A motor terminal box of the present invention comprises a base having a first perimeter flange and a cover having a second perimeter flange adapted for engagement with the first perimeter flange. One of the first and second perimeter flanges has a projection and the other of the first and second perimeter flanges has a recess adapted to receive the projection when the first and second perimeter flanges are in engagement with one another. In another aspect of a terminal box of the present invention, the first perimeter flange has a first mating surface lying substantially in a first plane. The second perimeter flange has a second mating surface lying substantially in a second plane. The first and second planes are substantially co-planer when the first and second perimeter flanges are in engagement with one another. One of the first and second perimeter flanges includes a projection and the other of the first and second perimeter flanges includes a recess adapted to receive the projection when the first and second perimeter flanges are in engagement with one another. At least a portion of the projection is spaced from the first and second planes when the first and second perimeter flanges are in engagement with one another.

This invention relates generally to terminal boxes for electric motors and, more particularly, to terminal boxes which are mounted directly on an exterior surface of a motor housing.
Electric motors often have terminal boxes which house the connections between lead wires from the motor and feed wires from a source of electricity. The terminal boxes are generally mounted directly to an exterior surface of a motor housing. Typically, the terminal box comprises a base and a removable cover which gives an electrician easy access to the interior of the terminal box. In many such terminal boxes, the base includes a flat perimeter flange which extends around and projects outwardly from the top edges of the sidewalls of the base, and the cover has a corresponding flat perimeter flange which mates with the flange of the base when the terminal box is closed. Typically, the flanges are connected to one another with mechanical fasteners. In some prior art terminal boxes, a gasket is disposed between the flanges to help prevent water, oil or coolant from getting into the interior of the terminal box.
A problem with many of these prior art terminal boxes is that the flat mating surfaces of the flanges fail to provide a leak-proof seal, especially where the metal used for the terminal box is of a relatively thin gauge. Even where gaskets are used between the flat flanges, liquids are permitted to "wick" in because the seal may not be sufficiently tight. Where a thin gauge metal is used for the terminal box, the problem cannot be solved by simply tightening the mechanical fasteners which hold the flanges to one another, because over-tightening may tend to deform the thin gauge flanges and exacerbate the leakage problem.


A display panel and a display device are provided. The display panel includes a module layer and a protective layer, a stiffness of the protective layer corresponding to a non-display area of the display panel is greater than a stiffness of the protective layer corresponding to a display area, and the display panel is further provided with a reinforcing layer in the non-display area at a same time. The present disclosure can effectively support the protective layer in the non-display area and prevent dents of the display panel by the reinforcing layer, thereby improving reliability and quality of the display panel.

The present disclosure relates to the field of display technologies, and more particularly, to a display panel and a display device.
With rapid development of display technologies, a breakthrough progress has been made in quality and performances of display panels, and in particular, applications of flexible display panels attract attention.
At present, flexible display screens are favored by users due to their unique flexible and foldable characteristics, and more and more foldable flexible panels are introduced to the market. In order to facilitate folding and use of flexible panels, when in design, softer functional display materials are usually used for production. However, since display film layers and protective film layers manufactured are softer, when touching or folding the flexible display screens or when a touching force or a bending force is too large during use, collapse or dents are extremely prone to happen in bezel areas and unsupported areas of display panels, thereby damaging the flexible display screens and reducing user experiences. Meanwhile, the flexible display panels have problems such as uneasy to be bent when bending, thereby affecting performance of the display panels.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide a solution for the problems in current technology.
Technical problem: in summary, dents or collapse are prone to happen in bezel areas and unsupported areas of current flexible display panels when touching or operating, thereby affecting normal use of the flexible display panels and even damaging the flexible display panels, which are not beneficial for improving comprehensive performance of the flexible display panels.

Display panel and display device having reinforcing layer under protective layer corresponding to non-display area

Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd.


An improved apparatus and method for controlling media temperature to prevent image offset and degloss in an electrostatic image forming apparatus are provided. The apparatus and method utilize a plurality of media support surfaces in the pre-nip media path to reduce heat transfer to the media in this region. An insulating channel is provided beneath the media supports to thermally isolate the media supports. One or more insulating plates may also be provided between the rollers of the fusing nip and the media support surfaces to further reduce heat transfer from the fusing members to the media support surfaces and media.

In electrostatic or electrophotographic image forming apparatus, such as monochrome and color laser printers and photocopiers, it is well known to pass imaged media through a fusing nip to fuse the image into the media. The fusing nip is typically created by biasing two rollers together. In some fusing systems both rollers are positively heated. In other systems one roller is positively heated (the heated roller) while the other is unheated (the pressure roller). Of course it will be appreciated that the "unheated" pressure roller is itself heated by contact with the heated roller. The side of the media containing the toner image is contacted by the heated roller to fuse the toner into the media. The fusing process thus utilizes a combination of elevated temperature and pressure within the fusing nip to accomplish the desired amount of image fusing.
One area in which the fusing process can present problems is duplex imaging or duplexing. Duplexing involves imaging on both sides of a sheet of media. In many duplexing systems a first toner image is formed and fused onto a first side of the media, and a second toner image is then formed and fused onto the second side of the media. In this duplexing process, the first toner image must pass through the heated and pressurized fusing nip a second time during fusing of the second image.
The fuser in many duplexing systems utilizes a heated roller and an unheated pressure roller. In the second stage of the duplexing process, the first image is contacted by the pressure roller during its second pass through the fusing nip. When the combined temperature of the pressure roller and the media rises above a particular level, the first toner image can partially or completely offset or transfer onto the pressure roller. In a worst case scenario, the media will wrap around the pressure roller and cause a media jam.
Toner particles are characterized by a cold offset temperature, below which the toner is not fused into the media. The cold offset temperature of a toner is determined by the composition of the toner and the parameters of the fusing system, such as the temperature, pressure, width of the fusing nip and the media speed through the nip. Toner particles are also characterized by a glass transition temperature, above which the toner becomes tacky and is prone to offset. For most color toners, the glass transition temperature is between about 65.degree. C. and about 70.degree. C.
For color toner, the proper fusing temperature in a typical fusing system is generally between about 140.degree. C. and about 170.degree. C. for many low volume photocopiers and laser printers. This fusing temperature is a combination of the temperature of the heated roller contacting the toner and the media temperature. In the case of duplexing, if the fusing system does not adequately control the combined temperature of the pressure roller and the media entering the fusing nip, this combined temperature can exceed the glass transition temperature of the toner being used. When this occurs, the first image can degloss and offset onto the pressure roller during the second pass of the media through the fusing nip.
In the prior art, the above problem has been addressed by employing various means of sensing and/or actively cooling the temperature of the pressure roller. An example of this approach is found in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,336 to Mills (the '336 patent). The '336 patent discloses a pressure roller that includes an internally mounted fan that draws air into and blows air out of the hollow interior of the pressure roller to control the pressure roller temperature.
While the components and system described in the '336 patent generally achieve the desired result, they require expensive and often bulky parts to be added to the printer or photocopier. This approach is especially impractical and disfavored in a compact and low cost desktop printer. Furthermore, even if the pressure roller is maintained at a temperature below the toner cold offset temperature, toner offset and degloss of the first side image may still occur during a long print or copying job, especially when the first side image has a high toner mass coverage. This can occur because the portion of the media path near the heated fusing nip is heated substantially by both fusing rollers, especially during sustained continuous printing or imaging. This radiated heat from the fusing nip can increase the temperature of the first side image by as much as 20.degree.-30.degree. C. or more above room temperature before the media enters the fusing nip. When the combination of the pressure roller temperature and the first side media temperature exceeds the glass transition temperature of the toner, toner offset and degloss of the first side image may still occur even though the pressure roller temperature is below the toner cold offset temperature.
The present invention seeks to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a simple and low cost apparatus and method for controlling media temperature to prevent offset and degloss of the first side image during duplexing. Media supports are provided upstream from the fusing nip. The media supports include cooling gaps between adjacent supports to minimize heating of the media prior to the fusing nip. An insulating channel is provided beneath the media supports to inhibit heat transfer to the media supports. One or more insulating plates may also be provided to inhibit heat transfer from the fusing rollers to the insulating channel and the media supports.

Apparatus and method for controlling media temperature in an imaging apparatus


A system and method is provided for implementing configuration of digital imaging device. The system comprises a configuration file and a series of components for implementing configuration parameters in different operating system environments. The file instructs the components where to look for a particular operating system in order to modify configuration parameters to match those set on the digital imaging device by a user.

This invention pertains generally to digital imaging devices, and more specifically to a method and system for configuring digital imaging devices in an operating system independent manner.
Digital imaging devices ("DID") are complex machines that require administration attention. DIDs suitably include devices such as printers, fax machines, scanners, copiers, multifunctional peripherals ("MFPs"), and other like peripheral devices. In addition, DIDs are often connected to a network. In order to manage most DIDs on a network, administrators make use of either a Common Information Model ("CIM") or a Simple Networking Management Protocol ("SNMP"). Both architectures provide an almost universal and platform independent mechanism to access and interface with digital imaging devices. For each DID, the Original Equipment Manufacturer ("OEM") creates a description of device management information relating to CIM and SNMP networks. Such management information generally includes textual binary descriptors that describe the nature of the device, the management capabilities of the device, the names of the objects native to the device, the types of actions the device can perform, etc. Value-added resellers ("VAR"), OEMs, or vendors then utilize the device management information to access and control the DIDs and to create software for managing the DIDs. In particular, device drivers are developed.
Device drivers allow users or administrators to configure DIDs, but device drivers are specifically designed to interact with particular operating systems. As operating systems ("OS") and digital imaging devices change, device drivers must often be changed to accommodate a change in technology. One important characteristic of any system is its ability to modify its behavior without necessitating an internal system change, i.e. its ability to be reconfigured. Software systems play an important role in configuration because they are easily designed to control devices or processes such that they include a wide variety of options for changing the behavior of devices or processes. These software systems, also known as embedded systems, are widely used to provide users with a plurality of functions and methods for controlling electronic devices and driving their operation. For example, embedded systems suitably allow a user to configure the number of copies, paper size and orientation of the output of a DID.
In the past, embedded systems were deployed as firmware. Firmware is software stored in read-only memory ("ROM") or programmable ROM ("PROM") and is easier to modify than hardware but harder to modify than software stored on disk. Therefore, when embedded systems were implemented and deployed as firmware for specific microprocessors, changing the microprocessor often required that the software be significantly rewritten, and sometimes completely rewritten. As personal computers ("PCs") became a practical platform for embedded systems, different OS could be used with the same hardware, while making available a great number of services specific to the OS. However, choosing from the available OS is not an easy task, as characteristics like stability, robustness, performance and cost must be considered. Although additional functionality is created by the OS, a change in OS still requires the rewriting of software to address changes in the operating system. While this is an improvement over firmware, it is still difficult to change from one operating system to another. It would be preferably if DID configuration software were portable so that it could be executed on a variety of different OS while providing the same functionality.
When developing embedded system software for controlling configurable DIDs, storage for configuration parameters must be provided. Generally, this storage is provided by the OS. For example, configuration parameters are stored in the registry for Windows OS and configuration files in Linux OS. Consequently, configurable DIDs are generally dependent on an OS to receive configuration information. Therefore, when OS configuration settings change, new software must be written, compiled, provided to customers, and installed. It would be preferable if the software were platform independent such that a single version of a DID software program could accommodate multiple OS. Therefore, it would preferable if DID software programs accessed configuration parameters stored independently of such OS-specific configuration.

System and method for configuring digital image devices


A chip with measuring reliability and a method thereof are provided. The present invention serially connects a resistor having a resistance equal to or a little more than a maximum resistance of the chip itself to the resistor Rs of the chip so as to compensate the resistance differences among chips. A noise to signal (N/S) ratio of the chip is decreased, and a measuring reliability of the chip is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a biosensor, and more particularly to a biosensor having a chip with measuring reliability and a method for improving measuring reliability thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, various kinds of biosensors utilizing a specific catalytic action of enzymes have been developed to be used for clinical purposes. Most valuable use of such biosensors may be made in the area of e.g. diabetes treatment where it is vital for patients to keep their blood glucose concentration ("blood sugar level" below) within a normal range. For an inpatient, the blood sugar level can be kept normal under the supervision of the doctor. For an outpatient, self-control of the blood sugar level is an important factor for treatment in lack of doctor's direct supervision.
The self-control of the blood sugar level is achieved through a diet, exercise and medication. These treatments may often be simultaneously employed under the supervision of the doctor. It has been found that the self-control works more effectively when the patient himself is able to check whether or not his blood sugar level is within the normal range.
Recently, blood sugar determining instruments have been used for self-checking of blood sugar level. As shown in FIG. 1, a blood sugar determining instrument mainly includes a main detecting unit 10 and a chip 12 for blood sugar measurement. As shown in FIG. 2, the chip 12 includes a strip-like substrate 122 provided in its front portion with an electrode section 1221. The electrode section 1221 is covered by a reaction layer 124, a spacer 126 and a cover sheet 128. The electrode section 1221 is provided with an operational terminal 1222 and a counterpart terminal 1224 surrounding the operational terminal 1222. The operational terminal 1222 and the counterpart terminal 1224 are electrically connected to lead terminals 1226 and 1228, respectively, which are formed on a base end portion of the strip-like substrate 122. The reaction layer 124, which covers the electrode section 1221, contains potassium ferricyanide and an oxidase such as glucose oxidase.
The blood sugar determining instruments may be used in the following manner. A patient pricks hi or her own skin with e.g. a lancet for oozing blood. Then, the oozed-out blood is caused to touch the tip of the chip 12 plugged into the main detecting unit 10. The blood is partially sucked into the reaction layer 124 by capillary action. The reaction layer 124 disposed above the electrode section 1221, is dissolved by the blood, which starts an enzyme reaction, as the following formula:
      D              -            Glucose    +      2                      Fe                          (          CN          )                    6              3        -              +            H      2                  O                                                                                ⟶        GOD                                            Gluconic                              acid    +                2              H      +        +      2                                Fe                                (            CN            )                          6                  4          -                    .                                                              Fe                                      (              CN              )                                6                      4            -                                                                              ⟶          Voltage                                                                                Fe                                      (              CN              )                                6                      3            -                                +      e    -
Potassium ferrocyanide is produced in an amount corresponding to the glucose concentration. After a certain period of time, a predetermined voltage Vref is applied on the chip 12 to electrochemically oxidize potassium ferrocyanide to release electrons. A response current is generated and passes through the operational terminal 1222. The response current is proportional to the concentration of potassium ferrocyanide produced by the enzyme reaction or to the concentration of the glucose. Therefore, the blood sugar level can be known by measuring the response current.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a control circuit of the blood sugar determining instrument of FIG. 1, in which the electrode section 1221 of the chip 12 can be regarded as a resistor Rs. The voltage Vref to be applied can be provided by a battery. The response current I generated by the chip 12 is converted to an output voltage Vout by a current/voltage converter 30 having an amplification resistance Rf. The output voltage Vout is represented by the formula (I):Vout=(1+Rf/Rs)Vref  (I),
A microprocessor (not shown) processes the output voltage Vout through the analog to digital converter (not shown), and accordingly calculates the glucose concentration of the blood sample. A reading of the glucose concentration is displayed on a display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) (not shown).
However, the resistance difference among the substrates 122 (or the chips 12) is caused during the manufacturing process thereof. In general, the resistance of the resistor Rs of the substrate 122 is in the range of 2K to 4K. Referring to the formula (I), due to the resistance difference of the substrates 122, the output voltage Vout caused by each chip 12 in response to the same blood sample is different. As a result, different chips 12 monitor different glucose concentrations for the same blood sample. Therefore, the resistance difference of the resistor Rs of the substrate 122 reduces the measuring reliability of the chip 12.
Accordingly, it is an intention to provide means for improving measuring reliability of the chip, which can resolve the problem encountered by the conventional biosensor.

Chip with measuring reliability and a method thereof


A rotary connector is disclosed. In the rotary connector, a movable housing having a second top plate is rotatably connected to a fixed housing having a first top plate, and a part of the second top plate is overlapped on the first top plate. At the overlapping portion of the first and second top plates, a ring-shaped first projection projecting upward is formed on the inner periphery of the first top plate, and ring-shaped second and third projections each projecting downward are formed on the second top plate. The third projection is in abutment with the inner peripheral surface of the first top plate so as to serve as a rotary slide sections for the first and second housings, and the second projection is arranged outside of the third and first projections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary connector for electrically connecting between a pair of housings, which are connected so as to be rotatable relative to each other, through a flexible cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rotary connector is briefly comprised of a pair of housings connected so as to be rotatable relative to each other, and a flexible cable wound around a storage section defined between the housings. Both ends of the flexible cable are electrically led out of each of the housings while being fixed thereto. One of the housings is used as a movable member and the other one is used as a stationary member. When the movable housing is rotated in both normal and reverse directions, the flexible cable is wound up or rewound in the storage section in accordance with the direction of rotation.
FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing a conventional rotary connector. As shown in FIG. 5, a fixed housing 1 has a bottom plate 2 and a cylindrical member 3 which are integrated with each other, and a center hole 4 is formed in the center of the bottom plate 2. The cylindrical member 3 is provided with an outer cylinder 5 rising on the outer periphery of the bottom plate 2 and a first top plate 6 extending inwardly from the upper end of the outer cylinder 5. On the other hand, a movable housing 7 has an inner cylinder 8 and a second top plate 9 outwardly extending from the upper end thereof, and a stepped portion formed on the second top plate 9 overlaps the lower surface of the first top plate 6. A ring-shaped storage section 10 is defined between the housings 1 and 7, and a flexible cable 11 is, for example, spirally wound into the storage section 10. One end of the flexible cable 11 is led out of the housing 1 while being fixed to the outer cylinder 5, and the other end is led out of the movable housing 7 while being fixed to the inner cylinder 8.
The rotary connector thus briefly constructed is incorporated in a steering system of an automobile, and used as an electrical connecting means such as an air bag circuit or a horn circuit in such a manner that the fixed housing 1 is mounted to a combination switch which is a stator member of the steering system, and the movable housing is mounted to a handle which is a rotor member of the steering system. In the use of the rotary connector, when the handle is turned clockwise or counterclockwise, the turning force is transmitted to the movable housing 7 to rotate the movable housing 7 clockwise or counterclockwise. As a result, the flexible cable 11 is wound and tightened around the inner cylinder 8, or rewound around the outer cylinder 5, so that electrical connection between the housings 1 and 7 is maintained through the flexible cable 11 in both conditions.
In the conventional rotary connector, the second top plate 9 of the movable housing 7 overlaps the lower surface of the first top plate 6 inside the outer cylinder 5 of the fixed housing 1. Thus, even if external members such as column covers, etc. are arranged in the vicinity of the outer cylinder upon incorporation in the steering system, the rotation of the movable housing 7 can be prevented from being interrupted by the external members. However, since a spacing S formed in the overlapping portion of the first and second top plates 6 and 9 is located on the upper surface of the rotary connector, foreign substances such as dust or an erroneously spilled beverage tend to enter the storage section 10 from the spacing S, whereby the connection reliability of the flexible cable 11 deteriorates.
In addition, when the foreign substance is a liquid such as a beverage, the liquid easily enters the storage section 10 from the spacing S by capillary action.


The invention provides a product container grip comprising a container wall forming a cavity, a container top releasably attached to said container wall, a container bottom integral with said container wall, a locking mechanism disposed at least in part in said container wall, and a locking mechanism provides a means for releasably locking/attaching said container onto an extendable handle. Also provided is a container having a bottom or side locking mechanism for locking/attaching onto an extendable handle or locking/attaching onto an adapter fitted with receiving structures for accepting and forming a seal with the product container grip.

This disclosure is directed generally to product containers. Many people enjoy carrying a product, such as a cosmetic product (e.g., lip balm, lip gloss, blush, dental floss, etc.) with them throughout the day, to apply or otherwise use the product on the go. Many products are contained in lidded, disc shaped containers. These containers are small, and thus they tend to get lost in a user's purse or pocket space. Many users also carry with them a mobile device having an accessory, such as an extendable handle, for facilitating handling of the mobile device. It can be cumbersome, however, for the user to carry both their mobile device with extendable handle as well as a product container. To facilitate handling of and access to the product, needed is a product container that can be integrated with a mobile device or other accessory.
The art discloses a variety of containers and packaging products. See for example: Alameda Packaging—https://www.alamedapackaging.com/Catalog/Jars/128/Plastic Jars.html; Alibaba—https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/lip-balm-container.html; Arminak Associates—http://www.arminak-associates.com /product.aspx?menu=P&mod=SS&cat=COSMETICS&subcat=CLBALM&item=, http://www.arminak-associates.com/product.aspx?menu=P&mod=SS&cat=JAR&subcat=ALL_JAR& subsubcat=&item=&Page=1; Berlin Packaging—https://www.berlinpackaging.com/plastic-jars/, https.//www.berlinpackaging.com/flipz-child-resistant-pop-top-jars/; Bulk Apothecary—https: //www.bulkapothecary.com/categories/containers/plastic-jars/; Container & Packaging—https: //www.containerandpackaging.com/catalog/plastic-containers/plastic-jars, https://www.containerandpackaging.com/products/88/pet-single-wall-jar/J050); CosmoPak—http://www.cosmopak.com/catalogue/, http://www.cosmopak.com/product-category/jars-pots/; DH Gate—https://www.dhgate.com/manufacturers/empty-lip-balm-containers-supplies.html; Elements Bath & Body—https://www.elementsbathandbody.com/Jars/: Fillmore Container—https: //www.fillmorecontainer.com/containers.html, https://fillmorecontainer.com/closures.html; Global Sources—https: //www.globalsources.com/gsol/GeneralManager?point_search=on&page=search %2FProductSear chResults&product_search=on&supplier_search=off&article_search=off&apclick=&qType=PRODUCT&type =new&query=lip+balm+containers&language=en&point_id=3000000149681&catalog_id=2000000002844&from=&loc=t&AGG=N&view=grid&KWSearchType=ProdSearch&action=GetPoint&action=Dofree TextSearch; Google Search—https: //www.google.com/search?q=lip+balm+grip+jar&source=inms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=OahUKEwiki pPXk fiAhXBx1kKHVgVBP0Q_AUIESgC&biw=1536&bih=754, https;//www.google.com/search?g=lip+balm+grip+jar&source=inms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=OahUKEwiki pPXk·fiAhXBx1kKHVgVBP0Q_AUIESgC&biw=1536&bih=754, https://www.google.com/search?biw=1536&bih=754&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=CZ8CXaXJluy2ggeF-pCQCw&g=lip+balm+living+hinge+container&oq=lip+balm+living+hinge+container&gs_l=img.3...6824.1 0378..10716...0.0..0.220.1709.21j1ji......0....1..gws-wiz-img.......35i39j0i67j0j0i30j0i8i30.Ey-2cMNYQ70, https://www.google.com/search?biw=1536&bih32 754&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=HZ8CXaeuGJCJggfBjpGQAQ& q=lip+balm+living+hinge+jar&oq=lip+balm+living+hinge+jar&gs_ l=img.3...13453.13861..14044...0.0..0.6 7.191.3......0....1..gws-wiz-img.4WPXhHMGrXs, https://www.google.com/search?biw=1536&bih=754&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=LJ8CXayUBqjv_Qa8rqOwCg& q=snap+base+jar&oq=snap+base+jar&gs_l=img.3...8002.10325..10601...0.0..0.81.814.13......0....1..gws-wiz-img....... 0j0167j0i10j015130j0i8i30j0i24.GPObox7AjhE, https://www.google.com/search?biw=1536&bih=754&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=HqACXZyvl6Xr_QamqK7YCw &q=small+plastic+jar&oq=small+plastic+jar&gs_l=img.3..0l2j0i8i30j0i2415.4333.4677..4879...0.0..0.60.16 9.3......0....1..gws-wiz-img.B90LdnUlelM; Lotta Luv—https: //www.google.com/search?q=phone+stand+and+lip+balm&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2a hUKEwiBypy03eniAhXHjVkKHbpJBZkQsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1536&bjh=754#imgrc=jjyWKn4RkRhcvM:, https://www.google.com/search?q=phone+stand+and+lip+balm&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2a hUKEwiBypy03enjAhXHjVkKHbpJBZkQsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1536&bih=754#imgdii=paK-rkhItfMftM:&imgrc=JJyWKn4RkRhcvM:; McKernan—https://www.mckernan.com/wholesale-bulk/plastic-jars/ej-30385, https://www.mckernan.com/wholesale-bulk/plastic-jars/ej-33825, https://www.mckernan.com/wholesle-bulk/plastic-jars?group=ej; MJS Packaging—https://www.mjspackaging.com/products/plastic-containers; Packaging Cosmetics—https: //www.packagingcosmetics.com/product-category/cosmetics-accessories/powder-jars/, https://www.packagingcosmetics.com/product-category/jars/; Premi Spa—https: //www.premispa.com/en/catalogue/p-collection/skin-care/jars/acrylic-jars/; SKS Bottle—https://www.sks-bottle.com/Lip_Balm/Lip_Balm.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com /Lip_Balm/Lip_BalmJars6.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin24c.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin69e.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin69.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com/Cosmetic-Containers3.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com /340c/fin34g.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin128a.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com /EyeshadowVials.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin24k.html, https://www.sks-bottle.com /MakeupContatners.html; ThePkgCo—https://www.thePkgco.com/product-category/jars/, Uline—https://www.uline.com/, https://www.uline.com/BL_2373/Double-Wall-Dome-Jars, https://www.uline.com/Grp_287/Jars, https://www.uline.com/BL_194/Plastic-Vials, https://www.uline.com/BL_8194/Replacement-Caps; With Logos—https://www.withlogos.com/lip-balm-mirror-compact.
Other products in the art include the EOS IPHONE POP SOCKET, LIP PIC by Latta Luv, see https://www/vinted.com/women/tech-accessories/25102181-phone-stand-with-mirror-and-lip-gloss. However, these products suffer from drawbacks as compare to the present invention. The present invention in an embodiment provides a container that attaches to an extendable handle (ie PopSocket®, SpinPop®, PopGrip® or other extendable handle), adapter) or other surface. The present invention is unique and different from the prior art product because of the containers integrated locking mechanisms. For example, the present invention provides an embodiment that attaches to an extendable handle, adapter or other surface by specialized locking mechanisms that are integrated into the product design. The locking mechanisms allow the product to be easily attached and detached from the extendable handle, adapter or other surface. The product covered by one or more claims of this specification is provided with an adaptor that attaches via tape (or other means) to any surface The adaptor provides an attachment point if an extendable handle is not in use.. The product locking mechanisms allow the product to be easily attached and detached from the adapter, as well as placed anywhere the user decides.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference characters and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the exemplary embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. The exemplary embodiments described herein, however, are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the instant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Product containers for integration with devices and accessories


The speech of two or more simultaneous speakers (or other simultaneous sounds) conveyed in a single channel are distinguished. Joint acoustic/modulation frequency analysis and display tools are used to localize and separate sonorant portions of multiple-speakers' speech into distinct regions using invertible transform functions. For example, the regions representing one of the speakers are set to zero, and the inverted modified display maintains only the speech of the other speaker. A combined audio signal is manipulated using a base acoustic transform, followed by a second modulation transform, which separates the combined signals into distinguishable components. The components corresponding to the undesired speaker are masked, leaving only the second modulation transform of the desired speaker's audio signal. An inverse second modulation transform of the desired signal is performed, followed by an inverse base acoustic transform of the desired signal, providing an audio signal for only the desired speaker.

Despite many years of intensive efforts by a large research, community, automatic separation of competing or simultaneous speakers is still an unsolved, outstanding problem. Such competing or simultaneous speech commonly occurs in telephony or broadcast situations where either two speakers, or a speaker and some other sound (such as ambient noise) are each simultaneously received by the same channel. To date, efforts that exploit speech-specific information to reduce the effects of multiple speaker interference have been largely unsuccessful. For example, the assumptions of past blind signal separation approaches often are not applicable in normal speaking and telephony environments.
The extreme difficulty that automated systems face in dealing with competing sound sources stands in stark contrast to the remarkable ease with which humans and most animals perceive and parse complex, overlapping auditory events in their surrounding world of sounds. This facility, known as auditory scene analysis, has recently been the focus of intensive research and mathematical modeling, which has yielded fascinating insights into the properties of the acoustic features and cues that humans automatically utilize to distinguish between simultaneous speakers.
A related yet more general problem occurs when the competing sound source is not speech, but is instead arbitrary yet distinct from the desired sound source. For example, when on location recording for a movie or news program, the sonic environment is often not as quiet as would be ideal. During sound production, it would be useful to have available methods that allow for the reduction of undesired background or ambient sounds, while maintaining desired sounds, such as dialog.
The problem of speaker separation is also called "co-channel speech interference." One prior art approach to the co-channel speech interference problem is blind signal separation (BSS), which approximately recovers unknown signals or "sources" from their observed mixtures. Typically, such mixtures are acquired by a number of sensors, where each sensor receives a different combination of the source signals. The term "blind" is employed, because the only a priori knowledge of the signals is their statistical independence. An article by J. Cardoso ("Blind Signal Separation: Statistical Principles" IEEE Proceedings, Vol. 86, No 10, October 1998, pp. 2009-2025) describes the technique.
In general, BSS is based on the hypothesis that the source signals are stochastically mutually independent. The article by Cardoso noted above, and a related article by S. Amari and A. Cichocki ("Adaptive Blind Signal Processing-Neural Network Approaches," IEEE Proceedings, Vol. 86, No 10, October 1998, pp. 2026-2048) provide heuristic algorithms for BSS of speech. Such algorithms have originated from traditional signal processing theory, and from various other backgrounds such as neural networks, information theory, statistics, system theory, and information theory. However, most such algorithms deal with the instantaneous mixture of sources and only a few methods examine the situation of convolutive mixtures of speech signals. The case of instantaneous mixture is the simplest case of BSS and can be encountered when multiple speakers are talking simultaneously in an anechoic room with no reverberation effects and sound reflections. However, when dealing with real room acoustics (i.e., in a broadcast studio, over a speakerphone, or even in a phone booth), the effect of reverberation is significant. Depending upon the amount and the type of the room noise, and the strength of the reverberation, the resulting speech signals that are received by the microphones may be highly distorted, which will significantly reduce the ability of such prior art speech separation algorithms.
To quote a recent experimental study: " . . . reverberation and room noise considerably degrade the performance of BSSD (blind source separation and deconvolution) algorithms. Since current BSSD algorithms are so sensitive to the environments in which they are used, they will only perform reliably in acoustically treated spaces devoid of persistent noises." (A. Westner and V. M. Bove, Jr., "Applying Blind Source Separation and Deconvolution to Real-World Acoustic Environments," Proc. 106th Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention, 1999.)
Thus, BSS techniques, while representing an area of active research, have not produced successful results when applied to speech recognition under co-channel speech interference. In addition, BSS requires more than one microphone, which often is not practical in most broadcast and telephony speech recognition applications. It would be desirable to provide a technique capable of solving the problem of simultaneous speakers, which requires only one microphone, and which is inherently less sensitive to non-ideal room reverberation and noise.
Therefore, neither the currently popular single microphone nor known multiple microphone approaches, which have been proven successful for addressing mild acoustic distortion, have provided satisfactory solutions for dealing with difficult co-channel speech interference and long-delay acoustic reverberation problems. Some of the inherent infrastructure of the existing state-of-the-art speech recognizers, which requires relatively short, fixed-frame feature inputs or which requires prior statistical information about the interference sources, is responsible for this current challenge.
If automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems, speakerphones, or enhancement systems for the hearing impaired are to become truly comparable to human performance, they must be able to segregate multiple speakers and focus on one among many, to "fill in" missing speech information interrupted by brief bursts of noise, and to tolerate changing patterns of reverberation due to different room acoustics. Humans with normal hearing are often able to accomplish these feats through remarkable perceptual processes known collectively as auditory scene analysis. The mechanisms that give rise to such an ability are an amalgam of relatively well-known bottom-up sound processing stages in the early and central auditory system, and less understood top-down attention phenomena involving whole brain function. It would be desirable to provide ASR techniques capable of solving the simultaneous speaker problem noted above. It would further be desirable to provide ASR techniques capable of solving the simultaneous speaker problem modeled at least in part, on auditory scene analysis.
Preferably, such techniques should be usable in conjunction with existing ASR systems. It would thus be desirable to provide enhancement preprocessors that can be used to process input signals into existing ASR systems. Such techniques should be language independent and capable of separating different, non-speech sounds, such as multiple musical instruments, in a single channel.


An iron based redox flow cell. The redox flow cell comprises a first half-cell comprising a first electrolyte providing a source of Fe2+ ions and an electrode disposed within the first half-cell; a second half-cell comprising a second electrolyte providing a source of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions and an electrode disposed within the second half-cell; and a separator between the first and second half-cells, where (a) the second electrolyte comprises a Fe3+ stabilizing agent; (b) the first electrolyte comprises a hydrogen evolution suppressing agent; or (c) the first electrolyte comprises a hydrogen evolution suppressing agent, and the second electrolyte comprises a Fe3+ stabilizing agent.

Reduction-oxidation (redox) flow batteries store electrical energy in a chemical form and subsequently dispense the stored energy in an electrical form via a spontaneous reverse redox reaction. A redox flow battery is an electrochemical storage device in which an electrolyte containing one or more dissolved electro-active species flows through a reactor cell where chemical energy is converted to electrical energy. Conversely, the discharged electrolyte can be flowed through a reactor cell such that electrical energy is converted to chemical energy. The electrolytes used in flow batteries are generally composed of ionized metal salts that are stored in large external tanks and are pumped through each side of the cell according to the charge/discharge current applied. Externally stored electrolytes can be flowed through the battery system by pumping, gravity feed, or by any other method of moving fluid through the system. The reaction in a flow battery is reversible, and the electrolyte can be recharged without replacing the electroactive material. The energy capacity of a redox flow battery, therefore, is related to the total electrolyte volume, e.g., the size of the storage tank. The discharge time of a redox flow battery at full power also depends on electrolyte volume and often varies from several minutes to many days.
The minimal unit that performs the electrochemical energy conversion is generally called a "cell," whether in the case of flow batteries, fuel cells, or secondary batteries. A device that integrates many such cells, coupled electrically in series or parallel, to get higher current or voltage or both, is generally called a "battery." As used herein, the term "battery" may refer to a single electrochemical cell or a plurality of electrically coupled cells. Like traditional batteries, cells may be "stacked" together in a flow battery system to achieve the desired power output. Thus, the terms "cell" and "battery" can be used interchangeably herein.
Since the electrolyte is stored externally, the amount of energy that can be stored by a flow battery is largely determined by the solubility of the chemicals and the size of the tanks. The size of the tanks and storage capacity can be easily scaled. A true flow battery has all chemical species flowing through the battery and stored in external tanks and thus the energy and volume capacities can be sized independently. The vanadium redox flow battery is an example of a true flow battery and has received the most attention in recent years. In a hybrid flow battery, at least one of the chemical states resides within the stack such as by plating out as a metal. One example of a hybrid flow battery is a zinc-bromine battery, where the zinc metal is platted out. In these systems, the power and energy capacities are coupled, and the plating density affects the energy/power capacity ratio.
Redox flow batteries can be utilized in many technologies that require the storage of electrical energy. For example, redox flow batteries can be utilized for storage of night-time electricity (which is inexpensive to produce) to subsequently provide electricity during peak demand when electricity is more expensive to produce or demand is beyond the capability of current production. Such batteries can also be utilized for storage of green energy, i.e., energy generated from renewable sources such as wind, solar, wave, or other non-conventional sources.
Many devices that operate on electricity are adversely affected by the sudden removal of their power supply. Flow redox batteries can be utilized as uninterruptible power supplies in place of more expensive backup generators. Efficient methods of power storage can be used to construct devices having a built-in backup that mitigates the effects of power cuts or sudden power failures. Power storage devices can also reduce the impact of a failure at a generating station.
Other situations where uninterruptible power supplies can be of importance include, but are not limited to, buildings where uninterrupted power is critical, such as hospitals. Such batteries can also be utilized for providing an uninterruptible power supply in developing countries, many of which do not have reliable electrical power sources, resulting in intermittent power availability. Another possible use for redox flow batteries is in electric vehicles. Electric vehicles can be rapidly "recharged" by replacing the electrolyte. The electrolyte can be recharged separately from the vehicle and reused.


The use of volatilization reagents is disclosed for improved detection of inorganic oxidizers such as, but not limited to, chlorates and perchlorates. Detection methods are disclosed whereby a reagent can transfer a proton to the anion (i.e., chlorate, perchlorate, etc.) of an inorganic salt analyte, forming an acid (i.e., chloric acid, perchloric acid) that is easier to detect by a mechanism whereby the acidified reagent is more easily vaporized, and hence, more easily detected. Concurrently, the anion of the acid forms a new salt with the cation released from the salt that was acidified. The reagents can also include acidic salts or cation-donators, more generally. In some embodiments, hydrated reagents or co-reagents that can release water can be employed.

The technical field of this invention is spectrometry, e.g., ion mobility spectrometry and the like, and in particular to methods and reagents that can enhance the ionization of low volatility analytes.
The threats posed by concealed explosives and the intentional release of toxic chemicals continue to drive improvements in ways to detect these threats as a means to protect the public. One technique used to aid in this mission involves identification of the threat molecule by first ionizing it, and then detecting whether the threat molecule (analyte) is present. Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), differential mobility spectrometry (DMS), field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS), and mass spectrometry (MS) are all methods used to identify molecules that first require ionization. Given the importance of these techniques to public safety, considerable effort has been devoted to develop the best means to collect the sample from the environment, present the sample to the instrument, and to also ionize it efficiently and, if possible, selectively in order to provide the greatest detection capability. In almost all instances, the ionization is achieved at ambient-pressure using a technique called ambient-pressure ionization (API) (also sometimes called atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization). Because the ionization occurs in the gas phase through ion-molecule collisions, it is usually essential that the analyte is first vaporized to be present in the gas phase.
However, many of the explosive and chemical threats have low vapor pressure and exist as traces of solid particulates or thin films on surfaces, and thus the most common way to collect the sample requires a swipe or swab substrate which provides a physical mechanism to both collect and preconcentrate the sample off the contaminated surface for subsequent presentation to the ionization space of the detection instrument. The substrate media, or "swipe", containing the collected sample can be used to present the sample to the ionization instrument in one of two ways. In the first method, the swipe can be extracted using a solvent to selectivity dissolve the collected analyte into a solvent liquid, which is then presented to the ionization space of the instrument via a process called electrospray ionization. (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,513,596; 5,157,260; and 5,756,994, for examples of this approach). This requires extraction, dissolution, and injection steps and, although effective, is not practical in field settings. The alternative, and currently preferred, method is to heat the swipe to desorb the target chemical into the vapor phase for subsequent ionization and detection.
In a typical API system, a swipe or swab substrate is positioned in a thermal desorber located on the inlet side of the detection system. Thermal heating of the solid analyte particles on the swipe induces a solid-to-vapor phase transition and releases the analyte molecules as a vapor, usually guided into the sensor inlet by a carrier gas, and ionization occurs in the vapor phase. Properties of commercially-available swipe media have been optimized over the years for increased efficiency of particle collection from surfaces (mechanical or electrostatic), efficient transfer and release of analyte into the chemical sensor, thermal stability, and low chemical background of the substrate. Prior art exists in the patent literature on different embodiments of sampling swipes (e.g., US2006-0192098; EP1844189 and WO2007-066240). See also, commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/832,905 filed entitled "Reagent Impregnated Swipe for Thermal Desorption Release and Chemical Detection with Ambient Ionization Techniques," which discloses reagents that are chemically embedded in the swipe material for interaction with the analyte.
One area where such an approach may be beneficial is for detection of materials such as the sodium and potassium salts of chlorate and perchlorate, which do not have appreciable vapor pressures to allow for sensitive detection at desorption temperatures less than 250° C. Reagents that convert these compounds to more volatile compounds at temperatures less than 250° C. can thus provide one means to improve performance of API-based detection systems and/or allow for operation at lower temperatures.

Reagents for enhanced detection of low volatility analytes


A cheese slurry suitable for topical application on a snack product prior to baking includes natural cheese powder solids, an emulsifier, oil, water, and pregelatinized starch in amounts effective to provide a crispy topping having an appearance of melted cheese uniformly adhered to the outer surface of the baked dough product, and up to 1 percent reducing sugars, polyols, or a combination thereof and substantially no enzyme-modified cheese, buttermilk, whey, maltodextrins, or yeast extract so that the cheese slurry composition is resistant to undesirable browning and burning upon baking.

Baked flavored snack products, such as, for example, cheese-flavored snack crackers, are highly desired by consumers. Conventional seasoning techniques generally involve application of a seasoning powder to a snack cracker post-baking. However, this technique suffers from certain drawbacks. For example, applying seasoning powders to already-baked snack crackers results in limited adhesion of the seasoning to the cracker, which can reduce flavor intensity and result in the seasoning rubbing off on the consumer's hands during handling.
Applying seasoning powders to a snack cracker prior to baking also suffers from drawbacks. For example, pre-bake application of seasoning powders can result in poor adherence, as well as provide the snack cracker with a topping having a hard, undesirable texture. Additionally, conventional powders used for seasoning snack crackers (such cheese powders) have formula ingredients that can brown very quickly when exposed to heat, giving the snack product an undesirable burnt flavor and/or appearance.
Multi-textural snack products are also enjoyed by consumers. However, conventional seasoning powders, which generally form a powdery layer on the surface of the product, do not provide a multi-textural aspect to the snack product.

Cheese toppings for baked snacks suitable for prebake application


An analog-to-digital converter. The VCO 111 generates a sampling clock with a frequency four times that of a subcarrier. The A/D conversion circuit 103 converts an analog composite signal on the basis of the sampling clock thus generated. The BPF 113 extracts an input subcarrier from the digital composite signal. The local subcarrier reference generator 112 generates a local subcarrier. The multiplier 114 detects the phase differences between the input subcarrier and the local subcarrier. The averaging (I) circuit 115 averages consecutive 4 n phase differences. The averaging (II) circuit 116 further averages the averages thus obtained over a plurality of lines. The pulse generator 117 generates a pulse signal with a width corresponding to the averages thus obtained. The integrator 118 integrates the pulse signal thus generated thereby to control the oscillating frequency and phase of the VCO 111.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an analog-to-digital converter. More particularly, this invention relates to an analog-to-digital converter for converting an analog composite video signal into a digital composite video signal.
2. Background of the Invention
FIG. 1 shows a conventional analog-to-digital converter (hereinafter referred to simply as "A/D converter") for converting an analog composite video signal (hereinafter referred to simply as "analog composite signal") into a digital composite video signal (hereinafter referred to simply as "digital composite signal"). This circuit includes an amplifier 31 for amplifying an analog composite signal, a clock generating circuit 32 for generating a sampling clock with a frequency 4 f.sub.sc indicating that in this example the frequency is four times that of a subcarrier wave (hereinafter referred to simply as "subcarrier") superimposed as a color burst signal on the analog composite signal. This analog composite signal is amplified by the amplifier 31, and an A/D conversion circuit 33 converts the analog composite signal into a digital composite signal on the basis of the sampling clock generated by the clock generating circuit 32. The clock signal generated by clock generator 32 is fed forward to clock the A/D converter 33 in this circuit configuration.
The clock generator 32 of FIGURE i includes a band pass filter (BPF) 36 for filtering the output of the amplifier 31. This output is the amplified analog composite video signal which is to be converted to a digital composite signal. The BPF 36 output drives a burst gate 38 which in turn drives one input of a phase detector 40. The output of the phase detector 40 is processed by a pulse-width-to-voltage converter 44 (generally a low pass filter). The output voltage from pulse-width-to-voltage converter 44 is used to control the output frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 46, the output of which forms the output of the clock generator 32.
In the example shown, the VCO 46 operates at four times the sampling clock frequency f.sub.sc. This output is also provided to a frequency divider 50 which in the example divides the output of the VCO by four and supplies the divided signal to a second input of the phase detector 40. The phase detector 40 compares the phase of the two inputs to obtain the error signal to converter 44. Those skilled in the art will recognize the structure of elements 40, 44, 46 and 50 as a frequency multiplying phase-locked-loop (PLL). The analog-to-digital converter 33 processes the analog composite video signal from amplifier 31 to produce the desired digital composite signal.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the digital composite signal output conforms to relevant standards, for instance, so-called D - 2 Format as defined by the National Television System Committee (NTSC).
D - 2 Format is stipulated in standards 244 M to 248 M formulated by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) which are hereby incorporated by reference. As the main coding parameters of D - 2 Format, the sampling frequency is 4 f.sub.sc, the quantization type is linear 8-bit (10-bit for a color burst signal portion) quantization, and the sampling phase is an IQ axis for precise restriction of a color signal (hereinafter referred to as "IQ signal").
Accordingly, the PLL of the clock generating circuit 32 is designed to generate a sampling clock on the basis of a subcarrier superimposed as a color burst signal on the analog composite signal amplified by the amplifier 31. The sampling clock thus generated has a frequency of 4 f.sub.sc and a phase of 123 degrees relative to the subcarrier. To ensure these settings of the sampling clock, the clock generating circuit 32 is pre-adjusted before shipment, for instance, during manufacture.
Even though the clock generating circuit 32 is pre-adjusted during manufacture as mentioned above, the phase setting of the sampling clock may vary for such causes as changes with time in temperature characteristics of electrical elements of the PLL and fluctuations in supply voltage. As a result, the digital composite signal output by the A/D converter may fail to conform to relevant standards. Further, such pre-adjustment requires additional processes during manufacture. These problems are addressed with the present invention.

Analog-to-digital converter for composite video signals


A high brightness LED phosphor coupling device. A semiconductor light source is encapsulated by a medium of first index of refraction, a layer of phosphor surrounded by a second medium of second index of refraction of optical index less than the first index and a light coupler for redirecting most of the light from the light source to an area of the phosphor about equal to the area of the light source multiplied by the square of the ratio of the first to the second index of refraction.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are a commonly used light source in applications including lighting, signaling, signage, and displays. LEDs have several advantages over incandescent and fluorescent lamps, including high reliability, long lifetime, and high efficiency. A typical prior art LED package is shown in FIG. 1. The die is a piece of semiconductor material that actually produces the emitted light. The contact and bond wire carry electrical current to the die. The substrate provides a physical mounting surface for the die and helps conduct away the heat generated by the die. The substrate shown in FIG. 1 is cup-shaped, which helps collect light from the die and redirect it upwards. In some preferred cases, including the example in FIG. 1, the substrate also conducts electrical current. The die is surrounded by an encapsulant, typically a polymer but can be other materials such as glass, which is transparent to the light wavelengths of interest. The encapsulant protects the die from mechanical damage, moisture, and atmospheric exposure. It also increases light extraction efficiency from the die relative to a die in air. The semiconductor die is typically a high-optical-index material such as sapphire, SiC, or GaP. Light inside the high-index material can only escape when it is incident on the die surface at an angle of incidence θ<θC=arcsin[nsurround/ndie], where nsurround and ndie are the indices of refraction of the surround and die. Light extraction efficiency is improved when this critical angle is as large as possible. Encapsulants have a higher index than air, and therefore they increase light extraction. The encapsulant is generally chosen to have as high an index as possible, but selection is typically constrained by other requirements such as transparency, resistance to thermal and photochemical degradation, hardness, and ease of application and curing in a manufacturing process.
The semiconductor die in an LED typically produces only a narrow spectrum of light, which is perceived by the eye as a single color such as red, blue, green, amber, etc. However, for many applications, especially lighting, broadband white light is preferred. A common approach to providing white light with LEDs is to overlay the die with a phosphor which absorbs some or all of the LED light and emits light at lower wavelengths, thus providing a mixture of colors that the eye perceives as white. This combination of LED phosphor is commonly referred to as a "white LED." White LEDs can be made from a number of LED-phosphor combinations, including blue LED+yellow phospor, blue LED+a combination of red and green phosphors, and UV LED+a combination of red, green, and blue phosphors. The various approaches and difficulties of different materials combinations are well known in the art, such as described by Regina Mueller-Mach et al. in "High-Power Phosphor-Converted Light-Emitting Diodes Based on III-Nitrides," IEEE Journal On Selected Topics In Quantum Electronics, Vol. 8, No. 2, March/April 2002.
Performance and reliability of white LEDs also depend on the method for applying the phosphor as well as the materials. The phosphor typically comes in the form of fine powder. The most commonly used method is to disperse this powder in a polymer binder and dispense the mixture directly onto the LED. The polymer binder can be the same material used for the encapsulant, and in fact the phosphor-binder mixture becomes functionally part of the encapsulant. FIGS. 2A and 2B show two examples. In previously developed white LEDs, as shown in FIG. 2A, the phosphor-containing volume was usually much larger than the die, which in turn caused the effective light source area to be much larger than the die. It is well-known in the art of optical design that in a high-collection optical systems the output beam has an etendue Eout=nout2AoutΩout, where nout is the index of the medium in which the beam emerges (typically air, with n≅1), Aout is the area of the beam, and Ωout is the solid angle of the beam. For high collection efficiency, it is accepted that Eout must be greater than or equal to the etendue of the light source itself. The phosphor layer is substantially Lambertian ±90°, which means that the etendue of the phosphor layer is approximately nbinder2×Aphosphor×π where nbinder is the optical index of the medium in which the phosphor is immersed. Since nbinder is typically equal to or at least similar to nencapsulant, and Aphosphor is larger than the area of the die, the etendue of the phosphor layer is clearly much larger than the etendue of the light emerging from the surface of the die into the encapsulant. This larger light source is unfavorable for many applications, especially those requiring that the light be collected and redirected into a highly collimated beam of light within a limited output aperture, for example flashlights, spotlights, and automotive headlight high beams.
Recent improvements have produced white LEDs in which the phosphor-binder mixture is limited to a small region directly on the die surface, largely co-extensive with the die. An example is shown in FIG. 2B. Note that this method of applying the phosphor is much easier when the die is a "flip chip" with all its contacts on the bottom surface, and therefore no bond wire on top. However, applying the phospor directly to the surface of the die has several disadvantages. The phosphor/binder mixture is subjected to the high temperatures of the die, which produces large amounts of heat and is typically the highest-temperature point in the package. The resulting high temperature causes color shifts due to the temperature sensitivity of the phosphor light emission. High temperatures also subject both binder and phosphor to temperature related degradation, which decreases light output over time. White LEDs accoding to FIG. 2 are also subject to color non-uniformity, as light emitted directly by the LED has a different spatial or angular pattern from light emitted by the phosphor.