A semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a logic circuit unit, a signal control unit, a first signal selecting unit to a third signal selecting unit, and a first element electrode to a fourth element electrode. A part of signal lines of the logic circuit unit is connectable to different element electrodes, in accordance with the operating state of the logic circuit unit. The signal control unit generates connection information related to the connection of the signal lines to the element electrodes, thereafter sending the connection information to an external LSI. The connection is made after a retaining period, during which the element electrode concerned is maintained at high impedance, thereby avoiding unexpected failure. According to the present structure, the number of element electrodes required by the semiconductor integrated circuit can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit, especially to a packaged semiconductor integrated circuit in which connections between a logic circuit unit and semiconductor element electrodes are changeable according to an operating state of the logic circuit unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the degree of integration of a semiconductor integrated circuit has improved dramatically by evolution of the fine processing technology in semiconductor process, and the scale of the circuits contained by one semiconductor integrated circuit has become large. Consequently, a system LSI which realizes a great portion of functions of a system in one semiconductor integrated circuit has been used. Following the tendency, the number of the connection interfaces between the system LSI and a peripheral circuitry increases, and hence the number of the external terminals possessed by the system LSI also increases.
In the conventional semiconductor integrated circuit possessing a logic circuit unit therein, semiconductor element electrodes installed in a package and external terminals of the package are connected electrically for use in communication with external devices or circuitry, a power supply from the outside, and so on. The connection relationship of the semiconductor element electrodes and the signal lines which come out outside from the logic circuit unit in the package is usually fixed while the logic circuit unit is working. By way of exception, however, when testing the semiconductor integrated circuit, the connection relationship can be changed in an internal circuitry, and signals outputted to and inputted from the external terminals can be changed.
Moreover, a document 1 (Published Japanese patent application Hei 10-313091) discloses a technology which removes the restriction imposed by the location of external terminals at the time of mounting a packaged semiconductor integrated circuit on a board. In the technology disclosed by the document 1, a signal line, which comes out from the logic circuit unit in the package, is switched by a selection circuitry to connect to a different external terminal, thereby avoiding overlapped preparation of new external terminals which are required to reduce the restriction posed by the location of the external terminals.
However, as the degree of integration of a semiconductor integrated circuit advances, the area of the semiconductor element electrodes which connect the signal lines coming out from the logic circuit unit becomes large in comparison with the area of the logic circuit unit in the package, thereby hindering the area reduction of the semiconductor integrated circuit as a whole.
FIG. 14 is a layout drawing of the conventional packaged semiconductor integrated circuit. As shown in FIG. 14, in the conventional packaged semiconductor integrated circuit, a semiconductor element 3 is provided in a package 4, and external terminals composed of pads 5 and pins 6 are provided at the periphery of the package 4. The semiconductor element 3 possesses an internal logic circuit unit 1 and peripheral semiconductor element electrodes 2. The semiconductor element electrodes 2 connect with the signal lines (not shown) which come out from the logic circuit unit 1, and are further wire-bonded to the pads 5 when packaged. The area occupied by the logic circuit unit 1 is reduced with increasing degree of integration of the semiconductor integrated circuit; however, the area occupied by the semiconductor element electrodes 2 is not reduced. Consequently, a useless vacant area 7 arises in the semiconductor element 3.
Moreover, when more signal lines coming out from the logic circuit unit 1 are required as the logic circuit unit 1 is multi-functionalized in conjunction with higher integration of the semiconductor integrated circuit, a problem arises in the fact that the required number of the semiconductor element electrodes 2 is not securable, unless the area occupied by the semiconductor element electrodes 2 is increased.

Semiconductor integrated circuit, electronic device using the same, and controlling method of semiconductor integrated circuit

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The casing of a leak-proof one-piece battery is made of a material comprising a mixture of at least a matrix based on polypropylene and an alloy of a polyamide and a polypropylene. The ratio of the matrix to the alloy is in the range 0.5 to 6 by weight. The alloy forms elongate arborescent inclusions in the matrix such that, on average, the largest dimension of a segment of the arborescence is at least twenty times the smallest dimension of the segment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a one-piece leak-proof battery. A one-piece storage battery has a single casing which is prismatic in shape comprising chambers separated by walls in which the elements of the storage battery are placed. Such batteries generally have capacities which are in the range 10 Ah to 250 Ah.
2. Description of the Prior Art
"Leak-proof" type valve storage batteries do not allow gas exchange with the surroundings under normal operation. Until now, the majority of leak-proof type batteries have principally been intended for incorporation into portable devices. They are thus small and of limited capacity (.ltoreq.10 Ah). In order to protect the user against any over-pressure, they are preferably cylindrical in shape and the casing is normally metal. Such a casing is expensive and heavy, limiting the energy per unit mass of the battery.
Recently, the demand for batteries with a greater capacity and a higher energy per unit weight has grown. Batteries with the best characteristics are prismatic in shape and have a polymeric material casing. A "one-piece" battery is of great benefit from this viewpoint. Sealing is then a problem, however, in particular when there is a moderate internal over-pressure. A principal condition for sealing a battery is the intrinsic impermeability to liquids and gases of the material constituting the casing.
Loss of part of the electrolyte or of water or of the organic solvent forming the electrolyte base causes an inevitable reduction in battery performance. As an example, if the material used to form the casing is not impermeable to both oxygen and hydrogen, this results in a loss of water, and thus a reduction in battery life, but if the material is only permeable to one of these gases, the operating profile of the battery becomes unbalanced.
The first batteries of the above type had a polypropylene (PP) casing and were used in railroad applications in particular. Their gas permeability has been found to be unsatisfactory.
A battery casing intended particularly for aviation applications has been produced from polyamide 11 (PA11) with chemical formula (--NH--(CH.sub.2).sub.10 --CO--).sub.n obtained by polycondensation of amino-undecanoic acid. However, while its impermeability to gas is better than that of PP, PA absorbs liquids, in particular water and glycol. Further, that material is expensive and raises a resource problem because of its plant origin (castor bean).
When the battery is provided with a cooling system circulating a heat transfer liquid along the walls of the battery, absorption of moisture by the material of the box can cause a loss of electrical insulation between the electrochemical assembly and the cooling liquid. If the electrical insulation reaches a low value, the battery user may be endangered.
The aim of the present invention is to propose a leak-proof one-piece battery with improved liquid and gas impermeability. More particularly, the invention proposes a one-piece battery with a gas permeability of less than 10% of the gas permeability of PP.


A pressure actuated packing assembly for use in sealing the annular area of fluid flow devices to provide and maintain an effective, long-term seal therein. The pressure actuated packing assembly is designed for use in chemically hostile environments, and for applications involving temperature and pressure differentials. The pressure actuated packing assembly automatically adjusts for wear, misalignment and service irregularities, while generally reducing the leakage and fugitive emission escape of fluid, flowing therethrough. The pressure actuated packing assembly is preferably constructed of an elastomeric energizer, a circular jacket member having an internal channel to substantially retain the elastomeric energizer and a rigid sealing insert member preferably disposed within the channel of the jacket member. The rigid sealing insert member, as a result of the system pressure within the fluid flow device, applies force to the energizer to radially expand the pressure actuated seal assembly to seal the annular area of the fluid flow device.

Providing an effective and long-term annular seal for fluid flow devices is a continuing problem in the fluid flow industry. In order to effectively seal an annular area adjacent to a valve, stem, rod or similar sealing application, in a fluid flow device, the force or load, F applied to the seal component, must equal the pressure, P under which the seal element is exposed, multiplied by the annular area, A to be sealed (F=PA). If the force or load, F applied to the seal component does not equal the pressure, P multiplied by the annular area, A to be sealed, the seal element can not effectively seal the annular area. The known annular seals for these types of above-identified fluid flow devices have been designed on the principal of either compression type or self-energizing lip type seals, or some combination thereof. Compression type seals, also known as squeeze type seals, typically incorporate a resilient material which is exposed to a compressive stress, wherein the compressive stress supplies the energy needed to create the initial seal. This type of seal may, for example, be inserted into a gland formed by two rigid sealing surfaces, wherein the gland has a seal receiving portion which has a slightly smaller outside diameter as compared to the outside diameter of the seal. This type of seal/gland arrangement applies compressive stresses to the seal, when the two mating surfaces contact the seal. As pressure is applied to the system, the initial compressive forces are augmented by the fluid flow pressure, or system pressure.
Self-energizing lip type seals generally achieve initial sealing by placing the seal lips under bending stress and exposure to the system pressure, wherein the lips are forced tightly against the gland surfaces.
In view of current Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for allowable leakage and fugitive emissions requirements for fluid flow devices, conventional lip and compression type seals often do not comport with acceptable standards. Additionally, depending upon the particular design, lip and compression type seals are prone to premature wear and failure, requiring frequent and costly maintenance. In dynamic applications, where at least one of the orifice or gland surfaces is in motion, wear rates typically increase in response to the increase in load or force applied to the seal element. Energized seals may be especially prone to premature wear and failure in this type of application. Additionally in dynamic applications involving high system pressures, once the system pressure is removed, the high pressure forces which were exerted on the seal often damage or destroy the initial interference of the seal, which is responsible for providing the initial stresses required to seal the annular area. When the initial interference of the seal becomes damaged or destroyed, the seal may cease to properly function.
In static applications, where neither gland surface is in motion, typically, tight, compressive seals have been employed. This type of static seal, includes squeeze type seals which rely upon the compressive stress created when the gland surfaces contact the seal, to provide the initial sealing forces. These types of seals include, for example, washers, gaskets, packings, o-rings and the like. Squeeze type seals due to their construction and composition, have a limited usefulness. Further, over time, static seals may experience stress relaxation which adversely affects the resilience of the seal.
Moreover, known seal materials which are solely constructed of rubber and other elastomeric materials are generally not conducive to long-term exposure to caustic, corrosive and harsh chemicals and oils, and may break-down and/or fail in a relatively short period of time. Encapsulation and partial encapsulation of rubber and elastomeric seal devices to create a protective coating to reduce the amount of exposure of the seal to harmful substances, is expensive and greatly restricts the type of seal available, due to molding process capabilities and other restrictions. Partial encapsulation of the rubber or elastomeric seal device is less expensive, but may not avoid exposure to and break-down of the seal device. Additionally, both the full and partially encapsulated rubber or elastomeric seal devices require the use of separate back up or anti-extrusion components at higher pressures, causing additional expense and assembly. An additional problem exists with the above discussed types of seals, in that these seals do not automatically adjust to wear, misalignment, temperature and pressure differentials and the changing characteristics of the mating surfaces for which they are used.
Fluid flow devices, such as valves, pumps, stuffing boxes, hydraulic devices, flow meter orifices and the like, are typically constructed of metal, and therefore typically have orifice or gland mating surfaces which expand and contract in response to temperature and pressure differentials. Often, seal components which fit snugly within the seal receiving portion of the gland may contract with the change in temperature such that the outer diameter surface of the seal breaks contact with the inner surface of the seal receiving portion of the gland, resulting in a leak path between the seal and the gland. It would be highly advantageous to create an annular seal, which included the benefits of elastomeric materials, and which also maintained its original dimensions during temperature and pressure differentials. Seal materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene and other polymer materials are highly resistant to caustic, corrosive and harsh chemicals and oils, but have little or no elastomeric properties and therefore do not adapt well to the changing temperature and pressure characteristics of the mating surfaces. Additionally, it would be advantageous to achieve an annular seal adaptable to variable surface characteristics and variable seal performance characteristics.
In view of the lack of an effective annular seal for fluid flow devices such as valves, pumps, stuffing boxes, hydraulic devices, in-line flow meters and the like, which are thermally stable, resistant to pressure and stress relaxation, and which can withstand exposure to caustic, corrosive and harsh chemicals and oils over long periods of time and can expand and contract with the changing characteristics of the mating surfaces, a need for the present invention exists.


In a method and system for the detection of faults in a length of textile fabric, the length of fabric is continuously scanned by an electro-optical sensor head. Light detectors located in a strip-form sensing zone of the sensor head are assembled in groups and emit group-specific fault signals. These fault signals are analyzed multi-dimensionally for the identification of spot faults and/or long faults, the criteria for analysis being the signal amplitude, the signal length, the recurrence of the signals and their periodic repeat at each revolution of the machine. Display, control counter devices and the like are energized as a function of the result of the analysis.

It is known to electro-optically scan the length of fabric in at least one zone of strip form by sensing means, which for recording the state of the fabric emit electrical identifier sensing signals at a number of sensing points lying within the strip-form zone, which for the purpose of identifying faults are analyzed in such a way that distinction is made between different forms and/or sizes of different types of fault. Separate output signals are produced for types of fault detected in this way and for energizing display and/or control or switching devices. A relative movement of predetermined speed in a direction transverse to the strip-form zone is maintained between the length of fabric and the sensing means during scanning. Zones of the length of fabric to be scanned are preferably scanned a number of times.
In high-speed circular knitting machines for example there is a need for the tubular fabric being taken off continuously during operation to be monitored for the occurrence of faults. These faults may be "spot" faults, i.e. "holes" as caused for example by a thread break and running transversely to the lengthway direction of the tubular fabric, mainly over several wales of stitches. There can also be "long" faults, however, i.e. faults which extend longitudinally along the tubular fabric over several courses of stitches and typically occur as "runs". With spot faults occurring only spasmodically such as when knitting yarns of inferior quality, or with "long" faults of relatively short length, it is often not worthwhile stopping the machine. It is desirable, however, to record the number of these faults occurring for instance per unit time or in the fabric roll. However, if runs suddenly start to occur in the tubular fabric which extend over a considerable length, then this a sign of a needle breakage having occurred and that the machine needs to be stopped as quickly as possible.
A variety of textile monitoring devices with electro-optical sensing heads and associated analysis units are known for the continuous monitoring of a length of textile fabric, especially a tubular knitted fabric produced on a circular knitting or warp-knitting machine. These sensing heads operate with light sources and light detectors in the form of photocells, frequently arranged in rows and responding to the change in the reflectance status of the fabric occurring consequent upon a fabric fault and emitting corresponding signals. These signals are analysed by the various known methods according to a variety of criteria. When the result of the analysis exceeds a prescribed tolerance value the machine is switched off.
Many of the previously known sensing devices have the disadvantage that although they respond generally to spot faults and long faults, they are unable to undertake any reliable fault discrimination according to the type of fault involved. In order to prevent unnecessary interruptions in the knitting process, however, it is advisable to prescribe a permissible fault rate and only emit a stop signal to the machine on reaching this fault rate.
Greater importance is thereby attached to the detection of long faults in the form of runs, dropped stitches, pulled stitches, i.e. faults which cause a fault to be recorded repeatedly at every revolution of the machine. As already mentioned, long faults of considerable length are invariably due to a needle defect at the point of stitch formation, which it is essential to correct quickly to prevent faulty lengths of knitted fabric.
On the other hand, however, abortive stoppages for short-term fault phenomena in the knitted fabric (e.g. thick or thin places in the yarn, trash in cotton etc.) must be positively prevented, as they adversely affect the productivity of the knitting machine and largely represent an interference factor. Examples of such known devices and methods for monitoring a length of textile fabric with electro-optical sensing heads may be found in a number of publications:
From DE-OS 1 938 677 a run detector for circular knitting and warp-knitting machines is known which is arranged within the tubular knitted fabric and which has a light beam source together with at least one photodiode as the beam detector, which are arranged at uniform distance from the tubular fabric and of which the photodiode is located in relation to the beam source in such a way that it is incapable of detecting any direct illumination from the beam source. Suggested sources of illumination here are standard light sources or luminescence diodes operating in the infrared zone. Details of how the control circuit which analyses the signals emitted by the light detectors is designed are not disclosed.
In a method known from DE-PS 3 133 428 for detecting and analysing faults in textiles, especially in knitted fabrics, a number of emitter heads are used, in which the signal analysis circuit comprises a microcomputer. A textile fabric monitoring device similarly operating with a microprocessor in accordance with DE-PS 3 536 991 permits automatic adjustment of its sensitivity to the level of reflectance of the length of textile to be monitored, in order thereby to improve the confidence level of the fault record. A number of infrared light diodes arranged in a row are used as pulsed light emitters.
In a method known from DE-OS 4 001 650 for monitoring faults in a length of textile fabric, especially on circular knitting machines for detecting runs, bars, needle stripes and holes, precautionary measures are provided so that regardless of the speed of the machine, the fault monitoring device is calibrated automatically and the machine switch-off is actuated only in the case of a fault being detected repeatedly at the same point. The number of repeated occurrences of a fault needed for switch-off can be adjusted as required. However, to prevent unnecessary stoppages only faults of the nature of a run are intentionally considered. The electro-optical sensor comprises infrared diodes and phototransistors arranged alternately in a row.
Finally a device is known from DE-OS 2 644 502 for detecting holes in a piece or length of fabric.
This system is intended to discriminate between holes extending transversely to the direction of travel of the fabric, i.e. holes of the nature of a run and relatively small holes. For this purpose electro-optical sensing means are used which incorporate a slot arranged transversely to the direction of travel of the fabric and on which a number of photocells are arranged, the output signals of which are compared with each other. An analysis circuit compares the output signal of each photocell with the mean of the output signals of the remaining photocells and identifies on a symmetrical or an asymmetrical signal distribution the presence of a spot fault or long fault. The identification of long faults (runs) and their differentiation from holes is not possible by this means with a sufficient confidence level, because it is assumed that the long faults run exactly parallel to the photocells arranged in a perpendicular row. Such a requirement is practically impossible to satisfy on a circular knitting machine, however, because the tubular fabric with its initial cylindrical shape must of course be laid flat for takeup on the fabric roll. If a run lying only slightly obliquely to the row of photocells passes, then consecutive staggered individual signals are produced in the latter, the result of which is that the run is erroneously interpreted as holes occurring in quick succession.

Method and system for the detection of faults in a length of textile


An integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power generation system is operated at off-design conditions by introducing a supplemental fuel into the combustion turbine combustor to compensate for deviations from system design conditions. Such deviations include changes in ambient temperature and changes in the amount of extracted air required for the air separation system. The invention allows operation of the combustion turbine at or close to its maximum design power output and other components in the IGCC system at or close to their respective design points.

The generation of electricity by advanced gasification combined cycle power generation systems offers the potential for reduced power cost and lower environmental impact than standard coal-fired power plants. In these advanced systems, coal or other carbonaceous material is gasified with oxygen and the produced gas is cleaned to yield a low-sulfur fuel gas. This fuel gas is utilized in a combustion turbine generation system to produce electric power with reduced environmental emissions. The growing interest in gasification combined cycle (GCC) technology in recent years has been stimulated by the higher efficiency and demonstrated reliability of advanced combustion turbines, coal gasification processes, and air separation systems which are utilized in integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) systems. The proper integration of these three main components of an IGCC system is essential to achieve maximum operating efficiency and minimum power cost.
A general review of the current art in GCC and IGCC power generation systems is given by D. M. Todd in an article entitled "Clean Coal Technologies for Combustion turbines" presented at the GE Turbine State-of-the-Art Technology Seminar, July 1993, pp. 1-18. A. K. Anand et al present a review of the factors involved in the design of IGCC systems in a paper entitled "New Technology Trends for Improved IGCC System Performance" presented at the International Combustion turbine and Aeroengine Congress and Exposition, Houston, Tex., Jun. 5-8, 1995. A review of various integration techniques and the impact thereof on GCC economics is given in a paper by A. D. Rao et al entitled "Integration of Texaco TQ Gasification with Elevated Pressure ASU" presented at the 13.sup.th EPRI Conference on Gasification Power Plants, San Francisco, Calif., Oct. 19-21, 1994.
In a paper entitled "Improved IGCC Power Output and Economics Incorporating a Supplementary Combustion Turbine" presented at the 13.sup.th EPRI Conference on Gasification Power Plants, San Francisco, Calif., Oct. 19-21, 1994, A. R. Smith et al review several modes of integration between the combustion turbine and the air separation system in an IGCC process. In one mode, the air separation system feed air is provided by a separate compressor and a portion of the nitrogen product from the air separation system is compressed and introduced into the combustion turbine combustor. This nitrogen-integrated mode allows operation of the IGCC system at increased combustion turbine power output and reduced NO.sub.x formation. In an alternative operating mode, nitrogen integration is combined with air integration in which a portion of the feed air for the air separation system is supplied by extracted air from the combustion turbine compressor. This alternative mode, defined as air and nitrogen integration, gives greater operating flexibility and allows for a higher degree of optimization during IGCC system operation at part load and other off-design conditions.
Air- and nitrogen-integrated combustion turbine/air separation systems are described by representative U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,731,495, 4,019,314, 4,224,045, 4,557,735, 4,697,415, 5,081,845, 5,386,686, 5,406,786, and 5,410,869, and UK patent Application 2 067 668 A.
Combustion-based power generation systems, including IGCC systems, are subject to periods of operation below system design capacity due to changes in ambient air temperature and/or the cyclic demand for electric power. During these periods, such systems may operate below maximum design efficiency. The equipment selection and process design of an IGCC system therefore must address steady-state operation at design capacity as well as operation at off-design, part load, or turndown conditions. The air- and nitrogen-integrated IGCC system described above is a preferred option because of the potential for operating such a system at maximum overall efficiency, particularly when the system also must operate at off-design conditions.
The invention disclosed below and defined by the claims which follow addresses the need for improved methods to operate advanced power generation systems, and in particular describes the improved operation of air- and nitrogen-integrated combustion turbine and air separation systems at off-design conditions.

Operation method for integrated gasification combined cycle power generation system


Antifoam compositions for automatic transmission fluids contain antifoam agents comprising perfluoropolyether compounds (PFPE). An automatic transmission fluid is provided containing the antifoam composition in a lubricating base oil, along with conventional additives such as antiwear agents. Automobile transmissions are provided that contain an automatic transmission fluid containing the new antifoam compositions. In a further embodiment, methods are provided for reducing unwanted noise in an automobile transmission during operation, comprising lubricating the transmission with an ATF containing the antifoam compositions of the invention.

Automatic transmission fluids (ATF) are non-compressible lubricant compositions containing a number of conventional additives. As typically used, an ATF serves as a hydraulic fluid, activating and engaging gears in the transmission by a series of valves and other hydraulic circuits, and as a lubricant for the hydraulic pump used to provide hydraulic pressure for operation of the transmission.
ATFs generally contain detergent and similar additives that tend to produce foam if air is entrained into the fluid. Additionally, impurities are produced in the fluid over time (for example, by oxidation or degradation of the base oil), some of which may contribute to a foaming tendency in the ATF. Entrained air in an ATF is a problem because the air alternately expands in the low pressure inlet side of pump, and quickly contracts or is compressed as the fluid passes through the pump to the high pressure outlet side.
The resulting implosion of air bubbles on the outlet side causes pressure ripples in the hydraulic pump. The pressure ripples can cause objectionable audible noise, manifested as "pump whine" in some transmissions. New automatic transmissions, such as continuously variable transmissions (CVT), with their compact sumps and high pump pressures, have raised the possibility of consumer reaction to the noise. In response, a number of OEMs have taken steps to reduce the air level in the fluid of their new transmissions by isolating or baffling the internal rotating components to separate them from the fluid, or by introducing aeration additives into the ATF to help the oil release the entrained air more quickly or otherwise reduce the level of entrained air. Additionally, conventional antifoam agents have been employed to help dissipate surface air bubbles.
Antifoams work in part by being insoluble in ATF. As such, they function in part by having a preferential tendency to reside on the surface of bubbles. However, in hydraulic pumps, the act of adiabatically compressing entrained air on the outlet side causes the surface of air bubbles to reach high temperatures. In some cases, the temperature may reach 500° C. or greater. At such elevated temperatures, the antifoam agent is subject to thermal degradation. Because some conventional antifoam agents, such as polydimethylsilicone, are thermally stable only up to about 200° C., they are subject to thermal breakdown in the modern transmission environment.
Antifoam agents need to be dispersed, but not dissolved, in the form of liquid droplets above a minimum size in order to be functional in an ATF. Thermal degradation of the molecules of the antifoam agent inhibits the ability of the antifoam agent molecules to form droplets of effective size. Thermal degradation of the antifoam agent and/or change in the properties of the ATF can result in antifoam agent molecules that are undesirably further solubilized (i.e., dissolved) in the ATF, such that they are no longer functional as antifoams; they may even become foaming agents.
The insolubility of the antifoam agents leads to some difficulties that must be addressed by the formulator of ATF. Typically, the antifoam agent is denser than the base fluids and tends to fall out during shipping and storage before being added to the transmission. In practice, this limits the amount of antifoam agent that can be incorporated or dispersed into the ATF by the fluid supplier. Alternatively, a formulated ATF may be re-dispersed prior to filling the transmission, but the extra step creates additional expense in the manufacturing process.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Thermally stable antifoam agent for use in automatic transmission fluids


Cathepsin-D and angiogenesis inhibitors and compositions thereof for treating breast cancer are provided. More particularly, the embodiments relate to the design and synthesis of inhibitors of Cathepsin D, which exhibits antiproliferative activity and also inhibits angiogenesis. Also provided are compositions thereof for treating breast cancer.

Cathepsin has been widely implicated as playing a causal role in cancer by facilitating tumor progression. In order for a tumor to become malignant, cells must invade beyond the tissue it originated and enter circulation. The estrogen-dependent neoplasm leads to activation of P53 pathway which in turn releases lysosomal aspartic protease Cathepsin D into the cytoplasm. Conclusively, release of tumor growth factors due to extracellular matrix degradation by Cathepsin D. This further leads to tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Besides, Cathepsin D is also implicated to be dispensable for MHC class II antigen presentation and also known to display in-vitro specificity as beta secretase in neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
Many studies have shown a clear link between cathepsin expression and tumor invasion. Cathepsin expression is an accurate biomarker of more advanced endometrial cancer, glioblastoma cell lines, breast cancer, and can be used to predict aggressiveness of the tumor.
Cathepsin D, an aspartate protease, has been studied extensively both clinically and in cell culture, and is overproduced in and over secreted from tumor cells. Cathepsin D in breast cancer is overexpressed by 2 to 50-fold compared to its concentration in other cells, such as fibroblasts or normal mammary glands. Overexpressed Cathepsin D areas are located in breast cancer tissue and not in tumor fibroblasts. Cathepsin D is an intracellular aspartic peptidase found mainly in lysosomes. It has a number of housekeeping functions, including the degradation of cellular and phagocytosed proteins. Increased Cathepsin D activity in the cytosol of malignant breast carcinomas suggests that it may play an active role in metastatic spread. Cathepsin D level in primary breast cancer cytosol is an independent prognostic parameter associated with occurrence of clinical metastases and shorter survival.
Cathepsin D has been studied over the last three decades, mainly from the perspective of its role in cancer development and several peptide and non-peptide Cathepsin-D inhibitors were synthesized. Diazoketone compounds such as diazoacetyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester (DAN) and 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane (EPNP) were synthesized and shown inhibitory effect on Cathepsin D. Hydroxyethyl amine isosteres have also been utilized in the design of cathepsin D inhibitors for a structure based combinatorial library. N-piperazine (S)-hydroxyethyl amine with a 2-carboxylic amide in the axial position found effective against Cathepsin D.
Another approach adopted in which peptide derivatives is modeled on the basis of pepstatin which inhibit renin and acid protease. Also, Cathepsin D inhibitors were developed wherein the scissile dipeptide unit in a substrate sequence was replaced with a statine (Sta) residue or by a phenylstatine (Pst) unit.
The synthesis and structure activity relationships of novel small molecule Cathepsin D Inhibitors has been disclosed in Bioorganic Medicinal Chemistry Letters 1999, 9(17), 2531-6. The International Patent Publication No. WO 2004/033445 describes compounds which are useful for treating diseases in which Cathepsin-dependent bone resorption was indicated. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,589 describes a method of inducing apoptosis in a cancer cell comprising contacting the cell with an apoptosis inducing amount of a cathepsin inhibitor, wherein the Cathepsin inhibitor is CATI-1 (Z-Phe-Gly-NHO-Bz; where Z is benzyloxycarbonyl, —NHO— is hydroxylamine linkage, and Bz is benzoyl). The U.S. Pat. No. 9,827,337 relates to Cathepsin-binding compounds bound to a carrier comprising a diagnostic moiety, for use in the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases, and/or for use in the diagnosis of neoplastic diseases, wherein the Cathepsin-binding compound binds to inflammatory cells of the tumour stroma.
There is still little known about substrate specificity and specific inhibitors for Cathepsin D. Accordingly, there is a need for the synthesis of compounds which are specific for the inhibition of the activity of Cathepsin D and which may be used in the treatment of breast cancer like metastatic disease.
Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels during cancer progression to enable migration, growth and differentiation of cells. Cancer cells release chemical signals to initiate angiogenesis and inhibiting them is a crucial step in preventing cancer growth and metastasis which is spread of cancer to other parts of the body. Angiogenesis inhibitors interfere with these chemical signals and prevent cancer growth and metastasis. Currently angiogenesis inhibitors like Bevacizumab, Everolimus, etc have been used in combination with other anticancer drugs; and there are no drugs which exhibit both anticancer and antiangiogenic activities.
Surprisingly, inventors of embodiments of the present invention have developed novel anticancer compounds which also exhibit antiangiogenic activity.


A probe cover assembly for covering and protecting the elongated probe of a tympanic thermometer. The probe cover includes an inner member, an outer member, and an intermediate transparent membrane. The inner member is mounted around the probe and includes an inner window in alignment with a distal opening of the probe and an inner flange having a projection. The outer member, closely mounted on the outer circumference of the inner member, includes an outer window in alignment with the inner window of the inner member, an outer flange, and a barb having a grip portion for biasing the inner flange of the inner member to push the projection against the outer flange of the outer member when the probe cover is in an assembled state. The intermediate transparent membrane, sandwiched between the outer member and the inner member, is gripped by the projection of the inner member and the outer flange of the outer member and is tightly stretched to cover the inner window of the inner member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a probe cover, and more particularly, to a disposable probe cover for the probe of a tympanic thermometer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Clinical thermometers are very helpful in the diagnosis of disease. The temperature of the tympanic membrane is generally considered to be superior to either oral, rectal or other auxiliary location for taking a patient's temperature because the tympanic membrane is more representative of the body's internal or core temperature. Temperature of the tympanic membrane can be measured by sensing infrared emissions emitted therefrom in the external ear canal. Besides, the infrared thermometers need less time when taking the patient's temperature reading. Therefore, the tympanic infrared thermometers have become more popular recently.
As seen in FIG. 1, in order to sense the infrared emissions in the ear canal, an elongated probe 11 must be partially inserted into the external ear canal. The infrared light emitted from the tympanic membrane passes through the window 12 at the distal opening 13 of the probe 11 and then is directed to the sensor of a thermometer by a waveguide (not shown). However, using such thermometers to measure the body's temperature of different patients raises a significant risk of contamination and spreading of disease. To preclude this risk, probes of such thermometers are protected with hygienic probe covers that are disposed of after each use. In addition to the sanitary barrier function, the probe covers should also fulfill the following additional functions. First, the probe cover must typically be transparent to light and having a wavelength in the far infrared range, or at least part of the probe cover must function as an infrared window. Also, the probe cover should provide for the easy and comfortable insertion of the probe into the ear canal.
Several devices have been suggested to accomplish these purposes. For example, a disposable speculum is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,360 to O'Hara et al. which includes a relatively rigid tubular body portion 22 and an infrared transparent membrane 21 attached to and sealing the distal end of the tubular body portion 22. The infrared transparent membrane 21 serving as the infrared window is made of polypropylene or polyethylene film that have a thickness in the range of 0.0005 to 0.001 inches. As seen in FIG. 2, the membrane 21 attaches to the outside of the distal end of tubular body portion 22, and a seam 23 is formed along the boundary. This seam 23 can be uncomfortable to patients if it protrudes excessively from the probe cover. On the other hand, the membrane may even fall into the ear canal if it is not securely attached.
Referring to FIG. 3, U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,418 to Fraden et al, there is disclosed a speculum probe cover which has a pleated sheath 33 to fit over the thermometer probe. The sheath is made from a single unitary piece of substantially infrared transparent film (approximately 0.001 inch thick) and the closed end of the sheath establishes an infrared window area 31. The periphery of pleated sheath 33 is attached to a ring shaped base 32 which is dimensioned to fit with the thermometer probe. Engagement of the base 32 of the probe cover onto the probe positions the infrared window area 31 across the path of infrared emission emitted from the tympanum. However, the pleats of the probe cover make the patients uncomfortable and the sheath itself makes a loud noise when being inserted into the ear canal. Besides, the infrared window area 31 may be ripped when the probe cover is applied onto the probe, which causes stray radiation of infrared emission that affects the accuracy of measured temperature.
Another probe cover is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,834 to Howe et al. Referring now to FIG. 4, a unitary probe cover includes a frustum-shaped sheath 43 which fits over the probe and a base 42 which is formed integrally with and extends around the periphery of the proximal end of the sheath 43 to hold the sheath over the probe. The sheath 43 is made of an infrared transparent material and is formed to have a thinner distal end portion terminating in a thin window 41 which has a thickness between 0.001 to 0.0005 inches and passes infrared radiation through the probe into the thermometer. Since the thickness of the wall of the sheath 43 is gradually reduced from 0.030 inch to 0.0005 inch, the thickness of the window 41 may vary after aging of the fabricating equipment. A thicker window can reduce the transparency to infrared emission while a thinner window may be easily broken. Also, a ripped window 41 may cause stray radiation of infrared emission that affects the accuracy of the measured temperature.


A trap for earthworms which comprises a capture chamber having a bottom, inwardly sloping sidewalls and pivotal louvers defining a horizontal top of the capture chamber. Earthworms leave their burrows at night, or when the burrows are soaked with water, and crawl onto the pivotal louvers which rotate, causing the earthworms to fall into the capture chamber. A canopy may be provided over the trap to shelter it from rain or water sprinklers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a trap for earthworms, especially night crawlers, which are a very effective fishing bait for many species of fresh water fish. The trap is environmentally safe and does not damage the earthworms.
Earthworms, leave their burrows when flooded during rain to avoid drowning. They will move to relatively drier places so that they can continue to respire through their skins. Earthworms also move out of their burrows at night to find and mate with other earthworms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following patents disclose methods for harvesting earthworms:
______________________________________ Patent Number Inventor Date ______________________________________ 4,178,711 Mermal, et al 1979 4,570,372 Lukas 1989 4,817,331 Podsiadly, et al 1989 4,934,087 Zanon, et al 1990 ______________________________________
All of the above patents are directed to either chemical or electrical means to cause earthworms to leave their burrows, and none of them takes advantage of the earthworm's natural reaction to flooding of their burrows.
Mermal et al employ husks of black walnuts with water. A considerable amount of black walnut husks are soaked in water to form a dark liquid. Lukas makes a solution containing 12 to 30 ppm chlorine in water. Podsiadly et al disclose an electrical system for causing earthworms to leave their burrows. Zanon et al employ a solution of mustard, cayenne pepper and popcorn salt to cause earthworms to come to the surface for harvesting.
All of the above patents require some expertise, either in proper mixing of chemical ingredients to avoid killing the earthworms, or in handling the electric power supply to avoid injury to the worms or operators. In any event, each of the above methods or apparatus requires ongoing supplies of chemicals or batteries, and may cause indiscriminate injury to surrounding plants and animals, if not used carefully.


A punch die used to punch minute via holes in ceramic wafers used in integrated circuit construction is created by photoetching holes too small to be mechanically drilled into a pair of thin sheets that sandwich therebetween a thicker spacer slab having somewhat larger, mechanically drilled holes. A multiplicity of punch pins are then pressed into the three-layer sandwich and epoxied thereto to create an inexpensive a punch die which cooperates with a mechanically drilled die plate covered with a punch-pin receiving perforated skin, the holes in which being created in a similar photoetching process.

The invention is in the field of microelectronics, and in particular relates to creating "via holes" in thin ceramic wafers. The via holes in the wafers are subsequently filled with a conductive ink and stacked to be used in integrated circuits. The desired end result is an extremely dense integrated circuit.
One of the major current thrusts in leading edge electronics technology is the continued micro-miniaturization of all circuitry to bring components closer together, minimizing electronic reaction time between components and further speeding up the action of the system.
Three-dimensional circuitry has long been used in integrated circuits to minimize distance between components. Typically, these IC's are made of a stack of up to twenty insulating wafers, each having a pattern of via holes different from the others, with circuitry being screened on at least one side of each wafer to define current paths through the via holes and then laterally between insulating wafers through the interstitial circuitry to connect to other via holes.
As integrated circuits have become more and more condensed, efficiently producing the insulating ceramic wafers with the appropriate pattern of minute via holes has become more expensive and complex. If feasible, mechanically drilling the hole pattern for the punch pins into the punch mount is the most efficient and practical techniques. As the via holes are made smaller and smaller however, creating the punch mount which mounts the thousands of punch pins which punch the via holes in the wafers becomes more difficult. Computer operated mechanical drilling systems can economically produce holes down to about 10 mils but below that size, mechanical drilling becomes impractical. Via holes between 5 and 8 mils are currently the state of the art. Providing the mounting holes in a punch mount for these narrow diameter pins, as well as the corresponding punch-receiving hole pattern in the die plate and creating a die for producing very small closely packed via holes is the problem which this invention addresses.


Described is a needle assembly system comprising a needle assembly including a needle and a needle support, and a cover including a distal portion adapted to house at least a distal end of the needle and a proximal portion adapted to house the needle support. The proximal portion includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a first inner diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of the needle support and the second portion has a second inner diameter greater than the diameter of the needle support.

Patients suffering from diseases like diabetes have to frequently self-administer injections. Injection devices like auto-injectors or pen injectors have been developed to facilitate self-administering injections. Typically, such injection devices are re-usable and refitted with sterile injection needle assemblies to minimize the risk of infections.
A conventional needle assembly is coupled to an injection device by a threaded engagement. However, patients typically over-tighten the needle assembly when coupling it to the injection device making removal of the needle assembly difficult. Difficulties in removing the needle assembly can lead to needle-stick injuries and infection. Thus, there is a need for an improved means by which to couple and remove the needle assembly to/from an injection device.


A robotic arm for moving product from a first handling station to a second handling station is disclosed. The robotic arm includes a support structure and a driven shaft mounted to the support structure. The driven shaft is adapted for rotation about a first axis. A device is provided for selectively oscillating the shaft through successive, selected arcs of rotation. A crank arm is secured to the driven shaft at a first point such that the crank arm is rotated about the first axis. A linkage member is rotatably secured to the support structure for rotation about a second axis. The linkage member is rotatably secured to the support structure at a first linkage pivot point on the linkage member. The crank arm and the linkage member are interconnected by an elongated boom member having a first end, a cranking point and a product handling end. The boom member is pivotally connected at its first end to the linkage member. The boom member is further pivotally connected at its cranking point to the crank arm. The interrelationship among these members is such that when the crank arm is selectively oscillated, the crank arm causes movement of the product handling end of the boom in a path having an arcuate component and an approximately straight line component for handling product.

The invention relates generally to robotic pick and place mechanisms for handling sequentially delivered product. More particularly, it concerns an improved robotic arm mechanism for movement of product from a conveyor or similar handling station into a container for storage or shipping.
A common problem encountered in product handling is presented by the need to move product from a conveyor to a shipping container. This movement is preferably accomplished in a manner that maximizes use of the space within the container while minimizing damage to the product.
One type of apparatus that has been used to move product from a conveyor or similar handling station to a container is a robotic pick and place mechanism. Examples of such mechanisms in the marketplace include the Rodico-Schubert SNC-F2 (brand) Multi-packer and the ADEPT (brand) robot. This type of apparatus allows for precise handling of an individual product or a group of products.
While robotic pick and place mechanisms have been utilized in the handling of packaged products for several years, the mechanisms currently known to the inventor all effect movement of the product through the use of a complex linkage that utilizes two or more servos. An example of such a robotic arm is shown in FIG. 1. As is apparent from the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, when two servos are used, the two servos must be accurately synchronized, and complex control algorithms must be used to achieve the required motion. The resulting complexity of the pick and place mechanism typically increases the cost of the mechanism and the need for highly skilled technicians in the event of a maintenance problem.
It is therefore desirable to provide a robotic pick and place mechanism having a simpler mechanical design. Such a mechanism would ideally reduce the cost of constructing the mechanism and reduce the resulting maintenance associated with the mechanism.


An extensible task engine framework for humanoid robots. Robot instructions are stored as tasks and skills. Tasks are designed so that they can be executed by a variety of robots with differing configurations. A task can refer to zero or more skills. A skill can be designed for a particular configuration of robot. A task can be transferred from robot to robot. When executed on a particular robot, the task makes calls to one or more skills that can take advantage of the capabilities of that robot.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to control of robots, and specifically to organization and execution of instructions for humanoid robots.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventionally, humanoid robots have been controlled using robot instructions (code) customized for a particular configuration of humanoid robot. Robot-specific code is a natural initial approach to robot control, as it allows a limited set of programs to be coded quickly, supporting early-stage proof-of-concept and debugging efforts. However, as humanoid robot control matures, exclusive reliance on robot-specific code threatens to impede the goal of creating more sophisticated task behavior in humanoid robots having frequently changing hardware design. Humanoid robots could be more efficiently developed if an existing code base from a previous robot could be used in a new robot, if the capabilities of a robot could be flexibly extended, and if capabilities learned by a first robot could be transferred to a second robot.
To take advantage of an existing code base, it is desirable that humanoid robot instructions be easily portable from one robot to another. One approach is to design new humanoid robots to be able to operate on instructions written for previous robots. However, such a backwards-compatibility requirement would itself impede the development of humanoid robots, as robot designers would need to support outdated legacy instructions, introducing serious constraints on architecture and design changes.
Furthermore, to facilitate rapid learning of new capabilities by robots, it is desirable to have a method of executing on a new robot instructions obtained from a different robot. One approach is to transfer learned robot-specific instructions directly to the new robot. However, by definition, robot-specific instructions cannot be successfully executed on a new model of robot having different hardware designs, severely limiting the ability of a first generation of robots to pass their acquired capabilities to a second generation of robots with different hardware configuration.
Therefore, what is needed is a framework for humanoid robot instructions that allows portability of instructions, and supports transfer of learned capabilities from one robot to another.

Extensible task engine framework for humanoid robots


The invention relates to a method for producing magnetic nanoparticles which are made of metal oxide-polymer composites and are provided with an increased magnetic mobility, among other things, due the high metal oxide content and the morphological structure thereof. High-pressure homogenization has proven to be a reliable technique for producing the inventive magnetic nanoparticles. According to said technique, the components metal oxide and polymer are processed in a carrier medium. Water is used in most cases at pressures ranging from 500 bar to 1200 bar while using great shearing forces. High pressure homogenization creates a colloidally stable magnetic particle population having a diameter ranging below 200 nm while also resulting in the produced magnetic nanoparticles being provided with greater magnetic moments than the metal oxide used as an initial material at low magnetic field strengths. The inventive particles are particularly suitable for applications in the bioanalytical and diagnostic field, in bioseparation processes, and as a carrier material in high throughput screening.

The invention relates to a method for producing magnetic nanoparticles that comprise metal oxide polymer composites.
There are already a number of technically established applications for magnetic composite particles having diameters that can be measured in nanometers. For instance, such particles can be employed in molecular biological applications for isolating, fixing, and cleaning cells, cell constituents, nucleic acids, enzymes, antibodies, proteins, and peptides, in cellular biology for phagocytosis experiments, in clinical chemistry as a component of diagnostic assays or therapeutic pharmaceuticals, in clinical diagnostics as contrasting agents, radionuclide or drug carriers, in biochemistry and technical chemistry as solid phases for examining molecular recognition phenomena and heterogeneous catalytic processes.
A number of polymer-coated metal oxide particles for biological applications in magnetic fields have been described since the mid-1980s. In particular, magnetizable nanoparticles smaller than 200 nm unlock new possibilities for transporting and separating cells, cell constituents, bioactive molecules, and radionuclides (US2003/0099954 MILTENYI; WO01/17662 ZBOROWSKI; WO02/43708 ALEXIOU), for marking in contrasting magnetic imaging and diagnosis methods (US2003/0092029A1 JOSEPHSON; WO01/74245 JOHANSSON; U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,767 KRESSE), and the mechanical (DE10020376A1 KOCH) and thermal influencing of living cells (U.S. Pat. No. 6,541,039 LESNIAK) and have therefore been continuously improved in terms of their application-related properties. Common to all of the applications is the fact that magnetizable metal oxides having a biocompatible polymer coating to form composite particles having sizes from 5 nm to 500 nm are bound to a colloidally stable suspension with an aqueous base. The coating material should either prevent interaction with biological materials, facilitate good tolerance with living cells, and influence the paths for metabolization in living organisms, or should enable selective bonding to the surface using targeted functionalization with biochemically active substances, or should release enclosed substances in a controlled manner. An energetic interaction with external magnetic fields is used by means of the magnetizable portions of the composite particles. In magnetic fields, such particles, depending on the magnetic properties, experience an alignment and they move corresponding to physical magnetic field gradients and react to temporal changes in the external magnetic field. A great number of methods were described for producing iron oxide crystallites as metal oxide particles, for instance by sintering at high temperatures with subsequent mechanical comminution, cluster formation under vacuum conditions, or wet chemical synthesis from solutions. The precipitation of iron oxides can occur under non-aqueous conditions (U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,027 PORATH) and subsequently be converted to aqueous conditions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,725 PILGRIM) or can occur exclusively in aqueous solutions (U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,241 MASSART). An aqueous formulation is used for biological applications because of toxicological considerations (U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,435 HASEGAWA). Wet chemical synthesis of the iron oxide crystallites can precede coating with polymer components (core-shell method) or can occur in the presence of the polymer (one-pot method). The core-shell method requires that stabilizers be added to the iron oxides, since the latter tend to form aggregates in aqueous suspension. Stabilizers can be amphiphilic substances (WO01/56546 BABINCOVA) or additional nanoparticles with an electrically charged surface (U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,918 HOMOLA). Surface-active substances as stabilizers can severely limit the options for chemical functionalization of the surface, however. Today in general magnetizable nanocomposite particles containing iron that are produced primarily using the one-pot method are accepted for medical applications due to their physical and chemical properties and pharmaceutical/galenic stability. The one-pot method uses the coating polymer directly during the formation of the iron oxides for stabilization during nucleation and growth of the crystallites from the solution. One of the most frequently employed coating materials is dextrane in a number of modifications. However, other polysaccharides such as arabinogalactane, starch, glycosaminoglycanes, or proteins have also been used (U.S. Pat. No. 6,576,221 KRESSE). Precipitation of iron(II) and iron(III) salts in the presence of dextrane (U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,773 MOLDAY) is probably the simplest method. This method is modified by using ultrasound and subsequent thermal treatment in a flow-through method (U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,945 GROMAN). The quality of the product can be further improved using magnetic classification (WO9007380 MILTENYI). Further encapsulation/coating, generally while using amphiphilic substances as stabilizers, can substantially modify the behavior of biological systems with regard to the composite particles (U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,395 TOURNIER, EP0272091 ELEY).
For producing highly disperse aqueous systems as injectable liquid, special methods of homogenization are used in addition to various stabilizers. Such methods are for instance rotor/stator homogenization and high-pressure homogenization. Particularly high mechanical energy input is attained using liquid jet or a liquid slot-nozzle high-pressure homogenizers (micro fluidizer technology), which is used in particular for producing liposomes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,206 GANTER) but also in other cases facilitates the production of injectable active substance formulations (U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,687 RAYNOLDS). The use of a high-pressure homogenizers for producing oxidic nanocomposite particles by means of controlled coalescence with subsequent drying in emulsions whose non-aqueous components contain an oxide component as sol is described in conjunction with the industrial production of catalyst materials (U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,364 COSTA) and electrographic toner particles, ceramic powder, felt materials, spray coatings, active substance carriers, or ion exchange resins (U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,692 LOFFTUS).
None of the described magnetic particle types in the range of less than 200 nm can generally be concentrated or fixed without complex separating methods (e.g. high gradient magnet separation).
On the other hand, there are already numerous magnetic particle applications in the life sciences that could be performed with much greater efficiency using separating steps on permanent magnets or that require high magnetic mobility of the particles for other reasons.

Magnetic nanoparticles having improved magnetic properties


An image forming apparatus including a latent image bearing member; a developing device configured to develop a latent image on the image bearing member with a two-component developer; a development potential forming device configured to form a development potential; a toner replenishing device configured to supply the toner to the developing device; a toner concentration detecting device configured to detect and output the concentration of the toner in the developer; a toner concentration controlling device configured to compare the toner concentration output with a toner concentration target to control the toner concentration; an information detecting device configured to obtain information to determine the replacement amount of the toner in the developing device in a predetermined period of time; and a development potential correcting device configured to adjust the development potential on the basis of the information obtained by the information detecting device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus which forms images using a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier. In addition, the present invention also relates to an image forming method.
2. Discussion of the Background
Electrophotographic image forming methods are well known and typically include the following processes.    (1) An electrostatic latent image is formed on an image bearing member (latent image forming process);    (2) The electrostatic latent image is developed with a developer including a toner to form a toner image on the image bearing member (developing process);    (3) The toner image is transferred onto a receiving material optionally via an intermediate transfer medium (transfer process); and    (4) The toner image on the receiving material is fixed thereto, for example, upon application of heat and pressure thereto (fixing process).
The developing process is typically performed using a two-component developing method or a one-component developing method. Two-component developing methods use a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier. Specifically, an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member is rubbed with a magnetic brush of a two-component developer, which includes a toner and a magnetic carrier and which is formed on a developer bearing member, resulting in formation of a toner image on the image bearing member. The magnetic brush is formed by a magnet (i.e., a magnetic pole) provided in the developer bearing member. Such two-component developing methods are typically used for electrophotographic image forming apparatuses because of being able to easily produce color images.
When the toner concentration (i.e., the weight ratio (T/C) of the toner to the carrier) is too high in a two-component developer, a background development problem in that the background portion of an image is soiled with toner particles, and a problem in that the resolution of fine images deteriorates tend to occur. In contrast, when the toner concentration is too low, a low density problem in that produced toner images have a low image density, a carrier adhesion problem in that not only toner particles but also carrier particles are adhered to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member tend to occur. Therefore, it is important to control the concentration of the toner in a two-component developer so as to fall within a proper toner concentration range. In order to control the concentration of the toner, a toner concentration controlling method such that the toner concentration in a developer is checked, and a toner replenishing operation is properly performed depending on the toner concentration is used.
It is important for an image forming apparatus that produced images have a constant image density. The image density of images produced by an image forming apparatus mainly depends on the developing ability of the developing device of the image forming apparatus. Specifically, the developing ability of a developing device is defined as the weight of a toner adhered to an electrostatic image having a predetermined potential by the developing device. The developing ability depends on the concentration of the toner in the developer used; developing conditions such as the development potential which is the difference between the potential of an electrostatic image and the development bias applied to the developer bearing member; and the quantity of charge of the toner used. It is well known that the developing ability of a developing device is represented by the slope (development gamma characteristic γ) of a relationship equation between development potentials and weights of toner particles adhered to an electrostatic image.
Thus, the image density of images produced by an image forming apparatus depends on the developing ability of the developing device thereof. Therefore, the image density cannot be controlled by merely controlling the concentration of the toner in the developer used. Specifically, the development conditions such as development potential can be controlled relatively easily, but it is difficult to control the charge quantity of the toner used for development. Therefore, it is difficult to control the developing ability (i.e., the image density) by merely controlling the development conditions and the toner concentration.
For example, when images with a low image area proportion are produced, only a small amount of toner particles are consumed for forming the images. Therefore, a small amount of new toner particles are replenished to the developing device. In other words, almost all the toner particles in the developing device are staying therein for a long period of time while agitated. Therefore, almost all the toner particles are fully charged and have a desired charge quantity. In this case, the developing ability of the developing device is relatively low. In contrast, when images with a high image area proportion are produced, a large amount of toner particles are consumed for forming the images, and therefore a large amount of new toner particles are present in the developing device, which have a charge quantity lower than the desired charge quantity. In this case, the developing ability of the developing device is relatively high.
In recent years, a need exists for small-sized image forming apparatus and developing devices. Therefore, the amount of toner particles contained in such a small-sized developing device is small. Therefore, after production of images with a high image area proportion, toner particles in the developing device are not sufficiently charged. In this case, the developing device has a relatively high developing ability.
However, it is possible that a developing device has a higher developing ability after production of images with a low image area proportion than in a case where images with a high image area proportion are produced. For example, when a toner in which an external additive is adhered to toner particles is used and the toner is agitated for a long period of time in a developing device while receiving a high stress, problems in that the external additive is embedded into the toner particles or released therefrom tend to occur. In this case, the fluidity and charging ability of the toner deteriorate, and therefore the toner particles staying in the developing device for a long period of time have a low charge quantity. Therefore, after production of images with a low image area proportion, a large amount of toner particles having a low charge quantity are present in the developing device, and the developing device has a high developing ability. In contrast, after production of images with a high image area proportion, the developing device has a low developing ability because of including a large amount of new toner particles, which have good fluidity and charging ability. In this case, the new toner particles can be easily charged and have a desired charge quantity. Therefore, the developing device has a relatively low developing ability.
Thus, the content of new toner particles in a developing device changes depending on the image area proportion of the produced images, resulting in change of the developing ability of the developing device. Therefore, even when the development conditions of a developing device and the toner concentration are controlled so as to be constant, the developing ability of the developing device cannot be controlled so as to be constant, resulting in occurrence of a problem in that images with a constant image density cannot be produced.
In attempting to solve the problem, published unexamined Japanese patent applications Nos. 57-136667 and 02-034877 have disclosed image forming apparatuses having a toner concentration detecting device. In the image forming apparatuses, the toner concentration detecting device detects the concentration of toner in the two-component developer contained in the developing device and outputs the toner concentration data. The image forming apparatuses compare the toner concentration data with the target of the toner concentration to control the toner replenishing device on the basis of the comparison result so that the concentration of toner in the two-component developer contained in the developing device approaches the toner concentration target. In addition, the image forming apparatuses form a reference toner image on a non-image area of the image bearing member thereof and measure the image density of the reference toner image to correct the toner concentration target on the basis of the image density of the toner image.
By using this method, it is possible to produce images having a constant image density for a while after correction of the toner concentration target. Therefore, by performing the reference toner image formation operation and the toner concentration target correction operation at regular intervals, it will be possible to produce images having a constant image density. However, this method has a drawback in that whenever the toner concentration correction operation is performed, a reference toner image has to be formed, resulting in increase of the toner consumption.
Because of these reasons, a need exists for an image forming apparatus which can produce images having a constant image density without increasing toner consumption.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method


A complete removal and reinsertion of instruments is avoided when the instruments are initially not correctly positioned during a minimally invasive operation on a bone, in particular a vertebra of the spine. This aim is achieved by an instrument set for spinal operations, including a guide rod, which has a cavity extending along the axis of the guide rod, and a guide tube, which can be received in the cavity of the guide rod, wherein the guide rod has a distal lip, which is arranged eccentrically to the cavity and/or to a center axis of the guide rod.

When inserting surgical instruments into a (human) body to an operating site, sometimes the surgeon does not find this site immediately, even under X-ray view, in particular if the operating region is narrow. It is then necessary to partially or completely withdraw the inserted instruments and to reinsert them to the correct operating site if possible, which is not only time-consuming but also stressful for the patient.
This applies, for example, to the removal of osteophytes, i.e. bone growths, in particular on vertebrae of the spine, which press on nerves and thus lead to considerable pain for a patient or which, if they occur on the front of vertebral projections (processes), can restrict mobility.


According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an induction-based reference point locator is provided. The locator includes transmitter locatable at a position on a first side of a structure, the transmitter configured to generate an alternating magnetic field at a desired frequency; and a receiver locatable on a second side of the structure opposite the first side, the receiver configured to detect the magnetic field and provide a directional indication to the position of the transmitter relative to the second side of the structure.

One of the methods used by an installer or other technician (e.g., an electrician) to locate a reference point on a first side of a structure (e.g., a wall, floor, ceiling, etc.) from a second side of the structure is to guess where the reference point might be on the first side of the structure and then drill a small test hole through the structure from the second side at the presumed location. With the test hole completed, the installer may move back to the first side of the structure and observe where the test hole came through the wall.
If the small hole came through the wall on the first side of the structure at or sufficiently proximate the reference point, the reference point was found and no further small holes may be required. However, if the small hole came through the wall on the first side of the structure undesirably or substantially far away from the reference point, the installer may move back to the second side of the structure, make another guess where the reference point might be on the first side (probably using the first small hole as a guide), and drill another test hole from the second side at the new location. Eventually, by repeating the above process a sufficient number of times, one of the subsequently drilled test holes will come through and open up on the first side of the structure at or sufficiently proximate the reference point on the first side. With the reference point now found, the installer is free to continue on with his work (e.g., fishing electrical wire to a new outlet being installed).


An aspheric soft intraocular lens, having an optical power surface, which may have multiple radii portions or aspherical portions, as well as spherical portions, intended to replace the crystalline lens of a patient's eye, in particular after a cataract extraction. Such an aspheric soft lens is molded in a coined mold. A pair of core pins, positioned within the mold cavity during the lens forming process, will produce a pair of haptic-mounting holes within the lens. As the lenses are subsequently tumbled to remove flash, indentations will form adjacent to the haptic-mounting holes. These indentations allow for tangential attachment of the haptic to the lens which, in turn, enables maximum flexibility without exceeding the width of the optic.

The present invention relates generally to the field of aphakic lenses. More specifically, the present invention relates to an aspheric silicone lens and a technique for fabricating a mold for making such lenses having virtually any surface contour, including non-symmetric surfaces. The invention also includes a technique for attaching and securing support members, or haptics, to such a lens after the lens has been formed and tested.
Intraocular lenses have been increasingly used in the last decade, in particular in aphakic patients after a cataract operation. Intraocular lenses provide many advantages over both spectacle and contact lenses. They permit a better elimination of perceptual problems and reduce image size disparity. Since the intraocular lens is intended to remain in situ, it eradicates the difficulties in inserting and removing contact lenses encountered by elderly patients. The use of an intraocular lens may also be advantageous for those working in unusual environments and for those whose visual requirements for occupation must be fulfilled. Presently, ophthalmologists and eye surgeons recommend that intraocular implant lens surgery be performed when the patient is not likely to manage a contact lens.
According to Norman S. Jaffe et al, Pseudothakos, published by The C.V. Mosby Company, 1978, the majority of patients who undergo lens implant surgery in the United States receive implants whose power is estimated from the basic refraction of the eye. Experience has shown however that there are many pitfalls in estimating the basic refraction in this way, in view of the high incidence of residual anisometropia and aniseikonia cases in patients thus corrected. More recently ophthalmologists surgeons have endeavoured to design bifocal intraocular lenses (IOL hereinafter) to focus both the near and far images on the retina. The Ocular Surgery News, Jun. 1, 1987, Volume 5, Number 11, reports the latest findings concerning bifocal IOL's. These IOL's, however, provide near and distance vision but do not provide a continuum in the dioptric range. To the best of the inventors' knowledge, there is not known any multifocal intraocular lens.
Intraocular lenses comprise some type of optical element and a support, or haptic, coupled thereto, for properly positioning and centering the intraocular lens within the eye. These lenses have typically included hard polymeric or glass optical elements with metallic or polymeric supports. During the past decade, the medical profession has made widespread use of intraocular lenses comprising polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), a hard plastic composition. In general, PMMA lenses are cut on a precision lathe, using diamond cutters or injection molded, and then carefully post polished by a critical tumbling process in which the edges of the lenses are radiused and polished.
Recently, workers in the art have utilized lenses comprising a soft, biocompatible material, such as silicone. Silicone lenses have the advantage of being lighter in situ than PMMA lenses, and because they are flexible, they can be folded to reduce their, size during implantation into the eye in accordance with conventional surgical procedures. In the implementation of such a procedure, it is the desire of the ophthalmic surgeon to reduce to a minimum the amount of astigmatism and trauma induced in the eye. A technique known as phacoemulsification permits the removal of a diseased or damaged lens and the insertion of a new intraocular lens through an incision of as little as 3 to 4 millimeters. Unfortunately, this procedure is not compatible with the insertion of hard PMMA lenses, and surgeons have found it necessary to increase the length of the incision to at least 8 mm to insert such lenses, obviating at least one advantage of phacoemulsification technology. Methods of producing optical components, such as lenses, have not changed in principle in many years. The main requirements are that the optical surface be polished to a highly accurate shape. In the fabrication of a soft, biocompatible lens, a polished mold, in the shape required for the correct refraction of light for the material selected, is employed. Silicone elastomers, of medical grade, have been found ideally suited for this purpose. The uncured silicone polymer is introduced into the lens cavity of the mold, in an amount dictated by considerations relating to the lens size, refractive power, and structure; and allowed to cure, usually by heating the mold to 250.degree. to 350.degree. F. in a press. Several methods of molding the final lens have been employed and include injection molding, liquid injection molding, compression molding and transfer molding.
It is sometimes desirable to have a lens which includes plural regions having different spherical radii, an aspherical lens, or a lens having aspherical portions. A virtue of such lenses is that the various lens portions yield an increase in dioptric power as the radius of curvature decreases. A problem with making such lenses is the difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory mold of optical quality, having the desired changing radius of curvature. Currently, most molds are made using optical grinding or cutting equipment, or electrical discharge machining (EDM). The mold cavity is then post polished using standard optical lapping techniques. The resultant mold yields a lens having squared-off edges, which cannot be dramatically altered to provide a smooth, radiused edge without substantial risk of damaging the lens. Due to the size of the mold and the difficulties in obtaining an optical finish on a convex surface produced by such a mold, molds for intraocular lenses, having critically measured multiple radii or aspherical portions, using present techniques is very difficult to make and not cost effective. Thus, the present invention offers a method and apparatus for forming molds having such dissimilar shapes.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of bonding haptics to the periphery of an intraocular lens is described. Haptic materials have included metal loops of various types, however, due to complications related to weight and fixation, such structures have proven undesirable. Presently, polypropylene is a preferred haptic material, although PMMA, nylon, polyamide, polyethylene, polysulfone, and great number of extruded plastics may be used as well. Polypropylene is very resistant to bonding to silicone. It is imperative that the haptics not become detached from the optical element after implantation, as this could have severe repercussions.
The current, preferred method for attaching haptics to the optical element of an intraocular lens is by way of a mechanical lock. This lock may be comprised of an anchor, or loop, through and around which the lens material is cured during the molding process of the lens. One problem associated with such a mechanical bonding technique is that the mechanical anchor often intrudes into the optical zone of the lens, adversely affecting the visual acuity of the patient. Problems also arise when the haptic material is heated to the molding temperature. In general, excessive heat causes the haptic material to become brittle and causes degradation of the material. In addition, the angle that the haptics make with the lens is often critical, ranging from between 0.degree. and 10.degree.. If the optical element is formed through and around the haptics, a separate mold would be required each time it was desired to change the angulation of the haptic. Further, proper angulation of the haptic with respect to the lens is very difficult to achieve during standard molding processes, as the introduction of the lens material into the mold cavity can cause the haptics to be slightly offset. In addition, the haptics tend to get smashed as the two halves of the mold are brought together and closed. Even if the haptic is properly secured to the lens, and able to withstand the molding temperatures and pressures, the lens must be optically tested and approved. A lens rejected for lack of optical quality would obviate the proper positioning and attachment of the haptics thereto. It would therefore be preferable to attach the haptics to the lens after the lens has been formed and optically tested, however, as mentioned above, the bonding of polypropylene to silicone has proven extremely difficult.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a technique of making intraocular lenses having multiple radii portions or aspherical portions for providing varying degrees of dioptric power. Further, there is a need in the art for a method of attaching haptics to intraocular lenses in general, after the lens has been formed and optically tested.


A method and system for detecting a collision state between various elements of an x-ray imaging apparatus and/or a patient when they occur and resolving the collision state by reversing the movement of the x-ray imaging apparatus along the same path traveled which led to the collision state in the first instance.

Presently, angiographic x-ray systems are equipped with an automated collision protection function to avoid collisions of the various hardware components of the system with each other and, more importantly, with the patient. However, in some cases where the collision situation is not obvious to a system operator, collision events can still occur since the operator is allowed to override the warning until a physical collision occurs. One type of collision event that occurs with a fairly high degree of regularity is collisions of the tube underneath the patient table. These collisions occur fairly frequently because this area is not visible to the operator.
To resolve a collision event in present day angiographic x-ray systems, an override function is required to be activated by the operator. This is a necessary precaution because all motorized movements are blocked when a physical collision is detected. In those cases where an override is activated, the system allows the operator to move the system components in a very slow mode to resolve the collision event. In many cases the collision event is not obvious (e.g. the tube underneath the patient table) and it takes a significant amount of time and experience to move the system out of the collision situation. This is particularly true where a given position may be apparently reached with more than one set of axes motions but where motion limits on one or more axes produces a "dead end" requiring a time consuming backtracking in order to reach the desired position. In some cases, the patient must be removed from the system to avoid injury to quickly resolve a potentially dangerous and harmful situation.
From the foregoing it will be understood that there is a need for providing a collision detection system and method to maintain operational safety while providing the system operator with means for quickly and easily resolving a collision state.

Collision resolution in x-ray imaging systems


A method of and apparatus for recording data on an optical recording medium form a mark or a space by using a recording waveform having an erase pattern containing a multi-pulse. The method and the apparatus prevent distortion of the mark or the space and improve a mark shape such that a recording/reproducing characteristic of the optical recording medium is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for recording data on an optical recording medium, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus in which digital data is recorded on an optical disc by forming a mark on the optical disc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data are recorded on an optical disc which is one type of optical recording media, in a form of a mark on a track formed on the optical disc. A mark is formed as a pit in a read-only disc, such as a Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) and a Digital Versatile Disc-Read Only Memory (DVD-ROM). In a recordable disc, such as a CD-R/RW and a DVD-R/RW/RAM, a phase-change film which is changed into a crystalline phase or an amorphous phase is formed on a recording layer, and a mark is formed by a phase change of the phase-change film.
Methods of recording data can be divided into a mark edge recording method and a mark position recording method. According to the mark position recording method, a signal of an amplitude of a detected Radio Frequency (RF) signal is changed from negative to positive or from positive to negative at a location on which a mark is recorded. According to the mark edge recording method, the signal of the amplitude of the detected RF signal is changed from negative to positive or from positive to negative at both edges of the mark. Therefore, recording the edges of the mark is an important factor in improving quality of a signal reproduced from the optical disc.
However, in a disc on which the phase-change film is coated, it is shown that a shape of a trailing edge of the mark recorded according to a prior art recording method changes according to a length of the mark or an interval between the marks, i.e., a space. That is, the trailing edge of the mark is formed greater than a leading edge of the mark such that recording/reproducing characteristics of the disc are degraded. If a recording mark is relatively long, the recording/reproducing characteristics are more degraded.
FIGS. 1A-1E are reference diagrams of recording waveforms (a), (b), and (c) to record a Non Return to Zero Inverted (NRZI) data signal according to the prior art. The recording waveform (a) is used for recording the NRZI data signal on a DVD-RAM, the recording waveforms (b) and (c) are for a DVD-RW. Here, T denotes a cycle of a reference clock. According to the mark edge recording method, a high level of NRZI data is recorded as a mark and a low level of NRZI data is formed as a space. A portion of the recording waveform used in recording the mark is referred to as a recording pattern, and another portion of the recording waveform used in forming the space (in erasing the mark) is referred to as an erase pattern. The prior art recording waveforms (a), (b) and (c) use a multi-pulse as the recording pattern, and a power of the erase pattern is maintained constant in a predetermined DC level for an interval E as shown in FIG. 1E.
Since the DC level of the erase pattern included in the prior art recording waveform is maintained constant for a predetermined period of time, 0˜200° C. heat is continuously applied to a corresponding area to form the space. Therefore, if recording is repeatedly performed, a shape of the mark is degraded and distorted such that the recording/reproducing characteristics of the optical disc are degraded. In particular, a development toward a high density and a high line speed for recording more data on the optical disc makes the clock cycle T shorter, and therefore a heat interference between pulses forming the recording waveform increases to cause more degradation of the recording/reproducing characteristics of the optical disc.
Meanwhile, in the prior art, the different recording waveforms are used according to the kinds of the optical discs and specifications, such as DVD-RAM and DVD-RW, because characteristics of recording films of the optical discs are different. In particular, due to the fact that the different recording waveforms should be used for each kind of the optical discs, a problem occurs in manufacturing a multi-drive which can record/reproduce all specifications of the optical discs because the multi-drive should accommodate a variety of the different recording waveforms. The problem causes an increase in cost.

Method of and apparatus for recording data on optical recording medium


An angle absolute encoder comprises an encoded code rod that has code marks, such as pairs of fine code lines and coarse code lines. Light is reflected from or transmitted through the code marks and detected by a light detector to determine absolute angle position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to measuring devices and, more particularly, to absolute encoders for providing position information.
2. Related Art
Optical encoders are well known and employed for a variety of applications to detect position. An optical encoder measures a position of an object, either angular or linear, by optically detecting marks on a scale attached to the object to move with the object. In the simplest form, the encoder simply measures translation by counting the number of marks that move past the encoder's optical detector. One type of optical encoder is commonly known as an absolute encoder, which has the ability to recognize the position of a movable object without reference to a base, home, or starting position. In a conventional absolute encoder, each position is given by a unique code pattern of marks which identifies the absolute position, as opposed to just one mark. A change in position is sensed by detecting a change in the code bits which make up the code pattern.
In general, optical absolute encoders are provided with a light source, a rotary code disk and fixed plate, and light receiving elements, such as photodetectors. A code disk typically has apertures, slits, or other transparencies distributed over the area of the disk. The angular and radial coordinates of the transparencies on the disk are known, and this two dimensional information is used to provide higher angular resolution and range than the finite physical size an individual aperture could provide. The apertures are typically arranged in concentric annular rings, with each ring having a sequence of apertures, generally at the same radius and at equal angular intervals. The code disks are fixed to a rotating element of the assembly, and the optical detectors and light sources are attached to a fixed element. Variations on this theme exercise different illumination and detection arrangements and different shapes and distributions of apertures.
In a typical operation, the portion of light from the light source passing through light passage portions provided in the rotary code disk and slits provided in the fixed plate is converted into electric signals by the photodetectors, thereby allowing detection of the angle of rotation and the position of rotation. The light passage portions of the rotary code disk are comprised of a plurality of concentric code patterns and a reference pattern. The slits of the fixed plate are provided corresponding to the code patterns and reference pattern. To increase accuracy or precision, the number of light passage portions and slits are increased, which also increases the cost, complexity, and physical package size of the encoder.
Measurement applications are currently requiring higher and higher degrees of angular precision, e.g., less than a few microradians. Current high precision encoders, such as the Model BS-0001 built by Automated Precision Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., uses a compact gimbal stage and has a pointing accuracy of less than 2 microradians in each of two axes. Other types of high precision encoders, such as one built by Dr. Johannes Heidenhain, able to provide approximately 0.17 microradian resolution. However, such high precision encoders have the disadvantage of being large in size, e.g. greater than 6″ in diameter.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a high precision absolute encoder that is smaller in size than conventional high precision encoders as discussed above.