A keyswitch includes a cap, a board, first and second support members rotatably connected to the cap and the board, a seesaw member, and a magnetic member. The seesaw member movably supports at least one of the cap and the first and second support members. The magnetic member is disposed on the board corresponding to the seesaw member. When the cap is pressed, the at least one of the cap and the first and second support members drives the seesaw member to raise and the cap moves from a non-pressed position to a pressed position. When the cap is released, a magnetic attraction force between the magnetic member and the seesaw member drives the seesaw member to raise for lifting the at least one of the cap and the first and second support members, so as to move the cap back to the non-pressed position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyswitch and a keyboard thereof, and more specifically, to a keyswitch utilizing a magnetic attraction force between a seesaw member and a board as a driving force for driving a cap to return back to a non-pressed position and a keyboard thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A keyboard, which is the most common input device, could be found in variety of electronic apparatuses for users to input characters, symbols, numerals and so on. Furthermore, from consumer electronic products to industrial machine tools, they are all equipped with a keyboard for performing input operations.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a sectional diagram of a keyswitch 1 according to the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, the keyswitch 1 includes aboard 10, a cap 12, a circuit board 14, a support device 16, and an elastic member 18. The circuit board 14 is disposed on the board 10. The support device 16 is disposed between the cap 12 and the board 10 for supporting the cap 12. The elastic member 18 is also disposed between the cap 12 and the board 10. Accordingly, when the cap 12 is pressed by a user, the elastic member 18 could provide cap 12 with an elastic force to make the cap 12 return back to a non-pressed position.
However, since the scissor mechanical design adopted by the support device 16 requires more space so as to further increase the overall height of the keyswitch 1, it is disadvantageous to the thinning design of the keyswitch 1. Furthermore, because the elastic member 18 is usually made of rubber material, elastic fatigue of the elastic member 18 may occur after the elastic member 18 is used over a long period of time so as to shorten the life of the keyswitch 1.


Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying images responsive to a search phrase are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes identifying a set of responsive images for a search phrase that includes two or more terms. Interaction rankings are determined for images in the set of responsive images. Two or more sub-queries are created based on the search phrase. Sub-query model rankings are determined for images in the set of responsive images. A search phrase score is determined for the image relevance model. Based on the search phrase scores for the sub-queries, one of the sub-query models is selected as a model for the search phrase.

This specification relates to information retrieval.
The Internet provides an opportunity for users to share images and for content providers to disseminate information by way of images. Identification of images that are relevant to a particular query can be based, for example, on textual information associated with the image and visual characteristics of the image. For example, a search system can identify images that are associated with textual information that is related to the query and an image relevance model that has been trained for a particular query can provide a measure of visual relevance of an image to the particular query based on visual characteristics of the image.


A swing assembly is provided in which low profile side members are used to support a seat member for gliding back and forth movement. The seat member may be rotated between sitting and inclined positions and includes a movable T-bar which is adapted to be pivoted forwardly in order to facilitate movement of an infant into and out of the seat.

The present invention relates to a swing assembly and, more particularly, to a swing assembly which has a compact configuration and which provides easy access for placing an infant in the assembly.
Children's swings for infants have been available for several years and typically include an overhead support housing for supporting a pair of pivoting side bars which support an infant seat. The overhead housing is typically supported by two front legs and two rear legs and, as a result, the infant seat is commonly pivoted about a pivot point located a substantial distance from the seat such that the arc of pivot for the seat is also large and the infant will undergo a minimal amount of angular tilting while swinging.
Further, as a result of providing an overhead structure for supporting the seat during its swinging movement, access to the seat from above the seat is hindered and it is sometimes difficult to place the infant within the seat. This is particularly true when the seat is provided with a stationary front strap or bar for engaging between the infant's legs and retaining the infant in the seat, which thus requires that the infant's legs be threaded through a pair of openings in the seat while the infant is lowered into the seat. In addition, as a result of the support legs extending up adjacent to the location of the pivot point in the overhead housing, the legs are typically extremely long and make it difficult to maneuver the swing when it is transported between different rooms in a house.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,872 to Spillman et al discloses a device which attempts to overcome the problem associated with inadequate overhead access room for the infant seat and includes side members which extend upwardly a sufficient distance to support a pivot for the seat while providing an open central area above the seat. However, this device still requires the provision of a pivot point for the seat which is substantially above the seat in order to provide a desired swing arc such that this device suffers from the disadvantage of being relatively awkward to maneuver when being transported to different locations.
Accordingly, there is a need for a swing assembly having improved access for permitting an infant to be easily placed in a seat of the assembly, and which is formed of a compact structure whereby the assembly may be easily transported to different locations.


A light sensitive positive composition comprising an alkali soluble resin, a novel photoactive compound represented by the structure ##STR1## where, X is O, S or N--R', where R' is H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl or aralkyl,. Y is a connecting group such as SO.sub.2, CO, O or NR', PA1 Z is a carbon containing organic ballast moiety having a molecular weight greater than about 75 and can form a bond with the connecting group, PA1 R is independently H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aralkyl, halo or fluoroalkyl, PA1 m=1-3, and n.gtoreq.1;. and a solvent or mixture of solvents. The invention further comprises a process for imaging the composition of this invention to give positive image. The light sensitive composition is especially useful as a positive deep-uv photoresist.

Photoresist compositions are used in microlithography processes for making miniaturized electronic components such as in the fabrication of computer chips and integrated circuits. Generally, in these processes, a thin coating of film of a photoresist composition is first applied to a substrate material, such as silicon wafers used for making integrated circuits. The coated substrate is then baked to evaporate any solvent in the photoresist composition and to fix the coating onto the substrate. The baked coated surface of the substrate is next subjected to an image-wise exposure to radiation.
This radiation exposure causes a chemical transformation in the exposed areas of the coated surface. Visible light, ultraviolet (UV) light, electron beam and X-ray radiant energy are radiation types commonly used today in microlithographic processes. After this image-wise exposure, the coated substrate is treated with a developer solution to dissolve and remove either the radiation-exposed or the unexposed areas of the coated surface of the substrate.
There are two types of photoresist compositions, negative-working and positive-working. When negative-working photoresist compositions are exposed image-wise to radiation, the areas of the resist composition exposed to the radiation become less soluble to a developer solution (e.g. a cross-linking reaction occurs) while the unexposed areas of the photoresist coating remain relatively soluble to such a solution. Thus, treatment of an exposed negative-working resist with a developer causes removal of the non-exposed areas of the photoresist coating and the creation of a negative image in the coating. Thereby uncovering a desired portion of the underlying substrate surface on which the photoresist composition was deposited.
On the other hand, when positive-working photoresist compositions are exposed image-wise to radiation, those areas of the photoresist composition exposed to the radiation become more soluble to the developer solution (e.g. a rearrangement reaction occurs) while those areas not exposed remain relatively insoluble to the developer solution. Thus, treatment of an exposed positive-working photoresist with the developer causes removal of the exposed areas of the coating and the creation of a positive image in the photoresist coating. Again, a desired portion of the underlying substrate surface is uncovered.
After this development operation, the now partially unprotected substrate may be treated with a substrate-etchant solution or plasma gases and the like. The etchant solution or plasma gases etch that portion of the substrate where the photoresist coating was removed during development. The areas of the substrate where the photoresist coating still remains are protected and, thus, an etched pattern is created in the substrate material which corresponds to the photomask used for the image-wise exposure of the radiation. Later, the remaining areas of the photoresist coating may be removed during a stripping operation, leaving a clean etched substrate surface. In some instances, it is desirable to heat treat the remaining photoresist layer, after the development step and before the etching step, to increase its adhesion to the underlying substrate and its resistance to etching solutions.
Positive working photoresist compositions are currently favored over negative working resists because the former generally have better resolution capabilities and pattern transfer characteristics. Photoresist resolution is defined as the smallest feature which the resist composition can transfer from the photomask to the substrate with a high degree of image edge acuity after exposure and development. In many manufacturing applications today, resist resolution on the order of less than one micron are necessary. In addition, it is almost always desirable that the developed photoresist wall profiles be near vertical relative to the substrate. Such demarcations between developed and undeveloped areas of the resist coating translate into accurate pattern transfer of the mask image onto the substrate. This becomes even more critical as the push toward miniaturization reduces the critical dimensions on the devices.
Photosensitive compositions are currently used in microlithography to form integrated circuits. As the requirement for faster integrated circuits grows, so does the need to reduce the dimensions of the features printed on these circuits. One method of producing small features is to imagewise irradiate the photoresist with light of shorter wavelengths. The traditional photosensitive compositions which contained novolaks as resins and diazonaphthoquinones as photosensitive compounds worked well at wavelengths between 350 nm and 450 nm. Diazonaphthoquinone photoactive compounds used for irradiation wavelengths between 350 nm and 450 nm are known and described in the following patents, U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,670, U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,315, U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,936, U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,107 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,033, which are incorporated herein by reference. However, with light of wavelengths less than 350 nm, and especially less than 250 nm, neither do the typical novolacs have sufficient transparency, nor do the diazonaphthoquinones have the necessary absorption characteristics to allow for photoresist images of adequate resolution and edge acuity to be formed. Therefore, it has become necessary to synthesize new resins and new photoactive compounds for use at shorter wavelengths.
Radiation-sensitive mixtures containing photoactive diazo derivatives which are suitable for irradiation with high-energy deep UV radiation have been described in the literature for some time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,522 discloses positive-working radiation-sensitive mixtures which contain, as a photoactive compound, a diazo derivative of Meldrum's acid. This compound is said to be suitable for exposure to high-energy deep UV radiation in the range between 200 and 300 nm. However, this photoactive compound is lost under the elevated processing temperatures frequently employed in practice; the radiation-sensitive mixture loses its original activity, so that reproducible photoresist images are not obtained.
Further, positive-working photoactive compounds which are sensitive in the deep UV region are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,885. The compounds have the disadvantage that the carbenes formed from these on exposure do not have adequate stability in the matrix for the desired formulation of carboxylic acid. This results in an inadequate solubility difference between the exposed and the unexposed areas in the developer and thus leads to an undesirably high removal rate of the unexposed areas, leading to poor resolution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,283 provide 2-diazocyclohexane- 1,3-dione or -cyclopentane-1,3-dione derivatives as photoactive compounds for radiation-sensitive mixtures of the type described. These compounds have lower volatility, but they exhibit, depending on the substitution pattern present, poor compatibility in the radiation-sensitive mixture. This can cause recrystallization in the solution or in the coating.
EP-A 0 195 986 proposes phosphoryl-substituted diazocarbonyl compounds as photoactive compounds, since these have a higher carbene stability. In practice, however, such compounds will probably not be widely accepted since phosphorus atoms are potentially used as dopants for the semiconductor substrates.
Photoactive compounds based on 3, diazo 4, oxo coumarin structure and sensitive in the shorter wavelengths are disclosed in JP 2,061,640. Additionally, JP 3,079,670, describes a photoresist based on a similar coumarin structure, and further includes 2-diazo 1-indanone and 3-diazo 2,4-quinolinedione as photosensitive compounds, wherein the photoresist when processed gives a negative image. These are monomeric diazo compounds that have substituents of low molecular weight, such as methyl, chlorine, methoxy, propyl, that can be susceptible to volatility, diffusion through the photoresist film, amongst other factors. Furthermore, the 3-diazo 2,4-quinolinedione described in JP 3,079,670 discloses as substituents only sulfonic acid, sulfonyl halogeno, alkoxy, hydrogen or halo groups, which in a photoresist, give a negative image.
All of the references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The present invention describes a positive photosensitive composition comprising an alkali soluble resin, a novel photoactive compound based on the structure: ##STR2## where, X is O, S or N--R', where R' is H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl or aralkyl,
Y is a connecting group such as SO.sub.2, CO, O or NR', PA1 Z is a carbon containing organic ballast moiety having a molecular weight greater than about 75 and can form a bond with the connecting group, PA1 R is independently H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aralkyl, halo or fluoroalkyl, PA1 m=1-3, and n.gtoreq.1; PA1 Y is a connecting group such as SO.sub.2, CO, O or NR', PA1 Z is a carbon containing organic ballast moiety having a molecular weight greater than about 75 and can form a bond with the connecting group, PA1 R is independently H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aralkyl, halo or fluoroalkyl, PA1 m=1-3, and n.gtoreq.1; PA1 Y is a connecting group such as SO.sub.2, CO, O or NR', PA1 Z is a carbon containing ballast moiety having a molecular weight greater than about 75 and can form a bond with the connecting group, PA1 R is independently H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aralkyl, halo or fluoroalkyl, PA1 m=1-3, and n.gtoreq.1; PA1 where where R.sub.1 to R.sub.5 are independently alkyl having greater than 6 carbon atom, aryl or aralkyl and n is the degree of diazotization.
and a solvent or mixture of solvents. The novel compound is not a low molecular weight diazo, has high decomposition temperature, good absorption characteristics and unexpectedly when formulated in to a photoresist gives a positive photoresist image.

Positive photoresists containing novel photoactive compounds


Improved telomerase activity assays are provided in which a ligation sequential reaction (LSR) or BrdUTP are used to identify a telomerase specific product. These assays are useful in diagnosing various cancers and determining the clinical prospects for cancer patients. In addition, the assays can be used to screen for substances that interfere with telomerase activity.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of cancer biology. More specifically, the present invention provides methods for the diagnosis of cancer and for the screening of substances that can be used to treat cancer. A particular embodiment of the present invention involves an assay for the detection of telomerase activity in a patient tissue sample.
II. Related Art
Cancers are one of the leading causes of mortality in the world, being responsible for over one-half million deaths in the United States each year. Prompt clinical intervention is important in lowering the mortality rate and, therefore, it is important to provide improved methods for detecting cancers, especially at relative early stages.
One of the new areas of interest in tumor biology relates to the role of telomeres in cellular growth control. Telomeres are repeated sequences found at chromosome ends and it has long been known that chromosomes with truncated ends are unstable, tend to fuse with other chromosomes and are otherwise lost during cell division. Some data suggest that telomeres interaction the nucleoprotein complex and the nuclear matrix. One putative role for telomeres includes stabilizing chromosomes and shielding the ends from degradative enzyme.
Another possible role for telomeres is in replication. According to present doctrine, replication of DNA requires starts from short RNA primers annealed to the 3'-end of the template. The result of this mechanism is an "end replication problem" in which the region corresponding to the RNA primer is not replicated. Over many cell divisions, this will result in the progressive truncation of the chromosome. It is thought that telomeres may provide a buffer against this effect, at least until they are themselves eliminated by this effect.
Thus, the loss of telomeres may be part of programmed cell senescence and, conversely, the maintenance of telomeres may correspond to cell growth. These structures are maintained by an enzyme called telomerase. Telomerase contains RNA and protein components that act to synthesize telomeric sequences. If abnormal maintenance or proliferation of telomeres occurred, it is conceivable that unrestricted, i.e., neoplastic cell growth might result. Recently, there have been numerous reports lending credibility to this theory. For example, 94% of neuroblastomas tested in one study showed telomerase activity while normal adrenal tissue and benign ganglioneuromas did not (Hiyama et al., 1995). Similarly, Hiyama et al. (1995) found that over 80% of primary lung cancer tissues had telomerase activity while only 4.4% of normal tissues had activity. Chadeneau et al., (1995) found telomerase activity in colorectal cancer, but not in edematous polyps and Counter et al. (1994) reported telomerase activity in ovarian carcinoma. Abnormal telomerase activity also has been observed in tumors derived from skin, adipose, connective tissue, breast, stomach, pancreas, cervix, kidney, bladder, colon, prostate and blood (Kim et al., 1994).
Telomerase activity can be assayed by standard methods, which incorporate radioactive nucleotides into a substrate for telomerase followed by gel electrophoresis for analysis of the products formed. This conventional assay is difficult and insensitive, requiring about 10.sup.7 cells per assay (Morin, 1989). There are two known forms of telomerase--processive and non-processive. Processive telomerase adds multiple telomeric repeats to a DNA primer, while non-processive telomerase adds no more than one telomeric repeat to a DNA primer.
Kim et al. (1994) reported improved methods for the extraction and detection of telomerase activity. A detergent lysis method was modified to allow more uniform extraction of telomerase activity, even at low cell numbers. In addition, a PCR-based assay known as "TRAP" (telomeric repeat amplification protocol) was developed. This assay uses telomerase activity in a sample to generate telomerase-specific products which act as templates for amplification by polymerase.
Kim et al. (1994) allude to problems with respect to the PCR products generated. "Even under high stringency, staggered annealing of the downstream primer occurred (for example, annealing by three of the four repeats) . . . Thus, TRAP assay products do not directly reflect the distribution of telomerase products generated in the assay, and the interaction between the upstream and downstream primers must be prevented." As a result, TRAP can produce false-positive results and is not very quantitative. Additionally, the TRAP assay cannot distinguish or even properly detect non-processive telomerase activity. Therefore, there remains a need for a more reliable assay for telomerase activity in tissue samples.

Rapid and sensitive assays for detecting and distinguishing between processive and non-processive telomerase activities


High temperature superconductor composite thin film devices with easily moved Josephson vortices are described having high T.sub.c and good magnetic vortex properties. A preferred composite material was YBCO/CeO.sub.2 thin film on a MgO substrate. The superconductor composites were preferably formed by off-axis co-sputtering. A surprising recovery in properties was seen after plasma etching with oxygen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a superconductive high temperature composite thin film material and a method of preparation wherein the composite material has interspersed superconductor and insulator grains. The superconductive composite thin film material has a predetermined critical current density, a high critical temperature and easily moved Josephson vortices. The critical current density is determined by the relative amounts of high temperature superconductor and insulator. The invention particularly relates to a composite film of a superconductor such as YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7 (YBCO), TlCa.sub.2 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.8, Bi.sub.2 (Sr,Ca).sub.3 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.8, La.sub.2-x Sr.sub.x CuO.sub.4 or other rare earth barium copper oxide superconductors and one or more non-diffusing insulators such as cerium oxide, (CeO.sub.2), magnesium oxide (MgO), LaAlO.sub.3 or SrTiO.sub.3 deposited on a substrate that is compatible with the high temperature superconductor and with the superconductive high temperature composite material having easily moved Josephson vortices.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is considerable interest in high transition temperature superconducting devices and high temperature superconducting electronics research focusing on the development of active three-terminal devices having gain. See J. E. Nordman, Semiconductor Science and Technology, 8, 681 (1995); R. Gerdemann, L. Alff, A. Beck, O. M. Froelich, B. Mayer and R. Gross, IEEE Transactions in Applied Superconductivity 5, 3292 (1995); Y. M. Zhang, D. Winkler, P. A. Nilsson, and T. Claeson, Applied Physics Letters, 64 1153 (1994); and K. Miyahara, S. Kubo, and M. Suzuki, Journal of Applied Physics 76, 4772 (1994), all herein incorporated by reference. The vortex flow transistor reported by J. S. Martens. G. K. G. Hohenwarter, J. B. Beyer, J. E. Nordman and D. S. Ginley, J. Appl. Phys. 65, 4057 (1989), herein incorporated by reference, the fluxonic junction transistor proposed by A. M. Kadin, J. Appl. Physics 68, 5741(1990) herein incorporated by reference and the long Josephson junction biased in the flux flow mode reported by D. P. McGinnis, J. E. Nordman and J. B. Beyer, IEEE Trans, Magn. MAG-23, 699 (1987), herein incorporated by reference, are examples of devices whose gain effect is dependent on the control of magnetic vortices in the device. The first two devices rely on the movement of Abrikosov vortices in a thin superconducting film while the third device uses the motion of Josephson vortices along the length of a tunnel junction. The long hysteretic Josephson junction vortex flow device has only been reported using low transition temperature (T.sub.c) electrode materials. However, Gerdemann et al. have reported fabricating arrays of parallel bicrystal grain boundary junctions into high T.sub.c vortex flow transistors. Single-layer vortex flow devices require a region of easily moved vortices for controlling the transport with a small external magnetic field. Vortex motion can be realized in a device by incorporating an array of weak links into the structure or by the use of a grain boundary Josephson junction.
The successful development of three-terminal high temperature superconducting devices having gain can have a significant impact on the viability of superconducting electronics. The superconducting vortex flow transistor has been demonstrated in both low T.sub.c and high temperature superconductive materials. The superconducting vortex flow transistor's speed and frequency response is dependent on the material properties and kind of vortices (Abrikosov or Josephson) responsible for vortex transport. Other superconducting flux flow and fluxonic devices include those of Hohenwater et al., Characteristics of superconducting flux-flow transistors, IEEE Trans. Magn., vol. 27, pp. 3297-3300 (March 1991), herein incorporated by reference. See also Kadin, Duality and fluxonics in superconducting devices, J. Appl. Phys., vol. 68, pp. 5741-5749 (December 1990), herein incorporated by reference. These devices are based on the motion of either Abrikosov or Josephson vortices and require a material with properties which do not substantially impede the flow of magnetic flux. The high pinning strength of YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7 (YBCO) has made it unsuitable for flux flow devices without modifying the YBCO in some manner such as thinning or taking advantage of naturally occurring defects such as the grain boundary junction formed over a substrate step. See Martens et al., S-parameter measurements on single superconducting thin-film three-terminal devices made of high T.sub.c and low T.sub.c materials, J. Appl. Phys., vol. 65, pp. 4057-4060 (May 1989), herein incorporated by reference. See also Martens et al., Fluxflow microelectronics, IEEE Trans. Appl. Super., vol. 3, pp. 2295-2302 (March 1993), herein incorporated by reference.
Researchers have sought practical, three terminal, superconducting devices for applications in hybrid technologies and on-chip integration with passive, superconducting components. Such devices included the flux-flow transistor and the fluxonic junction transistor, both of which require a superconducting material in which vortices can easily move.
High quality high temperature superconductor (HTS) thin films having"easily movable vortices" are difficult to fabricate. High quality thin films of YBCO generally have T.sub.c 's approaching 90 K (degrees Kelvin) and J.sub.c 's at 77 K greater than 1.times.10.sup.6 A/cm.sup.2 and show strong vortex pinning. In such materials, vortex motion is difficult except very close to T.sub.c or in very high magnetic fields (10's of Tesla). See Rose-Innes et al., Introduction to Superconductivity, 2nd Edition, International Series in Solid State Physics, Vol. 6, Pergamon Press, New York, at pp. 186-190 (1978), herein incorporated by reference.
Materials having easy vortex motion usually have a reduced T.sub.c and J.sub.c and are chemically unstable in the ambient environment. This is because the material within or at the grain boundaries often consists of impurities or off-stoichiometric material, causing a reduced T.sub.c, J.sub.c and chemical stability. For example, oxygen-deficient YBCO films which have reduced T.sub.c 's and J.sub.c 's as well as weak pinning have been shown to be very susceptible to damage from device processing and exposure to water-based chemicals. See L H. Allen et al., Thin film composites of Au and YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.2 O-.sub.-.delta., Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 66(8), pp. 1003-1005 (20 Feb., 1995), herein incorporated by reference. Once these materials are fabricated into vortex flow devices, they degrade and change their operating characteristics with age.
Even materials that were initially high quality are susceptible to processing damage. For example, weak-link microbridges fabricated from high-quality materials have exhibited easy vortex motion. However, when made and used in flux flow devices, they are often operated at reduced temperatures because the T.sub.c of the microbridge is degraded by the patterning process. See Miyahara et al., Vortex Flow Characteristics of High-T.sub.c Flux Flow Transistors, J. Appl. Phys., vol 75, pp. 404 (1994), herein incorporated by reference. Furthermore, the stability with time of these devices is uncertain because of the inherent chemical instability associated with degraded superconducting material.

High temperature superconductor/insulator composite thin films with Josephson coupled grains

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


Examples are disclosed for detecting synthetic online entities that may be used for fraudulent purposes or other purposes. In some aspects, a computing system can generate a data structure that includes nodes and links between the nodes. The nodes can represent online entities and the links can represent geographic associations or transactional associations between pairs of online entities. These associations can be identified from electronic transactions involving the online entities. The computing system can determine, from the links between the nodes, that a degree of connectivity among a subset of the nodes exceeds a threshold connectivity. The degree of connectivity indicates electronic communications involving online entities represented by the subset of the nodes. The computing system can transmit, based on the degree of connectivity exceeding the threshold connectivity, an alert indicating a potential synthetic entity (e.g., potentially fraudulent activity) within the subset of the nodes.

Electronic transactions involve exchanges of products and services among different parties. For example, one entity may provide business credit, investment services, banking services, product supplies, manufacturing services, or any other type of product or service to one or more other entities.
Individuals engaging in fraud or other unauthorized online activity may create deep, fake entities. For example, a synthetic entity may be generated by creating fake documentation such as fake birth certificates, fake Social Security numbers, etc. Therefore, the synthetic entity may be associated with mortgages, credit cards, or other financial transactions.
A synthetic online entity can pose risks that are absent from other types of fraudulent activity. For example, outside the realm of electronic transactions, the same individual could not simultaneously pose as a first individual applying for a loan and a second individual co-signing on a loan without drawing suspicion. But a first synthetic online entity and a second synthetic online entity could perform the same transaction without appearing suspicious to the automated computing system that services the loan application. Thus, individuals that have created synthetic entities can use the relative anonymity provided by the Internet to fraudulently apply for mortgages or credit cards, to conduct clandestine activities, or to engage in other illicit or otherwise unauthorized activities.


An adhesive melter and a method for operating the melter enables predictive maintenance of an exhaust air filter used to remove pressurized air flow that delivers solid adhesive particulate from a fill system into the melter. To this end, the fill system repeatedly actuates to refill a receiving space, and a controller monitors a duration of each fill system cycle. When changes in a calculated average duration of a plurality of fill system cycles exceed a maintenance threshold, an alert is emitted at a user interface to prompt maintenance or replacement of the exhaust air filter before a complete shutdown of the fill system is caused by clogging of the exhaust air filter. Consequently, unplanned downtimes caused by clogged exhaust air filters in the adhesive melter can be minimized, regardless of any variable conditions occurring at the melter.

A conventional dispensing system for supplying heated adhesive (i.e., a hot-melt adhesive dispensing system) generally includes a melter having an inlet for receiving adhesive materials in solid or semi-solid form, a heater grid in communication with the inlet for heating and/or melting the adhesive materials, and an outlet in communication with the heater grid for receiving the heated adhesive from the heated grid. The outlet communicates with a pump for driving and controlling the dispensation of the heated adhesive through the outlet and to downstream equipment, such as dispensing modules. Furthermore, conventional dispensing systems generally include a controller (e.g., a processor and a memory) and input controls electrically connected to the controller to provide a user interface with the dispensing system. The controller is in communication with one or more of the melter, the pump, and other components, such that the controller controls the dispensation of the heated adhesive.
Conventional hot-melt adhesive dispensing systems typically operate at ranges of temperatures sufficient to melt the received adhesive and heat the adhesive to an elevated application temperature prior to dispensing the heated adhesive. In order to ensure that the demand for heated adhesive from the gun(s) and module(s) is satisfied, the adhesive dispensing systems are designed with the capability to generate a predetermined maximum flow of molten adhesive. For example, the inlet of the melter communicates with a fill system operated by the controller of the dispensing system. In a typical arrangement, the fill system operates to deliver a stream of solid particulate or pelletized adhesive using a pressurized air flow from a bulk supply or source of the solid adhesive to the inlet of the melter whenever a receiving space (e.g., hopper) above the heater grid requires refilling. In these arrangements, the melter also includes an exhaust outlet with a filter for discharging the pressurized air flow from the fill system or receiving space after that pressurized air flow has delivered the solid adhesive into the receiving space. Thus, each fill system cycle requires the exhausting of pressurized air flow out of the melter.
As readily understood, the exhaust air filter will become clogged over time as the fill system is used. This clogging of the exhaust air filter stifles the efficient operation of the fill system because it can limit the amount of pressurized air flow generated through the fill system and the melter. Conventional adhesive melters and dispensing systems do not specifically monitor the use of the exhaust air filter, so there is currently no known mechanism in this field to provide predictive maintenance information to an operator regarding when the exhaust air filter will need to be replaced. Instead, conventional systems typically continue to operate until the exhaust air filter is so clogged that the fill system effectively cannot keep up with the demands for molten adhesive from the melter, such as when the dispensing system requires the predetermined maximum flow of molten adhesive. Alternatively, the fill system may also stop working for other reasons such as a burst hose in the fill system or an obstruction of flow at the source of adhesive. As a result, a shutdown of the fill system occurs, which can eventually lead to the melter running out of adhesive and shutting down as well. Therefore, the adhesive dispensing system undergoes a period of unplanned downtime until maintenance personnel can identify the issue with the clogged exhaust air filter (or the other issues described above, when applicable) and then perform appropriate maintenance, such as a replacement of the exhaust air filter. These unplanned downtimes for the system are undesirable and costly for operators of conventional adhesive melters and dispensing systems.
In other pneumatic fields such as HVAC systems, air filters have been monitored using air flow measurement devices and/or pressure detection sensors that provide estimates of how much air flow moves through the air filter. The air filters in these other fields are then replaced after a set amount of air flow has passed through the air filter. While this type of equipment could hypothetically be used in the conventional adhesive melters, this equipment has not been added for multiple reasons. First, the additional air flow measurement devices and/or pressure detection sensors add additional cost to the manufacturing and maintenance of the adhesive melter, and this additional cost may outweigh the benefit of attempting to provide predictive maintenance information about the exhaust air filter at the adhesive melter. Second, these types of predictive maintenance based on total air flow through the exhaust air filter are unreliable in this context because exhaust air filters in adhesive melters are subject to highly variable conditions that may significantly alter the lifespan or total air flow that the exhaust air filter can pass through before clogging. Thus, merely measuring the total air flow through an exhaust air filter at an adhesive melter is not a reliable method for accurately determining when the exhaust air filter will become clogged, and unplanned downtimes for the adhesive melter would likely still occur.
The highly variable conditions that subject the exhaust air filters to unpredictable lifespan include the use of different adhesive materials or variable pellet shapes/form factors with filters, as these different materials or form factors can affect the amount of air flow required to move the solid adhesive. In another example, the length of hose used between the source of adhesive for the fill system and the melter may also affect the cycle time for a fill system and the lifespan of an exhaust air filter. In some instances, a more significant source of unpredictability in the lifespan of exhaust air filters is the selective use of powder that may be put on the solid adhesive to prevent tackiness and sticking together of the pellets or particles before delivery to the receiving space. This powder causes more rapid clogging of the exhaust air filter at the melter, thereby shortening the lifespan of the exhaust air filter. Furthermore, the use of powder on certain batches of solid adhesive delivered to the bulk supply from which the fill system draws solid adhesive is unpredictable because not every batch of solid adhesive may include the powder (e.g., the powder may only be used at hotter times of the year when the adhesive supplier and the ambient conditions at the bulk supply may be more prone to pellets sticking together). The amount of powder on the adhesive that will be captured by the exhaust air filter may also vary dramatically even between different batches or fill system cycles. As a result, it is currently impractical to reliably predict when an exhaust air filter in a conventional adhesive melter will require replacement. Furthermore, there is currently no known method for distinguishing reduced performance of the fill system caused by exhaust air filter clogging from reduced performance of the fill system caused by other problems such as burst hoses or adhesive supply obstructions.
For reasons such as these, an improved adhesive melter and method of operation, including a control process for accurately predicting and alerting an operator when an exhaust air filter requires replacement or maintenance, would be desirable.

Adhesive melter and method having predictive maintenance for exhaust air filter


Methods and systems for treating a subterra-nean formation. An example method comprises pumping an aerosol comprising a vaporized carrier fluid and a dispersed polyhydroxyetheramine in a wellbore penetrating the sub-terranean formation; depositing the polyhydroxyetheramine on a surface of the subterranean formation; and producing hydrocarbons from the treated subterranean formation.

The recovery of hydrocarbons from water-sensitive formations may be difficult if the formations are left untreated and exposed to aqueous fluids which may negatively impact the permeability of a water-sensitive formation. Water-sensitive formations comprise water-sensitive materials such as swellable clays, shale, and the like. Water-sensitive materials undergo chemical and/or physical changes when contacted with aqueous fluids and may swell, slough off, deflocculate, deform, or otherwise degrade. Water-sensitive materials that destabilize can damage the permeability of the producing interval of the subterranean formation. For example, contact with aqueous fluids may destabilize the formation by weakening the integrity of the rock substrate as described. This destabilization may result in the partial or complete blockage of the fluid flowpaths (e.g., fractures, pores, etc.) in the subterranean formation, thereby resulting in a loss in permeability of the formation. This loss in permeability may impair the hydrocarbon fluids into the wellbore, and can lead to a decrease in production. Moreover, some of the chemical and/or physical changes in the water-sensitive materials can induce deflocculation and yield fines capable of migrating and being produced. These fines may induce abrasion and other problems with the production equipment in addition to the potential reduction in flowpath permeability.
Formation-stabilizing materials may be used to stabilize the water-sensitive areas of a subterranean formation. Some formation-stabilizing materials, for example, quaternary amines (i.e. salts of quaternary ammonium cations) are introduced into and deposited in the wellbore using aqueous carrier fluids. These aqueous carrier fluids are used in the liquid phase to carry the formation-stabilizing materials to the desired portion of the subterranean formation. Problems exist with the use of liquid phase aqueous carrier fluids. For example, the liquid aqueous carrier fluids may cause formation damage that can result in reduced permeability of the producing interval of the subterranean formation. Additionally, the formation-stabilizing materials may only be applied to the areas in which the liquid carrier fluid is able to flow. If the formation-stabilizing materials are applied to a reduced or minimal portion of the producing interval of the subterranean formation, formation damage may still result and the permeability of the subterranean formation may be reduced. This issue may be especially pronounced in low permeability formations where the viscosity of the liquid aqueous carrier fluid may impact its ability to penetrate into the low permeability formation resulting in the formation-stabilizing materials treating a reduced area of the low permeability formation.
The illustrated figures are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment, architecture, design, or process in which different examples may be implemented.

Vapor phase deposition of polyhydroxyetheramines on water-sensitive mineralogies


A method for electrically connecting an internal wired layer through an insulating layer formed on the internal wired layer is described and comprises depositing a first conducting layer 1 on a substrate 10. An internal wired layer 1A is formed by etching a portion of the first conducting layer 1 utilizing a mask A. A first insulating layer 2 is deposited on the entire surface of the resulting structure. A second conducting layer 3 is deposited on the first insulating layer 2. An etch stop layer 3A is formed on the first insulating layer 2 and terminates on the first insulating layer and over the wired layer to define a surface of the wired layer covered by the etch stop layer and a surface of the wired layer not covered by the etch stop layer. A second insulating layer 4 is deposited on the entire surface of the resulting structure including on the etch stop layer 3A. A contact hole 20 is formed through the second insulating layer 4 and the first insulating layer 2 to expose the surface of the underlying wired layer not covered by the etch stop layer such that the etch stop covered surface of the wired layer remains covered by the overlying first insulating layer. A third conducting layer 5 for a predetermined purpose is deposited on the resulting structure including the contact hole for electrically connecting the wired layer 1A thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connection device in a semiconductor device and a method for forming the connection, and more particularly, to a connection device which accurately electrically connects a conducting layer to an internal wired layer on a silicon substrate and where the wired layer has a line width which is the minimally attainable width utilizing present lithographic etching process techniques.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Generally, in manufacturing an integrated circuit semiconductor device, in order to electrically connect a conducting layer through an insulating layer to an internal wired layer deposited on a substrate, a portion of the insulating layer formed on the internal wired layer should be precisely etched to define a contact region which exposes only the surface of the underlying internal wired layer. Therefore, the contact region for forming a contact hole through which an electrical connection is accomplished should be retained by precisely arranging a contact mask at a predetermined position in accordance with design rules for the semiconductor device. Furthermore, the width of the underlying internal wired layer to which the conducting layer is to be connected should be greater than the bore/width of the contact hole considering the minimum misalignment tolerance required for the mask patterning process for the internal wired layer and the critical dimension loss which occurs during the lithographic etching process. If the width of the contact hole is either larger than that of the internal wired layer or is the same as that of the internal wired layer, and the contact mask arranged on the insulating layer for forming the contact hole is misaligned, the resulting etched contact hole is also misaligned which exposes unintended portions of the underlying substrate. Therefore when a conducting layer is deposited on the resulting structure including the exposed portion of the substrate, the conducting layer is undesirably connected through the misaligned contact hole to the exposed portion of the substrate, so that the semiconductor device fails to operate as designed.
Therefore, according to the prior art, in order to form a contact hole for connecting a conducting layer through the contact hole to the underlying internal wired layer formed on the substrate, the width of the wired layer should be larger than that of the contact hole, so that the problems set forth above can be avoided or at least minimized. However upon increasing the width of the wired layer, the cell width of the resulting semiconductor device is undesirably increased so that integrity of semiconductor device decreases.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the problems set forth above in the prior art, and to provide a connection device in a semiconductor device by providing an etch stop layer on an insulating layer at a position overlapping with one side of the underlying internal wired layer, and forming a contact hole in the insulating layer in a position from the portion of the etch stop layer to the portion of the wired layer, and depositing a conducting layer on the resulting structure to electrically connect the conducting layer through the contact hole to the wired layer, so that an electrical connection therebetween is desirably accomplished, although the resulting contact hole is misaligned during the contact mask patterning process, and a method for manufacturing the same.
According to the present invention the etching process for forming the contact hole prevents the underlying substrate from being exposed by the formation process of the contact hole so that the conducting layer to be deposited is desirably connected through even a misaligned contact hole to the wired layer having a line width which is the minimally attainable width utilizing present lithographic etching process techniques formed on the substrate. Further, because of the use of the minimally attainable width of the wired layer the area of the resulting semiconductor can be decreased so that the integrity thereof increases.
The preceding objects should be construed as merely presenting a few of the more pertinent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to both the summary of the invention and the detailed description, below, which describe the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method for manufacturing a connection device for a semiconductor device

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


A container-cooler for a beverage, such as beer, includes a conventional keg-shaped outer shell, an inner vessel for containing the beverage retained within the shell, and a space between the inner vessel and the outer shell for receiving a cooling medium, such as ice.

At the present time, if a consumer wishes to purchase a large volume of beer for either a party or personal use, the consumer purchases a container called a keg. Since beer is best served chilled, the consumer must find a way to chill the beer in the keg and keep it cold until serving.
The beer in conventional kegs is usually chilled and kept cool prior to purchase by placing the keg in a refrigerator. After purchase by the consumer, the beer is usually kept cool by placing the keg in a tub which is large enough for the keg and a quantity of ice packed about the keg. Most consumers do not have or want either a refrigerator or a tub which is large enough for a keg of beer.
In the past, various attempts have been made to provide a more convenient means for cooling a keg of beer. One such attempt has been to provide a separate, oversized, outer jacket of some sort for the keg in which ice can be packed around the keg. Attempts to make a jacket an integral part of the keg have been unsuccessful because the outer jacket can interfere with the automated equipment which brewers use to handle conventional shaped kegs.
There is a need for a container-cooler in which beer can be sold and stored. There also is a need for a container-cooler for beer which can be handled by conventional automated keg handling equipment and which also provides the consumer a way of chilling the beer and keeping it cool without using tubs, outer jackets or refrigerators.


A wireless communication device includes:                a plurality of antennas receiving signals transmitted from one or more transmission antennas;        a synthesis calculation unit performing a synthesis calculation of respective reception signals received by the plurality of antennas and reception weights corresponding to respective antenna ports;        a channel estimation unit calculating respective estimated channel values from respective synthesized signals obtained by the synthesis calculation for the respective antenna ports, and        a decoding unit performing decoding from the respective estimated channel values and the synthesized signals for the respective antenna ports.

As a communication device implementing an Adaptive array Antenna System (AAS), a communication device using a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) has been proposed (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
Also, as a transmission method of the AAS communication device, a method of selecting an AAS method and a MIMO method has been proposed (for example, refer to Patent Literature 2). This method estimates the orthogonality of a channel characteristic between transmission and reception antennas to determine and switch which of the adaptive array antenna system and the MIMO has an advantage. Also, Patent Literature 2 discloses an example of a base station and propose a transmission method for a downlink.
In the communication device using the MIMO, a method of using a channel characteristic H between transmission and reception antennas has been known. For example, a Zero Forcing (ZF) equalization method and a Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) equalization method are examples of the method of using the channel characteristic H.

Wireless communication device and wireless communication method


A method for determining when to operate a voltage recovery process for recovering a reversible voltage loss of a fuel cell stack in a fuel cell system. The method includes estimating an irreversible voltage loss of the fuel cell and an actual voltage of the fuel cell stack, and determining whether a difference between the estimated irreversible voltage loss and the estimated actual voltage exceed a threshold, and if so, the voltage recovery process is performed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method for determining when to operate a voltage recovery algorithm for recovering a reversible voltage loss of a fuel cell stack in a fuel cell system and, more particularly, to a system and method for determining when to operate a voltage recovery algorithm for recovering a reversible voltage loss of a fuel cell stack in a fuel cell system, where the method determines whether a difference between an irreversible voltage loss and an actual stack voltage is greater than a predetermined value.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Hydrogen is a very attractive fuel because it is clean and can be used to efficiently produce electricity in a fuel cell. A hydrogen fuel cell is an electro-chemical device that includes an anode and a cathode with an electrolyte there between. The anode receives hydrogen gas and the cathode receives oxygen or air. The hydrogen gas is dissociated at the anode catalyst to generate free protons and electrons. The protons pass through the electrolyte to the cathode. The protons react with the oxygen and the electrons at the cathode catalyst to generate water. The electrons from the anode cannot pass through the electrolyte, and thus are directed through a load to perform work before being sent to the cathode.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are a popular fuel cell for vehicles. The PEMFC generally includes a solid polymer electrolyte proton conducting membrane, such as a perfluorosulfonic acid membrane. The anode and cathode typically, but not always, include finely divided catalytic particles, usually a highly active catalyst such as platinum (Pt) that is typically supported on carbon particles and mixed with an ionomer. The catalytic mixture is deposited on opposing sides of the membrane. The combination of the anode catalytic mixture, the cathode catalytic mixture and the membrane define a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). MEAs are relatively expensive to manufacture and require certain conditions for effective operation.
Several fuel cells are typically combined in a fuel cell stack to generate the desired power. For example, a typical fuel cell stack for a vehicle may have two hundred or more stacked fuel cells. The fuel cell stack receives a cathode input gas, typically a flow of air forced through the stack by a compressor. Not all of the oxygen is consumed by the stack and some of the air is output as a cathode exhaust gas that may include water as a stack by-product. The fuel cell stack also receives an anode hydrogen input gas that flows into the anode side of the stack.
A fuel cell stack includes a series of bipolar plates positioned between the several MEAs in the stack, where the bipolar plates and the MEAs are positioned between two end plates. The bipolar plates include an anode side and a cathode side for adjacent fuel cells in the stack. Anode gas flow fields are provided on the anode side of the bipolar plates that allow the anode reactant gas to flow to the respective MEA. Cathode gas flow fields are provided on the cathode side of the bipolar plates that allow the cathode reactant gas to flow to the respective MEA. One end plate includes anode gas flow channels, and the other end plate includes cathode gas flow channels. The bipolar plates and end plates are made of a conductive material, such as stainless steel or a conductive composite. The end plates conduct the electricity generated by the fuel cells out of the stack. The bipolar plates also include flow channels through which a cooling fluid flows.
The membrane within a fuel cell needs to have sufficient water content so that the ionic resistance across the membrane is low enough to effectively conduct protons. Membrane humidification may come from the stack water by-product or external humidification. The flow of reactants through the flow channels of the stack has a drying effect on the cell membranes, most noticeably at an inlet of the reactant flow. However, the accumulation of water droplets within the flow channels could prevent reactants from flowing therethrough, and may cause the cell to fail because of low reactant gas flow, thus affecting stack stability. The accumulation of water in the reactant gas flow channels, as well as within the gas diffusion layer (GDL), is particularly troublesome at low stack output loads.
As mentioned above, water is generated as a by-product of the stack operation. Therefore, the cathode exhaust gas from the stack will typically include water vapor and liquid water. It is known in the art to use a water vapor transfer (WVT) unit to capture some of the water in the cathode exhaust gas, and use the water to humidify the cathode input airflow. Water in the cathode exhaust gas at one side of the water transfer elements, such as membranes, is absorbed by the water transfer elements and transferred to the cathode air stream at the other side of the water transfer elements.
There are a number of mechanisms that occur during the operation of a fuel cell system that cause permanent loss of stack voltage and performance, such as loss of catalyst activity, catalyst support corrosion and pinhole formation in the cell membranes. However, there are other mechanisms that can cause stack voltage loss that are substantially reversible, such as the cell membranes drying out, catalyst oxide formation, and contaminants depositing on both the anode and cathode side of the stack.
In order for a PEM fuel cell system to be commercially viable, there generally needs to be a limitation of the noble metal loading, i.e., platinum or platinum alloy catalyst, on the fuel cell electrodes to reduce the overall system cost. As a result, the total available electro-chemically active surface area of the catalyst may be limited or reduced, which renders the electrodes more susceptible to contamination. The source of the contamination that may cause stack voltage loss can be from the anode and cathode reactant gas feed streams including humidification water, or generated within the fuel cells due to the degradation of the MEA, stack sealants and/or bipolar plates. One particular type of contaminate includes anions, which are negatively charged, such as chlorine or sulfates, such as SO42. The anions tend to adsorb onto the platinum catalyst surface of the electrode during normal fuel cell operation when the cathode potential is typically over 650 mV, thus blocking the active site for oxygen reduction reaction, which leads to cell voltage loss. Moreover, if proton conductivity is also highly dependent on contaminate free platinum surface, such as nano-structured thin film (NSTF) type electrodes, additional losses are caused by the reduced proton conductivity.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/094,300, titled, In-Vehicle Algorithm for Fuel Cell Stack Health Quantification, filed Apr. 26, 2011, assigned to the assignee of this application and herein incorporated by reference, discloses a method for determining the health of fuel cells in a fuel cell stack that includes determining a remaining catalyst surface area and catalyst support area of the catalyst layers in the fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, which can be used to estimate stack voltage. The method includes determining a total parasitic current of the fuel cell stack to determine a cross-over parasitic current and a shorting resistance of the fuel cell stack to determine the catalyst surface area. By knowing the catalyst surface area, the amount of voltage that the stack should be providing can be determined.

Smart in-vehicle reactive recovery strategy


A suction tube for use with a laryngoscope comprises a suction tube configured in the general profile of a laryngoscope, having an elongated clip which may be snapped on to the handle of a laryngoscope and easily removed after use. The device enables the user to work with the laryngoscope, the suction tube, and an airway tube all at the same time to accomplish oral intubation efficiently and without distractions.

Patients suffering from serious medical emergencies as well as traumatic injuries such as facial or chest trauma frequently cannot breathe because their airway is blocked by blood, gastric contents, and other matter. They may be barely conscious or not conscious at all. Time is very limited for the emergency personnel on the scene, as oxygen deficiency in the blood begins almost as soon as breathing stops, and permanent damage to the brain will take place after three minutes.
Standard emergency practice for such patients heretofore has been to insert a laryngoscope, a lighted probe, into the mouth to push the tongue aside and search for the vocal cords as the insertion site or target for a plastic or other tube which can serve as an airway. The search is assisted by a suction probe which the user manipulates to remove the blocking materials. As soon as the vocal cords are seen, the attending emergency person inserts the relatively simple airway tube into the trachea between the vocal cords; the tube's outside end is typically connected to a positive pressure oxygen device. The airway tube usually is equipped with and passes through a balloon which seals the airway to prevent aspiration into the lungs of gastric contents and/or blood, which may continue to flow into and fill the throat area well after the airway passage is secured.
The laryngoscopic procedure is frequently performed under quite stressful conditions. Copious amounts of fluid flowing into the oropharynx is very common and frequently frustrates the efforts of emergency personnel to administer oral intubation. It is recommended that the most experienced person on the scene perform the procedure, which often must take place while the patient is undergoing other emergency treatment as well. Confusion and well-meant gestures from others often make it difficult for the person attempting the oral intubation to retain control of the process. A major cause of the difficulty of the procedure is that the laryngoscope is held in the left hand, while the right hand is occupied in manipulating the suction tube. As soon as a clear passage to the vocal cords is established, the suction tube must be removed and the airway tube picked up and moved to its place, i.e. inserted between the vocal cords, by the right hand, while the left hand still holds the tongue aside with the laryngoscope. During this maneuver, the blood and gastric matter commonly continues to flow into the airway, and the vocal cords disappear from view before the airway tube can be inserted. Delay is caused not just by the act of discarding the suction tube and picking up the airway tube, but also by the user having to glance away from the vital spot where the airway tube must be placed. Frequently when an opportunity is missed, further time is lost because it is determined that the patient must be ventilated with oxygen. The risk of aspiration of fluids into the lungs is extremely high at this point.
Standard and widely used laryngoscopes and suction tubes have not alleviated the problems described above; in fact, they exacerbate them in that the three articles handled by the user--the laryngoscope, the suction tube, and the airway tube--are completely separate and each requires the separate attention of the user.
Rosoff, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,031, combines a fiber optic light with a small suction channel, but does not provide for a blade, which is necessary to move the tongue away from the obstructed area.
Bartlett, in U.S. Pat. NO. 4,947,896, integrates the suction tube with the blade of the laryngoscope, i.e. it is entrained preferably in a service tube in the blade (col. 6, lines 4-6). This elaborate design is difficult to make and, because of the integration of the tube and the blade, means that the suction tube cannot economically be disposed of after use but must be sterilized along with the blade. Bartlett says the same tube can be used for either suction or "introduction of materials". He uses a channel alongside of the handle for guiding the tube (col. 6 line 45). Bartlett's main contribution to the art appears to be the "gull wing" shape of his blade.
A more or less standard appearance of a laryngoscope blade and handle assembly is shown in Greenblatt's U.S. Pat. No. Des 271,135. The present invention may be used with such a laryngoscope.
Slater, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,486, discloses a disposable sheath, sleeve or pocket-like device for covering the blade of a laryngoscope, and utilizes a ready source of vacuum to assure a tight fit of the sheath to the blade.
Suction is drawn directly through the blade and handle of a laryngoscope designed specifically for laser treatment of the larynx, in U.S. Pat. No,. 4,832,004 by Heckele et al. The passage is designed to remove gaseous materials rather than liquids.
None of the above devices satisfy the need for a convenient, easily manipulable way or device to clear the airway and insert an oxygen tube.


An automation system for assembling photocathodes into vacuum tube housings so as to produce vacuum tube assemblies. Photocathodes are loaded, cleaned and otherwise processed in a first evacuated chamber. Similarly, vacuum tube housings are loaded, cleaned and otherwise processed in a second evacuated chamber. The first and second chambers are selectively interconnected wherein the photocathodes from the first chamber are transferred into the second chamber by an automated transfer mechanism. Once in the second chamber, the photocathodes are joined to the vacuum tube houses in an automation process, creating the final product vacuum tube assemblies.

Image intensifier tubes are well known devices that multiply the amount of incident light received and produce an intensified image that can be more easily viewed. Image intensifier tubes are particularly useful in producing visible images from received infrared energy, thereby providing a means for clearly viewing an object at night or during otherwise low light conditions. As a result, devices that utilize image intensifier tubes have been used in a wide variety of industrial and military applications. For example, image intensifier tubes are commonly used for enhancing the night vision of pilots, for photographing astronomical bodies and for providing night vision to the visually handicapped such as persons suffering from retinitis pigmentosa (night blindness).
Image intensifier tubes are well known in the industry by names that are based on the generic generation from which their designs came into being. As a result, image intensifier tubes are typically identified by their generation number, which can be from the Generation 0 tube to the current Generation III (Gen. III) tube. Modern Gen. III image intensifier tubes typically include three main components, namely a photocathode, a phosphor screen (anode) and an electron amplifier such as microchannel plate. All three components are disposed within an evacuated housing thereby permitting electrons to flow from the photocathode to the phosphor screen across the electron amplifier. For examples of such devices reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,963 entitled "Replacement Device for a Driver's Viewer" issued on Jul. 9, 1991 to C. Nancelli et al. and assigned to ITT Corporation the assignee herein. Both Gen. II and Gen. III image intensifiers are discussed in this reference.
In a Gen. III image intensifier tube the phosphor screen and electron amplifier components of the image intensifier tube are contained within a tube subassembly. The tube subassembly and photocathode are traditionally manufactured separately and are then assembled to create the overall image intensifier tube structure. Referring to FIG. 1, a typical Gen. III image intensifier tube 10 is shown, such as is currently manufactured by ITT Corporation, the assignee herein. As can be seen, both the tube subassembly 11 and the photocathode 25 are complex structures. The vacuum housing 12 that defines the exterior of the tube subassembly 11 is constructed by the juxtaposition of annular conductive elements and dielectric elements that are brazed together to create an air impervious structure. The lower end of the vacuum housing 12 is sealed by the presence of an screen flange 16 and a centrally positioned fiber optic element 18. The phosphor screen 20, against which electrons will eventually impinge, is disposed across the top surface 22 of the fiber optic element 18 so that the phosphor screen 20 faces the photocathode 25.
The tube subassembly 11 is manufactured in ambient pressure using traditional well-known manufacturing techniques. Similarly the body of the photocathode 25 is separately manufactured in ambient pressure also utilizing traditional well-known manufacturing techniques. When the photocathode 25 is assembled to the tube subassembly 11, the photocathode 25 seals the upper end of the tube subassembly 11, thereby isolating the interior of the image intensifier tube 10 between the photocathode 25 and the phosphor screen 20. Since a vacuum must be present within the image intensifier tube 10, the photocathode 25 must be assembled to the tube subassembly 11 in a clean, evacuated environment, thereby greatly increasing the complexity, time and cost of the overall manufacturing procedure. In the prior art, the assembly of the photocathodes 25 to the tube subassemblies 11 was traditionally done in a single evacuated chamber, two image intensifier tubes at a time. Due to the time involved in loading and unloading the evacuated chamber, evacuating the chamber, baking the chamber and waiting for parts to properly cool, the prior art assembly systems only produced about 2.5 tubes in a twenty-four hour period. Such a labor intensive and slow manufacturing process has added significantly to the cost of image intensifier tubes and has left the image intensifier tubes vulnerable to many potential manufacturing defects that effect the overall reliability of the image intensifier tubes.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to produce an automated assembly system capable of assembling a high volume of image intensifier tubes in a labor and time efficient manner.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated assembly system for image intensifier tubes that produces an image intensifier tube of a higher quality and reliability than is available from the prior art.

Automated system and method for assembling image intensifier tubes


A discharge lamp lighting device is provided to comprise tube current detecting circuits 51 to 5n for outputting detection signals VI1 to VIn of tube currents I1 to In flowing through each discharge lamp 11 to 1n from an inverter 3 connected to DC power source 2 via a plurality of transformers 41 to 4n, a maximum detector 6 for detecting a maximum value VIMX of detected signals VI1 to VIn from current detector 51 to 5n, a minimum detector 7 for detecting a minimum value VIMN of detected signals VI1 to VIn from current detector 51 to 5n, a comparison circuit 8 for computing one or plural values of sum, difference, product and quotient between maximum value VIMX from maximum detector 6 and minimum value VIMN from minimum detector 7 to generate a cease signal VCP when the computed value exceeds a given value, and a control circuit 9 for halting operation of inverter 3 when comparison circuit 8 generates cease signal VCP. The device can reliably detect arc discharge resulted from electric connection failure in discharge lamp or lamps by the computed values from comparison circuit 8 to positively protect discharge lamps from overheating by arc discharge at a bad connection location.

Recent years have seen a popular utilization of thinned and power-saving liquid crystal display (LCD) panels as monitors for televisions and personal computers in lieu of prior art cathode ray tubes. Display of LCD panels is indicated by an illuminating device such as a backlight disposed behind LCD panels because they cannot emit a light themselves. A typical backlight for LCD panel usually includes a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) of electric property to need application of high AC voltage thereto in the order of one thousand and several hundreds volt at the beginning of lighting and several hundreds volt after lighting. Most recently, expansion in size of LCD panels tends to promote smaller and longer CCFL tubes, requiring further increase in applied voltage and consumption power.
Here, when a discharge lump lighting device applies high AC voltage to CCFL with high frequency, undesirable arc discharge may possibly occur in a small space that may be formed due to looseness in connector or the like, disconnection of wiring pattern or crack in solder. For example, CCFL is more frequently connected to a secondary winding in a transformer for electric driving of CCFL, and the winding is formed of a narrow wire to well increase the number of turns. In this arrangement, arc discharge may be generated by disconnection in the secondary winding when it is subject to mechanical tension or nipping solder for soldering to terminals. In another aspect, without soldering terminals in transformer on a printed circuit board in a normal condition, it fails to form a firm electrical contact between terminals of transformer and wiring pattern on printed circuit board, and this may result in arc discharge at wrong contact portions. Otherwise, if any damage is incurred to wiring pattern or if any mechanical load is applied on wiring pattern due to thermal deformation of circuit board, wiring pattern is cut off while arc discharge may possibly develop at the disconnection portion. In addition, when either terminal or both terminals of CCFL are not appropriately inserted into a connector with contact failure, arc discharge may also happen at an area of imperfect electrical contact.
FIG. 10 illustrates a lighting system 100 by way of example of a prior art discharge lamp lighting device which comprises a power supply circuit (a power supply) 120 for boosting input voltage Vin applied on an input terminal Tin to apply a raised voltage on one end of a cold cathode fluorescent lighting tube (CCFL) 110, a protective circuit 140 inclusive of a current control circuit or current controller 210, an extinction detection circuit or extinction detector 220 and a forced outage circuit 230, and a current detection circuit or current detector 130 for converting electric current through CCFL 110 into a corresponding voltage to protective circuit 140. Current controller 210 serves to control the voltage impressed from power supply 120 to CCFL 110 to render an effective value in electric current flowing into CCFL 110 constant or consistent in response to detected voltage from current detector 130. Extinction detector 220 serves to detect extinction or disappearance of electric current through CCFL 110 in response to detected voltage from current detector 130 to generate an extinction detection signal to forced outage circuit 230. In other words, extinction detector 220 can appreciate lights out of CCFL 110 by sensing extinction of electric current through CCFL 110. When extinction detector 220 produces an extinction detection signal, forced outage circuit 230 functions to forcibly and temporarily stop operation of power supply 120. Lighting system 100 shown in FIG. 10 has a notable advantage that forced outage circuit 230 can forcibly and temporarily suspend operation of power supply 120 by forwarding an extinction detection signal from extinction detector 220 to forced outage circuit 230 in protective circuit 140 upon disappearance of electric current through CCFL 110 due to lighting failure of CCFL 110, disconnection of CCFL 110 from related connector or the like to thereby avert occurrence of arc discharge at a location of bad connection in CCFL 110.
Also, FIG. 11 demonstrates another lighting system 200 as a further prior art discharge lamp lighting device which comprises a CCFL 110 and a drive device 111 for activating CCFL 110. Drive device 111 comprises a power supply circuit or power supply 141, a current detection circuit or current detector 142, a peak hold circuit 143 and a protective circuit 144. Protective circuit 144 comprises a current control circuit 161, an extinction detection circuit or extinction detector 162, overcurrent detection circuit or overcurrent detector 163 and a forced outage circuit 164.
FIG. 12 indicates voltages appearing at several locations in lighting system 200 during its operation. For example, when arc discharges repeatedly emerge n− times during a period from point t1 to tn in time as shown in FIG. 12(A) because of contact failure between CCFL 110 and related connector not shown in the drawings, spike-like surge voltages are superimposed on detected voltage from current detector 142 each time arc discharge occurs. These surge voltages of n-times cause to gradually electrically charge a voltage-hold capacitor (not shown) in peak hold circuit 143 to moderately increase charged voltage in voltage-hold capacitor as is understood by FIG. 12(B). When charged voltage in voltage-hold capacitor comes to a voltage level Vref2 regulated by a reference power source (not shown) in overcurrent detector 163 at point tn in FIG. 12(B), overcurrent detector 163 produces an output signal of high voltage level as shown in FIG. 12(C) to forced outage circuit 164 which then forwards a stop signal of high voltage level to power supply 141. Accordingly, power supply 141 ceases its operation as shown in FIG. 4(D) to halt supply of high AC voltage from power supply 141 to CCFL 110. For that reason, current flow into CCFL 110 is ceased, and therefore, current detector 142 finds zero potential in detected voltage as shown in FIG. 12(A). At this time, voltage-hold capacitor in peak hold circuit 143 maintains charged voltage value Vref2 at point tn until a reset signal of high voltage level shown in FIG. 12(E) is supplied to a reset terminal Tr of peak hold circuit 143 to retain the outage condition for disconnecting supply of voltage from power supply 141 to CCFL 110 although a temporal contact is completed between CCFL 110 and connector. Then, when a reset signal of high voltage level as in FIG. 12(E) is supplied to reset terminal Tr of peak hold circuit 143 at point t11, voltage-hold capacitor in peak hold circuit 143 is electrically discharged to an approximately zero voltage as shown in FIG. 12(B) to switch output of overcurrent detector 163 from high to low voltage level as seen in FIG. 12(C). This allows power supply 141 to again feed high AC voltage to CCFL 110 so that current detector 142 again produces a detection voltage as in sinusoidal wave shown in FIG. 12(A).
When several arc discharges occur due to contact failure of CCFL 110 in lighting system 200 shown in FIG. 11, they cause concomitant surge voltages each time arc discharge is generated while each surge voltage is superimposed on detected voltage from current detector 142 and also impressed on voltage-hold capacitor within peak-hold circuit 143. In this condition, when voltage-hold capacitor is electrically charged to a predetermined potential level, overcurrent detector 163 in protective circuit 144 issues a stop signal of high voltage level to power supply 141 through forced outage circuit 164 to cease feed of high AC voltage from power supply 141 to CCFL 110 for protection of CCFL 110 from overheating by arc discharges attributable to a contact-failure location. For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a discharge lamp lighting device having the substantially same configuration as lighting systems 100 and 200 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 2005-340023


A sheet handling apparatus configured to feed sheets from outside into the sheet handling apparatus, transport the fed sheets in a storage area which is outside of a storage bag in the sheet handling apparatus and store the transported sheets in the storage bag includes: a holder configured to be capable of detachably holding the storage bag; a pushing member configured to push a plurality of sheets transported in the storage area into the storage bag through the opening of the storage bag; and a pressing member configured to press the sheets stored in the storage bag held by the holder.

Conventionally, sheet handling apparatuses for handling sheets have been used. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,745,093 discloses an apparatus for storing sheets in a storage bag. In this apparatus, a moving member moves sheets stacked in a stacking unit to store these sheets in the storage bag. A frame of the storage bag keeps an opening portion of the storage bag open, and the moving member moves into the storage bag through the opening portion while pushing the sheets. In order to prevent the sheets pushed into the storage bag by the moving member from getting out therefrom, the moving member moves out of the storage bag through the opening portion after the frame slightly closes the opening portion. The moving member has a deformable configuration so as to pass through the narrowed opening portion. After the moving member has moved out of the storage bag, the frame closes the opening portion of the storage bag.

Sheet handling apparatus and sheet handling method


The invention provides a method for the isolation of haptoglobin from a sample comprising Cohn fraction V, wherein said method comprises anion exchange chromatography of said sample. The product may be further purified and/or subjected to one or more virus inactivation or reduction steps. The isolated haptoglobin may then be formulated for pharmaceutical use.

The core function of Hp is as a haemoglobin (Hb) binding protein, required for terminal processing and disposal of free Hb, mostly in the reticular endothelial system (RES) of the liver. This system allows the iron present in the Hb moiety to be conserved.
The haem (ferroprotoporphyrin DX) molecule found in Hb is an indispensable element in a wide variety of other protein systems (e.g. enzymes such as cyclooxygenase [COX] and nitric oxide synthase [NOS]), acting according to the properties of the polypeptide(s) bound to it. However, excess of free haem can cause cell damage and tissue injury (e.g. in kidney, lung and CNS) since it catalyses the formation of reactive oxygen species, which in turn cause oxidative stress.
Intravascular haemolysis occurs physiologically, but also accelerates as a severe complication in various autoimmune, infectious (e.g. malaria) and inherited (e.g. sickle cell) diseases. During haemolysis, free vascular Hb is captured by Hp and transported to the liver RES. Some processing may also take place in monocyte-macrophages. However, free vascular Hb can be rapidly converted to met-Hb, which readily liberates the potentially toxic haem moiety. Free vascular haem is captured by albumin or haemopexin (Hx) and is transported to the liver for degradation in the RES. When large amounts of haem accumulate (e.g. in a blood clot or vascular deposition), the scavenging mechanisms are overwhelmed or unable to gain access to the free haem, and tissue damage results. If the amount of red cell lysis saturates the haem/Hb removal system, Hb will start to appear in the urine (glomerular filtration by the kidney).
Hp has a tetrameric structure comprising two α and two β chains, linked by disulphide linkages. The β chain (245 amino acids) has a mass of about 40 kDa (of which approximately 30% w/w is carbohydrate) and is shared by all phenotypes. The α chain exists in two forms: α1, (83 amino acids, 9 kDa) and α2 (142 amino acids, 17.3 kDa) and therefore Hp occurs as three phenotypes, referred to as Hp1-1, Hp2-1 and Hp2-2. Hp1-1 contains two α1 chains, Hp2-2 contains two α2 chains, and Hp2-1 contains one α1 and one α2 chain. Hp 1-1 has a molecular mass of 100 kDa, or 165 kDa when complexed with Hb. Hp1-1 exists as a single isoform, and is also referred to as Hp dimer. Hp2-1 has an average molecular mass of 220 kDa and forms liner polymers. Hp2-2 has an average molecular mass of 400 kDa and forms cyclic polymers. Each different polymeric form is a different isoform. A PCR methodology has been devised (Koch et al. 2002, Clin. Chem. 48: 1377-1382) for studying Hp polymorphism.
Hp has been identified as a potential treatment for renal disorders caused by haemolysis. It is potentially useful therapeutically as a means of removing free haemoglobin; the complexes thus formed having potential additional benefits as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant or angiogenic agents. However, Hp is considered difficult to isolate in large amounts whilst retaining its biological activity. A variety of protocols for the isolation of Hp have been described. A common theme is affinity chromatography. Affinity ligands used include monoclonal antibodies (Katnik and Jadach, 1993, Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warz) Vol 41: 303-308 and Tseng et al 2004, Protein Expr Purif 33: 265-273), haemoglobin (Liau et al. 2003, J. Chromatogr. Analyt, Technol Biomed Life Sci. 790: 209-216 and Chiancone et al. 1995, J. Chromatogr. Biomed. Appl. 664: 89-95) and concanavalin A (Katnik et al. 1995, Eur J. Clin. Chem. Clin. Biochem. 33:727-732).
Although monoclonal antibody based affinity ligand protocols result in reasonably pure product only low yields have been reported. Such methods of isolation are also not well suited to large-scale production processes as a result of the need for large amounts of affinity ligand. In particular, the required amounts of monoclonal antibodies are likely to be prohibitively expensive, and difficult to obtain. Monoclonal antibodies also suffer from the potential draw back of being selective for the various isoforms of Hp. Use of Hb as the affinity ligand has achieved more success. Good yields of reasonably homogenous Hp have been achieved, however, as with all affinity ligand based protocols, scaling up the process is difficult and often not cost effective. A further drawback of affinity ligand based protocols is that if the Hp product is destined for use as a pharmaceutical, the source of the affinity ligand must be controlled. In this regard, Hb may not be acceptable to regulators, since it is sourced from red blood cells. It is also necessary to monitor and control the leaching of the ligand, as the presence of the affinity ligand in the product may raise concern for its safe use in patients.
Selective precipitation of Hp by a plant root extract has also been described (Nayak et al 2002, Pro. Pep. Lett 9: 503-510). However, like affinity chromatography, this protocol is unsuited to large-scale commercial production.
HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) based techniques have also been performed on an ammonium sulphate precipitate of porcine serum (Yang and Mao, 1999, J. Chromatogr. B. Biomed. Sci. Appl., 731: 395-402). Again, this protocol is only considered suitable for small-scale isolation of Hp.
An alternative approach to the isolation of Hp has been to use ion exchange chromatography. U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,735 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,307 have described Hp isolation through anion exchange chromatography of ammonium sulphate precipitates of human plasma or Cohn fractions IV, IV-1 or IV-4 derived from human plasma. The ammonium sulphate precipitation is stated to remove transferrin, albumin and other undesirable proteins. It is essential for this method that the ion exchange substrate is a strong anion exchange substrate such as QAE-Sephadex® or GE cellulose. This method is unsuitable for large-scale commercial isolation of Hp because of the huge amounts of contaminated salt (ammonium sulphate) that would have to be disposed of. Batch methods of purification using an anion exchanger are also not ideal for scaling-up.
Isolation of Hp from sodium acetate-acetic acid precipitated rabbit plasma using the anion exchange substrate DE-52 microgranular cellulose (DEAE cellulose) has been reported (Basler and Burrel, 1983 Inflammation 7(4): 387-400). Preparative Isoelectric Focusing was necessary to achieve a reasonable degree of purity of the product. However, although a maximum yield of between 50 and 70% was quoted, analysis of the data indicates the yield was in fact 44% and the purification only three fold. This protocol is not suitable for use on a large commercial scale due to its complexity.
It is aim of the present invention to improve what is currently available for the isolation of Hp in one or more of the following respects: yield and/or purity of Hp and reproducibility thereof, simplicity of process and suitability for use on a large and/or commercial scale in terms of economic viability.


A carton includes a bottom receptacle defined in part by the bottom panel, the side panels, and gusseted end panels. The bottom receptacle can be constructed without glue seals so that the receptacle is liquid-tight.

1. Technical Field
The technical field relates to blanks and constructs foldably formed therefrom, and, more particularly, to dispensing cartons for accommodating containers.
2. Related Art
Dispensing cartons are known. Conventional dispensing cartons may have a top panel with a dispensing feature formed therein. Such cartons may be used to contain articles such as beverage containers that are dispensable through the top panel or another panel when the carton is opened. Typically, the cartons must be refrigerated in order to keep the enclosed containers cool. When the cartons are no longer refrigerated, such as when the carton is removed from the refrigerator to dispense the containers, the containers may become undesirably warm. The containers must then be refrigerated again or otherwise cooled.


An ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric member that includes electrodes on two plane portions. The electrodes are fixed and disposed such that part of an acoustic matching layer protrudes at a predetermined position of the hard layer, which makes up the acoustic matching layer. The piezoelectric member further includes a substrate formed with an electroconductive pattern and is fixed and disposed on the face of the hard layer. The piezoelectric member and the substrate are divided to array piezoelectric devices. The electroconductive pattern of the substrate, and at least part of the electrodes of the piezoelectric member that is electrically connected to at least part of this electro conductive pattern are directed in the same direction. The substrate is disposed adjacent to the piezoelectric member, the electroconductive pattern on the substrate, and the electrodes of the piezoelectric member. The electrodes are divided, and are electrically connected via an electroconductive member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic transducer employed for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and so forth.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the medical field, various types of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses have been proposed in conventional art wherein information regarding living body tissue is obtained by transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward the living body tissue from an ultrasonic transducer, and also receiving a reflected wave reflected by the living body tissue with the same ultrasonic transducer as the ultrasonic transducer which transmitted the ultrasonic wave, or another ultrasonic transducer provided in another member to perform signal processing for making an image.
Examples of ultrasonic transducers employed for such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and so forth include an ultrasonic transducer employing the electronic scanning method wherein a plurality of piezoelectric devices are arrayed regularly. With this ultrasonic transducer, many piezoelectric devices are disposed in a row, and each of the piezoelectric devices is electrically connected with a signal wire extending from an ultrasonic observation apparatus. Electrical connection between the piezoelectric device and the signal wire is performed through a wiring substrate or lead wire.
For example, with the array ultrasonic probe disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 4-19858, a flexible substrate on which a plurality of substrate electrodes are printed so as to be arrayed with generally the same interval as the array interval of piezoelectric transducers is employed, and the substrate electrodes of this flexible substrate and each of the piezoelectric transducers are electrically connected by adhesion.
Also, with the method for manufacturing an ultrasonic probe disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2502685, flexible electrical terminals and a flexible substrate on a curved member are connected one on one for each channel using a wire such as a gold wire or the like by means of wire bonding or the like.
Further, with Japanese Patent No. 3248924, the method for manufacturing an ultrasonic probe having excellent ultrasonic transducer properties is disclosed wherein a signal electrode and a lead wire are electrically connected, and incised to form each piezoelectric device while maintaining a piezoelectric material and a flexible printed circuit substrate in a parallel or generally parallel state.

Ultrasonic transducer and manufacturing method thereof