm. The tonomter is not easy to use and is located on the wrist or finger. While this system is not yet commercially available it is expected to cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. The tonometer also is not as widely used a technology as compared to some other medical devices.
Another reported non-invasive technique is referred to as impedance cardiography (ICG). In the ICG technique, four electrodes are placed around the neck and lower thorax and four electrodes are placed on the lateral surface of the abdomen. In this arrangement the outer sensors transmit current and the inner sensors measure impedance. The impedance being measured across the chest is related to fluid volume; thus it can be used to measure changes in fluid volume. However, such measurements do not reflect absolute measurements of LVEDP. The cost for such a device also is in the tens of thousands.
Thus, there is a continuing need to develop non-invasive systems and methods for assessing cardiac filing pressure, more specifically LV filing pressure. It also would be desirable to provide such a device that provides similar useful clinical information as prior art systems and methods. Such systems preferably would be less costly than prior art systems, would use a robust transducer and such methods would not involve or require a greater skill set than that required for user of prior art methods. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a device or system whose operation is simple enough for a patient or the like to use at home.

Non-invasive methods and systems for assessing cardiac filling pressure


A knee joint prosthesis having independently interchangeable components. The knee joint prosthesis includes a femoral component having a first bearing surface defined at least in part by a first radius in the coronal plane. The femoral component further includes a second bearing surface defined at least in part by a second radius in the coronal plane, the second radius being displaced from the first radius. The distance between the center of the first radius to the center of the second radius is substantially constant and does not depend on the size of the femoral component. The knee joint prosthesis further includes a tibial component which is operable to engage the femoral component.

The present invention relates generally to a knee joint prosthesis which replaces the articulating surfaces of the femur and tibia, and more particularly, to a prosthetic replacement system for a knee having interchangeable femoral and tibial components.
A knee joint prosthesis typically comprises a femoral component and a tibial component. The femoral component and tibial component are designed to be surgically attached to the distal end of the femur and proximal end of the tibia respectively. The femoral component is further designed to cooperate with the tibial component in simulating the articulating motion of an anatomical knee joint.
Motion of a natural knee is kinematically complex. During a relatively broad range of flexion and extension, the articular surfaces of a natural knee experience rotation, medial and lateral angulation, translation in the sagittal plane, rollback and sliding. Knee joint prostheses, in combination with ligaments and muscles, attempt to duplicate natural knee motion as well as absorb and control forces generated during the range of flexion. Depending on the degree of damage or deterioration of the knee tendons and ligaments, however, it may be necessary for a knee joint prosthesis to limit one or more of these motions in order to provide adequate stability.
While knee joint prostheses are effective in replacing the anatomical knee joint, they nevertheless have several disadvantages. For example, surgeons tend to select the size of the knee joint prosthesis by determining which knee joint prosthesis most closely matches the size of both the femur and tibia collectively rather than the size of the femur and tibia individually. This is because knee joint prostheses often lack interchangeability between various sized femoral components and various sized tibial components. Accordingly, the surgeon could not optimally select the size of the tibial component based primarily on the size of the tibia, as well as select the size of the femoral component based primarily on the size of the femur, so as to obtain the best anatomical fit for the prosthesis. In addition, knee joint prostheses sometimes lack interchangeability between a femoral component designed specifically for a right knee or a left knee and a particular tibial component.
In addition, knee joint prostheses often do not reproduce the relatively unconstrained kinematics of the anatomical knee joint. This includes translation of the femoral component in the sagittal plane with respect to the tibial component. Furthermore, such knee joint prostheses often do not permit the extensor moment arm between the patellar ligament and the femoral/tibial contact point to be taken into consideration during the design of a prosthesis. As a result, a noticeable change in the effort required by a patient during movement of the knee joint occurs when a prosthetic knee is compared with the natural knee.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a knee joint prosthesis which substantially duplicates the motion associated with the anatomical knee joint while providing interchangeability between components.

Knee joint prosthesis with interchangeable components


This invention relates to bicyclic amino group-substituted pyridonecarboxylic acid derivatives of the general formula EQU A--Pri. esters thereof and salts thereof, wherein: Pri is a pyridonecarboxylic acid residue, and A is a bicyclic amino group represented by the following formula and joined to the 7-position of the pyridonecarboxylic acid or a position equivalent to the 7-position thereof. ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may be the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or an amino-protecting group; R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 may be the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a hydroxyl group, an oxo group, a lower alkoxy group or a lower alkyl group; and n is an integer of 0 or 1.. The above-described pyridonecarboxylic acid derivatives, esters thereof and salts thereof are useful as antibacterial agents.. This invention also relates to bicyclic amine compounds useful as direct intermediates for the synthesis of the above-described pyridonecarboxylic acid derivatives.

A variety of antibacterial pyridonecarboxylic acid derivatives are known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56673/'89 describes pyridonecarboxylic acids of the general formula ##STR2## wherein R represents a lower alkyl group, a halogenated lower alkyl group, a lower alkenyl group, a cycloalkyl group, or a phenyl group which may have one or more substituents; X represents a nitrogen atom or C--A in which A represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom; Y represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom; and Z represents a group of the formula ##STR3## in which R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyloxycarbonyl group, or an acyl group that may be substituted by one or more halogen atoms; two of R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are connected directly or through a lower alkyl chain to form a ring, and the others represent hydrogen atoms; and n is 0 or 1, provided that R.sub.25 and R.sub.3 are directly connected. However, no specific example of a compound of the above formula (A) in which R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are connected through an ethylene chain to form a ring is disclosed therein.
Moreover, European Patent Application Laid-Open No. 0343524 discloses pyridonecarboxylic acid derivatives of the general formula ##STR4## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen, hydroxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, oxo, halogen, or amino which may optionally be substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl and/or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanoyl; R.sub.2 is azido, hydroxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxycarbonyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanoyl, or amino which may optionally be substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl and/or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanoyl: A is ##STR5## R.sub.3 is hydrogen or a carboxyl-protecting group; R.sub.4 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkenyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 cycloalkyl, mono- or difluorophenyl, or a five-membered or six-membered heterocyclic group which may optionally be substituted by halogen and/or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; R.sub.5 is hydrogen, amino, hydroxy or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy; R.sub.6 is halogen: X is CH-(C.sub.1 --C.sub.4 alkyl), C.dbd.CH.sub.2, N--H or N--(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl); Z is CQ or N; Q is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or cyano; m is an integer of 0 or 1; and n and p are each an integer of 1 to 3. However, they do not include any compound in which n is 0.
Furthermore, Chemical Abstract, 66, 37500b (1967) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11729/'81 disclose compounds of the formula ##STR6## wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or a carboxyl group.
Conventional pyridonecarboxylic acid derivatives substituted by a bicyclic amino group, such as those represented by the above general formulae (A) and (B), are useful as antibacterial agents. However, their antibacterial activities and, in particular, in vivo antibacterial activities are not always satisfactory.
The present invention has been completed as a result of extensive investigations conducted with a view to developing a pyridonecarboxylic acid derivative showing a further enhancement in antibacterial activity and, in particular, in vivo antibacterial activity.

Bicyclic amino group-substituted pyridonecarboxylic acid derivatives, esters thereof and salts thereof, and bicyclic amines useful as intermediates thereof


A control device for a three-phase AC motor includes: an inverter having switching elements; current sensors for sensing a current in the motor; and a control means having a feedback control operation part for operating a voltage command of each phase and switching the switching elements based on the voltage command. When a positive and negative offset abnormality occurs, the control means executes a positive and negative offset abnormality detection process that the control means compares a value, which is obtained by integrating a variation in a voltage command of each phase over a predetermined detection interval, with a predetermined abnormality threshold value, the voltage command being outputted by the feedback control operation part with respect to a variation in the current caused by the positive and negative offset abnormality.

In recent years, from the social requirement of lower fuel consumption and less exhaust emission, an electric automobile and a hybrid automobile, each of which is mounted with an AC (alternate current) motor as a power source of a vehicle, is drawing attention. For example, in some of the hybrid automobiles, a DC power source made of a secondary battery or the like and an AC motor are connected to each other via an electric power conversion device constructed of an inverter and the like, and the DC voltage of the DC power source is converted into AC voltage by the inverter to thereby drive the AC motor.
In the control device of the AC motor mounted in the hybrid automobile or the electric automobile like this, there is known a control device of performing a feedback control on the basis of current sensed values of three phases, which are sensed by the current sensors. For example, a d-axis current and a q-axis current acquired by dq transforming the current sensed values of three phases are fed back to current commands.
Here, there is known the following technique (for example, patent document 1): one current sensor is provided for each phase of a three-phase AC motor; according to the Kirchhoff's law, the sum of currents of three phases to be supplied to the AC motor becomes zero; so that in the case where the sum of current sensed values of three phases does not become zero, it is determined that any one of current sensors is abnormal.
A technique for determining whether or not any one of current sensors is abnormal by monitoring the sum of sensed values of three phases will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.
At the time of a normal control shown in FIG. 3A, the sum of a U-phase current iu, a V-phase current iv, and a W-phase current iw is always zero, as shown by an equation (1) based on the Kirchhoff's law.iu+iv+iw=0  (1)
Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 3B, it is assumed that an abnormality is caused in which a U-phase current becomes Ius offset with respect to iu on a plus side (positive side) by an error Δis and in which a V-phase current becomes Ivs offset with respect to iv by an error Δis, which is of the same amount as the error of the U phase, on a minus side (negative side). At this time, the sum of the current sensed values of three phases becomes 0 as shown by an equation (2), so that it is determined that current sensors are apparently normal.
                                                                        iu                +                ivs                +                iw                            =                                                                            (                                      iu                    +                                          Δ                                                                                is                                                        )                                +                                  (                                      iv                    -                                          Δ                                                                                is                                                        )                                +                iw                                                                                =                                                          iu                +                ivs                +                iw                +                                  (                                                                                +                                                                                Δ                                                                                is                                        -                                          Δ                                                                                is                                                        )                                                                                =                                          0                                                          (        2        )
Here, a similar situation can be brought about not only in the case where the sum of the current sensed values of three phases becomes zero but also in the case where the sum of the current sensed values of three phases is made "a value not larger than an abnormality threshold value" by the plus and minus (positive and negative) errors cancelling each other out. Hereinafter, this abnormality is referred to as "a plus/minus offset abnormality".
Hence, in the case where a feedback control is performed by an operation in which an offset error is estimated on the premise of the Kirchhoff's Law, the offset error is never found during the feedback control. Furthermore, even in an open control in which the feedback control is not performed, the errors of two phases cancel each other out to thereby reduce a deviation from a normal value, which hence makes it difficult to detect a plus/minus (positive and negative) offset abnormality.
As a result, when the control of passing current through the AC motor is continuously performed without being aware of the occurrence of a plus/minus offset abnormality, an abnormal current is likely to be passed through the inverter and the windings of the AC motor, thereby being likely to fail the circuit and the elements or to make the AC motor output an abnormal torque. For example, in the case where an AC motor is mounted in an electric vehicle such as a hybrid automobile, torque variations, power variations, and vibrations of the vehicle are caused, which hence results in causing a reduction in drivability.
Furthermore, in the case where offset errors Δis of the U phase and the V phase are caused on the side of the same sign as shown in FIG. 4A, the magnitude of a resultant offset error Δis++ is not changed from an offset error Δis of only one phase. In contrast to this, in the case where offset errors Δis of the U phase and the V phase are caused on the plus side and on the minus side as shown in FIG. 4B, the magnitude of the resultant offset error Δis+− becomes √3 times the offset error Δis of only one phase.
In short, the plus/minus offset abnormality of two phases produces a larger effect on a system using an AC motor when compared with an offset abnormality of one phase in which an error is of same magnitude or an offset abnormality of the same sign of two phases in which an error is of same magnitude. Regardless of this, there is presented an problem that even if the sum of the current sensed values of three phases is monitored, a plus/minus offset abnormality cannot be detected.    [Patent document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H06-253585


A pickling method which can effectively conduct pickling, and can shorten pickling time. The strip is plastic elongated by 0.1 to 10% before it is introduced into the pickling tank to form cracks. The strip is bent so that a surface strain of the strip is 0.2 to 1 times the plastic elongation during dipping the strip in the acid solution of the pickling tank, thereby making the cracks open and close, and supply of a fresh acid solution and expelling of an exhausted acid solution may be effectively conducted. Scale always contacts with a fresh acid solution by this bending operation, so that a scale dissolution reaction proceeds fast, thereby being capable of shortening the pickling time.

The present invention relates to a pickling apparatus and a pickling method of metal plates.
The invention is applied to typically hot-rolled carbon steel strips, hot-rolled stainless steel strips, hot-rolled silicon steel strips, and the like. (Hereinafter, such strip is merely referred to as "strip".) However, the present invention is not limited to such strips.
One example of conventional pickling apparatus is shown in FIG. 9 (conventional example I). Example I comprises a tension leveler and/or a skin pass mill as a scalebreaker 6, arranged at an inlet side of a pickling tank 10. Such arrangement is intended that a strip S is given with a plastic elongation by the scalebreaker 6 to provide the scale with cracks, so that the scale is easily dissolved into an acid solution when the strip is dipped in the acid solution. In FIG. 9, reference numerals 1, 2 and 3 denote a pickling tank, respectively, 4 a rinsing tank, and 5 a dryer.
However, example I has the problems that, since the acid solution merely enters into cracks of scale autoconvectionally during dipping in each of the pickling tanks 1 to 3, a necessary amount of hydrochloric acid does not enter into the cracks sufficiently, to dissolve the scale so as to make the dissolution reaction considerably slow resulting in a long pickling time.
JP-A-55-91983 (corresponding to JP-B2-57-51469) teaches another example (conventional example II). Referring to FIG. 10, the example II equipment comprises bending rolls 54, 55, 56 and 57 arranged zigzag in a pickling tank 1, wherein a strip S is passed through the pickling tank while bending the strip in an acid solution.
However, in example II, as shown in FIG. 11, the strip S, with scale layers a, in a linear state 1 is introduced into the pickling tank 1 and cyclically bent between a bent state m and a linear state n as shown in FIG. 11. Although the acid solution enters into cracks b of the scale a in the bent state m, once the strip S varies from the bent state m to the linear state n, the cracks b are closed and the acid solution between those are pushed to flow out from the cracks b. As a result, the dissolution reaction stops at that time. Thus, the conventional example II also has the problem that the pickling process requires much time.


The device comprises a band (9) made of relatively rigid plastic material designed to be sewn to the covering (4) and also hooking means (11) adapted to engage on a predetermined element (2) of the seat (1), the band (9) and the hooking means (11) being manufactured in a single piece from the same material.. The seat (1) comprises in particular as the predetermined element (2) an end portion (6) in the form of a corner.. The method provides for a sewing step in which the covering (4) is sewn on the fixing device (5) on the same side as the hook (13), the device (5) then being turned relative to the covering (4) so that its side opposite to the hook (13) is against the covering before clipping on the end portion (6).

Devices for fixing seat coverings are already known, in particular from FR-A-2.671.704 and FR-A-2.697.873, which comprise a band of plastic material adapted to be sewn to an edge of the covering, and hooking means, comprising a flexible element, which serve to fasten the band to a predetermined element of the seat on which they may engage.

Device and method for fixing a seat covering and the seat obtained


A connector for receiving a plurality of plugs is provided. The connector includes a cage, a plurality of partition plates, a plurality of partition sections, and a heat conduction apparatus. The cage includes a plurality of plug receiving passageways arranged along two rows stacked on top of each other. Each of the plurality of partition plates is positioned between two laterally adjacent plug receiving passageways of the plurality of plug receiving passageways, while each of the plurality of partition sections is positioned between two adjacent plug receiving passageways of the plurality of plug receiving passageways. The heat conduction apparatus penetrates through the plurality of partition sections along a width thereof.

Known connectors for photoelectric conversion generally includes a plug, a receptacle mated with the plug, and a connector for receiving the plug and the receptacle. The plug generally includes a photoelectric chip for converting an optical signal from an external optical fiber to an electrical signal. The receptacle is mounted in the connector and engaged with the plug inserted into the connector. In the plug, the photoelectric chip is mounted in a protection case thereof. The photoelectric chips generate heat in use, increasing the temperature of the photoelectric chips and deteriorating the photoelectric conversion performance of the photoelectric chips.
A known connector having two sets of plug and receptacle is disclosed in Chinese Patent Application No. 201310435626.0 and shown in FIG. 26. The known connector 200 is a SFF connector arranged in 2 rows and 1 column (2*1). The known connector 200 includes a cage 201 made of, for example, metal material and divided into two receiving passageways arranged in upper and lower direction, in left side of each of which the receptacle connector (not shown) is installed. The plug 202 includes a photoelectric chip 207 for converting an optical signal from an external optical fiber to an electrical signal, a circuit board 208 for mounting the photoelectric chip 207, a protection case 204 for mounting the circuit board 208, and a heat conduction pad 203 provided between the photoelectric chip 207 and the protection case 204. The plug 202 is inserted from the right side of the receiving passageway, and the circuit board 208 of the plug is connected to the respective circuit board of the receptacle, so as to accomplish the electrical connection between the plug and the receptacle. A partition for partitioning the two receiving passageways and supporting the plug 202 is provided between two plugs 202. Two heat conduction blocks 205 and a heat conduction pad 206 provided between the two heat conduction blocks 205 are provided in the partition, so as to form a heat conduction apparatus with a sandwich-like structure, and dissipate the heat generated by the photoelectric chip in the protection case 204 to the outside of the cage 201 by the cage 201, and thus reducing the temperature of the photoelectric chip.
The known connector 200 includes a 2 row and 1 column configuration. When an upper plug is inserted, while a lower plug is not inserted, the heat conduction pad 206 lacks a surface-contact force between the heat conduction apparatus with the sandwich-like structure and the protection case of the plug is relatively small, and thus the thermal contact resistance is increased.

Connector for plug, connector and heat conduction apparatus


An observation or aiming system for a self-propelled vehicle is described. The system includes a post pivoting about a bearing axis (Ag) relative to the vehicle. The post carries a body for an optical block and a thermal camera which are mounted to pivot about an elevation axis (As) perpendicular to the bearing axis (Ag). The body and the thermal camera are disposed symmetrically relative to the bearing axis (Ag). The system also includes a radar channel having a radar transmitter unit mounted on the body, a radar detection unit mounted on the body close to the bearing axis (Ag) and concentration means situated in the body for concentrating radar waves on the radar detection unit. The optical block, the thermal camera, and the radar channel are secured so as to always have the same orientation in elevation and in bearing, and thus the same observation direction.

The present invention relates to observation and aiming systems.
More particularly, it relates to improvements to optoelectronic panoramic observation systems mounted on vehicles, and in particular on combat helicopters.
Systems of this type are already known, in particular gyrostabilized sights and devices for helicopters and for armored vehicles manufactured by one of the Applicant companies.
Conventionally, such a system comprises an optical block for an observation and aiming channel in the visible range (purely optical channel), together with various sensors such as an infrared camera, a television camera, and a laser, in particular for night vision, deviation measuring, range finding, and/or target designation.
The line of sight of those various means is mounted to pivot in elevation and in bearing relative to the structure of the vehicle.
Presently known observation and aiming systems are particularly well adapted to observation, reconnaissance, identification, and also firing, and in general, to most military missions.
Nevertheless, certain military situations can require action to be taken very far ahead of armed forces deep into the enemy disposition.
A mission to penetrate into a zone controlled by the enemy, requires inter alia, the ability to detect random threats that were unknown when preparing for the mission and that can appear while it is in progress.
To succeed with such a mission, both observation and identification, as presently possible using manually-steered optronic means with performance limits that are rapidly reached as a function of conditions of use, are functions that are insufficient. Other functions need to be added to them, such as all-weather watch and detection so as to enable the crew of the vehicle (helicopter, land vehicle, . . . ) to be able to undertake bypassing and evasive maneuvers early enough to avoid alerting the opponent and carry on with the mission.
Unfortunately, present observation and aiming systems are unsuitable for all-weather watch or detection.
Thus, although infrared detection provides good resolution, its range and contrast are disturbed by humidity and bad weather conditions.
An aim of the invention is to propose an observation and aiming system enabling that drawback to be mitigated.
The invention provides an observation or aiming system for a vehicle, the system comprising an optical block for observation and/or detection using a channel in the visible range and sensors for night vision and/or deviation measuring and/or range finding and/or target designation, said optical block and said sensors being mounted to pivot about at least one axis relative to the vehicle, the system being characterized in that it further includes means for detection and/or observation in the millimeter wave range, having transmit and receive means situated close to the optical unit and the sensors, and pivoting about at least one axis together with said optical block.
It will be understood that such a system continuously makes available an image in the visible range and an image in the millimeter wave range, both corresponding to the same observation directionxe2x80x94and optionally superposed on same-direction images taken by the sensors, such as a CCD camera covering the visible and the infrared spectrum, and a thermal camera covering the far infrared.
Such a system thus makes it possible to perform analysis over a broad range of wavelengths.
Advantageously, the transmit and receive means in the millimeter wave range are carried by a body in which there are received optical means and which is mounted to pivot about an elevation axis on a post which is itself mounted to pivot relative to the carrier vehicle about a bearing axis.
Such a configuration makes it possible to provide a structure of optimum compactness.


A high sensitivity microscope is applicable to observe a dark specimen image or an image of a specimen unsuitable for irradiation by strong illumination light, through the use of an image intensifier capable of being inserted into a viewing optical system. The viewing optical system comprises an objective and an eyepiece, and an image intensifier may be disposed in the viewing optical system such that an acceptance plane thereof is located at an image plane of the objective and such that an optical output plane thereof is conjugate with an image plane of the eyepiece. Also, an optical path switch mechanism may be provided to guide light from the objective selectively through an optical path including the image intensifier or through an optical path not including the image intensifier. Alternatively, the image intensifier or a relay lens may be selectively inserted into the viewing optical system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high sensitivity microscope. More particularly, the invention relates to a technology which enables bright observation of a dark specimen image (for example, a specimen unsuitable for the use of strong illumination light), through the use of an image intensifier which may be introduced into a viewing optical system.
2. Related Background Art
Conventional optical microscopes are constructed such that an objective receives light from a specimen irradiated by an illumination device of the microscope and such that imaging optical flux from the objective is guided to an image plane of an eyepiece.
In conventional optical microscopes, strong illumination light must be used in order to obtain a bright microscopic image. However, there are instances in which strong illumination light does not provide a bright image, as well as instances in which strong illumination light is not appropriate for observing a particular specimen. For example, if a specimen has a slight polarization, requiring a polarization microscopic observation, an observed image would be still be dark even with increased illumination light. As another example, for a specimen such as a cultured cell or microorganism which would die under strong illumination light, weak illumination light must be used. This inconveniently results in a dark image which is difficult to observe. The foregoing problems are notably compounded with increased microscope magnification, because an observation image becomes darker as magnification increases. Also, in the case of a fluorescent microscope using a fluorescent specimen, the use of strong illumination light is problematic in that fluorescent color matter in the specimen becomes faded soon after being subjected to the illumination light.
It is possible to utilize a high sensitivity television camera, such an SIT camera, attached to a microscope to enable viewing of an intensified image of a dark specimen on a television monitor. However, observation is limited on the television monitor, so that the field of view is narrow and the resulting system is undesirably large. It is also inconvenient to use such a monitor because the operator must change his view between a lens barrel of the microscope and the monitor when switching observation modes (ordinary microscopic observation versus television observation).


A surface brake system for a detachable agricultural implement towed by a tow vehicle is provided. The detachable agricultural implement includes a frame connected by a telescoping tongue assembly at the tow vehicle. The frame and tongue assembly are movably supported by at least one wheel assembly having a circumferential tread surface. The brake system includes a pivot linkage pivotally connected at the frame of the detachable agricultural implement, and a horizontal aligned brake arm attached at the pivot linkage. The brake system further includes an actuator cylinder interconnected between the pivot linkage and the frame. Movement of the actuator cylinder causes the brake arm to engage a brake pad assembly against the outer circumferential tread surface of the wheel assembly so as to restrain movement of the wheel assembly and frame of the agricultural implement as the tow vehicle extends and retracts the telescoping tongue assembly.

Various types of agricultural implements have been developed that can be linked via an implement tongue assembly to a drawbar of a tractor or other type of tow vehicle to facilitate different tasks, including, for example, seeding, fertilizing and tilling. Hereinafter, unless indicated otherwise, the background of the invention and the present invention will be described in the context of an exemplary planting implement.
An important fact in accessing the value of a planting implement is how quickly the implement can accomplish the task of the implement. The speed in accomplishing the implement's task can be increased by reducing the number of passes required to perform the implement's task for a field. Certain known planting implements are configured to expand to operating field widths of 40-feet or more. Unfortunately, such expansive widths cannot be tolerated during planter transportation, storage, and egress of the implements to and from many agricultural fields. In particular, many farmers use commercial roadways to transport their planting implements to and from the fields, and essentially all roadways are not designed to accommodate expansive planting implements. The industry has developed planting implements that are operable to fold to and from a retracted configuration between transport and intended use.
One certain folding-type planting implement includes a single implement tool bar centrally mounted for pivotal movement on a wheel supported carrier platform where the single arm is pivotable about the mount so that approximately half of the bar extends over the tongue assembly and is a supportable thereby and the other half of the bar extends away from the tractor behind the chassis. The tongue assembly has to be long enough to accommodate the implement bar length plus some clearance so as to allow a tractor linked to the tongue assembly to turn left and right. For example, where the planting implement operating width is 40-feet, the tongue assembly generally has to be greater than 20-feet long.
To ensure planting along the entire edge of a field, a farmer typically starts seeding the field by first traveling around the edge of the field with a seeding implement at lease once and often two or more times along adjacent consecutively smaller paths prior to traveling in parallel rows through field. These field edge paths are generally referred to in the industry as headland passes. Performing one or more headland passes about a field edge prior to performing parallel passes provides a space for turning the tractor an implement around between parallel passes while still covering the entire space along the field edge. However, headland passes increase opportunities for driving over field sections that have already been seeded, crushing passed-over seeds or growing plants and reducing overall field production. As known in the industry, farms routinely attempt to reduce the number of headland passes required in a field.
The number of headland passes required to facilitate field coverage is related to the turning radius of a tractor and planter implement combination, and the turning radius of the combination is directly related to the length of the tongue assembly coupling the planting implement with the tractor. Recognizing that a short tongue assembly during planting operation reduces the number of headland passes and increases efficiency of the planting implement, and that a long tongue assembly is desirable to accommodate pivotal and scissors-type implement folding configurations, the industry has developed telescoping tongue assemblies driven by large hydraulic cylinders to extend and accommodate implement transport, and to retract and provide a minimal turning radius during operation.
However, the above-described agricultural implement has drawbacks. Methods that include extending and retracting the large hydraulic cylinders needed to manipulate a telescoping tongue assembly are costly to manufacture and operate. Also, extending and retracting large hydraulic cylinders requires a significant amount of hydraulic oil, which makes the process of extending and retracting the tongue assembly more time consuming. Therefore, there is a need or desire for an enhanced brake system for an agricultural implement that is less costly to manufacture, operate, and that reduces transition time in accommodating the implement between transport and operation in the field. The brake system should also be configured to be utilized with a wide variety of implements or trailers towed behind a tow vehicle, in addition to those related to agriculture.

Brake system for a towed agricultural implement


In an exhaust gas purification device for an internal combustion engine, a three-way catalyst and a NO.sub.X occluding and reducing catalyst (a NORC) are disposed in the exhaust gas passage of an engine in this order from the upstream side. A first air-fuel ratio sensor is disposed in the exhaust gas passage between the three-way catalyst and the NORC, and a second air-fuel ratio sensor is disposed in the exhaust gas passage downstream of the NORC. An engine electronic control unit (ECU) changes the operating air-fuel ratio of the engine from a lean air-fuel ratio to a rich air-fuel ratio and a rich air-fuel ratio to a lean air-fuel ratio in order to evaluate the abilities of the three-way catalyst and the NORC. The ECU evaluates the catalytic abilities based on the output of the first air-fuel ratio sensor when the engine air-fuel ratio is changed. Further, the ECU evaluates the catalytic ability and the NO.sub.X absorbing capacity of the NORC based on the outputs of the first and the second air-fuel ratio sensor when the engine operating air-fuel ratio is changed. The evaluation of the abilities of both the three-way catalyst and the NORC in one successive changing operation of the engine operating air-fuel ratio is based on only the outputs of the first and the second air-fuel ratio sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exhaust gas purification device for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exhaust gas purification devices utilizing both a three-way catalyst and a NO.sub.X occluding and reducing catalyst are known in the art. A three-way catalyst is capable of purifying HC, CO and NO.sub.X at the same time when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the three-way catalyst is near a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. A NO.sub.X occluding and reducing catalyst (herein after referred to as "an NORC") absorbs NO.sub.X in the exhaust gas when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NORC is lean, and releases the absorbed NO.sub.X and reduces the released NO.sub.X and NO.sub.X in the exhaust gas flowing into the NORC when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NORC is a stoichiometric or a rich air-fuel ratio.
In this specification, the term "air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas" means the ratio of the amounts of air and fuel supplied to the engine and exhaust gas passage upstream of a considered point. Therefore, if air or fuel is not supplied to the exhaust gas passage, the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas agrees with an operating air-fuel ratio of the engine (i.e., air-fuel ratio of the combustion in the engine).
In this type of the exhaust gas purification device, when either the three-way catalyst or the NORC deteriorates, the performance of the exhaust gas purification device as a whole deteriorates. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the abilities of the three-way catalyst and the NORC in order to facilitate the replacement of deteriorated catalyst.
Heretofore, various methods are proposed to evaluate the abilities of the three-way catalyst and the NORC.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 5-133264 proposes an evaluating device for evaluating the degree of deterioration of a three-way catalyst. The device in the '264 publication utilizes two air-fuel ratio sensors disposed in the exhaust gas passage of an engine upstream and downstream of the three-way catalyst, and evaluates the degree of deterioration of the three-way catalyst based on the amount of the deviation of the output of the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor from the output of the upstream air-fuel ratio sensor when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the three-way catalyst changes from a lean air-fuel ratio to a rich air-fuel ratio.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-232644 discloses an exhaust gas purification device which evaluates the deterioration of a NORC. The device in the '644 publication utilizes upstream and downstream air-fuel ratio sensors disposed in the exhaust gas passage of an engine at the inlet and outlet of the NORC and evaluates the deterioration of the NORC based on the time lapsed when the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor outputs a signal corresponding to a rich air-fuel ratio since the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into has changed from a lean air-fuel ratio to a rich air-fuel ratio.
However, when both of the abilities of a three-way catalyst and an NORC are evaluated by the devices in the above-explained publications, problems will occur.
For example, the devices of the '264 publication and the '644 publication require two air-fuel ratio sensors disposed in the exhaust gas passage upstream and downstream of the respective catalyst. Therefore, a total of three air-fuel ratio sensors are required for evaluating both of the abilities of the three-way catalyst and the NORC. This increases the manufacturing cost of the device due to an increase in the number of the air-fuel ratio sensors.
Further, the devices in the '264 publication and the '644 publication evaluate the abilities of catalysts having difference functions (i.e., the three-way catalyst and the NORC, respectively) and the methods used for the evaluation of the abilities of the three-way catalyst and the NORC are different from each other. Therefore, even if air-fuel ratio sensors are provided in the exhaust gas passage upstream and downstream of the respective catalysts, the evaluating operations of the catalysts must be performed separately, i.e., two evaluating operation must be performed for evaluating the abilities of the three-way catalyst and the NORC. During the evaluating operations of the catalysts, the engine is operated at an air-fuel ratio different from that in the normal operation of the engine and this air-fuel ratio during the evaluating operation is not necessarily optimum from the viewpoint of the exhaust emission or the performance of the engine. Therefore, when the separate evaluating operations for the three-way catalyst and the NORC are required, the frequency of the worsening of the performance and the emission of the engine increases.

Exhaust gas purification device for an internal combustion engine


An apparatus and method is presented for improving cardiac function after successful termination of a tachyarrhythmia such as ventricular fibrillation. A series of electrical stimulation pulses are delivered prior to a defibrillation shock if one or more specific criteria are met.

Tachyarrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythms characterized by a rapid heart rate. Examples of ventricular tachyarrhythmias include ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). Both ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation can be hemodynamically compromising, and both can be life-threatening. Ventricular fibrillation, however, causes circulatory arrest within seconds and is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death. Cardioversion (an electrical shock delivered to the heart synchronously with an intrinsic depolarization) and defibrillation (an electrical shock delivered without such synchronization) can be used to terminate most tachyarrhythmias, including VT and VF. As used herein, the term defibrillation and cardioversion should be taken to mean an electrical shock delivered either synchronously or not in order to terminate a fibrillation. In electrical defibrillation, a current depolarizes a critical mass of myocardial cells so that the remaining myocardial cells are not sufficient to sustain the fibrillation.
Implantable cardioverter/defibrillators (ICDs) provide electro-therapy by delivering a shock pulse to the heart when fibrillation is detected by the device. The ICD is a computerized device containing a pulse generator that is usually implanted into the chest or abdominal wall. Electrodes connected by leads to the ICD are placed on the heart, or passed transvenously into the heart, to sense cardiac activity and to conduct the impulses from the shock pulse generator. The device delivers a defibrillation shock pulse to the heart in response to a detected tachyarrhythmia by impressing a voltage between shock electrodes in contact with the heart.

Method and apparatus for delivering pre-shock defibrillation therapy


An agricultural product application system includes a controller and product dispensing apparatus. The product dispensing apparatus includes a metering module in communication with the controller and is configured to control a flow rate of product from a product source to product dispensing units. A display device is in communication with the controller. The controller receives operating limits and an application rate of the product dispensing apparatus. The controller determines a forward speed range based upon the operating limits and on the application rate. Display information is generated for providing a visual representation on the display device of the forward speed range.

Agricultural product application systems include, by way of example, seeders, spreaders and sprayers which serve to apply products or crop inputs such as seed, fertilizer and pesticides through a plurality of product dispensing devices laterally spaced over a working width. Seeders for example typically include a plurality of seeding units which are configured to inject particulate material into a ground surface. In another example, sprayers typically include a plurality of nozzles or drop hoses which are configured to apply a crop input solution onto a growing crop or ground surface.
Some systems are adapted to apply more than one product simultaneously, for example seed and fertilizer or two fertilizer products. In such systems the different products are typically metered independently to allow for different application rates of each of the applied products. Furthermore, many product application systems include multiple metering modules each serving to meter product to a respective section of the plurality of product dispensing devices.
Metering devices typically operate with greatest accuracy within a preferred range of metering or flow rates, the preferred range often being dependent upon the product being metered. When operating at rates outside of the preferred range the metering accuracy can decrease significantly. Moreover, a metering device will typically have operating limits to the speed at which it can dispense product due to the physical limits of the associated meter drive apparatus.
Operators of known product application systems must often therefore use their skill and judgement to ensure that the metering devices do not operate outside of the respective preferred flow rate range which are often different between the metering devices due to the target application range of the product, variations in dispensed product, wear in the device, and section width.

Operator speed guidance for an agricultural product application system


ABCC3, GPNMB, NNMT, and SEC61γ are expressed at higher levels in glioblastoma than in normal brain tissue. These four genes and their expression products are useful for diagnosing and treating glioblastoma and for identifying potential anticancer drugs.

During malignant progression, the pattern of expressed genes can provide clues to understanding tumor growth. In addition to insight into the tumor biology that might be derived from this pattern, there is a practical application for identifying genes highly expressed in tumors but not in normal adult tissue. A common example of tumor marker use is the serum protein assay for early detection of cancer (Kardamakis 1996). Investigators are also searching for genomic DNA alterations or abnormal gene expression in other clinically accessible samples. Progress has been made on finding tumor markers in stool (Sidransky et al. 1992; Vogelstein and Kinzler 1999), sputum (Mao et al. 1994), and urine (Lokeshwar et al. 1997).
Tumor-specific gene expression may also provide an opportunity for immune-based cancer therapies by targeting one or more of the tumor antigens coded for by these genes. Toxic antibodies with high affinity to accessible cell-surface or extracellular proteins may kill enough cancer cells to be therapeutic (Panchal 1998). Recent success with monoclonal antibody targeting of the Her/neu-2 receptor (Herceptin) indicates that targeting a tumor antigen can be useful (Hanna et al. 1999). The approach ideally requires identifying a cell surface protein uniquely expressed on the cells of the tumor, but not expressed in the patient's normal tissue exposed to the antibody during therapy. Also promising is a 'tumor vaccine' approach where the goal is to direct immune defenses toward the tumor by educating host antigen presenting cells with tumor-derived material (Gilboa et al. 1998). Expression of the marker on the cell surface is not a requirement of this system, but successful systemic administration of a tumor vaccine might require a relative lack of marker expression in all normal tissue cells, especially within vital organs. Either of these therapeutic approaches could benefit from the discovery of new tumor specific markers.
Tumor markers and antigens have promising clinical utility, but previous techniques for locating these proteins has not yielded robust markers for most cancers (Wu 1999). Finding a candidate marker is frequently the by-product of other studies, but not the initial intent of the research. Furthermore, generating the expression profile for each suspect gene has often relied on time consuming techniques, such as Northern blotting, in situ hybridization, or immunohistochemistry. Fortunately, new genome-scale technology should accelerate tumor marker discovery. In particular, the ability to assay comprehensive gene expression has made significant advances (Gress et al. 1992; Schena et al. 1995; Velculescu et al. 1995; Lockhart et al. 1996; Kononen et al. 1998).
Large-scale gene expression assays, such as cDNA microarrays (Schena et al. 1995), oligonucleotide chips (Lockhart et al. 1996), cDNA library sequencing (Adams et al. 1993), and Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE, (Velculescu et al. 1995) can decipher complex expression patterns. Much of the resulting data is being deposited on publicly accessible Web sites (Table 1) or is commercially available. Potentially, this information is a valuable resource, but mining the best data and adapting the results for a particular application is challenging. Follow-up and confirmatory studies are time consuming, and this problem will grow with the growth of large-scale expression technologies. A rapid confirmation of differential expression is useful prior to studies of gene function, or before investigating an over-expressed gene as a candidate tumor marker or antigen.
Candidate genes can be identified by mining public databases as in (Lal et al. 1999). Fluorescent-PCR expression comparison (F-PEC) to assess candidate gene expression on a panel of tumor and normal samples. The F-PEC method is based on continuous fluorescent monitoring of PCR products (Wittwer et al. 1997; Morrison et al. 1998) from a cDNA template. F-PEC allows for a quick and low-cost assessment of the expression pattern of a gene, uses commercially available instrumentation, and can be automated. Several candidate tumor markers were identified for glioblastoma multiforme [(GBM) WHO Astrocytoma Grade IV], which is the most common primary brain malignancy in adults, but which can occur at virtually any age (Kleihues et al. 2000). These genetic targets specific for GBM are useful for developing immune-based therapies. Now that expression information is readily available for many cancerous tissues, this approach can be employed to help find markers in other major tumors.
There is a need in the art to diagnose and treat glioblastoma and to identify anticancer drugs.

Four genetic tumor markers specific for human glioblastoma


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a matrix frame which includes a plurality of die pads, mounting a semiconductor chip on the respective die pads, and sealing the semiconductor chip in blocks. After the semiconductor chip is sealed by the sealing resin, inner leads which are extended from the sealing resin are punched by a punching blade. Then, the block is diced to individual semiconductor devices by a rotary blade.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which has a sealing resin.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a matrix frame is disclosed in reference 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-124239. The matrix frame which is disclosed in reference 1 includes a plurality of die pads which are arranged in a matrix. A semiconductor chip is mounted on the respective die pads. A couple of the semiconductor chips and the die pads are grouped and sealed in groups by a sealing resin. Such technique may be called a block molding method.
A reference 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-43344 discloses a technique of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a matrix frame. The reference 2 discloses the following method. First, semiconductor chips are sealed in groups. Each of the groups includes a plurality of the semiconductor chips which are aligned. Then, each of the groups is separated. Finally, the sealed group is divided and individual semiconductor devices are obtained.
In the block molding method, only a peripheral area of the lead frame is clamped by a mold. Therefore, in a central area of the lead frame which is not clamped by the mold, a position of an inner lead might be moved, when a molding resin is injected in the mold.
Also, in the central area of the lead frame, a flash of the resin might be formed at a rear surface of the lead frame. It is difficult to remove the flash, and an additional step for removing the flash is needed.
Further, when the sealed block is divided by a dicing blade, a rotary speed of the dicing blade is decreased for cutting a lead frame enclosed by the sealing resin. Therefore, the dividing step requires a lot of time.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by using a matrix frame