A multi-family building structure using light weight prefabricated parallel modular living units is provided. The structure comprises at least first plurality of parallel modular living units and a second plurality of parallel modular living units. Each living unit in the first plurality of living units comprises a first outer and inner modules and a first synthetic residential module between the first outer module and the first inner module. Each living unit in the first plurality of living units comprises a second outer and outer modules and a second synthetic residential module between the second outer module and the second inner module. The structure further comprises a synthetic corridor module formed between the first inner module of the each living unit in the first plurality of living units and the second inner module in the second plurality of living units.

Conventional modular systems which are used for the construction of multifamily apartments for rent or residential units for sale are known. The state of the art is best illustrated by a recently completed 118 unit apartment complex in Sacramento, Calif. called Eviva Midtown. Excerpts from a recent article on the project are set forth below:
"The modular "boxes" that make up the building measure 12×64 feet and weigh 35,000 pounds. All of Eviva's units will be stacked, one by one, atop the project's ground floor space. The "boxes", as they are known in modular parlance, will then be stitched together with mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) runs strung between them until Eviva reaches its full, six-story height. The units will arrive at the site almost completely finished out. Paint, flooring, baseboards, cabinetry, counters, lighting, faucets, showerheads [etc.] and even appliances, will all already be in place."
The modular "box" referenced in the above article and as shown in FIG. 1 is a six sided "rectangular box", known geometrically as a "right rectangular prism". The six sides of the rectangular box in FIG. 1 (and in conventional modular construction) are the four side walls, the floor, and the ceiling. Note that the modules shown and conventional modular units in general are installed and stacked in a perpendicular manner That means that the long side of the module runs perpendicular to the exterior of the building. In its 2016 Annual Report, The Modular Building Institute's design considerations for conventional modular construction was comprised of primarily four stages. The four stages included (1) design approval by the end user and any regulating authorities; (2) assembly of module components in a controlled environment; (3) transportation of modules to a final destination; and (4) erection of modular units to form a finished building. The report indicated that when designing a project, the following characteristics should be considered:                Three Dimensional modules have widths that are typically nominal 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 feet with 12 and 14 feet being the most common. Framing dimensions are typically 2 inches less than nominal size.        Module lengths are up to 70 feet, usually in 2-foot increments.        Module heights vary from approximately 11 feet, 6 inches to 13 feet, not including the height of the unit's transport trailer or frame.        Wood-frame construction is the most common type of construction; however, manufacturers also build with steel and concrete which meets the requirements for Type-I, -II, and -III construction.        Multistory modular buildings can be built up to the maximum stories allowed by code. A majority of modular buildings are 1 to 3 stories, but a rapidly growing trend is 4 to 8 story facilities. A handful of projects have exceeded 15 stories in the U.K. and U.S., including the tallest modular building at 32 stories.        Restroom areas should be designed so that a module "marriage line" does not split the space.        Multiple roof-framing styles are available. Some styles can be completed in the factory and some may require the installation of trusses onsite.        Modular buildings can be configured using modules of various lengths and widths.
When a conventional six-sided rectangular box is stacked next to another similar module, since each of the two modules units have abutting side walls, one of the side walls will be redundant. Likewise, when a conventional six-sided rectangular box is stacked on top of another similar module, since the bottom module has a ceiling and the top module has a floor, either the floor or the ceiling will be redundant.
Light Gauge Panelized Wall Framing—State of the Art
In order to fully understand the momentous technology of the Applicant's new light gauge steel modular housing system, one must first understand the history of the steel stud, and then how those steel studs morphed into the sophisticated structural steel wall panels now in existence. Finally those structural steel wall panels morphed into the first ever modular housing units comprised totally of light gauge metal framing components.
By the 1930s building codes contained specifications for hot rolled steel building components. However, standards for cold formed steel products having a width of 3/16th of an inch or less (i.e., light gauge steel) were not adopted until 1946. The cold formed steel process turns light gauge sheet steel into shapes and sizes which mimic dimensional lumber (e.g., 2×4s, 2×6s, etc.). Light gauge steel framing members such as studs (i.e., an upright support in the wall of a building to which sheathing or drywall is attached) were formed in a roll forming machine by passing thin sheet steel through a series of rollers to form the bends that make the desired shape of the end product. Because this process is done without heat (hence the description "cold formed") the studs produced are stronger than the original sheet steel. The metal studs and tracks first produced and used commercially had shapes as indicated on FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, while the connections of the studs to the top and bottom tracks is illustrated in FIG. 4. The horizontal tracks are anchored to the floor and ceiling of the building. An illustration of a manually installed stud and track system is set forth in FIG. 5.
Since the walls originally constructed by this system were not structural, they could be used only for interior building partitions and could not serve as load bearing walls. This nonstructural metal wall system (See FIG. 6) quickly replaced lumber for interior partitions in buildings. Indeed, as a result of the increased construction of taller buildings in the 1950s and 1960s with life safety a paramount concern, the lightweight, non-combustible steel stud and track system increasingly replaced the conventional wood framed interior systems. (The weight of the metal stud and track system was 33% of the conventional lumber partition system.) In 2004, the Steel Framing Alliance reported that 81% of interior walls built in the U.S. used cold-formed steel framing.
As a result of improvements in the strength of the metal studs, by the 1970's building walls utilizing the stud/track system could serve as load bearing walls. Thus, these structural light gauge wall systems could be used for exterior building walls. In the 1980's, wall panel fabricators started purchasing studs and tracks and fabricating them into structural wall panels which were then transported directly to a job site. By using these prefabricated wall panels produced in a factory, no manual labor was required on the job site to assemble and connect the studs to the tracks. FIG. 7 illustrates an example of stud walls connected to ceiling panels in the construction of a building.
By 2011, the use of structural light gauge wall systems had dramatically expanded and had surpassed the steel used to manufacture nonstructural framing. The strength and ductility of structural cold formed steel framing made it the ideal material for construction in high wind speed and seismic zones in the US. Also, the non-combustibility and termite resistance of these light gauge wall panels lowered construction and ownership costs. Presently, between 30% and 35% of all nonresidential buildings in the U.S. are built with cold-formed steel structural and nonstructural framing.
While light gauge steel wall panels have been in existence for many years, until recently a roll forming machine was unable to produce large numbers of light gauge steel wall panel components which would conform to a buildings architectural layout (e.g., stud spacing requirements). The reason for this was the time consuming process of manually programing the controllers on the roll forming machines to produce the pre-engineered parts for the wall panels. Computer aided design software (i.e., CAD software) has long been used to model complex building designs with complex framing components. However, until about 10 years ago it was not possible to download these CAD models to the controller software (CNC software) embedded on the roll forming machines. At that point significant improvements were made in the automated generation of CNC software instructions from CAD building software models. Thus, large and complex building designs with thousands of unique framing components could be digitized quickly and extremely accurate sets of CNC instructions to the roll forming machines were generated automatically. This automated process integrating building design and roll forming manufacturing of the components of differing wall panels moved the light gauge cold formed steel manufacturing industry past the laborious and mistake-ridden manual programing process previously faced by the industry.
Accordingly, over the last five years several wall panel manufacturers have integrated the automated generation of CNC instructions, highly customized roll forming machines, and specific project and planning implementation resulting in the efficient large scale production of customized prefabricated wall panels. In short, the current state of the art for customized light gauge wall panels is robust and healthy. Two examples of a customized light gauge wall panel systems are set forth in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Lightweight steel parallel modular constructions system with synthetic modules


A lithographic projection apparatus includes a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device configure to pattern the projection beam according to a desired patter. The apparatus has a substrate table configure to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The apparatus also has a purge gas supply system configured to provide a purge gas near a surface of a component of the lithographic projection apparatus. The purge gas supply system includes a purge gas mixture generator configured to generate a purge gas mixture which includes at least one purging gas and a moisture. The purge gas mixture generator has a moisturizer configured to add the moisture to the purge gas and a purge gas mixture outlet connected to the purge gas mixture generator configured to supply the purge gas mixture near the surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lithographic projection apparatus, a gas purging method, a device manufacturing method and a purge gas supply system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The term "patterning device" as here employed should be broadly interpreted as referring to device that can be used to endow an incoming radiation beam with a patterned cross-section, corresponding to a pattern that is to be created in a target portion of the substrate. The term "light valve" can also be used in this context. Generally, the pattern will correspond to a particular functional layer in a device being created in the target portion, such as an integrated circuit or other device (see below). An example of such a patterning device is a mask. The concept of a mask is well known in lithography, and it includes mask types such as binary, alternating phase-shift, and attenuated phase-shift, as well as various hybrid mask types. Placement of such a mask in the radiation beam causes selective transmission (in the case of a transmissive mask) or reflection (in the case of a reflective mask) of the radiation impinging on the mask, according to the pattern on the mask. In the case of a mask, the support will generally be a mask table, which ensures that the mask can be held at a desired position in the incoming radiation beam, and that it can be moved relative to the beam if so desired.
Another example of a patterning device is a programmable mirror array. One example of such an array is a matrix-addressable surface having a viscoelastic control layer and a reflective surface. The basic principle behind such an apparatus is that, for example, addressed areas of the reflective surface reflect incident light as diffracted light, whereas unaddressed areas reflect incident light as undiffracted light. Using an appropriate filter, the undiffracted light can be filtered out of the reflected beam, leaving only the diffracted light behind. In this manner, the beam becomes patterned according to the addressing pattern of the matrix-addressable surface. An alternative embodiment of a programmable mirror array employs a matrix arrangement of tiny mirrors, each of which can be individually tilted about an axis by applying a suitable localized electric field, or by employing piezoelectric actuators. Once again, the mirrors are matrix-addressable, such that addressed mirrors will reflect an incoming radiation beam in a different direction to unaddressed mirrors. In this manner, the reflected beam is patterned according to the addressing pattern of the matrix-addressable mirrors. The required matrix addressing can be performed using suitable electronics. In both of the situations described hereabove, the patterning device can comprise one or more programmable mirror arrays. More information on mirror arrays as here referred to can be seen, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,296,891 and 5,523,193, and PCT publications WO 98/38597 and WO 98/33096. In the case of a programmable mirror array, the support may be embodied as a frame or table, for example, which may be fixed or movable as required.
Another example of a patterning device is a programmable LCD array. An example of such a construction is given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,872. As above, the support structure in this case may be embodied as a frame or table, for example, which may be fixed or movable as required.
For purposes of simplicity, the rest of this text may, at certain locations, specifically direct itself to examples involving a mask and mask table. However, the general principles discussed in such instances should be seen in the broader context of the patterning device as hereabove set forth.
Lithographic projection apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (IC's). In such a case, the patterning device may generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g. comprising one or more dies) on a substrate (silicon wafer) that has been coated with a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). In general, a single wafer will contain a whole network of adjacent target portions that are successively irradiated via the projection system, one at a time. In current apparatus, employing patterning by a mask on a mask table, a distinction can be made between two different types of machine. In one type of lithographic projection apparatus, each target portion is irradiated by exposing the entire mask pattern onto the target portion at once. Such an apparatus is commonly referred to as a wafer stepper. In an alternative apparatus, commonly referred to as a step-and-scan apparatus, each target portion is irradiated by progressively scanning the mask pattern under the beam of radiation in a given reference direction (the "scanning" direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate table parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. Since, in general, the projection system will have a magnification factor M (generally< 1), the speed V at which the substrate table is scanned will be a factor M times that at which the mask table is scanned. More information with regard to lithographic devices as here described can be seen, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,792.
In a known manufacturing process using a lithographic projection apparatus, a pattern (e.g. in a mask) is imaged onto a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). Prior to this imaging, the substrate may undergo various procedures, such as priming, resist coating and a soft bake. After exposure, the substrate may be subjected to other procedures, such as a post-exposure bake (PEB), development, a hard bake and measurement/inspection of the imaged features. This array of procedures is used as a basis to pattern an individual layer of a device, e.g. an IC. Such a patterned layer may then undergo various processes such as etching, ion-implantation (doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, etc., all intended to finish off an individual layer. If several layers are required, then the whole procedure, or a variant thereof, will have to be repeated for each new layer. It is important to ensure that the overlay (juxtaposition) of the various stacked layers is as accurate as possible. For this purpose, a small reference mark is provided at one or more positions on the wafer, thus defining the origin of a coordinate system on the wafer. Using optical and electronic devices in combination with the substrate holder positioning device (referred to hereinafter as "alignment system"), this mark can then be relocated each time a new layer has to be juxtaposed on an existing layer, and can be used as an alignment reference. Eventually, an array of devices will be present on the substrate (wafer). These devices are then separated from one another by a technique such as dicing or sawing, whence the individual devices can be mounted on a carrier, connected to pins, etc. Further information regarding such processes can be obtained, for example, from the book "Microchip Fabrication: A Practical Guide to Semiconductor Processing", Third Edition, by Peter van Zant, McGraw Hill Publishing Co., 1997, ISBN 0-07-067250-4.
For the sake of simplicity, the projection system may hereinafter be referred to as the "lens." However, this term should be broadly interpreted as encompassing various types of projection system, including refractive optics, reflective optics, and catadioptric systems, for example. The radiation system may also include components operating according to any of these design types for directing, shaping or controlling the beam of radiation, and such components may also be referred to below, collectively or singularly, as a "lens". Further, the lithographic apparatus may be of a type having two or more substrate tables (and/or two or more mask tables). In such "multiple stage" devices the additional tables may be used in parallel or preparatory steps may be carried out on one or more tables while one or more other tables are being used for exposures. Dual stage lithographic apparatus are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,969,441 and 6,262,796.
Although specific reference may be made in this text to the use of the apparatus according to the invention in the manufacture of ICs, it should be explicitly understood that such an apparatus has many other possible applications. For example, it may be employed in the manufacture of integrated optical systems, guidance and detection patterns for magnetic domain memories, liquid-crystal display panels, thin-film magnetic heads, etc. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, in the context of such alternative applications, any use of the terms "reticle", "wafer" or "die" in this text should be considered as being replaced by the more general terms "mask", "substrate" and "target portion", respectively.
In the present document, the terms "radiation" and "beam" are used to encompass all types of electromagnetic radiation, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation (e.g. with a wavelength of 365, 248, 193, 157 or 126 nm) and extreme ultra-violet (EUV) radiation (e.g. having a wavelength in the range 5–20 nm), as well as particle beams, such as ion beams or electron beams.
In general, surfaces of components present in a lithographic projection apparatus become contaminated during use, even if most of the apparatus is operated in vacuum. In particular the contamination of optical components in the lithographic projection apparatus, such as mirrors, has an adverse effect on the performance of the apparatus, because such contamination affects the optical properties of the optical components.
It is known to reduce contamination of optical components of a lithographic projection apparatus by purging a space of the lithographic projection apparatus in which such a component is located with an ultra high purity gas, referred to as a purge gas. The purge gas prevents contamination of the surface, for example molecular contamination with hydrocarbons.
A drawback of this method is that the purge gas may have an adverse effect on the activity of chemicals used in the lithographic projection process. In particular, it has been found by the inventors that some types of radiation-sensitive material (resist), in particular resists sensitive to ultra-violet radiation and acetal-base photo-resists, do not function properly in an environment provided with the purge gas. Experiments performed by the inventors have revealed that these resists require a moisture, e.g. water vapour, to develop.
Furthermore, the purge gas may have an effect on the performance of measurement devices present in the lithographic projection apparatus, such as interferometric instruments. It has been found by the inventors that because of the lack of moisture, the purge gas affects the refractive index and thereby changes the outcome of interferometric measurements as well.
However, such moisture is not present in the purge gas used in the known methods. Thus, contamination cannot be reduced using the known purge gas supply system for these types of resists.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Lithographic projection apparatus, gas purging method and device manufacturing method and purge gas supply system


An apparatus for manufacturing open carbon fiber superfine yarn comprises a yarn feeding part for feeding a carbon fiber bundle; a tank for storing water for opening carbon fiber to immerse the carbon fiber bundle in the water for opening carbon fiber; a first drying part for drying the open carbon fiber bundle formed by the immersion in the water for opening carbon fiber; an application part for applying a catalyst to the dried open carbon fiber bundle; a second drying part for drying the catalyst-applied open carbon fiber bundle to obtain open carbon fiber resin tape; a slitting part for slitting the open carbon fiber resin tape longitudinally; and a twisting part for twisting a plurality of the open carbon fiber resin tapes slit by the slitting part to form open carbon fiber superfine yarn.

Carbon fiber has a lower density and a high elasticity modulus. For example, carbon fiber resin tape and carbon fiber superfine yarn obtained by impregnating carbon fiber with synthetic resin (FRP etc.) have been widely used for various applications such as electric and electronic purposes, houses, engineering and construction, automobiles, airplanes, marine vessels, clothes, or the like.
While carbon fiber is usually present in a bundled state (fiber bundle), the carbon fiber bundle is generally opened thinly and widely in a width direction to improve impregnation property to synthetic resin in order to produce open carbon fiber.
A dry-type air opening method (see Japanese Patent No. 3049225), a dry-type laser opening method, or a wet-type opening method has been traditionally used as a method for producing open carbon fiber and carbon fiber superfine yarn.
The inventors have proposed a wet-type opening method using low potential water, instead of the above-described dry-type opening method, as a method of producing open carbon fiber and open carbon fiber superfine yarn (see Japanese Patent No. 6041416).
This wet-type opening method has been currently used for a 3 k-24 k regular bundle (regular tow) (i.e., 7 micrometers in diameter.times.3000 to 7 micrometers in diameter.times.24000) and a large bundle of more than 24 k (large tow) (i.e., more than 7 micrometers in diameter.times.24000 to 7 micrometers in diameter.times.64000) as carbon fiber raw yarn. The carbon fiber raw yarn is impregnated with synthetic resin (FRP etc.) (prepreg) to manufacture open carbon fiber resin tape.
Moreover, the open carbon fiber resin tape is slit into any K such as 1 K (7 micrometers in diameter.times.1000) by a continuous slitting machine, and the slit open carbon fiber resin tape is then twisted by a twister to manufacture open carbon fiber superfine yarn (for example, 0.15-0.35 mm in diameter).
Recently, the open carbon fiber resin tape and the open carbon fiber superfine yarn have been broadly used for various applications such as electric and electronic purposes, houses, engineering and construction, automobiles, airplanes, marine vessels, clothes, or the like.

Apparatus for manufacturing open carbon fiber superfine yarn


Low concentrations of water vapor within a background of one or more olefin gases may be detected and quantified using a differential absorption spectrometer. A dehydrated sample of the gas is used as a background sample whose absorption spectrum allows elimination of absorption features not due to water vapor in the gas. Absorption spectra may recorded using tunable diode lasers as the light source. These lasers may have a wavelength bandwidth that is narrower than the water vapor absorption feature used for the differential absorption spectral analysis.

Currently available techniques for characterizing water vapor in hydrocarbon gas mixtures suffer from various drawbacks. For example, maintenance and calibration issues in the field may make their use cumbersome and costly. In addition, these techniques may be difficult to calibrate, may drift over time, and may generally fail to provide rapid response and recovery times.
One conventional technique measures the dew point of the water vapor in a gas mixture by flowing the gas mixture over a chilled mirror. Moisture in the sampled gas mixture condenses on the mirror when the mirror's temperature is at or below the dew point of the gas mixture. To estimate the water vapor concentration, the temperature of the mirror is scanned through an appropriate range from warmer to cooler, and the temperature is measured when condensation begins on the mirror surface. The dew point is a function of the relative humidity of the gas mixture, which is readily converted to a partial pressure or concentration of water vapor in the gas mixture. Detection of condensation on the mirror may be accomplished visually or by optical means. For example, a light source may be reflected off the mirror into a detector and condensation detected by changes in light reflected from the mirror. The observation may also be done by eye. However, the exact point at which condensation begins is often not readily distinguishable in this manner. Also, because the mirror temperature passes dynamically through the dew point, the error in the measurement tends to be substantial. Other, lower vapor pressure components of the gas mixture, such as higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, alcohols, and glycols, may also condense on the mirror as it cools. Automated on-line systems may be unable to distinguish between gas mixture components that condense on the mirror surface, and manual systems generally require highly skilled operators.
Another conventional technique uses two closely spaced, parallel windings coated with a thin film of phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5). An electrical potential applied to the windings electrolyzes water molecules adsorbed by the coatings to hydrogen and oxygen. The current consumed by the electrolysis reaction is proportional to the mass of water vapor entering the sensor. The flow rate and pressure of the incoming sample must be controlled precisely to maintain a standard sample mass flow rate into the sensor. However, contamination from oils, liquids or glycols on the windings causes drift in the readings and may damage the sensor. The sensor reacts slowly to sudden changes in moisture, as the absorption reaction on the surfaces of the windings takes some time to equilibrate. Large amounts of water in a gas mixture (commonly known as "slugs") may wet the surface which requires tens of minutes or hours to "dry-down" before accurate measurements are again possible. As such, effective sample conditioning and removal of liquids is essential when using this sensor.
Still another conventional technique utilizes piezoelectric adsorption. Such an instrument compares changes in the frequency of hygroscopically coated quartz oscillators. As the mass of the crystal changes due to adsorption of water vapor on the hygroscopic coating, the resonant frequency of the quartz crystal changes. The sensor is a relative measurement that requires an integrated calibration system with desiccant dryers, permeation tubes and sample line switching. These instruments may also suffer from interference by glycol, methanol, and other polar molecules as well as from damage from hydrogen sulfide. However, the required calibration system is not as precise and adds to the cost and mechanical complexity of the system. Labor for frequent replacement of desiccant dryers, permeation components, and the sensor heads greatly increase operational costs. Additionally, as with the electrolysis-based system described above, slugs of water may render the system nonfunctional for long periods of time as the sensor head "dries-down."
Aluminum and silicon oxide sensors have also been used. These sensors include an inert substrate material and two dielectric layers, one of which is sensitive to humidity. Water molecules in the gas mixture pass thru pores on an exposed surface of the sensor and cause a change to a physical property of the layer beneath it. In an aluminum oxide sensor, two metal layers form the electrodes of a capacitor. The dielectric constant of the sensor changes as water molecules adsorb to its surface. The sensor impedance is correlated to the water concentration. A silicon oxide sensor is an optical device whose refractive index changes as water is absorbed into the sensitive layer. When light is reflected through the substrate, a wavelength shift can be detected on the output which can be precisely correlated to the moisture concentration.
With aluminum and silicon oxide sensors, water molecules take time to enter and exit the pores so some wet-up and dry down delays will be observed, especially after a slug. Contaminants and corrosives may damage and clog the pores causing a "drift" in the calibration. As with piezoelectric and electrolytic sensors, these sensors are susceptible to interference from glycol, methanol, and other polar organic compounds. The calibration may drift as the sensor's surface becomes inactive due to damage or blockage, so the calibration is most reliable at the beginning of the sensor's life.


Curable flame-resistant substantially halogen free epoxy resin compositions, comprising:

The invention relates to halogen-free phosphorous-containing flame-retardant epoxy resin compositions, to prepregs derived by impregnation of porous webs, and to composites and in particular to laminates, derived from said prepregs and to be used in printed circuit boards.
Composites based on epoxy resins and inorganic or organic reinforcing materials have become very important in many industrial fields and in everyday life. The reasons therefore are, on the one hand, the relatively simple and safe processing of epoxy resins and, on the other hand, the good mechanical and chemical properties of cured epoxy resin moulded materials, which allow adaptation to different applications and advantageous utilization of the properties of all the materials which are part of the composite.
Epoxy resins are advantageously processed into composites via preparation of prepregs. For this purpose inorganic or organic reinforcing materials or embedding components in the form of fibres, non-woven and woven fabrics, or of flat-shaped articles are impregnated with the resin. In most cases this is accomplished with a solution of the resin in an easy-to-evaporate or easy-to-volatilize solvent. The prepregs thus obtained after heating, must no longer be tacky, but must not yet be hardened after this process, but rather the resin matrix must be in a pre-polymerized state. In addition, the prepregs must have sufficiently long shelf life. Thus, for example, a shelf life of at least three months is required for circuit board manufacturing. When they are further processed into composites, the resin in the prepregs must also melt and flow on when the temperature is increased and must bond with the reinforcing materials or embedding components as well as with the materials provided for the composite as firmly and permanently as possible under pressure, i.e. the cross-linked epoxy resin matrix must have a high interfacial adhesion to the reinforcing materials, or embedding components, as well as to the materials to be bonded such as metals, ceramics, minerals, and organic materials.
In the cured state, composites are normally expected to have high mechanical strength and thermal stability, as well as chemical resistance, and heat distortion or resistance to ageing. For electrotechnical and electronic applications, the requirements also include permanently high electrical insulation capability and, for special applications, a plurality of other requirements. For use as circuit board material, for example, high dimensional stability over a broad temperature range, good adhesion to glass and copper, high surface resistivity, low dielectric loss factor, good machinability (punchability, drillability), low water absorption, and high corrosion resistance are required.
With increasing load and intensive use of the composites, in particular the requirement for heat distortion becomes especially important. This means that the materials must resist high temperatures without deformation or damage of the composite, for example by delamination, during processing and use. Circuit boards, for example, are exposed to temperatures of over 270xc2x0 C. during flow soldering. Temperatures over 200xc2x0 C. may also occur temporarily and in a limited area during cutting and drilling. Materials with a high glass transition temperature have advantageous characteristics in this respect. If the glass transition temperature is above the aforementioned values, dimensional stability in the temperature range prevailing during processing is generally ensured and damage such as warping and delamination are mostly avoided. The epoxy resin currently used worldwide for FR4 laminates has a glass transition temperature Tg of only 130xc2x0 C. after curing. This results, however, in the above-mentioned type of damage and failure during manufacturing. Therefore, it is still desired to have comparatively easy-to-process and inexpensive materials with a glass transition temperature Tg of up to approximately 180xc2x0 C., and more preferably in the range of from 140 to 180xc2x0 C.
Another requirement that is becoming more and more important is that of flame resistance. In many areas this requirement has first priority due to possible hazards to people and property, for example, in construction materials for aircraft and automobile manufacturing, as wel as for vehicles in public transportation. Flame resistance of circuit board materials is essential in electrotechnical, but especially electronic, applications due to the high value of the electronic components mounted on the boards, and the risk of fire caused by a short circuit.
Therefore materials must pass one of the strictest tests and attain V-0 classification by UL 94 V, for evaluating their flammability. In this test, a test object is exposed to a well-defined flame positioned vertically under its lower edge. The sum of burning times in ten tests (5 samples, each sample of which is submitted to a standard flame twice) may not exceed 50 s. This requirement is difficult to meet, especially if the material is thin, as is the case in electronics. The epoxy resin industrially used worldwide for FR4 laminates only meets these requirements because it contains approximately 30% to 40% ring-brominated aromatic epoxy components, with reference to the resin, i.e. approximately 17%-21% bromine. For other applications, comparably high concentrations of halogen compounds are used, often also combined with antimony trioxide as a synergist. The problem with these compounds is that, while they are highly effective as fireproofing agents, they also have very objectionable properties. Thus, antimony trioxide is listed as a carcinogenic chemical, and aromatic bromine compounds, during thermal decomposition, not only split off bromine radicals and hydrogen bromide, which are highly corrosive, but, especially the highly brominated aromatic compounds may also form highly toxic polybromine benzofurans and polybromine benzodioxins upon decomposition in the presence of oxygen. The disposal of bromine-containing waste materials and toxic waste represents another problem.
Materials that partially or fully meet the heat distortion requirement include, for example, bismaleimide/triazine (BT)-based moulded materials with a Tg of approximately 200xc2x0 C. or polyimide (PI) with a Tg of 260xc2x0 C. to 270xc2x0 C. Recently also BT/epoxy blends with a Tg of 180xc2x0 C., as well as cyanate ester resins with a Tg greater than 200xc2x0 C., have also become available. Laminates manufactured with these resins systems exhibit, however, poorer processing and machining characteristics compared to epoxy resin-based laminates. Thus, for example, the production of PI-based laminates requires press temperatures of approximately 230xc2x0 C. and considerably longer after-curing times (approx. 8 h) at temperatures of 230xc2x0 C. Another disadvantage of these resin systems is their six to ten times higher material costs.
A comparatively expensive resin system is obtained if aromatic and/or heterocyclic polyepoxy resins, i.e. polyglycidyl compounds, are combined with aromatic polyamines acting as hardening agents. Such polyamines known, for example, from German Patent 2,743,680, result in network polymers that exhibit a particularly high heat distortion and resistance to ageing. European Patent No. 0,274,646B discloses that, using 1,3,5-tris(3-amino-4-alkylphenyl)-2,4,6-trioxohexahydrotriazines as hardening agents, laminates with a glass transition temperature of up to 245xc2x0 C. and good processing and machining characteristics can be obtained.
Although the above-mentioned resin systems have a widely different flammability, they all share the disadvantage of being insufficiently flame-retardant. Therefore, in order to meet the requirement of passing the UL 94 V combustibility test via V-0 classification, which is essential for many applications, the use of highly effective bromine-containing fireproofing agents cannot be avoided. As a result, both the potential hazard associated with bromine compounds and the impaired thermal-mechanical characteristics caused by the bromine compounds must be taken into account.
For these reasons, extensive research has been conducted to replace bromine-containing fireproofing agents with less problematical substances. Thus, for example, fillers (with extinguishing gas effects such as aluminium oxide hydrates (see J. Fire and Flammability, Vol. 3 (1972), pp. 51 ff), basic aluminium carbonates (see Plast. Engng., Vol. 32 (1976), pp. 41 ff) and magnesium hydroxides (European application No. 0,243,201A), as well as vitrifying fillers such as borates (see Modern Plastics, Vol. 47(1970), No. 6, pp. 140 ff) and phosphates (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,766,139 and 3,398,019) have been proposed. Most of these fillers have, however, the disadvantage of worsening, in some cases considerably, the mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties of the composites. In addition, they can leak out of the resin matrix during further processing of the printed circuit board and pollute therefore the processing solutions and cause non-homogeneous laminates. As said filler containing resin compositions tend to sedimentation and increase the viscosity of the filled resin system, they require more complicated processing methods.
The flame-retardant properties of red phosphorus has also been described (UK Patent No. 1,112,139), optionally in combination with finely dispersed silicon dioxide or aluminium oxide hydrate (U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,135). According to these documents, materials are obtained whose use in electrotechnical and electronic applications is limited due to the phosphoric acid produced in the presence of moisture and the associated corrosion. Moreover the formation of phosphines is expected when red phosphorus is contacted with moisture at higher temperatures. Organic phosphorus compounds, such as phosphoric acid esters, phosphonic acid esters and phosphines, have also been proposed as flame-retardant additives (see W. C. Kuryla and A. J. Papa Flame Retardance of Polymeric Materials, Vol. 1, Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, 1973, pp. 24-38 and 52-61). Since these compounds are known for their xe2x80x9csofteningxe2x80x9d characteristics and are therefore extensively used worldwide as plasticizers for polymers (UK Patent No. 19,794), this alternative is therefore also not very promising.
In order to achieve flame-resistance according to UL 94 V-0, German Offenlegungsschrift 3,836,409 discloses a method for preparing prepregs by impregnating certain reinforcing materials or flat-shaped articles with a suspension of halogen-free, nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing fireproofing agents in a solution of aromatic, heterocyclic, and/or cycloaliphatic epoxy resins (in a non-ring-halogenated form or a ring-halogenated form with low halogen content) and aromatic polyamines and/or aliphatic amines acting as hardening agents. The fireproofing agents are halogen-free melamine resins or organic phosphoric acid esters, particularly melamine cyanurates, melamine phosphates, triphenyl phosphate and diphenylcresyl phosphate, as well as their mixtures. This, however, is also not a very promising solution, since the fillers used always increase water absorption and therefore prevent the material from passing the circuit board-specific tests.
Organic phosphorus compounds, such as epoxy group-containing phosphorus compounds, which can be anchored in the epoxy resin network, can also be used for providing epoxy resins with flame-retarding characteristics. Thus, European Patent No. 0,384,940B discloses epoxy resin mixtures containing a commercially available epoxy resin, the aromatic polyamine 1,3,5-tris(3-amino-4-alkylphenyl)-2,4,6-trioxo-hexahydrotriazine and an epoxy group-containing, glycidyl phosphate-, glycidyl phosphonate- or glycidyl phosphinate-based phosphorus compound. With such epoxy resin mixtures, flame-retardant laminates or composites that meet the V-0 classification requirements of UL 94 and have a glass transition temperature  greater than 200xc2x0 C., can be obtained without adding halogens. Furthermore, these epoxy resin mixtures can be processed in a manner similar to that used for currently used epoxy resins.
Circuit boards constitute the basis for the production of electronic assemblies. They are used for connecting a variety of electronic and microelectronic components with one another to form electronic circuits. The components are connected to the circuit board by gluing or soldering using complex, highly automated assembly processes. Also in automatic insertion, there is a trend toward more streamlined manufacturing methods. Therefore IR reflow soldering, expected to replace other soldering processes in the future, is increasingly used in SMD technology. In this process, the entire circuit board is heated to temperatures  greater than 260xc2x0 C., in a few seconds using IR radiation; this instantly evaporates any water absorbed in the circuit board. Only laminates with excellent interlaminar adhesion survive IR soldering processes without being destroyed by delamination. In order to reduce this hazard, expensive conditioning processes have been proposed (see Galvanotechnik, Vol. 84 (1993), pp. 3865-3870).
It is known that in laminates with high glass transition temperature, for example, based on PI- or BT-resins, the interlaminar adhesion is weaker than in the halogen-containing FR4 laminates that are being predominantly used today; this is also true for the laminates known from European Patent No. 0,384,940B. Most of the circuit boards manufactured today are multilayer (ML) circuit boards, which contain a plurality of structured conductor planes spaced and insulated from one another by epoxy resin compounds. The current trend in ML technology, however, is toward an increasing number of structured conductor planes; thus, currently multilayer circuit boards with more than 20 structured conductor planes are being manufactured. Since excessive overall thickness of these circuit boards must be avoided for technical reasons, the distance between the structured conductor planes is becoming increasingly smaller and thus interlaminar adhesion and copper adhesion in ML laminates with high glass transition temperature is becoming more and more problematic. In addition, this type of circuit board must have a high solder bath resistance in the case of IR soldering.
As stated earlier, it is known from European Patent No. 0,384,940B that laminates with a flame resistance meeting the requirements can be obtained without using halogens through phosphorus modification of impregnation resins. It was found, however, during production research, that phosphorus-modified laminates are subject to delamination during IR soldering. Therefore, urgent need has arisen for electrolaminates having the required flame resistance without the use of halogens, for example through incorporating phosphorus into the resin matrix, but which are also suitable for IR soldering required for SMD technology. This requires electrolaminates with extremely high solder bath resistance. In circuit board technology, the high-pressure cooker test (HPCT) and the determination of solder bath resistance are primarily used to test the suitability of laminates for high thermal stressing. In HPCT, a laminate specimen (5xc3x975 cm or 10xc3x9710 cm), freed of copper, is exposed to 120xc2x0 C. and approximately 1 bar steam pressure for 30 minutes and then dipped for 20 seconds in a solder bath at 260xc2x0 C.
The aspect of the laminates is then evaluated according to a scale going from 1 to 5 (1 being the worse case), depending on the presence of blisters, measles or delamination. The test is described in IPC-TM-650 (test 2.6.16).
More recent efforts aiming at compositions for the manufacture of prepregs, the laminates of which can meet all the hereinbefore depicted requirements, can be derived from e.g. WO99/00451; WO98/13407; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,756,638; 5,759,690; 5,817,736; 5,760,146; 5,648,171; Japanese Kokai Hei 11-124.489 and Japanese Kokai Hei 11-158.251, commonly proposing the use of resin systems, which comprise one or more expensive constituents.
Recently proposed epoxy resin compositions, comprising a copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride as curing agent, are known from e.g. EP 0,779,902A (WO96/07683), WO98/31750, WO98/18845, WO97/48752, and JP-Hei-9-194610.
However, said compositions did not contain any phosphorous compound to reach flame-resistant derivatives from them.
The disclosed flame-resistant compositions, to be used for the manufacture of laminates and printed wiring boards, either comprised brominated bisphenol structures or they comprised an additional allyl network forming compound, such as triallyl cyanurate.
It will be appreciated that there is still a need for less expensive resin systems for the manufacture of prepregs and electric laminates thereof, which are halogen free and which meet the depicted electronic industry requirements.
Therefor an object of the present invention is to provide relatively less expensive resin systems, which can provide laminates for electric printed circuit boards, meeting the modern industry requirements according to FR-4 and CEM-3 as well.
As a result of extensive research and experimentation said compositions and prepregs and laminates aimed at have surprisingly been found.
Accordingly the invention relates to curable flame-resistant substantially halogen free epoxy resin compositions, comprising:
(a) one or more bifunctional or polyfunctional epoxy resin;
(b) a phosphorous-containing compound selected from the group consisting of:
b,1
b,2 at least one compound selected from the group selected from
xe2x80x83and mixtures thereof, wherein R2 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and preferably 1 carbon atom, and
b,3
and combinations of b1, b2 and b3, or b1 and b2, or b2 and b3 or b1 and b3;
(c) a curing agent consisting of oligomers of styrene and maleic acid and/or maleic anhydride and/or salts or esters of maleic acid of the formulae:
xe2x80x83wherein m is an integer in the range of from 1-6, wherein n is an integer in the range of from 2-12, wherein each of R4 may have the same or different meaning and may represent H, or a salt forming residue and in particular alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium, or an ester group such as a lower alkyl group of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or benzyl or alkylsubstituted benzyl, optionally
(d) a curing catalyst, and optionally
(e) additives.
With the term xe2x80x9csubstantially halogen freexe2x80x9d as used throughout the specification is meant that no halogen containing components are included in the compositions of the present invention.
In particular no halogen containing (chlorine or bromine containing) epoxy resins are included.
Preferred components (c) are those of formulae (5) and (6) wherein m=2-4 and n=6-8.
Preferred components (c) of formula 6 are those wherein R4 is H and sodium. More preferred components (c) are those of formula (5) wherein m=2-4 and n=6-8.
In the hereinbefore specified compositions the component (a) may be selected from a great variety of epoxy resins, having at least two epoxy groups per molecule.
Preferred examples of said epoxy resins are the diglycidyl ethers derived from bisphenol A, such EPIKOTE resin 828 (EPIKOTE is a trade mark) of Shell Chemicals Comp., or derived from bisphenol F (EPON 862), or advanced resins derived from said basic resin and bisphenol A (YX 4000), or a polyfunctional epoxy resin of the ortho cresol novolak type such as EPON 164 epoxy resin, or a phenol novolak type such as EPON 154 resin, or a DPP novolak resin (such as EPON 180) (EPON is a trade mark).
More preferably a polyfunctional epoxy resin derived from ortho cresol novolak or from phenol novolak is applied or mixtures thereof with diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol A. Most preferred are polyfunctional epoxy resins derived from ortho cresol novolak.
As component (b) phosphorous containing compounds can be used of the formulae (1)-(4), providing a phosphorous content in the complete compositions of from 3 to 4.5 wt % and preferably from 3.5 to 4 wt %.
Preferably commercial phosphorous compounds, available under the tradenames HIRETAR (trade mark) or STRUKTOL POLYDIS (trade mark) or EXOLIT (trade mark) are applied, such as HIRETAR 101, EXOLIT OP910, and wherein all groups R2 represent a CH3 group.
As component (c) one or more oligomers of the formulae (5) or (6) can be used, such as those marketed by Elf Atochem under the trade mark ATO.
Examples of said components are ATO SMA 1000, 1440, 2000, 2625, 3000, 3840, EF30, EF40 and/or SMA 1440 H, 1440 HDN, 2625 H, 17352 HD, 1000 H/H Na, 2000 H/H Na, 3000 H/H Na.
More preferred components (c) are ATO SMA 1000, 2000, 3000, EF30 or EF40 and most preferred are EF30 and EF40.
As curing catalyst (d) can be used a variety of conventional catalysts such as substituted imidazoles. Preferred catalysts are 2-alkyl imidazoles and more preferred is 2-methyl imidazole.
As additive component (e) can be inter alia used, if any, a great variety of usual additives, known to be used in epoxy resin compositions. They can inter alia be selected from red phosphorous in powder form, the surface of which has been pretreated, aluminium hydroxide, aluminium oxides, ammonium polyphosphate, melamine cyanurate, zinc borate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, methyl ethyl phosphinic acid, ethyl phosphonic acid.
More preferred complete compositions of the invention ready for the manufacture of prepregs are those comprising:
(a) a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A or a residue of an advanced resin, derived from said basic resin (e.g. EPIKOTE 828 epoxy resin) and bisphenol A; and/or a polyfunctional epoxy resin of the ortho-cresol novolak type, such as EPON 164 epoxy resin (Shell Chemicals Comp.);
(b) a phosphorous containing a compound of formula (1), such as HIRETAR 101 (HIRETAR is a trade mark of Schill und Seilacher), and a phosphorous-containing compound of formula (2), wherein R2=CH3 (e.g. EXOLIT OP 910) (EXOLIT is a trade mark of Clariant);
(c) a styrene maleic anhydride oligomer of formula (5), wherein m=3-4 and n=6-8, in methylethylketone as solvent (from 50 to 70 wt % solution) and wherein the phosporous content is in the range of from 3.5 to 4.5 wt %, relative to the weight of the total composition; and
(d) 2-methylimidazole as curing catalyst.
Said preferred compositions have been used for the impregnation of porous webs of glass, or aramide fibres and most preferably glass cloth, which has optionally been pretreated.
It will be appreciated that the complete compositions of the invention ready for the manufacture of prepregs (varnish) have appeared to provide a very attractive combination of properties, i.e. a combination of halogen-free ingredients, a well-controlled reactivity of the varnish, a high Tg of the cured varnish between 140xc2x0 C. to 180xc2x0 C., excellent heat resistance (TGA), low water absorption and low dielectric constant while the UL 94 V-0 could be reached with relatively low phosphorous content in the total composition (from 3.5 to 4 wt %).
Preferably the mutual weight ratios of the components (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) are in the range of from 10-50 wt %; 10-30 wt %; 30-70 wt %; 0-0.2 wt %; 0-40 wt %; and more preferably from 20-40 wt %; 15-25 wt %; 40-60 wt %; 0-0.1 wt % 0-5 wt %, the sum of the component amounts being 100%.
It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the ingredients (a), (b), (c) and optionally (e) are preferably used in the form of a premix in a suitable polar solvent, such as alcohols, esters or ketones and preferably ketones, such as methyl ethyl ketone or methyl proxitol.
Component (d) can be added as such or as a solution in the same or similar solvent.
Another aspect of the present invention is formed by the prepregs and laminates derived from the complete varnish compositions and chopped glass fibres, glass matt, or porous, non-woven or woven webs of glass fibre, aramide fibre (e.g. TWARON) (TWARON is a trade mark) or THERMANT (tradename) or polypropylene fibres.

Halogen-free phosphorous-containing flame-resistant epoxy resin compositions

Abstract: (b) a specific phosphorous-containing compound;

Abstract: (c) a curing agent consisting of oligomers of styrene and maleic acid and/or maleic anhydride and/or salts or esters of maleic acid;

Abstract: (d) a curing catalyst; and optionally;

Abstract: (e) additives;

Abstract: prepregs derived from said compositions and laminates derived from said prepregs.


A microfabricated valve includes a substrate with a fluid path. A main cantilever is positionable in a resting closed state to prevent fluid movement through the fluid path and a resting open state that allows fluid movement through the fluid path. A ratchet cantilever supports the main cantilever in either the resting closed state or the resting open state, such that the main cantilever does not have to be energized to maintain the resting closed state or the resting open state. A valve state transition mechanism selectively energizes the main cantilever or the ratchet cantilever during a valve state transition period to selectively transition between the resting open and closed states.

Micromachines (also called micromechanical devices or microelectromechanical devices) are small (micron scale) machines which promise to miniaturize instrumentation in the same way microelectronics have miniaturized electronic circuits. Micromachines include a variety of devices such as motors and gear trains analogous to conventional macroscale machinery. As used herein, the term micromachine or microfabricated refers to any three-dimensional object having one or more sub-millimeter dimensions.
Micromachines have been applied to fluid systems, such as chemical delivery systems. Valves are the most important element in any fluid system because they are the building blocks for almost any kind of fluid control. Valves are essential to direct the flow of fluid and are necessary for most types of pumps. The most common valve in the realm of microfabricated devices is the diaphragm valve. Diaphragm valves come in many forms, but consist primarily of an actuated or energized diaphragm that pushes against an aperture associated with a fluid path. In such a system, the fluid flow is modulated by moving the diaphragm closer to or away from the fluid path aperture. The diaphragm may be actuated by any of a variety of methods including piezoelectric, electrostatic, bimetallic, and phase change.
Although diaphragm valves are not difficult to fabricate as individual devices, they are difficult to fabricate monolithically with other kinds of fluidic components, such as pumps and mixers. Bubble valves solve the problem of system integration. However, bubble valves can only withstand relatively low pressure differentials. Further, bubble valves require a relatively large amount of power, making them unsuitable for many applications.
Another problem with diaphragm valves is that they typically require a continuous input of power to maintain either the open or closed state. Continuous power input to maintain a valve state is a serious liability for low power applications.
In view of the foregoing, it would be highly desirable to develop a new type of microfabricated valve. More particularly, it would be desirable to develop a relatively high pressure valve that consumes a relatively low amount of power. Such a valve should be able to be monolithically fabricated with other fluid components, such as pumps and mixers.

Microfabricated cantilever ratchet valve, and method for using same

The Regents of the University of California


A manipulation device for mechanical connection with connection with the proximal end of a shaft, for forming a medical instrument, includes a plurality of retaining devices, wherein each one of the plurality of retaining devices is designed to releasably retain the proximal end of a shaft or the proximal end of a transmission device for transmitting at least either a force or a torque in the shaft, a manually activatable actuation device, and a coupling device for mechanically coupling the actuation device to the plurality of retaining devices, in such a way that a manual activation of the actuation device causes a release of the plurality of retaining devices.

The expectations placed on medical instruments for micro-invasive procedures are constantly increasing. Medical instruments having a tool with a grasping or cutting function at the distal end, where the tool is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, are already widely available in many forms. The grasping or cutting function and the rotation of the tool can be controlled, for example, by a single transmission rod, which transmits longitudinal forces and torques. Moreover, in recent times, the shaft can be angled proximally of the tool, and, in order to control this angle, a second transmission element can be provided in the shaft of the medical instrument, for example a second transmission rod.
In the case of re-usable medical instruments, it is necessary that they should be able to be dismantled as far as possible for cleaning. In particular, in many medical instruments, the manipulation device is separable from the proximal end of the shaft. For example, a locking connection between the proximal end of the shaft or outer shaft, on the one hand, and the manipulation device, on the other hand, can be unlocked by applying manual pressure to an unlocking button or by activating another actuation device. In the case of medical instruments produced by the applicant and sold under the name "Clickline", when the shaft is pulled distally out of the manipulation device, the proximal end of the transmission rod, and a lever of the retaining device coupled thereto, reach positions in which they are no longer coupled to each other. The coupling between the proximal end of the transmission rod and the manipulation device, or a lever on the manipulation device, is therefore releasable when the coupling between the proximal end of the shaft and the manipulation device is released.
However, the releasability or separability of the proximal ends of the outer shaft and of the transmission rod, on the one hand, from the manipulation device, on the other hand, as known from "Clickline" products, cannot be transferred, or cannot be easily transferred, to many other medical instruments. An alternative is to provide a separate actuation device for each coupling. In the case of a medical instrument with an outer shaft and with two transmission rods or other transmission devices, three actuation devices therefore have to be provided, the manual activation of these actuation devices releasing a respective coupling between the proximal end of the outer shaft or of a transmission rod, on the one hand, and the manipulation device, on the other hand.

Manipulation device for a medical instrument


A correcting method and load beam for reducing variations in floating height of a floating-type magnetic head device is disclosed The correcting method for the floating-type magnetic head device includes the steps of temporarily mounting the floating-type magnetic head device so as to float the head body over a disk equivalent surface; detecting a roll-angle corresponding amount at the end of the load beam in the temporarily mounted state; and correcting the floating-type magnetic head device on the basis of the roll-angle corresponding amount at the end of the load beam by bending the load beam in a direction in that a roll angle at the end approaches zero.

A floating-type magnetic head device includes a load beam which swings and extends over a rotating hard disk (recording medium), a head body (slider), and a flexure having an elastically flexible tongue piece fixed on a surface of the head body adjacent to the recording medium. When the disk is stopped, the bottom surface of the head body comes in contact with the recording surface of the disk due to an elastic force of the load beam. When the disk is started, air is introduced so as to flow between the head body and the disk surface along the moving direction of the disk, so that the head body floats over the disk surface due to a force associated with the air flow, as applied on the bottom surface of the head body.
For the floating-type magnetic head device, in order to precisely control the horizontal position of the head body and to apply a predetermined load to the magnetic head device, various correcting methods have been proposed. For example, techniques correcting the shape (corresponding amount to a pitch angle or a roll angle) of the flexure so as to correct the position of the head body (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-339894, No. 2001-357644 (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/008931), and No. 2002-15410) and techniques for deforming the load beam so as to adjust the load (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H01-227279, No. 2002-170351 (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/060882), No. 2002-260358 (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/116978), and No. 2004-82161 (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/037011)) have been proposed.
However, even when the magnetic head device is corrected by such correcting methods, variations in floating height of the head body relative to the disk are generated in a mounted state. The purpose of correcting the floating-type magnetic head device, is to suppress the variations in floating height of the head body (variations for each device and variations in a track width direction of the head body of each device) to a minimum. The load beam itself is assumed to be parallel to the disk without paying attention to the load beam deflection in a mounted state. This is one of the causes of the variations in floating height. It has been difficult to sufficiently correct the device by conventional correcting methods.

Method for correcting floating type magnetic head device


A puzzle comprising a plurality of pieces wherein each piece comprises an elongated member having a longitudinal axis, a first surface and an opposite second surface. A plurality of symbols are longitudinally spaced along the first surface or the second surface. Engaging means are also disposed on at least one of the first and second surfaces, and associated with at least one of the symbols. The pieces connect to one another at the engaging means associated with symbols which share a common characteristic.

This invention relates generally to puzzles, and more particularly to flat sheet puzzles wherein individual pieces of the puzzle interfit with one another in a crossword type pattern.
A typical crossword type pattern puzzle includes a plurality of individual pieces in the form of rectangular blocks, which are assembled using interlocking tabs, grooves, notches, and the like to form a flat pattern. Correct placement of the pieces of the puzzle is accomplished by matching distinctive indicia among the commonly connected pieces. Many of the known puzzles are assembled in one particular configuration wherein all of the pieces interlock in a single predetermined pattern to form a single puzzle solution.


A spring vice (56) for tensioning coil springs, which have a spindle drive (59, 61), which has approximately wedge-shaped radial fingers (64, 65, 66) at one of its ends and a support cylinder (60) with a contact element at its other end. Two pressure plates (57, 58) with a passage opening (77, 87), through which the spindle drive (59, 61) can be passed, are used to tension a coil spring. In the mounted state, the radial fingers (64, 65, 66) of the spindle drive (59, 61) can be brought into a nonrotatable pulling connection with locking recesses (81, 82, 83) of the first pressure plate (57), while the second pressure plate (58) without locking recesses is supported axially at the contact element of the support cylinder (60) of the spindle drive (59, 61) for tensioning the coil spring. To increase the safety of operation, provisions are made for the contact element of the support cylinder to have support fingers (72, 73, 74), whose number corresponds to the number of the radial fingers (64, 65, 66). The second pressure plate (58) has a design substantially identical to that of the first pressure plate (57) and it likewise has locking recesses (91, 92, 93). Thus, the first and second pressure plates (57 and 58) with their locking recesses (81, 82, 83, 91, 92, 93) of their respective passage openings (77, 87) can be caused to engage optionally the support fingers (72, 73, 74) of the support cylinder (60) or the radial fingers (64, 65, 66) of the spindle drive (59, 61).

A spring vice of this type has been known (DE 37 20 018 C2), which has two pressure plates, which have an approximately dish-shaped design. These pressure plates can be loosely inserted into the spring turns of a coil spring to be tensioned and can be tensioned in relation to one another by means of a spindle drive. The distance between the two pressure plates is reduced by the spindle drive during the tensioning process, so that the coil spring becomes shorter and is thus tensioned. This prior-art spring vice is designed as a telescopic coil spring, whose spindle drive has a threaded spindle with a spindle head having a key profile, which is mounted rotatably in a cylindrical guide tube via a thrust bearing. This guide tube has a radial contact surface for supporting the spindle head-side pressure plate. The threaded spindle can be screwed into a cylindrical threaded tube, which, axially displaceably, is in nonrotatable connection with the guide tube through positive-locking guide means. On the circumference of its end section located at a distance from the spindle head, the threaded tube has three radial fingers, via which the threaded tube can be brought into a nonrotatable pulling connection with the second pressure plate. To establish this nonrotatable pulling connection, the pressure plate has a central passage opening, in the edge area of which a corresponding number of locking recesses are arranged on the outside. On the side located opposite the locking recesses in the axial direction, the pressure plate has an approximately ring-shaped contact surface for accommodating a spring turn of the coil spring for tensioning this coil spring.
A radial expansion each is provided between two adjacent locking recesses in the circumferential direction, and the number of these radial expansions likewise corresponds to the number of the radial fingers. To make it possible to bring the threaded tube into nonrotatable pulling connection with the pressure plate, the threaded tube with its radial fingers is passed through the passage opening with its expansions and is rotated around the longitudinal central axis of the threaded tube to the extent that the radial fingers can engage the corresponding locking recesses belonging to them in a positive-locking manner when the threaded tube is moved toward the pressure plate in the opposite direction.
The radial fingers have an essentially wedge-shaped design. The locking recesses present in an equal number on the outside of the pressure plate located at a distance from the spindle head as well as the radial expansions of the passage opening located between two locking recesses each are countersunk with an oblique surface such that there is no flat contact surface for the radial fingers at least in the radial area of the radial fingers outside the locking recesses. It is ensured due to this special design of the locking recesses and of the radial expansions as well as due to the wedge-shaped design of the radial fingers that a pulling connection can reliably occur only when a nonrotatable positive-locking connection is formed at the same time between the radial fingers and the pressure plate. Thus, a slight rotation of the threaded tube after the passage through the radial expansions of the passage opening is sufficient to slide into the locking recesses during the movement in the opposite direction along the countersinkings having oblique surfaces.
The second pressure plate, which lies on the radial contact surface of the guide tube, likewise has a passage opening with radial expansions. These radial expansions are used to pass the spindle drive with the radial fingers of its threaded tube first through the second pressure plate and then through the first pressure plate from one side with the pressure plates inserted into the coil spring. The diameter of the passage opening is adapted to the guide tube and to the contact surface thereof and is made slightly larger than the passage opening of the first pressure plate. Furthermore, the second pressure plate has no locking recesses between the radial expansions, which locking recesses could be engaged by the radial fingers of the threaded tube in a positive-locking manner when the first pressure plate is replaced with the second pressure plate. This in turn means that if the two pressure plates are transposed by mistake, there is a risk that the radial fingers can slide off from the contact surface formed by the edge areas of the passage opening of the second pressure plate, so that a tensioned coil spring could be abruptly released in this case, which implies a considerable risk of injury to the operating personnel. Since this prior-art spring vice is designed as a telescopic spring vice, the spindle drive becomes shorter while the threaded spindle is being screwed into the threaded tube.
Another spring vice (Catalog of the firm of Klann Werkzeuge, 1994) has been known, which has essentially the same design as the above-described telescopic spring vice. This second spring vice differs from the telescopic spring vice by the design of its spindle drive. The spring vice has as the spindle drive a threaded spindle, at one end of which the above-mentioned radial fingers are arranged. A pressure cylinder or pressure piece is nonrotatably and axially displaceably guided on this threaded spindle. A thrust bearing, via which the pressure piece is supported at an adjusting nut in the axial direction, is provided in the pressure piece. The adjusting nut can be screwed onto the threaded spindle to tension a coil spring. Two pressure plates are likewise provided in this prior-art spring vice. The first pressure plate likewise has a central passage opening with locking recesses and radial expansions located between them in the circumferential direction.
The second pressure plate is likewise provided with a central passage opening with radial expansions, wherein the areas between the radial expansions of the passage opening form contact sections, with which the second pressure plate is supported at a radial contact surface of the pressure piece. This second pressure plate is guided with its passage opening centered on a cylindrical section of the pressure piece, which cylindrical section is arranged at the pressure piece on its end located opposite the thrust bearing and its diameter is smaller than the radial contact surface of the pressure piece. The diameter of the passage opening of the second pressure plate is adapted for guiding to the dimensions of the cylindrical section and is made correspondingly somewhat larger than the diameter of the passage opening of the first pressure plate.
This prior-art spring vice also involves a considerable risk of accident when the two pressure plates are transposed by mistake. This risk of accident results from the missing locking recesses of the second pressure plate, so that when the pressure plates are transposed, the radial fingers of the threaded spindle cannot engage the locking recesses in a nonrotatable, positive-locking manner, so that the radial fingers can slide off from the contact surface of the passage opening of this second pressure plate during the tensioning as well as the release of a coil spring. Even though an accidental transposition of the pressure plates can be recognized in a simple manner due to the different diameters of the passage openings of the two pressure plates, a transposition of the pressure plates may nevertheless happen, especially if a plurality of identical spring vices are used in the same plant and only the pressure plates without locking recesses of two spring vices are used together with a spindle drive of one of the spring vices to tension a coil spring.

Spring vice for tensioning coil springs with two pressure plates


A weather strip for a motor vehicle, capable of being readily attached to a flange with a low extensibility, and securely preventing noises from being transmitted via the flange. The weather strip includes a base portion for attachment to the flange, and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion for sealing between an opening portion and a closing member. The base portion includes at least an outer side wall and a bottom wall, a double-sided adhesive tape is bonded to an interior surface of the outer side wall, and at least one part of the outer side wall and the bottom wall is composed of a hard material such as a hard rubber, which is harder than a material of the remaining part thereof, and a material exhibiting a low extensibility, such as a resin sheet, is stuck to or embedded in the outer side wall and/or the bottom wall.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a weather strip for providing a seal between an opening portion of a vehicle body and a closing member for closing the opening portion, such as a vehicle door, a luggage door, a sliding roof, etc.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional sealing structure between a door opening portion of a vehicle body and a vehicle door. As shown, to provide a seal between a door opening portion 10 and a vehicle door 12, a door weather strip 14 is attached to a retainer 16 provided along an outer periphery of a door frame, a glass run 18 is attached to a channel 20 provided along an inner periphery of the door frame, and a door opening trim weather strip 22 is attached to a flange 24 projecting from the door opening portion 10. The flange 24 is formed by joining end edges of an outer body panel 26 and an inner body panel 28 of the vehicle body.
The glass run 18 includes an outer side wall 30, a bottom wall 32 and an inner side wall 34, and has a generally U-shaped cross-section. When a door glass 36 is raised, an end of the door glass 36 enters an interior of the glass run 18, and is sealed with an outer seal lip 38 and an inner seal lip 40 extending from open ends of the outer side wall 30 and the inner side wall 34, respectively.
The door weather strip 14 attached to the outer periphery of the door 12 includes a base portion 42, a tubular seal portion 44 integrally formed on the base portion 42, and a seal lip 46. The base portion 42 is secured to the door frame by fitting the base portion 42 in the retainer 16 provided along the outer periphery of the door frame. When the door 12 is closed, the seal lip 46 contacts an outer end of the door opening portion 10 and the tubular seal portion 44 contacts a protruding part of the door opening portion 10 on the inner side of the contacting position of the seal lip 46 to provide a seal between the door opening portion 10 and the vehicle door 12.
The door opening trim weather strip 22 attached to the flange 24 provides a seal between the door opening portion 10 and the vehicle door 12 on the inner side of the contacting position of the tubular seal portion 44 of the door weather strip 14. The door opening trim weather strip 22 includes a base portion 48 having a U-shaped cross-section and a tubular seal portion 50. The base portion 48 is attached to the flange 24 and the tubular seal portion 50 contacts a protruding part 52 of the door frame to provide a seal between the door opening portion 10 and the vehicle door 12. An insert member 54 such as a metal insert, etc. is embedded in the base portion 22, and lips are provided in the base portion 48 for holding the flange 24.
In many cases, the door opening trim weather strip 22 is attached over the entire circumference of the door opening portion 10. The number of body panels forming the flange 24 depends on the position in the door opening portion 10 and varies from two to five, and consequently, the thickness of the flange 24 varies from about 2 mm to about 8 mm.
Therefore, where the base portion 48 has a generally U-shaped section and the metal insert member 54 is embedded for holding the flange 24, the force required for inserting the flange 24 may increase or the holding force against the flange 24 may decrease according to the attaching position. In this case, the weight of the door opening trim weather strip 22 increases so as not to respond to the demand for the decrease in the vehicle weight.
Under the above-described circumstances, as shown in FIG. 2, there has been also carried out the method of removing the insert member such as the metal insert from a base portion 56 to enhance the flexibility thereof, and attaching the resultant flexible base portion 56 to the flange 24 using a double-sided adhesive tape 58 (see Publications of unexamined Japanese patent applications Nos. 2001-151035 and 2002-137695, ex.).
In this case, the double-sided adhesive tape 58 is bonded to an interior surface of an outer side wall 60 of the base portion (trim portion) 56, the flange 24 is inserted in an interior of the trim portion 56, and the double-sided adhesive tape 58 is pressed against an exterior surface of the flange 24.
In another case shown in FIG. 3, one side wall of a trim portion 62 is formed short, a double-sided adhesive tape 64 is bonded to a longer side wall of the trim portion 62, a projecting end of the flange 24 is inserted in a bottom of an interior of the trim portion 62, and the trim portion 62 is turned in the direction of the arrow to bond the double-sided adhesive tape 64 to the flange 24 (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,493, ex.).
However, where the metal insert is removed as described above, the extensibility in the longitudinal direction of the door opening trim weather strip increases. Consequently, when the door opening trim weather strip is attached along the door opening portion, the door opening trim weather strip elongates and it may lift from the flange in the door opening portion, or generate wrinkles. In addition, there arises the problem that the dimensions of products may vary due to the remaining stress in the manufacturing step, the temperature change in the assembling step, the elongation and shrinkage occurring during the storage of the products, etc., thereby causing the door opening trim weather strip to lift from the door opening portion or to generate wrinkles.
And upon bonding the door opening trim weather strip to the flange using the double-sided adhesive tape, a protecting tape is peeled from the adhesive tape, the flange is inserted in an interior of the trim portion, and the double-sided adhesive tape is pressed against a side surface of the flange. In this case, a projecting end of the flange may contact the double-sided adhesive tape to cause the peeling of the double-sided adhesive tape, or the flange may be undesirably bonded to the double-sided adhesive tape before inserted into a bottom of the trim portion.
And, as shown in FIG. 1, the flange 24 is formed by joining end edges of the outer body panel 26 and an inner body panel 28 to each other by welding or other method, and the outer body panel 26 and the inner body panel 28 define a cavity adjacently to the flange 24. Various noises such as wind noises, tire noises, road noises, etc. are transmitted over the entire circumference of the door opening portion via this cavity. There are formed protrusions and depressions in the flange 24 due to the spot welding or the sheet metal processing to define gaps between adjacent body panels. And the above-described noises leak via these gaps and are transmitted to a vehicle compartment.
In order to overcome this problem and improve the sealing properties around the flange 24, in the conventional example shown in FIG. 4, a sponge rubber 68 is attached to an interior of a trim portion 70 for contacting the projecting end of the flange 24 (see Publication of unexamined Japanese patent application No. 2000-219048 and Publication of unexamined Japanese utility model application No. Sho 54-31622, ex.).
In this example, a holding lip 72 provided in the interior of the trim portion 70 holds the flange 24, and the projecting end of the flange 24 merely contacts an interior surface of the sponge rubber 68. Therefore, the positioning of the projecting end of the flange 24 is insufficient so that sufficient sealing properties cannot be effected between the projecting end of the flange 24 and the sponge rubber 68.


A method for producing a semiconductor device includes forming an aluminum layer on a core substrate, anodizing the aluminum layer into an alumina layer having a plurality of nanoholes, forming an n-type GaN layer by growing crystals of a compound semiconductor such as an n-type GaN on the alumina layer and inside the nanoholes, and dissolving the alumina layer with an acid. As a result, gaps are formed and a structure in which the core substrate is joined to the n-type GaN layer through portions, other than the gaps, having a very small area is generated. Then a laser beam is applied to the n-type GaN layer through the core substrate to separate the n-type GaN layer from the core substrate by a laser lift-off technique.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a method for producing (manufacturing) a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among known light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which are semiconductor light-emitting devices that use GaN compound semiconductors and the like, there are those which have homojunction structures including p-type compound semiconductors directly joined to n-type compound semiconductors, those which have double heterojunction structures including active layers sandwiched between p-type and n-type compound semiconductors, and those which have quantum well junction structures including quantum well layers sandwiched between p-type and n-type compound semiconductors. Among these junction structures, double heterojunction structures and quantum well junction structures are advantageous for realizing LEDs exhibiting higher luminance, depending on the type of the matrix compound, the type of dopants added to the matrix, the stoichiometry of the compound, etc.
LEDs having such junction structures have been widely produced by, for example, forming junction structures of compound semiconductors constituting the LEDs on buffer layers disposed on light-transmitting supporting substrates such as sapphire substrates. However, when LEDs are formed by using such supporting substrates, the difference in refractive index between the sapphire supporting substrates and compound semiconductor layers (e.g., GaN layers) formed on the sapphire supporting substrates by crystal growth is large. Thus, light is reflected (confined) at the interface between the substrates and the compound semiconductor layers, resulting in lowering of the output efficiency of LEDs' emission (LEDs' emission efficiency). Thus, LEDs having sufficiently high luminance have been difficult to obtain.
In order to enhance the emission efficiency of LEDs, a technique called "laser lift-off" has been proposed and developed which separates the supporting substrates composed of sapphire or the like from the junction structures of the LEDs (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-19511). According to the laser lift-off technique, in general, a junction structure for LEDs is formed on a sapphire supporting substrate, and another supporting substrate is bonded to a surface of the junction structure opposite to the sapphire supporting substrate. Then a laser beam is irradiated to the junction structure through the sapphire supporting substrate to heat the compound semiconductor layer bonded to the sapphire supporting substrate and to thereby separate the junction structure of the LED from the sapphire supporting substrate at the interface between the sapphire supporting substrate and the compound semiconductor layer.
Another technique for enhancing the emission efficiency of LEDs involves forming a free (self)-standing substrate structure using instead of the sapphire substrate a supporting substrate composed of the same compound as the compound semiconductor used in the LED (e.g., in the case where an LED uses GaN, a GaN substrate is used). According to this technique, the decrease in emission efficiency caused by the difference in refractive index between the supporting substrate and the compound semiconductor layer can be eliminated.
However, according to the conventional laser lift-off technique, since separation takes place at the interface between the supporting substrate and the compound semiconductor all parts of which are bonded onto the whole surface of the supporting substrate, an intense laser beam must be used to impart high energy to the compound semiconductor layer. As a result, the heat input (thermal budget) increases significantly. Then thermal stresses readily cause breaking such as cracks, deformations, structural defects, etc., in the compound semiconductor layer separated from the supporting substrate or the upper layers on the compound semiconductor layer. As a result, the product yield tends to decrease.
Meanwhile, supporting substrates composed of the same material as the compound semiconductors constituting LEDs are generally very expensive. For example, if GaN substrates are used, their costs are at least twenty times larger than the cost of sapphire supporting substrates. This is not economically favored for mass production.
Therefore, a method for producing a semiconductor device that can achieve improved production yield by preventing damage on compound semiconductors and junction structures during production processes and offer low-cost, high-luminance light-emitting elements by preventing the increase in production cost is desired.

Method for producing semiconductor device


The present invention provides an improved aeration impeller for use in a mixing assembly having an axis of rotation. The aeration impeller includes a hub and a first and second blades that are connected to the hub. Each blade has a first portion positioned at an angle to the axis of rotation and a second portion positioned at an angle to the first portion. The first portion of each blade has an opening that at least partially extends the width of the first portion.

In mass transfer processes such as waste treatment and bio-reactions, it is common to carry out these processes in an aeration vessel in which gas, such as oxygen and/or air, is introduced into a biodegradable liquid for treatment. These aforementioned processes are oftentimes utilized by municipalities and industry to treat waste water wherein the object of the process is to introduce air to the liquid and then the micro-organisms in the liquid proceed to use this oxygen to digest the waste. The gas is commonly introduced by way impellers wherein the impellers aerate the liquid.
During the aeration of a liquid, for example waste water treatment processes, it is common to employ impellers which are especially adapted for use in the aeration of liquids. The impellers are usually employed in an open tank where the impellers are positioned at or on the surface of the liquid in the vessel. Typical surface aerators commonly used in the art are generally either radial flow impellers or pitched blade turbines. The surface aerators use blades that are usually flat rectangular plates which are pitched usually at an angle of 45° to the axis of rotation of the impeller. The aforementioned impellers are commonly located close to the static liquid level surface and a small portion of the width of the blade may project up through the surface. Typically, when the impeller is pitched forwardly, the upper edge of the blade is termed the leading edge while lower edge is termed the trailing edge. Alternatively, typically when the impeller is pitched backwardly, the upper edge is the trailing edge while the lower edge is the leading edge. The liquid is usually either pushed out in front of the angled blade and/or scooped by the blade and discharged radially across the surface of the tank with some of the liquid being sprayed into the atmospheric air from the outer upper surfaces of the blade. As a result of the spraying of the liquid into the atmospheric air, the liquid becomes aerated.
A disadvantage of the above described aeration process is that it is very inefficient. The length of time required to effect the oxidation treatment can be as long as 24 hours. This time period combined with the fact that these waste treatment processes are oftentimes carried out continuously year round, provide a process that is very inefficient in terms of both time consumption and energy consumption.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved surface aeration impellers for effectuating the efficient dispersement or transfer of air and/or other gas into a liquid.