A trim circuit that is operable to adjust (trim) a digital or analog output of another electronic circuit, e.g., a regulator, comparator, signal processor, and the like. The novel trim circuit includes two fuses that can be separately “blown” or severed in such a way as to provide a relatively fixed “high” or “low” output signal that can be employed to adjust/trim the digital or analog output of another electronic circuit. A first fuse is coupled to a high potential of the trim circuit and the second fuse is coupled to a low potential of the trim circuit. If the second fuse is blown/cut, the trim circuit provides a relatively fixed high output signal. Conversely, if the first fuse is blown/cut, the trim circuit provides a relatively fixed low output signal. The fuses typically operate as relatively low impedance current shunts until they are severed/cut.

An integrated electronic circuit typically includes several electronic components that are arranged to enable the circuit's functionality. However, the actual operation of each integrated circuit can vary based on a variety of factors, including manufacturing processes, and component layout. Consequently, prior to providing the integrated circuit to a customer, a test engineer will often emulate an output of an integrated circuit and subsequently adjust (trim) the output to conform to a desired operational range and/or accuracy. However, the typical arrangement of electronic components for trimming the output of an integrated circuit and/or enabling its emulation can lead to undesirable static current drains in the circuit.

Fused trim circuit with test emulation and reduced static current drain


A packing bag with a cushioning function includes: a first cushioning air cylinder portion, constituted by air cylinders; a second cushioning air cylinder portion, constituted by air cylinders, and coupled to the first cushioning air cylinder portion to form an accepting space; and a binding belt, coupled to the first cushioning air cylinder portion and/or the second cushioning air cylinder portion, and used for sealing an opening of the accepting space. The first cushioning air cylinder portion and second air cylinder portion constituted by the air cylinders can perform the cushioning protection of an object effectively, solving the problem of the shock-absorption capability insufficiency of the conventional small air sacs, solving the problem of the conventional small air sacs being insufficient in shock-absorption capability. In addition, the binding belt not only allows a label to be attached thereon, but also avoids the air cylinder being pierced through.

Generally, a letter or object is placed in an envelope, mail receiver and sender information is written or printed on the front of the envelope, and the envelope is then sealed by using glue or other ways. However, general envelopes have been used for a long time without changing a lot; they are only changed a little in style, for example, a metal fixing sheet or cotton winding fastener may be added in a seal structure of a envelope, or a self adhesive glue is attached on an envelope seal. Therefore, a conventional envelope cannot be adjusted with a different content.
For the cushioning protection of a content, the content will first be wrapped in a plastic film with a plurality of small air sacs and then placed in an envelope, or the plastic film with a plurality of air sacs is laid in the envelope in advance and the content is then placed in the envelope, thereby avoiding the damage of the content due to a direct impact through the cushioning protection of the small air sacs. However, the shock-absorptive capability of the small air sacs is limited; they cannot achieve cushioning shock-absorption with respect to a larger impact load. Obviously, a precise object needing a more perfect protection during transportation cannot mailed with this kind of package.


pH sensitive, reversible gelling erodible drug delivery compositions and methods for their production are disclosed. The compositions are liquid solutions of poly(methylvinylether/maleic acid) having pharmaceutical compounds incorporated therein. The poly(methylvinylether/maleic acid) solutions increase in viscosity with increases in pH. Thus, when the compositions are formulated at a pH lower than physiological pH's, and then delivered to a target physiological site, the liquid solution becomes viscous and adheres to the tissue for a length sufficient to provide prolonged bioavailability of the pharmaceutical compound.

A problem with the administration of many pharmaceutical compounds and diagnostic compounds has been the need to retain sufficient quantities of these compounds in contact with the target tissues for a period of time sufficient to accomplish the therapeutic or diagnostic purpose. This problem is particularly acute in connection with compounds administered to the eye. In the ocular environment, tear turnover and drainage through the lacrimal system quickly remove a major portion of any compound administered directly to the eye so that only a small fraction of the original dosage remains in the eye for an extended period of time. In order to keep the pharmaceutical compound present at a therapeutic level, repeated administrations of fairly large doses are required to compensate for the loss from tear turnover and drainage. Similar problems are also encountered in connection with the nasal mucosa, oral cavity and similar physiological environments.
Early approaches to the solution of the problems associated with ocular drug delivery systems utilized semi-solid ointments or gels applied directly to the conjunctiva or cul-de-sac of the eye to retain the pharmaceutical agents contained therein on the ocular surface. Though reasonably effective at retaining adequate drug dosages in contact with the surface of the eye, a major disadvantage associated with ointments and gels is the difficulty in delivering controlled amounts. Many patients experience difficulty in applying the appropriate amount of the ointment or gel to the eye. Additionally, many of the ointments and gels cause unpleasant side effects including blurred vision and the formation of crusts around the eye and on the eyelids.
Another problem associated with the use of semi-solid gels and ointments is the tendency for many of these delivery systems to migrate within the cul-de-sac or fall completely from the eye. While some delivery systems are based upon gels which adhere to mucosa and thus have superior retention properties, many other gel systems do not meet with patient approval because of the discomfort associated with their migration.
Still another problem with many conventional gel and ointment drug delivery systems is the persistence of the gel or ointment within the ocular environment. Long after the available pharmaceutical compound is delivered, the gel or ointment can remain in the eye and continues to cause many unpleasant side effects including crusting and blurred vision. This problem is alleviated by gel drug delivery systems based on erodible gels which gradually dissolve or react to form soluble products at the physiological delivery site. However, patient dissatisfaction associated with accurately delivering recommended doses of these gels remains a problem. When attempting to deliver these gels using drop instillable methods, patients frequently apply too little or too much gel.
Another approach to controlled drug delivery is to utilize a drug loaded solid insert of a matrix material which erodes in physiological environments and simultaneously releases the incorporated drug with the erosion. One such solid insert is formulated of copolymers of a carboxylic acid such as the mono-ester of alkylvinylether/maleic acid copolymers. The ratio of acid functionalities to the number of carbon atoms in these copolymers determines the erosion rate and the drug release profile. These solid inserts function well in applications for extended release profiles. However, a significant disadvantage of these solid inserts for applications which do not require weeks or days of drug release time is the low patient acceptance associated with self-administering solid inserts. This is a particularly strong disadvantage when the inserts are intended for insertion in the ocular environment.
Alternatively, it has been proposed to utilize formulations which gel in response to changes in pH as drug delivery vehicles by carefully controlling the pH of a drug mixture, a solution which increases in viscosity upon mixing with aqueous tear fluid. Typically, these formulations are based upon polycarboxylates at concentrations as high as 10% which result in delivery systems having high buffering capacities and extended gelling times. However, these polycarboxylates have adverse effects on the chemical stability of certain pharmaceutical compounds which precludes their use in these delivery systems.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide stable, reversibly gelling drug delivery vehicles which can be used to delivery a variety of pharmaceutical compounds to a physiological system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reversibly gelling drug delivery vehicle which rapidly undergoes a viscosity change upon application to a physiological system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reversibly gelling, drop-instillable drug delivery vehicle which will prolong drug contact time for improved bioavailability and sustained drug release.
It is additionally an object of the present invention to provide a delivery vehicle which is self-lubricating for patient comfort, yet which exhibits muco-adhesive properties for adhesion to mucosa.

pH sensitive, reversible gelling, copolymeric erodible drug delivery system


The mold that is intended to be used integrally with casting material that is contemplated by this invention is formed with a surface that exerts pressure on and retains set casting material in the mold by providing a pin in the mold that has an upper region that is larger in a dimension perpendicular to the base of the mold than the base of the pin.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of mold manufacturing and specifically to the manufacturing of molds that are to be used integrally with the casting material with which they are filled.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The manufacture of molds for the purpose of casting is a well known technology. Most commonly, a mold is used to form a casting material, such as metal, concrete, or plastic into a specified shape. The casting material is introduced into the mold in a fluid form and is allowed to set, thereby assuming the shape of the mold.
In most instances, a mold is a tool for forming casting material into a predetermined shape that is separated from the set casting material and either discarded or used again. For this reason, molds commonly are concave. This shape facilitates separation of the mold from the casting material.
In certain instances, however, the mold and the casting material are intended to be used integrally. In this instance, a concave mold may have shortcomings. The mold and the casting material may separate unintentionally, frustrating the performance of the integrated mold and casting material.
It is therefore desirable, in instances where the mold and the casting material are to be used integrally, to have a mold with at least one surface which exerts pressure on the set casting material such that the set casting material remains biased into the mold.
It is also often desirable to have the mold made of the least expensive, substantially rigid material available. Commonly, the material that is best suited for this purpose is plastic. Plastic is usually formed by injection molding, which is also a well known art. Injection molding requires a mold into which fluid hot thermoplastic is injected. After a suitable cooling period, the plastic is then removed from the exterior mold. Such injection molding is used to produce plastic structures that are concave on one surface and convex on the opposite surface. This is so because injection molding generally requires an injectible mold formed of two movable plates. The first of these plates has a concave portion, the second of these plates has a slightly smaller convex portion that fits approximately into the concave portion of the first plate. The two portions are separated by a gap that defines the injectible mold. The first and second plates are concave and convex, respectively, because the resulting plastic must separate easily from the plates. No current technology exists that provides for an injection molded plastic mold created from a single piece that has a surface that would retain set casting material within the mold.

Mold for integrated mold and casting structures


A trailer of the type being connectable to a towing vehicle so as to tow a small vehicle comprises a structure supported by wheels. The structure has a connector portion, adapted to be connected to the towing vehicle. A pivoting mechanism connects a support frame to the connector portion in such a way that the support frame is pivotable about a first axis between a towing position in which the support frame supports the small vehicle for towing and a loading/unloading position in which the support frame is inclined with a loading/unloading end being adjacent to the ground. Springs are positioned between the support frame and the connector portion to bias the support frame to the loading/unloading position. A locking mechanism locks the support frame to the connector portion in the towing position of the support frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to trailers of the type being towed by cars, trucks and the like and, more particularly, to a trailer used to tow small vehicles such as watercrafts (e.g., personal watercrafts), motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and the like.
2. Background Art
Trailers are well known and used to tow small vehicles, such as watercraft (e.g., personal watercraft) motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and the like. There are however issues associated with the use of such trailers.
Some of the trailers are provided with ramps that are deployed such that a vehicle can be driven onto a support platform of the trailer. In a more compact design, the support platform has a rocking mechanism which reaches a tilted position to receive a small vehicle, and is pivoted to a horizontal position in which the small vehicle is towed.
As a small vehicle is driven onto the support platform, the rocking mechanism will often abruptly pivot to the horizontal position. In addition to potential damage to the trailer and/or small vehicle, the suspension of the towing vehicle may also be affected. Therefore, the small vehicle must slowly and carefully be positioned onto the support platform.
Trailers are often used with watercraft. The trailers tow the watercraft down ramps to release the watercraft on the water. The ramps are often in a bad shape. For instance, some ramps finish by a sharp drop, therefore making the use of trailers on such ramps tricky. In other instances, it may be required to release the watercraft on water in areas in which there are no ramps. In such a case, the watercraft are often manually carried to the water.


An express card adapted to receive and utilize a SIM card that can be electrically coupled with a computer is disclosed. The express card includes an extended portion with a printed circuit board (PCB) and a SIM card connector for coupling a SIM card with the PCB. An external antenna jack is electrically coupled with the PCB extended portion. An antenna/SIM card support structure is mounted on the PCB extended portion covering the SIM card connector. The antenna/SIM. card support structure forms a slot adapted to receive and seat a SIM card and form an electrical connection between the SIM card and the SIM card connector. A metallic flex antenna can be affixed to the antenna/SIM card support structure such that the antenna characteristics of an external antenna can be affected based on the metallization pattern and placement of the metallic flex antenna.

To assist in the development of several new cellular module products, a hardware approach labeled "core" component layout has been established. The core comprises major radio components that make up a certain technology (RF standards and/or protocols) such as, but not limited to, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). Each technology may be implemented using various form factors, so the core and its associated routing is grouped together on the printed circuit board (PCB). This saves time and money in the development of each new form factor.
For instance, one new form factor in the PC card market is known as the "Express Card 34" (hereinafter 'express card'). This new PC card form factor is used in all types of computers especially laptop or notebook computers to replace the current PCMCIA card. With this product, however, a mechanical challenge is created for many RF applications due to the reduced PCB surface area on the standard card. Many RF applications that utilize the aforementioned technologies (GPRS, EDGE, HSPDA, UMTS) require the use of a SIM card to facilitate network identification, level of service for an account, billing, etc. A SIM card, however, has its own form factor that takes up space. Therefore, the present invention proposes positioning the SIM card nearer the antenna in a new and novel way as described below.

Combination antenna and SIM card support structure


Disclosed are methods and compositions of synthesis mixtures for the synthesis of aluminophosphates and silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves, which enable the control and adjustment of the crystal particle size of aluminophosphates and silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves. The synthesis mixture compositions used have two or more organic templates present at a molar ratio of total template to aluminum of ≦1.25; such a synthesis mixture is susceptible to control of product particle size through variation in the amount of seeds used in the synthesis.

Olefins are traditionally produced from petroleum feedstock by catalytic or steam cracking processes. These cracking processes, especially steam cracking, produce light olefin(s) such as ethylene and/or propylene from a variety of hydro-carbon feedstock. It has been known for some time that oxygenates, especially alcohols e.g. methanol, are convertible into light olefin(s). The preferred methanol conversion process is generally referred to as methanol-to-olefin(s) (MTO) process, where methanol is converted to primarily ethylene and propylene in the presence of a molecular sieve.
Some of the most useful molecular sieves for converting methanol to olefin(s) are the metalloaluminophosphates such as the silicoaluminophosphates (SAPO's). There are a wide variety of SAPO molecular sieves known in the art; of these the more important examples include SAPO-5, SAPO-11, SAPO-18, SAPO-34, SAPO-35, SAPO-41 and SAPO-56. For the MTO process SAPO molecular sieves having the CHA framework type (Atlas of Zeolite Framework Types, 2001, 5th Edition, p. 96) and especially SAPO-34 are particularly important catalysts. The CHA framework type has a double six-ring structure in an ABC stacking arrangement. The pore openings of the structure are defined by eight member rings that have a diameter of about 4.0 Å, and cylindrical cages within the structure of approximately 10×6.7 Å. Other SAPO molecular sieves of CHA framework type include SAPO-44, SAPO-47 and ZYT-6.
The synthesis of AlPO4 and SAPO molecular sieves is a complicated process. There are a number of variables, which need to be controlled in order to optimise the synthesis in terms of the purity, yield, and quality of the SAPO molecular sieve produced.
It is known that silicoaluminophosphates of relatively small particle size are particularly effective in the MTO process. De Chen, et al., reported that SAPO-34 crystals of 0.4 to 0.5 μm gave the largest capacity of olefin formation (Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 29, 191-203, 1999). In this work, the crystals were obtained from a single batch of crystals, which was fractionated to obtain the differently sized crystals evaluated.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871, the synthesis of SAPO materials of various framework types is described. The reference suggests that, whilst not essential, seeding of the reaction mixture with seed crystals of either the SAPO species to be produced or a topologically similar aluminophosphate or aluminosilicate composition, facilitates the crystallization procedure. In Examples 51 and 53, SAPO-31 is prepared from a mono-templated reaction mixture in which di-n-propylamine is used as template in combination with AlPO4-31 seeds.
In WO 00/06493, colloidal crystalline molecular sieve seeds are used in the manufacture of phosphorus-containing molecular sieves. The use of these seeds produces phosphorus-containing molecular sieves of controlled final particle size of at most 0.75 μm and narrow particle size distribution. In the specific examples a dual template system of di-n-propylamine (DPA) and tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) is used at a ratio of template to Al2O3 of 2.6:1, i.e., a molar template to aluminum ratio of 1.3:1.
In EP 0 541 915 A1, it was reported that metal aluminophosphate molecular sieves of reduced particle size may be manufactured by the use of high speed stirring of the reaction mixture when TEAOH is used as templating agent.
He, Changquing et al., also reported that the variation of the mole ratio of TEAOH:NEt3 in a dual templated synthesis of SAPO-34 allowed control of crystal dimensions (Journal of Molecular Catalysis (China), 8:3, 207-212 (1994); Chinese Journal of Catalysis (CUIHUA XUEBAO), 16:1, 33-37 (1995); Chinese Patent Application No. 1106715A). He, Changquing et al., also reported that variation in the composition of template enabled adjustment of the acid center distribution of the synthesized SAPO-34 (Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology, 23:3, 306-311 (1995)).
We have now found new methods for the manufacture of crystalline aluminophosphate or silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves that allow control of the crystal size of the molecular sieve. In addition, the molecular sieve crystals obtained by these methods possess excellent catalytic properties, especially when used in catalytic processes for the preparation of olefins from oxygenate feed-stocks. These new methods also allow preparation of silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves of the CHA framework type with low acid site density.

Synthesis and use of aluminophosphates and silicoaluminophosphates


An entertainment device is disclosed herein which integrates a fire feature, a water feature, a music system, and a controlled lighting feature into a single piece of furniture.

The outdoor recreation industry has experienced monumental growths in recent years. Consumers are expanding their desires for outdoor features and gadgets to turn back yard and outdoor commercial spaces into paradise escapes.
Fire features, such as fire pits are a mainstay in many backyards across the globe for both conventional warmth and for entertainment purposes. Fire pits, particularly fire pit tables, are a centerpiece around which friends and family can gather and enjoy each other's company.
Fountains and water features are another common attraction in outdoor settings that cause others to gather. The sounds of the water feature fill the ambient atmosphere, creating a calming ambience and white noise.
No outdoor gathering is complete without music and lighting. A sound system is a staple to any gathering, and even more so in an outdoor setting where common entertainment such as televisions may not be possible. True, the fire feature will give off some light; however, it does not light the area outside the purview of the flames, nor does it provide the flexibility to alter the lighting to change the ambience. Therefore, most outdoor spaces employ lighting features to allow users to continue the enjoyment into the nighttime hours.
Outdoor space, however, is a luxury commodity afforded only to a few in great quantity. Thus, there exists a need to integrate recreational components to the extent possible. To that end, an entertainment table is provided herein that marries otherwise incompatible components to provide a one-stop entertainment piece that can fit the growing needs of industry consumers.


Articles are provided including a base substrate having a layer of an oriented cubic oxide material with a rock-salt-like structure layer thereon, and, a layer of epitaxial titanium nitride upon the layer of an oriented cubic oxide material having a rock-salt-like structure. Such articles can further include thin films of high temperature superconductive oxides such as YBCO upon the layer of epitaxial titanium nitride or upon a intermediate buffer layer upon the layer of epitaxial titanium nitride.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,139 described a coated conductor architecture based on IBAD-MgO, which comprises four or five separately deposited layers between the metal substrate and the superconducting layer. Among the described structures are included: (1) a structure including a substrate/a layer of Al2O3/a layer of Y2O3/a layer of IBAD-MgO/a homoepitaxial layer of MgO/a layer of SrRuO3/a layer of YBCO; and (2) a structure including a substrate/a layer of Er2O3/a layer of IBAD-MgO/a homoepitaxial layer of MgO/a layer of SrRuO3/a layer of YBCO.
Excellent critical current density values have been achieved using either of these architectures, but among the various intermediate layers, the homoepitaxial layer of MgO can present the most difficulties. First, the deposition rate is slow, requiring long deposition times and affecting the potential cost of production. Also, this layer is soft and hygroscopic, necessitating special care following deposition to avoid damage that would interfere with subsequent growth of the YBCO layer.
Due to these problems, elimination and/or replacement of this layer has remained a goal of researchers.
Do et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,752) describe TiN as one exemplary material with a rock salt like structure among other materials including magnesium oxide, such materials suitable as a thin film upon a smooth amorphous surface of a metal alloy substrate.
Kim et al., Physica C, v. 377, pp. 227-234 (2002) describe: (a) a structure of epitaxial TiN on a single-crystal (001) magnesium oxide substrate; and, (b) a structure of epitaxial TiN on a cerium oxide intermediate layer on a single-crystal (001) magnesium oxide substrate. They indicated that the cerium oxide intermediate layer was necessary (comparing (a) and (b)) to avoid a significant drop in Tc and Jc by a subsequently deposited YBCO layer, such YBCO layer deposited at between 700-800° C., on each structure.
Recently, Huhne et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., v. 65, no. 14, pp. 2744-2746 (2004) describe the deposition of TiN films using ion beam assisted deposition on amorphous substrates of Si/Si3N4 substrates.
Despite the appearance of TiN within various superconducting structures, additional development using TiN as a layer within a superconducting structure has now been explored.


Various services for a mobile communication network or an IP network are implemented by processing necessary information suitably in accordance with a service type so as to exchange the information to a service control device and transmitting the results of the service process by the service control device to the mobile communication network or the IP network, for a service request from the mobile communication network or the IP network. A gateway device of the present invention retains a signal defining various rules or policies received from the service control device, judges a service type and a destination requested from the service request signal by the various rules or policies for the service request signal transmitted from a communication terminal of the mobile communication network or the communication terminal of the IP network, performs protocol conversion on the service request signal in accordance with the service type, and transmits the service request signal to the corresponding destination.

At present, in mobile communication, not only voice communication service, but also packet service including Mail and Push, which utilizes mobile communication network functions, are provided for a communication terminal such as a mobile phone in a mobile communication network and a predetermined communication device such as a PDA having communication functions. Moreover, in conventional mobile communication, Web access service is provided for the communication terminal or the predetermined communication device in the mobile communication network through a specific device in the mobile communication network.
Meanwhile, a gateway device has been proposed to connect two different networks. Gateway devices having a protocol conversion function between different networks, an automatic routing function, a screening function, and a relay function for a Push-type service are known. These conventional examples are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-205370, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-78192, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-69176, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-32058, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-159891, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-168902.
However, the conventional gateway device only performs protocol conversion in a TCP layer as a gateway device to the mobile communication network, and relays packets between the mobile communication network and an IP network. Accordingly, it is necessary to change service in the mobile communication network after passing the gateway device. Thus, it has been impossible to perform processes for changing service in the gateway device.
Moreover, in the conventional mobile communication, service providing devices such as a location information providing device and a charging device are provided for each service. Hence, it has been necessary to change the devices individually upon a service change. Furthermore, information necessary for each service providing device is processed in each service providing device to provide service. Thus, it has been impossible to manage various services integrally.
In addition, the service providing device of the conventional mobile communication network provides service to only a communication terminal or the predetermined communication device of the mobile communication network. Therefore, it has been impossible to utilize functions of the various services in the mobile communication network from a communication terminal or a predetermined communication device of the IP network.

Gateway apparatus, and method for processing signals in the gateway apparatus


An keyboard assembly for an electronic musical instrument is mainly constructed by a key frame, a key, a key switch and an assembly guide member. A fixing portion of the key is supported by the key frame such that a front portion of the key can be freely rotated up and down. An actuator is attached to and projected downward from a lower side of the key. The key switch (or a key-depression sensor) has an elastic projecting portion at its upper end. This key switch is provided on the key frame and is driven by the actuator, which depresses down the elastic projecting portion of the key switch when the key is depressed down. The assembly guide member guides the key when the key is moved in an assembling direction (i.e., a longitudinal direction of the key) in order to carry out an assembling operation to assemble the key and the key frame together. Herein, the key is guided by the assembly guide member in such a manner that the actuator does not come in contact with the key switch during the assembling operation. Thus, the key switch is not damaged at all by the actuator during the assembling operation of the keyboard.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyboard assembly for use in electronic musical instruments such as an electronic piano.
2. Prior Art
According to a general construction of the conventional keyboard assembly employed in the electronic musical instrument, a plurality of keys, key switches, key stoppers, key guides and the like are supported by key frames which are fixed to a main body of the instrument. Each of the keys is supported by the key frame such that it can freely rotate about a predetermined fulcrum point. On the key frame, one key switch is provided in connection with the key. When each key is depressed down, the corresponding key switch is driven so that a key-on signal is produced.
FIG. 1 shows cross-sectional views illustrating a mechanical construction of the keyboard assembly. At a front edge portion of a key frame 8, there is provided a key guide 11 which functions to avoid a lateral swinging movement or a twisting movement of the key to be occurred when the key is depressed. The key frame 8 is made by use of a metal plate having a rectangular shape. The tip edge portion of the key frame 8 is bent, and then, a resin mold is formed to cover the bent portion of the key frame, so that the key guide 11 will be eventually formed. Or, the bent shape of the key frame is made by the resin, and then, a bent portion of the key frame which comes in contact with the key is covered by a flexible resin, so that the key guide 11 will be eventually formed as one part of the key frame. A key switch 10 is mounted on a circuit board 81 so as to form a switch-circuit assembly. This switch-circuit assembly is securely fixed to the key frame 8 by a screw 82. The key switch 10 contains a projecting member made of an elastic material such as rubber. When the key is depressed down, an actuator 6 which is attached to a lower surface of a key 1 presses down the projecting member of the key switch 10 so that the projecting member will be deformed. Thus, internal contacts (not shown) of the key switch 10 come in contact with each other so that the key switch 10 is turned on.
A guided member 4 is formed as a part of the key 1 such that the guided member 4 projects from an lower surface of the key 1. When the key 1 is depressed down, the guided member 4 is slid down by being guided by the key guide 11 of the key frame 8. A stopper element 5 is formed as a part of the guided member 4. When the key 1 is returned from a depressed position, the stopper element 5 comes in contact with the key guide 11 so that an upper-limit stopper will be emerged for the key 1. Incidentally, a numeral 3 designates a black key. The key 1 (i.e., white key) provides a projection 7 which projects downward from a common base-edge portion 2. This common base-edge portion is provided at back edge portions of the keys. This projection 7 is inserted into a hole 9 which is formed at a predetermined back-edge portion of the key frame 8, and then, the key 1 is fixed with the key frame 8 by a screw 83.
When assembling the key 1 and key frame 8 together, the projection 7 of the key 1 is temporarily mounted on the key frame 8; and then, the key 1 is slid on the key frame 8 in a horizontal direction so that the guided member 4 is engaged with the key guide 11; thereafter, the projection 7 is inserted into the hole 9. As described above, the key 1 should be slid on the key frame 8 in the horizontal direction because of the shape of the guided member 4. In other words, the stopper element 5 is horizontally extended from the guided member 4 in a backward direction (i.e., a left-side direction of FIG. 1), so that in order to engage the guided member 4, having a letter-L-like shape, with the key guide 11, the key should be horizontally moved in a backward direction just before the keyboard apparatus is assembled together.
When assembling the conventional keyboard apparatus, a certain lower-surface portion of the key 1 and the actuator 6 are moved in a horizontal direction with respect to the key switch 10 projected from the key frame 8 while being in contact with each other, and then, they are fixed together. Due to such fixing manner, the key switch 10 is sometimes deformed in a horizontal direction. If the key 1 and the key frame 8 are fixed together in such manner, the key switch 10 cannot operate well, which causes a problem in the function of the key switch 10 may not be completely carried out. In order to the aforementioned deformation which is caused by the force to be effected in a horizontal direction when fixing the key 1 and the key frame 8 together, the conventional technology provides some countermeasures by which the thickness of the rubber wall of the key switch 10 is enlarged or the hardness of the rubber is increased. Or, in order to do so, it is necessary to fix the key switch 10 to the key frame 8 by a harder strength. Another countermeasure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,999 in which the key is vertically moved down to the key frame, and then, the key is inserted to be attached to the key frame. In order to do so, a special-designed valve-like structure is provided for the key frame, key switch and circuit board such that the stopper element 5 can be smoothly moved downward along the key guide 11 when fixing the key and the key frame together.
However, if the thickness of the rubber wall of the key switch 10 is enlarged or the rubber used for the key switch 10 is made harder as described above, a key-depression sensitivity should be deteriorated. In order to intensely fix the key switch with the key frame, a number of fixing members or a number of steps for fixing the key switch with the key frame should be increased. Further, the workers should pay a great attention to the fixing operation such that components of the key do not touch with the key switch when fixing the key and the key frame together. Such complicated fixing operation requires much working hours, or much manual skill is required for the workers.
In the aforementioned technique disclosed by the U.S. patent, the construction of the key unit and the key-frame unit should be complicated, and a complicated process is required when forming the key frame. In addition, the stopper element should be passed through a valve-like portion when fixing the key with the key frame. Such operation is required for each of the keys. Thus, the disclosed technique suffers from its complication.

Keyboard assembly for electronic musical instrument


A gate structure is first formed on a substrate and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer is formed around the gate structure, a dielectric layer is formed on the ILD layer and the gate structure, an opening is formed in the dielectric layer and the ILD layer, and an organic dielectric layer (ODL) is formed on the dielectric layer and in the opening. After removing part of the ODL, part of the dielectric layer to extend the opening, and then the remaining ODL, a contact plug is formed in the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for fabricating semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a method of forming contact plugs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In current semiconductor industry, polysilicon has been widely used as a gap-filling material for fabricating gate electrode of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors. However, the conventional polysilicon gate also faced problems such as inferior performance due to boron penetration and unavoidable depletion effect which increases equivalent thickness of gate dielectric layer, reduces gate capacitance, and worsens driving force of the devices. In replacing polysilicon gates, work function metals have been developed to serve as a control electrode working in conjunction with high-K gate dielectric layers.
However, in current fabrication of high-k metal transistor, particularly during the stage when contact holes are formed adjacent to the metal gates, phenomenon such as bowing profile occurring on contact holes is often observed. This induces poor adhesion as well as poor gap-fill for metal layers later to be deposited into the contact holes. Hence, how to resolve this issue has become an important task in this field.

Method for fabricating contact plug in an interlayer dielectric layer


A liquid crystal display panel includes a first scan line, a second scan line, a data line, a first pixel and a second pixel. The first pixel has a first switch, a second switch and a first pixel electrode. The second pixel has a third switch and a second pixel electrode. The driving method of the liquid crystal display panel includes the following steps. During a first time period, the first scan line and the second scan line are enabled at the same time, and a first pixel voltage is inputted to the data line. During a second time period, the first scan line is enabled, the second scan line is disabled, and a second pixel voltage is inputted to the data line. The second time period is shorter than the first time period.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a method of driving a liquid crystal display panel, and more particularly to a method of driving a liquid crystal display panel having dual thin-film-transistor pixels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, an equivalent circuit diagram of part of the pixels of a conventional liquid crystal display panel is shown. In FIG. 1, for pixels in the same row, every two adjacent pixels share one data line. Take the left pixel LP (m, n) and the right pixel RP (m, n) of FIG. 1 for example. The two pixels, coupled to a scan line Sm+1 and a data line Dn, are respectively positioned at the two sides of the data line Dn, and are referred as the left pixel LP (m, n) and the right pixel RP (m, n) hereafter.
The right pixel RP (m, n) is controlled by a thin film transistor M21 and a thin film transistor M22. The gate of the thin film transistor M21 is electrically connected to the scan line Sm+1, while the source of the thin film transistor M21 is electrically connected to the data line Dn. The gate of the thin film transistor M22 is electrically connected to a scan line Sm+2, while the source of the thin film transistor M22 is electrically connected to the thin film transistor M21. The left pixel LP (m, n) is controlled by a thin film transistor M11 and a thin film transistor M12. The gate of the thin film transistor M11 is electrically connected to the scan line Sm+1, while the source of the thin film transistor M11 is electrically connected to the data line Dn. The gate of the thin film transistor M12 is electrically connected to the scan line Sm, while the source of the thin film transistor M12 is electrically connected to the drain of the thin film transistor M11. The pixels on the display panel can be divided into two categories, namely, the left pixels LP and the right pixels RP, according to the position of the pixel with respect to the data line.
Referring to FIG. 2, a timing diagram of the scan signals of the scan lines Sm, Sm+1 and Sm+2 of the circuit of FIG. 1 is shown. The scanning of the pixels in each row can be divided into two phases of sub-scanning. The first sub-scanning scans all left pixels LP in a row, while the second sub-scanning scans all right pixels RP in the row. For example, when the pixels in the mth row are scanned, at first, during a first time period T1, the scan lines Sm and Sm+1 are enabled at the same time, meanwhile, the thin film transistors M11 and M12 are turned on at the same time, so a pixel voltage is inputted to the left pixel LP (m, n) via the data line Dn. Thus, the first sub-scanning is completed. Then, during a second time period T2, the second sub-scanning is performed. The scan lines Sm+1 and Sm+2 are enabled, meanwhile, the thin film transistors M21 and M22 are turned on, so a pixel voltage is inputted to the right pixel RP (m, n) via the data line Dn.
Since each pixel has dual thin film transistors, the aperture ratio will be lower than a pixel having one thin film transistor. In order to increase the aperture ratio, another pixel configuration is provided. Referring to FIG. 3, an equivalent circuit diagram of part of the pixels of another conventional liquid crystal display panel is shown. Take the left pixel LP (m, n) and the right pixel RP (m, n) of FIG. 3 for example. The right pixel RP (m, n) is controlled by the thin film transistor M2, the gate of the thin film transistor M2 is electrically connected to the scan line Sm, and the first terminal of the thin film transistor M2 is electrically connected to the data line Dn. The left pixel LP (m, n) is controlled by the thin film transistor M11 and the thin film transistor M12. The gate of the thin film transistor M11 is electrically connected to the scan line Sm+1, while the source of the thin film transistor M11 is electrically connected to the data line Dn. The gate of the thin film transistor M12 is electrically connected to the scan line Sm, while the source of the thin film transistor M12 is electrically connected to the drain of the thin film transistor M11.
Referring to FIG. 4, a timing diagram of the scan signals of the scan lines Sm, Sm+1 and Sm+2 of the circuit of FIG. 3 is shown. The scanning of the pixels in each row can be divided into two phases of sub-scanning. The first sub-scanning scans all left pixels LP in a row, while the second sub-scanning scans all right pixels RP in the row. For example, when the pixels in the mth row are scanned, at first, during a first time period T1, the scan lines Sm and Sm+1, are enabled at the same time, meanwhile, the thin film transistors M11 and M12 are turned on at the same time, so a pixel voltage is inputted to the left pixel LP (m, n) via the data line Dn. Then, during a second time period T2, only the scan line Sm is enabled in the second phase of sub-scanning, meanwhile, the thin film transistor M2 is turned on, so a pixel voltage is inputted to the right pixel RP (m, n) via the data line Dn.
In the conventional practice disclosed above, the enabled time of the scan lines Sm and Sm+1 during a first time period T1 is equivalent to the enabled time of the scan line Sm during a second time period T2. Therefore, the charge time of the left pixel LP (m, n) is equal to the charge time of the right pixel RP (m, n).
In the liquid crystal display panel disclosed above, every two adjacent pixels in the same row share the same data line. The liquid crystal display panel disclosed above enables a data line to charge two adjacent pixels in the same row by different scan control signals transmitted by serially connected thin film transistors. When the data line charges the pixel electrode of the left pixel LP having dual thin film transistors, the data line signal has to pass through two thin film transistors, so the current charged to the left pixel LP is smaller than the current charged to the right pixel RP. Consequently, the charge ability of the left pixel LP is inferior to the charge ability of the right pixel RP. Thus, when the driving method of FIG. 4 is used, the left pixel LP will be under charged. As a result, proper luminance cannot be achieved, and the image quality of the display is affected.

Method of driving liquid crystal display panel


A new Mandevilla plant named ‘MANZ0024’ particularly distinguished by its medium sized dark rose-pink flowers, glossy and smooth dark green foliage, bushy plant habit with a tendency to produce vines under low light growing conditions and with excellent branching and flower production and fast flowering response.

The present invention comprises a new Mandevilla, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'MANZ0024'.
'MANZ0024' is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has medium sized dark rose-pink flowers, glossy and smooth dark green foliage, bushy plant habit with a tendency to produce vines under low light growing conditions and with excellent branching and flower production and fast flowering response.
'MANZ0024' originates from a hybridization made in a controlled breeding program in Amatitlan, Guatemala. The pollinations were made in 2013.
The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as 'DIP-064' and having light pink flowers, a more compact plant habit and smaller darker foliage.
The male parent of 'MANZ0024' was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as 'DIP-022', with dark rose-pink flower color, larger lighter green foliage and larger flower size.
The resulting seeds were sown in March 2015 and 'MANZ0024' was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in January 2016 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.
The first act of asexual reproduction of 'MANZ0024' was accomplished when vegetative stem cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in March 2016 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif.


Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. Efficient low-density parity-check (LDPC) scheduling of layered decoding may include receiving a message encoded as an LDPC code that includes a number of check nodes and a number of bit nodes, applying a first number of decoding iterations to decoding the message, applying a second number of decoding iterations to decoding the message after the first number of decoding iterations are applied, and decoding the message through completion of both the first number of decoding iterations and the second number of decoding iterations. In some cases, only a portion of the number of check nodes is decoded during each of the first number of decoding iterations and all of the number of check nodes are decoded during each of the second number of decoding iterations.

The following relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to scheduling for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes.
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform-spread-OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations or network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
Wireless communications systems may use channel coding to increase reliability and robustness of wireless transmissions, particularly in the presence of noise or interference in wireless channels. One category of codes that may be suitable for channel coding includes LDPC codes, and improved systems and methods for using LDPC decoding may be desired.

Scheduling for low-density parity-check codes


A set-top terminal and related methods is provided that, in one embodiment, comprises a memory with proactive reboot logic and a processor configured with the proactive reboot logic to detect an indication of a critical condition associated with the set-top terminal, determine based on a current status of resources in the set-top terminal if a current time provides an opportunity for a reboot of the set-top terminal in a manner that reduces user intrusiveness, and effect a rebooting of the set-top terminal if the current time provides the opportunity, otherwise postponing the reboot.

With recent advances in digital transmission technology, subscriber television systems are now capable of providing much more than the traditional analog broadcast video. In implementing enhanced programming, the home communication terminal ("HCT"), otherwise known as the set-top box, has become an important computing device for accessing content services (and content within those services) and navigating a user through a maze of available services. In addition to supporting traditional analog broadcast video functionality, digital HCTs (or "DHCTs") now also support an increasing number of two-way digital services such as video-on-demand and personal video recording.
Typically, a DHCT is connected to a cable or satellite, or generally, a subscriber television system, and includes hardware and software necessary to provide the functionality of the digital television system at the user's site. Each DHCT also typically includes a processor, an operating system, communication components, and memory, and is connected to a television set or other display device, such as a personal computer.
Some of the software executed by a DHCT can be downloaded and/or updated via the subscriber television system. While running the software, sometimes software glitches or other operating problems occur. One mechanism typically employed to remedy these problems includes the process of resetting, or rebooting. However, routinely rebooting a DHCT is often viewed negatively because it may fail to remedy the underlying problem and/or it often degrades the user experience. Thus, a need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned and/or other deficiencies and/or inadequacies.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Proactive rebooting in a set-top terminal and corresponding methods


Magnetic composites exhibit distinct flux properties due to gradient interfaces. The composites can be used to improve fuel cells and batteries and effect transport and separation of different species of materials, for example, transition metal species such as lanthanides and actinides. A variety of devices can be made utilizing the composites including a separator, an electrode for channeling flux of magnetic species, an electrode for effecting electrolysis of magnetic species, a system for channeling electrolyte species, a system for separating particles with different magnetic susceptibilities, improved fuel cells, batteries, and oxygen concentrators. Some composites can be used to make a separator for distinguishing between two species of materials and a flux switch to regulate the flow of a chemical species. Some composites can control chemical species transport and distribution. Other composites enable ambient pressure fuel cells having enhanced performance and reduced weight to be produced. Still other composites enable rechargeable batteries to be made that have longer secondary cycle life and improved output power. Methods involving these composites provide distinct ways for these composites to be utilized.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for forming and exploiting gradients at the interfaces between components of a composite material as well as the composite material itself and devices which incorporate the material. In particular, the invention relates to a method for forming and exploiting magnetic gradients at the interfaces between components of a composite magnetic material and the magnetic composite material itself as well as devices which incorporate the composite material such as electrochemical systems and separators including fuel cells, batteries, membrane sensors, flux switches, chromatographic separations, and nonelectrochemical separations resulting in enhanced and modified flux and performance in those systems. The invention also relates to apparatus, methods of making, and methods of using composite magnetic materials and interface gradients for the separation of transition metals, both light and heavy, from other species and from each other.
2. Background of the Related Art
In the detailed description of preferred embodiments, it will be shown that interfacial gradients in properly prepared composite materials can be exploited to enhance flux in many types of electrochemical systems such as fuel cells, batteries, membrane sensors, filters and flux switches. Such interfacial gradients may also be exploited in separators involving chromatographic separations and nonelectrochemical separations including, but not limited to, separations of light and heavy transition metals and transition metal complexes. The heavy transition metals include the lanthanides and the actinides which have atomic numbers 59-71 and 90-103, respectively. First, however, the following discussion provides a brief overview of the current understanding of magnetic properties in composites. In particular, the discussion below summarizes the thermodynamic, kinetic and mass transport properties of bulk magnetic materials. These bulk properties and molecules in magnetic fields are fairly well understood.

Gradient interface magnetic composites and systems therefor

The University of Iowa Research Foundation


A transfer robot includes a swivel base pivotable about a vertical axis, a hand for holding a plate-like work placed thereon, and a linear transfer mechanism supporting the hand and provided on the swivel base. The transfer mechanism is designed to move the hand forward and backward along a horizontal linear path. The hand is provided with a front stopper for checking a front edge of the work. The swivel base is provided with a work holder contacting a rear edge of the work when the hand is moved to a retracted position on the linear path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer robot. More specifically, the present invention relates to a transfer robot for transporting a thin plate-like work, such as a semiconductor wafer, along a straight path.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among many transfer robots, there is a group of transfer robots which have a mechanism for moving their hands along straight paths (linear transfer mechanism). These robots are simpler in construction and cheaper than the so-called jointed-arm robots, and are used widely in e.g. manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, for transportation of thin, plate-like works such as wafers into and out of different process chambers.
Such transfer robots are disclosed in JP-A-2002-531942 and JP-A-2003-142572, for example. The transfer robots disclosed in these documents generally have a basic construction as shown in FIG. 15 through FIG. 17 of the present application, in which hands 12 are supported via linear transfer mechanisms 11 on a swivel base 10 which is capable of pivoting as well as rising and lowering. More specifically, the transfer robot shown in FIG. 15 through FIG. 17 includes two linear transfer mechanisms 11 of a pivotal arm type. Each linear transfer mechanism 11 is provided with a hand 12 on which a thin, disc-like work W (wafers of silicon, for example) is placed. The two hands 12 supported by respective linear transfer mechanisms 11 overlap each other in plan view, and the two hands 12 are able to move on an identical path in plan view.
Basically, such a transfer robot is required to have a high level of precision for delivering the work W to a predetermined destination as well as for receiving the work W after it is processed. Further, when used in semiconductor manufacturing processes for example, the robot should be operable in a vacuum environment.
The transfer robot shown in FIG. 15 through FIG. 17 of the present application is also operable in the vacuum environment. The hand 12 is provided only with a plurality of regulating members 13 on which the work W can be placed. The regulating members surround the disc-like work W in order to prevent the work from shifting in horizontal directions. This construction is adopted for the hands of the transfer robots disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese patent application documents. If the hand were provided with e.g. a movable clamp mechanism for enabling operation in the vacuum environment, the wiring and the actuator would become extremely complex in construction, and this would result in high cost and heavy weight for the products.
Such a transfer robot is installed as part of a vacuum transport module which operates between an atmospheric transport module and a plurality of process chambers. As shown in FIG. 18, a vacuum transport module 14 includes for example, a transport chamber 16 surrounded by process chambers 15, an atmospheric transport module 17, and loadlocks 18 connecting the atmospheric transport module 17 and the transport chambers 16 to each other. The transfer robot is placed in the transport chamber 16. The loadlocks 18 have a first door 18a to the atmospheric transport module, and a second door 18b to the transport chamber 16. When the first door 18a is opened and the second door 18b is closed, the inside space of the loadlock 18 becomes atmospheric for movement of works between the atmospheric transport module 17 and the loadlock 18 via the first door 18a. When the first door 18a is closed and the second door 18b is opened, the pressure in the inside space of the loadlock 18 becomes equal to the pressure in the transport chamber 16 (vacuum), for movement of works between the loadlock 18 and the transport chamber 16 via the second door 18b. Each process chamber 15 has a door 15a to the transport chamber 16, and opening the door 15a allows movement of works between the transport chamber 16 and the relevant process chamber 15.
In the vacuum transport module 14, the transfer robot extends the hand 12 to receive a work in the loadlock 18, then retracts the hand 12 into the transport chamber 16, and then turns the swivel base 10 to orient and extend the hand 12 to a desired process chamber 15 to deliver the work to the process chamber 15. Likewise, when receiving a processed work W from the process chambers 15, then transporting them to other process chambers 15 and returning them to the loadlock 18, the transfer robot uses combinations of these extending, retracting and turning operations of the hands 12.
As described above, the transfer robot uses extending, retracting and swiveling movements of the hands 12, with the works W placed thereon. In the above example, however, the works W are surrounded only by the regulating members 13 provided on the hands 12. Thus, in order to prevent the works W from falling off the hands 12 during the transportation, the speed of the hands 12 should be controlled during the operation so as not to become higher than a prescribed level. In particular, much care should be taken in swiveling the hands, since this operation can give rise to a strong centrifugal force. These limitations make it impossible to increase the transfer speed of the robot in moving the works W, thereby leading to a decrease in efficiency of semiconductor production. One idea to prevent the work from falling off during the transfer is to increase the height of the regulating members 13 of the hands 12. However, such an increase makes it necessary to increase raising-lowering stroke of the swivel base 10 or of the hands 12 for loading and unloading the works W. Further, if the two hands move on two respective paths which are identical as in plan view but spaced vertically as shown in FIG. 17, the two hands 12 must be spaced widely from each other. Unfavorably this leads to an increase in the raising-lowering stroke of the swivel base 10, and also to an increase in weight of the hands 12.


Provided is a modified bacteriophage capable of infecting a target bacterium, which bacteriophage includes an α/β small acid-soluble spore protein (SASP) gene encoding a SASP which is toxic to the target bacterium, wherein the SASP gene is under the control of a constitutive promoter which is foreign to the bacteriophage and the SASP gene.

Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of infections contracted whilst in hospital (nosocomial infections) (Noskin et al., 2005). It frequently causes infections in the lungs, wounds, skin and the blood and, because of the number of toxins the bacterium can produce, these infections may be life threatening.
Almost all strains of S. aureus are now resistant to penicillin owing to their ability to produce an enzyme (penicillinase) which breaks down the drug; and 45 years after the introduction of methicillin in 1959, a penicillinase-resistant penicillin, methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains are endemic in many hospitals. More recently MRSA strains have also become a problem in the community. Many MRSA strains are now resistant to multiple antibiotics.
MRSA levels have risen dramatically in hospitals in both the US and the UK and, in addition, new Community Acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) strains have spread rapidly across the globe since they were first reported in the late 1990's. These CA-MRSA strains have proven to be highly transmissible and often carry a set of genes encoding Panton Valentine Leukocidin which is a toxin that can make these strains highly virulent. There are concerns that these CA-MRSA strains may further add to the difficulties of controlling MRSA infections in hospitals (Donegan, 2006).
In fact, MRSA is now such a serious (and lethal) problem in hospitals that significant effort is being put into implementing infection control measures as a way of minimising the spread of MRSA in hospitals and thus reducing the number of infections. In relation to MRSA in particular, infection control measures include, variously, the use of hand sanitisers by healthcare workers; screening, isolation and barrier nursing of infected and carrier patients; and decontamination of patients and healthcare workers who carry MRSA. The carriage of bacteria is defined as the presence of bacteria, usually at a low level, without any associated pathology such as inflammation. However, MRSA carriers do constitute a significant risk for the spread of MRSA to the wider hospital community, and the elimination of MRSA from carriers, particularly on or prior to admission, is a very important part of the infection control process.
Carriage of S. aureus (and therefore MRSA) occurs in and around the nose, armpits, groin, and perineum as well as in superficial skin lesions. A number of studies report that S. aureus is carried in the nose by 25 to 30% of the general population with MRSA being carried by around 1%. Amongst hospital patients the carriage rate is significantly higher. In the US it has been estimated that 89 million people carry S. aureus in their nose, and 2.3 million of those carry MRSA (Mainous et al., 2006). The intra-nasal elimination of MRSA is therefore fundamental to controlling the spread of this potentially lethal organism in hospitals.
As an alternative to conventional antibiotics, one family of proteins which demonstrate broad spectrum antibacterial activity inside bacteria comprises the α/β-type small acid-soluble spore proteins (known henceforth as SASP). Inside bacteria, SASP bind to the bacterial DNA: visualisation of this process, using cryoelectron microscopy, has shown that SspC, the most studied SASP, coats the DNA and forms protruding domains and modifies the DNA structure (Francesconi et al., 1988; Frenkiel-Krispin et al., 2004) from B-like (pitch 3.4 nm) towards A-like (3.18 nm; A-like DNA has a pitch of 2.8 nm). The protruding SspC motifs interact with adjacent DNA-SspC filaments packing the filaments into a tight assembly of nucleo-protein helices. In this way DNA replication is halted and, where bound, SASP prevent DNA transcription. SASP bind to DNA in a non-sequence specific manner (Nicholson et al, 1990) so that mutations in the bacterial DNA do not affect the binding of SASP.
WO02/40678 describes the use as an antimicrobial agent of bacteriophage modified to incorporate a SASP gene. In order to provide effective production of the modified bacteriophage in a bacterial host, WO02/40678 aims to avoid expression of the SASP gene during proliferation of the production host. To this end, the SASP gene was preferably inserted into the lysis genes of the bacteriophage so as to put the SASP gene under the control of a lysis gene promoter which is active only at the end of the bacteriophage life cycle. It was thought that proliferation of the bacterial production host would otherwise be prevented owing to the presence of the SASP gene product, particularly if the SASP gene was under the control of a constitutive promoter. In a less preferred arrangement, the SASP gene could be located elsewhere on the bacteriophage chromosome and placed under the control of a bacteriophage or bacterial promoter whereby the lytic cycle could be left to run its course. In this arrangement, the bacterial promoter would be non-constitutive and could be up-regulated by environmental cues.


A multiple panel brochure includes an outside carrier sheet folded to provide three equal sized panels wherein a middle panel of the carrier sheet includes separate interior panels affixed thereto. The outside panels of the carrier sheet fold over the interior panels and one another. A method for manufacture of the brochure is disclosed utilizing a web printed on one or both sides and which is subsequently cut to form the panels that are then joined together.

This invention relates to a multi-panel brochure of the type which may be distributed as promotional literature, for example, by mailing and a method for manufacture of such a brochure.
Multiple panel brochures are often used for advertisement of products and services and are distributed by direct mail, as inserts in newspapers, magazines, and the like, and by direct distribution. It is desirable to have such brochures printed with multicolor printing and, on occasion, to provide internal coupons or panels which may be removed for use by the ultimate consumer for redemption, ordering product or for other purposes. Such brochures may also be used as a mailer, or may be merely distributed at a point of purchase outlet.
Brochures of this nature are typically made from paper which has been printed on one or both sides, and then folded with fold lines and score lines positioned to enhance the folding and to promote the utility of the brochure, mailer, or the like. Various prior art patents teach and disclose brochures and envelopes of this general nature, including the following:
______________________________________ Patent No. Title ______________________________________ 572,488 Envelope 893,202 Combined Manifolding Bill and Envelop 1,043,243 Advertising Device 1,064,302 Envelope 1,768,164 Envelope 2,159,486 Philatelic Device 2,362,496 Double Post Card and Return Envelope 2,840,295 Envelope 2,858,061 Bank By Mail Envelope 4,411,643 Double Envelope and Method of Making Same 5,169,060 Direct and Return Mailing Unit 5,603,529 Color Brochure With Integral Return Mailer and Method of Making It ______________________________________
While such prior art mailers, brochures, and the like have proven to be utilitarian and useful, there has remained a need for a multiple panel brochure with printing on one or both sides, which may be folded to protect interior coupons or printed panels adhered and maintained within the brochure, and which may be assembled from a continuously moving printed web wherein the component parts are printed and subsequently assembled in a single, continuous, high speed process.
A requisite for products of this general nature is that the brochure be unique and unusual in order to attract the attention of a likely consumer. Thus, such brochures or promotional items may have unique shapes, unique coloring, unique assembly, or combinations thereof. By utilizing an unusual or unique product, and gaining consumer attention, one seeks to, and typically does, increase the rate of positive response to the promotional effort represented by the brochure. Thus, there has developed a general objective, with respect to such brochures, of seeking a promotional brochure or product which enhances consumer response.

Multi-panel brochure and method of brochure manufacture

Sleepeck Printing Company D/B/A/ Dixonweb Printing Company


An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of loop detecting sensors which detect various levels of loops formed on a recording material; and a controlling device which selects a specific one out of the loop sensors in accordance with information on the recording material, and then, switches a conveyance speed of a fixing roller pair in response to a detection signal output from the specific sensor, so as to control in such a manner as to keep the loop of the recording material within a constant range, the controlling device selecting the loop detecting sensor for detecting a loop of a level in accordance with the information on the recording material, so as to perform a loop keeping control for the recording material in response to the detection signal output from the selected loop detecting sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type, in which a unfixed image is transferred onto a recording material at a transfer portion, and then, the unfixed image is fixed onto the recording material in a fixing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type, a unfixed image borne by an intermediate transfer belt 102 has been transferred onto a recording material P by a transfer roller pair 103, to be then fixed onto the recording material P by a fixing roller pair 105, and thereafter, the recording material having the image fixed thereto has been discharged to a discharge tray 107 disposed outside of the apparatus by a discharge roller pair 111, as shown in FIG. 11.
The fixing roller pair 105 has been adapted to heat-fix the unfixed image onto the recording material. Heat temporarily dissipated from fixing rollers during the fixing process has been variously changed according to an amount of adhesion of a developer forming the unfixed image transferred onto the recording material, the number of recording materials passing through the fixing roller pair per unit time a difference in thermal capacity of the recording material, or the like. A temporary change in temperature generated in the fixing roller pair 105 has appeared as a change in outer diameter of the roller. As a consequence, there has possibly occurred a difference between a recording material conveyance speed of the fixing roller pair 105 and a recording medium conveyance speed of the transfer roller pair 103.
In this manner, the difference in recording material conveyance speed between the fixing roller pair 105 and the transfer roller pair 103 has possibly induced degradation of an image quality. In other words, if the recording material conveyance speed of the fixing roller pair 105 is higher than that of the transfer roller pair 103, a tension has been applied to a recording material P between the fixing roller pair 105 and the transfer roller pair 103, so that a blur of an image has occurred when the image is transferred onto the recording material P by the transfer roller pair 103, thereby possibly inducing the degradation of the image quality. In contrast, if the recording material conveyance speed of the fixing roller pair 105 is lower than that of the transfer roller pair 103, the recording material P has formed excessive loop between the fixing roller pair 105 and the transfer roller pair 103. As a result, the recording material P which has formed excessive loop has been forcibly pressed against a conveyance guide 120, to be scraped. Such a scrape on the conveyance guide 120 has generated the blur of the image during the transfer of the image, thereby possibly inducing the degradation of the image quality.
Therefore, the above-described degradation of the image quality has been overcome by preventing any tension from being applied to the recording material P by forming a predetermined loop on recording material P between the transfer roller pair 103 and the fixing roller pair 105 or preventing the recording material P from being excessively flexed, there has been conventionally proposed, as follows:
As shown in FIG. 11, a loop detecting sensor S for detecting a level of a loop of the recording material P has been disposed in the conveyance guide 120 between the fixing roller pair 105 and the transfer roller pair 103, and then, in response to a detection result, the recording material conveyance speed of the fixing roller pair 105 has been switched to a first speed lower than the recording material conveyance speed of the transfer roller pair 103 or a second speed higher than the first speed, thereby keeping the level of the loop within a predetermined range. Such a technique has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (JP-A) Nos. 5-107966 and 7-234604.
By the technique shown in FIG. 11, when the recording material P is sandwiched and transported between the transfer roller pair 103 and the fixing roller pair 105, an image can be formed while the level of the loop of the recording material P has been kept within the predetermined range by the effect of the difference in speed between both of the roller pairs 103 and 105 in response to the detection result by the loop detecting sensor S.
However, since the level of the loop of the recording material P, formed by the effect of the difference in speed between both of the roller pairs 103 and 105 is constant all the time, the recording material P has bounced up at the rear end thereof due to its own tenacity when the rear end of the recording material P passes through the transfer roller pair 103 in the case of, for example, a high set level of the loop. Such a bounce of the recording material P has caused the blur of the image, thereby possibly inducing the degradation of the image quality.
In order to solve the problem of the bounce of the rear end of the recording material, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (JP-A) No. 2003-241453 discloses a technique, in which an image is formed while the level of a loop of a recording material is kept within the predetermined range, and further, a conveyance speed is switched to a speed, at which the loop of the recording material is reduced, when the rear end of the recording material reaches a predetermined position in a transfer portion. With this technique, the rear end of the recording material can pass through the transfer portion at a low level of the loop of the recording material, thus to prevent from bounce.
However, the configuration, in which the level of the loop of the recording material is reduced by switching the speed, has raised a problem, as described below.
With this configuration, if a timing of the switch of the conveyance speed for the purpose of the reduction of the level of the loop is shifted or a conveyance condition is varied due to a slippage caused by a type of recording material (i.e., a surface state or a rigidity), the recording material may pass through the transfer portion at various timings. Therefore, in the case where the rear end passes through the transfer portion before the loop becomes satisfactorily small, the bounce of the rear end cannot be securely prevented. In contrast, in the case where the rear end passes through the transfer portion after there is no loop of the recording material, a fixing roller pair has applied a tension to the recording material since the conveyance force of the fixing roller pair is normally greater than that at the transfer portion, thereby possibly inducing a deficient transfer at the transfer portion. As described above, the prior art has experienced the problem that the rear end of the recording material cannot be stably prevented from bouncing up.


A method of determining a reference point on condyles of a femur uses a computer assisted surgery system having a digitizer with perpendicular first and second planar surfaces, the digitizer being locatable and trackable in three dimensional space by the computer assisted surgery system. A digitized plane is created using the digitizer, the digitized plane being a posterior plane and/or a distal plane of the condyles. The posterior plane and the distal plane are respectively defined by the first and second planar surfaces of the digitizer. A location of the reference point in the digitized plane is then determined using the computer assisted surgical system. The reference point is a most remote point of the femur within the digitized plane.

The use of Computer Assisted Surgery (CAS) systems for orthopedic operations in general, and for Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgery in particular, is becoming increasingly more commonplace with advancements in CAS systems and equipment that ensure improved accuracy, fail safe operation and increasing ease of use.
During TKR surgery, the accuracy of cuts made in the patient's bone prior to the installation of any implant, and particularly the resection cut made in the condyles at the distal end of the femur, is important and contributes significantly to the success of the total knee replacement.
TKR surgery requires several precise cuts to be made in the femur and tibia, including the femoral condyle distal resection cut mentioned above, such that the implant fits correctly and best replicates the geometry of a natural healthy knee. Generally, in TKR surgery, the distal ends of both the femur and tibia are completely resected such that these joint articulation surfaces can be replaced with prosthetic implants. To perform these resection cuts, in both conventional and CAS TKR, it is well known to use a cutting guide which assists the surgeon such that he or she can make the resection cuts in the right position and orientation to ensure that the geometry of the knee, once reconstructed with the prosthetic implants, approaches as much as possible that of a healthy knee. In many conventional, i.e. non computer assisted, total knee replacement surgery a distal cutting block is positioned and aligned by the surgeon and pinned in place (typically on the anterior surface of the femur) such that the cutting slot is aligned in the correct location for the distal cut. In many CAS total knee replacement surgeries, it is also known to use a distal pin drill guide to accurately create the pin holes into which locating pins are inserted and employed to fix the distal cutting guide, either integrally formed with the distal pin drill guide or being a separate element, in the correct location to make the distal cut in the femoral condyles. Generally, the distal drill/cutting guide member comprises part of an assembly including an anterior guiding platform, that is fixed relative to the femur and on which the drill/cutting guide is displaceable by a selected, measurable amount to locate the drill/cutting guide in a predetermined position relative to the anterior guiding platform and therefore relative to the distal end of the femur. A tracked guide block is often intramedullarly fastened to the femur, and the anterior guiding platform can then be engaged thereto. Depending on the type of implant being used, and once aligned with the most distal femoral condyle, the drill/cutting guide can then be proximally displaced on the fixed anterior guiding platform by a selected amount corresponding to the amount of bone to be resected.
However, as TKR CAS techniques have developed, a large guide block which actually abuts the distal end of the femoral condyles is now less commonly used, and therefore alternate means are required to determine the exact location of the most distal point(s) on the femoral condyles, such that this can be used as a reference point from which the predetermined resection distance can be measured, calculated or otherwise determine, either by the surgeon and/or by the CAS system. Therefore, it is important to the success of the TKR procedure to be able to accurately determine the exact location of the most distal point on the femoral condyles, such that the distal resection distance can be accurately measured from this point.
The distal surfaces of the femoral condyles have been more recently located by CAS systems by using a digitizing pointer, which is calibrated and tracked in space by the CAS system and which is used to digitize a plurality of points on the surfaces of the condyles. The CAS system then uses these points, which are assumed to be representative of the distal condyle surfaces, to plot the condyle surfaces and thus determine the location of the most distal point thereof.
Several disadvantages exist with this method of determining the distal surface in general, and the most distal point thereon in particular. For example, such digitizing pointers typically have a relatively sharply pointed tip which can unintentionally penetrate a soft or damaged bone surface or any soft tissue or cartilage which may be present on the bone surface, depending on the amount of pressure exerted by the surgeon. While such measurement inaccuracies can be very small (such as 1 mm or less for example), these can nonetheless lead to significant differences between the actual distal surface of the condyles and that determined by the CAS system, resulting in improperly located distal resection cuts and thus proper fit of the implant. Additionally, while several points are taken on the distal condyle surfaces in order for the CAS system to digitize these surfaces, if the points chosen are not representative of the entire surface of if they are localized in one portion of the bone, errors in the resultant digitized surface can result. Determining by eye which portions of the condyle may be the most distal points, such that they can be digitized using the pointer, can also be particularly difficult on severely deformed or damaged bones.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a CAS system and device which enables a more accurate and simplified measurement of the most distal point(s) on the condyles of a femur prior to knee surgery.


An integrated method for assessing metabolic rate and maintaining indoor air quality and efficient ventilation energy use. A physical sensor assesses room occupancy. An actuated ventilation system is set to a constant CO2 level in a predetermined healthy range, where the actuated ventilation system includes a CO2 sensor. The actuated ventilation system sets a first air ventilation rate and the sensor measures a first CO2 level. The system determines whether CO2 level is in a healthy range, if not then the CO2 level is adjusted by setting a subsequent air ventilation rate. A subsequent CO2 level is measured. If the CO2 level is determined to meet a predetermined healthy range, then an assessment of change of air ventilation rate (Δ ACH) is determined. The determination of air change rate can be further augmented by a physical pressure based measurement. The overall metabolic rate is generated.

Metabolic activity, also known as energy expenditure, can have a significant effect on a person's mental and physical health and, as such, the ability to measure metabolic rate is a valuable tool when it is used to assess a person's daily caloric needs [1]. The Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and its associate estimation of total energy expenditure are useful metrics for determining a person's metabolic rate, the measurement and analysis of which is the only way for professionals to properly estimate caloric needs of an individual and to suggest diet and exercise plans that best fit a person's wellness and weight goals [1, 2].
Although epidemiological equations can be used for the calculation of RMR [3], an individual's personal value of RMR is unpredictable and should be directly measured for a more accurate assessment of metabolic activity [4a,b]. The RMR value depends on many physiological parameters and can change depending on a person's stress, diet, and exercise tendencies [2]. Traditional methods of assessing metabolic rate include the use of metabolic charts [1], desk-top instruments [1], hand-held devices [5], and mobile trackers [6]. These devices are based on the indirect calorimetry method, which assesses the person's oxygen consumption rate (VO2) only, or in addition to the carbon dioxide production rate (VCO2). However, assessing metabolic rate (energy expenditure) under free living conditions without the burden of actively performing a measurement with an instrument is ideal because it requires little to no effort or time commitment on the part of the individual. Furthermore, free-living metabolic rate (energy expenditure) may offer not only information about the resting state (RMR), but also the metabolic rate at different activities, times of the day, periods of the year, and life circumstances, which makes possible the assessment of Total Energy Expenditure, the key parameter needed for assessment of the individual's true energy expenditure. In this regard, the only Gold Standard for assessment of Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) is the Doubly Labeled Water Method (DLWM) [7]. This method uses the decay of isotopes in urine, and determines carbon dioxide production rate to apply the calculation of metabolic rate (energy expenditure), assuming a respiratory quotient of 0.85 [7]. Although the subject is able to live freely during the testing period of 7-10 days, the method requires urine sample collection at day 1 and at day 7 or 10. As a result, it is only able to provide a single integrative metabolic rate value of 7 to 10 days of life without discrimination of resting, or higher resolution metabolic rate patterns [8]. Furthermore, the method requires isotope analysis with intensive maintenance, and it is laborious, time consuming and costly (˜$1,000 isotope dose per test).
Other examples of total energy expenditure assessment include calorie/activity trackers (e.g., wrist watches). These devices are based on physical sensors that fail to accurately represent a person's metabolic activity because do not perform indirect calorimetry or isotope-based measures. Instead they use equations based on accelerometer or heart rate parameters and calculated resting metabolic rate. Even commonly used equations calculating metabolic rate can differ by as much as 900 kcal/day [4]. Therefore, calorie/activity trackers are not necessarily an accurate approach to monitor total energy expenditure or metabolic rate.
In order to mitigate the problems described above, more recently a method providing metabolic rate from carbon dioxide production rate generated by individuals under free-living conditions was proposed [4b]. However, the system is based on build-up carbon dioxide levels that can be poisoning for the individual, and detrimental to health.
Presently known systems and methods do not provide feasible techniques for passively assessing metabolic rate from carbon dioxide production rates generated by individual(s) in different confined environments without placing risk on individual's poisoning from their own carbon dioxide production. To overcome the drawbacks of the above-described known methods and systems, a passive system for monitoring metabolic rate under free living conditions for single and multiple individuals considering the exposure of the individual to good indoor air quality is needed. In addition, the system must offer the possibility to provide an efficient ventilation energy use. Such a system is disclosed herein.

Method and system for assessing metabolic rate and maintaining indoor air quality and efficient ventilation energy use with passive environmental sensors

Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University


A semiconductor device having a field effect transistor in which a silicon carbide layer and a ferroelectric film are stacked in this order on the surface of a silicon substrate and the ferroelectric film is used as a gate insulation film. A channel between a source and a drain is formed in the silicon carbide layer. A metal or oxygen contained in a ferroelectric material is difficult to diffuse in silicon carbide. Therefore, the silicon carbide layer is not eroded in the case of heat treatment after forming the ferroelectric film. Therefore, good FET characteristics is obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a field effect transistor suitably used in a nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable/Programmable Read Only Memory) and a method of manufacturing the same, and a semiconductor memory device using the transistor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
If an electric field is applied to a ferroelectric material such as PZT (lead(Pb) Zirconate Titanate), there occurs a state where the direction of polarization is aligned in the direction of the electric field. This state remains after the electric field is removed. That is, polarization in the ferroelectric material displays hysteresis relative to the application of the electric field. Consequently, it is possible to construct a nonvolatile memory device by utilizing such hysteresis.
The memory device using the ferroelectric material is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,700, a document entitled "PbTiO.sub.3 Thin Film Gate Nonvolatile Memory FET", 1979 Proceedings of the 2nd Meeting on Ferroelectric Materials and Their Applications F-8, pp. 239-244, and a document entitled ""MFS FET"--A New Type of Nonvolatile Memory Switch Using PLZT Film", Proceedings of the 9th Conference on Solid State Devices, Tokyo, 1977; Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Volume 17 (1978) Supplement 17-1, pp. 209-214.
In the memory device described in the documents, a field effect transistor constructed as shown in a simplified diagram of FIG. 13 so as to store information. That is, a ferroelectric film 3 is formed as a gate insulation film on the surface of a P-type silicon substrate 2 on which an N.sup.+ -type impurity region having a high concentration 1 serving as a source region and a drain region are formed. A gate electrode 4 is formed on the ferroelectric film 1.
For example, when the substrate 2 is brought into a ground potential level and a positive write voltage VP is applied to the gate electrode 4, polarization shown in FIG. 13 (a) is brought about in the ferroelectric film 3. Therefore, electrons which are minority carriers are attracted to the surface of the P-type silicon substrate 2, to form a channel 5. Consequently, a conduction state occurs between the source and the drain. The polarization in the ferroelectric film 3 is held after the write voltage VP is removed. Accordingly, a state where the channel 5 is formed is maintained even after the write voltage VP is removed.
On the other hand, if a negative erase voltage -VE is applied to the gate electrode 4, polarization in the opposite direction to that at the time of application of the write voltage VP is brought about in the ferroelectric film 3, as shown in FIG. 13 (b). Consequently, the channel 5 disappears, so that a non-conduction state occurs between the source and the drain. This state is maintained even after the erase voltage -VE is removed.
Two states such as a writing state and an erasing state can be thus set depending on the presence or absence of the channel 5, thereby to make it possible to store information. The stored information can be read out by examining whether the transistor is conductive or non-conductive.
However, the following problems arise in the abovementioned construction. That is, in the above-mentioned field effect transistor, the ferroelectric film 3 is formed in contact with the surface of the P-type silicon substrate 2. Therefore, a metal such as Pb in the ferroelectric film 3 is diffused in the silicon substrate 2 at the time of heat treatment in the diffusion process, the thin film formation process and the like for device formation, and the surface of the silicon substrate 2 is oxidized at the time of forming the ferroelectric film 3. Therefore, the characteristics as the field effect transistor are degraded.

Semiconductor device having field effect transistor using ferroelectric film as gate insulation film


An assembly includes a first planetary stage, a second planetary stage, and at least one retainer plate. The first planetary stage has a planet carrier and the second planetary stage has a ring gear. The planet carrier and the ring gear are configured to be rotated about a common axis of rotation. The retainer plate is attached to the ring gear and engages in a groove in the planet carrier. The groove and the axis of rotation are at least partially skewed to each other. The retainer plate is arranged at least partially on a first side of a first plane and on a first side of a second plane. The first plane and the second plane intersect along the axis of rotation. All planet bolts fixed in the planet carrier each lie on a second side of the first plane and/or the second plane.

In order to prevent a planet carrier and a ring gear from shifting axially against each other, plates that are screwed to the ring gear and engage in a groove of the planet carrier are known from the prior art. In such cases, deformations of the ring gear can lead to problems. Due to the axial fixing in the groove, the plates can follow such deformations only to a limited extent. The resulting load peaks can cause damage to the plates and the groove.

Retainer plates for fixing planet carrier and ring gear