A method for producing a semiconductor wafer that yields a wafer having high flatness and back surface characteristics to address problems concerning the back surface of a wafer produced by the conventional surface grinding/double side polishing method and observed during the production process. The method comprises flattening both sides of the wafer by surface grinding means, eliminating a mechanically damaged layer by an etching treatment, and then subjecting a front surface of the wafer to a single side polishing treatment, wherein a back surface of the wafer has glossiness in a range of 20-80%.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a semiconductor wafer, in particular, a single crystal silicon wafer.
Conventional methods for producing semiconductor wafers generally comprise, as shown in Process III of FIG. 10 (henceforth this process is also referred to as xe2x80x9clapping/single side polishing methodxe2x80x9d), a slicing step to obtain a wafer of thin disc shape by slicing a single crystal silicon ingot pulled in a single crystal pulling apparatus; a chamfering step to chamfer a peripheral edge portion of the sliced wafer to prevent cracking or breakage of the wafer; a lapping step to flatten the surface of the chamfered wafer; a wet etching step to remove a mechanically damaged layer of the wafer remained after the chamfering and the lapping; a single side polishing step to finish one side of the etched wafer so that the wafer should have a mirror surface; and a cleaning step to clean the polished wafer to remove the polishing agent or dust particles remained on the wafer to improve the cleanliness of the wafer.
In view of recent use of semiconductors of higher functionality or higher performance, extremely smaller size, lighter weight and higher integration degree, higher quality and lower cost of base material wafers have been pursued. However, it is difficult to obtain flatness with high precision for wafers having, in particular, a large diameter of 200-300 mm or more, and reduction of production costs has almost reached its limitation.
Therefore, methods for processing wafers that can realize higher flatness and lower cost for the next generation have been actively developed. For example, there has been proposed a production method utilizing a combination of surface grinding and double side polishing (see Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (Kokai) No. 9-260314).
This method makes it easy to obtain flatness and thickness with higher precision by utilizing a surface grinding step as shown in Process IV of FIG. 11 (henceforth this process is also referred to as xe2x80x9csurface grinding/double side polishing methodxe2x80x9d) instead of the lapping step of Process III. Moreover, since this method can easily be automated, it also makes possible to markedly reduce man-day or man-hour of workers. In addition, there has also been developed a method for simultaneously grinding both sides in order to eliminate undulation components of a long period of 0.5 to 30 mm, which are generated in cutting with a wire saw or an inner diameter slicer, and of which removal has hitherto constituted a developmental object.
Moreover, the double side polishing means also has an advantage that it affords flatness of higher precision compared with the conventional one side polishing.
In the second surface grinding step of the aforementioned Process IV, in general, the grinding processing is separately performed for the front surface and the back surface by using the same grinding stone or the same grinding conditions. The processing traces on the front surface and the back surface caused by the surface grinding are removed by performing double side polishing.
By the way, although double side polished wafers produced in Process IV having the aforementioned advantages are excellent in flatness and so forth, they have a history that they have not accepted by device manufacturers so far. As the reason for this, the following three reasons can be mentioned.
First, when the presence of a wafer was confirmed by sensing the back surface of the wafer during the device production process, if characteristics of the back surface of the wafer such as glossiness and surface roughness are changed from those of conventional ones, sensing sensitivity must be readjusted. Such readjustment for sensing must be performed for the whole long process consisting of several tens of steps. Therefore, alteration of back surface characteristics shall be accompanied by serious obstructions.
Secondly, the back surface of the wafer subjected to the double side polishing so that it should have a mirror surface suffers high contact area ratio during back surface chucking, handling and so forth. Therefore, it is likely to receive contamination from a transportation system and so forth, and hence considerable improvement of cleanliness degree is required for the transportation system, and it constitutes a new technical problem. Moreover, it is also pointed out that sliding of wafer occurs in transportation and alignment because the back surface is made into a mirror surface.
Thirdly, it has also found that change of substantial surface area or contact area of the wafer back surface may cause serious phenomena, for example, temperature control may be deviated in the dry etching step, ion implantation step and so forth. In order to minimize the change of process steps for device production, characteristics required for wafers must be comparable to those of back surfaces of conventional wafers produced by Process III (lapping/single side polishing method). Specifically, the back surface glossiness must be within the range of 20-80% so that the back surface and the front surface can easily be distinguished.
Furthermore, even if the double side polishing of Process IV (see FIG. 11) is replaced with single side polishing, that is, even if a non-mirror surface subjected to etching treatment after grinding is left on the wafer back surface, glossiness of the back surface would exceed 80%, when the back surface is ground by using the same grinding stone or the same grinding conditions as the surface grinding, in which the ground surface is intended to be removed by polishing. Thus, the same problems as a mirror surface may be caused. This is exactly because the surface grinding conditions are constituted by selection of grinding stone and grinding conditions optimized so that the surface can easily be made into a mirror surface in the subsequent polishing step.
The present invention was accomplished in view of the problems of the conventional techniques mentioned above, and its major object is to provide a method for producing a semiconductor wafer that has high flatness and back surface characteristics that can solve the problems concerning the back surface of a wafer having high glossiness for both sides that is produced by the conventional surface grinding/double side polishing method and observed during the device production process, and to provide a semiconductor wafer having such characteristics.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides a semiconductor wafer obtained by a process comprising at least flattening both sides of the wafer by surface grinding means, eliminating a mechanically damaged layer by an etching treatment; and then subjecting the wafer to a single side polishing treatment, wherein a back surface of the wafer has glossiness in a range of 20-80%.
This wafer is a wafer that has excellent flatness for the both sides and different surface conditions for the front surface and the back surface. For example, the front surface is finished as a mirror surface having a glossiness of 90-100%, and the back surface is finished to have a glossiness of 20-80%. Such a wafer surely eliminates the obstructions observed for wafers produced by the conventional surface grinding/double side polishing method during the device production process, for example, need of readjustment of sensing sensitivity, indistinguishability of front surface and back surface, separation failure after vacuum sucking, contamination during transportation, bad temperature control and so forth. Therefore, it can improve productivity and yield and markedly reduce the cost of the device production process.
The present invention also provides a method for producing a semiconductor wafer, which comprises at least cutting out a wafer by slicing a semiconductor ingot, simultaneously grinding both of front surface and back surface of the wafer, then flattening the wafer by surface grinding means for separately grinding the front surface and the back surface under different conditions, removing a mechanically damaged layer by an etching treatment while maintaining flatness, and then subjecting the wafer to a single side polishing treatment.
By such a process for producing a wafer comprising simultaneous surface grinding of both sides, separate surface grinding for each of front surface and back surface, etching and single side polishing, a wafer having higher flatness can be produced with a lower cost compared with the conventional lapping/single side polishing method. Further, a back surface with desired low glossiness can easily be provided at low cost, in contrast to the drawback of the double side polished wafers, i.e., the high glossiness of the back surface.
Therefore, a wafer processed by the method of the present invention is a wafer having excellent flatness for the both sides, and different roughness conditions for the front surface and the back surface. For example, it can be finished to have a mirror surface of high glossiness for the front surface and desired low glossiness for the back surface. Such a wafer eliminates the obstructions in the device production process caused by wafers produced through the conventional surface grinding/double side polishing method, for example, need of readjustment of sensing sensitivity, indistinguishability of front surface and back surface, bad separation after vacuum sucking, contamination during transportation, bad temperature control and so forth. Therefore, productivity, yield and cost of the device production process can markedly improved.
The present invention further provides a method for producing a semiconductor wafer, which comprises at least cutting out a wafer by slicing a semiconductor ingot, simultaneously grinding both of front surface and back surface of the wafer, then flattening the surface by surface grinding means for grinding only the front surface under a condition different from the condition for the simultaneous grinding of both of the front surface and the back surface, removing a mechanically damaged layer by an etching treatment while maintaining flatness, and then subjecting the wafer to a single side polishing treatment.
Since low glossiness of the back surface is attained also by this method, a wafer with high flatness can easily be produced at low cost without significantly altering quality of the back surface compared with those of conventional wafers. Therefore, the various obstructions in the device production process can be overcome, and productivity, yield and cost of devices can markedly be improved.
In this case, as the grinding means, there can be used a double head grinding apparatus which can simultaneously grind both of the front surface and the back surface of the wafer, and a surface grinding apparatus which can grind the front surface and the back surface of the wafer with distinct conditions.
By using such a double-step grinding process, i.e., first simultaneously grinding both of the front surface and the back surface by a double head grinding apparatus to obtain high flatness for the both sides, and then grinding the front surface and the back surface with distinct conditions to give difference of surface roughness for the front surface and back surface, the wafer can be finished by the subsequent etching and polishing treatments so as to have a highly glossy front surface and a back surface of low glossiness.
In this case, the wafer is preferably subjected to chamfering before the surface grinding of the both sides.
By chamfering as described above, cracking and fractures such as chips of wafers during the grinding and polishing can be prevented.
Further, the etching treatment of the aforementioned method is preferably performed as wet etching using an alkali solution as an etching solution.
In the manner described above, the mechanically damaged layer of the wafer can be removed, while high flatness obtained by the double side surface grinding and the single side surface grinding is maintained, and the polishing can efficiently be performed in the subsequent single side polishing treatment while the quality obtained after the grinding is maintained. The etching treatment of the wafer can be performed in such a degree that a minimum stock removal for only the mechanically damaged layer should be removed.
As described above, a semiconductor wafer which has a front surface exhibiting high flatness and high glossiness and a back surface exhibiting glossiness within the range of 20-80% can easily be produced at low cost according to the present invention. Therefore, because a wafer produced according to the present invention has the back surface characteristics substantially comparable to those of a wafer obtained by the conventional lapping/single side polishing method, it eliminates the need for readjustment of sensor sensitivity for sensing the presence or absence of the wafer, enables clear differentiation between the front surface and the back surface of wafer and surer temperature control, and reduces contamination of the back surface caused by the transportation system. Thus, it can sufficiently meet to the requirements for realizing higher integration degree in the device production process, and it can improve productivity and yield of the device production process, and markedly improve the cost.

Semiconductor wafer and production method therefor


A device for providing variable length fiber optic cable and storing any excess not used. Means are provided to allow for extending and retracting fiber optic cable to prevent excess slack when in use. Optical coupling units provide optical coupling of fiber optic cable within the device. Multiple devices may be connected together to provide variable length fiber optic cable in different directions.

The use of fiber optic cable and associated components (e.g., optical connectors) to communicate information has increased dramatically, due in part to the increased need to transmit larger amounts of information more rapidly (e.g., real-time video). These higher data speeds can be met using an optical fiber medium. Essentially, transmission of information using fiber optics is achieved using light pulses that traverse along a glass or plastic optical wire or optical fiber. Thus, as the need for faster communication has grown, optical fiber, because of its ability to transmit more information at higher speeds, is replacing conventional copper wire for providing everyday communication links. For example, many telephone companies are employing optical fiber for use in their long distance lines. Further, not only is more data transmitted at higher speeds, but optical fiber is less subject to interference (e.g., electromagnetic interference), thereby reducing the need to retransmit or amplify signals.
As recognized by the inventor hereof, with the increased use of fiber optic technology, and in particular fiber optic cable, specific connectors to connect communicating devices to, for example, a wall outlet or interface will be needed. Further, different lengths of fiber optic cable will be needed depending upon the particular applications. For example, in much the same way that it is common to connect telephone cable to a telephone jack to provide communication using a telephone within a home, similar types of connections will be required for fiber optic interfaces. However, because of the extremely small diameter of fiber optic cable, problems arise that are not present when using traditional communication wire (e.g., telephone wire). In particular, fiber optic cable has a much greater tendency to become tangled, thereby requiring careful deployment of the cable, for example, when variable cable length is needed. Further, the likelihood of tangled cable increases significantly as the length of cable increases, thereby requiring time and effort to untangle the cable. Additionally, the chance of damage to exposed fiber optic cable (e.g., between a device and a wall connection), for example, when tangled and knotted, is increased, due in part to a minimum bend radius, which if exceeded, will damage (i.e., snap) the cable. It is also more difficult to cut fiber optic cable and provide connectors on the cable than with other types of wire (e.g., copper wire).

Fiber optic cable device with retractable operation

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Provided is a thermally sensitive recording medium which exhibits high recording sensitivity, high heat resistance of ground color part and excellent preserving stability of images. A thermally sensitive recording medium, comprising a thermally sensitive recording layer containing a colorless or pale colored basic colorless dye and an organic color developing agent as main components on a substrate, wherein said thermally sensitive recording layer contains at least one compound represented by general formula (1) and contains at least one compound selected from the group consisting of 3-{[(phenylamino)carbonyl]amino}benzensulfoneamide represented by formula (2), an ureaurethane compound represented by formula (3) and a copolymer of glysidilmethacrylate and vinyl monomer (average molecular weight is 9000-11000, epoxy equivalent is 300-600 and melting point is 110° C. or less) as a stabilizer.

In general, a thermally sensitive recording medium is prepared by following process. That is, after a colorless or pale colored basic colorless dye and an organic color developing agent are respectively ground to fine particles, these particles are mixed together with and additives such as a binder, a filler, a sensitizer and a slipping agent or others are added and obtain a coating, then the obtained coating is coated on a substrate such as a paper, a synthetic paper, a film or a plastic. The thermally sensitive recording medium develops color by instant chemical reaction caused by heating with a thermal head, a hot stamp, a thermal pen or laser beam. Usually, a thermally sensitive recording medium is broadly applied for a facsimile use, a terminal printer of a computer, an automatic bending machine for tickets and a recorder of a measuring instrument, and the use is extending broadly, for example, labels, tickets or slips.
However, along with the extension of uses, requirement for improvement of developed color preservative stability against natural environment such as heat, water or light, body fat when treated by hand, oil, plasticizer when put in a leather purse or solvent and requirement for good ground color are becoming more earnest, and must respond to these requirements.
For example, regarding preservative stability for an image part, it is known that resistance to plasticizer can be improved by using benzyloxalic acid esters compound, bisphenylsulfones compound and a compound possessing epoxy group (refer to patent document 1).
(Patent Document 1)                Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 4-164685 (claim)
Further, recently, the uses for a lottery ticket or a betting ticket of horse race are increasing. In these uses, since there is a possibility that one ticket becomes a bill of high amount, during a long effective term of the bill e.g. from 2 months to 1 year, reliability that the printed letters do not become unreadable or disappear is required. Especially, since these bills are usually kept in common living condition, for example, in cases when these bills are put on dash board of a car and exposed in high temperature atmosphere and ground color is developed or when these bills are wetted by water by spilling of water or hot water or are exposed to rain, it is important that the printed letters has a stability to be readable.
The object of the present invention is to provide a thermally sensitive recording medium which has high recording sensitivity, good heat resistance of ground color and good preservative stability of an image part.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Abstract: (in the formula, R1 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group or alkoxy group)

Abstract: As a color developing agent a compound represented by general formula (4) is desirable.

Abstract: (in the formula, R2 is an alkyl group of carbon number 1-4, an alkoxy group, a phenyl group or a hydrogen atom).


Systems and methods utilize cradle contacts for completing diagnostic tests of rechargeable devices, such as cordless telephones. A cordless telephone handset or base is placed into a test fixture. Once the handset or base is cradled, diagnostic message signals are transmitted through cradle contacts in the test fixture and handset/base. The message signals may be made up of ASK signals. The beginning and end of each test may be identified by a code or codes embedded in a message signal. The use of cradle contacts to complete diagnostic tests alleviates problems associated with use of internal test access ports to carry out such tests.

Most people who use cordless telephones are familiar with the need to recharge the battery contained within the handset. A visual inspection of most cordless telephone handsets usually reveals the presence of electrical contacts embedded in the handset. When the handset is placed into the base of a cordless telephone, the contacts form a circuit with matching contacts embedded in the base. This circuit connection is used to recharge the battery contained in the handset using a power source routed through the base. These contacts are referred to as xe2x80x9ccradle contacts.xe2x80x9d The recharging of the handset necessarily requires an electrical current, referred to as a charging signal, to flow through the matching contacts.
During the manufacturing process both the base and handset must be tested to insure they are working properly. Additionally, handsets/bases must be tested when they are returned for servicing. Typically, once a handset has been assembled it can only be tested by removing its cover in order to access internal circuitry or by removing the battery from the battery compartment. Either way, the handset is tested by connecting a test fixture to the handset using an xe2x80x9cinternalxe2x80x9d (i.e., not on the surface of the handset) connection. The handset may include an internal, dedicated connector called a Test Access Port (xe2x80x9cTAPxe2x80x9d). Once a connection has been established with a test fixture using a TAP or the like, the test fixture may send diagnostic message signals over the connection to internal processors or the like located inside the handset, e.g., digital signal processors, in order to conduct diagnostic tests.
Using internal TAPs to complete diagnostic tests is time-consuming because it requires that the handset (or base) be partially disassembled (i.e., to fix it) or partially assembled (i.e., when it is being made) to conduct the tests. Some cordless telephones have sought to solve this problem by placing the TAPs on the external surface of the handset (or base). While this may reduce the time it takes to complete the diagnostic tests, it has its drawbacks. First, placing TAPs on an external surface exposes them to a user. The risk is that the electrical contacts making up the TAPs could be damaged and rendered useless. Second, exposing TAPs results in a degradation in their conductivity over time.
Some have tried to use an RF link in order to carry out diagnostic tests. However, the production/manufacturing environment can be a harsh, frequency environment containing severe RF interference making the use of RF links impractical.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved means of completing diagnostic tests of a handset or base of a cordless telephone using a complementary test fixture/set-up.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide for systems and methods for completing diagnostic tests of a handset or base of a rechargeable device without using internal TAPs.
Other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In accordance with the present invention there are provided systems and methods for completing diagnostic tests on rechargeable devices, such as a cordless telephone, using cradle contacts of a cordless handset or base. Using cradle contacts to complete diagnostic tests alleviates the problems associated with the cumbersome use of TAPS because the cradle contacts are located at or near the external surface of a cordless telephone handset or base.
An illustrative embodiment comprises a system which itself may comprise one or more devices such as a test fixture, cordless handset and/or cordless base. Each of these components in turn comprises cradle contacts for inputting and outputting diagnostic messages and a processor for controlling the generation, output and/or input of the diagnostic messages. The processor may comprise a digital signal processor, microprocessor or the like.
The cradle contacts of the test fixture, handset or base may alternatively comprise inductive cradle contacts while the diagnostic message signals may comprise signals not normally present during normal cradle charging, such as ASK message signals. These message signals have different frequencies than traditional charging signals. Embedded in the diagnostic message signals may be additional data which is used to insure the message signals are transmitted/received correctly, such as error checking and framing information.
In addition to cradle contacts and a processor, the test fixture, handset and/or base may also comprise a detector for separately detecting the diagnostic message signals from charging signals. This insures the two will not be confused by the processor.
In order to mark the beginning and end of a diagnostic test, the message signals may further comprise a first code or codes for indicating the beginning of a diagnostic test and/or a second code or codes for indicating the end of a diagnostic test.
The present invention and its advantages can be best understood with reference to the drawings, detailed description of the invention and claims that follow.

Systems and methods for completing diagnostic tests on rechargeable devices using cradle contacts


Arrangements are made to enable different original images to be reproduced upon observation from different positions and yet enable reproduced images of high resolution to be obtained. In a case of recording two original images, each of the two original images Ia and Ib is defined as a set of point light sources in an XYZ global coordinate system, and two propagation spaces Sa and Sb, each enabling propagation of light emitted from an origin Q of an α β γ local coordinate system, are defined. A predetermined recording plane and a reference light are set in the XYZ coordinate system, and an interference fringe pattern, which is formed on the recording plane by object light components from the point light sources constituting the respective original images and the reference light, is determined by computation. In this process, the computation is performed upon deeming that a light from a point light source belonging to the original image Ia spreads only within the propagation space Sa, with the origin Q of the α β γ coordinate system being overlappingly set at the position of the point light source, and that a light from a point light source belonging to the original image Ib spreads only within the propagation space Sb, with the origin Q of the α β γ coordinate system being overlappingly set at the position of the point light source.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for manufacturing a hologram recording medium and particularly relates to arts for manufacturing a hologram recording medium that is arranged to reproduce different original images when observed from different positions.
Holograms have come to be widely used in applications for preventing counterfeiting of cash vouchers and credit cards. Normally, a region onto which a hologram is to be recorded is set up in a portion of a medium to be subject to counterfeiting prevention, and a hologram of a three-dimensional image, etc., is recorded inside this region.
With many holograms that are currently utilized commercially, an original image is recorded onto a medium in the form of interference fringes by an optical method. That is, a method is employed in which an object that forms an original image is prepared and light from the object and a reference light are guided by a lens or other optical system to a recording surface, coated with a photosensitizing agent, to form interference fringes on the recording surface. Although this optical method requires an optical system of considerably high precision to obtain a clear image, it is the most direct method for obtaining a hologram and is the most widely practiced method in industry.
Meanwhile, methods for preparing a hologram by forming interference fringes on a recording surface by computation using a computer have come to be known recently, and a hologram prepared by such a method is generally referred to as a "computer generated hologram (CGH)" or simply as a "computer hologram." A computer hologram is obtained by simulating an optical interference fringe generating process on a computer, and an entire process of generating an interference fringe pattern is carried out in the form of computation on the computer. Upon obtaining image data of an interference fringe pattern by such a computation, physical interference fringes are formed on an actual medium based on the image data. As a specific example, a method, with which image data of an interference fringe pattern prepared by a computer are provided to an electron beam printer and physical interference fringes are formed by scanning an electron beam across a medium, has been put to practical use.
With a hologram recording medium, an original image can be recorded three-dimensionally and the original image can be observed from different angles by changing the viewpoint position. Thus, a major characteristic of a hologram recording medium is that a three-dimensional image can be recorded on a flat surface. Also, recently, hologram recording media, with a further characteristic that a completely different original image is reproduced when observed from a different angle, are being utilized commercially. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-109362A discloses a method that employs a computer generating hologram method to manufacture a hologram recording medium with which different original images can be reproduced by changing the viewpoint position.
As mentioned above, methods for manufacturing a hologram recording medium, with which different original images can be reproduced when observed from different positions, are already as known as conventional arts. However, because the basic principle of the conventional methods is to set up a plurality of regions on a hologram recording surface and record a different original image on each individual region, there is the problem that the reproduced images are lowered in resolution.
For example, the abovementioned Patent Document discloses a method in which a hologram recording surface is partitioned into a plurality of strip-like regions, each strip-like region is associated with one original image among a plurality of mutually different original images, and on a single strip-like region, only the one original image that is associated with the strip-like region is recorded. Specifically, in a case where three original images are to be recorded, a recording method is employed in which a first original image is recorded on a 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th strip-like regions, etc., a second original image is recorded on a 2nd, 5th, 8th, 11th strip-like regions, etc., and a third original image is recorded on a 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th strip-like regions, etc. In this case, each of the three original images is recorded in the form of interference fringes and by differing the direction of the reference light according to each original image in this process, a specific original image is made to be reproduced upon observation from a specific position.
However with the above example, because, for example, the first original image is recorded only on the 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th strip-like regions, etc., and information on the first original image are left out from the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th strip-like regions, etc., the resolution of the reproduced image is reduced to ⅓ that of the original. Thus, as long as the principle of recording a different original image on each individual region is employed, the problem of lowering the resolution of the reproduced image occurs.

Method and device for manufacturing a hologram recording medium


A fuel fitting assembly includes a monolithic fuel fitting formed by additive manufacturing. The fitting includes a first end, a second end, a conduit extending axially through the fitting from the first end to the second end, and a first sealing element. The first end is to be connected to a fuel line. The second end is to be connected to a device requiring or providing fuel. The first sealing element includes a sealing seat circumferentially surrounding the conduit at the second end of the fitting. The fuel fitting is integrally formed as a stack of layers of material.

The present invention relates to fuel fittings. A fuel fitting may connect a fuel line to a device requiring fuel, for example a fuel injector in a gas turbine engine. A fuel fitting may also connect a fuel line to a device supplying fuel, such as a fuel manifold. Fuel fittings for unique, or low production volume, applications typically must be machined from bar stock. Such fuel fittings are thus relatively costly and require long lead-times to produce. A more economical method of manufacturing fuel fittings is desired.


The present invention relates to a method for managing a low latency of handover of MH comprising the steps of: determining imminence handover of the MH whether intra-domain or inter-domain using hybrid location tracking scheme, initiating an intra-domain handover mechanism if the handover is the intra-domain handover through transmitting the MH's context transfer towards multiple new MAG domain based on MCE list; initiating an inter-domain handover mechanism if the handover is the inter-domain handover through transmitting the MH's context transfer towards multiple fLMA domain based on the HLCE list; and redirecting all traffic towards the MH. The above provision is advantageous as it provides a hybrid latency low intra/inter-domain handover mechanism, which proactively coordinates MH's handover process as well as maintains MH's data session continually during its intra/inter-domain roaming within/across PMIPv6 domain respectively.

Recently, IETF proposed another protocol like Proxy Mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6) as a network-based mobility management approach to overcome the most Internet Protocol (IP) mobility challenge and support the Mobile Host (MH) mobility roaming within a localized domain network (i.e., intra-domain mobility/horizontal handover). In addition, PMIPv6 assign network entities to carry out the mobility-related signaling on behalf of the MH and shortens these signaling by form of the localized domain during MH intra-domain handover. Therefore, it allows diverse type of MHs to utilize the PMIPv6 services with less IP-stack complexity and power uses as well as saving the air resource (i.e., lessens the mobility signaling over the wireless link). Nevertheless, although PMIPv6 mobility management performs superior than the MIPv6 and its extensions it cannot support MH inter-domain mobility, since its primary designed for MH intra-domain mobility. Thus, when MH moves out across PMIPv6 domain edge will incur a connection disruption, which disables the continuity of its communication session.
In addition, in future high-speed mobility environment (i.e., train, vehicle, etc.) providing anywhere and anytime Internet accesses for real-time sensitive service becomes an important issue. This can be achieved using IP mobility management protocol like PMIPv6. Accordingly, in order to support IP mobility with service continuity for high-speed environments. PMIPv6 have to provide a seamless handover scheme and utilize the geographical position information of the base stations access links. Since, the typical high-speed mobility host moves with considerable distance at very high-speed movements, which usually restricted to directional/bidirectional movement along the pathways.
Concerns have been raised by several relevant conventional inter-PMIPv6-domain schemes about supporting MH inter-domain mobility. However these schemes lack to support an efficient seamless handover for MH mobility roaming both in intra/inter-domain. Due to their considerable handover latency, data traffic losses, extra mobility-related signaling and high end-to-end traffic latency. Hence, these issues negatively impede the performance requirements to satisfy the Quality of Service (QoS) for the real-time sensitive services towards providing uninterrupted network connectivity.

Method for managing a low latency handover for mobile host seamless mobility


The present invention discloses a rack mountable to a computer cabinet without using a tool, and the rack includes a slide module and a latch element, and the slide module includes an adjusting element and a latch element. The latch element includes at least one hook extended horizontally and at least one protruding pillar proximate to the hook. During installation, the hook is latched into a positioning hole of the computer cabinet, and a turning member of the latch element is turned to extend the protruding pillar deep into the positioning hole, so that the hook will not be separated from the positioning hole when the protruding pillar is pressed. On the other hand, users simply need to return the turning member to its original position to separate the protruding pillar from the positioning hole, so as to disassemble the rack.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rack mountable to a computer cabinet without using a tool, and more particularly to a rack having a slide module that can be secured into a computer cabinet without using any tool, and the length of the rack can be adjusted by moving adjusting elements on the slide module to fit computer cabinets with different depths.
2. Description of the Related Art
As networking technology advances, personal computers become very popular, and servers are also used extensively in offices and for big events. In general, a server is used as a contact window for coordination or a central data collecting area, servers are centralized and placed into a computer cabinet. The front of the computer cabinet usually has an opening for placing the servers into the computer cabinet. Both lateral sides of the opening of the computer cabinet comes with a separate stand 100 as shown in FIG. 1, and the stands 100 include separate longitudinally arranged pivotal connecting holes 101 disposed on a rack 200 of the stands 100, and the rack 200 is provided for a slide module (not shown in the figure), and the slide module installs a computer chassis (not shown in the figure). Further, both front and rear ends of the rack 200 have an inwardly bent plate 201, and the bent plates 201 separately have a fixing hole 202 for passing a screw bolt 203, and the screw bolt 203 is passed through the fixing hole 202 and screwed into a fixing member 204 of the pivotal connecting hole 101, so that the fixing hole 202, screw bolt 203 and fixing member 204 fix the rack 200 onto the stand 100. However, it is necessary to use a tool to secure screw bolts 203 into the fixing member 204 of the rack 200, and thus the installation and removal of the rack is very troublesome and time-consuming. Furthermore, the rack 200 comes with a fixed length and it is made according to the depth of the computer cabinet, and thus it is necessary to prepare a new computer cabinet for the requirement of a different depth, and such application definitely cannot meet the user's requirements.

Rack mountable to a computer cabinet without using a tool


A process and a system for delivering a propellant combination to a rocket engine is described. The process comprises the steps of providing a flow of a hydrocarbon propellant fuel, raising the pressure of the hydrocarbon propellant fuel, cracking the hydrocarbon propellant fuel in a cracker, introducing the cracked hydrocarbon propellant fuel into a combustion chamber of the rocket engine and introducing an oxidizer into the combustion chamber. A system for performing the process is also described.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a rocket engine, such as a booster rocket engine, using gaseous hydrocarbon in a catalytically enhanced gas generator cycle.
(2) Prior Art
A major issue with a LOX/kerosene propellant combination in high thrust rocket engine applications is instability. Pressure fluctuations in the combustion chamber have large enough values to cause harm to the structure are what is referred to as instability. Gas dynamic driven pressure variations that are driven by atomization and chemical instabilities at particular frequencies are the source of instability issues. These vibrations are usually high frequency (1000 Hz or higher) and can be very damaging.
During the combustion process, liquid fuel (kerosene) must be vaporized and cracked into its subcomponents in order to combust and this vaporization time that the kerosene droplet needs is one of the key factors in the kerosene instability issue. As the droplets enter the combustion zone, the radiant energy causes the droplets to vaporize faster and the combustion front moves closer to the faceplate. However, the faceplate is cool so that the droplet size increases and the flame front moves back down. Since the combustion causes a sharp pressure increase, a pressure wave forms. These form axial waves to set up in the chamber. The larger the chamber diameter, the more the chances of an instability occurring.

Booster rocket engine using gaseous hydrocarbon in catalytically enhanced gas generator cycle


Ready-to-use bivalirudin compositions, methods of using the ready-to-use bivalirudin compositions, and methods of preparing the ready-to-use bivalirudin compositions. The ready-to-use bivalirudin compositions comprise bivalirudin and one or more stabilizing agents. The one or more stabilizing agents may be buffering agents having a pKa of about 2.5 to about 6.5, pH-adjusting agents, polymers, preservatives, antioxidants, sugars or polyols, or a combination thereof. The ready-to-use bivalirudin compositions may also comprise [9-10]-cycloimido bivalirudin, [11-12]-cycloimido bivalirudin, or a combination thereof. The method of using the ready-to-use bivalirudin compositions comprises administering the ready-to-use compositions to a patient in need thereof. Further, the method of preparing the ready-to-use bivalirudin compositions comprises mixing bivalirudin with one or more stabilizing agents.

Anticoagulants are substances that prevent blood from clotting. They are commonly used during percutaneous coronary intervention ("PCI") and other catherization techniques in order to reduce bleeding complications during surgery. One class of anticoagulants is direct thrombin inhibitors that disrupt the activity of thrombin, a serine protease involved in the coagulation cascade that initiates clotting when fibrinogen is converted to fibrin. Thrombin also activates Factor XIII into Factor XIIIa (the latter which links fibrin polymers covalently), Factors V and VIII (which promote thrombin generation), and platelets (which help propagate the thrombus).
Bivalirudin directly inhibits thrombin by specifically binding to both its catalytic site and anion-binding exosite, and is regarded as a highly effective anticoagulant for use during catherization procedures. Bivalirudin, also known as hirulog, is a synthetic congener of the naturally occurring thrombin peptide inhibitor hirudin, which is found in the saliva of the medicinal leech Hirudo medicinalis. Hirudin consists of 65 amino acids, although shorter peptide segments have proven to be effective as thrombin inhibitors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,404 ("'404 patent", incorporated herein by reference) discloses bivalirudin among these shorter peptides that demonstrate anticoagulant activity. However, in contrast to hirudin, bivalirudin is a reversible thrombin inhibitor that is ideal for temporary prevention of blood clotting during catherization procedures.
Bivalirudin is a synthetic 20 amino acid peptide having the chemical name of D-Phenylalanyl-L-Prolyl-L-Arginyl-L-Prolyl-Glycyl-Glycyl-Glycyl-Glycyl-L-Asparagyl-Glycyl-L-Aspartyl-L-Phenylalanyl-L-Glutamyl-L-Glutamyl-L-Isoleucyl-L-Prolyl-L-Glutamyl-L-Glutamyl-L-Tyrosyl-L-Leucine trifluoroacetate (salt) hydrate and has a molecular weight of 2180 daltons (as the free base form). Bivalirudin is made up of the amino acid sequence: (D-Phe)-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly-Asn-Gly-Asp-Phe-Glu-Glu-Ile-Pro-Glu-Glu-Tyr-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 1). As used herein, the term bivalirudin refers to the peptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 1, and salts thereof.
Bivalirudin can be formulated into a lyophilized drug product such as ANGIOMAX®. Approved indications for ANGIOMAX® include treatment in patients with unstable angina undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty ("PTCA"); administration with the provisional use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor for use as an anticoagulant in patients undergoing PCI; and treatment in patients with, or at risk of, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia ("HIT") or heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis syndrome ("HITTS") undergoing PCI. See ANGIOMAX® Prescribing Information.
At present, bivalirudin is solely available in the form of a lyophilized composition that must be reconstituted prior to administration. In general, to administer a lyophilized drug composition, multiple steps are required as the lyophilized cake is first reconstituted, diluted and then administered. In some cases with certain drugs, the complete dissolution of the powder may require prolonged shaking. Lack of complete dissolution of certain drug powders can result in suboptimal dosing to the patient, which may result in decreased efficacy. Moreover, reconstitution introduces the potential for calculation and dilution errors. See generally Fanikos et al., Am. J. Cardio., 94 (2004) 532-535.
Other drugs that are marketed as RTU products are readily available for patient administration and do not require lengthy preparation. As such, these products lead to more efficient use of hospital resources and fewer mixing mistakes and dosing errors. See generally Joint Commission, 2009 National Patient Safety Goals Manual Chapter; Joint Commission, Sentinel Event Alert Issue 41, Sep. 24, 2008, Preventing Errors Relating to Commonly Used Anticoagulants. These RTU compositions give the physicians and clinicians assurance of the appropriate drug concentration, allowing them to focus on the treatment without concern for the logistics around drug preparation. Thus, patients with cardiovascular disease, who require an immediate invasive intervention, would benefit from an RTU bivalirudin composition.


Provided are a platform authentication strategy management method for trusted connection architecture (TCA), and the trusted network connection (TNC) client, TNC access point and evaluation strategy service provider for implementing the method in the TCA. In the embodiments of the present invention, the platform authentication strategy for the access requester can be configured in the TNC access point or the evaluation strategy service provider, and the platform authentication strategy for the access requester configured in the evaluation strategy service provider can be delivered to the TNC access point. Moreover, a component-type-level convergence platform evaluation strategy can be executed in the TNC access point or the evaluation strategy service provider, to ensure that the realization of the TCA platform authentication has good application extensibility.

The issue of malicious software, e.g., viruses, worms, etc., has become extremely prominent along with the informationization development. At present there have been more than thirty-five thousand kinds of malicious software, and over forty million computers have been infected annually. It is required for inhibition of such attacks to not only address secured transmission and a check for data input but also prevent from a source, that is, each terminal connected to a network. However, traditional security preventions have failed to defend various types of malicious attacks.
The international Trusted Computing Group (TCG) has established specifically for this issue a trusted computing based network connection specification—Trusted Network Connection (TNC), simply denoted as TCG-TNC, which includes an open terminal integrity framework and a set of standards for guaranteeing secure interoperations. Reference is made to FIG. 1 for a TCG-TNC architecture. The TCG-TNC architecture illustrated in FIG. 1 includes three entities: an access requester, a policy enforcement point and a policy decision point. The TCG-TNC architecture is divided into three layers: a network access layer, an integrity evaluation layer and an integrity measurement layer. The access requester includes components which are an integrity measurement collector, a TNC client and a network access requester, where the integrity measurement collector above the TNC client may be one or more. The policy decision point includes components which are an integrity measurement verifier, a TNC server and a network access authorizer, where the integrity measurement verifier above the TNC server may be one or more. A Policy Enforcement Point Interface (IF-PEP) is an interface between the policy enforcement point and the network access authorizer. A Network Authorization Transport Protocol Interface (IF-T) is an interface between the network access requester and the network access authorizer. A TNC Client-Server Interface (IF-TNCCS) is an interface between the TNC client and the TNC server. A Vendor-Specific IMC-IMV Message Interface (IF-M) is an interface between the integrity measurement collector and the integrity measurement verifier. An Integrity Measurement Collector Interface (IF-IMC) is an interface between the TNC client and the integrity measurement collector. An Integrity Measurement Verifier Interface (IF-IMV) is an interface between the TNC server and the integrity measurement verifier.
Since the policy enforcement point in the TCG-TNC architecture is located at the edge of a network and the access requester performs no platform authentication on the policy enforcement point, the architecture suffers from the problem of the policy enforcement point being not trusted. In order address this problem, there is proposed a TNC architecture based upon Tri-element Peer Authentication (TePA), which is simply referred to as a Trusted Connection Architecture (TCA). Reference is made to FIG. 2 for the TCA. The TCA illustrated in FIG. 2 includes three entities: an access requester, an access controller and a policy manager. The TCA is divided into three layers: a network access control layer, a trusted platform evaluation layer and an integrity measurement layer. The access requester includes components which are an integrity measurement collector, a TNC client and a network access requester, where the integrity measurement collector above the TNC client may be one or more. The access controller includes components which are an integrity measurement collector, a TNC access point and a network access controller, where the integrity measurement collector above the TNC access point may be one or more. The policy manager includes components which are an integrity measurement verifier, an evaluation policy server and an authentication policy server, where the integrity measurement verifier above the evaluation policy server may be one or more. An Authentication Policy Server Interface (IF-APS) is an interface between the network access controller and the authentication policy server. A Trusted Network Transport Interface (IF-TNT) is an interface between the network access requester and the network access controller. An Evaluation Policy Server Interface (IF-EPS) is an interface between the TNC access point and the evaluation policy server. A TNC Client-TNC Access Point Interface (IF-TNCCAP) is an interface between the TNC client and the TNC access point. An Integrity Measurement Interface (IF-IM) is an interface between the integrity measurement collector and the integrity measurement verifier. An Integrity Measurement Collector Interface (IF-IMC) is an interface between the TNC client and the integrity measurement collector and between the TNC access point and the integrity measurement collector. An Integrity Measurement Verifier Interface (IF-IMV) is an interface between the evaluation policy server and the integrity measurement verifier.
In the TCA illustrated in FIG. 2, a method of performing platform authentication is implemented as follows: the integrity Measurement Collector (IMC), the Integrity Measurement Verifier (IMV), the TNC client, the TNC access point and the evaluation policy server perform one or more platform authentication processes, where the platform authentication processes other than the first platform authentication process are platform authentication processes performed after a platform is remedied, and each platform authentication process includes one or more rounds of a platform authentication protocol. Platform authentication policy management is performed throughout the method of performing platform authentication in the TCA and is an important component part of performing platform authentication in the TCA. However a corresponding solution to platform authentication policy management has been absent in the existing method of performing platform authentication in the TCA.

Platform authentication strategy management method and device for trusted connection architecture


The transmission system is suitable for amplitude modulated controlled phase optical signals (S) having an optical phase in each low level pulse that precedes or follows a high level pulse. The system includes an optical link (L) and, to allow a high transmitting power, optical corrector means (FG) are provided for applying optical filtering to the signal R at the exit (B) of the link and/or at one point or a plurality of points of the link (L), to compensate widening of its spectrum that the controlled phase signal (S) may suffer because of phase self-modulation during its transmission. Application to long-haul optical transmission.

An optical transmission system typically includes an optical transmitter connected to an optical receiver by an optical link that can consist of a single fiber or of a plurality of fiber sections interconnected by optical amplifiers and/or more complex coupling media, for example switches based on optical gates, guides and couplers.
A transmitter includes an optical signal source whose function is to modulate an optical carrier wave as a function of the information to be transmitted. The same link can convey a plurality of signals carried by carrier waves with different wavelengths. The resulting transmission system is known as a wavelength division multiplex (WDM) system.
The modulation technique most widely used at present is amplitude modulation. The modulation formats generally adopted are the NRZ and RZ formats. They code binary information by varying the power of the carrier wave between a low level corresponding to extinction of the wave and a high level corresponding to a maximum optical power. Those variations of level are triggered at times imposed by a clock of fixed period T, which defines successive time cells allocated to the binary data to be transmitted. By convention, the low and high levels usually represent the binary values "0" and "1", respectively.
The amplitude modulation technique, often referred to as amplitude-shift keying (ASK), has the advantage of being relatively easy to implement using proven optical components, but has the disadvantage of being sensitive to chromatic dispersion, however. Although there are devices for compensating chromatic dispersion, such as dispersion compensating fibers (DCF), the compensation obtained is often imperfect, especially for compensating WDM channels distributed across a wide spectral band.
For this reason a new modulation format that is less sensitive to chromatic dispersion has been proposed. The optical transmission method using this format is known as phase-shaped binary transmission (PSBT) and is described, for example, in European Patent Application EP-A-0 792 036, filed Feb. 17, 1997, published Aug. 27, 1997, and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,416 granted Jul. 6, 1999.
To transmit, that method subjects a carrier wave to an optical phase shift with an absolute value of the order of 180° within each cell that corresponds to a logic "0" and that precedes or follows a cell containing a logic "1". At the receiving end, the received optical signal can be converted into an electrical signal in the same way as an NRZ format modulated signal, i.e. using a simple photodetector.
In addition to improving resistance to chromatic dispersion, PSBT modulation also has the property that the spectrum of the resulting signal is half the width of that of NRZ modulation, which is advantageous for dense WDM transmission, in which the spectral gap between WDM channels is narrow.
PSBT modulation nevertheless has limitations as soon as non-linear optical phenomena become significant. This is the case, for example, if the optical power of the signal is increased in order to increase transmission distance. It is then found that, for a given value of the cumulative chromatic dispersion over the link, the quality of the received signal is degraded to a degree that depends strongly on the wavelength of the optical carrier of the signal. The system therefore becomes less resistant to chromatic dispersion, which limits the possibilities of transmitting WDM signals distributed across a wide spectral band over long distances without intermediate amplification.
Another situation in which this problem arises is that in which transmission is effected via optical coupling media including components that are non-linear even at low powers, for example optical gates based on semiconductor optical amplifiers. This latter situation is typically encountered in networks equipped with switches using that kind of optical gate.
A solution to the problem of a PSBT signal being degraded by the Kerr effect (phase self-modulation, phase or gain cross-modulation) is proposed in European Patent Application EP-A-0 975 107, filed Jul. 20, 1998 and published Jan. 26, 2000. The solution consists of using PSBT modulation modified to introduce a transient "chirp" whose sign and optimum value depend in particular on the cumulative dispersion in the link and on non-linear effects. However, producing the optimum transient "chirp" is no simple matter, and can further have the effect of widening the spectrum of the optical signal, which makes PSBT modulation less advantageous for dense WDM transmission.
Another way to circumvent some non-linear phenomena is to choose modulation techniques which maintain a constant optical power of the signal. This is the case with optical phase or frequency modulation. Frequency-shift keying (FSK) has the disadvantage that the resulting signal is sensitive to chromatic dispersion, however. Phase-shift keying (PSK) is less sensitive to chromatic dispersion but requires the phase of the signal to be perfectly stable for correct detection at the receiver. However, a variant known as differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) has the advantage of reducing this latter constraint. PSK or DPSK modulation nevertheless leads to a spectral width of the signal that is the same as with the NRZ modulation format, and thus less favorable than PSBT modulation for dense WDM transmission.


An objective is to provide a flat panel detector exhibiting high durability and less noise, which is fitted with a scintillator for radiation exhibiting high emission efficiency, wherein the scintillator is easy to be manufactured because of the simple structure. Also disclosed is a scintillator panel for radiation possessing a radiotransparent substrate and provided thereon, a phosphor layer from which light is emitted by exposing the substrate to radiation and a reflective film at which light from the phosphor layer is reflected, wherein the reflective film provided between the substrate and the phosphor layer possesses a multilayer film composed of at least two dielectric layers exhibiting a high reflectivity.

Radiation imaging apparatuses such as X-ray imaging apparatuses have been used widely for diagnoses of medical conditions in medical sites. In particular, the radiation imaging apparatuses for an intensifying screen—X-ray film wherein high sensitivity and high image quality have been attained in a long history are still used in the medical sites all over the world.
In recent years, a digital type radiation image detector represented by a flat panel radiation detector (FPD) is also making an appearance, which makes it possible to obtain radiation images as digital information, to conduct image processing freely, or to transmit image information instantly.
The radiation image detector has a so-called "scintillator panel" that converts radiation into fluorescence. The scintillator panel is one that receives radiation transmitted through an object and emits instantly fluorescence having intensity corresponding to a dose of the radiation, and it has a structure in which a phosphor layer is formed on a substrate.
FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a flat panel detector (FPD) possessing conventional scintillator panel 6. The scintillator panel is fitted with radiotransparent substrate 1, metal reflective film 2 formed on one of the substrate surfaces, protective film 3 covering the metal reflective film, an alkali halide phosphor layer formed on the protective film provided on the metal reflective film as a number of acicular crystals via evaporation (CsI:Tl in which Tl is doped as emission center), and external protective films 5A and 5B as moisture resistance layers covering the phosphor layer.
As shown in FIG. 2, scintillator panel 6 is closely brought into contact with photoelectric transducer array 7 and pressed with buffer material 8 on which front plane 9 for electromagnetic shielding is placed to subsequently seal the inside of PDF with housing 10.
X-ray passing through the affected area of a patient enters from the front plane 9 side of FPD, and is converted into light with phosphor 4. Light thereof is read by photoelectric transducer array 7 to obtain an image, but the same amount of light as light going the photoelectric transducer array side is also emitted on the front plane side, since light from phosphor 4 is isotropically emitted. Metal reflective film 2 serves to reflect light on the photoelectric transducer array side so as not to waste this emission.
Incidentally, protective film 3 covers one of the surfaces of the metal reflective film in FIG. 2. On the other hand, provided is a metal reflective film as well as a structure possessing a protective film covering up to at least the side wall of a substrate (refer to Patent Document 1, for example).
FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a scintillator panel described in Patent Document 1. Reflective film 2 and substrate 1 are enclosed and covered by protective films 3 and 5.
The reason is as follows. The scintillator panel inside FPD is possibly exposed for a few days at high temperature and high humidity (a temperature of 60° C. and a humidity of 70%, for example). It is assumed in this case that a halogen element produces I3− ion via water penetration in such a way that CsI+I2=Cs++I3− since the phosphor contains the halogen element, and Al is positively ionized via reaction with the metal reflective film conventionally made of Al to be dissolved out of the metal reflective film. Or, possibly, it is also assumed that a hydroxide ion is generated via reaction with a H2O molecule by ionizing I in such a way that H2O+I−→HI+OH−, and at this time, Al is dissolved in the following reaction such that Al+3OH−=Al(OH)3.
There is a problem such that intensity unevenness is generated to an image since light reflection intensity is lowered at the portion where corrosion is generated.
Further, light generated at the portion other than the scintillator inside a flat panel detector strays into the inside of the scintillator (stray light), whereby noise is possibly made, or fluorescence is possibly generated by impurities other than Tl. Since light in this case becomes noise with respect to a diagnostic image, inherent light emission (CsI:Tl) of the scintillator exhibits a wavelength of 400-700 nm as shown in FIG. 4, and it is considered that noise can be suppressed if light other than the foregoing light is designed not to reflect at the reflective film.
(Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 2003-262671.

Scintillator panel for radiation, and flat panel detector


A heat dissipating module includes a fan and a heat sink. The heat sink comprises a body and at least one movable member. The body comprises a plurality of fins, at least one first slot and at least one second slot. The first and second slots are integrally formed on the body as a single piece. The movable member, rotatably or movably coupled to the first slot, comprises a pivoting portion, an operating portion, a jointing portion and at least one fixing portion. The pivoting portion is rotatably or movably received in the first slot. A first end of the operating portion connects to the pivoting portion, rotating or moving the pivoting portion. The jointing portion, at a second end of the operating portion, selectively connects to or separates from the second slot. The fixing portion protrudes from the pivoting portion, abutting and securing the fan to the heat sink.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat dissipating module and heat sink thereof, and in particular, to a heat dissipating module and heat sink thereof with lower costs, a more stable structure, less manufacturing procedures and a more simplified assembly process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Central processing units (CPU) are continually being developed toward higher speeds, resulting in the problem of heat increase. If heat from the CPU is not dissipated timely, the lifetime of the CPU will decrease and CPU stability will be affected.
As a result, a heat sink is disposed on the top of the CPU, comprising a fan on the fins of the heat sink to rapidly dissipate heat produced by the CPU.
The conventional method for assembling the fan to the heat sink is by using screws. However, the method damages or deforms the fins of the heat sink, such that the screws are easily loosened due to the vibration of the fan. Thus, causing instability of fan attachment and decrease heat-dissipating efficiency.
Another method for securing the fan to the heat sink is by first securing the fan to a frame and then attaching the frame to the heat sink by welding, buckling, or tight fitting, as disclosed in Chinese patent application No. 02271720.X and TW patent publication No. M267523. However, such method requires an additional frame and two-phased connections, resulting in higher cost, increased manufacturing procedures, and a more complicated assembly process.
As described, the frame is welded, buckled or tightly fitted to the heat sink in a single direction. The fan vibrates in two-dimensional or three-dimensional directions, such that the frame is easily separated or loosened from the heat sink during the operation of the fan. Thus, like previous, the fan is not stably fixed on the heat sink, decreasing heat dissipating efficiency.
Most fans are secured to the heat sink or to fan frames by direct screwing. Additional methods must be utilized to assist in securing of the fan, resulting in a more complicated assembly process.

Heat dissipating module and heat sink thereof


An evaporative cooling system for mounting on the roof of a vehicle in which the sole source of water supply for the evaporative media in the system is contained in a low-profile housing mounted above the roof line of the vehicle.

Evaporative cooling systems are becoming increasingly popular for use in conditioning air in larger vehicles, such as, passenger busses. Among other reasons, such systems are less expensive to operate and avoid the use of refrigerant and particularly those which are known or at least suspected to release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. A problem associated with the use of evaporative cooling systems is their space requirements. For example, in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,982 for Evaporative Cooling System owned by the assignee of this patent application there is set forth and described a system which can be roof-mounted on a passenger bus but which nevertheless requires a large storage reservoir for water. In the past, by virtue of the storage capacity required, it was necessary to place the reservoir within a lower storage compartment or area beneath the passenger section of the bus and to run connecting lines for plumbing between the evaporative cooling section and the reservoir. U.S. Pat. No. 3,472,147 to Grasseler discloses an air processing system in which a water storage reservoir is mounted directly beneath the roof line of a vehicle cab to supply water for air cooling purposes. In many of the smaller commercial vehicles, extremely large storage tanks are not required and it is therefore proposed in accordance with the present invention to provide a system in which the storage reservoir can be roof-mounted together with the evaporative system itself thereby greatly minimizing the space occupied by the evaporative cooling system as well as avoiding the time and cost of installation of delivery and return lines between the reservoir and evaporator sections itself.
Other representative patents and publications in the field of interest are those to U.S. Pat. Nos 3,606,982 to Anderson, 4,094,935 to Walker et al and 4,672,818 to Roth. None, however, suggests or discloses a water storage reservoir which can be mounted above the roof line of a vehicle.

Evaporative cooling/heating system with roof-mounted water tank

Suetrak Air Conditioning Sales Corporation


Methods of making metal/dielectric/metal structures include casting copper slurry onto a fugitive substrate to form the first electrode and subsequently casting dielectric and copper slurries onto the first electrode, removing the fugitive substrate and co-firing the structure, wherein the dielectric comprises glass in an amount that is less than 20% by weight of the total inorganic composition and the dielectric achieves substantially complete densification. Alternatively, a metal tape and a dielectric tape, comprising glass in the above amount, may be formed and laminated together to form a metal/dielectric/metal green tape structure, which is co-fired, such that the structure achieves substantially complete densification.

1. Technical Field
The technical field is ceramic capacitors. More particularly, the technical field is ceramic capacitors that may be embedded in printed wiring boards (PWBs).
2. Relevant Art
Passive circuit components embedded in printed wiring boards formed by "fired-on-foil" technology are known. Fired-on-foil capacitors are formed in the following way: a thick-film dielectric material layer is deposited onto a metallic foil substrate; a thick-film top electrode material is deposited over the thick-film dielectric material layer; and the thick-film dielectric and electrode are fired under copper thick-film firing conditions, such as 900° C. for 10 minutes under a protective atmosphere. U.S. Pat. No. 7,072,167 to Borland discloses such a process.
Copper foil and copper thick-film conductive compositions are known materials in making fired-on-foil capacitors because copper is compatible with printed wiring board processes. The thick-film dielectric material should have a high dielectric constant (K) after firing. A high dielectric constant thick-film dielectric is formed by mixing a high dielectric constant powder (high K functional phase), such as barium titanate, with a glass powder and suitable dopants and dispersing the mixture into a thick-film screen-printing vehicle.
During firing of the thick-film dielectric material, the glass component of the dielectric material softens and flows before the peak firing temperature is reached. The glass encapsulates the high K functional phase, facilitates the incorporation of the dopants into the crystal structure and bonds the dielectric to the copper foil and to the copper top electrode.
Being a rigid substrate, the copper foil essentially eliminates the firing shrinkage of the dielectric in the x-y direction. This means that during firing on copper foil of the dielectric and the top electrode, shrinkage occurs only in the z direction. And, precisely in order to achieve high density of the dielectric by shrinkage in the z direction alone, typical thick-film dielectric compositions are designed to contain substantial amounts of glass, such as greater than 40% by weight of the inorganic composition.
Such substantial amount of glass facilitates densification by forming a liquid phase. At concentrations such as 40% by weight of the total inorganic content, the functional phase, dopants and glass mixture are together sufficiently fluid to easily flow and contract in the z direction to full density. However, this amount of glass severely dilutes the high K phase, resulting in a significantly reduced dielectric constant. This dilutive effect introduces a balancing tension between that amount of glass added to the dielectric for achieving high densification versus that amount added to the dielectric for minimizing reduction of the dielectric constant.
Thus, when the glass content is minimized, typically to less than 20% by weight of the total inorganic composition and preferably much less than that, to achieve satisfactory composite dielectric constants, the functional phase, dopants and glass mixture has a very high viscosity and does not easily flow. Therefore little contraction in the z direction occurs, resulting in incomplete densification of the dielectric. This compromises the long-term reliability of the capacitor.
Consequently, a problem that remains to be solved in fired on foil capacitors is the use of a minimal amount of glass to maintain a high dielectric constant and the creation of a method to minimize the amount of added glass while achieving substantially complete densification of the dielectric.

Methods of making high capacitance density ceramic capacitors


Prior to incorporating meat trimmings into a meat piece, particles of the trimmings are fermented with bacteria to obtain fermented trim particles for incorporating into a meat piece and fat is added to the trimmings before the trimmings are particulated, or to the trim particles before fermentation or to the trim particles during fermentation so that the added fat is present during fermentation for obtaining a mixture of fermented trim particles and added fat, and after fermentation, the mixture is frozen and then suspended in a brine or pickle or marinade and then the suspension is incorporated into a meat piece.

The present invention relates to incorporation of substances into meat, including incorporation, particularly, of meat trimmings into meat.
Meat trimmings are obtained by removal from meat during the standard preparation of whole cuts of meat in the meat industry. The trimmings are usually, but not always, of low quality and usually contain some fat (about 10-12% by weight) and some muscle tissue. It is possible, by using technology introduced onto the market in recent years, to incorporate suspensions made of meat trimmings into whole cuts of like meat to increase the weight using a multi-needle injector. By controlling parameters such as the amount of trimmings injected, the meat/fat ratio and the quality of the meat, this technology enables the production of cooked ham or marinated meat products without affecting the standard quality with regard to flavour or shelf-life and without visibility of the suspension, and a way to improve binding and yield is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,599. The cost saving of injecting trimmings is considerable when the trimmings are of low value compared to whole cuts of meat.
In order to impart a specificity to the flavour and to improve microbiological stability, it has been proposed to ferment raw meat by using a starter culture in a brine or marinade prior to cooking to produce bacteriocins. However, since the raw meat can under no circumstances be allowed to ferment at a temperature higher than about +8.degree. C. prior to cooking, the biggest problem is to find a starter culture that can produce bacteriocins and a specific flavour at low temperature. We have tested some commercially available cultures, but the effect on the final quality of the product regarding flavour and microbiological stability is minimal. In addition, the production time before the cooking step must be prolonged considerably.
As described in European Patent 0,770,336, it was found that by applying a fermentation step with a starter culture in the meat trimmings prior to incorporation into meat, it was possible to adapt the fermentation parameters such as temperature, time, humidity and ingredients, etc., to their optimal values. As described in that application there is provided a process for preparing meat containing meat trimmings therein which comprises incorporating a frozen suspension of meat trimmings in a brine, marinate or pickle into chilled meat characterised in that before freezing, the meat trimmings are fermented with a starter culture.

Meat product preparation by incorporating fermented meat trimmings and extra fat in a meat piece


There are several exemplary ways to more efficiently communicate an out-of-domain seed to a receiver—in a first technique, the seed can be indicated in the header portion or data portion of a packet. For example, the header portion of the packet could contain one or more bit fields that indicate the value of the LFSR seed used for the preamble portion of the packet. The receiver would learn the out-of-domain seed after receiving a first out-of-domain packet and decoding the header portion of that packet. After learning the out-of-domain seed, the receiver could send a packet indicating the value of the out-of-domain seed to the local master. The local master could then transmit the value of the out-of-domain seed in the header portion or data portion of a local MAP frame.

Conventional multi-user communication systems use frame-based (or packet-based) transmission to communicate between two or more users over a shared channel based on OFDM. Examples of such systems include IEEE 802.11x (Wireless LAN), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) and ITU G.9960 (G.hn). These systems use OFDM transmission (also referred to sometimes as Discrete MultiTone (DMT)) which divides the transmission frequency band into multiple sub-carriers (also referred to as tones or sub-channels), with each sub-carrier individually modulating a bit or a collection of bits.
Conventional methods of packet detection use a predefined preamble as specified, for example, in the standards above. The G.hn standard uses predefined OFDM symbols modulated with an all ones bit as specified in Section 220.127.116.11.2.1.1 of G.hn and rotated with the Constellation Scrambler in Section 220.127.116.11.3 of G.hn. For convenience, the text contained in Sections 184.108.40.206.2.1.1 and 184.108.40.206.3 of G.hn is contained in Appendix A. A method for supporting multiple reference sequences to modulate the preamble is ITU Contribution 09BM-038 (contained in Appendix B). 09MB-038 proposes to allow different reference sequences to modulate the preamble subcarriers. The different sequences may be defined by a properly chosen set of seeds that initialize the already specified LFSR generator. This LFSR (Linear Feedback Shift Register) generator provides the pseudo-random di-bit sequence that modulates the non-masked preamble sub-carriers. Allowing the use of different reference sequences among different networks can serve as another mechanism for mitigating disturbances from neighboring networks in PLC environments.


The present disclosure discloses a container sterilization device and system, an assembling method and use thereof. The container sterilization device includes a sterilization gas supply assembly, a gas circulation assembly, and a heating and humidification assembly. The sterilization gas supply assembly includes a chemical feeding pipeline. The gas circulation assembly includes a gas circulation pipeline, a gas extraction pipeline, and a vacuum pump disposed on the gas extraction pipeline. The heating and humidification assembly includes a thermostatic water tank, a steam generator, a first connecting pipeline, and a humidity feeding pipeline. The first connecting pipeline is configured to provide fluid communication between the thermostatic water tank and the steam generator, while the humidity feeding pipeline is configured to be in fluid communication with the steam generator. The chemical feeding pipeline, the gas circulation pipeline, and the gas extraction pipeline are each at least partially located in the thermostatic water tank.

As a carrying tool, a shipping container (herein referred to simply as "container" or the like) travels around the world along with other transportation vehicles such as ships, trucks, automobiles, and the like, loads different goods during transportation, and goes through different regions and environments. As a result, the container can carry various microorganisms including various pathogenic microorganisms, which are likely to cause contamination when staying at a port or during loading and unloading, thereby causing occurrence and prevalence of related diseases. Especially during an epidemic, such contamination is more likely to lead to widespread dissemination of the epidemic across regions. In this regard, in accordance with requirements of the International Health Regulations, the port is required to preventively disinfect containers and loaded goods entering and leaving the port.
At present, the methods for sterilizing the containers mainly include a fumigation disinfection method and a spray disinfection method. That is, chemical disinfectants are used to disinfect the containers and goods loaded by the containers by fumigation and spraying. Commonly used disinfectants include calcium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, peroxyacetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, low-concentration ethylene oxide, iodophor, and the like. The disinfection effects of the chemical disinfectants are limited and influenced by various factors, such as the type of good and the type, concentration, action time, and environment of the disinfectants, and the like. If the chemical disinfectants are not treated properly, the disinfection effects cannot meet the requirements or affect disinfection objects. In addition, there are various types of disinfectants, and the preparation and use of the disinfectants have significant differences depending on the type of the disinfectants. The application and the operational processes are also different, the influence factors are greater, and the evaluation of the disinfection effect is inconvenient. Moreover, at present, the fumigation disinfection method and the spray disinfection method are mostly carried out by manual operations, resulting in the operation being inconvenient, the effect being poor, and there being potential safety hazards.
Hence, there is a need for more robust and scalable solutions for implementing sterilization technologies, and, more particularly, for implementing a container sterilization device and system, an assembling method thereof, and a use thereof.

Container sterilization device and system, assembling method thereof, and use thereof


An expandable baton assembly has an outer baton section which received an intermediate baton section and an inner baton section telescopically received therein such that an overall length between two opposing working ends of the assembly can be extended for use and retracted for storage. Each of the two opposing ends is suitably arranged as both a hand grip and a striking portion such that the assembly is reversible between two different working orientations having different characteristics. The assembly can be retained in the retracted position by frictional engagement of the grip at the working end of the inner baton section within the open inner end of the outer baton section.

Law enforcement personnel commonly cite weight and size as negative factors that influence their decision to carry a baton on their duty belt. As reported in "Johnson, J. (1996). Police impact weapons: An expanding future. Gazette: A Royal Canadian Police Publication, 58(1), 12-15", while 10% of officers reported carrying the heavy wooden baton or truncheon at all times, 95% of officers surveyed reported that they carried a lighter and collapsible baton at all times."
Unfortunately the benefits of having a light, easily carried weapon had its downside. A study conducted by Roberts, Nokes, Leadbeatter and Pike (1994) compared the standard wooden truncheon that was being used in the United Kingdom with the baton that was being used in the United States and other European countries. The study found that the traditional truncheon's impact area was nearly double (196%) that of the expandable baton. The data set showed a greater tendency toward extended areas of bruising with the traditional truncheon or baton upon impact, while the impact area of the expandable baton was smaller and thus produced less bruising.
Various examples of batons are shown in the following United States Patent Office publications: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,110,375 and 5,356,139, both by Parsons, U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,967 by Moe, and U.S. Pat. No.2008/0316737 by Summers. None of the prior art devices are able to realize the advantages noted above of both a heavy, wooden baton/truncheon and a lighter, collapsible baton.


A method for treating the surface of a thin porous film material of tetrafluoroethylene resin is disclosed, which comprises heating said surface to a temperature higher than the thermal decomposition point of said resin so as to decompose and remove part of said surface. The resulting thin porous film material of tetrafluoroethylene resin has an adhesive surface while retaining the desired pore size, hardness, and degree of penetration of adhesive.

Tetrafluoroethylene resins are highly resistant to heat and chemicals, have high electrical insulating properties, provide high water repellency and provide good biocompatibility. Because of these advantages, porous materials of tetrafluoroethylene resins are extensively used in filters, diaphragms, waterproof but airpermeable materials, electrical coatings, sealants, medical equipment and artificial organs. While several methods have been proposed as techniques for producing porous materials of tetrafluoroethylene resin.
The basic principles of a method depending on drawing operations are described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 13560/1967. The first step consists of mixing a powder of tetrafluoroethylene resin with a liquid lubricant and shaping the mixture into a unfired film, tube, or rod by paste extrusion, calender rolling, or a combination of these two methods. The subsequent steps comprises (1) removing the liquid lubricant by evaporation or extraction, (2) drawing the dry shaped product to make it porous, and (3) firing the porous product to a temperature higher than the melting point of the tetrafluoroethylene resin so as to set the porous structure.
A method for producing a porous material of tetrafluoroethylene resin described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,616 is as follows. A mixture of a polytetrafluoroethylene dispersion and polymethylmethacrylate is kneaded with preheated rolls, and then injection molded. The product obtained is subjected to a compression molding under heating, and thereafter polymethylmethacrylate is extracted with acetone, as a result, a porous material of tetrafluoroethylene resin is obtained.
Another method for producing a porous material of tetrafluoroethylene resin is described in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 56578/73 (the term "OPI" used herein means a "published unexamined Japanese patent application"). In this method, a polytetrafluoroethylene hydrophilic dspersion is mixed with a fine powdered filler and a pore forming agent, and then molded in a thin film. The product is subjected to a heat treatment, and thereafter the pore forming agent is removed by solvent extraction, as a result, a porous material of tetrafluoroethylene resin is obtained.
Among the above methods, the method depending on drawing operation is preferred because this method is good in pore size uniformity and strength of the product and productivity. However, in the present invention there is no limitation on the methods for producing a porous material of tetrafluoroethylene resin.
The structure of the porous material prepared by this process may vary by some degree, depending upon the draw ratio or other drawing conditions such as temperature and speed, but it basically has a fibrous structure wherein nodes are interconnected by small filaments, providing pores in areas bounded by the filaments and nodes. Generally, by increasing the draw ratio, the filaments are made longer and the nodes smaller, with the result that the proportion of pores or the porosity, is increased.
One serious problem with the thin porous material of tetrafluoroethylene resin prepared by the conventional method is that it has low adhesive properties, which is an inherent defect of tetrafluoroethylene resins.
Tetrafluoroethylene resins have such a high resistance to chemicals and solvents that they are not all reactive with acids, alkalis, or organic solvents. The only substances that are capable of attacking tetrafluoroethylene resins are molten alkali metals, certain solutions of alkali metals, and hot fluorine and chlorine trifluoride. Therefore, one method available today for modifying the surface of materials of tetrafluoroethylene resins so that they can be bonded to other resins is to treat them with an ammonia solution of metallic sodium. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,387 discloses a method for modifying the surface of materials of tetrafluoroethylene resins by using an ether solution of sodium naphthalate or an ammonia solution of metallic potassium.
Another approach that can be taken consists of drawing a porous material of tetrafluoroethylene resin at a high draw ratio so as to form pores that are large enough to provide anchorage effects to enable physical adhesion.
A porous polytetrafluoroethylene has some adhesive property compared with a non-porous one. A low viscosity resin can penetrate the pores, and generate the anchorage effect. In the case of a porous polytetrafluoroethylene having a high porosity and a large pore diameter due to a high drawing ratio, a resin or a resin solution can penetrate the pore easily. Thus the anchorage effects are increased and the adhesive property is improved.
However, this method, which requires an increase in the overall porosity, and involves great difficulty in producing a porous material having the desired pore size. Further problems arise from the high flexibility of the product, the thin porous material may deform in the bonding step, or the adhesive used will penetrate into the material to an undesirably deep portion. For example, a plurality of tetrafluoroethylene tubes for filter use that have been rendered sufficiently porous to provide adequate adhesive properties cannot be fixed at both ends of each tube with a resin adhesive without collapsing the portions to be bonded during handling, or letting the adhesive penetrate through the walls of tubes to block the interior.
As mentioned above, a thin porous film material made of a tetrafluoroethylene resin can be provided with an increased flexibility and higher degree of bendability by drawing the material at a sufficiently high draw ratio to provide a higher porosity, but at the same time, a tube made of such material tends to easily collapse into a flat form. Methods for avoiding this problem are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,304,010 and 4,306,318, a tubular thin porous film material is drawn at a given ratio and fired, and after inserting a cylindrical metal member through the tube, the latter is heated in a radiant furnace until the outer surface of the tube becomes over-sintered. However, this is not industrially advantageous, since it involves great difficulty in treating the surface of an elongated article in a continuous fashion.

Method for treating the surface of a thin porous film material of tetrafluoroethylene resin


A clip includes a body (10) and an opening (14) within the body and in which, in use, a part of a plant can engage. A slot (19), which is of doglegged configuration, extends between the opening (14) and an edge (17) of the body (10). The body (10) can be coupled to a means for providing support to the plant or part of the plant by a second opening (13) for which a slot (18) extends from an opposite edge (17) of the body (10).

This invention relates to a clip. More particularly, a clip according to the present invention is intended principally for use in horticulture for clipping growing plants or young trees or parts thereof to a support.
In the following description of the invention, the clip will be described for use in a horticultural application. However, it will apparent that the clip can be used in numerous other applications.
The technique of tying part of a plant or young tree to a support such as a stake is well known. This provides the plant/tree with sufficient support while it grows to a stage where it can be self-supporting or can withstand damage in inclement weather conditions such as strong or high winds.
A known problem with tie devices is that as the plant/tree grows there may not be "give" in the tie to accommodate the increased size of the plant/tree at the point that it is tied. This can result in damage to the plant/tree. For example, a tree can become effectively ring-barked and in extreme cases this will cause the tree to die.
A further problem can arise from the technique needed to place and fix a tie in position. For example, with people having impaired dexterity in fingers or finger joints, it is often difficult to impossible or at least time consuming to tie the tie device about a stake and/or plant/tree. Sometimes such impairment can be temporary e.g. arise due to cold weather conditions or where moisture can render the tie device slippery or difficult to manipulate.


A scooping device that can be used to grab pet refuse, urine clumps, etc. from a litter box, the ground, etc. or any other application where a scooping device is desirable. The scooping device can include a claw portion and a handle portion separated by a pole portion. The claw portion is moveable between an open position and a closed position and allows efficient sifting of grasped material contained within said claw portion.

Significant improvements in cat litter now allow for clumping when the litter comes in contact with moisture, as found in cat urine and waste. The litter thus has an indicating feature and cat owners know that, when the cat litter is filled with clumps, it is time to change the litter or remove the waste material from the litter box. These refuse clumps are removed by lifting them out and disposing of them.
Despite advancements in cat litter, current techniques for removing the waste and urine clumps from the uncontaminated litter have proven difficult, inconvenient and/or ineffective. The present invention improves the separation process by providing a handheld scooping device that can have a sifting feature to separate used/contaminated cat litter from the unused/uncontaminated cat litter.
In addition to the contamination problem, prior art devices can be difficult and/or inconvenient to use. The present invention eliminates such difficulties and provides an easy and convenient way of disposing of the used/contaminated cat litter while keeping and reusing the unused/uncontaminated cat litter. Furthermore, the present invention lowers the cost associated with pet litter; removing and separating the contaminated litter from the uncontaminated litter reduces waste and increases the lifetime of the existing litter.
In view of the prior art, there remains a need for a scooping device that can provide an easy and convenient means of removing used/contaminated cat litter.