A heat exchanger comprises a shell formed from two joined-together shell members. Each shell member includes a tube plate that is integral with each respective shell member and that defines an axial end of the shell member. The shell members are joined along respective open ends. A plurality of tubes is disposed within the shell, and the tube ends are connected with the respective tube plates. A baffle is disposed within the shell and directs the path of coolant flow therein and over the tubes. One shell member includes a fluid inlet and the other a fluid outlet for directing coolant into and out of the shell. The heat exchanger includes an inlet manifold connected to one end of the shell and an outlet manifold connected to an opposite end of the shell.

The present invention relates to heat exchangers that are generally configured comprising a number of internal fluid or gas passages disposed within a surrounding body. In an example embodiment, the internal passages are provided in the form of tubes that are designed to accommodate passage of a particular fluid or gas in need of cooling, and the body is configured in the form of a shell or casing to accommodate passage of a particular cooling fluid or gas used to reduce the temperature of the fluid or gas in the internal passages. A specific example of such a heat exchanger is one referred to as a shell and tube exchanger, which can be used in such applications as charge air pre-coolers for use with internal combustion engine systems that make use of a turbocharger or supercharger to boost the pressure of the intake charge directed to the engine for combustion.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a prior art shell and tube heat exchanger 10 generally includes a casing or shell 12 that includes an internal chamber 14 extending between opposed open axial ends 16 and 18. A plurality of individual tubes 20, i.e., internal passages, are disposed within the internal chamber and are aligned adjacent one another in a spaced apart orientation by use of two tube plates 22 and 24. The tube plates 22 and 24 are positioned at respective open axial ends 16 and 18 of the case 12, and the tubes are sized so that tube ends are positioned adjacent the respective tube plates. The tube ends are sealed to the tube plates to form a leak-tight connection therewith.
The tube plates 22 and 24 are interposed between each shell axial end and a respective inlet and outlet manifold 26 and 28. The inlet and outlet manifolds 26 and 28 are joined to the shell axial ends 16 and 18 by conventional methods, such as welding, brazing, or the like, and are configured to facilitate attachment of the heat exchanger with an air intake system of an internal combustion engine, and to facilitate passage of a liquid or gas to be cooled to and from the plurality of tubes.
The shell 12 includes an inlet connection 30 and an outlet connection 32 that are each attached to a wall surface of the shell, and that are used to facilitate the passage of a cooling medium, fluid or gas, into and out of the shell internal chamber 14. A baffle 34 is disposed within the shell and comprises a plurality of openings to accommodate the passage of the tubes therethrough. The baffle is attached within the casing internal chamber by welding, brazing or the like. The baffle extends radially a partial distance within the internal chamber, and is used to control the flow path of cooling medium within the chamber so that it flows in one radial direction from the inlet connection 30 over a first section of the plurality of tubes, and then flows in an opposite direction over a second section of the plurality of tubes to the outlet connection 22.
Accordingly, such known shell and tube heat exchangers have a construction comprising three components that include the shell and the two tube plates. The use of such a multi-part assembly requires that each such part be independently manufactured, as well as requiring that each of the parts be assembled together. The need to manufacture and assemble these independent parts increases the overall cost of constructing a heat exchanger.
Additionally, the use of these independent parts requires that the manufacturing process have a high degree of accuracy to ensure that the parts fit together properly. Further, the use of such independent parts requires that, during the assembly process, appropriate measures be taken and time spent to ensure the formation of a leak-tight seal between the tube plates and shell. Further, the use of such known shell and tube heat exchanges requires that additional time be spent to correctly position and attach the baffle within the shell.
It is, therefore, desired that a heat exchanger be constructed in a manner that reduces the overall number of components to facilitate manufacturing and assembly efficiency. It is further desired that such heat exchanger be constructed in a manner that reduces the potential for leaks occurring between the shell and the tube plates. It is further desired that such heat exchanger be constructed in a manner that facilitates the process of mounting and/or attaching a baffle therein to further improve assembly efficiency. It is further desired that such heat exchangers be constructed using materials and methods that are readily available to facilitate cost effective manufacturing and assembly of the same.

Heat exchanger with integral shell and tube plates


A hydraulic variable damping device for installation in the frame of a structure to control vibrations while evaluating the damping property of the structure during seismic disturbances. Control means for this device include a command value judging circuit for comparing the plus or minus sign of a differential pressure value between hydraulic chambers within the device with that of a generated damping force command value to output a valve opening command value for fully opening a flow regulating valve when the signs of the command value and the differential pressure value are different from each other. A pressure controller is provided for making a correction based on the feedback of the pressure valve when the signs of the damping force command value and the differential pressure value are the same to generate a valve opening command value. A valve controller circuit is provided for making a correction by feeding back a detected valve opening value of the flow regulating valve with respect to the valve opening command value signal received from the command value judging circuit or the pressure controller to generate a valve opening control command value.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to variable damping devices for protecting a structure from vibrational disturbances by varying the rigidity of the structure and/or its natural vibrational periods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art FIGS. 9 through 12 show examples of variable damping and variable stiffness structures provided with variable damping devices connected to frames of structures. As shown in prior art FIG. 9, frame 31 comprises columns 33, beams 34, and inverted V-type braces 35. The response in terms of amplitude, velocity, and acceleration of a structure at the time of an earthquake or other vibrational disturbance is detected by a response sensor 36 installed on the structure. The sensor 36 transmits a signal to a computer 14 which analyzes the signal and sends an appropriate command to variable damping device 1 to vary the rigidity of the structure as required.
This prior art variable damping device 1 is also shown in FIG. 10 to include a piston rod 4, a hydraulic cylinder 2, a flow regulating valve 12, and a hydraulic accumulator 19, having a predetermined capacity, in close proximity to the flow regulating valve 12. As shown in FIG. 11, a bearing shaft 22 and both ends of the piston rod 4 are connected to a bracket 34A installed on the beam 34 and to braces 35.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a hydraulic circuit for the prior art damping device 1, showing hydraulic chambers 6L and 6R installed to the left and right sides of a piston 3 with a piston rod 4 reciprocating within the hydraulic cylinder 2. The piston 3 is fixed or made movable to the right or left by stopping or flowing the hydraulic oil within these left and right hydraulic chambers 6 by a flow regulating valve 12. Flow regulating valve 12 selectively interconnects hydraulic chambers 6L and 6R. The operation of the flow regulating valve 12 is finely adjusted to provide various damping coefficients best suited to attenuate the seismic vibrations impacting on a structure, as more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,036,633, 5,065,552, and 5,147,018.
In variable damping devices of the above-described hydraulic types, however, it is difficult to obtain desired damping properties due to the oil temperature, the oil passage resistance, and various other factors. Seismic vibrations, as an object of the variable damping device, are unpredictable, resulting in complicated responses by the structure. As a consequence, small errors in control or design will greatly influence the damper control response to seismic vibrations. Therefore, there is need for a seismic control damping device which is not detrimentally influenced by oil temperature, oil leaks, oil line resistance, and the like.

Variable damping device for seismic response controlled structure


Corner paint pad assembly (10) includes a painting pad (12) having a handle (14) which are interconnected by a rotatable joint including ears (28) and (30) on the rear surfaces (24) and (26) of the pad (12), each ear having a hole therein (28) and (30), there being an axle (62) received in said holes. The handle (14) includes a tubular stretch (48) adjacent the tip end (46), the tubular stretch (48) being internally threaded, there being a shank (50) and a base (44) of the hollow handle (14) which are tapered to receive the end of an extension pole or, in the alternative, a threaded insert (70) which may receive the threaded end of an extension pole.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a means for applying paint to walls and particularly to corners where two walls join to present a 90.degree. angle, either in a vertical plane or a horizontal plane. The corner paint pad assembly includes a handle, which may be used as such or selectively mounted on various extension poles in order to reach otherwise inaccessible painting locations and a painting pad mounted on the handle and rotatable with respect thereto whereby the angular position of the pad may be varied to accommodate the position of the user of the paint pad assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of paint rollers, paint pads of various configurations in the application of paint to walls and the like is known, as is the use of corner paint pads wherein the sections of the pad are disposed at a 90.degree. angle with respect to one another in order that the paint pad may be utilized to paint the corner joints between two walls, whether such joints are in a vertical plane or a horizontal plane. Usually, one face of the corner paint pad has a suitable porous surface thereon such as a flocked foam material which will receive paint for application to the wall corner through use of the pad.
Handles for such corner painting pads are known but the same are usually rigidly affixed to the paint pad whereby it is necessary for the user to position himself in a number of varying positions as a given corner is painted in order to fully accommodate the painting face of the corner pad to the length of the corner wall joint.
What is needed is a corner paint pad assembly wherein the handle and the paint pad are initially separate pieces which may be readily joined together with the handle rotatably connected to the pad whereby the pad may at all times be kept in tight engagement with the surface to be painted with the user retaining his position and the handle swinging relative to the paint pad to accommodate movement of the pad along a corner joint which is being painted. Also needed is a handle which is capable of receiving the multitude of various extension poles which would normally be used in connection with a corner paint pad assembly in order to reach overhead wall corners for painting.


An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a generally radially-extending first cooling channel disposed between pressure and suction sidewalls adjacent the leading edge of the airfoil, and a generally radially-extending second cooling channel disposed aft of the first cooling channel. The second cooling channel is closed off at an outer end thereof and is disposed in fluid communication with a forward inlet an inner end thereof. The first and second cooling channels are separated by a partition having a plurality of impingement holes therein. A generally axially extending end channel is disposed radially outward from the second cooling channel in fluid communication with the first cooling channel and with a dust hole disposed in the tip cap. The dust hole is sized to permit the exit of debris entrained in a flow of cooling air from the airfoil.

This invention relates generally to gas turbine components, and more particularly to cooled turbine airfoils.
Cooling circuits inside modern high pressure turbine blades typically have two parallel cooling circuits adjacent to each other. A leading edge circuit is a single-pass radially outward flow passage with leading edge film cooling holes and a tip opening. A mid-chord and trailing edge circuit is a multiple-pass serpentine with film cooling holes exiting to the pressure side of the blade. The leading edge circuit and mid-chord circuit are commonly fed a coolant from the airfoil dovetail and split into two separated passages at the blade root. Being a single pass structure, the leading edge circuit can not efficiently utilize the full capacity of the coolant, which is typically compressor discharge air. The Coolant in the leading edge channel exits through the leading edge film holes and the tip hole. To provide sufficient escape area for the particles entrained in the coolant supply system, the tip openings take the form of relatively large "dust holes" for each cooling circuit. These dust holes typically are larger than the film cooling holes. Air exiting from the dust holes can not provide cooling to the blade as efficiently as the relatively smaller film cooling holes.
Accordingly, there is a need for an efficiently cooled airfoil having a small number of dust holes.

Turbine airfoil with integrated impingement and serpentine cooling circuit


When a hollow molded body using a preform to be molded with a thin bottom portion is produced while taking advantage of the roughening of the outer surface of an injection core mold, transferred roughening marks are prevented from appearing on the bottom portion of hollow molded bodies, so that the hollow molded body with an aesthetic bottom portion is obtained. An injection core mold (12) has an outer surface of its tip portion corresponding to a preform bottom portion (10) and a lower end portion (14a) of a preform body portion (14). The outer surface corresponding to the preform bottom portion (10) and the lower end portion (14a) of the preform body portion (14) is a mirror-finished surface (20), and the outer surface of the injection core mold for forming the preform other than the mirror-finished surface is a roughened surface (15).

In Japanese Patent No. 6326790 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Literature 1), a problem is mentioned where, since the preform has a small taper and an elongated shape, it is difficult to remove an injection core mold in an injection molding mold for molding the preform. Patent Literature 1 further discloses that the outer surface of the injection core mold is mirror-finished for easy removal as a countermeasure. Even in this case, air cannot smoothly escape therefrom, resulting in the sealing and accumulation of the inside air. This further results in the generation of accumulated air marks in the molded preform.
Patent Literature 1 further describes that fine concavities and convexities such as a leather pattern, a satin pattern, or similar fine concavities and convexities are formed in the outer surface of the injection core mold by etching. Using this technique, Patent Literature 1 also discloses that the outer surface of the injection core mold is subjected to a texture processing and a blast processing to roughen the surface, thereby creating an air layer between the resin injected and the injection core mold. This configuration allows air to flow toward the tip end of the injection core mold. In the case of blasting, Patent Literature 1 explains that when fine projectile particles are sprayed onto the surface of the injection core mold and roughen the surface to form fine concavities and convexities thereon, molten resin forms an air layer without the pattern of the concavities and convexities being transferred from the injection core mold, resulting in improvement of the releasability of the mold from the resulting preform due to this air layer.
Furthermore, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique in which portions of the surface of the injection core mold are subjected to mirror finishing processing and texture processing. The portions subjected to the mirror finishing processing include the surface corresponding to the preform inner surface near the tip of the preform mouth, and the surface corresponding to the preform inner surface facing the protrusions such as a flange or a coupler. The portions subjected to the texture processing include other portions than the mirror-finished surface. This technique utilizes the cooling facilitation effect of the preform resin in close contact with the injection core mold at the mirror-finished portion, and thus can prevent the preform from being deformed due to abnormal shrinkage.
Further, Japanese Patent No. 6780155 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Literature 2) discloses a technique to facilitate the removal of the injection core mold from the injection molded preform. Specifically, grooves extending from a body portion definition section to a neck portion definition section are formed on the surface of the body portion definition section of the injection core mold. Here, a centerline average roughness, in the circumferential direction, of the surface of the body portion definition section of the injection core mold where the grooves are formed is set to 0.2 μm or more and not more than 15 μm.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H04-085007 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Literature 3) also discloses another technique to facilitate the removal of the injection core mold from the injection molded preform. Specifically, a large number of fine recesses are formed in the surface layer of the injection core mold below the mouth portion molding portion, so that the recesses allow air to remain therein during preform molding and to form air layers intermittently between the soft preform and the injection core mold. Furthermore, this can allow the inner surface of the soft preform and the outer surface of the injection core mold to be partially in contact with each other due to the recesses of the injection core mold. As a result, the frictional resistance when removing the injection core mold from the injection molded preform can be reduced.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-088209 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Literature 4) does not show a satisfactory technique for removing the injection core mold from a preform, but shows a method for forming a texture imparting pattern, which is formed of a rough surface including fine concavities and convexities, on a hemispherical surface of a tip of the injection core mold. The invention of Patent Literature 4 itself aims at effectively generating foams when the bottle is opened, and shows a technique of transferring a pattern from an injection core mold to a bottom portion of a preform which has been injection molded.

Injection molding mold, injection stretch blow molding machine, and method for producing hollow molded body


Methods of debriding a skin wound are provided. Embodiments of the subject methods include contacting the skin wound with a hydrogel patch debridement composition to debride the wound. Also provided are systems and kits for use in practicing the subject methods.

In general, skin wounds, superficial or deep tissue, afflict a great number of people each year. A multitude of different types of skin wounds exist and vary in cause, severity, healing time, location, etc. For example, while certain wounds heal rapidly, i.e., are acute, many have a relatively prolonged healing time, i.e., are chronic and may persist for weeks, months and even years, where in certain instances a wound may persist that never heals. Accordingly, symptoms or manifestations of wounds may vary and may range from, for example mild abrasions to more severe wounds such as open-skin wounds, e.g., open sores, pustules and ulcerations, and the like, which may be debilitating. Wounds may arise from a number of different causes such as falling and scraping of the skin, burns, vascular insufficiency, e.g., caused by age or disease, etc. Regardless of the cause or particular symptoms, skin wounds need to be treated properly in order to promote effective and efficient healing of the wound. An important determinant in whether a wound heals effectively and efficiently is whether the wound has been effectively debrided.
There are a variety of different techniques and products currently in use to debride wounds which may be broadly classified as surgical/sharp, biosurgical, mechanical, chemical, enzymatic and autolytic. For example, some mild abrasions may be irrigated and scrubbed with soap and water in an attempt to remove foreign matter from the wound such as imbedded dirt and the like. However, this procedure is generally painful to the subject and the washing/scrubbing process may in fact damage viable tissue. Other methods include employing disinfectants such as alcohol or iodine-liberating polymers. However, such methods can cause even more tissue damage than soap and water and may also lead to severe scarring.
Accordingly, there continues to be an interest in the development of new methods and compositions for wound care. Of particular interest is the development of such methods and compositions that are able to effectively debride many different types of skin wounds, are effective at removing a variety of different matter from a skin wound, are easy to use, do not cause undue pain to the subject and which are cost effective.

Methods and compositions for treating skin wounds


A communication device including circuitry configured to receive communication data transmitted/received between a transmitting device and a receiving device that is a transmission target of transmission data transmitted by the transmitting device by unicast, to determine whether data to be used for a process by the communication device is included in the received communication data, and to process the data to be used for the process by the communication device when the circuitry determines the data to be used for the process by the communication device is included in the received communication data. The circuitry is also configured to prevent the communication device from responding to the transmitting device, and to not relay the communication data received from the transmitting device to the receiving device, when the circuitry determines the data to be used for the process is included in the received communication data.

The present disclosure relates to a communication device, a receiving device, a communication method, and a communication system.
Nowadays, the use of an application or a service, which allows transmission/reception of content data between devices over a network such as, for example, the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network), has been advanced.
Against such a background, a technology for transmitting image data with low delays is developed. The technology disclosed in JP 2008-28541A is given as an example of a technique for reducing delays and increasing the process efficiency when transmitting image data using a line-based codec.

Communication device, receiving device, communication method, and communication system


Provided is a compound which is useful as a therapeutic agent for chronic renal insufficiency and a therapeutic agent for diabetic nephropathy.

PGE2 is known as one of the metabolites in an arachidonic acid cascade. The PGE2 exhibits various activities such as a pain inducing and increasing action, a pro- or anti-inflammatory action, an uterine contractile action, a digestive peristalsis promoting action, an awaking action, a suppressive effect on gastric acid secretion, a hypotensive action, a platelet aggregation inhibition action, a bone-resorption promoting action, an angiogenic action, and the like.
PGE2 receptors are divided into four subtypes, EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4, which have a wide distribution in various tissues. The activation of the EP 1 receptor is believed to increase intracellular Ca2+. The EP3 receptor is one of the receptors having different routes for second-messenger systems. Further, the activation of the EP2 and EP4 receptors is believed to cause the activation of an adenylate cyclase, and thus increase the intracellular cAMP level. Especially, the EP4 receptor is considered to be associated with smooth muscle relaxation, pro- or anti-inflammatory reactions, lymphocyte differentiation, mesangial cell relaxation or proliferation, gastric or enteric mucus secretion, or the like.
The inhibitors of the PGE2 receptor, that is, the "PGE2 antagonists", exhibit binding activities to the PGE2 receptors. That is, the PGE2 antagonists exhibit a PGE2-antagonistic or PGE2-inhibiting action. Therefore, the PGE2 antagonists are expected as pharmaceuticals to treat PGE2-mediated diseases. It is expected that these PGE2 antagonists can be used as therapeutic drugs to treat EP4 receptors-related diseases, such as renal diseases, inflammatory diseases, various pains, or the like, by acting on the EP4 receptors, in humans or animals.
As a compound having a PGE2 antagonistic action, there has been reported a compound represented by the following formula, and particularly, such a compound is useful as an EP4 receptor agonist (Patent Document 1).

(wherein particularly X represents —CO— or lower alkylene, R5 represents H or lower alkyl, and R2 represents lower alkyl or aryl which may be substituted. Refer to the following publication for the details.)
[Patent Document 1] Pamphlet of International Publication No. WO 2005/061475

Abstract: The present inventors have made extensive studies on an ornithine derivative having an antagonistic action against an EP4 receptor, and as a result, they have found that by introducing cycloalkanediyl at a C terminal of the ornithine part of the compound of the present invention, the physicochemical properties such as solubility, and the like can be improved, thereby giving further preferred properties as a pharmaceutical. Therefore, they have completed the present invention.

Abstract: The compound of the present invention exhibits a good antagonistic action against an EP4 receptor, and thus, it is useful as a therapeutic agent for chronic renal insufficiency and diabetic nephropathy.


Disclosed is an optical pickup including a polarization holographic optical element (HOE) and a photodetector. The optical pickup includes a light source, an optical path changer, an objective lens, a polarization HOE, and a photodetector. The polarization HOE has a pattern designed to generate different astigmatisms in the left and right halves of the polarization HOE in a tangential direction and to divide plus and minus first-order beams in a radial direction. The photodetector includes a first light-receiving portion receiving a zero-order beam and second and third light-receiving portion that are disposed on either side of the first light-receiving portion in the tangential direction and respectively receive the plus and minus first-order beams.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup including a polarization holographic optical element (HOE) and a photodetector. More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical pickup including a polarization HOE designed to effectively split light and a photodetector with a reduced number of sections to receive light transmitted through the polarization HOE.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional photodetectors and HOEs with complicated configurations and patterns, it is difficult to control a pickup and lower optical efficiency results from the splitting of light. A conventional optical pickup is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0159378 A1, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, and includes a polarization HOE that transmits a transversely polarized beam and splits a horizontally polarized beam into beams that are then diffracted, and a photodetector including two light-receiving portions that are split into four quadrants and two halves, respectively, and receive plus first-order diffracted beams and the other two light-receiving portions that are composed of eight sections and a single section, respectively, and receive minus first-order diffracted beams. The polarization HOE splits plus and minus first-order and zero-order diffracted beams in the ratio of 99:1. The photodetector then receives the plus and minus first-order diffracted beams to control a focusing error servo, a tracking error servo, and a tilt error servo.
Marks are created along grooves when recording a DVD-RW while marks are created along both grooves and the areas between the grooves when recording a DVD-RAM. Due to the structural difference between DVD-RW and DVD-RAM, an optical pickup in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus compatible with both DVD-RAM and DVD-RW discs typically employs a photodetector with a complicated configuration.
In particular, since the temperature rises above 70° C. due to heat generated by the light source and other optical elements during recording, the optical pickup performs recording at an extremely high temperature. The heat can adversely affect the ability of an optical pickup in sultry weather.
In particular, the optical length of an optical system changes and optical components suffer deviations from their normal positions under high temperature conditions. Since an optical pickup requires a larger number of optical components for recording than for reproducing, greater deviations between optical components can be tolerated. Since optical elements in an optical pickup are bonded using an ultraviolet (UV) curing adhesive, the bonded portions suffer misalignment or expansion at high temperatures, which causes a beam transmitted or reflected by the optical elements to deviate from its intended path or a focal point of the optical beam to become out of focus. This may degrade jitter characteristics. Jitter refers to an increase in the deviation of a signal detected by a photodetector caused by defects in the marks written to an optical disc or the asymmetric shape of a beam spot created on the optical disc.
To eliminate these drawbacks, there is a need for an optical pickup with a reduced number of optical elements and bonded portions as well as a simplified structure.

Optical pickup including polarization holographic optical element and photodetector


This work machine is provided with a clutch mechanism which is provided on a motive power transmission path between a drive source and a wheel. The clutch mechanism is provided with: a drive shaft with which drive force from the drive source is transmitted; a key member which is provided so as to be capable of moving relative to the drive shaft; a driven member which is driven by the drive shaft via the key member; an impelling member which impels the key member towards the driven member; and a ratchet holder which is provided with an engagement groove and a guide part, and which is provided so as to be capable of rotating coaxially with the drive shaft.

Rotary lawn mowers are known as a type of work machines, for example (refer to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0166565, for example). The rotary lawn mowers cut grass by rotating along the grass a cutter blade accommodated in a housing having an opened bottom. Lawn mowers of this type include a driving source such as an engine, and a transmission device for transmitting the driving force of the driving source to the wheels. The transmission device has a drive shaft that is rotated by the driving force of the driving source.


A device for making metal bumps includes a hard conical tubular member having a vertical conical passage at an upper portion thereof, a bell shaped chamber at a lower portion thereof which is larger than the vertical conical passage in diameter, located under and communicated with the vertical conical passage, and a circular recess which is larger than the bell shaped chamber in diameter, located under and communicated with the bell shaped chamber, thereby forming a capillary tube with a surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a method and device for making a metal bump with an increased height and in particular to one which can increase the connection reliability between the metal bump and the chip and enlarging the contact area between the metal bump and the metal or solder ball.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of methods of making metal bumps on a chip have been developed for flip chip on board (FCOB) technology with a small number of input pins or a small number of Input/Output pins or for flip chip in package (FCIP) with a large number of Input/Output pins, such as evaporation plating, splash plating, electroplating, printing, spraying, and bonding. However, the capillary tube 2xe2x80x2 is still the most commonly used tool for making metal stud bumps by means of wire bonding (see FIG. 1A). As shown, the capillary tube 2xe2x80x2 has an inner diameter 21xe2x80x2 with an inner wall 22xe2x80x2 and has a larger diameter at the upper end than the lower end. A metal wire 3xe2x80x2 is inserted into the capillary tube 2xe2x80x2 and the lower end of the metal wire 3xe2x80x2 is melted to form a ball shaped member 31xe2x80x2 by electric spark. Then, ultrasonic vibration and pressure deformation processing are applied to the capillary tube 2xe2x80x2 to join the inter-metallic compounds between wire 3xe2x80x2 and the chip 1xe2x80x2 (see FIG. 1B). When the capillary tube 2xe2x80x2 is removed, a metal bump 32xe2x80x2 will be formed on the raised platform 11xe2x80x2 of the chip 1xe2x80x2 (see FIG. 1C). Thereafter; a metal or solder ball 4xe2x80x2 is soldered on the metal bump 32xe2x80x2.
However, due to the limitation of the design of the capillary tube 2xe2x80x2, the metal bump 32xe2x80x2 will have a spherical surface which is insufficient to provide a large contact area and a reliable structure for joining other component parts. Furthermore, the bottom of the metal bump 32xe2x80x2 will tend to go beyond the lower opening of the capillary tube 2xe2x80x2 under pressure thereby making it difficult to control. Moreover; as the metal bump 32xe2x80x2 has a spherical surface, there will not be sufficient area in contact with a metal or solder ball 4xe2x80x2 (see FIG. 1D). In addition, the metal bump 32xe2x80x2 is so short that the metal or solder ball 4xe2x80x2 must be soldered to the metal bump 32xe2x80x2 at a very low position thereby making it difficult to make the connection between the die and the fingers of a substrate (or lead frame, chips, metal bumps or the like) and therefore influencing the qualification rate of products.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and device for making a metal bump with an increased height which can obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.
This invention is related to a method and device for making a metal bump with an increased height.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a method and device for making metal bumps with an increased height which can increase the joining strength with other metal bumps or pads of a die.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and device for making metal bumps with an increased height which can enlarge the contact area with the metal or solder ball.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and device for making metal bumps with an increased height which can increase its reliability in joining with other component parts.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and device for making metal bumps which have an increased height but are small in diameter.
The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

Method and device for making a metal bump with an increased height

Orient Semiconductor Electronics Limited


In an implementation, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a base and a plurality of branches to create an artistic design. The apparatus may require assembly, and when assembled the apparatus becomes a rigid, stable and free-standing structure of a shape that does not naturally occur. The apparatus does not replicate something found in nature. This apparatus allows for the placement of ornaments, lights or other decorations in a plurality of locations or attachment points on the apparatus.

During the winter holiday season there is a long-standing tradition of hanging decorative ornaments or lights from tree-shaped structures, often referred to as Christmas trees. Traditionally, such decorations where hung on actual conifer trees cut from nature. At some point, artificial Christmas trees were developed as synthetic alternatives. These trees were made from artificial materials and designed to replicate all of the characteristics of a real Christmas tree, including the tree's distinct shape. There have been a number of different artificial Christmas tree inventions, but from the outside, they have a distinctive appearance of looking like a tree. In addition all of these are based around the idea of a central trunk to which the external structure is attached. In addition, decorations are sometime hung on garland or wreathes. A key problem with both of those products is that they are not free-standing—they are hung on walls or draped over a pre-existing structure. In addition, garland has weak structural integrity and is unable to be rigid over any length.

Apparatus for hanging or displaying lights, ornaments, or other decorative elements


A high performance objective having very small central obscuration, an external pupil for apertureing and Fourier filtering, loose manufacturing tolerances, large numerical aperture, long working distance, and a large field of view is presented. The objective is preferably telecentric. The design is ideally suited for both broad-band bright-field and laser dark field imaging and inspection at wavelengths in the UV to VUV spectral range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of optical imaging and more particularly to catadioptric optical systems used for microscopic imaging, inspection, and lithography applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many optical and electronic systems exist to inspect surface features for defects such as those on a partially fabricated integrated circuit or a photomask. Defects may take the form of particles randomly localized on the surface, scratches, process variations, and so forth. Such techniques and devices are well known in the art and are embodied in various commercial products such as many of those available from KLA-Tencor Corporation of San Jose, Calif., the assignee of the present application.
Specialized optical systems are required to enable the imaging and inspection of surface defects, such as those found on semiconductor wafers and photomasks. Two prior inventions describe high numerical aperture (NA) catadioptric systems that can support this type of imaging. These inventions are U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,518 to Shafer et al., as shown in FIG. 1, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,517, also to Shafer et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,518 to Shafer et al. describes an apparatus capable of high NA, ultra broadband UV imaging. The '518 patent describes a 0.9 NA system that can be used for broadband bright field and multiple wavelength dark-field imaging. It has ultra broad band chromatic correction using an achromatized field lens. This system can employ an achromatized field lens group to correct for secondary and higher order lateral color. This type of design has several limitations including a limited working distance, central obscuration, internal pupil, and some relatively tight manufacturing tolerances. The tight manufacturing tolerances mainly come from the balance of the large spherical aberration generated from the catadioptric group.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,036 filed on Jul. 7, 1999 to Shafer et al., as shown in FIG. 2, describes a high NA optical apparatus that has several advantages including a long-working distance, zero central obscuration, external pupil, and a relatively loose manufacturing tolerance. The system presented in the '036 application is ideally suited for use in long-working distance imaging applications, such as reticle inspection and lithography. This design is highly applicable for use in both 193 nm and 157 nm generation inspection and lithography applications. The design shown has a high degree of chromatic correction using a single glass material. Further chromatic correction is possible using two glass materials. This design has a long overall optical path, which in certain circumstances can adversely affect mechanical stability and manufacturing costs. Also, the optical system has an unusual optical axis near perpendicular that can offer manufacturing challenges.
Other specialized catadioptric optical systems have been developed for use in semiconductor lithography. These systems are designed to image a photomask at a reduced magnification onto a resist coated wafer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,763 to Singh et al. discloses a catadioptric optical system capable of high NA imaging. The '763 design creates a substantially flat image field over the large areas required for semiconductor lithography by having an input optical system with a curved field, a catadioptric relay system, and an output optical system to correct for the field curvature and some monochromatic aberrations. This design has several limitations including a limited working distance, internal pupil, narrow bandwidth, an internal beamsplitter, and tight manufacturing tolerances.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that has a long working distance between the optical system and the surface being inspected, a high numerical aperture, and small size.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that has a high degree of chromatic correction using a single glass material, where further chromatic correction can be achieved using at least one additional glass material, thereby making the apparatus suited for use at wavelengths in the deep UV and vacuum UV ranges.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus with an external pupil plane to support apertureing and Fourier filtering.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus having relatively loose tolerances enabling manufacture for a reasonable cost.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that has excellent image quality and a high degree of chromatic correction without the requirement to use aspherics, diffractive optics, beam splitters, or turning mirrors.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is suited to support microscopic imaging and inspection applications at wavelengths in the UV to VUV spectral range.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to support both broadband bright field and laser dark field imaging and inspection.

Broad band DUV, VUV long-working distance catadioptric imaging system


A conversation management module receives user selections of sections in a digital media item from one or more users. The conversation management module also receives one or more comments associated with the selected sections. The conversation management module displays or provides conversation windows in a first portion of an interface, where each window associated with a selected section and displays comments associated with the selected section in the corresponding conversation window. The conversation management module also provides a list of users in a second portion of the interface and a list of keywords which appear in the comments in a third portion of the interface.

A large and growing population of users enjoys entertainment through the consumption of media items, including electronic media, such as electronic books (also referred to herein as ebooks), electronic newspapers, electronic magazines and other electronic reading material. Users employ various electronic devices to consume such publications. Among these electronic devices are electronic book readers, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable media players, tablet computers, electronic pads, netbooks, desktop computers, notebook computers and the like.
Users may wish to interact with an author of an electronic media item, such as an author of an electronic book or with other users to discuss the electronic media item. For example, a user may wish to have a question and answer (Q&A) session with the author to better understand an author's thoughts, impressions, opinions, interpretations, etc. A user may also wish to discuss certain portions of an electronic media item (such as an electronic book) with the author or other users. For example, a user may wish to discuss a particular chapter, passage, paragraph, or sentence in an electronic book.
Generally, a user attends a live Q&A session (e.g., a book tour, a book signing, or a book reading) which is conducted by an author in order to interact with the author. The author may conduct the Q&A sessions in order to promote a book or electronic book. These Q&A sessions are generally held at specific locations and at specific times. In addition, a user may attend a gathering with other uses (e.g., attend a book club) to discuss an electronic media item, such as an electronic book.

Multi-way and multi-thread conversation system


A stand for supporting a hopper for applying joint compound to a drywall corner bead has first and second pairs of legs which cross over and are pivoted together at their crossover point in a scissors-like manner. Each pair of legs has a cross bar extending between its upper ends, and spaced connecting straps extend transversely between the cross bars in the deployed position of the stand, the connecting straps being of predetermined length to control the maximum spacing between the cross bars. Each connecting strap is slidably engaged with the respective cross bars for movement along the cross bars. A hopper is seated on top of the cross bars with a reduced length lower portion of the base extending downwardly between the cross bars. The two connecting straps are moved into engagement with opposite sides of the hopper base in order to support the hopper.

The present invention relates generally to stands of the type for supporting objects at a raised level, and is particularly concerned with a hopper stand for supporting a hopper of the type used to coat drywall corner bead with drywall mud or joint compound, as well as a combined hopper and stand assembly.
It is known to use a hopper filled with joint compound having a feeder in its base to apply joint compound to corner bead. Typically, the hopper is placed directly on top of a bucket standing on the ground, so that excess drywall mud will drip from the feeder into the bucket as the corner bead is pulled out of the feeder. This arrangement has some disadvantages. Firstly, the hopper will not be very stable and will tend to wobble as the corner bead or drywall tape is pulled through the feeder. Secondly, the operator must bend or crouch down in order to feed the tape into one end of the feeder and pull it out at the other end, which is awkward and uncomfortable.
A stand has been used in the past to support the hopper at a raised height such that the operator does not have to bend over in order to coat the corner bead. The prior stand has two pairs of crossed legs which are pivoted together and each joined by a cross bar at their upper ends, and the hopper is simply placed freely on top of the cross bars. Chains are used to secure the legs together below the pivot in order to lock the legs in an open or deployed position of the stand. This arrangement places the hopper at a more convenient height for use, but does not solve the problem of instability or wobbling of the hopper.


A sound transducer (10) for imparting acoustical energy directly to a solid surface (12) while achieving the sound quality and frequency response found only in conventional diaphragm speakers. The sound transducer (10) comprises a pair of symmetrical magnet assemblies (16, 18), a pair of symmetrical voice coils (66, 68), and an actuator (22). The magnet assemblies (16, 18) each present an area of concentrated magnetic flux (60, 62). The symmetrical voice coils (66, 68) are positioned in the vicinity of the areas of concentrated magnetic flux and are operable to receive an alternating audio signal which causes the voice coils to move relative to the magnet assemblies. The actuator (22) moves with the voice coils and includes a foot (70) for coupling with a solid surface to impart movement to the solid surface and thereby produce sound when the voice coils receive the audio signal. The actuator (22) is coupled to the voice coils (66, 68) by an elongated shaft (24). The shaft (24) is supported for linear movement by a pair of spaced-apart bearings (74, 76).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to audio systems and speakers. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved sound transducer for imparting acoustical energy directly to a solid surface such as a wall or pane of glass.
2. Description of the Prior Art
High performance audio systems and speakers continue to grow in popularity as more and more consumers install home theater systems in their homes, offices and other personal spaces. Such home theater systems typically consist of a high definition TV, projection TV, plasma screen, or other monitor; one or more video sources such as a DVD player or a VCR; a surround-sound receiver; and a plurality of speakers coupled with and driven by the surround-sound receiver.
High performance surround-sound receivers typically have five or seven separate audio channels for driving five or more speakers. The speakers are strategically positioned around a listening area to accurately produce the audio portion of a movie or other program. A pair of speakers may, for example, be positioned behind a typical listening area, another pair of speakers may be positioned in front of the listening area, and another pair of speakers may be positioned to the sides of the listening area.
Speakers convert electrical energy representative of music or other sounds to acoustical energy. Conventional speakers include a voice coil which moves relative to a permanent magnet when it receives an alternating audio signal. The voice coil then vibrates a paper diaphragm or cone to provide sound waves. The cone moves because of a dynamic interaction between two magnet fields, one coming from the permanent magnet and the other created by the signal voltage applied to the voice coil. The permanent magnet's field does not change direction; it remains highly concentrated and constant near the voice coil. An alternating audio signal applied to the voice coil creates an alternating magnetic field emanating from the voice coil. The alternating magnetic field of the voice coil interacts with the stationary magnetic field of the permanent magnet to move the voice coil. Specifically, the voice coil and the attached cone move forward and backward in accordance with the varying polarity of the signal applied to the voice coil. The oscillations of the diaphragm closely follow the variations in the applied electrical signal to set up sound waves.
Because conventional speakers rely upon the movement of a diaphragm or cone, they must be mounted so that the diaphragm is at least partially exposed to the listening area in which the sound is directed. Mounting numerous speakers in a listening area without interfering with windows, doors, columns, and other structural components of a room can be challenging. One way to overcome this challenge is to hang some or all of the speakers from the room's ceiling with swiveling brackets so they may be oriented to project sound in desired directions. However, some people find this mounting arrangement unsightly, especially when numerous speakers of varying sizes must be hung from the ceiling. Another installation method flush mounts the speakers in walls, ceilings and other surfaces so that the speakers do not project as far into a room. However, this method is considered unattractive by some people as well, because the speakers and their associated grills take up valuable wall and ceiling space and remain visible, thus detracting from the appearance of the room.
Magnetostrictive speakers, such as the SolidDrive™ speakers sold by Induction Dynamics® have been developed to alleviate some of the problems associated with speaker installation. Such speakers convert audio signals to powerful vibrations that can be transferred into solid surfaces such as walls, ceilings, windows, tables, office desks, etc., thus delivering sound from the entire surfaces. This permits the speakers to be positioned entirely behind these surfaces and therefore completely hidden from view. For example, such speakers are often mounted behind walls so that there are absolutely no visible speakers or wires. Although magnetostrictive speakers can be hidden and therefore solve many of the installation problems discussed above, they do not reproduce sound as accurately as conventional speakers and often exhibit non-uniform and less predictable frequency responses.
Sound transducers which use conventional voice coil technology to impart acoustical energy to solid surfaces have also been developed. However, these prior art sound transducers are generally not powerful enough to move a rigid wall or other solid surface sufficiently to create a desirable level and quality of sound. Moreover, such prior art transducers do not produce a uniform frequency response due to their construction.


A transfer device includes a power supply control unit, a direct-current (DC) power supply, an alternating-current (AC) power supply, and a transfer unit. The power supply control unit controls a first control signal for controlling a DC voltage and a second control signal for controlling an AC voltage based on a condition relating to image formation. The DC power supply outputs the DC voltage based on the first control signal. The AC power supply selectively outputs, with a particular waveform, either of the DC voltage output from the DC power supply or a superimposed voltage obtained by superimposing the AC voltage determined based on the second control signal on the DC voltage output from the DC power supply. The transfer unit transfers a developer onto a sheet using a voltage output from the AC power supply.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer device, an image forming apparatus, and a power supply control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, electrophotography image forming apparatuses apply a direct-current (DC) voltage to an electrostatic toner pattern formed on an image carrier, thereby moving a developer, such as a toner, forming the electrostatic toner pattern to a sheet. Thus, electrophotography image forming apparatuses transfer the electrostatic toner pattern onto the sheet.
In use of a sheet having a highly uneven surface and low surface smoothness, such as leather-like paper and Japanese paper, a developer is less likely to be transferred onto recessed portions compared with protruding portions. This renders printing on the recessed portions unclear.
To address this, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-058585, for example, discloses a technology for increasing the transfer ratio of a developer onto recessed portions by superimposing an alternating-current (AC) voltage on a DC voltage for transfer to generate a sinusoidal wave and causing the developer to oscillate.
In the conventional technology, a toner reciprocates between a toner carrier and a sheet with the AC frequency. This increases the transferability at the recessed portions on the sheet surface. However, the developer scatters due to the oscillation of the toner, thereby generating a blur on an image. In the conventional technology, even if the voltage is output by superimposing the AC component for oscillation of the toner on the DC component for transfer, the superimposition makes the peak voltage in a transfer-direction polarity extremely high depending on conditions for image formation. This facilitates aerial discharge, thereby generating a void at the protruding portions on the sheet surface. To address this, it is necessary to develop a technology for increasing the transfer ratio of the developer onto the recessed portions on the sheet surface and forming a high-quality image.
Therefore, there is a need for a transfer device, an image forming apparatus, and a power supply control method that are capable of increasing the transfer ratio of a developer onto recessed portions on a sheet surface and improving the image quality regardless of conditions for image formation.

Transfer device, image forming apparatus, and power supply control method


A fuel system, in particular of a motor vehicle, with a fuel tank and a ventilation device for ventilating the fuel tank, wherein the ventilation device has at least one separation device which has a temporary accumulator for liquid fuel. The separation device has a fill level determination device for determining the fill level of in the temporary accumulator. The invention further relates to a method for operating a fuel system.

The invention relates to a fuel system in particular of a motor vehicle with a fuel tank and a ventilation device for ventilating the fuel tank, wherein the ventilation device has a separation device which has at least one temporary accumulator for liquid fuel. The invention further relates to a method for operating a fuel system.
Fuel systems of the aforementioned type are known from the state of the art. They are assigned for example to a motor vehicle or a drive system of the motor vehicle. The drive system includes in particular at least one internal combustion engine and is for example configured as hybrid drive system, i.e. it includes the internal combustion engine as well as at least one electrical machine, wherein the internal combustion engine and the electrical machine at least temporarily concertedly generate a drive torque of the drive system. The internal combustion engine is supplied with fuel from the fuel tank by the fuel system. Oftentimes, a volatile hydrocarbon fuel, for example gasoline, is used as fuel. The fuel tank therefore normally contains a volume of liquid fuel as well as a volume of gaseous fuel, which accumulates in particular above the liquid fuel. The fuel tank can be a closed tank in particular a pressure tank, or a partially closed, in particular also pressure free tank. The closed tank is used in particular for reducing emissions.
Due to temperature fluctuations of the fuel, for example caused by changes of the ambient temperature, pressure fluctuations can occur in the fuel tank. For this reason, the ventilation device is assigned to the fuel tank. It serves for ventilating the fuel tank. In this way, excessive pressure in the fuel tank can be reduced by the ventilating device. For this purpose the ventilation device ventilates the fuel tank for example by a ventilation line. During ventilation, gaseous as well as liquid fuel can exit the fuel tank through the ventilation device or the ventilation line. The ventilated fuel thus is first present as a mixture of gaseous and liquid fuel. This is particularly the case when the fuel tank is ventilated at a high pressure inside the fuel tank. As a result of the high pressure or the great pressure difference between the pressure inside the fuel tank and the pressure outside of the fuel tank, the ventilated fuel has high flow velocities, which causes liquid fuel to be carried along by the gaseous fuel.
The gaseous fuel can readily be fed to the internal combustion engine or its intake system respectively, wherein a fuel accumulator which is preferably configured as activated carbon filter can be provided between the fuel tank and the internal combustion engine. The fuel accumulator serves for temporarily storing gaseous fuel, i.e. for taking up gaseous fuel when unused gaseous fuel is present and for giving off gaseous fuel as soon as the gaseous fuel can be discharged into the internal combustion engine. However, liquid fuel must not enter the fuel accumulator or the internal combustion engine.
For this reason, the ventilation device has the at least one separation device which serves for separating gaseous and liquid fuel. The separation device thus has the purpose to prevent the transfer of liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the ventilation device into the internal combustion engine. The separation device separates liquid fuel and allows gaseous fuel to pass. The separated liquid fuel enters the temporary accumulator of the separation device. The term temporary accumulator does not mean that a (temporary) accumulation of the liquid fuel is indeed provided for. Rather, the liquid fuel can be discharged directly from the temporary accumulator or the separation device preferably in the direction of the fuel tank. Here, however, a rise of the fill level of the temporary accumulator may result, for example due a limitation of the discharge volume flow, in particular by a line cross section or the like. The separated liquid fuel thus temporarily cannot be discharged at the same rate as it enters the temporary accumulator. Of course, a temporary storage of the liquid fuel, for example over a defined period of time can also be realized.
When operating the fuel system, the amount of liquid fuel present in the temporary accumulator or the separation device should be prevented from exceeding a threshold amount, i.e. from being greater than the fill level of the temporary accumulator, because this may impair the effectiveness of the separation device. The greater the amount of liquid fuel in the temporary accumulator, the greater is the risk that liquid fuel also escapes the separation device together with the gaseous fuel and is carried along in the direction of the fuel accumulator or the internal combustion engine. For this reason, the fuel delivery device can be assigned to the separation device. The former is used to deliver liquid fuel out of the temporary accumulator, in particular in the direction of the fuel tank. The fuel delivery device is usually configured as ejector pump wherein fuel which is delivered by a fuel pump of the fuel system out of the fuel tank in the direction of internal combustion engine, is often used as means for driving the ejector pump. In fuel systems known from the state of the art it may happen, however, that liquid fuel escapes the separation device again together with the gaseous fuel and is carried along in the direction of the fuel accumulator of the internal combustion engine.

Fuel system and method for operating a fuel system


The present invention provides a product that includes (a) a wood-based composite panel having a pair of outer surfaces; and (b) a radiant barrier material having a pair of outer surfaces, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the radiant barrier material is adhered to at least a portion of an outer surface of the wood-based composite panel; wherein the radiant barrier material that includes apertures such that the apertures are present in about 49 apertures per square inch of radiant barrier material or less, inclusive. The invention also includes methods for manufacturing such product.

Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is an engineered structural-use panel manufactured from thin wood strands bonded together with resin under heat and pressure. OSB is used extensively for roof, wall, and floor sheathing in residential and commercial construction. Many building structures that include OSB are located in areas that are sunny and/or hot. These areas include southern California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida. The building structures in these locations typically have roof structures that inherently have minimal thermal insulating and emissivity barrier properties.
When in use and upon exposure to large durations of heat and/or sunlight, OSB will typically absorb and trap (i.e., retain) a significant portion of the radiant energy. The OSB will also typically emit (e.g., up to about 90%) the radiant energy. This results in an increase of the temperature on the inside of the dwelling (e.g., the attic). In fact, under conventional home construction conditions, the air temperature in attics and ceilings can be raised to about 140° F. or higher. Either the homeowner undergoes severe discomfort due to elevated temperatures inside the dwelling or they must pay a high price for installing and operating air conditioning. A considerable amount of energy, therefore, is typically expended to reduce the temperature of the inside of the dwelling. This energy may not only be costly, but may not be available during a given period of time (e.g., during a brown out or black out).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,814 issued to Hageman claims and discloses a roof structure. The roof structure includes roof decking material that includes a wood roof sheathing panel material having an inner side and an outer side; and a sheet of foil material having one surface adhered to the inwardly facing surface of sheet of sheathing panel material (See, e.g., claim 1).
The foil material disclosed therein includes a plurality of substantially uniformly distributed perforations through the foil material to permit passage of moisture therethrough (See, e.g., claim 1). The expressed reason for introducing the perforations into the foil material is to permit the passage of moisture between the moisture barrier layer and the roof (See, e.g., column 2, lines 42-49). In this way, it is thought that a significant portion of excess moisture can be released through the perforations located in the foil material thereby permitting the roof decking to "breathe" (See, e.g., column 2, lines 42-49). If a significant portion of the excess moisture is not released, unwanted degradation of the substrate can result (See, e.g., column 2, lines 42-49). Moisture can be present due to, for example, water vapor which enters the house during construction (before the roof is put on), or after construction from roof leaks of various types. Unwanted moisture can also result from the cumulative effect of vapor condensation. Moisture can also be introduced from the occupants in the building.
One drawback associated with the article of manufacture claimed and disclosed therein is that the density of the perforations is in the order of 125 per square inch, or 50 to 160 per square inch (See, e.g., column 3, lines 15-18). U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,814 does not disclose or suggest an article of manufacture having perforations on the order of about 50 or less, inclusive, while possessing suitable emmissivity and vapor permeable properties. As such, it would be beneficial to have a roof sheathing panel material with foil material adhered thereto wherein the foil material includes perforations on the order of about 50 or less, inclusive, while maintaining the suitable emmissivity and vapor permeable properties.
Another drawback associated with the article of manufacture claimed and disclosed therein is that the article of manufacture is manufactured in an "off line" or "cold press" manner. See, e.g., column 2-6. As such, the '814 patent does not disclose or suggest how to make the article of manufacture via an "in line" or "hot press" method. Forming a product that includes a wood-based composite panel and a metallic material adhered to the wood-based composite panel via an "in line" or "hot press" method would be relatively inexpensive and easier to manufacture, as compared to the article of manufacture manufactured via an "off line" or "cold press" method.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,495 B1, assigned to Louisiana-Pacific Corp., claims and discloses a method for producing a product which is an underlying substrate, having a pair of outer major surfaces and a radiant barrier material adhered to at least one of the pair of outer major surfaces of the underlying substrate with an adhesive material to form a radiant barrier material covered substrate. See, e.g., Abstract. A plurality of apertures are formed in the radiant barrier material covered substrate. See, e.g., Abstract. These apertures extend substantially completely through both the radiant barrier material and the adhesive material thereby forming substantially completely open moisture vapor flow channels which create a high level of moisture vapor permeability through the radiant barrier material and the adhesive material. See, e.g., Abstract. In this way, a substantial amount of trapped excess moisture can pass from the underlying substrate into the surrounding atmosphere to avoid unwanted degradation of the underlying substrate, while maintaining the low level of emissivity of the product. See, e.g., Abstract.
One drawback associated with the method of producing the article of manufacture claimed and disclosed therein is that method is limited solely to a "cold press" method and does not disclose or suggest producing the article of manufacture via a "hot press" method. Specifically, the method disclosed and recited therein requires for "providing an underlying wood-based product," "adhering a radiant barrier material to at least one of said pair of outer surfaces of said underlying substrate . . . to form a radiant barrier material covered substrate," and "forming said product by introducing a plurality of apertures into said radiant barrier material covered substrate." See, e.g., claim 1. Forming a product which includes a wood-based composite panel and a metallic material adhered to the wood-based composite panel via a "hot press" method would be relatively inexpensive and easier to manufacture, as compared to the article of manufacture manufactured via a "cold press" method.
Another drawback associated with the method of producing the article of manufacture claimed and disclosed therein is that the adhesive employed in adhering the radiant barrier material (i.e., the backing layer and the metallic foil) to the underlying wood-based substrate may not be suitable under the "hot press" conditions (e.g., temperature and pressure). Specifically, the resin disclosed therein may not possess the requisite adhesiveness during the pressing stage. As such, the adhesive disclosed therein would likely not effectively maintain the adhesive properties during the manufacturing parameters of a "hot press" method.
Accordingly, what is needed is an article of manufacture useful in the wood products industry. The article of manufacture includes a wood-bases substrate and at least one layer of foil attached to the wood-based substrate. The foil will reflect a substantial amount of the radiant energy and/or will limit or stop a substantial amount of radiant energy from passing through. The radiant barrier OSB product can be manufactured via a "hot press" method. More specifically, the foil (with apertures located thereon) can be contacted with the flakes prior to the pressing stage, thereby providing a wood-based composite panel having a foil overlay.
The radiant barrier plywood product could be manufactured either via a "cold press" or a "hot press" manner. As such, each of the components of the article of manufacture can withstand the manufacturing conditions of any pressing stage involved in the manufacturing process of the article of manufacture. The manufacturing conditions include time, temperature, and pressure. More specifically, the foil, with apertures located thereon, can be contacted with the veneers prior to the pressing stage, thereby providing a wood-based composite panel having a foil overlay.
Additionally, what is needed is a method to produce an article of manufacture having a foil overlay via a "hot press" method. The article of manufacture will preferably include perforations or apertures on the order of about 50 or less, inclusive, while possessing suitable emmissivity and vapor permeable properties. The article of manufacture will include perforations or apertures located in the foil material that optionally do not become wholly or partially plugged by the adhesive material.

Method for manufacturing wood-based composite panel having foil overlay


This invention provides novel Streptococcus salivarius, compositions containing same, and use of S. salivarius strains as antimicrobial agents. The strains are bacterial inhibitors with respect to at least S. mutans and/or MS and therefore have a number of therapeutic applications. The applications include but are not limited to forming part of therapeutic formulations for use in controlling, treating, or preventing dental caries.

Dental caries is a disease characterised by dissolution of the mineral portion of the tooth. As caries progresses, destruction of tooth enamel and dentine occurs followed by inflammation of pulp and periapical tissues.
The mutans streptococci (MS) are a cluster of acidogenic, dental plaque-inhabiting streptococcal species that are considered the principal causative agents of caries. Presently, seven different MS species (known as S. mutans, S. rattus, S. cricetus, S. sobrinus, S. ferns, S. macacae, and S. downei) are recognised. Of these seven species it is mainly S. mutans and S. sobrinus that are of significance in terms of human caries.
Over the years various methods have been developed and tried with varying results, to prevent or at least alleviate the problem of dental caries. Treatments with antibiotics such as penicillin have been suggested and are effective but indiscriminately destroy both useful and harmful bacteria in the mouth leading to microbial imbalances.
In order to minimise disruption to the mouth microflora, antibiotic producing organisms have been investigated for their ability to inhibit caries. A group of organisms identified as having potential in this regard are microorganisms producing bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances (BLIS). BLIS producers of the genera Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and Enterococcus have been screened for potential application to prevention of dental caries (Balakrishnan, M. et al., Caries Res. 2001; 35:75–80).
What is sought is a non-virulent analog of the disease-causing S. mutans, or a so called effector strain. To serve as an effector strain in replacement therapy in bacterial infection, the microorganism must be non-virulent itself and able to compete successfully with the pathogenic microorganism either via competitive action and/or antibiotic action. S. mutans effector strains have been identified (Hillman et al, J Dent Res. 1987; 66:109–24; James and Tagg, N Z Dent J. 1991; 87:80–3) and show strong anti-S. mutans activity. A disadvantage with the use of S. mutans effector strains is the cariogenic potential of these strains.
S. salivarius is an alternative streptococcus species which avoids this disadvantage. In WO 01/27143 S. salivarius strains are identified which have utility in the treatment of dental caries caused at least in part by S. sobrinus. No activity was recorded against MS generally or S. mutans in particular. Similarly, in Balakrishnan (supra), S. salivarius K3 is identified as active against S. sobrinus when grown on trypticase soy broth yeast extract calcium carbonate agar medium, but had no effect on S. mutans. S. salivarius TOVE-R (Tanzer, J. M. et al.; Infect Immun., 1985, 48:44–50) is an antagonist strain and which brought about a reduction in dental caries. There have been no reports of BLIS production by this strain.
The applicants have now identified BLIS producing S. salivarius strains with a broad spectrum of activity against MS dental caries causing organisms including S. mutans.
The present invention is broadly directed to these novel S. salivarius strains, and the use of anti-MS S. salivarius strains in the treatment of dental caries, or at least provides the public with a useful choice.


A computer system which can receive boot information over a parallel or serial port. The ports are inspected for activity prior to attempting to boot from a floppy or hard disk. If there is activity on the port the sequence being received is read and compared to a predetermined identification sequence. If a match is made, an acknowledgement character is transmitted. A communication sequence commences to transfer the boot information over the link. After the transfer is complete, the boot information is executed. The serial transfer utilizes the conventional serial lines, while the parallel transfer is performed a nibble at a time. This nibble mode allows use of only outputs to inputs to avoid dual source driving problems.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to personal computers, and more particularly to loading of the operating system of the personal computer by devices external to the computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
While personal computers are becoming quite reliable and their operating systems are becoming quite stable and powerful, errors still do occur and at times it is desireable to load other operating systems onto the personal computer. In addition, diskless computers, generally referred to as workstations, are becoming quite prevalent on local area networks for security reasons.
Conventionally the initialization sequence of loading of the operating system, commonly referred to as booting of a personal computer is as follows. The personal computer is turned on and goes through certain initializations, such as an initial random access memory (RAM) check, initializing the interrupt controllers, direct memory access (DMA) controllers and other devices, and clearing and initializing the video display units and various input/output (I/O) devices. After the memory has been fully tested and initialization completed, the system attempts to boot itself from one of the magnetic media, generally either a floppy disk or a hard disk. This is done because usually the operating system is quite variable and large and therefore it is not desireable that it be located in the relatively expensive and limited amount of read only memory (ROM) present on a computer system. By placing the operating system on floppy disk or hard disk it can be much larger and can be much more variable. Thus it can be frequently changed without the difficulty of opening up the computer and replacing integrated circuits. Conventionally, personal computers first tried to boot from the floppy drive. This procedure developed when floppy drives were all that were available in a system and has continued as a means for allowing a computer to be booted if there is a failure to the hard disk drive or if alternative code which does not utilize the operating system present on the hard disk is to be used. If no floppy boot was possible, then control proceeds to try and boot from the hard disk. If that does not occur, errors are indicated and the computer did not boot. The term booting developed because a limited number of program instructions are first loaded from a known location on the disk. The first instructions included instructions to allow further instructions to be loaded from the disk. Because the programs are initially small and get larger, the process was referred to as booting up in a reference to pulling oneself up by one's bootstraps.
However, as previously stated, errors can occur in this process such that neither the floppy nor the hard disk drives are available for booting, either due to equipment malfunction or their complete absence in the computer if it is a diskless work station. Therefore, for diagnostic purposes or network purposes it is desireable to have a personal computer which can be started and then booted up even if both the floppy and disk drives are inactive or not present. Then various diagnostic tests can be performed or the network operating system loaded and executed.

External boot information loading of a personal computer


An ink jet printer is provided with discharge heads configured to discharge ink which is filled into a cavity from a nozzle which is linked with a cavity due to the capacity of the cavity changing according to vibrating of a vibration plate which is vibrated by a piezoelectric element, a head driver configured to drive the piezoelectric element, and a detecting section configured to detect the state of the discharge heads. The detecting section is configured to detect the state of the discharge heads within a specific period of time after driving of the piezoelectric element is stopped.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid discharge apparatus and a liquid discharge state detecting method.
2. Related Art
Technological improvements with regard to ink jet printers which are liquid discharge apparatuses are progressing and it is possible to record (print) in various formats with regard to various recording (printing) media. As a result, it is popular to use ink jet printers as medium scale printers for commercial applications which correspond to creating posters, signage, promotional materials, packaging, and the like and large scale printers for industrial application where the printers are built into product manufacturing lines. In accompaniment with this, greater reliability in these printers is demanded so that it is possible to stably perform high quality recording (printing) over a long period of time.
With regard to this, for example, an ink jet recording apparatus is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-188840 which, with the object of it being possible to more efficiently maintain ink discharge characteristics, measures time elapsed since an operation of ejecting ink from a recording head, detects a recording head discharge state using a detecting means in a case where the elapsed time exceeds a threshold time interval, and performs a discharge head recovery operation using a recovery means when it is detected that there is a problem with the discharge state.
However, there is a problem in the ink jet recording apparatus described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-188840 in that, in checking of the discharge state which is performed in a case where the elapsed time exceeds the threshold time interval, there are cases where it is not possible to detect discharge abnormalities due to the timing with which the checking is carried out. In detail, even though a discharge abnormality is generated due to, for example, bubbles which are included in the discharge head (a cavity), there are cases such as where the bubbles which are the cause of the discharge abnormality dissipate or become a size which is less than the limit for detection in a brief period until the timing when a checking means performs checking and it is not possible to detect discharge abnormalities and the like. That is, there is a problem in that it is not possible to precisely detect the state of the discharge head when the period of time from when printing is stopped to the start of checking is long.

Liquid discharge apparatus and liquid discharge state detecting method


The subject invention concerns a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding human interleukin-1 (IL-1), and fragments thereof, and the polypeptides and peptides obtained. Specifically, the subject invention comprises the cloning of a cDNA synthesized by reverse transcription of poly(A)RNA isolated from adherent human monocytes stimulated with bacterial endotoxin. Human IL-1 is useful to induce the production of IL-2 by activated T-cells; it also acts on B-cells and NK-cells. The subject invention further concerns antibodies that are immunoreactive with human IL-1.beta. proteins.

It is well established that mononuclear phagocytes are required for antigen recognition and lymphocyte activation, and that they play a vital role in the immune response of the host to infectious, inflammatory, and malignant disease. Several aspects of immunological function and host response to infection and injury are attributable to various proteins and other mediators released from stimulated mononuclear phagocytes (Dinarello, 1984). These include leukocytic pyrogen (LP), a mediator of fever; leukocytic endogenous mediator (LEM), an inducer of several components of the acute phase response; lymphocyte activating factor (LAF), which augments both lymphocyte proliferation and lymphokine production; and mononuclear cell factor (MCF), which induces prostaglandin E.sub.2 and collagenase synthesis in synovial cells. It has been demonstrated that LP and LAF activity co-purify and share common physical characteristics (Rosenwasser et al., 1979); Rosenwasser et al., 1981; Murphy et al., 1980). Similarly, there is evidence that LP and LEM are closely related, if not the same molecule (Kampschmidt, 1981), and furthermore that LAF and MCF seem to be identical (Mizel et al., 1979). The term interleukin-1 (IL-1) is now used to describe these varied biological activities, although it is presently unclear whether IL-1 represents a single substance or a family of related molecules. Prior to the subject invention, the art had no knowledge of the nucleotide sequence encoding human IL-1. Though the art was aware of general cloning procedures, there is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art which could be used to identify and clone the nucleotide sequence coding for human IL-1.

Biologically active fragments of IL-1.beta.

New England Medical Center Hospitals, Inc.


A headrest stay includes a pair of first stay-composing parts extending in top and bottom directions of a seat back while supported by the seat back, the first stay-composing parts being arranged in different positions in a direction of vehicle width; and a second stay-composing part connecting specific parts of the first stay-composing parts in the direction of the vehicle width, the specific parts extending straight in the top and bottom directions of the seat back. The specific parts face a head of an occupant seated on the seat. A portion of the second stay-composing part, which portion is between the one specific part and the other specific part in the direction of the vehicle width, is not located further forward than the specific parts, and at least part of the portion is located further rearward than the specific parts.

Conventionally, a headrest stay is known, which is supported by a seat back and to which the body of a headrest is fixed. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses the technique for embedding the curved parts of a stay bent substantially in an inverted U shape into the pillow-like pad of a headrest.


Electronic device and a method for backlighting a liquid crystal display (LCD) display to provide different display definitions, the LCD display includes a backlight unit composed of one or more backlighting blocks. The method determines a display definition of a video image and illuminates or turns off backlighting blocks of the backlight unit to display the video image accordingly. The video image is displayed in full screen by all backlighting blocks if the video image is an ultra high definition (UHD) image, and turns on a smaller number of the backlighting blocks to display the video image if the video image has other than UHD display definition. As such, the electronic device is controlled to save power consumption in different display definitions of the LCD display.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to display systems and methods, and particularly to an electronic device and a method for backlighting a liquid crystal display (LCD) display to provide different display definitions.
2. Description of Related Art
A light emitting diode (LED) panel can be used to backlight a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. The LCD screen displays images, and the LED panel includes an LED array for providing a light source to backlight the LCD screen. Since the luminance of the backlighting depends on the current that flows in the LED panel, it is difficult to control the duty cycle of on time and off time of the current that flows in the LED panel. To display a ultra high definition image on the LCD screen, all LEDs of the LED panel must be turned on and increase power consumption. Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Electronic device and method for backlighting LCD display to provide different display definitions

HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (WuHan) CO., LTD.


A gate drive circuit includes plural stages connected together one after each other. Each of the plural stages includes a circuit transistor, a capacitor part, a first connection part and a second connection part. The circuit transistor outputs the gate signal through a source electrode in response to a control signal applied through a gate electrode. The capacitor part includes a first electrode, a second electrode formed on the first electrode, and a third electrode formed on the second electrode. The first connection part electrically connects the gate electrode of the circuit transistor and the second electrode of the capacitor part. The second connection part electrically connects the source electrode of the circuit transistor and the first electrode of the capacitor part. Thus, an integrated size of a gate drive circuit may be decreased, and a reliability of a gate drive circuit may be enhanced.

1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the claimed subject matter relate to a gate drive circuit, a display substrate having the gate drive circuit, and a method of manufacturing the display substrate. More particularly, example embodiments of the relate to a gate drive circuit used to a liquid crystal display ("LCD") device, a display substrate having the gate drive circuit, and a method of manufacturing the display substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an LCD device includes an LCD panel displaying images using light transmittance of a liquid crystal and a backlight assembly disposed below the LCD panel to provide the LCD panel with lights.
The LCD device includes a display panel in which a plurality of pixel parts connected to gate lines and data lines crossing the gate lines are formed, a gate drive circuit outputting a gate signal to the gate line and a data drive circuit outputting a data signal to the data line. The gate drive circuit and the data drive circuit may be formed as a chip type to be formed on the display panel.
Recently, in order to decrease a total size of a gate drive circuit and enhance a productivity of the gate drive circuit, the gate drive circuit has been integrated on the display substrate as an amorphous silicon gate ("ASG") type.
When the ASG technology is utilized with a small-sized LCD panel, manufacturing costs may be decreased. However, when the ASG technology is utilized with a large-sized LCD panel, a size of the gate drive circuit formed on the glass substrate may be increased.
When a formation size of the gate drive circuit is increased, a size of a glass substrate used to manufacture the large-sized LCD panel may also increase. Thus, manufacturing costs of the LCD panel may be increased. However, if a width of the gate drive circuit is increased when the size of the glass substrate is fixed, the number of manufacturable LCD panels, e.g., the number of LCD panels of sufficient quantity for sale to consumers, is decreased, so that manufacturing costs of the LCD panel may be increased.
Particularly, a capacitor formed between an input terminal and an output terminal of an output transistor of the gate drive circuit occupies a large area, so that it is required to decrease a size of the capacitor.

Gate drive circuit having reduced size, display substrate having the same, and method of manufacturing the display substrate