The invention relates to benzophenone-terminated quaternary ammonium compounds, processes for preparing benzophenone-terminated quaternary ammonium compounds, environmentally friendly antimicrobial formulations of said quaternary ammonium compounds and their use as durable antimicrobial surface coatings for surfaces.

One of the main challenges faced by the medical industry is infection control and reducing the spread of microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria and viruses. Several microorganisms have the ability to attach to surfaces, for example porous surfaces and to proliferate forming colonies called biofilms. The use of antibiotics to treat infectious diseases caused by biofilms has become one of the biggest milestones in the history of medicine. However, after widespread use of these antibiotics, and other chemicals used for the purpose of disinfection, several strains of microorganisms (e.g. bacteria), have developed resistance to them. For the growing number of microorganisms with clinical importance (one example is pathogens), there is either no effective therapy or only one or two antibiotics that are hard to administer, expensive and/or have increasingly toxic side effects. Furthermore, when growing on surfaces as biofilms, microorganisms are generally more persistent, and it is now acknowledged that the majority of infections involve biofilms. Biofilms also pose a notable threat of contamination in food processing facilities and spoilage of other products susceptible to microbial attack.
One approach in preventing biofilm formation, and thus the potential to cause spoilage or infection is the use of antimicrobial coatings on surfaces that are not susceptible to the development of resistance by the target microorganisms. These coatings have bacteriostatic (inhibiting) or bactericidal (killing) properties and thus afford a preventative strategy compared to disinfection, which is reactive, often after some damage or infection has occurred. In contrast to conventional antibiotics, bacteria do not readily develop resistance to antimicrobial coatings that inhibit microorganisms in a mechanical, as opposed to a chemical fashion. This important distinction, and the related alarming rate at which the number of effective antibiotics decline, is a primary reason for the rapidly growing interest in these antimicrobial coatings in recent years.
Quaternary ammonium compounds ("QACs") have gained recognition as surfactants with antimicrobial activity. QAC's consist of an irreversibly positively charged quaternary nitrogen atom where often at least one substituent is a long aliphatic chain. The synthesis of these compounds involves the quaternization of a tertiary amine following the Menshutkin reaction (i.e. a reaction of a tertiary amine with an alkyl halide).
Without being bound by any particular theory, the mode of action of QAC's in killing bacteria is multi-stepped. First, the QAC is adsorbed into the bacterial cell wall. Second, the long hydrophobic alkyl chain of the QAC interacts with the phospholipid bilayer making up the bacteria cell membrane and alters its fluidity and structure which adds stress to the cell wall. Finally, this added stress on the cell wall upsets the bilayer, expelling cytoplasmic material and ultimately caused cell death.
Polymeric antimicrobial coatings have the advantage of being chemically stable, non-toxic and non-volatile making them more efficient, selective and environmentally safe compared to traditional antimicrobial coatings which depend on leaching of the chemical from the substrate. It has become common practice over the past 35 years to incorporate antimicrobial coatings in thermoplastic polymer solutions. Furthermore, solvents commonly used to incorporate the antimicrobials in the thermoplastic polymers include tetrahydrofuran ("THF") and dimethyl formamide ("DMF"). These solvents have the ability of attacking polymeric surfaces including those of polyurethane, polyisoprene, butyl rubber, polycarbonate, etc. This often distorts the surface, altering the integrity of the material at the surface, which in turn may ultimately enhance attachment by microbial cells resistant to the antimicrobial ingredient, and other microbes later when the concentration of the antimicrobial ingredient drops below the threshold required for inhibition. Also, once the prior art coatings are applied to the surfaces, drying times on the order of almost 24 hours are required to completely evaporate the solvent from the surface.
Development of antimicrobial coatings is limited by the availability of suitable antimicrobials that may be incorporated into thermoplastic polymers. Silver is one common agent used both in elemental and salt form. However, the technology to incorporate silver into polymeric materials is tedious, expensive and not environmentally friendly. Moreover, the performance of silver is weak taking up to eight hours to reach efficacious levels against microbes and discolouration is common in silver treated materials. Thus there exists a long-felt need for a composition to eradicate microbes and prevent biofilm formation that is low-cost, durable and efficacious without these deleterious side effects.
In an effort to increase the stability of antimicrobial films on polymer surfaces, irreversible covalent attachment of the antimicrobial is desirable. Methods for grafting antimicrobials to polymer surfaces have been developed usually using functionalized surfaces and/or antimicrobial molecules. However, some of these functionalizing techniques are expensive and require extensive synthetic methodologies. Recently, light-activated systems involving photoreactive groups have been reported. Benzophenone is a popular photoreactive group and is commonly used in fragrances and cosmetics. It now has been found that incorporation of a benzophenone group into a QAC introduces the possibility of permanently binding a QAC to a polymeric surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,402 teaches photocurable thiol-capped polyalkene polymers which when applied to a surface and exposed to ultra-violet ("UV") light forms a solid product for use, among other things, as a sealant, coating, and adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,819 teaches water-soluble, quaternary ammonium methacrylate coatings having a photo-active linking molecule, with uses as an UV-cured lacquer coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,714,360 teaches a chemical cross-linking agent X—Y—X where X is a photoreactive radical and Y is a nitrogen containing group used to attach chemical compounds to other compounds or to substrates.
J. C. Tiller et al., (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2001, 98, 5981) teaches a surface coating composition of polyvinylpyrrolidone ("PVP")-QAC in which the surface is a pre-functionalized glass surface and PVP-QAC is bonded to the functional groups. The surface needs to be pre-functionalized with an acyl-chloride compound in order for the coating to bond to the glass surface.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0147413 teaches a water-soluble, photo-activatable polymer bonded through a reactive group biomaterial used to deploy molecular therapeutics such as proteins, genes, vectors and cells.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0231291 teaches a polymeric QAC-polyethyleneimine used to protect surfaces against bacteria and fungi attack.
International Patent Application Publication WO2010/065421 teaches UV-curable coatings containing rheology modifiers or antimicrobial agents wherein the antimicrobial agents are not covalently linked to the coating polymer.
International Patent Application Publication WO2010/096444 teaches a UV-curable polyethyleneimine polymer that can be attached to pre-functionalized surfaces giving the surface antimicrobial activity. The surfaces are functionalized by reacting the surfaces with 7-octenyl trichlorosilane.
V. P. Dhende et al (Application of Material Interfaces, 2001, 3, 2830) teaches a UV-curable polyethyleneimine co-polymer that can be attached to pre-functionalized surfaces giving the surface antimicrobial activity. The surfaces are functionalized by reacting the surfaces with octyltrichlorosilane.
International Patent Application Publication WO2011/139817 teaches a UV-curable vinyl-substituted polyethyleneimine that can be attached to pre-functionalized surfaces and imparting antimicrobial activity to the surfaces. The surfaces are functionalized by reacting the surface with 7-octenyl trichlorosilane.
Mustafa Baris Yagci ("Self-Stratifying Antimicrobial Coatings", Ph.D. dissertation, Jan. 16, 2012) teaches inter alia a QAC-bonded polyurethane surface coating.
Thus, there has been a long-felt need for a durable and environmentally safe antimicrobial surface coating that minimizes or eliminates bacterial resistance.

UV cured benzophenone terminated quaternary ammonium antimicrobials for surfaces


A method of manufacturing a flash memory device. According to the invention, a floating gate can be formed and a distance between cells can be secured sufficiently by using one conductive layer without using a SA-STI process that cannot be applied to the manufacturing process of highly integrated semiconductor devices. It is therefore possible to minimize interference between neighboring cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to semiconductor memory devices and, more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a flash memory device, in which an interference phenomenon between neighboring cells in high-integrated semiconductor devices can be minimized and the coupling ratio can be enhanced by controlling the effective field height (EFH) by etching an isolation film at a predetermined thickness.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A NAND flash memory device performs data program by injecting electrons into the floating gate by Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling phenomenon, thereby proving a large capacity and a high degree of integration.
The NAND flash memory device includes a plurality of cell blocks. One cell block includes a plurality of cell strings in which a plurality of cells for storing data are in series connected to form one string, and a drain select transistor and a source select transistor formed between the cell string and the drain, and the cell string and the source, respectively.
The cell of the NAND flash memory device is formed by forming an isolation film on a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate in which a tunnel oxide film, a floating gate, a dielectric layer, and a control gate are stacked on the semiconductor substrate, and forming junction units on both sides of the gate. The isolation film and the floating gate are formed by a shallow trench isolation (STI), self-aligned shallow trench isolation (SA-STI), or self aligned floating gate (SAFG) process.
As the size of the NAND flash memory device decreases, however, the distance between the cells reduces and the operations of neighboring cells are influenced accordingly. As a result, the interference phenomenon between the neighboring cells whose states are changed becomes the most important problem. For example, upon programming, a threshold voltage of a program cell rises under the influence of the threshold voltages of neighboring cells due to the interference phenomenon between the neighboring cells. Accordingly, the distributions of the threshold voltage of the program cell are widely changed, resulting in failure of a chip. The interference problem between neighboring cells becomes more profound in multi-level cells. To minimize the interference phenomenon between the cells, the distance between the cells must be secured sufficiently. However, as the level of integration of devices is increased, to secure a sufficient distance between the cells has a limit.
Meanwhile, in the SA-STI process that is most widely used, a floating gate must be formed using first and second conductive layers and the second conductive layer must be patterned using the floating gate mask. However, as the level of integration of semiconductor devices is increased and the cell size decreases, the alignment margin is reduced. As a result, the process employing the floating gate mask is no longer used.

Method of manufacturing flash memory device with conductive spacers


A photosensitive composition containing at least an organic-solvent-soluble dye, wherein the solid content of the organic-solvent-soluble dye is 50% by weight or higher based on the total weight of the solid content of the photosensitive composition, and the organic-solvent-soluble dye comprises at least one di- or higher-valent metal salt of an azo dye.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photosensitive composition useful for forming a color filter to be used a liquid crystal display device and a solid-state imaging device, a dye-containing color filter, and its production method.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of producing a color filter to be used for a liquid crystal display device (LCD) and a solid-state imaging device (CCD, CMOS) have been known a dyeing method, a printing method, an electrodeposition method and a pigment dispersion method.
The pigment dispersion method among them is a method of producing a color filter by photolithography using a colored radiation sensitive composition obtained by dispersing various kinds of pigments in a photosensitive composition and since pigments are used, it is advantageous in the stability to light and heat. Also, since patterning is carried out by the photolithographic method, the method has a high positioning precision and been therefore used widely and preferably for producing a color filter for a large screen and highly fine color display.
In the case of producing a color filter by the pigment dispersion method, a radiation-sensitive composition is applied to a glass substrate by a spin coater or a roll coater and dried to form a film and then the film is pattern-wise exposed and developed to form colored pixels and these steps are repeated for respective colors corresponding to a desired number of hues to obtain a color filter. As such a pigment dispersion method is reported an example using a negative type photosensitive composition containing an alkali-soluble resin in combination with a photo-polymerizable monomer and a photopolymerization initiator (e.g. reference to Japanese Patent Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2-199403).
On the other hand, in these years, it has been desired to make a color filter for a solid-state imaging device finer. However, in a conventional pigment dispersion system, since ultraviolet rays are scattered at the time of exposure, it is difficult to further improve the resolution and a problem of occurrence of color unevenness attributed to coarse particles of a pigment takes place and accordingly it is not suitable for applications for which fine patterns are required just like the solid-state imaging device.
In consideration of the above-mentioned problems, techniques of using dyes in place of pigments have been proposed before (e.g., reference to JP-A No. 6-75375).
Further, in these years, in the case of producing a color filter for a solid-state imaging device, it has also been required to make the filter thinner. To simultaneously satisfy both requirements of sufficient coloring density and thinness, a large quantity of a coloring agent has to be added to a photosensitive composition and contents of other materials have to be decreased. Even if a composition satisfying that is produced, no significant problem is caused in the case of using a pigment for the coloring agent (e.g. reference to JP-A No. 2003-149801).

Photosensitive composition, color filter, and its production method


An SOI/SOS thin film MOS mesa architecture has its body/channel region extended beyond the source and drain regions and the impurity concentration is increased at an end portion of the extended body region, so as to provide a channel stop region that is effective to functionally interrupt a current leakage path or `parasitic` N-channel that may be induced along sidewall surface of the P-type material of the body/channel region. In addition, in order to inhibit radiation-induced leakage along a backside interface of the extended body region abutting an underlying dielectric substrate, a portion of the extended body region between the channel stop region and the body/channel region has an impurity concentration profile that is increased at the interface of the extended body region with the underlying dielectric substrate.

Co-pending application Ser. No. 780,251, filed Oct. 21, 1991, entitled "SOI/SOS CMOS DEVICE HAVING BODY EXTENSION FOR PROVIDING SIDEWALL CHANNEL STOP AND BODYTIE" by R. Cherne et al, assigned to the assignee of the present application and the disclosure of which is herein incorporated, addresses parasitic channel/leakage problems associated with thin co-planar integrated circuits that employ silicon-on-insulator (SOI) or silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) CMOS architectures. As described in that application, such structures are typically characterized by the use of either air or oxide dielectric to provide lateral isolation between adjacent `mesa` transistors which are formed atop an insulating dielectric (e.g. silicon oxide or sapphire).
In particular, as diagrammatically illustrated in the top view of FIG. 1 and the side view of FIG. 2, a conventional N-channel SOI/SOS thin film MOS transistor structure is typically comprised of a semiconductor (silicon) mesa layer 11, which is disposed atop a substrate-supported dielectric (silicon dioxide) layer 12 and the sidewall perimeter of which is bounded by air or an oxide dielectric layer, shown at 13. This semiconductor mesa structure contains a P-type body/channel region 14 disposed between and immediately contiguous with respective N+ source and drain regions 16 and 18. Overlying the (P-type) channel/body region 14 and extending onto the surrounding support substrate, either co-planar with the top of the mesa as shown in FIG. 2 in the case where the mesa is bounded by an oxide dielectric layer 13, or stepped down to the surface of dielectric layer 12 in the case where the mesa is bounded by air isolation, is a doped polysilicon gate layer 21, insulated from the semiconductor material of the mesa by a thin dielectric layer (e.g. oxide) 22.
In dielectric bounded architectures, a backside MOS parasitic device is formed where the drain and source regions terminate at the underlying insulator layer. Since the insulator layers are normally considerably thicker than the active gate oxide, for relatively similar doping levels the voltage necessary to cause inversion at the surface of the dielectric is typically large enough, so that under normal ambient operating conditions there is little problem of parasitic leakage.
However, when the device is required to operate in an environment where large quantities of ionizing radiation (e.g. X-rays or gamma rays) are present, electron-hole pairs are generated in the underlying dielectric. Although most of these electron-hole pairs quickly recombine and the highly mobile remaining electrons are rapidly drawn away from the insulator, slower moving holes remain trapped so as to add positive charge, which reduces the N-channel threshold voltage of the device. As the thick oxide threshold voltages are reduced to approach the value of the circuit's power supply, source-to-drain leakage increases, thereby degrading the integrated circuit's performance and, eventually, the circuit may even be rendered non-functional.
Thus, in the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the surface of P-doped material (here the P-type channel/body region 14) is susceptible to inversion in the presence of ionizing radiation, so that there is the danger of a leakage path or `parasitic` channel being induced along the body/channel sidewalls 23, 24 between the source and drain regions 16, 18. Moreover, regardless of the potential for exposure to ionizing radiation, the inability of some manufacturing processes to accurately control the channel doping along the edges of the device (beneath the polysilicon gate overlay 21), and the lack of control of electrostatic charge build-up along surface portions 25, 27 of dielectric layer 13 that is immediately adjacent to P-type silicon body 14, may cause the device to suffer extraordinary current leakage in its OFF state.
Several methods have been employed to harden SOI thick oxides and other dielectric materials against total dose radiation. For example, the back gate N-channel can be heavily doped by high energy implantation of dopants to produce retrograde well impurity profiles. In more advanced technologies having a mesa thickness less than a half micron, it becomes increasingly more difficult to obtain the necessary back-to-front concentration gradient and keep the active device decoupled from the backside doping, which severely limits the effectiveness of a well dopant retrograding approach in then SOI transistor architectures.
Applying a large negative bias voltage (greater or equal to negative 5 volts) to the substrate can also help keep the backside interface in an accumulation state. However, the most universally accepted biasing scheme involves grounding the substrate. This constraint is due to the lack of a power supply rail in most digital military and aerospace electronic subsystems.
Heavily doped P-type channel stops and guard rings, source and/or drains diffusions spaced apart from the device side edge, and edgeless or circular gate circuit layouts have been used to reduce or eliminate sidewall leakage. These techniques either require considerably greater layout area to implement the circuit, or they limit the transistor to unidirectional current flow by permanently linking the device source to its body.
In accordance with the invention described in the above-referenced co-pending application, the above discussed leakage problems of conventional SOI/SOS thin film MOS mesa architectures may be effectively obviated by extending the body/channel region to form a `tab` channel stop. In accordance with one embodiment of the `tab` channel stop configuration, diagrammatically illustrated in the respective top and side views of FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively, the conventional thin mesa transistor structure of FIGS. 1 and 2 is modified such that the body/channel region 14 extends beyond its interfaces with each of the source and drain regions, as shown by body/channel extension regions or segments 31, 32. Regions 31, 32 have a prescribed width x and a length y within the dimensions of the gate layer 21 and serve to increase the effective channel width of body/channel region 14 to a value greater than the case where the body/channel region terminates `flush` with source and drain regions 16, 18 (as shown in FIG. 1). The respective channel/body extensions 31, 32 at both ends of the body/channel region beneath the polysilicon gate, by increasing the `net edge length` (2x+y), can be expected to reduce OFF state leakage due to the attenuation of parasitic transistor short channel effects.
The channel extension tab configuration may be enhanced by increasing the doping concentration of the tabs at their outer extremities, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, which show respective top views of a channel tab extension architecture, in which respective high impurity concentration implants 41, 42 overlap end, channel stop, portions 43, 44 of (P-type) body/channel extension regions 31, 32, whereby the impurity concentration of these end portions of the extension regions is increased relative to the impurity concentration of that portion 17 of the body/channel region 14 disposed between the source and drain regions, thereby forming a pair of P+ channel stops. This relatively high impurity concentration of the channel stop regions 43, 44 insures that the parasitic sidewall threshold is higher than any possible negative threshold shift which might be induced by ionizing radiation. These more heavily doped (P+) channel stop regions 43, 44 of the extension regions 31, 32 are spaced apart from the endwall edges of source and drain regions 16, 18 by respective portions 51, 52 of the extension regions 31, 32 of the same doping concentration as the body/channel region 14 itself, so that the more heavily doped (P+) channel stop regions 43, 44 do not form (very low breakdown voltage) P+/N+ junctions with the source and drain regions 16, 18. The source and drain regions may be formed by an N+ implant using an implant mask the geometry of which overlaps polysilicon gate layer 21, shown at 55 in FIG. 6.
Now although the incorporation of channel extension tabs is very effective in eliminating the problem of sidewall leakage, it has been found to contribute to a reduction in radiation hardness of the back gate extension. With reference to the extended channel architecture shown in perspective in FIG. 7 and in plan in FIG. 8, the buried dielectric layer 12 underneath the intermediate or buffer portion 51 of the channel extension has been found to exhibit a total ionizing dose response, which is degraded compared with SOI transistor structures that do not have an extended channel configuration. A localized reduced threshold voltage and an increased post irradiation threshold voltage shift, consequently, an earlier onset of a secondary radiation-induced leakage has been observed along this interface.

SOT CMOS device having differentially doped body extension for providing improved backside leakage channel stop


A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate 1 and at least one first column-shaped semiconductor layer 10 of a first channel type formed on semiconductor substrate 1 in order of first, second and third regions, and having a side surface. At least one second column-shaped semiconductor layer 11 of a second channel type is selectively laminated on first semiconductor layer 10 in order of first, second and third regions, and having a side surface. A gate insulation film 8 is formed on the side surfaces of first semiconductor layer 10 and second semiconductor layer 11. A gate electrode 9 is formed on the insulation film 8 extending to an external portion of first semiconductor layer 10. A first source layer 2 and first drain layer 4 are respectively formed in the first and third regions of first semiconductor layer 10. A second source layer 7 and second drain layer 5 are respectively formed in the first and third regions of semiconductor layer 11. An input terminal 14 is connected to gate electrode 9 to lead out to the exterior of first semiconductor layer 10. An output terminal 15 is connected to second drain layer 5 formed on and in low-resistance contact with first drain layer. A first power source terminal 16 is connected to first source layer 2 of first semiconductor layer 10, and a second power source terminal 17 is connected to second source layer 7.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to the improvement of an inverter circuit serving as a basic circuit of a digital integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor integrated circuit, particularly, an integrated circuit using a MOS transistor is developed with even higher integration density. With the formation of the integrated circuit with even higher integration density, the MOS transistor used in the integrated circuit is miniaturized into the sub-micron region. The basic circuit of the digital circuit is an inverter circuit. However, when the MOS transistors constituting the inverter circuit are miniaturized, the following problems may occur.
1) When the gate size of the MOS transistor is reduced, a so-called short channel effect causes punch-through between the source and drain thereof. As a result, it becomes difficult to suppress the leak current, thereby increasing the standby current in the inverter circuit.
2) When the intensity of the internal electric field of the MOS transistor becomes high, the threshold voltage and mutual conductance of the transistor may be varied by the hot carrier effect. As a result, deterioration in the transistor characteristic and deterioration in the circuit characteristic (operation speed, operation margin and the like) will occur.
3) When the gate length is reduced by miniaturization, the gate width must be made larger than a certain value in order to ensure a necessary amount of current. Therefore, it is difficult to sufficiently reduce the occupied area of the inverter circuit. For example, in a dynamic RAM (DRAM), the miniaturization technique for memory cells is markedly developed. However, since a necessary amount of current must be ensured in the peripheral circuit, the gate width cannot be reduced in many portions of the peripheral circuit, thereby preventing the whole portion of the DRAM chip from being miniaturized.
As described above, with the conventional MOS integration technique, problems that suppression of the leak current in the inverter circuit is difficult, the reliability is lowered by the hot carrier effect and the occupied area of the circuit cannot be reduced because it is required to ensure a necessary amount of current have occurred.
The related art of this invention is disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure Nos. 2-71556 and 2-188966.

Semiconductor vertical MOSFET inverter circuit


A removable chin curtain assembly selectively attachable to a helmet is disclosed. The helmet has a helmet shell, a chin strap, and a pair of fasteners connecting the chin strap portion to the helmet shell. The fasteners are made at least in part of ferromagnetic material. The removable chin curtain assembly has a chin curtain and at least one permanent magnet connected to the chin curtain. The at least one permanent magnet is adapted for selectively magnetically connecting the chin curtain to at least one of the fasteners. Alternative embodiments of a removable chin curtain assembly are also disclosed.

Helmets are a form protective equipment used to protect the head of a wearer. Helmets vary largely depending on their application. Indeed, there is a large array of activities that require head protection and so helmets are customized to best fit the activities' requirements. For instance, there are full face helmets, off-road helmets or open face helmets to name a few types of helmets.
For snowmobile riding, different types of helmets can be used depending on the type of riding being practiced. For touring, full face helmets are preferred as they fully cover the face of the wearer and thus help to keep the user's face warm. For snow-cross or backcountry snowmobile riding, which tends to be more active, helmets having a helmet shell and a jaw shield defining a space therebetween in front of the wearer's eyes are preferred. Wearers of these helmets will typically wear goggles, received in the space, to protect their eyes. These helmets have more ventilation openings than helmets used for touring in order to increase airflow. Indeed, snow-cross or backcountry snowmobile riding can be a high intensity activity, which may cause the rider to breathe heavily and require more oxygen and ventilation. These ventilation openings address this problem by allowing an increased circulation of fresh air around the rider's face while riding, compared to a full face helmet.
Although the ventilation provided by helmets used for snow-cross or backcountry snowmobile riding is helpful during active riding, this can cause the wearer's face to become cold when riding less actively, such as when riding to and from the snow-cross or backcountry snowmobile riding area or when using the helmet for touring, as some snowmobile riders may not have helmets adapted for every type of riding situations. The added ventilation can also lead to more dust entering the helmet.
Therefore, there is a desire for a device capable of reducing the amount of ventilation provided by helmets typically used for snow-cross or backcountry snowmobile riding to protect the wearers of such helmets from the cold and/or dust when riding less actively.
Similar helmets are also used for other activities such as motocross riding. As these activities can also be practiced in cold-weather conditions, they have similar problems. As there is also a desire for a similar device for these helmets.

Removable chin curtain assembly selectively attachable to a helmet


The invention relates to a chipper knife for chippers of the type comprising a tool (12) which is rotatable on an axis of rotation and is in the form of, for example a drum, disc or truncated conical body, which supports a plurality of such chipper knives. The chipper knife comprises at least one cutting edge (1) which is formed between a flank (2, 2′) and a chip guiding surface (4, 4′), and two opposite main surfaces (3, 3′) which are adapted to abut against and be retained on the opposite seats (14, 15) of a holder (9, 10) on the tool. At least one main surface (3, 3′) of the chipper knife which is located on a wood side of the chipper knife comprises a cross-sectionally convexly bent surface portion (6, 5′) which connects to and extends backwards from the flank (2, 2′) and the chord of which constitutes at least 20%, preferably at least 30% and, most preferably, at least 40% of the total cross-sectional length of the chipper knife. The invention also relates to a holder for such a chipper knife.

A plurality of demands which are often contradictory are made on chippers. The most important demand is that the chipper must be able to produce wood chips of a quality that is as high and uniform as possible. Among other things the produced wood chips have to be of uniform size and the amount of oversized chips, as well as the amount of fine material in the form of splinters and shavings have to be small in order to obtain a high yield of the raw material of wood.
Another demand or object to be desired is that the total operative expenses should be as low as possible. For instance, the costs for replacing and/or regrinding of the chipper knives must be low.
An important factor as regards the production of chips of a high and uniform quality is that the top surface or the flank of the chipper knife, i.e. the outermost surface of the chipper knife which during the cutting faces the logs being fed to the chipper, has such a shape and size that during the cutting it interferes with the feeding of the wood as little as possible. In drum chippers the ideal shape of the flank is slightly arched in cross-section with a radius of curvature that corresponds to the radius of curvature of the drum. In disc chippers the ideal shape of the flank is helicoidal, i.e. has a propeller-like shape with a greater angle to the plane of rotation at the centre of the disc than at the periphery of the disc.
Producing chipper knives with such a complicated shape of the flank is technically possible but, in practice, it usually becomes too expensive. On the market there are, in fact, chippers of a large number of makes, types and sizes and, in order to limit the costs, one and the same knife system has to be generally useful in a large number of different chippers without needing to be specially worked and kept in stock for each type of chipper. As a rule, it is thus preferred to produce chipper knives with a constant edge angle and a plane flank and only to twist or arch the other surface parts of the disc and the drum, respectively, which contact the wood. For such a chipper knife to interfere with the feed of the wood as little as possible, it is advantageous if the flank is made with a cross-sectional length that is as small as possible, so that the wood as early as possible should pass over and be guided towards the surfaces of the chipper that follow the chipper knife and that have a correctly arched shape or twisted shape. Such a design makes a good compromise between the demands for a high chip quality and low costs. However, the physical properties of the chipper knife often set lower limits as regards how small the flank can be made since the chipper knife has to have a predetermined minimum cross-sectional thickness in order to resist the strain to which it is exposed.
An important factor when it comes to keeping down the operative expenses is to reduce the time expenditure when adjusting the chipper knives, i.e. the time required for positioning the chipper knives in the chipper when dismantling worn chipper knives and mounting new ones. Most advantageously, the need of adjusting the chipper knives is completely eliminated by the chipper knives not needing to be positioned, but having a predetermined and well-defined position in the holder of the chipper. Moreover, a fixed positioning of the chipper knives has the advantage of these not risking sliding out of the holders or being turned in connection with unbalanced load when in operation. However, in such a knife system, it is not feasible to regrind worn chipper knives without time-consuming handling since this implies that their position in the holder is changed after regrinding, but instead the worn chipper knives are discarded. By forming such chipper knives as symmetric indexable inserts with two opposite cutting edges which, by turning of the chipper knife, can be located in a chipping position, their service life can certainly be doubled, but the cost of production of the chipper knife is after all important as regards the total operative expenses. An important factor as regards keeping down the operative expenses will thus be to be able to limit the cost of production of such chipper knives and, above all, to limit the amount of material in the chipper knife, i.e. make it as small and thin as possible and thereby reduce the material costs. However, this cannot be easily achieved since the chipper knife for reasons of function and strength of material needs to have a certain size and, especially, a minimum thickness in certain cross-sections subjected to heavy loads.


A coriolis mass flow pick-up is disclosed, which can be inserted into a pipeline and has a fluid to be measured flowing through it during operation. The pick-up includes a single measuring pipe, which has an inlet end and an outlet end, an exciter arrangement, which causes the measuring pipe to carry out at least first bending oscillations, and at least two sensors for sensing movement of the measuring pipe. At least two elongate connection parts, which extend freely essentially parallel to the measuring pipe and whose central axes are displaced from the axis of the measuring pipe, are connected on the input side and the output side to the measuring pipe. The connection parts carry out second bending oscillations in the event of an oscillating measuring pipe, with the result that, by the second bending oscillations of the connection parts being superimposed by the oscillations of the measuring pipe, bending forces and torsional moments at the inlet and outlet ends of the measuring pipe are compensated.

A Coriolis mass flow pick-up is disclosed.
A generic Coriolis mass flow pick-up is known in principle, see VDI-Lexikon der Automatisierungstechnik [Association of German engineers dictionary of automation engineering], published by Elmar Schrüfer, VDI Verlag GmbH Düsseldorf, 1992, page 94. A CMF is a flowmeter for fluid substances, in particular liquids or paste-like substances, in the case of which the measuring effect is directly proportional to the mass flow passing through.
A CMF makes use of the Coriolis force. The medium to be measured flows through a single measuring pipe, which has an inlet end and an outlet end and is caused to carry out at least first bending oscillations by means of an exciter arrangement. Owing to the oscillation of the pipe, a Coriolis force acts on the medium flowing through, reacts on the pipe oscillation and brings about a phase shift in the pipe oscillation between two points on the measuring pipe which are at a distance from one another. This phase difference is proportional to the mass flow and represents the actual primary measurement signal of the Coriolis mass flow pick-up.
In order to obtain the phase shift, the pipe oscillation is sensed by suitable sensors at the two abovementioned measuring points.
As regards the shape of the measuring pipe, looped, slightly bent and straight measuring pipes are known. A CMF with a single, straight measuring pipe is easier to clean and monitor. When installed appropriately, it is self-discharging. Its pressure loss is less than in the case of a bent or looped measuring pipe.
In particular, in the case of generic Coriolis mass flow pick-ups with a single, straight measuring pipe, however, the Coriolis force is low in comparison with other forces occurring in the measurement system. It is therefore necessary for particular measures to be taken to separate the measuring effect from undesirable interference effects. In particular, a Coriolis mass flow pick-up should be decoupled in terms of oscillation from the surrounding environment.
A Coriolis mass flow pick-up is mechanically connected to its surrounding environment via flanges. Mechanical energy can be exchanged with the surrounding environment via the flanges. Oscillation energy can be coupled out from the measuring pipe into the surrounding environment, reflected there in the connected process pipeline and introduced back into the measuring pipe again via the flanges, which results in a high level of noise for the measurement signal. Owing to undesirable damping at the flanges, zero-point drift may occur, i.e. a phase shift even in the case in which there is no throughflow.
In the case of a Coriolis mass flow pick-up which has ideally been decoupled in terms of oscillation from the surrounding environment, no forces or moments occur at the flanges when the measurement system oscillates in its natural mode, the so-called "balanced mode". One exemplary goal when developing generic Coriolis mass flow pick-ups is to come as close as possible to ideal decoupling from the surrounding environment.
In the prior art, typical approaches are followed for the this purpose (cf. the article "Einrohrtechnik bei Coriolis-Massemessern—eine Standortbestimmung", [single-pipe technique in Coriolis mass measuring devices—determination of position], W. Dahm, atp 42, 7 (2000), page 20, for an overview):
Fixed Symmetrical Installation:
Particular installation specifications are in this case intended to ensure that the CMF is coupled in a well-defined manner to the surrounding environment. The devices themselves have a large mass. Disadvantages can include increased installation costs, difficult fixings and a high degree of sensitivity of the device to external influences (for example low zero-point stability).
Bending Counter-Oscillator:
Vibration of the measuring pipe is compensated for by fitting a bending counter-oscillator. This oscillates in phase opposition to the measuring pipe and, in the ideal case, eliminates the oscillating motion of the center of gravity. Then no forces couple out at the edge. Such a compensation generally only functions for one density of the fluid; with other densities, the mass ratios of the measuring pipe and the counter-oscillator are no longer correct, and the coupling to the surrounding environment increases severely. Then, the measurement accuracy also drops.
Torsional Counter-Oscillator:
Instead of a bending counter-oscillator, the bending natural oscillation is coupled to a torsional oscillation of the pipe by masses being fitted eccentrically. It has been proposed to achieve this by fitting a number of cantilevered masses to the measuring pipe, the centers of gravity of said cantilevered masses lying in a common plane, which extends perpendicularly with respect to the bending-oscillation plane through the longitudinal axis of the measuring pipe, but generally do not lie on this longitudinal axis. An alternative possibility is to fit a rigid eccentric trough, as described in US 2002/0117010A1. Since the two oscillation modes (the bending oscillation mode and the torsional oscillation mode) are influenced in a similar way by the fluid mass, it has been shown that edge forces, i.e. bending and torsional forces, can be compensated for over a wide range of densities. The balanced part of the measuring pipe is also referred to below as the measurement section. The measurement data should only be recorded within the measurement section which has been balanced in such a way.
However, the balancing as proposed is obtained by having to tolerate symmetrical torques (torsional moments) acting along the pipe axis at the inlet-side and outlet-side ends of the measuring pipe owing to the torsional oscillation. In this case, symmetrical means that the inlet-side and outlet-side torsional moments are equal in value but are oriented either in the same direction or in opposition. These axial torsional moments have the effect that the CMF continues to be coupled in terms of oscillations in an undesirable manner to the surrounding environment.


An applicator pad dispensing container is provided having a jar, a cap to close the jar and a piston assembly movable within the jar. The piston assembly includes a platform with a rod projecting from an upper surface thereof terminating in a head. A stack of applicator pads, each with a central aperture, can be loaded onto the platform with the rod penetrating the aperture to securely hold the pads. The head engages a hollow socket in an under surface of the cap. Engagement of head and cap allows the platform with pads to be raised to a top position whereupon the cap can twistably be released from the head. After a pad(s) is removed, the cap can snap onto the head and with downward pressure return the platform with remaining pads back into the jar.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a dispenser for storing and delivering in pop-up fashion a multiplicity of applicator pads.
2. The Related Art
Screw-cap wide-mouthed jars have long been used as packaging for stacks of applicator pads. These pads have cosmetic and medical uses. They may be utilized as coverings for wounds or impregnated with antiseptic chemicals for skin wiping purposes. As cosmetics, these pads are known for use as make-up removers, cleansers or vehicles to apply leave-on cosmetics (e.g. anti-wrinkle or anti-acne compositions). Especially when impregnated with chemicals, the pads can be quite messy to handle. This is particularly a problem when attempting to extract a single applicator from within the bottom of a deep jar when a majority of the stack has already been removed. Additionally, in many instances it is desirable if not required that contamination of the stack and sides of the jar be avoided.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an applicator pad dispensing jar which minimizes contamination from a user's fingers.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an applicator pad dispensing jar from which the pads can readily be viewed and removed.
Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from consideration of the following summary and detailed description.

Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.


A method (500) includes initializing a client state (250) on a client device (120) be executing a private batched sum retrieval instruction (200) to compute c sums O of data blocks (102) from an untrusted storage device (150). Each computed sum O stored on memory hardware (122) of the client device and including a sum of a corresponding subset S of exactly k data blocks. The method also includes a query instruction (300) to retrieve a query block Bq stored on the untrusted storage device by iterating through each of the c sums O of data blocks to identify one of the c sums O that does not include the query block Bq, instructing a service to pseudorandomly partition the untrusted storage device into partitions and sum the data blocks in each partition to determine a corresponding encrypted data block sum (302).

Enterprises and individuals are using distributed storage systems (i.e., cloud storage services) to store data on memory overlying multiple memory locations. In order to use essential functionalities offered by the cloud storage services, such as performing search queries on stored data, enterprises are required to provide plaintext access to the cloud storage services. As a result, many government and sensitive private sectors, such as health, finance, and legal, or reluctant to use cloud storage services, despite their increased convenience and cost advantages. For instance, data access patterns by users can provide a significant amount of information about the data and/or the user.
Private information retrieval (PIR) schemes allow a user to retrieve data from one or more storage devices while not revealing any knowledge about the user or the retrieved data to a server hosting the one or more storage devices. For PIR, server storage devices are generally not protected and private information is retrieved from either a public storage device or a server storage device with a group of subscribers all permitted to download data from the entire storage device. While users may simply download all of the content from a server storage device so that access patterns are not revealed, this takes too long when having to download all the contents from a cloud storage service spanning multiple storage devices. Moreover, conventional PIR schemes allowing access to multiple users generally require the users to be stateless in order to allow simultaneous and independent querying without collisions or conflicts between the users. Since the users do not hold any state, these conventional PIR schemes are computational expensive requiring the server to perform Ω(n) encrypted operations for a database of n blocks.

Private information retrieval with sublinear public-key operations


A point-to-point bus and a daisy chain bus are provided for supplying signals to stacked memories, and the stacked memories are mounted mutually apart by a distance equivalent to the length of the stacked memory on both surfaces of a module substrate. Furthermore, the memory chips arranged in a stacked memory mounted on one surface are set in an active state at the same time alternately with the memory chips arranged in a stacked memory mounted on another surface of the module substrate.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a stacked memory having a plurality of built-in memory chips, a memory module mounted with a plurality of stacked memories and a memory system having the memory module.
2. Description of the Related Art
An access time of a memory such as a DRAM has recently been sped up and with this, memory systems making use of a point-to-point bus and a daisy chain bus have come to be an object for consideration in order to ensure the waveform quality of signals transmitted at high speeds (cf., for example, RAMBUS Co. U.S.A., Yellowstone Memory System: Rich Warmke, "Yellowstone, A Next Generation memory Signaling Technology" RAMBUS DEVELOPER FORUM, OCT. 29, 2002, [Oct. 30, 2003, retrieved] internet <URL:    http:rambus.com/rdf/rdf2002/pdf/rdf_consumer_track.pdf.>)
More specifically, memory modules have been envisioned which use multibit point-to-point buses to transmit DQ (data) signals and DQS (DQ strobe) signals while using daisy chain buses to transmit control signals such as CA (command address) signals, CLK (clock) signals and CS (chip select) signals.
Presently, a single-rank memory configuration and a double-rank memory configuration are known with regard to a 64-bit I/O memory module. The single-rank memory configuration has eight 4-bit I/O (data width) memories mounted on each of the front and reverse surfaces of the module substrate, i.e., a total of sixteen memories, and activates all memories at the same time. The double-rank memory configuration has eight 8-bit I/O (data width) memories mounted on each of the front and reverse surfaces of the module substrate, i.e., a total of sixteen memories. In this memory configuration, memories mounted on each of the front and reverse surfaces of the module substrate share a DQ signal wiring of 8-bit width, and eight memories on either a front surface or a reverse surface are activated at the same time.
FIGS. 1A and 1B represent a conventional memory module of a 64-bit I/O, double-rank configuration.
Memory module 101 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B has a structure in which eight memories (DRAMS) are mounted on each of the front and reverse surfaces of module substrate 102, totaling sixteen memories. Each memory 103 is of an 8-bit I/O type, and two memories 103 arranged in opposed positions on the front and reversed surfaces of module substrate 102 share an 8-bit DQ signal wiring.
A point-to-point bus is employed for a DQ signal wiring of memory module 101 illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B making point-to-point connections between memory controller 104 and respective memories 103 (DRAM) in memory module 101. The point-to-point bus is terminated by an ODT (On Die Terminator) provided in each memory 103, whereby the reflections of the DQ signal and DQS signal transmitted through the point-to-point bus are prevented.
Further, daisy chain buses are employed for CA and CLK signal wirings and the CS signal wirings to select memories to be activated, wherein the CA and CLK signal wirings are shared by all the memories 103 of memory modules 101 with the ends of the wirings terminated with terminators. For reference, each of the CS signal wirings is shared exclusively by the group of the memories prescribed to be activated at the same time (rank). Memories 103 mounted on memory module 101 shown FIGS. 1A and 1B are divided into two groups (ranks) each made up of eight memories 103 arranged on the front and reverse surfaces, respectively, of module substrate 102. In this double-rank configuration of memory module 101, a bank of eight memories 103 is made active at the same time (for example, memories shaded with slant lines in FIG. 1B).
Nevertheless, a problem has been known concerning a memory module that the speed-up of memory access generally entails an increase in power consumption, which in turn causes the temperature of a package to be raised and consequently the performance of a memory to be degraded.
In the above-described memory modules of single- and double-rank configurations, the double-rank configuration needs smaller power consumption than the single-rank configuration on account of the number of memories set in an active state at the same time, thereby enabling a temperature rise to be suppressed. For this reason, it might be preferred to configure a memory module such that the number of memories set in the active state at the same time is further decreased in order to further reduce the power consumption of the memory module. For example, a four-rank configuration can be intended in which eight 16-bit I/O memories are mounted on each of the front and reverse surfaces of the module substrate totaling sixteen memories and each of banks of four neighboring memories, arranged in opposite positions on the front and reverse surface of the module substrate, shares a 16-bit DQ signal wiring and is set in an active state at the same time.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a conventional 64-bit I/O memory module in a four-rank configuration through the use of ordinary memories.
Memory module 201 represented in FIGS. 2A and 2B is configured such that eight memories are mounted on each of the front and reverse surfaces of module substrate 202 totaling sixteen memories (DRAM) 203, just like memory module 101 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
Memory module 201 has a configuration such that memories 203 are of a 16-bit I/O each, and arranged in opposed positions on the front and reverse surfaces of module substrate 202 and further, four neighboring memories 203 share a 16-bit DQ signal wiring.
Point-to-point buses are employed for DQ signal wirings of memory module 201 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, just like memory module 201 shown in FIGS. 1A and 2B and a memory controller (not shown) and each of memories 203 mounted on module substrate 202 are connected through the point-to-point connection. An ODT (On Die Terminator), provided in each of memories 203, terminates the point-to-point bus to prevent reflections of the DQ and DQS signals transmitted by the point-to-point bus.
Further, daisy chain buses are employed for CA, CLK signal wirings and CS signal wirings, as is the case with memory module 101 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, with the CA, CLK signal wirings being shared by all the memories 203 in memory module 201 and the wiring ends thereof terminated by terminators. In addition, each CS signal wiring is shared exclusively by the group (rank) of memories 203 to be set in an active state at the same time.
Memories 203 to be mounted on memory module 101 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B are arranged in opposed positions on the front and reverse surfaces of module substrate 202, and divided into four groups of four neighboring memories each, wherein in this memory module 201 in four-rank configuration, four memories 203 are activated at the same time (memories shaded with slant lines in FIG. 2A). Consequently, the power consumption is decreased as compared with memory module 101 of double-rank configuration as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
In the four-rank memory module shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, each of the banks of four neighboring memories each arranged in opposed positions on the front and reverse surfaces of a module substrate shares sixteen DQ signal wirings. As a result, it is required to arrange eight DQ signal wirings between two memories mounted on the front and reverse surfaces across the module substrate and further to branch the wirings into two directions to connect the branched wirings to the neighboring memories.
However, memories are mounted on a module substrate nearly too closely to leave any room so that distances between wirings are short and also limitations are imposed on the wiring directions of the DQ signal wirings for memories. Consequently, the degree of wiring freedom of the DQ signal wiring markedly drops down, the wiring lengths connecting to two memories become asymmetric and significantly fluctuate, and cross-talk noise and ISI (intersignal interference) noise increase. Furthermore, the fluctuations in the arrival timings of signals increase, the qualities of waveforms of the DQ signals are degraded causing difficulty in a high-speed transmission through a bus.
In addition, it is required to receive CA and CS signals in the same timing, because in a memory module, these signals are processed in the same way. For this reason, it is desired to coordinate the transmission characteristics of the CA signal wiring and the CS signal wiring not to make a difference in the transmission speeds of the CS signal and the CA signal.

Stacked memory, memory module and memory system


An exemplary apparatus for counterbalancing a video display comprises a stationary housing, a boom rotatably fixed to the housing which supports the video display, a counterweight boom disposed within the housing and below the boom for counterbalancing the torque imparted on the boom by the video display, a coupling member which mechanically couples the counterweight boom to the boom such that they move in unison, and a stabilizer which limits the speed at which the boom and counterweight boom travel to prevent injury to users. The location of the counterweight boom inside the housing and below the boom results in a lower center of mass of the apparatus which significantly improves stability.

The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for counterbalancing, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for counterbalancing a moveable visual display while achieving a low center of mass.
The use of video displays for recreational, educational, and scientific purposes has increased dramatically in recent years. Video displays are commonly used in medical operations, for example, and in many other analytical fields, to visually present a simulated environment to a user. Another particular application is in the video game industry where video displays transmit real time image data to a user. The video display is programmed to respond to actions taken by the user through a control mechanism such as a joy stick and is updated in real time.
Recently, video displays have been adapted to be secured a fixed distance in front of a user's eyes and to provide real time image data based on, for example, the movement of the user's head. Commonly known as "virtual reality", a motion sensor senses movement of the user's head and provides a signal representing the motion to a microprocessor which calculates the real time image data based on the signal.
The video display, to provide real time image data, may require a considerable amount of computing power, however. Consequently, it is difficult to design a self-contained unit secured to the user's head which is not unduly burdensome. To overcome this problem, the video display may be mechanically coupled to a boom which is fixed to a stationary frame or housing in which the processor and other components are housed.
Because the video display may have a substantial mass, it imparts a significant torque on the boom, tending to rotate the boom downward about the fixed point of rotation on the housing. In known systems, the boom is typically counterbalanced by extending the boom a significant distance beyond the rotation point on the stationary frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,832, for example, discloses a suspension system which includes a boom arm counterbalanced by extending the boom arm a distance beyond the pivot point sufficient to counterbalance the weight of the viewing device. This general method of counterbalancing, however, has several disadvantages.
For example, because the counterbalancing portion of the boom extends upward from the rotation point, the center of mass of the apparatus is relatively high off the ground. This creates a significant instability in the apparatus which may cause injury to a user, particularly in the video game industry where users may "manhandle" the machine. Furthermore, because the counterbalancing portion of the boom extends upward from the rotation point, it will either be exposed above the stationary housing, or the housing will need to be extended upward to enclose the counterbalancing portion of the boom. In either case, the center of mass of the apparatus may be unacceptably high. Although the cabinet may be widened to increase its stability, the extent to which it must be widened is great enough to create other disadvantages. For example, in addition to being more cumbersome and expensive, a wide cabinet may prevent the arrangement of several machines in an island configuration.
Other known booms use gas springs to apply a counterbalancing force and work well in applying small amounts of force in one direction. However, they are not very effective at achieving a state of balance.
It would be desirable, therefore, to have a counterbalancing system that would achieve a lower center of mass, which would have the ability to balance with near zero deferential between load and counterweight, and which would limit the speed of motion of the boom.

Method and apparatus for counterbalancing


The technique of the invention sets a compensated power Pa and updates a charge-discharge power demand Pb* with the setting of compensated power Pa, when a driving power demand Pr* set according to an observed accelerator opening Acc is not less than a lower correction limit P3, which is less than an engine stop criterion value P2, but is less than an upper correction limit P4, which is greater than the engine stop criterion value P2 but is less than an engine start criterion value P1 (steps S220 and S230). The technique then calculates an engine power demand Pe* from the updated charge-discharge power demand Pb* (step S240) and controls an engine and two motors. When the driving power demand Pr* is less than the lower correction limit P3, the technique stops operation of the engine (S150) and drives the hybrid vehicle with the power of the motor (steps S170 to S190). When the driving power demand Pr* is not less than the upper correction limit P4, the technique calculates the engine power demand Pe* without setting the compensated power Pa and controls the engine and two motors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid vehicle and a control method of the hybrid vehicle. More specifically the invention pertains to a hybrid vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine and with a motor that is capable of outputting power to an axle, as well as to a control method of the hybrid vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A proposed hybrid vehicle has an engine, a planetary gear unit that includes a carrier linked with a crankshaft of the engine and a ring gear linked with a drive shaft mechanically connected to an axle, a first motor that inputs and outputs power from and to a sun gear of the planetary gear unit, a second motor that inputs and outputs power from and to the drive shaft, and a battery that supplies and receives electric power to and from the first motor and the second motor (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 10-326115). This prior art hybrid vehicle specifies a driving power demand according to the observed accelerator opening and the observed vehicle speed, specifies a charge-discharge power according to the state of charge (SOC) of the battery, specifies a vehicle power demand based on the specified driving power demand and the specified charge-discharge power, and sets a required output from the engine. In the case of a small vehicle power demand, this prior art hybrid vehicle is driven with output of power from the second motor to the drive shaft connected to the axle while the engine is at a stop. In the case of a large vehicle power demand, on the other hand, the hybrid vehicle is driven while the engine is in operation and the power from the engine is subjected to torque conversion and is output to the drive shaft accompanied with charge and discharge of the battery.

Hybrid vehicle and control method of hybrid vehicle


A method and system are provided for performing satellite-supported landings in CAT II/III type landing conditions. An exemplary system includes a communication component, a positioning system, a radar altimeter, and a processor. The communication component receives terrain data information related to an instrument landing approach. The positioning system determines position of the aircraft. The radar altimeter generates altitude information of the aircraft. The processor is coupled to the communication component, the positioning system, and the radar altimeter. The processor determines an aircraft altitude based on the determined position of the aircraft, received terrain data information, and the generated altitude information.

The aviation industry is developing new approach and landing systems based on the global navigation satellite system (GNSS). A GNSS Landing System (GLS) integrates satellite and ground-based navigation information to provide position information required for approach and landing guidance. The potential benefits of the GLS include significantly improved take-off and landing capability at airports worldwide, reduced cost, and improved instrument approach service at additional airports and runways. GLS may eventually replace the Instrument Landing System (ILS) which is the current standard for civil precision approach and landing systems.
One of most demanding aviation applications for GNSS is low visibility approach and landing. The most demanding of these precision approach and landing operations in the US are called "Category I" (CAT I), "Category II" (CAT II) and "Category III" (CAT III). During a CAT I operation, a pilot may continue a descent to land, with a runway visual range (RVR) as low as 1800 ft, until the aircraft is only 200 ft above the runway surface. At this time if he decides there are inadequate visual cues to safely land the aircraft, he aborts the landing attempt. During a CAT II operation, a pilot may continue, with a RVR as low as 1200 ft, until only 100 ft above the surface. During a demanding CAT III operation, a pilot may land with an RVR of only 150 ft. Highly reliable and accurate positioning and navigation are required throughout these operations.
GLS is based on a form of GNSS augmentation known as the Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS). The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) currently defines Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) for a GBAS architecture that is suitable for airplane approach and landing operations in Category I (CAT I) conditions. However, the currently defined GBAS architecture does not support approach and landing operations in Category II/III (CAT II/III) conditions.
Definition of a GBAS architecture to support approach and landing operations in Category II/III conditions has been difficult. This is because the current GPS satellite constellation alone does not provide with high availability a sufficiently robust geometry between the satellites and user needed to provide the sufficient accuracy and integrity performance to support this type of operation.
A method that has been suggested for augmenting the current GPS constellation is to include pseudo-satellites (pseudolites). A pseudolite is a transmitter placed on the ground at a known location. The pseudolite broadcasts a signal similar to the GPS navigation satellite signal and can provide a highly accurate range measurement. However, pseudolites can interfere with the normal reception of GPS signals. Also, pseudolites are potentially expensive and, at a minimum, entail increased ground infrastructure costs.
Another potential solution for augmenting the current GPS constellation relies on tight integration of GPS receivers and on-board inertial systems (INS). GPS/INS integration is also relatively expensive. Also, this solution is still ultimately limited by the coverage offered by the GPS satellite constellation.
Therefore, there exists an unmet need for a satellite-supported landing system that meets requirements to perform CAT II/III type landing approaches.

Global navigation satellite system landing systems and methods


Provided is an inverter circuit including a switching device which performs a switching operation corresponding to a gate control signal input to a gate terminal, converts an input DC to an AC, and outputs the AC; an HVIC which inputs the gate control signal to the gate terminal of the switching device; a controller which inputs to the HVIC a control signal for enabling the HVIC to generate the gate control signal; a bootstrap circuit which transmits energy to a high-side region of the HVIC; and an impedance cell which is located between the HVIC and one terminal of the switching device to reduce voltage drop of the high-side HVIC.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverter circuit, and more specifically, an inverter circuit with a switching device, in which a gate is driven by a high-voltage integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the broader use of low-power Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) inverters of about 3.7 Kw or lower even in household appliances, more attention is being given to providing high efficiency and low electro-magnetic interference (EMI) noise and minimizing the cost, the size, and the weight of the inverters. Also, a high-voltage integrated circuit (HVIC) for a high-voltage gate driver is increasingly being used with the IGBT inverters. The HVIC enables not only reliable control of pulse width modulation (PWM) but also simplifies circuit construction and reduces costs.
However, a gate driver implemented as an HVIC may generate latched gate output signals, which potentially could destroy the entire system. This is because a reference voltage, which is applied to the HVIC used for driving a gate, is floated and fluctuates at every moment an IGBT is switched. Such a latch phenomenon may occur due to an inverter power circuit and its parameters, a gate driving circuit and its parameters, the switching characteristics of the IGBT, the operating conditions of an inverter, and the like.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional, previously developed inverter circuit. FIG. 2 is a timing diagram showing an input signal and output signals of an HVIC at the inverter circuit of FIG. 1, wherein the output signals are generated when latch-on and latch-up occur, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 1, an output terminal O of an HVIC 110 is connected to a gate terminal of an IGBT 130, which is a switching device, through a gate series resistor Rg. A gate control signal Vg is output through the output terminal O of the HVIC 110. A capacitor 170, which generates an input DC-link voltage VDC, is connected to a collector terminal of the IGBT 130 through a switch S1 172. Also, an inductive load Lload 164 is connected to a node D, which is connected to an emitter terminal of the IGBT 130. A stray inductor 161 having an inductance Lstray, a diode 162, and a shunt resistor 163 having a resistance Rshunt are connected in series to the node D. The node D is also connected to a node S, which is both an output terminal of the HVIC 110 and a terminal of a bootstrap circuit.
The HVIC 110 includes two input terminals IN and C. The HVIC 110 receives a control input signal Vin from a controller 120 through the input terminal IN and receives an integrated circuit driving voltage VCC through the input terminal C. A level-shift MOS transistor 155, which is located inside the HVIC 110, transmits to an edge triggering block 111 the control input signal Vin, which is input from the input terminal IN, through a switching operation. The edge triggering block 111 senses a falling edge of the received control input signal Vin and maintains the control input signal IN until the next signal is input. The signal maintained by the edge triggering block 111 is input to the gate terminal of the IGBT 130 through a buffer 112 and the gate output terminal O.
The HVIC 110 is connected to the bootstrap circuit, which includes a capacitor 151, a bootstrap resistor 152, a bootstrap diode 153, and a bootstrap capacitor 154, which are connected in series. The capacitor 151 transmits energy to a secondary power source of the HVIC 110, i.e., the bootstrap capacitor 154. The bootstrap resistor 152 prevents rapid charging of the bootstrap capacitor 154. The bootstrap diode 153 protects the HVIC 110 and low-voltage devices from high voltage when the IGBT 130 is switched off. The bootstrap capacitor 154 functions as the secondary power source of the HVIC 110 and is connected to terminals B and S of the HVIC 110.
In the foregoing conventional inverter circuit, if a latch phenomenon occurs in the IGBT 130, the gate control signal Vg output from the output terminal O of the HVIC 110 is not affected by the control input signal Vin output from the controller 120. Thus, the IGBT 130 does not perform appropriate switching operations. That is, even if the HVIC 110 receives the control input signal Vin from the controller 120 as shown in (a) of FIG. 2, at time t6 where latch-on occurs, the gate control signal Vg output from the output terminal O of the HVIC 110 is not held in an off-signal state and abnormally generates an on-signal, as shown in (b) of FIG. 2. Also, at time t4 where latch-up occurs, the gate control signal Vg output from the output terminal O of the HVIC 110 is held in an off-signal state without generating an on-signal, as shown in (c) of FIG. 2. Therefore, the IGBT 130 is abnormally switched on at time t6 even though it should be switched off when the latch-on occurs, and is abnormally switched off at time t4 even though it should be switched on when the latch-up occurs.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are signal diagrams showing an input signal waveform of an HVIC and a collector current of an IGBT when latch-up and latch-on occur, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 3A, even if a control input signal Vin corresponding to switching-on data is input to an HVIC 110 at time t4, the collector current IC of an IGBT 130 does not increase. As is known, such latch-up occurs because a very high steady-state reverse voltage is generated at terminal S of the HVIC 110 due to a voltage drop caused by freewheeling current IFW flowing through diode 162 and a shunt resistor 163 between times t3 and t4.
Referring to FIG. 3B, even if a control input signal Vin corresponding to switching-off data is input to the HVIC 110 at time t6, the collector current IC of the IGBT 130 decreases instantly and thereafter starts increasing again. As is known, such latch-on occurs due to forward conduction of parasitic diodes inside the HVIC 110 in an over-stress condition, such as no-load or rapid charging of the bootstrap capacitor 154. In the over-stress condition, current flows through an internal Electro Static Discharge (ESD) diode located between two terminals B and S of the HVIC 110, and the high-side IGBT 130 is turned on due to the current.
Therefore, latch-on or latch-up may prevent steady switching operations of an inverter circuit, in which an IGBT 130 is switched by an HVIC 110, thus potentially destroying elements of the inverter device.

Inverter circuit having switching device with gate driven by high-voltage integrated circuit


A lubricant gun includes a housing, a lubricant reservoir, a motor, a final driver, an elongate eccentric seat, a guiding shroud, and a plunger. The elongate eccentric seat is mounted within the housing, and has a first portion connected eccentrically to the final driver, and a second portion opposite to the first portion. The guiding shroud is disposed between the elongate eccentric seat and a longitudinal slide channel within the housing, and defines a guide passage aligned longitudinally with the slide channel. The plunger has a guiding portion pivotally mounted to the second portion and slidably received in the guide passage, and a pushing portion received slidably in the slide channel. The guiding portion is guided by the guide passage when the plunger is driven by the elongate eccentric seat to reciprocate the guiding portion and the pushing portion of the plunger.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lubricant gun, more particularly to a battery-operated lubricant gun.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional battery-operated grease gun disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,327 includes a housing 1, a lubricant reservoir 2, an electric motor 3, a power transmission 4, a yoke 5, and a plunger 6. The housing 1 has a motor and transmission compartment 101, a handle 102, a discharge spout 103 contained in the front portion of the motor and transmission compartment 101, and a cylindrical pump chamber 104 mounted along an axial direction and fluidly communicated with the discharge spout 103. The lubricant reservoir 2 is connected to the motor and transmission compartment 101. Lubricant can be supplied from the lubricant reservoir 2 into the cylindrical pump chamber 104. The electric motor 3 is mounted within the rear portion of the motor and transmission compartment 101. The power transmission 4 is driven by the electric motor 3, and includes a planetary gearing set 401, a final driver 402, and a drive pin 403 connected eccentrically to and disposed below the final driver 402. The yoke 5 has a cam slot 501 for sliding the drive pin 403 therethrough freely from end to end. The plunger 6 is driven by the yoke 5 to reciprocate in the pump chamber 104. The planetary gearing set 401 has a three-staged configuration, and is mounted on the final driver 402. The final driver 402 is rotatably engaged to the motor and transmission compartment 101 via a bearing 404. When the electric motor 3 is activated, the planetary gearing set 401 is rotated and transforms the output of the electric motor 3, reducing its speed as it is transmitted to the final driver 402 for causing rotation of the final driver 402. The rotation of the final driver 402 is transmitted to the yoke 5 by the drive pin 403 so as to cause the yoke 5 to slide in reciprocating movement. The sliding reciprocating movement of the yoke 5 is transmitted to the plunger 6, causing it to reciprocate through the pump chamber 104. The reciprocation of the plunger 6 enables the lubricant to be pushed through the pump chamber 104 and to be discharged through the discharge spout 103. Although the lubricant can be discharged via the reciprocating movement of the plunger 6 caused by the reciprocating movement of the yoke 5, the aforesaid grease gun has the following shortcomings:
1. Since the yoke 5 is a relatively massive block, the reciprocating movement of the yoke 5 may impose a significant impact on the housing 1, which leads to the shaking of the housing 1. Therefore, it is not easy to hold the grease gun stably.
2. Referring to FIG. 2, the yoke 5 is positioned between two opposite side walls 1012 of the motor and transmission compartment 101, and slides across a pair of sliding rails 1011. However, as mentioned above, since the yoke 5 is a relatively massive block, the reciprocating movement of the yoke 5 may produce a significant friction between the yoke 5 and the side walls 1012 as well as the sliding rails 1011, which results in an increase in the power load of the electric motor 3.
Referring to FIG. 3, in another conventional battery-operated grease gun disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,912, a driving member 7 includes a drive wheel 701 driven by an electric motor 704, a piston 702 slidably mounted in a chamber 801 of a housing 8, and a connecting arm 703 pivotally interconnecting the drive wheel 701 and the piston 702. When the drive wheel 701 is driven, the rotation of the drive wheel 701 will cause reciprocating movement of the piston 702 in the chamber 801 via the connecting arm 703 so that the lubricant can be discharged out of the housing 8. The connecting arm 703 is relatively light in weight. Furthermore, there is no friction between the connecting arm 703 and the housing 8. Therefore, the aforesaid shortcomings attributed to the yoke 5 in the grease gun disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,327 will not occur in the grease gun disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,912. However, referring to FIG. 4, when the drive wheel 701 is intended to push the portion of the piston 702 exposed outside the chamber 801 back into the chamber 801, a transverse torque (L×Fx) is imposed on the piston 702, which will lead to deformation or breakage of the piston 702. The friction between the chamber 801 and piston 702 may also occur due to the tilting of the piston 702.


Disclosed are an electronic settlement system, an electronic settlement method, and a cash payment method using a LCD barcode displayed on a mobile terminal, thereby simply performing member identification using the LCD barcode including member information, electronic settlement services (such as credit card settlement, direct payment card settlement, advance payment card settlement, small amount settlement, and Giro system settlement) at various shops via a procedure verifying whether a user is an actual owner of the barcode, cash payment services via member information barcode and member identification procedures, advance payment card services by depositing a designated amount of money at a database of the bank and allowing the user to systematically use the advance card within the deposited money, and wireless banking services for transmitting and receiving various banking related data via wireless network between the bank and the members.

Conventionally, an electronic settlement service system employs a credit card in a form of a magnetic card, and an electronic small amount settlement service system employs a smart card formed by installing a IC chip in a mobile telephone. In the credit card settlement system, information about a member is stored by a credit settlement terminal installed at a shop or a cash dispenser, and then read by a card reader of the credit settlement terminal or the cash dispenser. The credit settlement terminal or the cash dispenser transmits the read information to a bank system via a PSTN (public switched telephone network), thereby providing credit card services to the member. On the other hand, in the smart card settlement system in which the IC chip is installed within the mobile telephone, data corresponding to a designated amount of money is stored in the IC chip. Therefore, whenever the member settles the small amount of money using the smart card, the amount of money is deducted from the stored total amount. Therefore, if stored total amount of the money is completely spent, the IC must be recharged.
The aforementioned conventional systems have several problems as follows. First, it is not easy to possess a plurality of the magnetic cards. As the number of banks for which a member registers increases, the number of cards issued by different banks and then possessed by the member also increases, thereby causing an inconvenience and increasing the possibility of loss. Particularly, the number of cards possessed by one member, including department cards and customer management cards at each shop as well as the bank credit cards, drastically increases, thereby being difficult in management.
Second, in case of the smart card, the IC chip for storing electronic currency is installed within the mobile terminal, thereby increasing the production cost of the mobile terminal. Further, after the stored money is completely spent, the IC chip must be recharged, thereby making the member to go to a charging station and generating an inconvenience to the member. Further, a cash payment service cannot be provided to the member via the smart card system.
Third, since the conventional credit card service system cannot receive various messages from banks or department stores, it cannot various banking services. For example, when a member wants to receive banking services such as a money transfer from an account to another account, the member needs to visit the corresponding bank or use other media such as telephone and Internet. Further, in case of introducing new products of the banks or the department stores, the magnetic card cannot transmit and receive various service related messages.
Fourth, since the credit card service using the magnetic card and the smart card service using the IC chip are two separate services, it is difficult to integrate two services one thing, thereby causing complicate matters to the members. For example, in order to use the small amount settlement service, the member must possess the smart card installed on the mobile terminal. On the other hand, in order to use the cash payment service, the credit card service, etc., the member must possess the bank card in a form of the magnetic card separately from the mobile terminal. Therefore, it is impossible to provide an integrated banking service to the members.

Electronic settlement system, electronic settlement method and cash paying method using LCD barcode displayed on mobile terminal


An air filtration and purification system, particularly adapted for treating contaminated air within a preselected zone of a building interior space, includes a filter and purifier unit comprising first and second stage particle filters, an odor neutralizer comprising an ozone generator, an activated carbon adsorbent media for extracting gaseous compositions exposed to the ozone injected into the airflow stream and an ultrahigh efficiency final stage particle filter. All filter units and the ozone generator are disposed in a cabinet together with one or more air propulsion fans interposed between the second stage particle filter and the adsorbent media. The system is particularly configured for removing air containing tobacco smoke and other contaminants from smoking areas of restaurants and other places of business and may be configured to return purified and odorized air through ceiling ducts to form an air curtain defining the zone.

Airborne contaminants in various indoor environments have become a significant concern with regard to the health and comfort of persons occupying such, particularly in places of business, institutional and public buildings and virtually any indoor environment wherein it is desired to eliminate solid particles (dust, pollen, mold, lint, fiber), other particulates, such as tobacco smoke and certain aerosols, and gas phase pollutants, such as formaldehyde, various volatile organic compounds and other odor causing gasses. The composition and concentration of such contaminants will, of course, vary depending on the particular environment and the sources which generate various concentrations of the above-mentioned contaminants.
One particular type of indoor environment which has been subject to heightened public awareness and local and regional governmental regulation is that wherein tobacco smoke is generated. Regulations and increased public awareness of the effects of tobacco smoke have resulted in isolation of certain indoor areas wherein the smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco products is permitted. Restaurants, night clubs and taverns, for example, have been required, through regulation and public sentiment, to segregate persons using tobacco products from non-smokers within their facilities. Accordingly, this action tends to concentrate the generation of tobacco smoke and poses a significant problem in properly removing contaminated air from the area where smoking is permitted so as to provide a clean and comfortable environment for persons occupying the smoking area as well as persons occupying the non-smoking areas of the same facility.
In order to avoid costly construction work and other modifications of existing facilities and to retain the aesthetic appeal of certain facilities, such as restaurants and similar establishments, there has been a strongly felt need to provide a suitable air circulation, filtration and purification system which will remove airborne contaminants from the area where these contaminants are being generated with minimum cost while retaining a pleasant atmosphere for the occupants of the facility. These same problems arise for various other facilities, such as private business and public buildings, wherein the use of tobacco products is permitted only in certain areas or zones. Moreover, there are also other instances wherein the circulation and purification of air with respect to a particular indoor environment is required or desired and wherein contamination of the air is generated by certain work processes, for example.
Conventional indoor air conditioning systems do not properly overcome the contaminated air problems in facilities such as those mentioned above. Conventional ventilating systems, for example, usually remove contaminated air from the environment being treated and replace it with air from another environment, including outdoor contaminated air. However, bringing in outdoor air may require the removal of contaminants as well as cooling or heating the air, thereby significantly increasing energy costs. A related problem with respect to treating air drawn into the indoor environment to be controlled also pertains to the fact that using outdoor air, which may contain various gasses and volatile organic compounds which have been produced in the outdoor environment, such as from the burning of fossil fuels, does not solve the contamination problem within the particular indoor environment which is to be controlled.
Accordingly, there has been a significant and growing need for an effective air filtration and purification system which may be easily installed in existing indoor facilities, as well as newly constructed facilities, particularly for circulating and purifying air within a particular area, zone or room within the indoor facility. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.

Multi-stage zonal air purification system


Safety device for a cassette for a compact disc, a cassette tape or the like, which comprises two hingedly interconnected rectangular cassette halves. The safety device can be mounted on the outside of the cassette encircling the cassette to prevent opening thereof and is provided with a lock member for locking engagement with the cassette, which includes a rotary bolt (22) enclosed in a lock housing (20), to be adjusted between engaged position and disengaged position from the outside of the lock housing. A spring blade (30) of magnet material is provided as a latch member for the rotary bolt, the spring blade being arranged to prevent in a latching position rotation of the rotary bolt from the engaged position and being operable against spring bias by magnetic attraction from the outside of the lock housing from the engaged position unlatching the rotary bolt to allow rotation thereof to the disengaged position.

The invention relates to a safety device for cassettes and more particularly for such a cassette for a compact disc, a cassette tape (audio and video tape) or the like, which comprises two hingedly interconnected rectangular cassette halves, said safety device being intended for mounting on the outside of the cassette encircling the cassette to prevent opening thereof and being provided with a lock member for locking engagement with the cassette, having magnetically operated latch means.
Safety devices of this type are used in the retail trade for blocking the cassette so that it cannot be easily opened to prevent theft of the compact disc or the cassette tape, or such theft in any case cannot take place without considerable difficulties. Several different embodiments of the safety device have been developed during recent years, and an intense development work is still going on for the purpose of making the device cheap considering the fact that it has to be used in a great number at each shop and thus it is important to keep the total costs at the lowest possible level, to make the device difficult to open and to make the device easy to handle so that the use thereof is not experienced by the sales people as an added inconvenience. In other words an appropriate anti-theft device is one which can be accepted by the shop owner as well as the sales people and provides effective means for preventing or at least substantially reducing theft of such theft-prone goods as compact discs and cassette tapes.
The invention has been proposed as part of this development and in order to satisfy said wants and demands in the best possible manner the safety device of the type referred to above according to the invention has obtained the characteristics of the claims.


A superconducting tape or wire with a longitudinally extending outer layer of Ag or its alloys defining an inner region, an area of Ag or its alloys in said inner region extending longitudinally of said tape or wire separated from said outer layer of metal by freeze dried superconducting material. The inner Ag area may be a rod, a tube or a number of wires. The superconductor material is preferably B-2223.

The present invention relates to a superconducting tape or wire produced by the wire-in tube method. Superconducting tapes and wires are principally made by the well known powder-in tube (PIT) method. It is heretofore been suggested that a wire-in tube (WIT) method be employed using one or more strands of wire in the tube prior to introducing the superconductor powder into the tube. Thereafter, the manufacturing of the tape or wire follows the same manufacturing process as the-traditional PIT, that is calcining, annealing and sintering steps are used in conjunction with mechanical swaging or drawing to provide the final tape.
This invention revolves around the discovery that wire-in tube tapes have shown little, if any, improvement over traditional PIT tapes except if certain specific superconducting powder or precursors thereof are used. The powders which form the basis for the invention are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,285 issued Jun. 4, 1996 to Balachandran et al. which describes therein the freeze dried preparation of Pb-doped Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x (2223) which more specifically is Bi.sub.1.8 Pb.sub.0.4 Sr.sub.2.0 Ca.sub.2.2 Cu.sub.3.0 O.sub.y where y is between 10 and 11. The freeze dried powders used in the present invention may be either crystalline or non-crystalline or mixtures thereof.

Elongate Bi-based superconductors made by freeze dried conducting powders