An image sensor includes a pixel array that includes a first pixel group and a second pixel group, each including a plurality of image pixels to generate image data. The first pixel group includes a first phase detection pixel pair including first phase detection pixels arranged adjacent to each other in a first direction and having at least one first microlens thereon, and the second pixel group includes a second phase detection pixel pair including second phase detection pixels arranged adjacent to each other in a second direction different from the first direction and having at least one second microlens thereon. The sensitivity of the first phase detection pixels is different from the sensitivity of the second phase detection pixels.

The inventive concepts relate to image sensors, and more particularly, to image sensors including phase detection pixels and image pickup devices.
There may be an increasing number of image sensors including phase detection pixels for detecting a phase difference between images or image pickup devices including such image sensors. Some conventional phase detection pixels may be implemented with a single sensitivity because they either include a particular color filter (for example, one of red, green, and blue color filters) or do not include a color filter. Thus, phase detection pixels having a single sensitivity may fail in detecting accurate phase differences depending on imaging conditions (for example, illumination condition and scene contents).

Image sensor including phase detection pixels and image pickup device


A panel guide and impact separation system for a sliding door adapted to open and close an opening having an upper and lower extent is disclosed. The system comprises a guide, a guide follower and an elongate beam. The guide is adapted to be mounted to a mounting surface located between the upper and lower extent. The guide follower is disposed in operable engagement with the guide and is adapted to translate along at least a portion of the guide. The elongate beam has a first and second end. The first end of the elongate beam is connected the guide follower and the second end of the elongate beam is attachable to a door panel. The second end of the elongate beam is adapted to extend generally horizontally along at least a portion of a vertical plane of a door panel.

Sliding doors have been used for many years to secure various enclosures, including those for cold storage facilities in manufacturing plants, warehouses, garages, and other industrial rooms. It is known in the art that door panels used in connection with such rooms are constructed from light-weight foam. The light-weight foam panels provide the insulation necessary to maintain the temperature objectives of such rooms. Such panels also permit the doors to be opened and closed at high speeds, thereby minimizing exposure of the contents of the room while the door is opened.
Inherent to doors used in connection with cold-storage applications are problems associated with air pressure differentials across opposite faces of the door. These differentials tend to push the door panels inward or outward and away from the walls surrounding the door. Air pressure differentials created by a rapidly actuated panel can displace a relatively light panel out of its normal plane of travel. This can result in improper positioning of the door when it reaches its closed position, thereby creating problems with properly sealing the doorway. This can also result in wear and ultimately damage to the hardware associated with the door, including the overhead track.
Systems such as those in U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,763 to Kern et al. have been developed in an attempt to address some of the issues described above. However, there still exists limitations inherent to such systems. For example, the cord and ring system in Kern et al. does not provide sufficient rigidity to ensure proper sealing of the leading edge of the panels as the door moves to a closed position. Moreover, the system in Kern et al. does not hold the hold panel close to the wall through its entire path of travel.
The present invention is provided to solve the problems discussed above and other problems, and to provide advantages and aspects not provided by prior doors of this type.

Panel guide and impact separation system for a sliding door


A fuel manifold for a gas turbine engine comprises manifold adaptors each supporting a nozzle for outputting fuel from a fuel supply. The manifold adaptors have a primary conduit and a secondary conduit extending between connection ends of the manifold adaptor. The primary conduit and the secondary conduit are in fluid communication with the nozzle to supply fuel thereto. Transfer units are between adjacent manifold adaptors, and each comprises a primary transfer tube matingly connected at opposite ends to the primary conduits of the adjacent manifold adaptors for fuel circulation between the primary conduits. A secondary transfer tube in each transfer unit is matingly connected at opposite ends to the secondary conduits of the adjacent manifold adaptors for fuel circulation between the secondary conduits. A drain sleeve in each transfer unit is connected at opposite ends to the adjacent manifold adaptors.

Fuel manifolds for gas turbine engines may be assembled from a sequence of manifold adaptors and transfer tubes. The manifold adaptors support nozzles for injection of fuel in the combustor. Transfer tubes interconnect manifold adaptors, and form primary and secondary fuel-supply networks therewith, to supply the nozzles with fuel. There is a risk of fuel leak at the connection between transfer tubes and the manifold adaptors. Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved fuel manifold configuration.


An air cleaner includes an ion generator arranged in a path from an inlet port to an outlet port, a humidifying filter arranged in the path at a position closer to the inlet port than the ion generator, a dust sensor and an odor sensor for detecting impureness of air, and a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. When impureness is detected by the dust sensor and the odor sensor and when the temperature and the humidity attain a specific state (YES at S06 to S08), a fan motor is driven such that water is supplied to the ion generator in an amount larger than when the specific state is not attained (S14).

An ion generator ionizing vapor present in a space has conventionally been known. Some of the ion generators employ creeping discharge. In the conventional ion generator, when an alternating voltage is applied to an ion generating element, positive ions and negative ions are generated. It is known that these generated positive and negative ions eliminate molds, airborne fungi or viruses in the air.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-083593 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technique to apply such an ion generator to an air conditioner so as to suppress molds. The air conditioner disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-083593 generates positive and negative ions from the ion generator, and determines whether or not dehumidification or cooling/heating should be performed in accordance with detected temperature or humidity in the room.
The air conditioner disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-083593 generates positive and negative ions from the ion generator whenever it is driven. Therefore, a constant amount of positive and negative ions is generated regardless of the temperature or humidity in the room.
In general, among the viruses, influenza virus is known to attain a high survival rate at low temperature and low humidity. Accordingly, in an environment in which viruses are more likely to proliferate, concentration of ions in the room should desirably be higher than in an environment in which viruses are less likely to proliferate.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-083593


A vehicle steering system for vehicles with steerable front wheels and steerable rear wheels. A specially elongated pinion steering shift includes two groups of pinion gears. One of the first group of pinion gears meshes with a gear on a steering rack for the front wheels; and, simultaneously, one of the second group of pinion gears meshes with a gear on a steering rack for the rear wheels. A vehicle user can selectively shift the steering shaft to four distinct operating positions. Each operating position provides a specific steering mode, including: a first steering mode for steerage of front wheels with rear wheels neutral, a second steering mode for steerage of rear wheels with front wheels neutral, a third steering mode for coincidence-phase steerage of front wheels and rear wheels, and a fourth steering mode for reverse-phase steerage of front wheels and rear wheels. This invention can be similarly applied to a steering system with worm shaft and ball nut, or other types of steering systems.

This invention was the subject matter of Document Disclosure Program Registration Numbers 309646, 310441, and 312981 which were filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on May 18, 1992, May 26, 1992 and Jul. 15, 1992 respectively.
It has been well known that steering the front wheels and rear wheels in opposite direction, i.e. the reverse-phase direction steering, in slow vehicle speed can achieve small turning radius capability. However, the rear portion of the vehicle can be projected outward during forward driving under the reverse-phase direction steering.
It also has been demonstrated that steering the front wheels and rear wheels in the same direction, i.e. the coincidence-phase direction steering, in high vehicle speed can promote the stability of the vehicle and decrease the possible lateral slippage of the wheels.
During direction changing at high vehicle speed, the centrifugal force can produce lateral skidding of the wheels or spinning of the vehicle. Although the coincidence-phase direction steering can reduce or prevent lateral skidding of wheels, it creates the problems of understeering and decreased yawing, often in untimely situations. A certain degree of yawing, i.e. vehicle orientation change, is necessary for a vehicle to properly change its direction.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,925 Imaseki et al. disclosed a rear wheel steering system which steered rear wheels in coincidence-phase direction for rear-wheel drive cars, and in reverse-phase direction for front-wheel drive cars, to prevent driven wheel slippage during cornering.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,116, Dec. 18, 1990, Takahashi described an invention which further modified the above reference value of the rear wheel steered angle. At high or medium vehicle speed, the rear wheel steering speed reference value was controlled to reduce the coincidence-phase direction steering speed of the rear wheels at low front wheel steering speed; and to increase the coincidence-phase direction steering speed of the rear wheels at high front wheel steering speed. By this design, Takahashi was able to delay the starting of the coincidence-phase steering of the rear wheels during slow speed of the steering wheel. When the steering wheel was turned abruptly at medium or high vehicle speed, the rear wheels were quickly steered in the coincidence-phase. This invention partially solved the problems of steering sensitivity deterioration, i.e. understeeing and decreased yawing, during coincidence-phase direction steering of the rear wheels. However, the problems were solved only partially. Besides, this type of design may sometimes incorrectly interfere with the driver's genuine intention and correct steering effort. When the driver makes an abrupt turning of the steering wheel, often the driver has some good reasons to do that. The unsolicited change of regular steering to coincidence-phase direction steering very likely may interfere with the driver's intention and effort.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,629, Sep. 17, 1991, Abe et al. described an invention in which the rear wheels were steered by a variable steering ratio which was predetermined in matching relation to vehicle speed.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,597, Dec. 31, 1991, Korekan et al. disclosed an invention in which the rear wheel steering was determined by three different ranges of steering wheel rotation. In the first angular range of steering wheel rotation, the rear wheels were steered in coincidence-phase. In the second angular range of the steering wheel rotation, the rear wheels were held in the neutral direction. When the steering wheel was rotated above the second angular range, the rear wheels were steered in the reverse-phase.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,627, Jan. 28, 1992, Kawamoto et al. disclosed a rear wheel steering mechanism in which the rear wheel steering was based on both the front wheel steered angle and the vehicle speed.
In all of the above prior arts, the rear wheels were steered indirectly, depending on the following factors: the vehicle speed, and/or steering wheel angle, and/or steering wheel rotating speed. Therefore, in all of these types of designs, the rear wheel steered angle does not have a constant relationship with the rotated angle of the steering wheel. Because of this, the yawing rate is variable in all of the prior arts.
Yawing means the turning by angular motion about the vertical axis. For automobiles; it refers to the variation in vehicle orientation. Yawing is necessary in car driving when changing direction. For the ordinary two-front-wheel steering vehicles, the yawing rate is constant, said yawing rate means the relationship between degree of steering wheel rotation and degree of vehicle orientation changing. Constant and predictable yawing rate is the easiest for the driver to control, and is most comfortable with the best steering feedback.
For four-wheel steering vehicle, during reverse-phase direction steering, the yawing effect is due to the sum of front wheels' direction changing plus the rear wheels' direction changing. For coincidence-phase direction steering, the yawing effect is related to the front wheels' direction changing minus the rear wheels' direction changing. Since in all of the prior arts, the rear wheels' steered angle did not have a constant relationship with the steering wheel rotated angle, the vehicle yawing rate is quite variable. The steering feedback became irregular, unpredictable, often delayed and sometime hastened. This often produce a feeling of loss of steering control. The present invention will solve this problem by providing constant and instant yawing rate, except when modified designs are adopted to improve cornering stability or to prevent wheel skidding.
There was a dilemma not totally solved by any of the prior arts. As pointed out by Abe et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,629, Sep. 17, 1991, the reverse-phase steering at slow vehicle speed has the advantage of very small turning radius. However, the rear portion of the vehicle can be projected to the outside under reverse-phase steering. To prevent this problem, some prior arts used designs to delay the rear wheel steering until after the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance, or until the the vehicle has exceeded a certain speed, etc. Another prior art, by Trefz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,835, Sep. 17, 1991, disclosed a dwell period between the movement of the front and that of the rear steering assemblies. However, with these types of designs, the benefit of small turning radius capability will be significantly degraded.
In the present invention, with the novel concept of choices of multiple steering modes, the above dilemma and problems can be solved. In this invention, the reverse-phase steering is under a separate steering mode, Steering Mode Four, which will be used only when the driver needs to make very small turning radius at slow vehicle speed. It is true that under Steering Mode Four, the rear portion of the vehicle will still be projected outward during forward driving; and the front portion will be projected outward during backward driving. However, since this phenomenon occurs only during this special circumstance, i.e. the driver specifically intends to make very small turning radius at very slow vehicle speed, the driver can easily pay attention to the surroundings so that the vehicle does not collide with anything on its side. It is well known that when driving an ordinary vehicle backward with turning, the front portion of the vehicle will be projected outward, actually twice as much as under the reverse-phase steering, i.e. the Steering Mode Four. Since all drivers can manage this problem easily at slow vehicle speed, the Steering Mode Four driving should have no difficulty at all.
As discussed by Abe et al. in U.S Pat. No. 5.048,629, Sep. 17, 1991, the steering ratio of the front wheels and rear wheels was usually set, by many prior arts, such that the front and rear wheels were steered in the reverse-phase in a low vehicle speed range, and in the coincidence-phase in a high vehicle speed range. These types of designs mixed the reverse-phase steering and the coincidence-phase steering into one steering mode. Korekan et al, in their U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,597, Dec. 31, 1991, also mixed the coincidence-phase steering, regular front wheel steering, and the reverse-phase steering all into one steering mode, depending on three angular ranges of steering wheel rotation. However, it is well known that each of the above three different steering methods has its own advantages and disadvantages and that the advantages and disadvantages of one steering method often contradict those of the other steering methods. Even with the various designs of the prior arts, none of them were able to solve these contradictions completely. It is one of the objectives of this present invention to separate each steering method from others by the multiple steering mode system. This will successfully solve the above problems.
To summarize, the problems of the prior arts, which will be solved in this invention, include the following:
1. Rear wheel steerage is dependent on other factors. The rear wheel steered angle can be decreased, increased, delayed or hastened. The yawing rate varies too much. PA0 2. Driver often has poor steering feedback and feeling of loss of steering control, because of the variable and unpredictable yawing rate. PA0 3. Poor utilization of the coincidence-phase direction steering, resulting in untimely side-effects, including understeering and decreased yawing rate, and interference with the driver's intention. The vehicle orientation may become improper and may require further steering maneuvering to correct it. PA0 4. Poor utilization of reverse-phase direction steering, resulting in significant loss of part of its benefit of small turning radius capability. PA0 5. Lack of choices of multiple steering modes. A single steering mode had lots of difficulties to accommodate a plurality of different steering methods. A single steering mode can not totally avoid the contradictions between different steering methods.


Ultra-low concentrations of impurities such as water in a highly-purified gas are analyzed by a system having an ion source chamber and a drift chamber. The ion source chamber ionizes one of a sample gas and a carrier gas to produce main component ions, and the other of the sample gas and carrier gas is introduced into the drift chamber. The invention controls the residence time of main component ions in one of the first and second chambers to be shorter than the mean reaction time of main component ions and impurity molecules of the sample gas in the one of the first and second chambers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas analyzer, and, more particularly, to a system for analyzing an impurity of ultra-low concentration, such as water, in a highly-purified gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known gas analyzers for analyzing an impurity of ultra-low concentration (for example, on the parts-per-billion, or ppb, level) include a dew-point meter, an atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer (APIMS) and a plasma chromatography system. Such systems are especially useful when analyzing the water content of a purified gas.
Known dew-point meters are based upon detection of the frequency deviation of a quartz oscillator having an adsorbed water content, or the optical detection of moisture drops that have condensed on a mirrored surface. An example of the former type of dew-point meter is the AMETEK 5700 Moisture Analyzer; an example of the latter is disclosed on pages 41-42 of Ultra-Clean Technology, Vol. 1, No. 2.
Conventional dew-point meters are slow to respond to the change in dew point with respect to a change in moisture concentration at the ppb level (e.g., about -80.degree. C. at a freezing point), and thus cannot perform real-time analysis. See, for example, pages 13-21 of Ultra-Clean Technology, Vol. 1, No. 1. Further, the conventional dew-point meter system is large because it requires a helium refrigerator, as described in Ultra-Clean Technology, Vol. 1, No. 2, pages 41-42.
The conventional APIMS is highly sensitive, having an impurity detection limit of 1 part-per-trillion, or ppt (i.e., 1/10.sup.12), for a highly-purified gas. It can measure not only water content, but also such varied substances as oxygen and organic components simultaneously in real time. An example of an APIMS is disclosed in Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 55, No. 3, pages 477-481.
The conventional APIMS cannot be practically arranged in a plurality of measurement sites in a clean room due to its requirement for differential pumping using a vacuum pump of large displacement. Further, it is difficult to simultaneously monitor the gas purity at various points of the gas supply system.
In the conventional plasma chromatography apparatus, a sample gas is ionized and fed to a drift tube where ions of different species are separated in accordance with the time difference required for the ions to move in the gas in the drift tube under an electric field. In order to analyze a highly-purified gas, the difference between the mobility of main component ions produced by the ionization means and the mobility of impurity ions produced by reaction of the main component ions and the impurity molecules is used to separate the main component ions from the impurity ions in the drift tube. Then, the impurity concentration can be measured from the detected intensity of the impurity ions. This gas analyzer is relatively small in size, and economical, requiring neither a vacuum pump nor a refrigeration system. An example of a plasma chromatography apparatus is disclosed in Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 46, No. 8, pages 710A-720A.
Known plasma chromatography systems have been utilized for analysis of organic components, but not for analysis of water content. More particularly, because the moisture of the carrier gas is subjected to an ionization reaction with organic substances of the impurity, thus acting as a main component ion, the conventional plasma chromatography system does not analyze water content. Moreover, conventional plasma chromatography systems have been incapable of analyzing ultra-low concentrations of water in the highly-purified carrier gas because no consideration has been given to modifying the ion production mechanism in the ion source and in the drift tube, the drift distance, the value of the drift voltage, and the gas purity in the drift tube.

Gas analyzer for determining impurity concentration of highly-purified gas


A communication base station has: base station position information storing means; signal electric wave for communication with sending time information generating means; satellite time information generating means; time difference information generating means for generating the time difference information indicating a time difference between the sending time and the satellite time at the sending time; signal electric wave for communication sending means; and base station information sending means for sending the base station position information and the time difference information; and a terminal device has: terminal side satellite time information generating means; base station information acquisition means; above satellite number decision means; satellite signal positioning means; signal electric wave for communication receiving means; receiving time information generating means; signal electric wave for communication positioning means; combined positioning means, and positioning means, and so on.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a positioning system in a communication network of an inter-base station asynchronous system without a common reference timing such as the same clock between communication base stations, a terminal device, a control method of terminal device, a control program of a terminal device, and a computer readable recording medium recording the control program of the terminal device.
2. Related Art
In the past, for example, in a so-called digital mobile communication system in a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) system, a method of detecting a position using an arrival time difference of a receiving signal between a plurality of base stations and a mobile wireless terminal devices relying on the assumption that a clock synchronization is assured among the plural base stations was known (for example, JP A-7-181242).
However, in order to establish a system for synchronizing a clock among respective base stations which are numerously located across the country, there is a problem that an economic burden is serious.
Correspondingly, a technology has been proposed, wherein a position management station to manage the mutual time difference information of a plurality of base stations is provided in a communication network of an inter-base station asynchronous system and this position management station measures the position of a mobile terminal (for example, JP A-11-252632).
However, according to the related art technology, the large-scale system change is required in the system to obtain a arrival time difference between a timing signal which has been sent from each base station and a timing signal which is received from other base station and this causes a high economic burden in its establishment.
Further, this involves a problem that the position of the mobile terminal cannot be positioned in the case that the signals cannot be received from three or more base stations.

Positioning system, terminal device, control method of terminal device, control program of terminal device, and computer readable recording medium recording control program of terminal device


A security device includes a liquid crystal layer having one of a cholesteric phase, a nematic phase, and a cholesteric phase and having molecules therein aligned volumetrically in a predetermined manner to form a predetermined diffractive optical pattern or image. The molecules of the liquid crystal layer are volumetrically aligned in the predetermined manner through at least a portion of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer.

1. Field
The disclosed concept relates generally to security devices having an optically variable device (OVD) portion and, more particularly, to security devices having OVDs that exhibit both Lippmann-Bragg-type optical color change as well as diffractive optical effects. The disclosed concept also relates to methods for creating such security devices.
2. Description of Related Art
An optically variable device (OVD) is a visual device that creates a change or shift in appearance, such as, for example and without limitation, a change in color, when observed from different relative observation points. The evolution of the OVD as a security device stems largely from the search for a mechanism to resist counterfeiting of certain articles and products, or alternatively to render such copying obvious. For example, and without limitation, paper money, banknotes, certificates, security labels, product hang tags, drivers' licenses, ID cards, and credit cards, among other things, frequently employ one or more OVDs to resist counterfeiting or to verify authenticity.
A counterfeiting deterrent employed in some OVDs involves the use of one or more diffractive images that exhibit optical effects which cannot be reproduced using traditional printing and/or photocopying processes. Such images may be, for example, volume holograms or diffractive grating structures (also known as surface relief holograms). When an OVD including such an image is viewed from a predetermined location and tilted so that it is viewed from a different relative location, an optical effect results, such as, for example and without limitation, movement of the image or a change in color. However, additional unique effects are continually needed to stay ahead of the counterfeiters' ability to access or simulate new imaging technologies. Accordingly, other security mechanisms having image-related optical effects have evolved over time.
One such optical effect is color-shifting created by constructing the OVD with a layer or partial layer of a liquid crystal material. The use of films of color-changing liquid crystal materials in OVDs is known in the art. Such films are typically produced by coating liquid crystal material onto a substrate, aligning the molecular structure so that the molecular structure takes on the form of a highly ordered planar Lippmann-Bragg structure, and finally cross-linking the liquid crystal to preserve the aligned planar molecular structure. The Lippmann-Bragg structure has the optical property of reflecting a narrow band of wavelengths of light by the process of refraction from the body of the aligned liquid crystal. Importantly, as the plane of the liquid crystal is tilted relative to the illuminating and viewing angle, the wavelength of the selective band of reflected light shifts to a different color, the magnitude of the shift being dependent on the degree of tilt. This effect is difficult to simulate and can form the basis of a useful security device.
The combination of liquid crystal layers exhibiting a color-changing effect as well as surface relief structures or holograms exhibiting a diffractive optical effect offers an even greater level of security. An OVD exhibiting this combination of effects may be realized either by laminating a liquid crystal film to an embossed surface relief hologram film, or by embossing a surface relief diffractive or holographic structure into one surface of an aligned liquid crystal film. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,628,439 to Shiozawa describes authentication films formed by both of these methods. Films exhibiting both color-changing and diffractive effects may be usefully employed in security devices to protect documents or articles of value. The security provided by the diffractive or holographic image is supplemented by the color-changing background effect provided by the liquid crystal layer. However, as such a device essentially comprises two separate optical structures (e.g., the surface relief and the aligned liquid crystal), the security of the device can be compromised if the structures are separated, copied or altered separately and then re-joined together.
There is still a need, therefore, for an OVD that combines the color-shifting and diffractive optical effects, but is not easily separable into two component parts which allow the two optical effects to be copied or altered separately.

Security device having optically variable device portion and method of making the same


Retroreflective article that provides effective retroreflective brightness at very high entrance angles as well as low entrance angles.

Pavement markings, such as those on the centerline and edgeline of a roadway, are important in order to provide visual guidance for motor vehicle drivers. Pavement marking materials are used as traffic control markings for a variety of uses, such as short distance lane striping, stop bars, and pedestrian pavement markings at intersections. A common form of pavement markings is adhesive-backed tape that is applied to the roadway surface in desired location and length; the top surface of the tape having selected color and typically retroreflective characteristics.
Currently, many flat pavement markings rely on an exposed-lens optical system comprising transparent microspheres partially embedded in a binder layer containing pigment particles, e.g., titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) or lead chromate (PbCrO.sub.4), as reflectors. In use, light from the headlamp of a vehicle enters the microsphere and is refracted to fall on the reflective pigment particles. Some portion of the light is returned generally along the original entrance path in the direction of the vehicle so as to be visible to the driver. The amount of refraction and the amount of light gathering of these microspheres is dependent in part upon maintaining a low index of refraction at the air interface on the exposed portion of the microsphere. During rainy periods, the microspheres become wetted with water which reduces the their light refracting ability and results in much reduced retroreflective performance.
One solution to this problem is raised pavement markings in which retroreflective elements are presented in somewhat vertical configurations. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,388,359 (Ethen et al.), 4,988,555 (Hedblom), and 4,988,541 (Hedblom) disclose pavement markings with protrusions carrying exposed-lens retroreflective elements on the sides thereof.
It is also known to use enclosed-lens retroreflective structures on pavement markings. These structures are typically used as spot guides which are augmented with continuous paint or tape markings. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,277,513 (Flanagan et al.) and 5,340,231 (Steere et al.). Enclosed-lens retroreflective sheetings with flat cover films (also sometimes referred to as cover sheets, top sheets, top films, etc.) have been constructed as a means for improving wet retroreflectivity. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,159 (McGrath) which discloses encapsulated-lens retroreflective articles and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,505,967 (Bailey) and 4,664,966 (Bailey et al.) which disclose embedded-lens retroreflective articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,112 (Crone) discloses an article comprising an underlying base retroreflective layer and a light directing layer comprised of a longitudinally-extending series of short transparent projections which each have front and back (defined relative to the expected origin of light to be retroreflected) upwardly extending edge surfaces. The front edge surfaces are disposed across (i.e., relatively perpendicular to) the expected path of high-incidence angle light, whereby they transmit rather than reflect away a high percentage of incident light from approaching motor vehicles. The back edge surface is disposed to both reflect light transmitted through the front edge surface to a path within a predetermined angular range for retroreflection by the retroreflective elements, and to reflect light retroreflected by the retroreflective elements back through the front edge surface toward its source. A precise configurational relationship of the front and back upwardly extending edge surfaces of each projection must be established and maintained in order to retain adequate retroreflectivity. In addition, the longitudinally extending projections tend to make such sheeting less flexible. U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,788 (Wyckoff) discloses a related type of pavement marker strip wherein the two sides of the transverse prisms are adjusted to provide for downward internal reflection into the base sheet from one side and refraction to the space between successive prisms into the base sheet from the other side. As with the article disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,112, maintenance of a precise configurational relationship between the two upward faces of the prisms is critical.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,346 (Wyckoff) discloses a saw-tooth-like marker strip comprising protrusions with curved edges and having upwardly disposed retroreflective members embedded therein. The curved edges of the raised protrusions are said to reduce loss of incident light so that the marker is bright over wide angles of incident light upon the marker strip. In addition, incorporation of upwardly disposed retroreflective members in the protrusions results in a narrower entrance or incidence angle of light from approaching motor vehicles, permitting more effective retroreflection by the article.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,403 (Eigenmann) discloses a retroreflective assembly that is particularly useful for situations in which retroreflection is required in rainy conditions. The assembly disclosed therein comprises a transparent globule with a monolayer of transparent microspheres on certain portions of the globule and a reflective layer disposed behind the microspheres. The retroreflective assemblies, sometimes referred to as "globule/microsphere retroreflective assemblies", are positioned on the top surface of a pavement marking where they provide improved retroreflection of light at high incidence angles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,789 (Bradshaw) teaches an improved globule/microsphere retroreflective assembly and an improved method for making such an assembly.
EP Patent No. 385746 B1 (Kobayashi et al.) discloses a pavement marking comprising a layer of large glass microspheres embedded on top of retroreflective embedded-lens type base sheeting. The retroreflective pavement marking is said to be particularly useful in rainy conditions because the larger glass microspheres are partially exposed in air. However, the disclosed pavement marking is limited to using microspheres as a light gathering source. Furthermore, the pavement marker is only taught to increase retroreflectivity of its base sheeting at entrance angles of between 60.degree. and 80.degree.. It is known in the art that high-entrance angles, greater than approximately 85.degree., is more common for pavement marking applications.
Currently available pavement markings provide effective retroreflective response for only a narrower range of entrance angles than is sometimes desired. In addition, currently available pavement markings are not as effective retroreflectors as is desired for some applications. For example, current commercial flat pavement markings, relying on microspheres partially embedded in layers containing pigment particles, are most easily seen at distances of approximately 80 meters and less. At distances greater than this, retroreflective brightness declines due to the relatively larger entrance angles of the incident light and limited retroreflective efficiency. In addition to generally low retroreflectivity at high incidence angles, flat pavement markings are particularly difficult to see under rainy conditions. Raised pavement markings have better wet reflectivity because the rain will run off the raised portions. However, snow removal is frequently a problem on roads bearing raised pavement markings, as the snowplows have a tendency to catch on the raised protrusions and dislodge the markings from the road surface.
The need exists for low profile retroreflective articles that exhibit high retroreflective brightness in a continuous line even at high incidence angles and which retain effective retroreflective brightness at high incidence angles even when wet. As used herein, "low profile" refers to an article low enough to sustain impacts from a snow plow after one winter season with minimal damage to the article. In addition, there exists a need for retroreflective articles exhibiting effective retroreflective response over a wide range of entrance angles for application to vertical surfaces such as guard rails, Jersey barriers, etc.

High entrance angle retroreflective article and method of making

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A vessel occluder used to occlude blood flow within the vasculature is described. The vessel occluder can include an expandable mesh portion having a flexible membrane that expands within a cavity of the expandable mesh portion. When expanded, the flexible membrane blocks blood passage through the mesh portion.

Vessel occlusion may be desirable for a number of reasons. Circumstances include treatment of aneurysms, left atrial appendage, atrial septal defect, fistulas, patent foramen ovale, patent ductus arteriosus, vessel shutdown, or various occlusive purposes in the neuro-vasculature and peripheral vasculature.
Embolic coils are often used for occlusive purposes. The coils fill the target treatment site, but may require a substantial amount of time to occlude the treatment area. Vessel plugs conform to the malformation, vessel, or target treatment area and can provide a rapid occlusive effect. Vessel plugs are often used where rapid occlusion is desired, since the vessel plug can quickly fill and conform to the target space. Vessel plugs, in order to be effective, typically should be easily deployable, promote rapid occlusion, and resist migration after deployment. However, conventional vessel plugs rarely excel at all of these factors.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip and a carrier film which includes an insulating film and wiring patterns formed on one of main surfaces of the insulating film, an adhesive layer is formed on a surface of a semiconductor wafer having a number of integrated circuits. Each of the integrated circuits has electrode pads for external connection on the foregoing surface of the semiconductor wafer. Subsequently, openings are formed at regions of the adhesive layer corresponding to the electrode pads, and then, the semiconductor wafer is cut per integrated circuit so as to obtain the semiconductor chips. Thereafter, the electrode pads of the semiconductor chip and the wiring patterns of the carrier film are connected to each other through the corresponding openings of the adhesive layer, respectively. Then, the semiconductor chip and the carrier film are bonded together via the adhesive layer interposed therebetween. It may be arranged that the adhesive layer is formed on the carrier film rather than on the semiconductor chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more specifically, to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, called a chip-size package, which is suitable for high-density packaging.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of semiconductor devices have been developed for satisfying demands to electronic devices, such as, reduction in size and weight, speed-up and multi-functionalization thereof. Demands for increasing the number of pins due to the high integration of the semiconductor chips and for reduction in size and thickness of the semiconductor devices have been getting stronger so that the fine-pitch arrangement of the pins is essential for satisfying both demands. Thus, it is considered that the inner-lead connection which can narrow pitches of the pins and the area-array connection which can enlarge pitches of the pins, be the essential techniques.
A chip-size package-type semiconductor device is in the form of a semiconductor chip and a carrier film which are integrally bonded by means of an adhesive film. One side of the semiconductor chip, which is attached to the carrier film, is formed with a plurality of electrode pads along the edge thereof. On the other hand, the carrier film includes an organic insulating film and wiring layers formed on the organic insulating film. Each of the wiring layers includes a region for connection to the corresponding electrode pad of the semiconductor chip. Further, a plurality of bump electrodes are formed as electrode pads of the carrier film for connection to the exterior. The bump electrodes are arranged in a grid at regular pitches and distributed widely on a side of the organic insulating film remote from the wiring layers. The wiring layers are provided on a side of the carrier film facing the semiconductor chip. Each of the wiring layers has one end connected to the corresponding bump electrode through a via hole which is formed by filling a metal material into a through hole formed at the organic insulating film. Other through holes are further formed at the carrier film, and the metal material is filled into these other through holes so as to form via holes, each for connection between the wiring layer and the electrode pad as inner leads. Each via hole is adjustable in position, when formed, relative to the electrode pad and the wiring layer. The inner-lead connection of the electrode pad and the wiring layer is achieved through this via hole.
The chip-size package-type semiconductor device is, in general, fabricated in the following manner:
After temporarily attaching the adhesive film to either one of the semiconductor chip and the carrier film, the electrode pads and the wiring layers are electrically connected to each other. Subsequently, the adhesive film is bonded to the other of the semiconductor chip and the carrier film by applying heat and pressure. Thus, a size of the adhesive film is limited to a size corresponding to an area defined within the electrode pads, that is, not corresponding to all the area of the joint surface of the semiconductor chip, so as to avoid overlapping the electrode pads.
However, in such a fabricating method, setting or positioning of the adhesive film relative to the semiconductor chip is difficult. Further, since the adhesive film is not interposed between the semiconductor chip and the carrier film at regions along the edge of the semiconductor chip, sealing therebetween tends to be insufficient. When the sealing is insufficient, moisture proof is deteriorated, thus leading to insulation failure and further to reduction in life duration of the semiconductor device.
Further, in this kind of the chip-size package-type semiconductor device, it is important that a diameter of each of the through holes formed at the organic insulating film be set as small as possible for rendering a pitch of the bump electrodes 24 as small as possible. In general, the through hole is formed by the chemical etching or the laser processing using the excimer (KrF) laser. The excimer laser is used because it is difficult to achieve the fine processing using the well-known YAG laser. However, it is also difficult to achieve the fine processing even using the chemical etching, and further, although the excimer laser can achieve the fine processing, its oscillating tube is expensive and its maintenance cost is high so that it is difficult to use the excimer laser.
Under these circumstances, in the conventional processing method, a diameter of the through hole is 50 .mu.m at minimum. Further, a shape of the through hole is tapered. Thus, narrowing of the pitches of the through holes is limited.

Process for adhesively bonding a semiconductor chip to a carrier film


The need for a liquid hand dishwashing cleaning composition that is less hazy, while also provides reduced surface tension between the detergent composition and the soiled plate, and hence improvements in cleaning, is met when the liquid hand dishwashing cleaning composition is formulated with a surfactant system and a polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of hydrolysis of from about 40% to about 86%.

While some consumers prefer to wash their dishes by submerging them into diluted liquid detergent compositions, many consumers prefer to apply the neat liquid detergent composition to the dish directly, or via an implement such as a sponge. Direct application provides improved grease cleaning, since a greater concentration of surfactant is applied directly to the stain. For direct application methods, consumers desire improved grease cleaning. While improved grease cleaning can be achieved by manipulating the surfactant system, or increasing the surfactant level, this can lead to haziness in the liquid detergent composition. One means of improving grease cleaning is through lowering the interfacial tension between the composition and the soiled dish-ware. Hence, a need remains for a liquid detergent composition for cleaning dishware, that is less hazy, while also provides reduced interfacial tension between the detergent composition and the soiled plate.
WO2012022008, WO 9533025, U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,888, and US 2005/0170990 A1 disclose methods for hand washing dishes, including the step of contacting the dishes with the liquid detergent composition in undiluted form.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,122A relates to low-foaming rinsing and washing compositions adapted for dish washers consisting essentially of (A) from 70% to 98% by weight of water-soluble polyvinyl alcohols having a molecular weight of between 1000 and 4000, and (B) from 2% to 30% by weight of foam-inhibiting compounds selected from the group consisting of aliphatic alcohols, aliphatic carboxylic acids and alkali metal salts thereof, aliphatic carboxylic acid amides and aliphatic amines, said compounds having at least one aliphatic or aliphatic-cycloaliphatic radical with from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, as well as aqueous solutions containing said lowfoaming rinsing and washing compositions. CN107057861A relates to a cleaning preparation for porcelain glazes and glass utensils. The cleaning preparation comprises solid acid, carbonate and/or hydrogen carbonate, thickener and/or stabilizer and surfactant and further comprises disinfecting agent, aromatic agent, deodorant and dispersant. CN104818134 relates to a tea scale detergent. The tea scale detergent is prepared by, by weight, 5-10 parts of sodium chloride, 3-8 parts of sodium dichloro isocyanurate, 7-11 parts of sodium lauryl polyoxyethylene ether sulphate, 1-3 parts of deoiling emulsifier, 3-7 parts of trichloro hydroxydiphenyl ether, 4-8 parts of sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate, 3-5 parts of sodium sulphate, 5-10 parts of lauroyl diethanolamide, 3-9 parts of citric acid, 1-5 parts of poval, 4-6 parts of hexa polyglycerol mono-octanoin ether, 1-3 parts of sodium carbonate, 6-10 parts of sucrose fatty acid ether and 80 parts of water. The tea scale detergent seeks to provide the benefits of being capable of quickly cleaning tea scale, extremely low in residue, harmless to the human body, little in foam and easy to clean.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,145A relates to an outside window cleaner comprising mixtures of one or more polyvinyl alcohols with water, or preferably, polyvinyl alcohol, a cationic polymer, such as trimethylol melamine, and water, alters or modifies window or other hard surfaces such that water drains off in uniform sheets, leaving virtually no residue or spots caused from the deposition of dirt, cleaning compositions or a combination of the two. In a further embodiment, a selected cationic or nonionic surfactant is added to the formula of this invention to improve detergency while retaining the uniform drainage advantage in rinsing.
CN104371855 relates to a low-foam glass cleaner which is prepared from the following raw materials in parts by weight: 6-8 parts of ethyl cellosolve, 3-9 parts of glycerol, 6-9 parts of borage seed oil, 6-9 parts of vaseline, 0.2-1 part of ammonia water, 5-8 parts of sodium bicarbonate, 6-8 parts of polyvinyl alcohol, 5-7 parts of sodium lauryl sulphate, 2-4 parts of silicone, 5-10 parts of alkanolamide, 5-11 parts of fatty alcohol polyethenoxy ether, 2-6 parts of butanediol, 3-6 parts of triethanolamine, 4-8 parts of cocamidopropyl betaine, 2-6 parts of sodium benzoate and 1-5 parts of tetradecyl alcohol. The low-foam glass cleaner has the advantages of low foam and low cost, is easy to clean, and has certain antifogging function in the cleaning process.
US 2006/052263A relates to a solid soap preparation which can dissolve very quickly when it comes into contact with water and which enables exact dosing of a specific amount of soap, the soap preparation contains air bubbles and thus exhibits a certain degree of elasticity and plasticity.

Aqueous liquid hand dishwashing cleaning composition comprising dissolved and hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol


Disclosed are simple easy to understand TV camera based input and programming devices for computers, as well as local or remote means to assimilate data or commands. The invention in one preferred embodiment, uses printed matter imaged by one or more TV cameras, which results in enhanced ease of comprehension, distribution and touch command input of programs. The printed matter may be for example, newspaper clippings, children's books, chess boards, or board games. Certain aspects of the invention share some characteristics of a touch screen, in the sense of additionally determining the location of objects positioned by a user, or portions of a user, such as fingers or hands.

Numerous types of computer input apparatus exist today. The most common is a classic QWERTY Keyboard while for direct computer input for screen manipulation, the most common is the "Mouse" that is manipulated in x and y.
Touch screens (and less common, touch pads) are another form of input, generally more popular in commercial use, in which typically a certain zone on the screen is touched to indicate a command. Numerous examples exist in the art, and several prior art examples are given in the references above.
Each of the above examples is in wide use. But they all have a common shortcoming in that they are difficult for the very old, the very young, and the disabled. Of the group, the touch screen is the easiest to operate, since one can, with ones finger, directly touch an appropriate input icon displayed. But even when a special pen rather than ones finger is used, resolution in most cases is much more limited than what is achievable with a mouse and its associated pointer on the screen. And in home use, the touch screen is a significant added expense and encumbrance over a conventional display.
In addition, each of the common prior art devices above typically is used with a vertically positioned display. While the mouse and keyboard are used on flat horizontal surfaces in front of the display, with the display vertical, the touch screen must generally be operated substantially vertically in concert with the display, which is not convenient for many people and is ill suited for group use around a table. While a horizontal touch screen can in theory be provided, such are rare due to the bulk of the CRT display commonly used. And, if achieved with an LCD or Plasma display screen, they would be expensive today.
Finally, each of the above is typically at most two-dimensional (except when touch screens are constructed for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,000 by one of the inventors). The X-Y position on the display monitor screen provides the input command, whether selected by a mouse, key strokes, or a touch icon. The invention herein can be proportional to data in one or more other dimensions as well, as will be explained.
Finally, at least one other disadvantage of the prior art exists, namely that the monitor of the computer needs to be used for input, and cannot, at least in its entirety, simultaneously be used for display, such as video, animations or the like. If one can afford two monitors, this is a solution, but at a cost in both dollars and space. Even with today's favorable monitor prices, the invention herein is still at least $150 cheaper than a two monitor plus keyboard/mouse solution, and at least $500 cheaper than a touch screen plus monitor solution (the closest analog).
To use a monitor for less than its entirety (e.g. sharing its display surface with input command data and output display), is confusing and limiting for many applications.
To recap then, today's mouse and keyboard devices require considerable training and physical coordination, and are thus not suited to small children and infants, or the very old. Touch screens as pointed out are expensive, sometimes awkward to use, and often lack resolution. And they are not horizontal. One example of horizontal play made possible with the invention, is for infants who can crawl or sit on a playpen or crib floor. Not only is it easier for them to play using the invention, but it is easier for their mothers to aid their play.
In regard to the book embodiments of the invention, somewhat competing "Electronic books" are described in U.S. patents such as                U.S. Pat. No. 6,144,380 "Method of entering and using handwriting to identify locations within an electronic book"        Other types of electronic books with various signaling devices on a page are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,851 "Electronic book with multiple page displays"        U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,215 "Method for making an electronic book for producing audible sounds in response to visual indicia"
While the taking of a video image of a person, for incorporating into a book cover is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,598 by Salzberger, the use of cameras to actually view and produce a digital image of a conventional printed book (or other printed page matter) itself is not disclosed anywhere we can find.
A related aspect of the invention concerns programming methods and media. When most people today wish to input programmed sets of commands to a computer, they load a program using magnetic (e.g. Floppy disc) or digital optical media (e.g. CD Rom), Alternatively, the internet is becoming a medium for program download from remote data sources.
Years ago, these devices were not generally available. Programs were often typed in on keyboard terminals, or somewhat later, inputted to computers on Punched cards, derived from the Hollerith sorting cards developed in the 1930's approximately. Such punched cards used holes punched in cards, which were optically then observed to be on or off (binary 1 or zero) at various locations on the card.
Data was also entered this way, evolving into the famous "Don't fold, spindle, or mutilate" cards so common 30 years ago. This was also an example of user readable printing on the data input media. (e.g. a US Government Check).
The magnetic and digital optical media of today can contain millions of times more data than the cards of yore. But they generally contain little or no printed data to help the user, and often are more difficult to handle. The printed matter only appears on a screen when the magnetic or optical device is read, and the media cannot provide information laying by itself on a table, for example.
One might argue that the internet and fast downloads which are just around the corner technically will obsolete magnetic media anyway. But the invention addresses a different problem. What is needed is something that allows people to better interact with a computer, or the internet, and make use of it. Optical presentation of data (e.g. the printing on the check) capable of visual comprehension is very useful in this regard, as the eyes are the sense most capable of data assimilation.
This invention in one preferred embodiment, employs a programming board, while in another, a printed "card" is as a computer input which can widely distributed, by means familiar to the average person, such as magazines, newspaper, by hand or whatever. Or you can print it yourself on your computer printer for example. And uniquely, this card can be read by electro-optical sensing means (typically a high resolution TV camera) which can see the user touch or otherwise interact with the card, book or other printed matter as well, in common with other aspects of the invention.
In combination with this touch attribute of the invention, we know of nothing in the art relating to coded optical program generation. However, a recently granted U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,882 has some aspects of some of the coding aspects our invention, and is an interesting illustration of the utility of what is proposed. The inventors of U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,882 came from a different direction, and have concentrated on the data coding technique, though a check of their web site (paperdisk.com) does reveal more concentration on applications, though quite different from the ones disclosed herein which are focused more on connection to the actual input of the user.
Other examples of optically readable codes, albeit for other purposes are the new Two Dimensional Data Matrix codes. For example see U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,041 by Liu "Method and apparatus for locating and decoding machine-readable symbols, including data matrix symbols", which describes techniques that could also be used to read a monochrome version of the code on the cards of this invention. The optically readable code data elements herein however, can be arranged in any way desired, and does not have to correspond with any existing convention.

Books, papers, and downloaded information to facilitate human interaction with computers


A roll-formed one-piece vehicle bed member has a plurality of ribs and valleys extending longitudinally along the bed member in sidewardly adjacent, parallel relation. The bed member terminates at front and rear edges wherein preferably along the rear edge of the bed member, rib channels are formed centrally along the end portion of each rib for direct contacting engagement with a rear sill to provide an improved connection therebetween.

To improve upon the construction of truck bed members which are formed using a conventional stamping process, the assignee of this application developed the improved truck bed structures and forming methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,188,418, 5,544,932, 5,575,525, 5,730,486, 5,938,272, 6,128,815, 6,170,905, 6,286,352, 6,347,454 B1, 6,799,792 B2 and all of which are assigned to Pullman Industries, Inc., and are herein incorporated by reference.
In the aforesaid patents, and the exemplary bed assembly illustrated in FIG. 1, there is disclosed a main floor pan or bed member 11 which was developed principally for a conventional duty pick-up truck so that the bed member 11 is disposed between the side walls 12 of the truck and extends rearwardly from the front wall 13 so as to terminate at the rear sill 14. The bed member has the rear edge thereof secured, typically by welding, to the rear sill 14, and the bed member is typically supported on and fixedly secured to additional cross sills which are spaced longitudinally along the bed, such as the intermediate cross sills 15 and the front sill 16. The bed member 11 is roll formed from a continuous sheet of thin steel so as to have alternating ribs 18 and valleys 19 of channel-like cross-section disposed sidewardly thereacross with such ribs and valleys extending longitudinally along the roll formed sheet. The roll formed sheet is then cut to length to define the bed member.
In the illustrated bed member 11, the bed member 11 has the front and rear edges thereof having a corrugated configuration defined by the alternating ribs and valleys. In a preferred variation of this bed construction, the rear sill 14 is provided with protruding projections 17 on the top wall thereof, which projections interfit within the channels of the bed member 11 at the rear edge thereof to provide for a strong structural assembly while also closing off the rear ends of the ribs.
The arrangement described above and as briefly illustrated in FIG. 1 has proven to provide a highly desirable bed assembly for many applications. However, the projections 17 are conventionally stamped, which may be difficult to accomplish for heavy-duty applications using high-strength steel.
In a continuing effort to provide for and accommodate other demands associated with the use of pickup-type vehicles, the assignee hereof has also developed a modified end construction for the bed member 11 which, as illustrated by FIGS. 2-5, results in the ends of the ribs 18 being flattened downwardly through a tapered or downwardly sloped rib section so as to merge with the bottom of the bed member, namely the walls which define the bottoms of the valleys, so as to effect closure of the ends of the ribs and at the same time result in the edge of the bed member being generally flat.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,454 B1 which is incorporated herein by reference, the construction illustrated by FIGS. 2-5 results in a modified edge construction for the roll-formed bed member 11 so as to permit the edge portion of the bed to be supported on a conventional cross sill 21 (which can be either a rear sill or a front sill) without the necessity of providing the top wall of the sill with upward projections for nesting within the channels of the ribs, although provision of such projections on the cross sill is still a preferred alternative. In this edge construction, the bed member 11 is provided with a flat and substantially planar flange 22 extending transversely across the bed member, which flange terminates at a free edge 23 of the bed member. The flange 22 is defined by deforming and hence flattening rear portions of the channel-like ribs 18 over a selected longitudinal length which projects forwardly from the free edge 23.
The bed member 11 of FIGS. 2-4 in addition has the ribs 18 thereof, just forwardly of the flange 22, downwardly deformed to define tapered rib portions 18A which extend longitudinally of the bed member over a small longitudinal distance, and define a transitional zone between the rear flange 22 and the longitudinally-extending full-height rib 18. The tapered rib portions 18A each have a top wall 25A which at one end is continuous with and joins to the top wall 25 of the full-height rib 18, with the top wall 25A then angling or sloping downwardly as it projects longitudinally until intersecting the plane of the bed member base walls 26 (the latter defining the bottom of the valleys 19), which intersection substantially defines the transition between the tapered rib portions 18A and the rear flange 22. The tapered rib portions 18A thus effectively define a slope or ramp which projects upwardly from the elevation of the base walls 26 or flange 22 to the elevation of the rib top walls 25, with the ramp projecting in a longitudinal direction which, when the tapered rib portion is at the rear edge of the bed member, slopes upwardly in the forward direction of the bed member to thus eliminate or minimize any abrupt or sharp corners at the rear edge of the bed member.
The tapered rib portions 18A are shaped by physically deforming a selected length of the full-height ribs 18 downwardly into the tapered or sloped configuration, which forming typically is carried out in a shaping press following the roll forming of the bed member. The deforming (i.e. compressing) of the ribs 18 into the tapered configuration results in at least partial collapsing of the side walls 27 of the ribs, and the tapered rib portion 18A is preferably formed so that the top wall 25A thereof extends at a slope or angle relative to the horizontal of at least about 30°, and more preferably in the neighborhood of about 40° to about 45°, in an effort to minimize the amount of material which is being physically displaced during the compression of the ribs into the tapered shape.
During the deforming of the end portions of the ribs 18 so as to form the tapered rib portions 18A, the end portions of the ribs 18 which extend between the tapered portions 18A and the rear edge 23 are also substantially simultaneously flattened during the same deforming or pressing operation so that the rib portions which extend throughout the longitudinal length of the flange 22 are effectively flattened so as to be substantially coplanar with the base walls 26 and thereby result in the substantially flat and planar edge flange 22.
With the arrangement as illustrated by FIG. 2, the flange 22 can be positioned so as to lie flatly on an upper surface of the cross sill so as to permit closure and fixed securement therewith.
Alternatively, the flattened rear flange, designated 22A in FIG. 5, can be bent downwardly in the vicinity adjacent or slightly rearwardly from the intersection point with the tapered rib-portions 18A, which flange 22A can be disposed so as to project downwardly directly adjacent and hence overlap a side surface of the supporting cross sill 21, such as the rear surface when the cross sill 21 constitutes the rear sill of the vehicle bed construction. In this arrangement the flange 22A can be fixedly secured to the cross sill, such as by welding.
While the rib end constructions illustrated by FIGS. 2-5 may be desirable for some use situations, nevertheless these rib end constructions created by reforming a roll-formed bed member result in undesired wrinkling of the material during the deforming or flattening operation. In order to deform the full-height rib into either the tapered rib portion and/or the flat rear flange, it is necessary to cause the excess material which exists due to the presence of the side walls 27 to be redistributed so as to merge into the material associated with the adjacent top or bottom walls 25 and 26. Because of this excess material, stamping of the rear ends of the ribs is normally unable to effectively redistribute this excess material, and hence the tapered rib portions 18A particularly in the vicinity of the sides thereof, and particularly the flat rear flange 22 in the vicinity where the side walls 27 previously existed, often exhibit significant wrinkling due to the excess material so that the resulting wall structure not only loses its desired uniformity of thickness but also results in undesired surface characteristics which may be considered unacceptable, particularly when painting or the like.
Accordingly, in a continuing effort to improve the construction of bed members formed initially by roll forming, and which are then subjected to further forming such as pressing so as to define tapered end configurations similar to those depicted by FIGS. 2-5, another improved tapered rib end configuration and forming process has been developed which permits end portions of the roll-formed ribs to be subsequently deformed, as by stamping, and which construction and process eliminates or at least greatly minimizes undesired wrinkling by permitting more effective redistribution of excess material during the deforming operation, and which in addition provides the resulting tapered rib portion with increased strength and rigidity. This further construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,792 B2 and further illustrated in FIGS. 6-10 hereof.
Referring to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a portion of a vehicle bed member 11 which is of an integral one-piece construction formed by longitudinally roll forming a thin metal sheet such that the sheet initially has downwardly-opening channel-like ribs 18 extending longitudinally in sidewardly spaced but parallel relationship, with these ribs being sidewardly spaced by intermediate valleys 19. The ribs 18 are provided with a flat flange 31 along at least one transverse end edge thereof, which flange joins to the ribs 18, with the latter having tapered rib end portions 32 associated therewith similar to the arrangements of FIGS. 2-5 except that the tapered rib portions 32 and the flange 31 are both shaped so as to compensate for the excess material which exists during flattening of the ends 35 of the ribs 18 to thus eliminate or at least greatly minimize the presence of wrinkles either in the tapered rib end portion 32 or in the end flange 31.
The top wall of the tapered rib portion 32 is offset downwardly relative to the top and side edges thereof so as to define a shallow downwardly-offset recess 33, and the flange 31 where it merges with the tapered rib portion is, over a selected longitudinal extent of the flange 31, offset upwardly so as to define a recess 34. These recesses 33 and 34 are substantially simultaneously formed during flattening or deforming of the rib end portion, which flattening basically involves that portion of the rib which extends to the free end of the bed member, substantially as diagrammatically depicted by dotted lines 35 in FIG. 7.
With respect to the construction of the tapered rib portion 32, this portion longitudinally merges with the top wall 25 of the rib 18 such that, during the deforming of the rib end portion 35, the top wall 25 at its juncture to the tapered rib portion 32 is bent downwardly through a substantially reverse bend, i.e., a shallow S-curve bend 36, for merger with a generally flat but downwardly sloped end wall 37 of the tapered rib portion 32. This substantially flat end wall 37 extends transversely (i.e., sidewardly) between raised edge portions 38 which slope downwardly from their juncture with the top rib wall 25 in parallel relation to the top sloped wall 37. The edge portions 38 extend generally along the side walls 27 of the rib for merger with the flat and planar flange 31 at a location spaced longitudinally from the free edge 39 of the flange. The edge portions 38 effectively protrude upwardly above the tapered end wall 37 so as to define the downward offset recess 33 therebetween. The projections 38 are of a generally upwardly rounded arcuate shape so as to provide a continuous merger between the end wall 37 and the rib side walls 27. Due to the provision of the recess 33 and the downward offset of the tapered end wall 37 created thereby, this results in the formation of the arcuate projections 38 which have a generally downwardly-opening channel or U-shaped configuration so that these projections hence require additional material to form, and thus compensate for the excess material created during the deformation process.
During the forming of the tapered rib portion 32 as discussed above, the deformation of the rib end portion 35 also results in simultaneous formation of the flat edge flange 31, and the latter is also additionally and substantially simultaneously deformed so as to create therein the recess 34 which in effect results in formation of a raised wall or platform 41 which joins to the lower edge of the tapered top wall 37 and which projects longitudinally outwardly of the flange 31 so as to terminate at a rear edge 42 which is still spaced longitudinally from the free edge 39. This platform 41 as illustrated preferably has a width which approximately corresponds to the spacing between the raised side protrusions 38 adjacent the lower ends thereof where these protrusions merge into the flange 31. The raised wall or platform 41 is preferably generally flat or planar, and is generally parallel with but raised upwardly from the flange 31, with the side edges 43 of the platform 41 generally being disposed so as to merge in with the lower side edges of the tapered top wall 37.
The creation of the platform 41 accordingly results in the formation of the edge walls 42 and 43 which extend generally vertically and join the raised platform 41 to the flange 31, whereby these edge walls 42 and 43 hence require additional material to permit formation thereof. These walls 42, 43 are thus formed using much of the excess material which is created during flattening of the rib end portion 35.
Despite these improvements as described above, it is an object of the invention to provide a further improved vehicle bed member, preferably formed substantially through roll-forming which is usable with conventional duty vehicles and is particularly suitable for heavy-duty applications using high-strength steel. The invention therefor relates to an improved bed assembly having a panel-like bed member which preferably is roll-formed so as to have the aforementioned ribs and valleys formed therein. The invention relates to this bed member which is further improved so as to cooperate with a high-strength rear sill member in a manner which has an increased structural rigidity and strength and greater weld capability for welding the bed member to a sill and preferably at least to the rear sill.
In this bed member, the bed member is initially roll-formed so as to be formed with longitudinally extending channel-like ribs and sidewardly spaced but parallel valleys. Along the rear edge of the bed member, the bed member is subsequently shaped after roll-forming so as to form an elongate channel extending centrally along the middle of each rib between opposite rib walls, which channel has a bottom channel wall that extends in the bottom plane of the bed member for direct facing, contacting engagement with an upper surface of the rear sill to not only provide additional support to the rear edge of the bed member, but also define a weld location located within the width of the rib. As described in further detail herein, this improved bed member with end channels being formed centrally within each rib results in an improved, high-strength connection between the rear sill and an increased contact area and quantity of weld areas to generate a stronger connection that accommodates increased bed loads.
With the improved bed member of this invention, the one-piece roll-formed bed member can be formed generally to occupy only the center portion of the truck bed, namely that portion which extends between the wheel wells of the vehicle, or in the alternative the one-piece bed member may be formed so as to define the entire truck bed width by having the wheel wells cut therefrom. Both of these variations are disclosed in the assignee's earlier patents, identified above, and are encompassed within the present invention. Further, while the rib construction of this invention is particularly desirable for use at the rear edge of the bed member for cooperation with the rear sill of the vehicle, it will be appreciated that the improved rib construction of this invention is equally applicable for use at the front end of the bed member, either by itself or in conjunction with use of the same or a similar rib construction at the rear end of the bed member.
With the improved interconnection between the bed and sill, higher strength steel and higher-load capacity sills may be used since roll-forming is the primary process used to form the sill and bed member and is better able to accommodate the high-strength steel.
Other objects and purposes of the invention, and variations thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following descriptions for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words "upwardly", "downwardly", "rightwardly" and "leftwardly" will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words "inwardly" and "outwardly" will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the bed member and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

Vehicle bed edge construction and manufacturing process therefor


An automatic connecting apparatus for continuous packaging, having a braking mechanism for braking a terminal of a belt-shaped product at a braking position located near a conveying pathway of the belt-shaped product, with the belt-shaped product having packaged items which are packaged in bulged sections at regular pitch intervals. The apparatus also has a detection device coupled to the braking mechanism, for detecting the terminal end of the belt-shaped product. A positioning mechanism positions the terminal end at a prescribed position downstream from the braking position of the belt-shaped product, with interactive movement between the bulged sections and an interacting piece. A cutting mechanism is provided for cutting and separating a terminal end, and forming and pressing a new terminal end. A starting-end positioning device is provided for positioning the starting spare belt-shaped product so that it can be connected to the terminal end of the old belt-shaped product.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an automatic connecting apparatus for continuous packaging that enables continuous supply operations for attaching devices of individual packages from continuous packaging without interruption. An example of such an apparatus is a straw-attaching device where continuous packaging, consisting of rod-shaped product such as beverage straws is continuously packaged at regular intervals.
2. Description of Related Art:
Paper containers shown in FIG. 8, called package containers, are typically used as commercial containers for juice-type beverages. For the sale of juice in this type of container (P), a straw (B) is an accessory to the container (P) and is packaged for sanitary purposes and attached as a package (A). The packaging of the straw (B) forms a belt-shaped product (D) shown in FIG. 7, where two sheets of belt-shaped film continuing lengthwise wrap straws (B) in the width direction at regular intervals. This belt-shaped product (D) is paid out of a roll (which typically has a larger diameter than shown in the figure when the machine is first loaded), and the attaching operation is automatically performed by separating the belt-shaped product (D) at the fused sections (C) between adjacent straws. The separate straws (B) are then attached to the containers (P) as individually wrapped packages.
The belt-shaped product in continuous packaging form is loaded on the machine as a roll and sequentially paid out and fed to a cutting device. However, supplying new belt-shaped product after the entire roll of belt-shaped product is depleted typically requires the temporary shutdown of the machines. Therefore, the feeding operation could not be continuous, and the shutdown invariably leads to a drop in operating efficiency.
To resolve the above problems, an automatic connecting apparatus for continuous packaging has previously been proposed in Jap. Pat. App. Sho 57-161766, and disclosed in Jap. Pat. Pub. Sho 59-51031. In these devices, a forced feeding roller is installed along the conveying pathway of belt-shaped continuous packaging and rotates faster than the pay-out velocity of the product to be packaged. Upon the detection of the terminal end of the continuous packaging, the force-feeding roller is rotated quickly to create slack for the continuous packaging ahead of the roller. The starting end of a new, spare belt-shaped product is set on an arc-shaped platform at the rear of the force-feeding roller, and a press roller, established between the force-feeding roller and conveying pathway to engage and disengage from the force-feeding roller is transferred to the rear along the outer circumference of the arc-shaped platform along the upper surface of the final end of the belt-shaped product. The terminal end of the exhausted packaging can connect to the starting end of the aforesaid new continuous packaging.
Another continuous supply method and apparatus of continuous straw packages is disclosed in Jap. Pat. App. Sho 63-302511 (Jap. Pat. Pub. Hei 2-152640). This method teaches that straws are cut during transfer from continuous straw packaging maintained on the outer circumference of a drum and transferred from the rotating drum to container-adhering positions for transferring while continuous straw packaging is paid out to the rotating drum from a supply roll. During the retention on the outer circumference and rotated transfer of the rotating drum, the roll on stand-by retains the leading end of continuous straw packaging at the side of the rotating drum by a retaining means. When the continuous straw packages finish spooling their supply to the rotating drum, the retaining means is brought near the rotating drum to hand over and hold the leading end of the continuous straw packages on stand-by for the outer circumference of the rotating drum to enable continued pay-out and supply of the packages.
The automatic connecting apparatus for continuous packaging pertaining to the first application proposal (JP 59-51031) automatically and efficiently performs connecting of the final end (terminal end) of exhausted belt-shaped product and starting end of new belt-shaped product, whenever the paid out belt-shaped product approaches the end of a supply roll. Because connection proceeds with a final section near the core of the roll, however, a strong curl or a poor shape at the final end prevents correct fitting into the packaging slots (straw slots) established at a regular pitch on the arc-shaped platform. This fitting problem results in poor connections and considerable other problems resulting from undependable or defective connections.
The automatic connecting apparatus for continuous packaging pertaining to the second application (JP 63-302511) proposal cannot supply continuous straw packaging on machines which do not employ a rotating drum. When straws are applied to containers from a rotating drum, however, transfer of the leading end of the continuous straw packaging to the outer circumference of the rotating drum must be successful. If not, the application of straws to the containers will be incomplete and inconsistent, as some containers will not have straws.
The present invention is intended to cure the deficiencies which exist in current devices and systems in this art. The invention is directed to an automatic connecting apparatus for continuous packaging, which does not specifically require a rotating or cutting drum. The invention ensures that every container receives a straw, and connection problems due to curling when the final end (terminal end) of continuous packaging and the starting end of new continuous packaging are connected, are completely eliminated.

Apparatus for splicing of a continuous packaging web


The present invention is directed to novel methods and apparatus for noninvasively collecting substances through mucosal tissues. The concentration of a substance in blood is monitored noninvasively by correlation with the amount of the substance which permeates a mucosal membrane into a substance receiving medium over a specified time period. The substance receiving medium may include an substance permeation enhancer capable of increasing the substance permeability across the mucosal membrane. The substance receiving medium is positioned against the mucosal membrane. After sufficient time delay, the substance receiving medium is removed and analyzed for the concentration of a substance to be measured using known analytical techniques.. The apparatus within the scope of the present invention includes means for supporting the substance receiving medium. The means for supporting the receiving medium provides an added benefit of isolating the substance receiving medium from contamination sources. Such means for supporting the substance receiving medium may include a housing defining a receiving chamber therein which holds the substance receiving medium and an opening to the receiving chamber. The apparatus also preferably includes means for temporarily positioning the substance receiving medium against the mucosal membrane.. The present invention also naturally utilizes the mucosa as filter membrane to exclude compounds in plasma that would interfere with any analysis or make any analysis more difficult. Analysis of substances in receiving medium may be significantly easier than in plasma. An artificial membrane may be used to further exclude other undesirable compounds.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for monitoring the concentrations of certain substances in the blood of an individual. More particularly, the concentrations of natural and synthetic substances, present in an individual's body or introduced from an external source, are monitored noninvasively through diffusion across epithelial membranes, preferably the mucosal epithelial tissues within the mouth.
2. Technology Review
The blood is routinely tested for various blood constituents in countless medical procedures. This generally involves drawing an actual blood sample from the individual, followed by blood analysis. Typically, blood testing is a prophylactic or subsequent response to some type of disease.
The different types of substances which are routinely tested are quite diverse. One classification of the type of substances which are routinely tested are substances that naturally occur in a human body. This can include protein substances such as amino acids, and carbohydrate substances such as glucose.
Another classification of the type of substances which are routinely tested are substances which are introduced into a human body from an external source. These types of substances may be produced naturally or synthetically. Often, these types of drugs require dose-to-effect monitoring because of their toxic nature and to ensure therapeutic effectiveness. Examples of some types of externally derived substances include but are not limited to alcohol, narcotics, bronchodilators, diuretics, asthmatics, substances of abuse, and intravenous anesthetics.
The most accurate method of determining the presence of a substance in a subject's blood is to actually draw a blood sample and analytically measure it for the presence of the substance. Unfortunately, most individuals dislike giving blood samples. In addition, extraction of blood carries the risk of transmitting diseases, such as AIDS. There are also legal issues which arise from invasively drawing blood against the subject's will. Hence, there is a need for devices and methods for noninvasively measuring the presence of a substance in an individual's blood.
Attempts have been made to monitor the level of a substance in an individual's blood noninvasively. As used in this specification, the term "noninvasive blood substance monitoring" means determining the concentration of a substance in an individual's blood without actually drawing the blood. These attempts to monitor the level of a substance in blood noninvasively have most often taken the form of monitoring an individual's saliva or breath.
Measurement of the content of a substance in an individual's blood by a breathalyzer test may be inaccurate because the proportion of a substance in a person's breath is not always proportional to the amount of the substance in a person's blood stream. For example, a person having consumed an alcoholic beverage within a certain time period (i.e. 15 minutes) will register a higher alcohol content on a breathalyzer device than a simultaneously tested blood monitoring device. A certain amount of time must elapse before alcohol in an individual's expiration will correlate with alcohol in an individual's blood stream.
Likewise, efforts to monitor the level of a substance in the blood of an individual based upon the concentration of the substance in an individual's saliva can prove unsatisfactory. It is possible that saliva can become diluted, more concentrated or otherwise contaminated prior to any testing to monitor the concentration of the substance. The imprecise result of any such factors would thereby yield incorrect results.
Therefore, efforts to monitor the concentration of a substance in the blood of an individual based upon the concentration of the substance in an individual's saliva or breath are avoided because both saliva and breath are subject to factors which can lead to incorrect concentrations of the substance level in a person's blood.
There has also been an attempt in the prior art to monitor the concentration of a substance in the blood of an individual noninvasively by treating dermal layers with enzymes which react with the substance. The concentrations of the substance in the epidermal layers can then be determined by monitoring the enzyme reactions. However, these procedures cannot be considered noninvasive because compounds are introduced into the person's epidermal layers. Additionally, the compounds are allowed to react within the person's body, subjecting the dermal environment to reaction by-products.
In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that it would be a significant advancement in the art to develop an apparatus and methods for noninvasively monitoring the presence of a substance in the blood.
It would be another significant advancement in the art to provide apparatus and methods for noninvasively monitoring the concentration of a substance in the blood which accurately and reproducibly correlate with actual concentrations of the substance in the blood.
Also, it would be another significant advancement in the art to provide apparatus and methods for noninvasively monitoring the concentration of a substance in the blood without the possibility of contamination which can produce inaccurate reporting of the actual concentration of the substance in the blood.
Additionally, it would be a significant advancement in the art to provide apparatus and methods for noninvasively monitoring the concentration of a substance in the blood which can be performed rapidly.
It would be yet another significant advancement in the art to provide apparatus and methods for noninvasively monitoring the concentration of a substance in the blood which are not limited to certain individuals, but instead can be applied to a wide variety of individuals.
It would further be a significant advancement in the art to provide apparatus and methods for noninvasively monitoring the concentration of a substance in the blood which can be performed at a location, and at a point in time, where and when an individual is first required to be monitored for the concentration of the substance.
Such apparatus and methods for noninvasively monitoring the concentration of a substance in blood are disclosed and claimed herein.

Apparatus and methods for noninvasive blood substance monitoring