A high-performance optical device is provided. An optical device includes a first transmitting portion that is disposed at the center of a predetermined area in a first substrate, a light-receiving portion that receives light passing through the first transmitting portion, N light-emitting portions (N is an integer of 2 or more) that are disposed around the first transmitting portion in the predetermined area, and a control circuit that controls the light-emitting portions. The control circuit is functionally divided into N control portions, namely, first to N-th control portions. The N control portions are disposed in areas overlapping the N light-emitting portions, respectively, when viewed from above. The optical device can reduce noise light and achieve a high S/N ratio, and also the sensitivity of the optical device can be improved.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of optical devices.
2. Related Art
In recent years, some biometric devices and image scanners have a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion that are disposed on the same side with respect to a subject (e.g., a part of a living body, an original, and the like) placed on a reading area and read an image of the subject by irradiating the subject with light from the light-emitting portion and receiving the reflected light with the light-receiving portion. For example, JP-A-2009-172263 discloses a biological information acquisition device that captures a vein image of the finger by irradiating the finger with light (near-infrared light) emitted from a light source using a plurality of reflecting surfaces formed on a rear surface of a light guide plate, and receiving light reflected from the finger with a light receiving element having a plurality of pixels.
However, there is a problem with the biological information acquisition device disclosed in JP-A-2009-172263 in that it is difficult to capture a sharp image. That is to say, the emitted light (noise light) that may possibly have a larger light quantity than the reflected light (signal light), from which information should be read, is introduced into the light receiving element, resulting in a decrease in the ratio of the signal light to the noise light (S/N ratio). The reasons for this are that the light guide plate that guides the emitted light from the light source, which has a larger light quantity than the reflected light, is present on optical paths (on straight lines extending from the respective pixels in a vertical direction) of the reflected light incident on the pixels, and that a part of the emitted light from the light source is transmitted through a low refractive index layer and a reflective layer (semi-reflective layer) that are formed on the rear surface side of the light guide plate and leaks to the side of the light receiving element. Consequently, there is a problem in that the light receiving element cannot accurately receive the reflected light from the finger.


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having an outer rim, a plurality of switchable cells defining an active area, and an edge termination region arranged between the switchable cells defining the active area and the outer rim. Each of the switchable cells includes a body region, a gate electrode structure and a source region. A source metallization is in ohmic contact with the source regions of the switchable cells. A gate metallization is in ohmic contact with the gate electrode structures of the switchable cells. The active area defined by the switchable cells includes at least a first switchable region having a specific gate-drain capacitance which is different to a specific gate-drain capacitance of a second switchable region.

Semiconductor switching devices having large chip area are provided with gate signal emitters or gate runner structures such as gate pads, gate rings, or gate fingers for transferring an external switching signal provided by external circuitry to an ensemble of switchable cells arranged in an active area of the semiconductor switching device.
Cells located at or in the proximity of an outer rim of the chip area where the gate metallization such as the gate runner structure is located can receive an external switching signal at a time before the external switching signal can reach switchable cells located in an inner region of the chip area. In particular, if a transient switching signal for a short duration occurs, only those cells close to gate signal emitters are addressed, and thus switched. The cells close to the gate signal emitters must therefore carry the full load current which can result in a current per cell higher than the rated current. Furthermore, this kind of inhomogeneous distribution of the external switching signal across the chip area can prevent the switchable cells from switching concurrently. Simultaneous operation of the switchable cells is thus not ensured and inhomogeneous switching can occur.
In view of the above, there is a need for improvement.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Semiconductor switching device with different local cell geometry


Multiple cell tabs are effectively joined in a cost-effective and more consistent manner that can result in less mass and volume per interconnect. Cell tabs can be made of a material that is sufficiently thick enough to be able to carry several times the current of other tabs. The tabs are notched to engage an interconnecting member where the notching is performed in the same stage as making individual cell tab bends. Once the cell tabs are notched and bent, they are then positioned together such that the notched portions lie on the interconnecting member in a flat, side-by-side manner, all at the same height. The cell tabs are then held closely to the interconnect and laser-welded.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Multi-cell electrochemical devices, also referred to as battery cell stacks or multi-cell battery modules, can be used for a variety of applications, including powering various electronic devices, for vehicle propulsion, etc. While battery designs such as alkaline, voltaic pile, and lead-acid batteries are used in various household and industrial applications, evolving battery types such as nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH), lithium ion, and lithium ion polymer batteries display particular utility in emerging electric and hybrid gas/electric vehicle propulsion applications, due in part to increases in energy densities. Such batteries can be selectively rechargeable, for example, either as plug-in style batteries or onboard during a regenerative braking event, depending on the particular configuration of a vehicle.
In certain battery cells, electrode and separator sheets of adjacent cells can be laminated onto each other in order to provide a variety of cell stacking geometries and other cell configurations, whether aboard a vehicle or for other non-vehicular applications. For example, battery cells can be positioned adjacent one another, and their respective conductive terminals or cell tabs can be connected together in a particular manner suitable for completing the electrical circuit. In some cases, multiple tabs of the same or similar materials can be joined to another material, such as an interconnecting member, using ultrasonic welding methods. These methods, however, can result in variations in weld quality as portions of the ultrasonic tooling (e.g., horn and anvil) wear during use. Such wear also affects welding performance and presents an ongoing tooling expense. Moreover, the geometry and position of the interconnecting member relative to the cell tabs has to accommodate the ultrasonic welding apparatus, thereby limiting aspects of the multi-cell device design and configuration.

Method for joining multiple parallel tabs


The present invention directed to an at least substantially pore-free polyurethane prepared by reacting at least one polyisocyanate and a component containing a partial carboxylic acid ester which is the reaction product of a carboxylic acid and an at least trihydric alcohol in quantities such that at least one of the hydroxyl groups of said alcohol is not esterified.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to polyurethane molding compounds (PUR compounds) which are pore-free or at least substantially pore-free.
2. Description of the Invention
The production of casting resins, for example for the electrical field, by the reaction of organic polyisocyanates with polyhydroxyl compounds is known (cf. for example Kunststoff-Handbuch, Vol. VII, "Polyurethane", by Becker/Braun, Carl Hanser Verlag Munchen, Wien (1983), pages 410 to 425). Moldings produced in this way which are suitable for use as insulators in the electrical industry, have to be basically pore-free and foam-free, so that particular importance is also attributed in the prior art to the careful degassing and drying of the starting materials, particularly the polyhydroxyl compounds. In general, water-absorbing agents such as (anhydrous) zeolites, are added to the reaction mixtures in order safely to prevent bubble formation produced by the reaction of isocyanate groups with water which is accompanied by the evolution of carbon dioxide. On the other hand, the presence of water during hardening is unavoidable in certain applications, for example in the case of cable jointing compounds, which have to be processed in the open, even in poor weather conditions. In this case, pronounced foaming occurs in the case of standard PUR casting compounds based on usual polyetherpolyols with the result that the insulating effect of the casting resin is seriously impaired, even when measures are taken to ensure that the starting materials are free from water by storing the starting materials in the absence of atmospheric moisture and adding water-absorbing agents.
Foaming does not occur when castor oil is used instead of polyether polyols. However, this natural product is subject to considerable quality fluctuations and, in addition, PUR molding compounds based on this polyester polyol are extremely vulnerable to hydrolysis whenever the hardened molding material comes into contact with moisture. Another disadvantage of compounds based on castor oil is that they turn brittle during prolonged storage and relatively high temperatures (above 50.degree. C.). The casting resin compounds gradually develop cracks which adversely affect their electrical insulating power.
Glass-fiber-containing laminates of polyisocyanates and commercially available polyether polyols are porous and hence unusable. Bubble formation cannot be prevented even by careful drying of the glass fibers and polyether polyols or by the addition of water-absorbing agents.
Fatty acid-modified polyisocyanates and fatty acid-modified polyurethanes are also described as paint binders in the literature (Kunststoff Handbuch, No. 7, Polyurethane, 1983, pages 86, 87). These binders are solid resins or resins of very high viscosity which are dissolved in paint solvents and applied in this form. Due to their solvent content, they are unsuitable for the production of polyurethane resin molding materials in accordance with the present invention using low viscosity, solvent-free components.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved process for the production of pore-free polyurethane molding compounds which, in particular, are also suitable for processing together with fibers, particularly glass fibers.

At least substantially pore-free polyurethane molding compounds


A D-D portable neutron generator-based PGNAA setup is designed and tested for nitrogen concentration measurements in bulk samples. The PGNAA set up response was tested through 2.50 MeV and 2.52 MeV nitrogen prompt gamma ray yield measurements and indicates that the excellent performance of the portable neutron generator-based PGNAA setup can be used for detection of elements with low thermal neutron capture cross-section.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a D-D portable neutron generator apparatus using prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) comprising a portable neutron generator, a high density polyethylene (HDP) cylinder, a cylindrical gamma ray detector, a lead shield, and a neutron shield.
2. Description of the Related Art
The "background" description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
The prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) technique is widely used for in situ elemental analysis of bulk samples in several scientific disciplines including environmental, industrial, and health sciences (R. L. Paul and R. M. Lindstrom, "Prompt gamma-ray activation analysis: fundamentals and applications," Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, vol. 243, no. 1, pp. 181-189, 2000 incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Its area of application ranges from quality-control tasks in mining and environmental (D. L. Chichester, J. D. Simpson, and M. Lemchak, "Advanced compact accelerator neutron generator technology for active neutron interrogation field work," Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, vol. 271, no. 3, pp. 629-637, 2007; Z. Idiri, H. Mazrou, A. Amokrane, and S. Bedek, "Characterization of an Am—Be PGNAA set up developed for in situ liquid analysis: application to domestic waste water and industrial liquid effluents analysis," Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, vol. 268, no. 2, pp. 213-218, 2010; A. A. Naqvi, M. S. Al-Anezi, Z. Kalakada et al., "Response tests of a LaCl3:Ce scintillation detector with low energy prompt gamma rays from boron and cadmium," Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 70, no. 5, pp. 882-887, 2012; A. A. Naqvi, Z. Kalakada, M. S. Al-Anezi et al., "Low energy prompt gamma-ray tests of a large volume BGO detector," Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 70, no. 1, pp. 222-226, 2012—each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) and building construction industries (R. A. Livingston, M. Al-Sheikhly, and A. B. Mohamed, "Numerical simulation of the PGNA signal from chlorine diffusion gradients in concrete," Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 68, no. 4-5, pp. 679-682, 2010—incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) to contraband detection for homeland security in concealed containers (A. Buffler and J. Tickner, "Detecting contraband using neutrons: challenges and future directions," RadiationMeasurements, vol. 45, no. 10, pp. 1186-1192, 2010; E. H. Seabury, "PINS measurements of explosive stimulants for cargo screening," Report no. INL/EXT-08-14053, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Id., USA, 2008; E. H. Seabury, J. C. Wharton, and A. J. Caffrey, "Response of a LaBr3:Ce detector to 2 11 MeV gamma rays," Report no. INL/CON-06-11300, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Id., USA, 2006; E. H. Seabury and A. J. Caffrey, "Explosive detection and identification by PGNAA," Report no. INEEL/EXT-04-02475, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Id., USA, 2004; D. Strelllis and T. Gozani, "Classifying threat with a 14 MeV neutron interrogation system," Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 63, no. 5-6, pp. 799-803, 2005—each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Prompt gamma rays can be excited in samples via thermal neutron capture (nth, γ) reaction and fast neutron inelastic scattering (n, nγ) reactions.
Former reaction is used for elements with appreciable thermal neutrons capture cross-sections, while later reaction is used for elements with negligible thermal neutron capture cross-section. Therefore prompt gamma rays produced via 14 MeV neutron inelastic scattering from elements are used to measure C, N, and O concentrations in bulk samples (P. A. Dokhale, J. Csikai, and L. Ol^Ah, "Investigations on neutron-induced prompt gamma ray analysis of bulk samples," Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 54, no. 6, pp. 967-971, 2001; P. A. Dokhale, J. Csikai, and L. Ol^Ah, "Investigations on neutron-induced prompt gamma ray analysis of bulk samples," Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 54, no. 6, pp. 967-971, 2001; C. Eleon, B. Perot, C. Carasco, D. Sudac, J. Obhodas, and V. Valkovic, "Experimental and MCNP simulated gamma-ray spectra for the UNCOSS neutron-based explosive detector," Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, vol. 629, no. 1, pp. 220-229, 2011; A. V. Kuznetsov, A. V. Evsenin, I. Y. Gorshkov, O. I. Osetrov, and D. N. Vakhtin, "Detection of buried explosives using portable neutron sources with nanosecond timing," Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 51-57, 2004; A. A. Naqvi, F. A. Al-Matouq, F. Z. Khiari, A. A. Isab, Khateebur-Rehman, and M. Raashid, "Prompt gamma tests of LaBr3:Ce and BGO detectors for detection of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen in bulk samples," Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, vol. 684, pp. 82-87, 2012; B. Perota, C. Carasco, S. Bernard et al., "Measurement of 14 MeV neutron-induced prompt gamma-ray spectra from 15 elements found in cargo containers," Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 421-434, 2008—each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Due to interference of weak intensity nitrogen prompt gamma rays with oxygen gamma rays, detection of nitrogen in bulk samples is a tedious task in 14 MeV neutron inelastic scattering studies. In spite of small thermal neutron capture cross-section, nitrogen can also be detected via prompt gamma ray studies in thermal neutron capture reaction studies (A. Favalli, H.-C. Mehner, V. Ciriello, and B. Pedersen, "Investigation of the PGNAA using the LaBr3 scintillation detector," Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 68, no. 4-5, pp. 901-904, 2010; A. T. Farsoni and S. A. Mireshghi, "Design and evaluation of a TNA explosive-detection system to screen carry-on luggage," Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, vol. 248, no. 3, pp. 695-697, 2001—each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Conventionally, nitrogen detection in bulk sample via thermal neutron capture is carried out using a 252Cf neutron source.

Nitrogen detection in bulk samples using a D-D reaction-based portable neutron generator

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals


An exposure apparatus which includes a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate and exposes the substrate to light via the reticle and the projection optical system with a gap between the projection optical system and the substrate filled with liquid, comprises a liquid immersion system configured to supply the liquid to the gap and to recover the liquid from the gap; and a generator configured to generate at least one of an electric field and magnetic field in a path of the liquid of the liquid immersion system.

In a process of manufacturing a highly integrated device such as a semiconductor device or liquid crystal display device, a reduction projection exposure apparatus using a reduction projection optical system to transfer a circuit pattern drawn on an original onto a substrate coated with a photosensitive agent is adopted. To further increase the degree of integration of a semiconductor, an exposure apparatus is demanded to resolve a further micronized pattern. In order to attain high resolution of the exposure apparatus, it is common practice to shorten the exposure wavelength or increase the numerical aperture (NA) of a projection optical system. As the NA increases, the depth of focus DOF decreases. The relationship between these factors can be expressed by:resolution R=k1λ/NAdepth of focus DOF=±k2λ/NA2 where λ is the wavelength of exposure light, NA is the numerical aperture of the projection optical system, and k1 and k2 are process coefficients.
As for the exposure wavelength, an i-line having a wavelength of 365 nm, a KrF excimer laser which emits light having a wavelength of 248 nm, an ArF excimer laser which emits light having a wavelength of 193 nm, and an F2 excimer laser which emits light having a wavelength of 157 nm have been developed, so an increase in resolution of the exposure apparatus has been realized. To achieve a higher resolution in the future, an exposure apparatus using a soft X-ray (also called EUV (Extreme Ultra Violet) Light) having a wavelength of 13.5 nm is also under development.
As for the numerical aperture (NA) of the projection optical system, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-124873 and WO 99/49504, a liquid immersion method has received a great deal of attention, which fills the region between the exposure target substrate and the exit surface of the projection optical system with a liquid. As is obvious from the above relation and a nature in which the NA is proportional to the refractive index of the region, the resolution of the exposure apparatus is inversely proportional to the refractive index of the region. The liquid immersion method is implemented using this nature. Letting λ0, λa, and λ1 be the wavelengths and n0, na, and n1 be the refractive indices of exposure light in a vacuum, air, and an immersion liquid, respectively, the relationship between the resolution R1 and the depth of focus DOF1 in liquid immersion exposure is expressed by:resolution R1=k1λ1/NA=k1(λ0/n1)NA=k1(λa/na)/n1NA≈k1λa/n1NA (from na≈1)depth of focus DOF1=±k2λ1/NA2=±k2(λ0/n1)/NA2=±k2(λa/na)/n1NA2≈±k2λa/naNA2 (from na≈1)=±n1 k2λa/(n1NA)2
As is obvious from the above equation, the use of the liquid immersion method increases the resolving power to 1/n1 times. This amounts to using exposure light having a wavelength 1/n1 times or using a projection optical system having a numerical aperture n1 times without using the liquid immersion method. As for the depth of focus, the use of the liquid immersion method increases it to n1 times that without using the liquid immersion method.
In the above liquid immersion method, an imaging failure may occur when micro-bubbles enter the exposure optical path in an immersion liquid and shield it. Also, since the micro-bubbles burst at a high pressure upon extinction, a photosensitive film may be damaged by the impact of the pressure. By excessively degassing the liquid in a vacuum using a degasser, it is possible to shorten the life of the generated micro-bubbles. However, since the degasser has a structure which requires a space to accommodate, it must be installed at a position largely spaced apart from the substrate. Therefore, micro-bubbles may be generated in the path from the degasser to the substrate when turbulence is generated due to the unevenness of a pipe or nozzle or when a gas is trapped in the liquid in a region where the gas comes into contact with the liquid. As the amount of micro-bubbles generated gets higher than the saturated dissolution amount in the liquid, the generated micro-bubbles remain in the liquid. Even if all the micro-bubbles generated can be dissolved in the liquid, a predetermined time is required for dissolution to occur. Therefore, an imaging failure may occur upon shielding the optical path before dissolution. Also, a photosensitive film may be damaged by the impact of a pressure acting upon extinction of the bubbles.

Exposure apparatus and method, and device manufacturing method


A first server device includes a server processor configured to perform a server processing task. The first server device also includes a network switch. The network switch of the first server device is directly connected to a higher level network switch. The network switch of the first server device is directly connected to a second server device that includes another server processor and another network switch.

Classic data center network architecture typically relies on large scale network switches that can handle large amount of network traffic. Tiers of network switches are utilized to increase network capacity and to provide redundancy. As the number of servers in a data center increases, so does the number of large network switches required to connect them. One of the greatest operational challenges of data centers is power management. Network switches are one of the largest sources of power consumption in data centers. Because network switches are often in critical network paths in a data center, they are typically required to be always fully powered regardless of the amount of load on the data center. Thus, there is a need for a more efficient way to implement and manage network switches

Distributed network switches of data centers


An apparatus and a method for managing an address book in a portable wireless terminal, allowing users to easily input private information into the apparatus. The apparatus includes an RFID recognition section for receiving information transmitted from an RFID chip after transmission of an electric wave, storing and reading received information, and converting read data into data suitable for an address book; a display section for displaying data for the address book management; a user command input section for inputting a command for the address book management by a user; an address book storage section for storing private information; and a control section for controlling an operation of the RFID recognition section, so as to transmit the converted data to the address book storage section according to a user command, thereby storing the data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for managing an address book in a portable wireless terminal, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for managing an address book in a portable wireless terminal for allowing users to easily input private or personal information into the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in order to store a telephone number in a portable wireless terminal, a user directly inputs the telephone number by using a key pad, pushes a store button (a button or key for performing a store function from among menu keys), and must input a corresponding person's name by using the key pad.
FIG. 1 is a view showing a telephone directory screen displayed in a conventional wireless terminal.
In order to input or modify new information in a telephone directory or an address book in the wireless terminal, a user must directly change to an input mode and input data by using a key pad. Further, when information regarding one person includes a facsimile number or an e-mail address in addition to a plurality of telephone numbers (e.g. a home telephone number, company/school telephone numbers, and cell phone number), the user is required to spend much more time and effort. Accordingly, as operations for inputting, modifying, or deleting information become complex, it becomes more troublesome and time-consuming for the user.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 designates an initial address book screen. Further, reference numerals 102 and 103 designate screens sequentially displayed when an item '4. telephone number registration' is selected from the initial screen. That is, these screens are screens to which various telephone numbers, an e-mail address, a bell sound, and a memo, which can be inputted with respect to one name, are inputted. Further, when corresponding data are inputted, an abbreviation number corresponding to each data is displayed in a part marked by a symbol '[-]'.
FIG. 2 is a view showing a card including various information.
Typically, the card includes a name, a company name, a company address, a telephone number, a wireless terminal number, an e-mail address, and may further include other information. Most of the information is similar to the contents of an address book management menu in a wireless terminal. However, in order to store information, which is included in the card, in the wireless terminal such as a cell phone, since a user must directly read and select information one by one to input selected information, it takes more time and effort. Further, incorrect information may be stored in the wireless terminal due to an error occurring when information is inputted.

Apparatus and method for managing address book in portable wireless terminal having a radio frequency identification (RFID) recognition section


Battery pack 10 may include rechargeable battery 12 and remaining capacity indicating circuit 14 for indicating the remaining capacity of the battery 12. Remaining capacity indicating circuit 14 may be coupled to the battery 12 via first switch SW1. When first switch SW1 is turned ON, a current flows from battery 12 to remaining capacity indicating circuit 14. When the first switch SW1 is turned OFF, the current flowing from battery 12 to remaining capacity indicating circuit 14 is turned OFF. The first switch SW1 may be coupled to first voltage detecting circuit (R2, R3) for detecting the voltage of battery 12. When the voltage that is being detected of battery 12 falls below a first predetermined value, first switch SW1 is turned off. Battery pack 10 may further include cut-off circuit (SW2, R4, R5) that cuts off the flow of current from battery 12 to first voltage detecting circuit (R2, R3) when first switch SW1 has been turned OFF.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rechargeable battery devices (e.g., a battery pack, etc.) having a function for indicating remaining battery capacity of a battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 6-276690 describes a battery packs that have a rechargeable battery. The known battery pack includes a remaining capacity indicating circuit. A plus pole of the rechargeable battery is connected with the remaining capacity indicating circuit via a switch. The switch is connected to a voltage detecting circuit for detecting the voltage of the rechargeable battery. When the voltage detected by the voltage detecting circuit falls below a reference voltage, the switch is turned off. Therefore, the supply of power to the remaining capacity indicating circuit from the rechargeable battery is automatically halted, and over-discharge of the rechargeable battery is prevented.


The use of ethylenically unsaturated isocyanate derivatives of the general Formula (I)

1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter of the present invention is the use of certain ethylenically unsaturated isocyanates as agents for covalently bonding impurities in curable compositions having active hydrogen atoms on the basis of ethylenically unsaturated monomers, oligomers and polymers as resin components and organic peroxides as curing agents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Curable compositions on the basis of ethylenically unsaturated monomers, oligomers and polymers, especially vinyl esters and (meth)acrylate esters are used to a large extent in the building sector as dowel compositions and fastening mortars, for example, for anchor rods and the like. The resin component and the curing agent component are in separate containers and, after the constituents are mixed, react with one another with curing of the curable composition. The resin component as well as the curing agent component frequently contain compounds having active hydrogen atoms, such as water in the form of moisture, or also desensitizing agents for the organic peroxide, such as phthalates, glycerol or similar monohydric or multihydric alcohols. These compounds, having active hydrogen atoms, are disadvantageous, insofar as they function as plasticizers in the cured network and consequently may affect the strength properties of the latter.
The object of the present invention is to prevent the harmful effect of such compounds, which contain active hydrogen atoms and are unavoidable in the curable compositions of the type under consideration, on the physical strength properties of the cured resin composition.

Use of ethylenically unsaturated isocyanate derivatives for covalently bonding impurities in curable compositions having active hydrogen atoms

Abstract: as an agent for covalently bonding impurities, plasticizers and or desensitizing agents, having active hydrogen atoms, is described in curable compositions based on ethylenically unsaturated monomers, oligomers and polymers as resin component and organic peroxides, preferably benzoyl peroxide, as curing agent.


A charge pump circuit in a phase locked loop comprises a main circuit block and an excess current cancel block for canceling a spike current. The spike current is generally supplied by a parasitic capacitance in the main circuit block and generates a jitter in the output of the phase locked loop. The excess current cancel block supplies or drains a cancel current which is substantially equal to the spike current but flows in a reverse direction.

(a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a charge pump circuit for use in a phase locked loop.
(b) Description of the Related Art
As is well known in the art, a phase locked loop (PLL) comprises a loop filter including a capacitor therein, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a frequency divider, a phase/frequency comparator, and a charge pump circuit cascaded to form a feed-back loop. The loop filter functions as a low pass filter (LPF), and produces a control voltage across the capacitor terminals, the control voltage controlling the VCO to generate an output signal of the PLL having a frequency in response to the control voltage. The frequency divider divides the frequency of the output signal in accordance with a specified factor, thus producing a divided-frequency signal. The phase/frequency comparator, or phase/frequency detector, compares the divided-frequency signal against an input reference frequency signal, and detects a phase/frequency difference between the reference frequency signal and the divided-frequency signal, so as to generate UP/DOWN signals based on the phase/frequency difference between both the signals. In response to UP signal, the charge pump circuit provides electric charge to the loop filter, thereby charging the capacitor therein. Also, in response to DOWN signal, the charge pump circuit drains electric charge from the loop filter, thereby discharging the capacitor therein.
FIG. 1 shows a charge pump circuit 601 for use in the PLL as a first conventional technique. The charge pump circuit 601 has a first input terminal 61 for receiving UP signal, a second input terminal 62 for receiving DOWN (DN) signal, an output terminal 63 through which electric charge is provided to or drained from the loop filter by flowing a control current I.sub.P ', a power supply terminal 64 connected to line voltage +Vdd, and a ground terminal 65 for grounding. UP signal is active at a low level thereof while DN signal is active at a high level thereof.
The charge pump circuit 601 comprises therein a first (constant) current source 71, a first P-channel MOSFET 72, a second (constant) current source 73, and a first N-channel MOSFET 74. The first current source 71 is connected to the power supply terminal 64 for supplying a first constant current I.sub.P1. The first P-channel MOSFET 72 has a source connected to the first current source 71, a gate for receiving UP signal and a drain connected to the output terminal 63 of the charge pump circuit. The first P-channel MOSFET 72 supplies first constant current I.sub.P1 to the output terminal 63 in response to UP signal. The second current source 73 is connected to the ground terminal 65 for supplying a second constant current I.sub.P2. The first N-channel MOSFET 74 is connected between the second current source 73 and the output terminal 63 for draining the second constant current I.sub.P2 from the output terminal put 63 in response to DN signal.
During the time period the first P-channel MOSFET 72 or first N-channel MOSFET 74 is on, the output terminal 63 is charged or discharged by the first constant current I.sub.P1 or I.sub.P2, thus controlling the current signal IP' for the loop filter. In other words, the charge pump circuit 601 delivers or drains electric charge, depending on the pulse width of UP signal or DN signal, to or from the loop filter. Thus, the output frequency of the VCO varies in accordance with the control voltage delivered through the loop filter.
It will be noted that each of the MOSFETs 72 and 73 has a junction capacitance, and accordingly, first and second parasitic capacitances C1 and C2 are formed from a first node N1 between the first current source 71 and the first P-channel MOSFET 72 to the ground, and from a second node N2 between the second current source 73 and the first N-channel MOSFET 74 to the ground, respectively.
Referring additionally to FIG. 2 for showing the signal waveforms in the charge pump circuit, the operation of the charge pump circuit 601 of FIG. 1 will be described. When UP signal falls to be active, the first P-channel MOSFET 72 is turned on to supply a current signal I.sub.P ' which includes a first constant current Ip1 and a spike current I.sub.OC1 superposed to the first constant current I.sub.P1 at the leading edge thereof, the spike current I.sub.OC1 being supplied from the first parasitic capacitance C1.
Similarly, when DN signal rises to be active, the first N-channel MOSFET 74 is turned on to supply a current signal I.sub.P ' which includes the second constant current I.sub.P2 and a spike current I.sub.OC2 superposed to the second constant current I.sub.P2 at the leading edge thereof, the spike current I.sub.OC2 being supplied from the second parasitic capacitance C2.
The spike currents I.sub.OC1 and I.sub.OC2 have respective magnitudes independently of the pulse width of UP or DN signal. Accordingly, after the PLL is locked in phase with the reference signal, wherein the magnitude of a phase/frequency difference .DELTA.f0 supplied from the phase/frequency comparator is reduced to a minimum, a significant variation occurs in the control voltage for the VCO, whereby the output signal of the VCO includes a jitter, such as shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 4 shows a second conventional charge pump circuit, wherein like constituent elements are designated by like reference numerals in FIGS. 1 and 2 and other drawings. The charge pump circuit 602 is similar to the charge pump circuit 601 of FIG. 1 except that the first and second constant current sources 71 and 72 are connected between the output terminal 63 and the drains of the P-channel and N-channel MOSFETs 72 and 74, respectively. In this configuration, parasitic capacitances C1 and C2 are associated with the drains of the P-channel and N-channel MOSFETs 72 and 74, respectively.
Referring additionally to FIG. 5 showing, similarly to FIG. 3, signal waveforms in the charge pump circuit 602 of FIG. 4, the output current signal I.sub.P " to the loop filter includes the first constant current I.sub.P1 and a spike current I.sub.OC1 ' at the trailing edge thereof when UP signal is active, and includes the second constant current I.sub.P2 and a spike current I.sub.OC2 ' at the trailing edge thereof when DN signal is active, both the spike currents I.sub.OC1 ' and I.sub.OC2 ' being supplied from the parasitic capacitnaces C1 and C2, respectively. The output of the VCO receiving the current signal I.sub.P " includes a jitter similarly to the case of the first conventional charge pump circuit 601.
In order to solve the problem jitter as described above, there has been a technique proposed in which the influence of the parasitic capacitance is eliminated by maintaining a junction associated with the parasitic capacitance at the same potential as the output terminal 63. The technique is disclosed by Ian A. Young et al in IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS, VOL.27, NO.11, NOVEMBER 1992, entitled "A PLL Clock Generator with 5 to 110 MHZ of Lock Range for Microprocessors" (third conventional technique).
FIG. 6 shows a charge pump circuit generally designated at 603, which is substantially identical to the disclosure of the article as mentioned above. The charge pump circuit 603 comprises a main circuit block 70 similar to the charge pump circuit 601 of FIG. 1 and an additional, potential-equalizing block 90.
The potential-equalizing block 90 comprises a first and a second inverters 91 and 92, a second P-channel MOSFET 93, a second N-channel MOSFET 94, and a unity gain amplifier, voltage follower 95, implemented by an operational amplifier 951.
In the voltage follower 95, the operational amplifier 951 has a non-inverting input connected to the output terminal 63 of the charge pump circuit 603, and an inverting input connected to the output 951a of the operational amplifier 951, which constitutes the output 95a of the voltage follower 95. The first inverter 91 inverts UP signal to supply an inverted UP (XUP) signal, and the second inverter 92 inverts DN signal to supply an inverted DN (XDN) signal.
The second P-channel MOSFET 93 includes a source connected to the node N1 associated with the first parasitic capacitance C1, a drain connected to the output 95a of the voltage follower 95, and a gate for receiving XUP signal. The second N-channel MOSFET 94 includes a source connected to the node N2 associated with the second parasitic capacitance C2, a drain connected to the output 95a of the voltage follower 95, and a gate for receiving XDN signal.
With the described arrangement, during a time interval when the first P-channel MOSFET 72 is off, the node N1 is maintained at the potential Vc of the output terminal 63, which is the control voltage supplied to the loop filter. Similarly, during a time interval when the first N-channel MOSFET 74 is off, the node N2 is maintained at the control voltage Vc of the output terminal 63. In this manner, the influence of the charge supplied from the parasitic capacitances C1 and C2 can be eliminated.
Another charge pump circuit similar to the charge pump circuit 603 of FIG. 6, except that the MOSFETs 93 and 94 shown in FIG. 6 are of normally off type, is described in Patent Publication NO. JP-A-1989-177,867 (fourth conventional technique).
Another charge pump circuit is also known for reducing the influence of a parasitic capacitance. For example, Patent Publication No. JP-A-1991-126,257 describes a CMOS charge pump circuit in which a P-channel MOSFET in the first current source and the first P-channel MOSFET such as shown in FIG. 1 are formed in a common diffused region, and an N-channel transistor in the second current source and the first N-channel MOSFET such as shown in FIG. 1 are formed in another common diffused region (fifth conventional technique). Patent Publication NO. JP-A-1990-63,219 describes another charge pump circuit which additionally includes a P-channel MOSFET which serves for maintaining a potential at the node between the output terminal and the drain of the P-channel MOSFET in the first current source at a voltage in the vicinity of a threshold voltage, and an N-channel MOS transistor which serves for maintaining a potential at the node between the output terminal and the drain of the N-channel MOSFET in the second current source at a voltage in the vicinity of the threshold voltage (sixth conventional technique).
Those approaches indicated by the third and fourth conventional techniques has disadvantages of a high fabrication cost and an increased layout area because of an increased number of elements required. In addition, the approaches have a draw back of a slow operational speed because the operational amplifier has a time delay as large as on the order of 10 nanoseconds. Further, the operational amplifier involves a higher power dissipation.
The approach suggested by the fifth conventional technique is to reduce the parasitic capacitance as much as possible, and thus it is unable to eliminate the influence of the parasitic capacitance. The approach suggested by the sixth conventional technique is to maintain a constant current from the parasitic capacitance to the output terminal, but also fails to eliminate the influence of the parasitic capacitance, as is the case of the fifth conventional technique.

Charge pump circuit for use in a phase locked loop


A container holder selectively allows the compact storage of the container support assembly including overlapping sections for allowing use of the container holder selectively for one or two containers. The assembly occupies a relatively small space for compact storage in a vehicle armrest.

The present invention pertains to a container holder for a vehicle and particularly one which can be integrated into a vehicle armrest and support multiple containers.
There exists a variety of container holders for use in vehicles, some of which display the capability of providing support for multiple containers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,417,764 and 4,756,572 each disclose armrest mounted container holders having structure which supports two or more containers or cups in the armrest area of a vehicle, typically located between the front seats of an automobile.


An antenna having dual reflectors connected by a moving mechanism for moving the reflectors between stowed and deployed positions. In the stowed position the reflectors overlap and are positioned close to each other. In the deployed position the reflectors are spaced apart.

Antennas have dual reflectors for transmitting and receiving signals such as in frequency reuse applications. One of the reflectors is fed by a feed for transmitting a signal and the other reflector feeds another feed with a received signal. The feeds are typically located adjacent each other. To properly focus the signal beams between the reflectors and the adjacent feeds, the reflectors overlap each other and are spaced apart at specified angles and distances along their surfaces in a deployed position.
Launching of satellites imposes strict requirements concerning size, weight, and resistance to acceleration forces of the payload. Prior art dual reflectors are fixed spaced apart in the deployed position with respect to one another. Because the position of the reflectors is fixed, the reflectors take up a large volume. Quite often the payload envelopes of the satellites cannot store the fixed reflectors. The solution to this problem automatically implies a large-size launch configuration of the satellite.
This solution has obvious disadvantages. What is needed is an antenna that has dual reflectors which are movable with respect to each other between stowed and deployed positions. With these features, the reflectors could fit into a small payload in the stowed position and then expand into the deployed position once the satellite reaches orbit.


A surgical probe wherein a heat sterilizable and reusable detector component is combined with a disposable handle and cable assembly. The reusable detector component incorporates a detector crystal and associated mountings along with preamplifier components. It is formed having a positioning shaft extending therefrom to a contact supporting surface carrying a pattern of electrical contact surfaces. The disposable handle employs an insert member having a receiving cavity. The electrical contact carrying tip of the shaft moves into electrical engagement with a pattern of electrical contacts mounted within the handle in conjunction with a permanently affixed flexible cable.

Current and historical procedures for the treatment of colon and rectal cancer have been based upon the natural history of tumor spread, and thence, upon operative and non-operative options. Operative options generally have looked to the physical location and surgical resection of tumor. A variety of techniques have been brought to bear in the art with the purpose of aiding the surgeon in detecting and localizing neoplastic tissue as part of this surgical procedure. ("Neoplastic tissue", for present purposes, often is referred to as cancerous tissue, though malignant tumor and malignant tumor cells also are found in the terminology of the art. The term "neoplastic tissue" includes all of these.) A substantial amount of effort in aiding the surgeon in locating neoplastic tissue has been through the utilization of radiolabeled antibody for detection purposes. For example, one technique includes the scintillation scanning of patients injected with relatively high energy, e.g. .sup.131 I labeled antibodies. Such photoscanning or scintillation scanning provides scintigrams difficult to interpret or of little value for detection of small lesions because of blood pool background radioactivity. Computer subtraction of radioactive blood pool agents and the use of two labeled antibodies (one specific for the tumor and one non-specific) have been attempted to enhance imaging. Nevertheless, such techniques have been found to provide little, if any, useful information to the surgeon, especially over and above CAT scans, magnetic resonance imaging, and like traditional techniques.
Typically, large tumor is readily located by the surgeon by visualization at the operating theater as well as through palpation, i.e. the feel of a tumor as opposed to that of normal tissue. To achieve operative success, however, it is necessary for the surgeon to somehow locate neoplastic tissue at positions within the body cavity not accessible with vision, for example internally within the pelvic region or behind the liver or pancreas. It also is necessary for the surgeon to locate "occult" tumor at any position. Occult tumor or occult neoplastic tissue is that which is so diminutive in size as to be unidentifiable either by sight or feel. Failure to locate and remove such occult and non-visible tumors generally will result in the continued growth of cancer in the patient, a condition often misidentified as "recurrent" cancer. In general, conventional diagnostic techniques as, for example, use of the classic gamma camera and the like, fail to find or locate occult tumor. As tumor sites become smaller, the radionuelide concentrations at a given tumor site will tend to be lost, from an imaging standpoint, in the background radiation necessarily present.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,840 by Martin, M. D. and Thurston, Ph.D., entitled "Method for Locating, Differentiating, and Removing Neoplasms", issued Nov. 8, 1988 (the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference) reviews such scintillation scanning technique and discloses a much improved method for locating, differentiating, and removing neoplasms. Such technique utilizes a radiolabeled antibody and a portable radiation detection probe which the surgeon may use intraoperatively in order to detect sites of radioactivity. Because of the proximity of the detection probe to the labeled antibody, the faint radiation emanating from neoplastic tissue at occult sites becomes detectable, for example, in part because of the inherent application of the approximate inverse square law of radiation propagation. The procedure is known as the Radioimmunoguided Surgery.TM. system (Radioimmunoguided Surgery being a trademark of Neoprobe Corporation, Columbus, Ohio) and is successful additionally because of a recognition that tumor detection should be delayed until the blood pool background of circulating radiolabeled antibody has had an opportunity to be cleared from the body. As a consequence, the photon emissions or radiation emitted by minor tumors compared to surrounding tissue becomes detectable in view of the proximity of the probe device to it. Fortuitously, the '840 patent discloses the ability of the radiolabeled antibody to remain bound to or associated with neoplastic tissue for extended periods of time with the radio tag still bound thereto. Moreover, even though the accretion of radioactivity at the tumor site decreases over time, the blood pool background and surrounding tissue (relative to the tumor sites) decrease at a much greater rate so that the radioactive sites can be determined readily utilizing a hand-held probe positioned in close proximity with the tissue under investigation.
The instrumentation developed to support the radioimmunoguided surgery system has been called upon to meet rigorous performance criteria. Radiation emitted from occult tumor necessarily is very sparse and will emit to evoke a relatively low count rate upon detection. This low count rate, in turn, is developed with a corresponding count rate from the same radioisotope which is background radiation, albeit in itself low, but which must be accommodated for. The circuitry involved for such instrumentation is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,803 by Denen, et al., entitled "Detector and Localizer for Low Energy Radiation Emissions", issued Jan. 31, 1989. To evaluate detected emissions and the counts generated therefrom with the instrumentation, a microprocessor-driven control program has been developed as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,991, by Ramsey, et al., entitled "Gamma Radiation Detector with Enhanced Signal Treatment", issued Dec. 26, 1989.
This instrumentation supporting the probe device which is held by the surgeon and maneuvered within the body cavity is retained within a battery-powered console located within the operating room. Because of the low levels of signal evoked at the crystal detector within the probe, that device itself carries a preamplification stage for the purpose of generating a signal output suitable for transmission by cable or the like to the adjacent console. The preamplification stage performs in conjunction with a cadmium telluride crystal detector, and this combination of components is called upon to perform at the temperatures of the human body while undergoing calibration at substantially cooler temperatures found, for example, in the operating room environment. This requirement has tended to reduce the energy level discrimination flexibility of the devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,050 by Thurston, Ph.D. and Olson, Ph.D., entitled "Radiation Responsive Surgical Instrument," issued Aug. 15, 1995 describes an improved amplifier which achieves gain stability under temperature variations as well as an operation exhibiting low noise characteristics. The architecture of the hand-held probe, particularly as it is concerned with the mounting or supporting of the cadmium telluride crystal, has also been described, for example, in the noted U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,803; U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,013, by Denen, entitled "Detector and Localizer for Low Energy Radiation Emissions", issued Jan. 9, 1990; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,878, by Denen, entitled "Detector and Localizer for Low Energy Radiation Emissions", issued Dec. 10, 1991.
While improvements have been made which greatly increase the sensitivity of hand-held probes to sources of faint radiation, further improvements to these probes are called for. Bending the transmission cable excessively at either end might result in damage to the cable connectors as well as to the cable. To avoid these problems cables with more elaborate structuring can be procured, but such cables are more expensive and do not eliminate the problems caused by induced strain and deterioration over extended use.
Cleaning and sterilization of hand-held probes is also the subject of investigation. After each use, contaminants and bodily fluids must be removed from the probe, transmission cable, and the connector between the probe and the cable. To be able to remove all of the exterior particles and fluid, the probe surfaces must be smooth and free of cracks and recesses. Such a requirement necessarily increases the cost of manufacture. In addition, the connector, into which the transmission cable is inserted, consisted of a complex opening with a depth of up to three-eighths of an inch which has proved difficult to clean.
Sterilization of instruments and equipment is essential in a surgical setting to kill pyogenic organisms, such as staphylococcus aureus, which are not killed by alcohol or other cleaning agents. There are currently a number of methods available for the sterilization of surgical instruments. One of the oldest and quickest ways of sterilizing surgical instruments is by the process of autoclaving. The instrument is placed under high pressure and the temperature is raised to around 140 degrees Celsius. Such a process could not be used for previous probe models because of the thermonic effect on the delicate internal circuitry of the probe. As a result, most probes are sterilized with ethylene oxide gas, EtO. This process is more time-consuming than autoclaving often requiring twenty-four hours for completion. In addition, care must be taken in handling the gas because it is flammable, toxic, and corrosive to certain types of plastic.


A diode-pumped laser with a direct edge coupling of a pump beam is provided. The laser includes a microchip laser cavity optically pumped by a laser diode emitting an astigmatic pump beam having a substantially elliptical beam cross-section at an output laser diode facet. The microchip laser cavity is disposed at a substantial distance exceeding 0.001″ from the laser diode pump where the astigmatic pump beam has a greatly reduced ellipticity, providing high laser output efficiency without coupling lens element between the laser cavity and the laser diode pump. The pumping arrangement is favourable for single-mode lasing. In some embodiments, the laser cavity includes nonlinear crystal for intra-cavity SHG, a saturable absorber for passive Q-switching and mode locking, and a polarizing prism.

Diode lasers have been widely used as pump sources in solid-state laser applications. They are efficient, compact, and available at several red and near-IR wavelengths. However there are difficulties associated with adopting diode lasers for specific applications. In particular, most high-power commercial pump diodes are of the edge-emitting type, and have a rectangular waveguide with rather high aspect ratio; these diodes therefore emit highly divergent output beams with elliptical cross-sections and considerable associated astigmatism. The ellipticity and astigmatism of the pump beam can compromise pumping efficiency, especially in applications where a circular-symmetric output laser beam with an approximately Gaussian intensity profile is of importance.
Therefore in most diode-pumped solid state laser applications, various beam-correcting lens elements are conventionally used for coupling a diode laser beam into a laser gain medium in order to reduce or correct the astigmatism and convert the diode's elliptical output beam into a collimated or focused beam having a circular cross-section. These lens elements typically include at least one of a GRIN lens, an aspheric lens, anamorphic prisms pair, micro-cylinder lens, single-mode fiber etc. Although using such coupling optics does allow better matching of the pumped volume with the fundamental laser mode, it requires additional alignment steps which complicate the manufacturing process and increase laser cost. It would be therefore advantageous to provide a diode-pumped laser that does not employ lens elements to shape the pump beam and couple it into the gain medium.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,851 to Dixon discloses a single transverse mode diode pumped laser wherein a semiconductor pump laser is butt-coupled to an input facet of the laser gain medium so that they are spaced by "less than 0.001″"; the gain material has small, less than 500 um, absorption length and can be bonded to the output facet of the diode pump by means of an index-matching optical cement. If the pump laser has a relatively narrow waveguide so that the pump beam emitting aperture is small enough, this arrangement may provide a sufficiently small pumped mode volume to support a single transverse mode and to enable a single-spatial mode operation.
However, the output laser efficiency may suffer in such a configuration due to the elliptical crossection of the pumped region in the gain material, which does not match well with a fundamental laser mode having circular symmetry. The butt-coupled pumping arrangement may also limit the emitting aperture range and the aspect ratio of the pump laser diodes that can be used for single-mode operation of the diode-pumped laser; high-power laser diodes having wide and thin emitting aperture butt-coupled to a laser crystal may excite a sufficiently wide mode-volume to cause higher-order spatial modes to appear in the laser output, or to lead to a non-circular laser output beam. Another drawback of the butt-coupled pumping arrangement is an associated requirement to bring the pump diode laser and the laser crystal in a very close proximity during the laser assembly, with an associated risk of damaging the laser diode's output facet and reducing yield of good lasers in manufacturing.
An object of this invention is to provide a diode-pumped laser apparatus having optimized lasing efficiency in the absence of lens elements between the gain element and the pump diode.
Another object of this invention is to provide a diode-pumped laser apparatus emitting a fundamental laser mode with a substantially circular symmetry in the absence of lens elements between the gain element and the pump diode.


In a simultaneous molding to one piece, at a time of heat molding of a surface skin material 3, after an edge part of the surface skin material 3 is folded back to an inside direction of the mold pattern and is formed up a folded back part 7 along a mold pattern for folding back 6 which is placed as in a manner of projecting from an opening edge 2b of a cavity face 2a toward the inside direction of the mold pattern, the mold pattern for folding back 6 is removed, and then at a time of the expansion molding, one face 7a of the folded back part 7 is melt united to one piece with a back face 5b of the cellular molded article in a mold pattern 5, and at the same time, a folded returning part 8, which is in a state that an outer edge part of the surface skin material 3 is folded returning toward an outside direction of the mold pattern from a tip 7c of this folded back part 7, is pressed so as to pile on the other face 7b of the above-mentioned folded back part 7.

This invention relates to a method for producing a cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern which is used, for example, as an automobile interior trim material or the like and an article thereof
As for the conventional technique of this kind, for example, (a) so-called simultaneous molding with a surface skin in once (simultaneous one piece molding) is known as disclosed in TOKUKAI-SHO 62-108039. In this method, as illustrated in FIG. 26, a male-female coupled mold pattern 2 is used, and after a surface skin material 3 is preformed by vacuum-forming along a cavity surface 2a of female pattern 9, an expansion molding is performed in a cavity (inside of the mold pattern) 4 which is shaped up by a male pattern 10 combining with a surface skin material 3, at the same time, a cellular molded article (a cellular molded article in a mold pattern) 5 is united with the above-mentioned surface skin material 3 simultaneously. In this simultaneous molding, when the above-mentioned surface skin material 3 is vacuum formed, the outer edge part of said surface skin material 3 is fold-back formed as well from opening edge 2b toward an inside direction of the mold pattern along a folded back pattern (pattern for folding back) 6 which projects from opening edge 2b of the above-mentioned cavity face 2a toward the inside direction of the mold pattern in advance, and when the above-mentioned expansion molding is performed, a folded back part 7 of surface skin material 3 is united into one piece with back face 5b of the above-mentioned expanded molded article (the expanded molded article in the mold pattern) 5.
In this method, at a time of the above-mentioned vacuum forming, the outer edge part of the surface skin material 3 is formed in advance as folded back from tip 7c of the folded back part 7 toward outside direction of the mold pattern in a manner of rolling up folding pattern (pattern for folding back) 6, an expansion molding is performed with this state. And, after obtained a cellular molded article having a surface skin material (a cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern) 71a is removed from the pattern, unnecessary outer edge part of the surface skin material 3 is trimmed off at tip 7c of the above-mentioned folded back part 7.
(b) On the other hand, it is known that, in a cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern with a surface skin in which an insert member is melt united with outer edge part of back face 5b of cellular molded article 5, when the outer edge part of surface skin material 3 is folded back to back face 5b side of cellular molded article in a mold pattern 5, a prescribed range of the outer edge part of surface skin material 3 is cut off so as to avert the above-mentioned insert member, thereafter, it is necessary a process of folded back part 7 to be adhered to back face 5b of cellular molded article in a mold pattern 5.
(c) Furthermore, in a simultaneous one piece molding as in the above, a chamber connected with steam valve, decompression valve or the like is equipped in each of the 2 metal mold parts. And one metal mold part of them on which a surface skin material will be placed is formed to have a plural of decompressing holes and the other metal mold part is formed to have a plural of vapor holes connected with the above-mentioned chamber respectively. And when an expansion molding is performed, the filled expanded beads in this mold pattern are heat-expanded by feeding of a steam from the vapor holes of the above-mentioned the other metal pattern part to inside of the mold pattern.
In this case, for a purpose of effective expansion molding by preheating of the above-mentioned surface skin material to be preformed, it is common that the above-mentioned one metal pattern part is preheated by feeding of a steam into inside of the above-mentioned chamber before this surface skin material is placed on.
Nevertheless, in the above-mentioned (a) conventional example, since the outer edge part of the above-mentioned surface skin material 3 is at a state of standing from tip 7c of the above-mentioned folding back part 7 at a prescribed angle against back face 5b of cellular molded article (cellular molded article in a mold pattern) 5, when the above-mentioned outer edge part is trimmed off at tip 7c of folding back part 7, a prescribed length of projected edge part may remain. In such a case, when transportation, assembling process or the like of the cellular molded article having a surface skin material (cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern) is conducted, since the above-mentioned projected edge part may often hang up with the other member materials, there is a problem of easily peeled from tip 7c of the above-mentioned folded back part 7.
And also, in the above-mentioned (b) conventional example, since the trim process and the adhesion process for a prescribed range of folded back part 7, which is necessary when an insert member material is melt united to one piece, are needed all by hand works, there is a problem of requiring much labor.
Moreover, in the above-mentioned (c) conventional example, when the above-mentioned one metal pattern part is preheated, since the metal pattern part is totally heated by feeding a steam into the inside of its chamber, there is a problem of insufficient heating efficiency. In furthermore, when the above-mentioned surface skin material is place on by a vacuum forming, even though the above-mentioned one metal pattern part has been preheated by steam, at a time of decompression, since the heat is taken away by a vaporizing heat of condensed moisture within the chamber, there is a problem of lowering temperature of the metal pattern part, by which an efficient vacuum forming will not be successful. And furthermore, when the metal pattern part is preheated directly by steam, moisture or water drop will remain on the surface of metal pattern part, consequently, since this water drops or the like are stuck on surface of the skin material, there is a problem that surface appearance of the surface skin material is deteriorated, at the same time, when the surface skin material is placed on the one metal pattern part by a heat-molding such as vacuum forming, there is a problem of lowering its elongation property at a time of heat-molding.
This invention has been done for solving the above-mentioned problems,
(1) the folded back part, which is folded back to backside face of a cellular molded article in mold a pattern and melt united to one piece, is hardly peeled off,
(2) less hand working even when an insert member material is assembled,
(3) an expansion molding or a heat-molding of the surface skin material can be done effectively,
(4) improving the surface property of the surface skin material and/or the elongation property at a heat-molding,
(5) good heat efficiency of the metal pattern part at a time of preheating on which the surface skin material is placed,
it is objecting to provide a method for producing a cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern and a molded article thereof.
An essential feature residing in a method for producing a cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern of this invention which is claimed is that, in a method for producing a cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern in which the above-mentioned surface skin material is melt united to one piece with the surface of the cellular molded article in the mold pattern which is molded by an expansion molding within this mold pattern, after the surface skin material is heat-molded along a cavity face of the mold pattern, it is characterized in that when the above-mentioned heat-molding, after the outer edge part of the above-mentioned surface skin material is folded back toward the inside direction of the mold pattern and formed a folded back part along the pattern for folding back which is arranged so as opening the edge of the above-mentioned cavity face to project toward the inside direction of the mold pattern, and then, the above-mentioned pattern for the folding back is removed, thereafter, at a time of the above-mentioned expansion molding, the one face of the above-mentioned folded back part is melt united to one piece with the back face of the cellular molded article in the mold pattern as well as the folded returning part, which is in a state that the outer edge part of the surface skin material is folded back toward an outside direction of the mold pattern from the tip of this folded back part, is pressed so as to pile on the other face of the above-mentioned folded back part. Accordingly, a cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern can be produced in one serial process by using the above-mentioned mold pattern, and therefore, there is an advantage of that the assembling process for folding back the surface skin material to the back face of the above-mentioned cellular molded article in the mold pattern is unnecessary. Furthermore, by applying the above-mentioned whole process, there is another advantage of that, by pressing the above-mentioned folded returning part so as to be piled on the other face of the folded back part, the above-mentioned folded back part can be easily molded so as to be in a state of simply piled or melt adhered to one piece, in other words, so as to be in a state of approximately parallel position against the back face of the above-mentioned cellular molded article in the mold pattern. Moreover, in order to protect the surface side appearance of the cellular molded article having the surface skin in the mold pattern, the outer edge part of the above-mentioned surface skin material may be trimmed off simply by making the tip of the folded returning part to be positioned at the inside direction of the mold pattern from the base edge of the folded back part. Therefore this trimming work is advantageously to be done easily and is not necessarily to take care much for it.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that, at a time of heat-molding, the above-mentioned folded returning part is pre-formed beforehand to a state that it is folded back to the outside direction of the mold pattern as in a manner to be rolling up the pattern for folding back from the tip of the above-mentioned folded back part. Accordingly, only by clamping the above-mentioned mold pattern parts completely, the above-mentioned folded returning part can easily be pressed so as to be piled on the other face or the like of the folded back part. Therefore, when the above-mentioned expanded beads are filled into the mold pattern, hand-work of that, the outer edge part of the surface skin material which will become to be the folded returning part is folded as returning from the tip of the folded back part to the outside direction of the mold pattern, can advantageously be omitted.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the outer part of the above-mentioned surface skin material is trimmed off beforehand so as the tip of the folded returning part to be positioning inside of the mold pattern from the base edge of the folded back part. Accordingly, after production of a cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern, the trimming work of unnecessary outer edge part of the surface skin material is omitted, and also, the above-mentioned folded returning part is made to be melt united to one piece with the other face of the folded back part so that this folded back part will not be peeled out. These are also advantages.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that an angle between the cavity face and the pattern for folding back at the above-mentioned opening edge is set up larger beforehand than an angle between the back face and an edge of the surface of the above-mentioned cellular molded article in the mold pattern. Accordingly, at a time of heat-molding such as the above-mentioned vacuum forming, an angle between the folded back part of the surface skin material and the surface part at the above-mentioned opening edge can be made larger than that of afore-mentioned conventional case. By this reason, when the expanded beads are filled into the above-mentioned mold pattern, the expanded beads are more easily filled to the outer corner part of back face of the above-mentioned cellular molded article in the mold pattern as well, consequently, the expansion molding of a cellular molded article in a mold pattern advantageously can be done more uniformly.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that, at a time of the above-mentioned expansion molding, an insert member is connected with at least either one of the above-mentioned folded back part or folded returning part. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that the trimming process of folded back part by hand-work and the adhesion process which are used in the conventional process are not necessary and thus hand-working is lessened. Furthermore, even when these folded back part and folded returning part are formed, a connecting position of the insert member is not limited to a specified position but advantageously is enabling to connect with various position in a vicinity of the outer edge part on the back face of the above-mentioned cellular molded article in the mold pattern.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that, before the above-mentioned heat molding is done, a cut off part for setting up the insert member at the tip of the above-mentioned pattern for folding back is prepared beforehand. Accordingly, the folded back part or the like can be formed with a prescribed space being prepared at the inside direction of this cut off part for setting up the insert member. Namely, when the insert member is connected with backside of the cellular molded article in a mold pattern, the folding back of the surface skin material or the like can be done automatically in a manner of averting this insert member, and thus there is an advantage of lessening the hand-work.
In further, an essential feature residing in what we claim is that it comprises a cellular molded article in a mold pattern and a surface skin material which is comprising in that a surface part which is melt united to one piece with the surface of the said cellular molded article in the mold pattern, a folded back part in which the edge part of said surface part is folded back toward the inside direction of the mold pattern and of which one face is melt united to one piece with the backside of the above-mentioned cellular molded article in the mold pattern, and a folded returning part which is folded returning so as to pile on the other face of this folded back part from the tip of said folded back part to the outside direction of the mold pattern and at the same time so as its tip to be positioning in the inside direction of the mold pattern from the base edge of the folded back part. Accordingly, when said cellular molded article having the surface skin is transported or assembling processed, the tip of the above-mentioned folded back part and folded returning part are hardly hung on the other member material or the like and thus it is advantageous that the above-mentioned folded back part is hardly peeling out. And also, in the above-mentioned piled part of folded back part with the folded returning part, there is an advantage of that a cushioning property and/or reinforcing effect can be raised.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the above-mentioned folded returning part is melt united to one piece with the other face of the folded back part. Accordingly, the folded returning part is hardly peeling out, which is also advantageous.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that an insert member is united with at least either the above-mentioned folded back part or folded returning part. Accordingly, the strength of united part of this insert member with the above-mentioned folded back part or folded returning part is advantageously more increased.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the above-mentioned folded back part and folded returning part are folded back and folded returning in a manner to avert the insert member which is melt united to one piece with backside of the above-mentioned cellular molded article in the mold pattern. Accordingly, the above-mentioned insert member can be melt united as well in a manner that is buried in the back face of said cellular molded article in the mold pattern, which is advantageous in that an assembling variation for the insert member can advantageously be broadened.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the above-mentioned surface skin material and cellular molded article in the mold pattern consist of polyolefine resin. Accordingly, a melt uniting of such surface skin material with the cellular molded article is hard, at the same time, there is an advantage in that recycling of it is easy since it is so-called all polyolefine.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the above-mentioned surface skin material, the cellular molded article in the mold pattern and the insert member consist of a polyolefine resin, accordingly, in addition to the above-mentioned what we claim, the melt uniting of the surface skin material or the cellular molded article in the mold pattern with the insert member is more hard, and in further, recycling is easy as well, which is also advantageous.
In addition to these, an essential feature residing in what we claim is that, in a method for producing a cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern by a method which the cellular molded article in the mold pattern to be formed with filling of the expanded beads and the above-mentioned surface skin material are melt united to one piece by an expansion molding within this mold pattern after the surface skin material is placed on either one of the two metal mold parts which are composing a mold pattern, to a part of the above-mentioned one metal mold part which at least is composing an exposure face to the inside direction of the above-mentioned mold pattern, a heater which will enable to keep this exposure face at a prescribed temperature is assembled. By this method, the above-mentioned exposure face is pre-heated at a prescribed temperature before the above-mentioned expansion molding. And at the same time, said preheating is done by steam of lower temperature than that of the above-mentioned expanded beads to be melt-uniting each other, and after the steaming for keeping this state for a prescribed period, by a vacuuming of the inside of the above-mentioned mold pattern, the condensate residing inside of it is evacuated.
Accordingly, the surface skin material being placed on this exposure face is also pre-heated up to a prescribed temperature. Consequently, the expansion molding, namely, the melt uniting of the surface skin material with the expanded beads which make expansion within the mold pattern can be effectively done, which is an advantage as well. Also, as heating only for the above-mentioned exposure face is possible, the heat effectiveness is superior. Moreover, since the moisture or water drops will not remain on this exposure face when preheating of the above-mentioned exposure face is taken place, the surface appearance of the surface skin material can be improved, and at the same time, when the surface skin material is placed on one of the metal mold patterns by a heat-molding, the elongation property at its heat-molding is also advantageously improved. In addition, by means of preheating of said expanded beads by steam, steaming thereof and evacuation of the condensate as described above, an insufficient melt uniting of said expanded beads by themselves and an insufficient melt uniting of said expanded beads with the surface skin material will not be caused, and at the same time, by a preheating of the cavity face by a heater, the condensate can easily be evacuated. Thus these are also advantages.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the above-mentioned surface skin material and cellular molded article consist of polyolefine resins. Accordingly, melt uniting of these surface skin materials with the cellular molded article can be made tighter, and also, the obtainable cellular molded article having a surface skin in a mold pattern is so-called xe2x80x9call olefinxe2x80x9d, by which recycling is advantageously easy as well.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the temperature of the exposure face before the above-mentioned expansion molding is set up at in a range from 60 to 150xc2x0 C. Accordingly, the surface skin material placed on this exposure face is becoming appropriately softened, and by this reason, a melt uniting of the surface skin material with the expanded beads can be more effectively done, which is advantageous as well.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the above-mentioned surface skin material is placed on one of the above-mentioned metal mold parts by a heat-molding. Accordingly, the hand-works for pre-adjusting to the surface formation of the above-mentioned one metal mold part by the other molding process beforehand or the like can be advantageously omitted.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the above-mentioned exposure face is pre-heated up to a prescribed temperature before the above-mentioned heat-molding. Accordingly, a temperature lowering of the softened surface skin material to be tightly contacted with this exposure face can be minimized, and by this method, a heat-molding such as vacuum forming can be effectively done, which is also advantageous as well.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that the above-mentioned temperature of exposure face before the above-mentioned heat-molding is set up at in a range from 60 to 150xc2x0 C. Accordingly, when the above-mentioned surface skin material and cellular molded article are composed of a polyolefine line resin, the above-mentioned surface skin material can be heat-molded at an appropriate softened state, consequently, the final property of product can advantageously be improved as well.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that at least a part which is composing of the above-mentioned exposure face consists of a gas permeable electric cast mold, a gas permeable metal mold or a gas permeable ceramic mold. Accordingly, when the above-mentioned surface skin material is placed on by a vacuum forming, the air and gas residing between said gas permeable electric cast mold or the like and said surface skin material can more easily be evacuated. By this reason, there is an advantage that the above-mentioned surface skin material can more surely be contacted with said exposure face, and at the same time, since the diameter of said gas permeable holes is very fine, marks of these gas permeable holes will not be printed on the surface of the above-mentioned surface skin material.
An essential feature residing in what we claim is that an unevenness for product design pattern is pre-formed on the above-mentioned exposure face beforehand. Accordingly, there is an advantage of that when said surface skin material is placed on by a heat molding such as a vacuum forming, the above-mentioned unevenness for product design pattern can be printed on the surface of said surface skin material, and by this reason, the hand-works for it can be omitted.

Skin-carrying in-mold expanded molded body manufacturing method, the molded body, and mold used for manufacturing the same


An adjustable damping valve device for a vibration damper includes an actuator which exerts an adjusting force on a valve body. The valve body has at least one surface acted upon by pressure of a damping medium as part of a pressure space. The surface acted upon by pressure causes an adjusting force on the valve body, and the pressure space is connected to a gas receiving space in the damping valve.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an adjustable damping valve which permits the degassing of the damping medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vibration damper with hydraulic damping medium, it must be ensured as far as possible already during assembly that no air becomes trapped in the vibration damper. Air can become trapped due to the design of the structural component part. Gas can be dissolved in the hydraulic damping medium to a limited extent so that the damping medium consists of a hydraulic phase and a gaseous phase. If the volume fraction of the gaseous phase were constant, then the vibration damper could be designed for this boundary condition. However, the trapped air, which constitutes a purely gaseous phase, could be additionally dissolved in the damping medium. The damping medium is then made up of a liquid phase and a gaseous phase. Further, the purely gaseous phase can be entrained by the damping medium. Accordingly, the gaseous phase dissolved in the damping medium and the gaseous phase are distributed over the flow paths in the vibration damper. The dissolved gaseous phase can be separated from the damping medium due to a change in the temperature level and/or pressure level and then likewise presents a purely gaseous phase. The purely gaseous phase can collect in an area of the vibration damper as a bubble, or free gas as it is called hereinafter, and be present, e.g., at a functional surface which is acted upon by pressure as part of a functional space of the vibration damper. The gas present in the functional space alters the damping function. When the vibration damper is constructed based on the twin-tube principle, a piston rod guiding and sealing unit is often used so that gas which is trapped in the damping medium can escape from a work space into a compensation space via the piston rod seal.
Further, it is known to provide a degassing channel in an adjustable damping valve to produce a connection between an interior space of the adjustable damping valve and a work space. The cross section of the connection is small enough to allow degassing of the damping valve without any damping medium escaping. However, a connection of this kind is difficult to produce and to implement with respect to construction.
If possible, the adjustable damping valve is arranged in or at the vibration damper in such a way that any gas bubbles rise out of the damping valve and can escape into a work space. However, this particular installation position is not always possible, e.g., because a power supply line for an actuator of the adjustable damping valve calls for a particular installation position of the adjustable damping valve.
The trapped gas becomes noticeable particularly when the hydraulic pressure on a surface of a valve body is used to adjust the damping valve. The trapped gas leads to a certain compressibility of the damping medium and, therefore, to a change in the dynamic operating behavior of the adjustable damping valve. Although the desired hydraulic force components are achieved at the component parts of the valve which determine the damping force characteristic, the compressibility of the damping medium leads to an unwanted and undefined delay in the buildup of these force components. In terms of a static view of the error, a bogus adjusting force is briefly applied to this valve part.
It is thus an object of the present invention to overcome the problem associated with free gas known from the prior art.

Adjustable damping valve for a vibration damper


Dual chamber pacemaker systems can lead to two forms of pacemaker-facilitated tachycardia—pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (PMT) and tracking of sinus or atrial tachycardia. Current pacemaker algorithms can not always differentiate between these two tachycardias. Various embodiments for differentiating these particular mechanisms of pacemaker-facilitated tachycardia, which is based on the specific termination response to PVARP extension are provided. The response to PVARP extension (V-A-A-V vs V-A-V) is a specific method for differentiation and can be used in conjunction with observations of atrial rate and electrogram morphology (or surface P wave morphology) for distinguishing between the two mechanisms of pacemaker-facilitated tachycardia.

The most common cause of pacemaker-facilitated tachycardia is pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (PMT), also commonly known as endless loop tachycardia. Continuous retrograde conduction through the AV node during ventricular paced beats results in an ongoing loop of atrial sensed—ventricular paced beats. Pacemaker algorithms for identifying and treating PMT are well recognized and effective. Less common and often unrecognized or misdiagnosed is pacemaker-facilitated tachycardia due to atrial tracking. (Wang P J, Chen H, Okamura H, Al-Ahmad A, Hsia H H: Timing Cycles of Implantable Devices. In Ellenbogen K A, Kay G N, Lau C P, Wilkoff B L, eds: Clinical Cardiac Pacing, Defibrillation, and Resynchronization Therapy. 3rd Edition. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 2007, pp. 969-1004, hereinafter "Wang") In this circumstance, sinus or atrial tachycardia triggers ventricularly paced beats when the programmed sensed AV interval (SAV) is less than the intrinsic AV interval. In the absence of identifiable P waves, ECG discrimination between these arrhythmias is often indistinct. Furthermore, current pacemaker algorithms are unable to differentiate between these two tachycardias.
We introduce a new method for identifying each of these particular mechanisms of pacemaker-facilitated tachycardia, which is based on the specific termination response to post-ventricular atrial refractory period extension (PVARP).

Method, device and program to differentiate pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (PMT) from tracking of sinus or atrial tachycardia (AT)


A system for dip coating articles, in particular vehicle bodies, which articles can be moved to at least one dip tank and away from it with the aid of a transport system. For being lowered into and raised out of the tank, they are placed onto a rotating platform of at least one stationary rotating station and are dipped into the treatment liquid and removed from it by rotation of the rotating platform. Each article is fastened with the aid of a fastening device on a skid which interacts with the transport system. The fastening device is configured such that the article fastened to the fastening device is at a smaller spacing from the rotating platform in the removed position than in the second, dipped position.

Systems of this kind are described for example in DE 43 04 145 C1 or EP 0 749 395 B1. There, the skids used are substantially inherently rigid constructions in which the vehicle body placed thereon cannot move in relation to the basic frame. The platforms of the turning stations on which the skids having the vehicle bodies are placed are connected to the rotational axle of the respective turning station by way of relatively long guide rods. This is required in order to bring the vehicle bodies actually below the level of the treatment liquid in the dip tank on turning through 180°, since the rotational axle itself is to be outside the treatment liquid. As a result of this, the height at which the vehicle body is located within the turning station is relatively great, which is reflected in a corresponding height level in the transport systems that guide them into position and away therefrom. However, a height of this kind is undesirable, in particular in the upstream and downstream parts of the system through which the vehicle bodies are to be guided on the same skids.
It is an object of the present invention to construct a system of the type mentioned at the outset such that the position of the unclipped articles on the turning station is as low down as possible.


The application discloses systems and methods for physically sharing a hard copy of a document. The systems and methods include presenting to a user a graphical user interface having printing options for printing the document, where the graphical user interface has an input for receiving an indication by the user that the user is willing to share the hard copy of the document; presenting to the user options for defining characteristics of the hard copy of the document in response to receiving the indication; and publishing at least one of the defined characteristics within a profile page of the user.

Even though organizations strive to reduce the consumption of paper, a huge number of documents are printed everyday within the organizations. People have shown a propensity for reading and working on documents in paper form rather than on a computer screen. According to one estimate, an average office worker in the United States prints approximately 10,000 sheets per year, i.e. approximately 40 pages per working day. Hence, paper remains an important part of the work environment in most organizations, despite the array of options available for reviewing information in electronic form.
With increasing awareness regarding the environmental deterioration caused by the excessive consumption of paper, organizations are striving toward reducing paper consumption and waste, while not putting undue restrictions on documents printing and compromising worker efficiency.
According to one estimate, nearly half of the documents printed in an organization are for one time use only. This estimate applies to non-private documents, namely documents which are amenable to sharing between workers, as well. Examples of such non-private or sharable documents that are usually printed by more than one employee in an organization include emails sent to all employees regarding policies of the organization, quarterly project updates published on the Intranet of the organization, an informative article based on a topic of interest for all employees, policy memoranda, among other examples. Printed copies of these documents are short-lived and can easily be shared. Hence, systems and methods which enable the sharing of documents among people working in proximate locations, while still promoting worker efficiency and independence, is needed.
Presently, sharing and collaboration platforms are available for people who are in geographically different locations for sharing their ideas, reading preferences, and interests, among other topics. Even though such sharing and collaboration platforms have enabled improved communication between people throughout the world, there is still a need for an efficient social networking platform which is organization specific and which allows members of an organization to know what other members sitting in the same organizational space are reading, what documents they are amenable to sharing, and to which documents they are providing physical access.
Similarly, conventional electronic file sharing platforms, which enable the sharing of digital documents among people working at separate workstations, also fail to efficiently let people physically share their annotations, comments, highlights in non-editable document format like PDF, TIFF, or scanned copies of paper documents. For many individuals, paper documents remain more useful for detailed and thorough reading, highlighting, making notes, and sharing annotations with fellow knowledge workers. Hence, there is need for an improved collaborative platform for paper documents. There is also a need for a platform that enables members of an organization to share their paper documents, which would lead to a decrease in the number of documents printed in the organization and would minimize the wastage of paper.

Social network for enabling the physical sharing of documents