A dentifrice composition comprising a liquid polyalkylene glycol carrier, and a liquid polyoxyalkylene compound miscible in said liquid polyalkylene glycol carrier.

Polyoxyalkylene block copolymers are well known to those skilled in the non-ionic surfactant art. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,421 (Schmolka) assigned to BASF discloses aqueous gels prepared using a block copolymer of polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene suitable for pharmaceutical and personal care compositions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,574 (Schmolka) assigned to BASF discloses polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene block copolymers as gelling agents for hydrogen peroxide compositions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,663 (Schmolka) assigned to BASF discloses polyoxybutylene/polyoxyethylene block copolymers as gelling agents for aqueous gels useful in personal care and pharmaceutical applications. These compounds are sold by the BASF Corporation under the PLURONIC.RTM. tradename.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,394 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,810 disclose the use of polyoxyalkylene block copolymers in machine dishwashing applications. U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,988 discloses a nonionic surfactant employing a specific combination of alkanol, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide useful in an automatic dishwashing application. U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,368 describes the use of liquid EO/PO/EO triblock co-polymers (PLURONIC.RTM. L 31 and L 35 surfactants) in stable hydrogen peroxide releasing dental care compositions at levels of 55-90% by weight of the dental care composition. U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,421 discloses gel forming solid EO/PO/EO triblock copolymers useful in cosmetic and personal care formulations at levels of approximately 20-25% by weight. Preferred solid EO/PO/EO triblock copolymers have a molecular weight of 4,600-16,000. Said solid EO/PO/EO triblock copolymers form a gel when added to an aqueous solution. U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,533 discloses aqueous gel compositions containing solid EO/PO/EO triblock copolymers, having a molecular weight of 6,450-20,000 useful at levels of approximately 20% by weight. Said compositions are useful in preparing cosmetic formulations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,663 discloses clear aqueous cosmetic gels containing solid EO/BO(butylene oxide)/EO triblock copolymers at levels of approximately 20%. U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,880 discloses a stable dentifrice compositions containing a cetylpyridinium bactericide and EO/PO/EO solid triblock copolymers (PLURONIC.RTM. F 127 surfactant), and polyethylene glycol at levels of 15-80% by weight. U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,107 discloses a mouthwash containing EO/BO(butylene oxide)/EO triblock copolymers at levels of 0.5-5.0% by weight. U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,307 discloses oral hygiene gels containing non-ionic surfactants, coating substances; and viscosifiers. Said non-ionic surfactants are the PLURONIC.RTM. F 108 and F 127 surfactants available from BASF Corporation, Mt. Olive, N.J. U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,396 discloses a topical composition comprising an EO/PO/EO solid triblock copolymer (PLURONIC.RTM.) F 127 surfactant) used at a level of more than 10% to about 17% by weight. EPO-546-627A discloses mouthwash compositions comprising solid EO/PO/EO triblock copolymers such as PLURONIC.RTM. L 108, F88 surfactants at levels of 0.5-3% by weight. U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,368 discloses mouthwashes containing solid EO/PO/EO triblock copolymers such as PLURONIC(.RTM. F 87 surfactant at levels of 0.1-3% by weight. WO 93/13750 discloses an ocular cleansing composition comprising solid PLURONIC.RTM. F 87 and paste PLURONIC.RTM. P 85 EO/PO/EO triblock copolymers. PLURONIC(.RTM. P 85 surfactant is 4-9% by weight of the cleansing composition, PLURONIC.RTM. F 87 surfactant is 0.5-2% by weight of the cleansing composition. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,698 discloses a dental creme composition containing a non-ionic triblock liquid EO/PO/EO copolymer or a solid triblock EO/PO/EO copolymer at levels of 0.1-5% by weight. Said copolymers help to prevent phase separation. PLURONIC.RTM. F 108 surfactant (solid) is most preferred, followed by PLURONIC.RTM. F 87, PLURONIC.RTM. F 127, and PLURONIC.RTM. L 72 surfactants. U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,394 discloses novel, low-foaming nonionic surfactant for machine dishwashing compositions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,810 discloses a low foaming, low cloud point, nonionic surfactant for machine dishwashing compositions. JP 47-48366 B4 discloses a process for producing tasteless, liquid, heteric polyoxyalkylene compounds of molecular weight 1000 or higher. U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,191 discloses polyoxyalkylene block copolymers in agricultural formulations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,542, U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,368, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,060 disclose the use of polyoxyalkylene compound for formulating a stable percarbonate formulation as well as a dentrifice composition.
The present invention relates to oral care compositions, such as dentrifice formulations. Dentrifice formulations typically contain substantial amounts of humectants. Humectants help the formulation retain its moisture, thus, preventing the formulation from hardening when the container cap is left open for extended periods. Typical humectants employed in such formulations are glycerol, sorbitol which are usually the preferred humectants because of their sweet taste. Other humectants which are also used are polyethylene glycols of low molecular weight typically between 200-600. Liquid polyethylene glycols constitute an excellent choice as a carrier for formulating a non-aqueous, dentrifice formulation since they come with several advantages such as good hygroscopicity, low viscosity, good compatibility with several dentrifice ingredients, low volatility, low cost, low toxicity, low odor and low pour point. More recently, toothpaste compositions are being formulated without any significant incorporation of water. Examples of such toothpaste compositions are those that cannot tolerate the presence of significant levels of water due to concerns related to decomposition of key ingredients leading to loss of activity, or reactivity of ingredients, for example, baking soda and a peroxygen compound such as, hydrogen peroxide or sodium percarbonate. The formulation and increased stability of such toothpaste compositions is achieved by employing a non-aqueous carrier typically selected from low molecular weight liquid polyethylene glycols. Dentrifice formulations also contain an anionic surfactant, typically selected from sulfate esters of C.sub.10-18 alcohols. An example of such a anionic surfactant is sodium lauryl sulfate. The primary function of the anionic surfactant is to provide efficient foaming action during brushing. However, in many instances the foaming action provided by the anionic surfactant alone is inadequate and often additional ingredients have to be added in combination with the anionic surfactant to achieve the desired foam profile during brushing. A common ingredient that is typically selected to achieve additional foam boosting are the high molecular weight, solid block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. Examples of such solid block copolymers are those that have a number average molecular weight over 8000 and also contain at least 50% ethylene oxide. Particularly preferred are those that contain between 70%-80% ethylene oxide and have a number average molecular weight greater than 9000.
Further, a limitation also exists with the use of the high molecular weight, solid, block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in a non-aqueous dentrifice formulation because they are insoluble in the liquid polyalkylene glycol carrier. Dissolution of the solid block copolymer in the liquid polyalkylene glycol carrier is achieved by heating the two components until a single clear phase is achieved. Unfortunately, upon cooling back to ambient temperatures, the solid block copolymer has a tendency to phase separate leading to the formation of a heterogenous mixture. The formation of a heterogenous phase is particularly problematic since it may lead to a preferential partitioning of certain dentrifice components in any one phase and an altering of the homogenity of the formulation. This altering of the homogenity of the formulation is particularly noticeable when the dentrifice formulation undergoes multiple heating and cooling cycles during transportation and storage.
The Applicants have solved these aforementioned problems in the art. Surprisingly, Applicants have discovered that if the solid block copolymers are rendered liquid during their preparation, by addition of small amounts of a C.sub.3 or higher alkylene oxide to the crystalline, hydrophilic portion of the solid block copolymer to produce a liquid polyoxyalkylene compound of similar hydrophilicity and molecular weight, then a single, clear, homogenous phase is achieved upon adding to the liquid, polyoxyalkylene glycol carrier. An additional advantage with the use of the high molecular weight liquid polyoxyalkylene compounds of this invention is that upon addition to the polyalkylene glycol carrier, they are readily miscible and form a clear, homogenous, single phase composition, and do not have to be heated to achieve dissolution.

Dentifrice formulations containing liquid polyoxyalkylene compounds miscible in a liquid, polyalkylene glycol carrier


Examples described herein provide for a relaxation oscillator and corresponding methods of operation. In an example, a circuit includes a dynamically controllable current source, a capacitor, and an oscillator generation circuit. The dynamically controllable current source includes a digitally tunable current mirror configured to generate a current. The digitally tunable current mirror includes multiple transistors configured to be selectively electrically connected in parallel to alter a gain of the digitally tunable current mirror to control the current. The capacitor is selectively electrically connected to the dynamically controllable current source. The oscillator generation circuit is electrically connected to the capacitor. The oscillator generation circuit is configured to generate an oscillation signal in response to a voltage of the capacitor.

A wide variety of computer and telecommunications devices coordinate operation of and/or communication by various circuits using clock signals. One of the critical challenges for circuit designers is managing timing of their designs. Precise control over timing and clock signals can improve performance and reliability. Controlling timing, however, is becoming increasingly difficult as circuits grow more complex and clock frequencies increase.

Relaxation oscillator having a dynamically controllable current source


A programmable power supply and brownout detector for electronic equipment features independent, but coordinated, control of operating voltage and brownout reference voltage. Improper programming of the operating voltage and the brownout reference voltage levels is prevented. The threshold of the programmable power supply and brownout detector can also be controlled to provide an optimum threshold over a range of operating voltages.

Programmable power supplies and brownout detectors for electronic equipment, i.e., both digital and analog, are known in the art. The use of electronic equipment in high reliability applications has created the need to change operating voltages to reduce current consumption for low power and battery powered applications. A need also exists to detect when the operating voltage drops below a predetermined level for reliability considerations.
A brownout is considered to have occurred when the incoming voltage available to the electronic equipment has dropped to a level where the electronic circuits should not continue operating, since errors or partly functional conditions may occur in case of digital circuit logic or storage elements. The brownout ends when the voltage has risen back above the brownout level. A hysteresis or latching scheme can be used to prevent oscillation at the brownout level. A brownout detector detects when the operating voltage has dropped to just above the brownout voltage level and produces a signal to indicate to the electronic equipment that a brownout is pending. The brownout detector can reset or freeze the operation of the electronic equipment to avoid improper operation.
In a practical application, the electronic equipment must be protected against brownout conditions that can cause digital logic to enter unknown states and thereby corrupt the operation of the electronic equipment, and/or analog circuit latch-up or saturation conditions. In the existing state of the art, these power supplies and brownout detectors are either not linked in operation at all, or are linked only by virtue of the reference voltage to the brownout detector being related directly to the operating voltage to the electronic equipment. Also there is no provision for lowering the operating voltage of the electronic equipment during sleep mode to reduce current consumption.

Programmable power supply and brownout detector for electronic equipment


A wearable medication injecting device which is worn on a patient's body and adapted to automatically administer medication to the patient via a scheduled injection, the device comprising a detachable medication module containing the medication and a needle, a medication injection assembly having a mounting plate with at least one attachment point for removably engaging the detachable medication module, and a band which secures the mounting plate against the patient's skin surface. The needle is adapted to pass through the mounting plate to penetrate the skin surface and deliver the medication. Replacing the detachable medication module both replenishes the medication and replaces the needle, and attaching additional detachable medication modules allows a second medication to be simultaneously administered. A user control device is adapted to wirelessly communicate with the medication injection assembly to control the scheduled injections and convey device status alerts to a user.

Many patients who suffer from chronic disease are required to take medication. Unfortunately, a large percentage of patients do not take their medications properly in accordance with their prescriptions, and 50% of patients will actually stop taking their medications altogether within the first year of the medication being prescribed. A majority of these patients are unable to take their medications as prescribed due to factors such as forgetfulness and procrastination, confusion over complex medication regimens, as well as anxiety—particularly in the case of medications administered through injections. Certain patients are required to take medication at odd times or late at night, increasing the likelihood of missing a dose. For patients with serious illnesses, the consequences of missing a dose may be life-threatening.
A wide variety of devices for administering medications by injection may be found within the prior art. Certain devices are worn by the patient and use the assistance of a computer to schedule injections, which are particularly valuable for patients at risk of missing doses which must be administered during sleeping hours. However, many of these devices administer medication via a catheter which remains painfully embedded in the patient's skin. The catheter must be regularly transferred to a new location on the patient's body, and there is a risk of the catheter site becoming infected. Furthermore, the devices within the prior art are only capable of administering one medication.
Therefore, an urgent need exists for a device which can be worn on the patient's body, which is capable of automatically administering one or more medications via scheduled injections, without the use of embedded needles or catheters.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present disclosure as disclosed hereafter.
In the present disclosure, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which the present disclosure is concerned.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate the present disclosure, no technical aspects are disclaimed and it is contemplated that the claims may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.


Expression of at least one plant oleosin gene in a microbial cell engineered to produce hydrophobic/lipophilic compounds significantly increases the overall titer of the compound. The hydrophobic nature of the oleosin core is believed to increase the microbial host cell's internal storage capacity for any hydrophobic/lipophilic compound. The method is exemplified using a bacterial host cell engineered to produce significant amount of various carotenoids.

Engineering microbial production of many commercially useful products has both advantages and disadvantage when compared to traditional chemical routes or isolation from organisms that naturally produce the desired compound. Many of the advantages associated with recombinant microbial production over traditional chemical synthesis include 1) the ability to synthesize the desired compounds at ambient temperature (decreased energy costs), 2) use of less expensive, readily available, typically renewable, and less toxic raw materials, 3) the production of less environmental waste, 4) the ability to harness regioselective and stereoseletive chemistry frequently observed when using biological catalysts, and 5) decreased purification costs from organisms that naturally produce the desired compound, often in commercially insignificant amounts. However, recombinant microbial production of a desirable compound has some disadvantages as well, such as inadequate compound production, poor growth characteristics, inadequate precursor supply, catalyst robustness and stability, regulatory issues (use of antibiotic markers), and host cell toxicity issues observed as a result of genetic modification. One particular problem associated with producing hydrophobic/lipophilic compounds in many microorganisms is limited internal storage capacity. Many hydrophobic/lipophilic compounds tend to accumulate in internal hydrophobic compartments within the cell (for example, intracellular membranes). Accumulation of these materials within the various compartments tends to be limited, as excess accumulation may have adverse effects on the viability of the host organisms (i.e. disrupting normal membrane function, decreased growth, increased toxicity to host cell, etc.).
One method used to increase the storage capacity in recombinant host cells is to increase one or more storage components of the cell. Arechaga et al. (FEBS Lett. 482:215-219 (2000); WO 01/29236 A1) describes a method to alter the intracytoplasmic membrane content and composition by expressing the b and/or c subunit of ATP synthase. Membrane proliferation was induced, allowing elevated expression of genes encoding membrane proteins. Arechaga et al. do not describe a method to increase the intracellular storage capacity of hydrophobic compounds produced in microorganisms, especially non-proteinaceous compounds.
The intracellular storage of hydrophobic compounds (such as oils) is known to naturally occur in some organisms. For example, many plants store triacylglycerides (TAG) in oil bodies. These oil bodies consist of a phospholipid monolayer stabilized primarily with a unique plant protein called oleosin, along with other minor proteins surrounding the TAG core. Oleosins have a thumbtack-like architecture, with the "shaft" portion consisting of hydrophobic amino acids and the head exhibiting an amphipathic structure (in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants, Buchanan, B., Gruissem, W. and Jones, R., eds., American Society of Plant Physiologists, Rockville, Md., 2000, pp 17-18). Oleosins are required for significant accumulation of TAG in the oil bodies. The recombinant expression of plant oleosins in microorganisms for storage of hydrophobic/lipophilic compounds has not been reported.
Many commercially valuable hydrophobic/lipophilic compounds are naturally produced in microorgansisms. Additionally, microorganisms can be genetically engineered to produce the desired molecules. Examples of these hydrophobic molecules include, but are not limited to, hydrophobic peptides and compounds derived from isoprene such as carotenoids, quinones, dolichols, tocopherols, fatty acids (i.e. omega-3 fatty acids), terpenes, steroids, chlorophylles, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and natural rubber. Based on their hydrophobic/lipophilic nature, many of these compounds accumulate or associate near or within the hydrophobic portions of cellular membranes, leading to changes in membrane structure which may result in the loss of cell viability (Sikkema et al., Microbiol Rev., 59(2):201-222 (1995)). Accumulation of hydrophobic/lipophilic compounds, especially in recombinant microorganisms engineered to produce them at elevated levels, is frequently limited by the amount of internal storage capacity within the microorganism.
Carotenoids represent a class of hydrophobic compounds currently being produced in recombinant microorganisms. The genetics of carotenoid production are well-known and have been exploited to produce a variety of carotenoids in recombinant bacteria (Lee et al., Chem Biol, 10:453-462 (2003)). Various genetic modifications to the isoprenoid/carotenoid biosynthesis pathway have been employed to engineer bacteria, such as E. coli, to produce high levels of various carotenoids.
Carotenoids, such as β-carotene and astaxanthin, associate and/or aggregate with phospholipid monolayers and bilayers (Shibata et al., Chem Phys Lipids, 113:11-22 (2001)). As a result, the capacity to store carotenoids may ultimately be limited to the amount of available hydrophobic storage capacity. For example, it has been reported that one of the primary limitations associated with microbial carotenoid production, especially in bacteria such as E. coli, is the inability to accumulate commercially-useful levels of carotenoids, as is the case in many industrially suitable production hosts (Schmidt-Dannert, C. and Lee, P., Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 60:1-11 (2002)).
It has been speculated that the limits for carotenoid production in a non-carotenogenic host, such as E. coli, had been reached at the level of around 1.5 mg/g dry cell weight due to overload of membranes and blocking of membrane functionality (although U.S. Ser. No. 10/735442 has recently reported levels up to about 6 mg/g dry cell weight). It has been suggested that the future focus of engineering E. coli for high levels of carotenoid production should be on formation of additional membranes and on genetic manipulations leading to novel carotenoid sequestering systems (Albrecht et al., Biotechnol Lett, 21:791-795 (1999)).
The problem to be solved therefore is to provide a method to increase the hydrophobic/lipophilic compound titer in a microbial cell, especially in recombinant microorganisms engineered to produce such compounds.

Method to increase hydrophobic compound titer in a recombinant microorganism


A sensing device for protecting a sensor from environmental conditions present in a turbine is provided. The sensing device comprises a heat pipe exposed to the environmental conditions for protecting the sensor from these conditions. The sensing device further comprises a sensor located in a center channel of the heat pipe and a working fluid located in an annulus of the heat pipe to aid in regulating heat along the length of the heat pipe. In alternate embodiments, the sensing device further comprises power wires extending from a power source outside the turbine to the sensor for supplying power to the sensor, and signal wires extending from the sensor to a data acquisition system outside the turbine for transmitting readings from the sensor to the data acquisition system.

As those skilled in the art of combustion turbines are aware, the maximum power output of a gas turbine is achieved by heating the gas flowing through the combustion section to as high a temperature as is feasible. The hot gas, however, heats the various turbine components, such as transitions, vane segments, ring segments, and blades, that it passes when flowing through the turbine. Such components are critical components because their failure has direct impact on the operation and efficiency of the turbine.
Accordingly, the ability to increase the combustion firing temperature is limited by the ability of the critical components to withstand increased temperatures. Consequently, monitoring the state of the hot gas flowing through the turbine and the critical components themselves is essential to determine the state of the turbine's critical components as well as to determine the efficiency of the turbine.
The harsh environmental conditions inside the turbine, however, makes measurement of these conditions and components rather difficult. Many sensors are limited to operating below certain temperatures, can only function in stable environments, or can only operate for short periods of time in severe conditions. Consequently, the difficulty in accurately monitoring critical components of a gas turbine leads to inefficient turbine operation and significant downtime for off-line inspection of components. It is, therefore, desirable to provide an apparatus that can be used to protect sensors in the harsh environment of gas turbines so that the sensors can operate effectively.


The invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising at least one antigen and an adjuvant composition, where the adjuvant composition comprises a saponin and a liposome. The liposome of the composition comprises monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), cholesterol and a phospholipid that is in a liquid crystalline state at greater than or equal to 23° C., and the concentration of cholesterol to lipid in the liposome is greater than 50% (mol/mol). The antigen in the composition is a soluble Plasmodium falciparum recombinant circumsporozoite protein (rCSP) comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, or a P. falciparum rCSP peptide that is at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.

Malaria caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite kills hundreds of thousands in the poorest regions of the world. Fast spreading multi-drug-resistant strains of this parasite underline the need for a safe and efficacious vaccine. The circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is abundant on the surface of the mosquito-transmissible stage of the parasite called the sporozoite. CSP molecules contain a tetra-peptide (NANP)n repeating unit flanked by conserved amino terminal region (N-term) and a polymorphic, cysteine-rich carboxy-terminal (C-term) region.
Early CSP vaccines were based on recombinant proteins that were either soluble proteins or long synthetic peptides formulated in Alum. These early vaccines showed low levels of inconsistent protection in controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) trials. A significant improvement in efficacy was observed when RTS,S, a particulate CSP based vaccine was tested in combination with a rationally designed molecular adjuvant AS02 (GlaxosmithKline).
AS02 adjuvant contained oil-emulsion and two naturally occurring immune-stimulators: monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) derived from bacterial membranes and QS21 extracted from the bark of Quillaria saponaria soap tree (Stoute et al. (1997) N Engl J Med 336:86-91). AS02 adjuvant was replaced by AS01 adjuvant in the current generation of RTS,S vaccine. Based on the data from extensive Phase-3 trials in Africa, a pediatric version of RTS,S in AS01E adjuvant has been approved for limited clinical use in three African countries under the trade name Mosquirix® (Takita-Sonoda et al. (1996) Exp. Parasitol. 84:223-230; Regules et al. (2016) J. Infect. Dis. 214:762-771; Kester et al. (2009) J. Infect. Dis. 200:337-346). Mosquirix® is based on the 3D7 strain of P. falciparum CSP and it confers sterile protection among a significant portion of the vaccines challenged with a homologous parasite strain in CHMI. Efficacy of Mosquirix® against natural infection however remains low and strategies to augment the duration and spectrum of protection against field isolates continues.
RTS,S contains the central repeat and C-term region of CSP, but this vaccine lacks the N-term region of the CSP molecule. A way to improve efficacy of CSP can be to include the B- and T-cell epitopes as well as a protease cleavage site present in the N-terminal region of CSP (Herrera et al. (2015) Infect. Immun. 83:3771-3780; Bongfen et al. (2009) Vaccine 27:328-335; Coppi et al. (2011) J. Exp. Med. 208:341-356; Tewari et al. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277:47613-47618; Espinosa et al. (2015) J. Infect. Dis. 212:1111-1119). WRAIR's Falciparum Malaria Vaccine-013 (FMP013) is a formulation that contains a nearly full-length version of CSP produced in E. coli. FMP013 contains the entire C-term and N-term regions of CSP including 19 NANP and 3 NVDP repeats. A cGMP lot of FMP013 was produced and it met of the purity and stability criteria required to advance to CHMI studies (Schwenk et al. (2014) PLoS One 9:e111020). FMP013 was tested with several available vaccine adjuvants however thus far the best immune responses were achieved when FMP013 was combined with ALFQ (Army Liposome Formulation containing QS21). In addition to QS21, ALFQ contains a synthetic version of monophosphoryl lipid A called 3D-PHAD® (Avanti Polar Lipids). In mice, FMP013+ALFQ induced high antibody titers, improved boosting after each of the three vaccinations, high IgG2c and high level protection against transgenic P. berghei parasite that contains a functional P. falciparum gene. Additionally, FMP013+ALFQ augmented the numbers of splenic germinal center-derived activated B-cells, antibody secreting cells, antigen-specific IFN-γ ELISPOT activity and CD4+ T-cell activity.
Down-selection of vaccines and adjuvants has long relied on preclinical studies in the mouse model. However, promising preclinical leads in mice have not always translated to the development of successful human vaccines. In contrast, several examples of direct translation of vaccine data from Rhesus to humans exist. For example, the selection of AS01 adjuvant over AS02 was performed in Rhesus (Espinosa et al. (2015) J. Infect. Dis. 212:1111-1119; Schwenk et al. (2014) PLoS One 9: e111020; Genito et al. (2017) Vaccine 35:3865-3874); adenovirus primed protein boost showed improved IFN-γ+ T cell responses in both Rhesus (Seth et al. (2017) Vaccine 35:5448-5454) and humans (Porter et al. (2013) Clin. Vaccine Immunol., 20:803-810); the PfSPZ vaccine induced sterilizing immunity in Rhesus against P. knowlesi challenge (Khan et al. (BBII) and in humans against P. falciparum challenge (Rutgers et al. (1988) Nat. Biotech. 6:1065-1070; Ballou et al. (1987) Lancet 1:1277-1281; Low et al. (2014) Vaccine 32:5041-5048). Likewise, the safety and toxicology data on the AS0 series of adjuvants was collected in Rhesus monkeys.
Pharmaceutical compositions have been developed to act as a malaria vaccine and the pharmaceutical compositions include a novel combination of antigen and an adjuvant. The antigen is a recombinant, nearly full-length circumsporozite protein (CSP) from Plasmodium falciparum that can be expressed in E. coli. The composition provides a much more robust immunogenic response than would be expected and is also thermos-stable. The adjuvant comprises a requires an adjuvant to bolster the immunogenic effects of the primary antigen in the vaccine.

The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc.

The Government Of The United States, As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army


A solid state image sensing device comprising first and second horizontal shift registers of two-phase drive system, a smear drain region disposed in an opposing relation to a first storage section of the second horizontal shift register to which the first phase drive pulse of the second horizontal shift register is applied and a channel stop region disposed in an opposing relation to a second storage section of the second horizontal shift register to which the second phase drive pulse is applied, wherein a smear component is drained to the smear drain region, and a hole component is drained to the channel stop region for thereby reducing a dark current of the second horizontal shift register to about that of the first horizontal shift register. Therefore, a dark current in the horizontal shift register of the solid state image sensing device can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to solid state image sensing devices and, more particularly to improvements of a dark current of a horizontal shift register in an output section of the solid state image sensing device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings show an example of a vertical FIT (frame interline) type solid state image sensing device according to the prior art.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional vertical FIT type solid state image sensing device generally depicted by reference numeral 12 comprises an image sensing section 1, a storage section 2 and an output section, i.e., a horizontal shift register section 3 of a CCD (charge-coupled device) structure. The image sensing section 1 comprises a number of photo-sensing elements 4, each forming a pixel, arrayed in a matrix fashion and a vertical shift register 5 of CCD structure disposed on one side of each vertical column of the photo-sensing elements 4 so as to transfer signal charges of the photo-sensing elements 4 in the vertical direction. The storage section 2 is disposed under the image sensing section 1 in the vertical direction to temporarily store signal charges generated from the image sensing section 1. The storage section 2 comprises a plurality of vertical shift registers 6 of similar CCD structure which corresponds to the respective vertical shift registers 5 of the image sensing section 1 in a one-to-one relation. The vertical shift register 5 of the image sensing section 1 and the vertical shift register 6 of the storage section 2 are both driven according to the 4-phase drive system which is controlled by four-phase drive pulses .PHI.IM.sub.1, .PHI.IM.sub.2, .PHI.IM.sub.3, .PHI.IM.sub.4 and .PHI.ST.sub.1, .PHI.ST.sub.2, .PHI.ST.sub.3, .PHI.ST.sub.4, for example. The horizontal shift register section 3 of the output section is driven according to the two-phase drive system which is controlled by two-phase drive pulses .PHI.H.sub.1 and .PHI.H.sub.2, for example.
In the high definition (very high resolution) solid state image sensing device, the horizontal shift register section 3 comprises two horizontal shift registers 3A and 3B disposed in parallel in order to reduce a horizontal transfer frequency. In the horizontal shift registers 3A and 3B, as shown in FIG. 2, a first storage unit st.sub.1, a first transfer unit tr.sub.1, a second storage unit st.sub.2 and a second transfer unit tr.sub.2 constitute one bit. A transfer section composed of the first storage unit st.sub.1 and the transfer unit tr.sub.1 to which there is applied the drive pulse .PHI.H.sub.1 corresponds to every other vertical shift register 6A and a transfer section composed of the second storage unit st.sub.2 and second transfer unit tr.sub.1 to which there is applied the drive pulse .PHI.H.sub.2 corresponds to remaining every other vertical shift register 6B. A transfer gate section 7 for transferring electric charges from the storage section 2 to the horizontal shift register section 3 is provided between the vertical shift register 6 (6A, 6B) of the storage section 2 and the horizontal shift register section 3. A transfer gate section 8 for transferring electric charges from the first horizontal shift register 3A to the second horizontal shift register 3B is provided between the first horizontal shift register 3A and the second horizontal shift register 3B. Further, a smear drain region 10 is provided under the second horizontal shift register 3B and extended over the full length of the second horizontal shift register 3B in order to discharge a smear component through a smear gate unit 9. Hatched areas 11 in FIG. 2 represent channel-stop regions, respectively.
This vertical FIT type solid state image sensing device 12 effects a high speed sweep transfer during a vertical blanking period to sweep smear components of the vertical shift registers 5, 6 to the smear drain region 10. Thereafter, signal charges in the photo-sensing elements 4 are transferred from the image sensing section 1 to the storage section 2 and temporarily stored therein. Then, at every horizontal blanking period, the signal charges of every horizontal line are distributed into the first and second horizontal shift registers 3A and 3B of the horizontal shift register section 3 from the storage section 2. That is, the signal charge in the vertical shift register 6A is transferred to the second horizontal shift register 3B and the signal charge in the vertical shift register 6B is transferred to the first horizontal shift register 3A. The signal charges of one horizontal line transferred to the first and second horizontal shift registers 3A, 3B are transferred within the first and second horizontal shift registers 3A, 3B in the horizontal direction and sequentially and alternately output through a switching means 13.
The above-mentioned FIT type solid state image sensing device 12 has the drawback such that a dark current of the second horizontal shift register 3B is very much large as compared with that of the first horizontal shift register 3A. A cause of this drawback is considered as follows:
A hole (positive hole), which causes a dark current, is transferred to the horizontal shift register section 3 in the same direction as that of the smear component (electron) because the vertical shift registers 5, 6 are driven by the four-phase drive system. In addition, the smear drain region 10 disposed under the second horizontal shift register 3B acts as a barrier against the hole so that the hole remaining in the second horizontal shift register 3B cannot be smoothly drained to the channel stop region 11.


A fixing device having: a fixing member extending in a first predetermined direction; a heating roller extending in the first predetermined direction; a fixing belt stretched between the fixing member and the heating roller and being annular when viewed in a plan view in the first predetermined direction; a heating section heating the heating roller and being provided in the heating roller; a first support section supporting the heating roller in such a manner that the heating roller is movable with respect to the fixing member along a predetermined plane perpendicular to the first predetermined direction; a pressure section exerting a force upon the heating roller in such a direction that the heating roller moves away from the fixing member; and a second support section supporting the heating section in such a manner that the heating section is movable together with the heating roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fixing devices, particularly to a fixing device in which a heating section is provided in a heating roller.
2. Description of Related Art
As an invention relevant to a conventional fixing device, for example, a fixing device described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-3190 is known. This fixing device includes a heating roller, a fixing roller, a heater, and a fixing belt. The heating roller and the fixing roller are arranged parallel to each other. The fixing belt is stretched between the heating roller and the fixing roller. The heater is provided in the heating roller so as to heat the heating roller.
To put the fixing belt and the heating roller in tight contact, the fixing device as above has a structure to be descried below. The heating roller is configured so as to be slidable with respect to the fixing roller in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the heating roller. Further, the heating roller receives a force from an elastic object, such as a spring, in a direction away from the fixing roller. This puts the fixing belt in tight contact with the heating roller without slackening. As a result, heat from the heating roller is efficiently transferred to the fixing belt.
Incidentally, as for the above fixing device, there is difficulty in reducing the diameter of the heating roller. More specifically, the fixing device is configured in such a manner as to allow the heating roller to slide with respect to the fixing roller. However, the heating roller has the heater provided therein, and the heater is not slidable with respect to the fixing roller. Accordingly, if the diameter of the heating roller is reduced excessively, the heater might hit the inner circumferential surface of the heating roller when the heating roller slides.

Fixing device having heating section support with hole for releasing heat


A capacitor structure comprising semiconductor substrate and a matrix of capacitor units formed over the semiconductor substrate each capacitor unit. The matrix includes an interior structure comprised of one or more vertical plates, each vertical plate of the interior structure formed from a plurality of conductive portions connected vertically to each other, an exterior structure comprised of one or more vertical plates, each vertical plate of the exterior structure formed from a plurality of conductive portions connected vertically to each other, the exterior structure substantially encompassing the interior structure, and insulative material separating the interior and exterior structures. The structure also comprises a switching mechanism included in the capacitor structure to switch between ones of the plural capacitor units.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced rapid growth. Technological advances in IC materials and design have produced generations of ICs where each generation has smaller and more complex circuits than the previous generation. These advances, however, have increased the complexity of processing and manufacturing ICs and, for these advances to be realized, similar developments in IC processing and manufacturing are needed.
Various active and/or passive electronic components can be formed on a semiconductor IC. Capacitors are essential components for many ICs, such as sample-and-hold circuits, analog-to-digital (A/D) circuits, digital-to-analog (D/A) circuits and resonant circuits, switched-capacitor and continuous-time filters, as well as to many radio frequency (RF) applications. Capacitors are extensively used for many logic and other applications in the semiconductor manufacturing industry and are integrated into various types of semiconductor devices. Due to higher integration requirements to minimize costs associated with IC fabrication processes, the semiconductor manufacturing industry strives toward economization of each process step and minimization of chip size, while maximizing quality and functionality to the extent possible. Due to these trends of miniaturization or scaling of ICs to provide smaller ICs and improved performance, capacitor designs that consume low areas and possess high capacitance density are highly desirable.
Analog ICs generally employ various types of integrated capacitors utilizing metal-oxide-semiconductors (MOS) including p-n junction capacitors, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors, poly-to-poly capacitors, metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitors, and other structures. MOM capacitors, also known as vertical parallel plate (VPP) capacitors, can include natural vertical capacitors (NVCAPs), lateral flux capacitors, comb capacitors, interdigitated finger capacitors, etc. and are one of the most widely used MOS capacitors due to respective characteristics, e.g., high capacitance density, low parasitic capacitance, symmetric design, superior RF characteristics, good matching characteristics, and processing advantages.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


Embodiments of the present invention provide a motor vehicle having: prime mover means; at least first and second groups of one or more wheels; and a driveline operable to connect the prime mover means to the first and second groups of one or more wheels such that the first group of one or more wheels and not the second group is coupled to a torque transmission path from the prime mover means when the driveline is in a first mode of operation and both the first and second groups of one or more wheels are coupled to a torque transmission path from the prime mover means when the driveline is in a second mode of operation, the driveline including an auxiliary portion for connecting the second group to the torque transmission path from the prime mover means, the auxiliary portion comprising first and second releasable torque transmitting means and a prop shaft, the first releasable torque transmitting means being operable to connect a first end of the prop shaft to the torque transmission path from the prime mover means, the second releasable torque transmitting means being operable to connect a second end of the prop shaft to the second group of one or more wheels, the vehicle further comprising control means operable to control the first and second torque transmitting means to switch the driveline between the first and second modes of operation such that in the first mode the prop shaft is disconnected from both the torque transmission path from the prime mover means and said second group of one or more wheels, wherein when in the first mode the vehicle is operable to control the driveline to switch from first mode to the second mode responsive to a speed of the vehicle.

It is known to provide a motor vehicle having a four wheel drive mode of operation in which motive power is supplied to each of two pairs of wheels of the vehicle. Motive power is supplied to the wheels by means of a driveline.
Some known vehicles are arranged such that motive power is permanently supplied to both pairs of wheels. Some other vehicles are arranged such that motive power is selectively supplied to either only one pair or to both pairs of wheels. A driver operable selector may be provided to allow the driver to select two wheel or four wheel operation. Some driveline systems require the vehicle to be stationary when transitioning between two and four wheel drive modes. Such systems may be referred to as static disconnect/reconnect systems.
GB2407804 discloses a dynamic driveline reconnect arrangement in which reconnection of two of the wheels to the driveline following disconnection of the wheels from the driveline may be undertaken when the vehicle is moving. Such a system may be referred to as a dynamic driveline reconnect system. The system disclosed in GB2407804 employs clutch arrangements to enable dynamic driveline reconnection.
It is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to at least partially mitigate the disadvantages of known dynamic driveline systems.

Vehicle and method of controlling a vehicle


Provided is a polyimide resin composition and a production method thereof, wherein the polyimide resin composition contains an alicyclic polyimide resin having a structural unit represented by the following general formula (1) and inorganic particles of at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, barium titanate, and zirconium oxide, wherein the alicyclic polyimide resin has a glass transition temperature of 260° C. or higher,

In general, polyimide resins are obtained from an aromatic tetracarboxylic anhydride and an aromatic diamine, and have excellent heat resistance, chemical resistance, mechanical characteristics and electric characteristics, due to molecular stiffness, resonance stabilization and strong chemical bond. Therefore, polyimide resins are widely used in the fields of molding materials, composite materials, electric and electronic components, optical materials, displays, and the like.
Titanium dioxide powders have white color and a high hiding power, and therefore titanium oxide powders are used as a white pigment and are widely used in the fields of coating materials, printing materials, cosmetics, and the like. For the crystal system of titanium dioxide, there are three forms, i.e., an anatase type, a rutile type, and a perovskite type.
Titanium dioxide becomes able to prevent light scattering in a visible ray region by being made into fine particles. Titanium dioxide fine particles are colorless and transparent, and exhibit an effect of shielding and absorbing ultraviolet rays. For this reason, titanium dioxide fine particles are used by being blended in sunscreen cosmetics, ultraviolet ray blocking agents, ultraviolet ray blocking films, reflection preventing films, and the like. Anatase type titanium dioxide fine particles have a high photo-catalytic effect of absorbing ultraviolet rays and decomposing ambient organic substances, and thus are practically used as a material for self-cleaning technique for residential walls or a deodorant function material.
By utilizing a high refractive index property of titanium dioxide, a high refractive material obtained by combining titanium dioxide with a resin material and the like is proposed. For example, PTL 1 discloses a composition obtained by combining inorganic particles having a refractive index of 1.6 or greater with a transparent resin such as an acrylic resin, polyester resin, an epoxy resin, and a polycarbonate resin, PTL 2 discloses a high refractive high transparent heat resistant optical material made of an aromatic polyimide and an inorganic oxide, and PTL 3 discloses a resin for an optical material, which is obtained by covering titanium dioxide with a silicon oxide-containing material.

Polyimide resin composition, method for producing same, and polyimide film

Abstract: wherein R1 represents a tetravalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of from 4 to 22, and R2 represents a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of from 2 to 28 and/or a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of from 6 to 27.


A media detection apparatus and method usable with an image forming apparatus includes a light source to irradiate light to surfaces of recording media, a light receiving part to receive light reflected from the recording media an angle changing unit to change an angle of at least one of the light source and the light receiving part with respect to the recording media, and a controller to determine a type of recording media through signals measured from the light receiving part depending on the angle changed by the angle changing unit. The media detection apparatus is capable of effectively detecting the type of recording media by changing an irradiation angle and reflection angle of light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a media detection apparatus and method usable with an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a media detection apparatus and method usable with an image forming apparatus and capable of making print conditions optimal by determining what type of media is used in the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus is a device used to output electronic documents or graphic files stored in a host, such as a personal computer, on recording media, such as paper, and is generally classified into a static type image forming apparatus, such as a laser printer, and an inkjet type image forming apparatus, such as an inkjet printer.
The static type image forming apparatus employs a method of applying a developing agent such as toner on a surface of a photosensitive body, at which a static latent image is formed, and then transferring and setting the image on surfaces of the recording media to obtain printed matters. On the other hand, the inkjet type image forming apparatus employs a method of ejecting fine ink droplets to the surfaces of the recording media.
In order to implement high speed and high quality print, the image forming apparatus is capable of reducing a size of an expressible minimum dot and simultaneously printing a large number of dots. That is, precision of expression may be improved by enabling the image forming apparatus to print with smaller dots, and print speed may be increased by simultaneously printing the large number of dots.
Although the printable minimum dot size may be extremely decreased, it may be meaningless in certain recording media. For example, in the case of the inkjet type image forming apparatus, since ink droplets ejected in a small size may be spread and dried at different speeds depending on the type of recording media, the size of the ink droplets ejected from the ink ejection head may not effect the print quality on all types of recording media in the same way. In addition, when a large amount of ink is simultaneously ejected for high-speed printing, print quality may be deteriorated if the ink is not yet absorbed into the recording media. Similar problems may occur in the static type image forming apparatus.
Therefore, in order to perform high speed and high quality printing, it is necessary to vary print conditions depending on the type and characteristics of the recording media, and a device to detect what type of recording media is used to be installed in the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a conventional media detection apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,339. The conventional media detection apparatus 30 performs operations of irradiating light on a surface of a recording medium 35 moved therein using a light source 31, receiving light totally reflected and diffuse-reflected through two light receiving parts 32 and 33, respectively, and calculating a ratio therebetween, comparing the ratio with a predetermined ratio, and determining the type of the recording medium 35. In this process, the detection apparatus 30 irradiates the light on a plurality of portions of the recording medium 35 in order to improve its precision.
In general, the image forming apparatus uses recording media such as transparency paper, glossy photo paper, paper exclusively used for an inkjet printer, plain paper, and so forth. All of the different recording media have different characteristics, such as surface roughness, gloss, or the like. As a result, the different recording media have a difference between ratios of total reflection and diffuse reflection, thereby allowing the detection apparatus 30 to determine the type of recording media.
However, the detection apparatus 30 often incorrectly detects the type of recording media since surfaces of the recording media do not always maintain a planar state during conveyance of the recording media. That is, when the recording media is bent during conveyance thereof, since the surfaces of the recording media become irregular, the type of recording media may be incorrectly detected due to a difference between the predetermined and detected total reflection and diffuse reflection ratios. In addition, when a mounting angle of the detection apparatus is varied due to long-term use, the same problem may occur.

Media detection apparatus and method usable with image forming apparatus


A hydraulic system is disclosed. The hydraulic system may have a pump with variable-displacement, a first linear actuator, and a second linear actuator coupled to the first linear actuator to operate in tandem. The first and second linear actuators may be connected to the pump in closed-loop manner, and each of the first and second linear actuators may have a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a piston. The hydraulic system may also have an accumulator in fluid communication with the second chamber of only the second linear actuator.

Machines such as excavators, dozers, loaders, motor graders, and other types of heavy equipment use one or more hydraulic actuators to move a work tool. These actuators are fluidly connected to a pump on the machine that provides pressurized fluid to chambers within the actuators. As the pressurized fluid moves into or through the chambers, the pressure of the fluid acts on hydraulic surfaces of the chambers to affect movement of the actuator and the connected work tool. In an open-loop hydraulic system, fluid discharged from the actuator is directed into a low-pressure sump, from which the pump draws fluid. In a closed-loop hydraulic system, fluid discharged from the actuator is directed back into the pump and immediately recycled.
One problem associated with these types of hydraulic systems involves efficiency. In particular, the fluid discharged from the actuator can still have an elevated pressure, which represents unused hydraulic energy. In some situations, for example during overrunning conditions, this fluid discharged from the actuator can actually have a higher pressure than fluid entering the actuator. Unless captured and reused, the energy contained in the discharging fluid may be wasted, thereby lowering an efficiency of the hydraulic system. The efficiency may be lowered even further when the fluid is discharged into a low-pressure sump, as is the situation with open-loop systems.
A problem associated primarily with closed-loop hydraulic systems involves the need for significant fluid makeup and relief capacity. Specifically, the respective rates of hydraulic fluid flow into and out of different chambers of an actuator during different movements may not be equal. For example, because of the location of a rod within a first chamber of a hydraulic cylinder, an associated piston assembly may have a reduced pressure area within the first chamber, as compared with a pressure area within an opposing second chamber that does not include the rod. Accordingly, during retraction of the hydraulic cylinder, more hydraulic fluid may be forced out of the second chamber than can be consumed by the first chamber and, during extension, more hydraulic fluid may be consumed by the second chamber than is forced out of the first chamber. To accommodate these differences in fluid flows, closed-loop hydraulic systems commonly include makeup and relief circuits that provide additional fluid to the system (e.g., to the second chamber during extension) and/or consume excess fluid from the system (e.g., from the second chamber during retraction). These circuits, although imparting functionality to the associated systems, can increase cost and complexity of the system, while also consuming valuable space.
One method of improving the efficiency of a hydraulic system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,247 issued to Warner on Jul. 19, 2005 (the '247 patent). The '247 patent describes an open-loop hydraulic system having a pump configured to draw fluid from a low-pressure tank, pressurize the fluid, and direct the pressurized fluid into a boom actuator connected to pivot a boom of a machine. The system also includes an assist cylinder coupled to the boom of the machine, and an accumulator connected to one chamber of the assist cylinder. During movements of the boom from a high-potential energy position to a low-potential energy position (e.g., during lowering of the boom), gas within the assist cylinder is compressed. During a subsequent movement to the boom from the low potential energy position to the high potential energy position, the previously compressed gas is then allowed to expand and assist movement of the boom, thereby lowering an amount of energy required by the boom actuator to lift the boom.
Although the system of the '247 patent may help to improve efficiency through energy recuperation during an overrunning condition, it may still be less than optimal. In particular, the system may still be an open-loop system having associated throttling losses. In addition, because the system utilizes two different media (hydraulic fluid and compressible gas), the system may be overly complex and care should be taken to avoid cross-contamination of the media. Further, the system of the '247 patent may have no effect on the need for makeup or relief capacity in a closed-loop system.
The hydraulic system of the present disclosure is directed toward solving one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.

Closed-loop hydraulic system having energy recovery


A VR education system includes a teaching plan storage unit that stores the teaching plan for each lecture including lecture information and at least one keyword and key image, an instructor evaluation unit that converts the instructor's voice data, input through the voice module of the instructor's terminal, into text data by speech-to-text processing and compares the converted data with the teaching plan data stored in the teaching plan storage unit, an instructor recommendation unit that generates an instructor list in the order of matching rate, from highest to lowest, based on the matching rates calculated by the instructor evaluation unit, a lecture providing unit that provides the lecture of an instructor, selected from the instructor list from a trainee terminal, to the trainee terminal, and a lecture monitoring unit that monitors lectures in progress to detect any event that may occur during the lecture.

With the recent development of VR (Virtual Reality) technology, cases of incorporating VR technology in industrial settings are on the rise. For example, VR technology is increasingly being used in industrial sites for the purpose of providing safety experience training or facility operation experience.
Looking at the prior art in this field, Korean Patent Registration No. 10-2051568 discloses a VR training system and method that provides job training by reflecting various situations and characteristics of industrial sites, and Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0025959 discloses an industrial site simulation system that allows managers and trainees to more realistically grasp the operating state of equipment by introducing virtual reality to a simulator that monitors and controls the equipment at industrial sites and displays the operation status of each equipment on the screen.
However, in the industrial field, the conventional VR technology has been being used only by users to simply experience the VR content of a single predetermined scenario, so it has limitations in reflecting various situations and characteristics, as well as in collectively managing a large number of trainees and inducing their active participation.
Thus, there is a need for a study on a VR education system that induces active participation of trainees and provides a realistic virtual education environment.


An earphone connection interface, a terminal including the same, and a method of operating the terminal are provided. The earphone connection interface includes: a terminal left terminal, a terminal right terminal, a terminal ground terminal, an earphone detection terminal, and a terminal microphone terminal disposed sequentially along an inner wall of a cylindrical groove and an ear microphone bias voltage source electrically connected to the terminal microphone terminal; and a capacitor electrically connected to the terminal microphone terminal through a switch element.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to operation of an earphone device, and more particularly, to that an earphone connection interface, a terminal including the same, and a method of operating the terminal that can eliminate tick, pop or click noises which occur during the process of releasing an earphone device from the earphone connection interface.
Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, mobile terminals are widely used based on their capability to provide the user with increased mobility. Particularly, a mobile communication terminal that can perform audio dedicated communication while moving is a very popular mobile terminal which most people today use. The mobile communication terminal may also have various functions in addition to providing a function of transmitting and receiving communication information between speakers as a major function. For example, a conventional mobile terminal may have an MP3 function corresponding to an audio file reproduction function and an image collection function corresponding to a digital camera that can collect an image or a function corresponding to a multi media playback. Further, a conventional mobile terminal has a function that can perform execution of a mobile game or an arcade game.
In order to not disturb another person in an audio output process or in order for a single user alone to enjoy audio listening, a conventional mobile terminal provides an earphone system. Accordingly, the user can perform music listening, multimedia playback or broadcasting listening regardless of a time and a place using an earphone device. Here, as a plug of the earphone device is inserted into a cylindrical hole-shaped earphone connection interface of a terminal, a conventional earphone system adapts a system in which the terminal senses connection of the earphone device and activates the appropriate control and sound output functions. Particularly, for support of a microphone for a 4-way earphone device, a conventional earphone system provides a microphone terminal in an earphone connection interface of the terminal and provides a predetermined bias voltage to the microphone terminal, thereby supporting a microphone operation of the connected 4-way earphone device.
However, during a process of releasing the earphone device, because a bias voltage which is supplied to a microphone terminal of the earphone connection interface is maintained during the releasing process, the bias voltage that is provided to support microphone operation induces a tick noise to the earphone device. Particularly, while an earphone left terminal and an earphone right terminal formed in the plug of the earphone device are removed from an earphone connection interface, the earphone left terminal and the earphone right terminal contact with the microphone terminal while being removed and thus the bias voltage is sequentially induced to each of the earphone left terminal and the earphone right terminal and is thus output as noise to each of the earphone output units. Because such tick noise is generally annoying or irritating which a user or a person dislikes, many users experience inconvenience and annoyance when releasing the earphone device.

Earphone connection interface, terminal including the same, and method of operating terminal


A fuel tank includes an inlet port communicating with a fuel decelerating section of the tank in which the inflowing fuel is decelerated. The decelerated fuel is delivered to a fuel intake compartment of the tank which contains a filter. The filtered fuel is then delivered to a fuel storage area of the tank which includes a hose leading to an outlet port. A buoyant member is mounted on the inlet end of the hose to enable that inlet end to rise to or near the surface of fuel in the tank. Sediment drains are provided in the bottom of the tank for removing sediment from the fuel intake compartment and the fuel storage area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel tank for an oil heater, and more particularly to a fuel tank which enables only good quality fuel to be supplied to the burner of oil heater by preventing adulteration foreign objects during supply of oil into the burner.
The present invention further concerns a fuel tank for an oil heater which can prevent malfunction of the burner due to clogging of a fuel supply nozzle, thus maintaining appropriate combustion conditions for prevention of the generation of pollution and tars.
The present invention still further relates to a fuel tank of an oil burner which can make it easy to eliminate foreign objects flowing into the fuel tank.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The fuel tank of a conventional oil heater, as shown in FIG. 1 is composed of a symmetrical flange 70-3 of a front part 70-1 attached to another flange 70-4 of a rear part 70-2 by being welded thereto.
On a top wall 70-5 of the front part, there is provided a fuel intake 70-6 to which an intake filter 70-7 for the elimination of foreign objects from the oil is attached. On the flat bottom 70-8 of the tank, there is provided a drain for the elimination of sedimented foreign objects and on the lower part of a side wall, there is provided a fuel outlet 72 which is connected with a hose 71 reaching to the burner.
The conventional fuel tank 70 as constructed in this manner, though equipped with intake filter 70-7 for filtering foreign objects from the oil during fuel injection, has the tendency for foreign objects to be smeared at the intake filter due to the speed of the oil flowing into the tank, resulting in a clogging of the filter and insufficient filtering of foreign objects.
The conventional fuel tank also has the problem of foreign objects not being able to sediment quickly as the injected fuel shakes excessively due to the height difference between the fuel intake 70-6 and the bottom 70-8, resulting in some of the foreign objects not being sedimented but rather being supplied into the electronic pump P and burner B of the heater illustrated in FIG. 2.
Accordingly, the pumping capability of electronic pump P decreases due to the accumulation of foreign objects in the sophisticatated electronic pump and the electronic pump itself can be damaged due to the clogging of the fluid conduit of the electronic pump.
Furthermore, even if foreign objects can pass through the electronic pump P, the foreign objects can clog the nozzle (not shown) of the burner B or deteriorate the fuel supply function, causing a deterioration of heating capability as a well as generation of pollutions and tars due to incomplete combustion.
Still another problem is that, as the bottom 70-8 of fuel tank 70 is flat, the foreign objects cannot converge toward the drain and even if the foreign objects do converge, there is no way of telling how much of the foreign objects is accumulated, causing the user to lose the timing of eliminating the foreign objects.


An organic electroluminescent device contains a specific amine derivative represented by formula (1) as a hole-transportation material or light-emitting material, to thereby produce an organic EL device of high efficacy and prolonged service life.

The present invention relates to an amine derivative used in an organic electroluminescent device and similar devices.
In recent years, an organic electroluminescent device (hereinafter abbreviated as xe2x80x9corganic EL devicexe2x80x9d) has become of interest as a candidate for a flat display of high luminance which has never been attained. In accordance with this trend, organic EL devices have been the subject of active research and development efforts. An organic EL device has a structure in which a light-emitting layer is sandwiched by two electrodes. Holes injected from a positive electrode and electrons injected from a negative electrode are recombined within the light-emitting layer, to thereby emit light. Organic materials used for producing an organic EL device include high- and low-molecular-weight materials, and both types of materials are known to provide an organic EL device which can emit light of high luminance.
Organic EL devices are categorized into two types. A first type contains a charge-transporting layer which transports electrons and/or holes and to which a fluorescent dye is added, as has been described by C. W. Tang et al. (Journal of the Applied Physics, 65, 3,610 (1989)). The other type employs a fluorescent dye singly in a light-emitting layer (for example, a device described in Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 27, L269 (1988)).
Organic EL devices employing a fluorescent dye singly in a light-emitting layer are further classified into the following three types. A first type is directed to a three-layered device in which a light-emitting layer is sandwiched by a hole-transportation layer which transports only holes, which are a form of charge, and an electron-transportation layer, which transports only electrons. A second type is directed to a two-layered device in which a hole-transportation layer and a light-emitting layer are stacked. A third type is directed to a two-layered device in which an electron-transportation layer and a light-emitting layer are stacked. An organic EL device is known to have improved light-emitting efficacy when it has a two- or three-layered structure.
However, conventional, organic EL devices do not necessarily exhibit satisfactory performance in practical application. One major reason for this may be attributed to lack of durability of the material used in the devices, particularly hole-transportation material.
In addition, hole-transportation material used for conventional devices tends to combine with light-emitting material and electron-transportation material, which materials are also used for the devices, to thereby form an exciplex which yields poor device efficacy. Therefore, the types of light-emitting materials or electron-transportation materials which can be used have been limited.
A variety of materials centering on triphenylamine derivatives have been known as hole-transportation materials used for such organic EL devices, but few materials are suitable for practical use; i.e., few are materials which impose no limit on the types of other materials simultaneously used for the devices and which provide high light-emitting efficacy and long service life.
For example, there has been reported N,Nxe2x80x2-diphenyl-Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-di(3-methylphenyl)-4,4xe2x80x2-diaminobiphenyl (hereafter abbreviated as TPD) (Applied Physics Letter, Vol. 57, No. 6, p. 531, 1990). This compound is thermally unstable, and is disadvantageous in terms of the service life of the resultant device. Many other triphenylamine derivatives are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,047,687, 4,047,948, and 4,536,457 and in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) Nos. 5-239455 and 8-87122. However, none of these are satisfactory in terms of well-balanced characteristics in practical application.
In addition, star-burst amine derivatives disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) Nos. 4-308688 and 6-1972 and xe2x80x9cAdvanced Materialsxe2x80x9d Vol. 6, p. 677 (1994); and compounds disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) Nos. 7-126226, 7-126615, 7-331238, 7-97355, 8-48656, and 8-100172 and, xe2x80x9cJournal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communicationxe2x80x9d p. 2175 (1996) are unsatisfactory in terms of characteristics in practical application; i.e., they impose limitation of the types of other materials which is used simultaneously and fail to attain high light-emitting efficacy and long service life.
Incidentally, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 7-301927 discloses that a naphthylamine derivative is applied to electrophotography, but does not disclose application of the derivative to an organic EL device.
As described above, hole-transportation materials used in conventional organic EL devices do not exhibit satisfactory performance in practical application, and thus there is need for an excellent material that can enhance the light-emitting efficacy and service life of organic EL devices.
In order to solve the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an organic EL device which has high light-emitting efficacy and long service life, and a novel hole-transportation material and light-emitting material which are used in the EL device and which are not limited by other materials used simultaneously.
In view of the foregoing, the present inventors have conducted extensive studies in an attempt to solve the aforementioned problems involved in conventional organic EL devices, and have found that when a specific type of amine derivative is used, a resultant organic EL device has high light-emitting efficacy and long service life. The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of this finding.
Accordingly, in a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a specific amine compound represented by the following formula (1):
[wherein each of R1 to R20 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C1-C6 alkyl group, a C1-C6 alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group, and any of the substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or any of the substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group may form a condensed structure].
In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an organic electroluminescent device comprising an amine derivative represented by formula (1).
In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an organic electroluminescent device comprising a hole-transportation layer which contains an amine derivative represented by formula (1).
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an organic electroluminescent device comprising a light-emitting layer which contains an amine derivative represented by formula (1).
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an organic electroluminescent device comprising a hole-injection layer which contains an amine derivative represented by formula (1).
In a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hole-transportation material comprising an amine derivative represented by formula (1).
In a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light-emitting material comprising an amine derivative represented by formula (1).
The present invention will next be described in detail.
As described above, the organic EL device of the present invention comprises an amine derivative represented by formula (1), and the amine derivative mainly functions as a hole-transportation material, a light-emitting material, and/or a hole-injection material. The amine derivative per se may form one or more of a hole-transportation layer, a light-emitting layer, and a hole-injection layer, or may be contained in one or more of these layers.
The organic EL device of the present invention may be realized in a variety of modes. The device has a basic structure in which a layer containing an amine derivative represented by formula (1) is sandwiched by a pair of electrodes (a positive electrode and a negative electrode), and a hole-injection material, a hole-transportation material, a light-emitting material, an electron-injection material, or an electron-transportation material may optionally be incorporated into the amine-derivative-containing layer. Alternatively, a hole-injection layer, a hole-transportation layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron-injection layer, or an electron-transportation layer containing these materials may be formed other than the amine-derivative-containing layer.
Specific structural examples of the organic EL device of the present invention include stacked-layer structures such as (1) positive electrode/layer containing an amine derivative of the present invention/negative electrode; (2) positive electrode/layer containing an amine derivative of the present invention/light-emitting layer/negative electrode; (3) positive electrode/layer containing an amine derivative of the present invention/light-emitting layer/electron-injection layer/negative electrode; (4) positive electrode/hole-injection layer/layer containing an amine derivative of the present invention/light-emitting layer/electron-injection layer/negative electrode; (5) positive electrode/layer containing an amine derivative of the present invention/hole-transportation layer/light-emitting layer/electron-injection layer/negative electrode; and (6) positive electrode/hole-injection layer/layer containing an amine derivative of the present invention/electron-injection layer/negative electrode. The structure of the organic EL device is not limited thereto.
In the above cases, a hole-injection layer and an electron-injection layer are not always necessary, but provision of these layers further enhances light-emitting efficacy of the EL device.
When a layer containing an amine derivative of the present invention is used as a light-emitting layer, addition of another light-emitting material may change the color of emitted light and enhance light-emitting efficacy of the organic EL device.
The organic EL device of the present invention, having any of the structures listed above, is preferably supported by a substrate. No particular limitation is imposed on the material of the substrate, and conventionally used material for the substrate of an organic EL device; for example, glass, transparent plastic, conductive polymer, or quartz, may be used.
Each layer of the organic EL device of the present invention may be produced by subjecting a material of the layer to a conventional processing method; for example, a vapor deposition method, a spin-coating method, or a casting method, to thereby form a thin film.
No particular limitation is imposed on the thickness of the thus-formed layer; for example, a light-emitting layer. The thickness may be arbitrarily chosen, and is usually chosen from a range of 2 nm-5,000 nm.
With regard to materials of the positive electrode in the organic EL device of the present invention, there may preferably be used a metal, an alloy, an electrically conductive compound, or a mixture thereof having a work function of 4 eV or more.
Specific examples of the positive electrode materials include metals such as Au; and dielectric transparent materials such as CuI, indium tin oxide (hereinafter abbreviated as ITO), SnO2, and ZnO.
The positive electrode may be produced by subjecting the aforementioned material to vapor deposition or sputtering to thereby form a thin film.
In order to attain emission from the positive electrode, the percent transmission of the positive electrode is preferably 10% or more, and the sheet resistance of the positive electrode is preferably some hundreds xcexa9/mm or less. The thickness of the positive electrode, which depends on the material, is usually determined within a range of 10 nm-1 xcexcm, preferably 10-400 nm.
With regard to materials of the negative electrode, there may preferably be used a metal, an alloy, an electrically conductive compound, or a mixture thereof having a work function of 4 eV or less. Specific examples of the negative electrode materials include calcium, magnesium, lithium, aluminum, magnesium alloys, lithium alloys, aluminum alloys, aluminum/lithium mixtures, magnesium/silver mixtures, and indium.
The negative electrode may be produced by subjecting the aforementioned material to vapor deposition or sputtering to thereby form a thin film. The sheet resistance of the negative electrode is preferably some hundreds xcexa9/mm or less. The thickness of the negative electrode is usually determined within a range of 10 nm-1 xcexcm, preferably 50-200 nm.
In the organic EL device of the present invention, either or both of the positive electrode and the negative electrode are preferably transparent or semi-transparent so as to enhance output efficacy of emission through the EL device.
As described above, the organic EL device of the present invention may be realized in a variety of modes. In the organic EL device of each mode, a hole-injection layer or hole-transportation layer comprises a hole-transmission compound, and has a function of transmitting to a light-emitting layer holes injected from a positive electrode. Therefore, when the hole-injection layer or hole-transportation layer is provided between the positive electrode and the light-emitting layer, a large amount of holes are injected to the light-emitting layer at a lower electrical field. In addition, electrons injected from a negative electrode or electron-injection layer can be confined in the light-emitting layer, to thereby enhance light-emitting efficacy. Thus, the obtained organic EL device can exhibit excellent light-emitting performance.
The amine derivative used in the organic EL device of the present invention exhibits excellent ability to inject and transport holes, and to confine electrons. Therefore, the organic EL device of the present invention exhibits high light-emitting efficacy.
Specific examples of the amine derivative of the present invention include compounds represented by the following formulas (2) through (15).
These compounds may be synthesized through a known synthesis method; for example, any of the methods described in Examples of the present specification. Specifically, a metallic reagent such as alkyllithium is added to a solution of triarylamine halide at low temperature in an inert gas atmosphere, and the resultant mixture is stirred. Subsequently, zinc chloride or a similar compound is further added to the mixture, and the resultant mixture is stirred for replacement of the metallic reagent with a metallic reagent which promotes a coupling reaction. A solution of another triarylamine halide and a coupling catalyst such as dichlorobis(triphenylphosphine)palladium are added to the resultant mixture for reaction, to thereby obtain the compound of the present invention. No particular limitation is imposed on the type of inert gas which is used herein, so long as the gas does not impede the reaction. For example, nitrogen gas or argon gas may be used. Examples of metallic reagents which may be used include n-butyllithium, sec-butyllithium, tert-butyllithium, phenyllithium, lithium, and magnesium. No particular limitation is imposed on the reaction temperature, and the reaction is usually carried out at a temperature within a range of xe2x88x92150xc2x0 C. to 100xc2x0 C., preferably xe2x88x92100xc2x0 C. to room temperature. Examples of metals which promote a coupling reaction include magnesium, tin, zinc, and boron. A coupling catalyst is preferably a metal complex of palladium or nickel. No particular limitation is imposed on the type of reaction solvent, so long as the solvent does not impede the reaction, and an ether solvent such as diethyl ether, butyl methyl ether, or tetrahydrofuran (hereinafter abbreviated as THF) is usually used.
With regard to a hole-injection material and hole-transportation material that are used in the organic EL device of the present invention, there may be used an arbitrary material selected from materials which have conventionally been used as charge-transportation materials for holes among photoconductive materials and from known materials which are used in a hole-injection layer or a hole-transportation layer of an organic EL device.
Examples of such materials include carbazole derivatives (e.g., N-phenylcarbazole and polyvinylcarbazole); triarylamine derivatives (e.g., TPD, polymers having an aromatic tertiary amine in a main or side chain, 1,1-bis(4-di-p-tolylaminophenyl)cyclohexane, N,Nxe2x80x2-diphenyl-N,Nxe2x80x2-dinaphthyl-4,4xe2x80x2-diaminobiphenyl, 4,4xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x3-tris{N-(3-methylphenyl)-N-phenylamino}triphenylamine, a compound described in xe2x80x9cJournal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communicationsxe2x80x9d p. 2175 (1996), compounds disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) Nos. 57-144558, 61-62038, 61-124949, 61-134354, 61-134355, 61-112164, 4-308688, 6-312979, 6-267658, 7-90256, 7-97355, 6-1972, 7-126226, 7-126615, 7-331238, 8-100172, and 8-48656, and a star-burst amine derivative described in xe2x80x9cAdvanced Materialsxe2x80x9d Vol. 6, p. 677 (1994)); stilbene derivatives (e.g., a compound described in Proceedings (II) of the 72nd annual spring convention of The Chemical Society of Japan, p. 1392, 2PB098); phthalocyanine derivatives (e.g., metal-free phthalocyanine, copper phthalocyanine); and polysilane.
Each of a hole-injection layer and a hole-transportation layer of the organic EL device of the present invention may be formed of a single layer containing at least one species of the above-described compounds, or may be formed of a plurality of hole-injection layers laminated one on another, in which the layers contain different species of the compounds.
The amine derivative of the present invention is suitable for use as a light-emitting material, due to introduction of a phenylnaphthylene group. In particular, the amine derivative emits blue light, and the emission color of the organic EL device may be changed by incorporation of another light-emitting material of blue, green, or red color.
Incidentally, a compound used in a layer that constitutes the organic EL device of the present invention preferably forms no exciplex with a compound used in another layer. The amine derivative of the present invention has an advantage in that it rarely forms an exciplex with another compound. This is considered to be attributed to introduction of a phenylnaphthylene group.
In the organic EL device of the present invention of each mode, an electron-transportation layer comprises an electron-transmission compound, and has a function of transmitting to a light-emitting layer electrons injected from a negative electrode.
No particular limitation is imposed on the type of electron-transmission compound, and an employed compound may be arbitrarily selected from known compounds. Examples of such preferred electron-transmission compounds include diphenylquinone derivatives (e.g., those described in Denshi-Shashin Gakkai-shi, 30, 3 (1991)); perylene derivatives (e.g., those described in J. Apply. Phys., 27, 269 (1988)); oxadiazole derivatives (e.g., those described in the above-described literature, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 27, L713 (1988), or Appl. Phys. Lett., 55, 1489 (1989)); thiophene derivatives (e.g., those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application (kokai) No. 4-212286); triazole derivatives (e.g., those described in Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 32, L917 (1993)); thiadiazole derivatives (e.g., those described in the 43rd Proceedings of The Society of Polymer Science, Japan, (III) Pla007); metal complexes of an oxine derivative (e.g., those described in the technical research report of Denshi Joho Tsushin Gakkai, 92 (311), 43 (1992)); polymers of quinoxaline derivative (e.g., those described in Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 33, L250 (1994)); and phenanthroline derivatives (e.g., those described in the 43rd Proceedings of Kobunshi Toronkai, 14J07).
With regard to other light-emitting materials used in the organic EL device of the present invention, there may be used known light-emitting materials, such as daylight fluorescent materials, fluorescent brighteners, laser dyes, organic scintillators, and reagents for fluorescent analysis, as described in xe2x80x9cHikari Kino Zairyoxe2x80x9d in Kobunshi Kino Zairyo series, published by Kyoritsu Shuppan (1991), P236, edited by The Society of Polymer Science, Japan.
Specifically, examples of preferred light-emitting materials include polycondensed ring compounds such as anthracene, phenanthrene, pyrene, chrysene, perylene, coronene, rubrene, and quinacridone; oligophenylene compounds such as quaterphenyl; scintillators for liquid scintillation such as 1,4-bis(2-methylstyryl)benzene, 1,4-bis(4-methylstyryl)benzene, 1,4-bis(4-methyl-5-phenyl-2-oxazolyl)benzene, 1,4-bis(5-phenyl-2-oxazolyl)benzene, 2,5-bis(5-tert-butyl-2-benzoxazolyl)thiophene, 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, or 1,1,4,4-tetraphenyl-1,3-butadiene; a metal complex of an oxine derivative disclosed in Japanese Patent Application (kokai) No. 63-264692; coumarin dyes; dicyanomethylenepyran dyes; dicyanomethylenethiopyran dyes; polymethine dyes; oxobenzanthracene dyes; xanthene dyes; carbostyryl dyes; perylene dyes; an oxazine compound disclosed in German Patent No. 2534713; a stilbene derivative described in the Proceedings of the 40th Joint Lecture of Applied Physics, 1146 (1993); a spiro compound disclosed in Japanese Patent Application (kokai) No. 7-278537; and an oxadiazole compound disclosed in Japanese Patent Application (kokai) No. 4-363891.
An example preferred method for producing an organic EL device by use of the amine derivative of the present invention will next be described. Specifically, a method for producing an organic EL device formed of the above-described positive electrode/layer containing the amine derivative of the present invention/negative electrode will be described. A thin film comprising a desired electrode substance; for example, a positive electrode substance, is formed on an appropriate substrate through vapor disposition of sputtering so as to attain a film thickness; of 1 xcexcm or less, preferably 10-200 nm, to thereby form a positive electrode. Subsequently, a thin film comprising the amine derivative is formed on the positive electrode.
In order to form a thin film of the amine derivative, a spin-coating method, a casting method, or a vapor deposition method may be employed. Of these methods, a vapor deposition method is preferably employed in consideration that a homogeneous film is easy to produce and the film is not prone to generation of pinholes.
When a thin film is formed through vapor deposition, the desirable vapor deposition conditions are typically determined within the following ranges: boat heating temperature of 50-400xc2x0 C., degree of vacuum of 10xe2x88x926-10xe2x88x923 Pa, vapor deposition rate of 0.01-50 nm/sec, substrate temperature of xe2x88x92150 to +300xc2x0 C., and film thickness of 5 nm to 5 xcexcm, in accordance with the species of amine derivatives used in a layer containing an amine derivative and the desired crystal structure and association state of a molecular accumulated film.
After completion of formation of a layer containing the amine derivative, a thin film comprising a substance for forming a negative electrode is formed on the layer through vapor deposition or sputtering, so as to attain a film thickness of 1 xcexcm or less, to thereby produce a negative electrode. Thus, a desired organic EL device is obtained.
Alternatively, in production of the above-described organic EL device, the procedure may be performed in the reverse manner; i.e., successively forming a negative electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a positive electrode, in this sequence.
DC voltage is applied to the thus-obtained organic EL device, with polarity such that the positive electrode has positive (+) potential and the negative electrode has negative (xe2x88x92) potential. When the application voltage is approximately 2-40 V, emission is observed from a transparent or semi-transparent electrode (either the positive electrode, the negative electrode, or both).
The organic EL device of the present invention emits light when AC voltage is applied thereto. The applied AC voltage may have an arbitrary waveform.
As described above, the organic EL device of the present invention exhibits not only high light-emitting efficacy but also excellent durability during storage and in use. This is because the amine derivative of the present invention has a glass transition point (hereinafter abbreviated as Tg). The organic EL device of the present invention preferably comprises an amine derivative having a Tg of 80xc2x0 C. or higher, more preferably a compound having a Tg of 100xc2x0 C. or higher.
In general, each of layers constituting an organic EL device is amorphous, and crystallization of the layer may result in breakage of the organic EL device. Thus, a material having a high Tg is preferably used in an organic EL device. For example, N-phenyl-N-(3-methylphenyl)-4-{4-(N-phenyl-N-naphthyl)aminophenyl}naphthylamine represented by the aforementioned formula (2) (hereinafter abbreviated as PMPNAPN), an example of the amine derivative of the present invention, has a Tg of 107xc2x0 C., which is approximately 40xc2x0 C. higher than that of TPD.
A display apparatus comprising an organic EL device may be used or stored in a high-temperature location; for example, in a greenhouse or car, or in a location exposed to direct sunlight. In order to endure such harsh conditions, a material having a high Tg is used in an organic EL device, to thereby prolong the service life of the device.

Amine derivative and organic electroluminescent device using the same