Provided is a metal core board which has a preferable function for a vehicle-mountable junction box, specifically, is reduced in size or improved in mounting efficiency. A metal core board for a vehicle-mountable junction box, which is mountable on the vehicle-mountable junction box, wherein a core plate forming an intermediate layer of the metal core board has a plurality of slits and an island surrounded by separating connection parts present between the slits; and in the state where the island is held between insulating layers stacked on both of two surfaces of the core plate, through-bores 46 are formed at the separating connection parts to remove the separating connection parts and the island is made electrically independent from a remaining part of the core plate while being held between the insulating layers. Thus, a plurality of circuits can be formed.

Conventionally, vehicle-mountable junction boxes are available in, for example, a busbar system including internal wires in the form of busbars and a printed circuit board system including internal wires in the form of a printed circuit board. Over a vehicle-mountable junction box of the busbar system, a vehicle-mountable junction box of the printed circuit board system has advantages of, for example, being more easily changed in design or the like in accordance with the type, grade or shipping destination of the vehicle and allowing a circuit pattern to be formed in a shorter period of time.
However, a printed circuit board including a board formed of general glass epoxy has a problem of being liable to be raised in temperature because heat from electronic components or the circuit patterns mounted thereon is insulated by an insulating layer and thus the heat is concentrated on the circuit patterns. In addition, because the heat generated from one of the circuits is isolated from the heat generated in another circuit on the printed circuit board, the heat cannot be collected and radiate collectively.
In order to deal with this problem, it is known to use a metal core plate such that the heat from the electronic components or the circuit patterns is uniformized by the core plate and the heat is urged to radiate from the entirety of the board.
However, merely changing the material of the board and adopting a metal core board does not reduce the size or improve the mounting efficiency sufficiently.
In the meantime, Patent Document 1 discloses a metal core board which allows a plurality of circuits to be formed thereon, although this metal core board is not for a vehicle-mountable junction box.
This metal core board is formed as follows. In order to form a quadrangular independent island in a metal core (core plate), substantially U-shaped holes are punched in the metal core while two connection parts are left unpunched. Insulating plates are stacked on both of two surfaces of the metal core. Then, bores are formed from outside to remove the connection parts. As a result of the connection parts being removed, the island becomes independent from an area surrounding the island, namely, the metal core is divided into a plurality of areas.
The punched holes have a width sufficient to block the heat transmission to the island from the surrounding area.
Therefore, there are functions and effects that a plurality of circuits are formed and also the heat transmission is blocked by the presence of the punched holes in the metal core.
However, no metal core board for a vehicle-mountable junction box has ever adopted the structure of dividing the core as disclosed in Patent Document 1.
Automobiles are desired to have more functions and a certain size of space of a compartment. Especially from the viewpoint of providing a certain size of space of a compartment, the junction box is occasionally mounted in a high-temperature engine room and thus is required to be durable. However, for the metal core board disclosed in Patent Document 1, no consideration is given to warp, stress or the like which is caused to the core plate during or after the formation of the punched holes or the formation of the bores to remove the connection parts. When the core plate is warped or stressed, the core plate is distorted after being used for a long time, which may hinder the functions of the metal core board.
Therefore, even when the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is merely adopted for the metal core board for a vehicle-mounted junction box, the metal core board is distorted by the warp or stress caused to the core plate and does not have a necessary level of durability.
In addition, in the case of the metal core board disclosed in Patent Document 1, the separate island is formed merely for the purpose of heat radiation.
The bores made at the connection parts in order to divide the core are left open and are not used for anything.
Since the bores are left open, there is the following inconveniences. When, for example, soldering of a flow system is conducted in order to secure the electronic components mounted on the metal core board, the solder sprouts from the bores and adheres to areas where the solder should not adhere.
In addition, end surfaces of the metal core are exposed to an inner circumferential wall of each bore. This may undesirably cause core-to-core leaks when the plurality of circuits are used.
The punched holes formed in the metal core of Patent Document 1 are for blocking the heat transmission and so are wide.
Therefore, heat generated in one circuit is isolated from heat generated in another circuit. Namely, the heat does not radiate as being dispersed and uniformized in the entire metal core board, and therefore a local temperature rise cannot be suppressed. Accordingly, even when the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is merely adopted for the metal core board for a vehicle-mounted junction box, a necessary level of heat radiation effect is not provided.
Since the punched holes are wide, it cannot be expected to reduce the size or improve the mounting efficiency.
However, as the punched holes are narrower, or as the straight portions of the punched holes are longer, the punched holes act more like bent lines. As a result, the metal core is more liable to be warped or stressed. When the metal core is warped or stressed, the metal core is distorted after being used for a long time, which may hinder the functions of the metal core board.
The metal core is liable to be warped or stressed when being handled and also when being processed. A punched hole may be formed by use of a rooter, etching, drilling, punching by use of a die or the like. Punching by use of a die is most appropriate from the viewpoint of ease of work because punching can make a hole in one step of action. However, in the case of punching a hole by use of a die, as the resultant hole is thinner and longer, the core plate is more liable to be warped or stressed.
In addition, for punching a thin hole, the die needs to be have a thin blade. Such a blade may occasionally be stuck between a die block and a stripper, may fall down or may be bent, at the time of punching. This significantly wears or damages the die, and shortens the life of the die. As can be seen, there are inconveniences that, for example, the work is difficult, the working efficiency is low, and the cost is high.

Metal core board for vehicle-mountable junction box


A benchmark tester retrieves a voltage margin that corresponds to a device that a system includes. The voltage margin indicates an additional amount of voltage to apply to a nominal voltage that, when added, results in the device operating at a power limit while executing a worst-case power workload. Next, the benchmark tester (or thermal power management device) sets an input voltage for the device to a value equal to the sum of the voltage margin and the nominal voltage. The benchmark tester then dynamically benchmark tests the system, which includes adjusting the device's frequency and input voltage while ensuring that the device does not exceed the device's power limit. In turn, the benchmark tester records a guaranteed minimum performance boost for the system based upon a result of the benchmark testing.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to identifying deterministic performance boost capability of a computer system. More particularly, the present invention relates to acquiring device voltage margins and utilizing the device voltage margins during benchmark testing in order to identify a system's guaranteed minimum performance boost.
2. Description of the Related Art
Manufacturers typically guarantee a computer system's performance characteristics based upon certain criteria, such as an amount of time that a computer system requires in order to execute a benchmark test. These manufacturers may also disclose a non-guaranteed performance increase over the computer system's guaranteed characteristics.

Identifying deterministic performance boost capability of a computer system

International Business Machines Corporation


A hydraulic automotive vehicle brake system with brake slip control and automatic brake management for traction control and/or driving dynamics control includes a braking pressure generator which is hydraulically connectable to at least one wheel brake and a pressure fluid accumulator by way of pressure modulation valves, at least one pump which is connected with its suction side to a pressure fluid accumulator and with its pressure side to a pressure fluid conduit that extends from the braking pressure generator to the wheel brake, the pressure fluid conduit comprising the pressure modulation valves and a pressure sensor that is connected to the pressure fluid conduit in between the braking pressure generator and the pressure modulation valves. The pressure sensor is accommodated in a housing which houses the pressure modulation valves.

The present invention relates to a hydraulic automotive vehicle brake system with brake slip control and automatic brake management for active brake operations such as traction control and driving dynamics control.
German patent No. 42 32 311 discloses a hydraulic automotive vehicle brake system with anti-lock control which, in addition, includes automatic brake management for driving dynamics control to improve the vehicle tracking behavior. Special provisions must be made for driving dynamics control or traction slip control in order to have a prompt pressure fluid supply for brake management provided by a pump. Among others, the provisions include the arrangement of a pressure sensor at the pressure fluid conduit extending from the braking pressure generator, with a view to sensing the pilot pressure that is generated by the driver in the braking pressure generator.
A design variation relating to the arrangement of the pressure sensor on a special precharging device is shown in the journal ATZ, 96th edition, No. 11, on page 687. Generally, a complicated cable connection to the electronic control unit is required due to the positioning of the pressure sensor on the housing of the so-called charging piston unit.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic automotive vehicle brake system with brake slip control and automatic brake management for traction control and/or driving dynamics control so that the pressure sensor can be mounted, by relatively reduced structural efforts, in a way being protected against external influences and electrically connectable to the electronic control unit in a virtually reliable fashion.

Hydraulic motor-vehicle brake system with anti-locking control and automatic actuation of the brakes for the control of the drive and/or travel dynamics


Two fuel tanks are situated on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of a boat. An inclinometer generates electric signals indicating the inclination of the boat about its longitudinal axis. The two tanks are connected hydraulically by at least one pipe with which a pump is associated. An electronic processing and control unit acquires and processes the signals emitted by the inclinometer and operates the pump, depending on said signals, so as to transfer fuel from one tank to another in order to reduce the inclination of the boat.

The present invention relates to a system for reducing the roll of a boat. The invention is intended to be used in particular on yachts.
Boats are continuously subject to oscillating movements with respect to both the rolling axis and the pitching axis. These oscillating movements are due to external forces acting on the boat (sea, wind, current, etc.) and/or to the distribution of the loads on-board the boat. In this latter case the causes of the imbalance may be temporary phenomena (for example the movement of persons or objects on-board or differences in level between liquid-containing vessels or tanks) or permanent phenomena, for example the installation of special fixed plants or accessories.
Various systems and apparatus for reducing the roll, the pitching and other undesirable movements of a boat, by means of the transfer of liquids, are known. Ballast tanks inside which seawater may be pumped in order to ensure the stability or correct trim of a boat are widely used.
The Japanese patent application JP-7-251793 describes a water tank for boats. The tank has the shape of a "U" with two opposite arms and is associated with a pump which introduces selectively compressed air into the branches of the tank. The air is introduced at a pressure calculated depending on the signals received from an inclinometer.


A multi-tier video draw poker game in which a player can wager winnings from a first tier poker hand on a second tier poker hand.

Games based upon draw poker have attained enormous popularity as casino-type entertainment games; particularly in the last couple of decades. The success of draw poker is at best partially based on the game's simplicity, i.e., there is widespread public knowledge of the game rules. Furthermore, technological innovations in computer gaming equipment, reasonably fair odds to the draw poker player with payouts typically in the 95% range, and a steady generation of revenue to casinos by draw poker contribute to the game's popularity.
However, a substantial limitation to a still broader expansion of draw poker in casino operations results from the relatively small number of winning combinations and relatively high hit frequency of the highest ranked reward, the Royal Flush (approx. every 40,000 hands), when compared to another popular casino gambling device, the slot machine.
Many variations of draw poker have been developed. Each of these game variations features its own set of rules and/or optimal player strategy. Some game variations attempt to increase the total game outputs and are represented by games such as "Deuces Wild Poker," "Joker Wild Poker," "Bonus Poker," "Double Bonus Poker," "Second Chance Poker," etc.). Others appeal to players by raising the payout percentage to 97% and even higher through the approach of providing bonuses for certain types of winning hands, such as Four of a Kind of Aces, Twos, Threes, etc.


An image acquisition unit provides true color high resolution digital images of the retina of the eye to a computer network (14, 16, 18) which interfaces with a central record library and displays the images at a remote work station (20A and 20B) for diagnostic examination. The computer network (14, 16, 18) is also interfaced with a unit for entering medical history information, and the diagnostic data, stereo images and medical records are linked in a relational database allowing all text and image records of the patient to reside on a work station/display (20A and 20B) for review or consultation. A telecommunications link (22) interconnects the computer network and image examination stations with the image acquisition station where the patient is actually examined, so that stereo fundus images may be made available through the computer without degradation for viewing on the examination displays remotely from the room, building, or city where the images are acquired from the patient. By introducing digital true-color normalization at the image acquisition source (34,32), applicant avoids the problem of spurious color artifacts arising when the images are viewed subsequently, or on other monitors.

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working age adults. It is a disease that, among its many symptoms, includes a progressive impairment of the peripheral vascular system. These changes in the vasculature of the retina cause progressive vision impairment and eventually complete loss of sight. The tragedy of diabetic retinopathy is that in the vast majority of cases, blindness is preventable by early diagnosis and treatment, but screening programs that could provide early detection are not widespread.
Promising techniques for early detection of diabetic retinopathy presently exist. Researchers have found that retinopathy is preceded by visibly detectable changes in blood flow through the retina. Diagnostic techniques now exist that grade and classify diabetic retinopathy, and together with a series of retinal images taken at different times, these provide a methodology for the early detection of degeneration. Various medical, surgical and dietary interventions may then prevent the disease from progressing to blindness.
In the United States, a 22-hospital collaborative clinical trial, the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) has shown that high risk cases can be identified early, and early treatment can substantially reduce the risk of severe visual loss. Comparative economic studies have estimated that if all diabetic persons received routine annual eye examinations with appropriate intervention, cost savings of hundreds of millions of dollars and avoidance of hundreds of thousands of person-years of blindness would be achieved. The health system performance measures of HEDIS recommend that health maintenance organizations require annual retinal examinations for all diabetic patients.
Despite the existing techniques for preventing diabetic blindness, only a small fraction of the afflicted population receives timely and proper care, and significant barriers separate most patients from state-of-the art diabetes eye care. There are a limited number of ophthalmologists trained to evaluate retinopathy, and most are located in population centers. Many patients cannot afford the costs or the time for travel to a specialist. Additionally, cultural and language barriers often prevent elderly, rural and ethnic minority patients from seeking proper care. Moreover, because diabetes is a persistent disease and diabetic retinopathy is a degenerative disease, an afflicted patient requires lifelong disease management, including periodic examinations to monitor and record the condition of the retina, and sustained attention on the part of the patient to medical or behavioral guidelines. Such a sustained level of personal responsibility requires a high degree of motivation, and lifelong disease management can be a significant lifestyle burden. These factors increase the likelihood that the patient will, at least at some point, fail to receive proper disease management, often with catastrophic consequences.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to implement more widespread screening for retinal degeneration or pathology, and to positively address the financial, social and cultural barriers to implementation of such screening. It would also be desirable to improve the efficiency and quality of retinal evaluation.

Stereoscopic imaging system for retinal examination with remote examination unit


A ferrite composition comprises a main component and a sub component. The main component is comprised of 40.0 to 49.8 mol % iron oxide in terms of Fe2O3, 5.0 to 14.0 mol % copper oxide in terms of CuO, 0 to 32.0 mol % zinc oxide in terms of ZnO, and a remaining part of nickel oxide. The sub component includes 0.5 to 4.0 wt % tin oxide in terms of SnO2, 0.10 to 1.00 wt % bismuth oxide in terms of Bi2O3, and 0.21 to 3.00 wt % cobalt oxide in terms of Co3O4, with respect to the main component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ferrite composition suitable for manufacture of multilayer inductors for example and an electronic component having a ferrite sintered body composed of the composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, downsizing of inductance elements tends to easily increase loss and decrease Q values. Thus, magnetic core materials enabling high Q values even under downsizing thereof are required as well as inductance elements using the materials.
Further, in multilayer inductors, coil conductors and ferrite layers are required to be fired integrally. Thus, ferrite compositions for the multilayer inductors are required to have a sintering temperature which is the same or lower than the melting point of the coil conductors.
Patent Document 1 discloses magnetic materials in which SnO2 and Mn3O4 are added to NiCuZn ferrites. The invention described in Patent Document 1 relates to such as electronic components which comprise inductors with low-loss ferrites enabling low temperature sintering and having a small characteristic variation in a wide temperature range even under stress conditions.
By the way, in recent years, development of mobile devices such as smart phones with high performance is remarkably advancing. In recent years, NFC (Near field communication) and non-contact power supply etc. are being adopted, and circuits flowing higher AC currents than those of conventional ones are increasing. Also, due to response to high densification of the electronic components, downsizing of the components is still strongly requested.
For such circumstances, magnetic core materials enabling high Q values even under increase of AC current values or downsizing thereof are required as well as inductance elements using the materials.
[Patent Document 1] JP Patent Application Laid Open No. 2011-018913

Ferrite composition and electronic component


An improved vial assembly is provided for storing a quantity of material for cryogenic freezing, such as a sample of semen for use in artificial insemination. The vial assembly includes a locking mechanism to prevent the vial from being opened and then reclosed prior to final use. The locking mechanism includes a pair of apertured locking members, one on the vial, and one on the cap of the vial. The locking members are positioned for mutual alignment only when the cap is securely tightened onto the vial. A locking pin is provided for one-way insertion through the apertures of the locking members to prevent the cap from being removed without severing or destroying the locking pin. With this locking mechanism, the integrity of the contents of the vial is substantially ensured until the vial is selected for use and the locking pin is severed in the presence of a patient recipient. A secondary vial is also provided which mounts to the main vial. The secondary vial holds a small quantity of a sample contained within the main vial for use in determining the viability of the sample of the main vial. The entire vial assembly is connected together into a single, generally cylindrical unit, which may be mounted to a mounting bar for insertion into a cryogenic bath.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to vials and, particularly, to medical vials for storing semen.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, techniques have been developed for artificially inseminating semen of a donor within a patient recipient. Typically, the semen must be stored, in a frozen state, for months or years prior to insemination. Accordingly, durable containers must be provided for safely and securely holding the semen within a cryogenic environment, such as a liquid nitrogen bath, until insemination.
Conventionally, small plastic vials having screw-on caps are used. A group of vials of uniform size and shape are mounted to a mounting rod prior to insertion into a liquid nitrogen bath. The mounting rod has sets of parallel flanges. The vials are snapped onto the mounting bar with each vial secured by a pair of flanges. The mounting bar is inserted vertically within the liquid nitrogen bath, with an upper end of the bar remaining above the surface of the liquid nitrogen to allow the rod to be easily inserted and removed.
Thus, once the semen of a donor is inserted into the vial, the cap is tightened onto the vial. Then the vial is mounted to the mounting bar and inserted into the liquid nitrogen bath. When the sample of semen is selected for use, the vial is removed from the bath, inserted within a smaller liquid nitrogen vessel, and shipped to a doctor's office. There, shortly prior to insemination, the vial is removed from the temporary liquid nitrogen vessel and allowed to thaw in hot water. The process of thawing typically takes five to ten minutes. Once thawed, the semen is examined for viability and, if viable, inseminated into the recipient patient.
The conventional vials provide a vessel which is suitably durable to withstand long-term freezing. However, the conventional vials have several drawbacks. Since the vials must be stored for months or years before use, it is important to ensure that the content of the vials cannot be tampered with. However, conventional vials are not tamper-proof, i.e., it is conceivable that the vials can be opened and the contents removed and replaced prior to final insemination. Thus, the integrity of a conventional semen storage system cannot be ensured.
Another drawback is that conventional vials do not include a secondary vessel for storing a test sample. Rather, a single vessel is provided for containing a sample of semen. Occasionally the samples, once thawed, are found to be not viable. With conventional vials, there is no easy means for keeping a sample portion of the semen at the cryogenic facility for testing the viability of the semen prior to shipment.
Finally, the conventional cylindrical vial is not adequately held within the mounting bars. Occasionally a vial may be accidentally detached from the mounting bar. A detached vial sinks to the bottom of the liquid nitrogen bath, where it is extremely difficult to retrieve.


A semiconductor device with a trench gate structure includes a semiconductor body with switching electrodes. At least gate electrode controls the off state and the on state between the switching electrodes. The at least one gate electrode in the trench gate structure controls at least one vertical switching channel through at least one body zone. The trench gate structure includes at least one trench with side walls, wherein the at least one gate electrode, which is insulated against the side walls in the region of the at least one body zone alternately by at least one gate oxide section and at least one trench oxide section and forms a switching channel with a gate oxide section in the at least one region, is located in the at least one trench.

The present application relates to a semiconductor device with a trench gate structure and a method for the production thereof. The semiconductor device with the trench gate structure includes a semiconductor body with two switching electrodes. A gate electrode controls the off state and the on state between the two electrodes. The gate electrode in the trench gate structure controls a vertical switching channel through the body zone.
Such semiconductor devices are built as trench power transistors or field plate trench power transistors for voltages from approximately 10 V to more than 1000 V. The specific channel conductivity of these devices is proportional to the channel width of the switching channels. However, the greater the channel width and thus the higher the specific channel conductivity and the lower the channel resistance become, the higher will be the gate capacitance and the gate charge related thereto, which likewise increases in proportion to the channel or gate width.
In trench power transistors or field plate trench power transistors, channel resistance becomes increasingly insignificant for voltages from approximately 50 V. In order to maintain a low gate capacitance and gate charge respectively for voltages from approximately 50 V, it is useful to maintain a small switching channel width in the context of optimizing the switching characteristics of such semiconductor devices. This however affects the on capability Ron·A in conventional trench power transistors and/or field plate trench power transistors.
In conventional semiconductor devices with a trench gate structure or a field plate trench structure, the gate electrode is located in trench strips or rectangular grids or in hexagonal grids. To reduce the gate capacitance and thus the gate charge and to minimize the channel width, the cell pitch, i.e., the step width between individual trench structures, is simply increased, thus increasing the distance between the gate trenches.
The current nevertheless has to be distributed as evenly as possible over the entire width of the drift zone between the trenches, even at increased cell pitch. If however the distance between the trenches and thus the cell pitch is increased, the distance between the channel end and the centre of each individual drift zone between two trench structures is increased as well, whereby the effective drift section resistance is increased in relation to the lateral current distribution. A sheet resistance increased by the longer distance between the trench structures, however, results in a higher Ron·A. It would therefore be useful to create a semiconductor device in which the gate charge and thus the gate capacitance can be reduced without increasing the cell pitch or the distance between the trench structures respectively.
For these and other reasons there is a need for the present invention.

Semiconductor device with a trench gate structure and method for the production thereof


A reclining seat with movable armrest, with such an arrangement wherein a seat back of the seat, which is provided with the movable armrest, is coupled via first and second connecting arm to a reclining device, and the first connecting arm supports both seat back and armrest, while the second connecting arm connects the first connecting means with the reclining device, whereby a total width of both seat back and armrest is made qual to a width of seat cushion. Thus, the armrest, if located at an upright non-use position along the seat back, may serves as one of the seat back at such total width equal to that of the seat cushion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reclining seat for use in an automobile, with a pair of movable armrests provided at the respective both lateral sides of seat back of the seat, in which the seat back is inclinable forwardly and backwardly relative to a seat cushion by means of a reclining device, and the armrests are rotatable forwardly and backwardly relative to the seat cushion, independent of the seat back.
2. Description of Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, there has been known an automotive reclining seat with a pair of movable armrests provided the respective both lateral sides of a seat back. Namely, according to the hitherto seat of this kind as in FIG. 1, a pair of independent seat backs (SB)(SB) are connected to the backward end of a seat cushion (SC) by means of a pair of reclining devices (RD)(RD), respectively, such that each of the two seat backs (SB)(SB) may be inclined independently of each other by operating corresponding one of the two reclining devices (RD)(RD). The reclining devices (RD)(RD) are each provided at the respective both lateral sides of the seat cushion (SC'). As indicated by the phantom line, the reclining device (RD) has an upper arm (RD2) fixed to the seat back (SB) and a lower arm (RD1) fixed to the seat cushion (SC'). Thus, as viewed from FIG. 1, each of the left and right seat backs (SB)(SB) may be inclined adjustably in the fore-and-aft direction by operation of the corresponding one of the left and right reclining devices (RD)(RD).
A pair of movable armrests (A')(A') are each mounted at the respective outward lateral sides of the two seat backs (SB)(SB), via their respective support shafts (A2'), such as to be rotatable between the upright non-use position where the armrest is located upright along the lateral side of the seat back, and the horizontal use position where the armrest lies horizontally in parallel with the upper surface of seat cushion. Each of the movable armrests (A')(A') has a push button (A4') provided at its forward end. Depressing the push button (A4) releases the locked state of the armrest (A') at the upright non-use position, so that the armrest (A') may be disposed from the non-use position down to the horizontal use position.
With the above-described construction, in view of the armrest (A') being mounted laterally of the seat back (SB), it is inevitably required to dispose the reclining device (RD) under the armrest (A') in order that the upper arm (RD2) of reclining device (RD) is fixed on the lateral wall of seat back (SB). This, in turn, requires forming a cut-away area (SC5) at the backward lateral portion of seat cushion (SC') in order to accommodated therein the reclining device (RD) so that the lower arm (RD1) thereof, which extends generally on the same line with the upper arm (RD2), is fixed on the lateral wall of seat cushion (SC').
Although not shown clearly, the cut-away area (SC5) is formed on both backward lateral portions of seat cushion (SC'), and thus there are a pair of such cut-away areas, on the left and right sides, to thereby accommodate therein the two reclining devices (RD)(RD), respectively.
However, such formation of cut-away areas (SC5) results in producing the narrow width (W1) in the backward end region of seat cushion (SC') in comparison with the original width (W2) of seat cushion (SC'). Namely, when the armrest (A) is located at the upright non-use position, the reclining device (RD) is found situated at the end of the narrow width (W1), which actually narrows the seating area in that width, with the result that an occupant sitting on the seat has to feel uncomfortable or cramped with such limited seating area, and will contact the reclining device (RD), feeling uneasy with its hard touch.
Furthermore, in spite of the fact that the armrest (A) per se, when held at the upright non-use position, may be used as a part of the seat back (SB) to enlarge the back support surface area for supporting the back of a passenger on the seat, the presence of the reclining device (RD) under the armrest (A) is indeed an obstacle preventing the passenger from leaning against the surface of armrest (A).


The invention relates to a grid of synthetic material with two groups of parallel, load-bearing strands, wherein the strands of the first group extend in the longitudinal direction of the grid and the strands of the second group extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the grid and the strands of both groups are joined together at their points of intersection. Alternating first and second portions are formed with strands extending in the direction of one of the two groups. The strand spacing of the first portions are larger than the strand spacing of the second portions. The second portions can be of an increased strength and can be used to fasten the grid without aids.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a grid of synthetic material with two groups of parallel, load-bearing strands, wherein the strands of the first group extend in the longitudinal direction of the grid and the strands of the second group extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the grid and the strands of both groups are joined together at their points of intersection.
2. Description of Related Art
Grids of this kind are known from numerous documents, inter alia from DE 20 00 937, DE 41 37 310, DE 41 38 506 and DE 199 15 722 A1.
The patent application DE 101 15 007, which has not yet been published, as well as the US patent application having the application Ser. No. 10/102,889, which is based on the priority of the latter application, describe a grid in which the spacing between the warp thread strands is greater in the edge regions extending in the warp direction than in the central region. This is a grid mat, in particular for reinforcing the ground and for securing or stabilising slopes and/or for reinforcing roadway coverings. The increased spacing of the warp thread strands in the edge regions facilitates the process of passing through threading elements which join the said mats together in their edge regions. The warp thread strands are of a greater width, which increases resistance to displacement, in the edge region.
A known grid for the mining sector is fastened as a tunnel protection grid to a roof or a side wall of a tunnel. In order to fasten the grid, steel cables are pulled at regular intervals through parallel courses into such grids, these being fasted to the roof or the wall. These steel cables are capable of bearing the necessary tensile forces. However the preparation of the grid in situ during installation by fixing the steel cables involves a lot of work.
It is desirable is to provide a grid which is easier to fasten than the known grids.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A computer peripheral combines an electro-magnetic transceiver and a computer pointing device in the same housing, The pointing device cable provides the electrical connection between the electro-magnetic transceiver and the computer's data bus. The transceiver receives information in the form of electro-magnetic pulses from an appropriately-equipped remote device, converts the pulses to electrical signals, and relays the electrical signals to the computer. The transceiver receives electrical signals addressed to the device from the computer, converts the electrical signals to electro-magnetic pulses, and relays the pulses to the remote device.

As the number of peripherals users attach to their computer systems proliferate, the more dense the tangle of cables around the computer becomes.
Besides being bulky, cables also limit the maximum distance the peripherals may be located from the computer. Peripheral manufacturers have addressed these problems by communicating commands and data through electro-magnetic (EM) pulses which do not require any type of physical connection between the peripheral and the computer. Electro-magnetic communication requires two electronic circuits. The first, called an EM transmitter, converts electrical signals into EM pulses and broadcasts the EM pulses into the atmosphere. A corresponding electronic circuit, called an EM receiver, collects the pulses and converts them back into electrical signals. In theory, EM communication could use infrared (IR) light, radio frequency (RF) waves, or any other portion of the electro-magnetic spectrum. As a practical matter, however, only IR and RF are suitable for computer communication without causing or being impeded by interference from other radiation sources. Most manufacturers have chosen to implement EM technology using IR but the following discussion applies to RF as well.
The most basic IR connection is used in one-way communication: the computer sends commands and data to the peripheral but the peripheral does not send information back to the computer. A one-way IR communication link has an IR transmitter coupled to the data bus of the computer and an IR receiver coupled to the input line of the peripheral device. The IR transmitter converts the standard electrical signals representing commands and data for the device into pulses of infrared light and transmits those pulses across some distance to the IR receiver. The IR receiver then converts the pulses back into standard electrical signals and passes them onto the device where they are acted upon as either commands or data.
A more complicated IR connection provides for bi-directional communication between the computer and the peripheral, so the computer and the device must each have both an IR transmitter and an IR receiver. In such cases, the IR transmitter and IR receiver circuitry is usually combined into a single unit called an IR transceiver.
Until recently, all IR-equipped peripherals used proprietary technology so each device required its own unique IR transceiver connected to the computer. In 1994, however, an industry organization called the Infrared Data Association (IRDA) proposed an IR standard that promotes compatibility among IRDA compliant devices. Such compatibility allows a computer with a single IRDA transceiver to communicate with multiple IRDA devices such as printers, modems, fax machines, and even other IRDA-equipped computers. The IRDA standard also specifies error checking and correction protocols and enables a 9600 KB to 4 MB per second transfer rate.
If using proprietary IR circuitry, a peripheral manufacturer provides an external unit containing the corresponding proprietary IR circuit for the computer. This external unit, often referred to as a "dongle", interfaces to the computer by means of a cable connected through a serial, or other suitable, port. Since the IRDA standard was promulgated, many vendors have announced they will build IRDA compliant computers but existing computer users want the advantages offered by IRDA. Therefore, a dongle incorporating the IRDA specification will be an important add-on device for many computers.
By using IRDA compliant peripherals and an IRDA dongle, users can reduce the number of peripheral cables they have connected to their computer. However, the IRDA dongle does not completely eliminate all peripheral cables since it itself requires a cable connected to a serial port. Also, most users have a pointing device connected by another cable to the computer, usually to a serial port, and a keyboard connected by yet another cable. The need to connect the IRDA dongle and the pointing device through separate serial ports impairs the user's ability to attach other serial devices as most computers are configured with only two serial ports. A further limitation of the IRDA dongle is that it competes with the pointing device for space in the user's often crowded work area. Thus, there is a need to reduce the space required for such dongles.

Electro-magnetic transceiver combined with a pointing device


A dispenser assembly configured to dispense liquids or solids from an appliance. In one embodiment, the dispenser assembly includes a tray, a plunger located above the tray, and a discharge opening. The plunger has a front surface and is moveable between a non-dispensing position and a dispensing position. The discharge opening is concealed behind the plunger and free of the path of the plunger from the non-dispensing position to the dispensing position.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to refrigerators or other appliances, and more particularly, to liquid and solid dispensers for appliances.
2. Description of Related Art
Appliances, such as refrigerators, can include a liquid and/or solid dispenser e.g. water and/or ice dispenser) that extends through a wall or door of the appliance in order to deliver liquids and/or solids from a space, such as a refrigerated space, inside the appliance to a user's container outside the appliance. In the case of a solid dispenser in the form of an ice dispenser, an ice bin is typically provided inside the appliance that receives and stores ice cubes, such as are formed and frozen by an icemaker. The ice is transferred through a chute to a discharge opening, where the ice can be delivered to the user's container. In the case of a liquid dispenser (e.g. a water dispenser), a liquid is provided by a connection to a liquid supply. The liquid is delivered from the liquid supply through a liquid line to a liquid discharge opening.
To activate the dispenser and dispense a liquid, and/or a solid, a plunger can be depressed, e.g., by pushing a drinking container against the plunger. To deactivate the dispenser and stop dispensing the liquid and/or the solid, force is removed from the plunger and the plunger is allowed to move into its resting, non-dispensing position.
Dispensers also include a tray to catch residual liquids or solids dripping, leaking, or spilling from the liquid discharge opening or the solid discharge opening. The tray, as well as the plunger, can become regularly wet with use. When the liquid dries, mineral deposits and/or other stains remain on the tray or the plunger, looking unsightly and messy. Additionally, the dispensers themselves can be considered unsightly as compared to the otherwise sleek external surface of the front door.
It would be advantageous to provide a liquid and/or solid dispenser for a refrigerator or other appliance, without the unsightly appearance of liquid stains and the other disadvantages of dispensers, as described above.

Apparatus for dispensing liquids and solids


Nowadays, one of the major problems of the oil industry is the presence of large amounts of water and salts, which cannot be efficiently removed by conventional dehydrating polymers. In addition, the acid stimulation operations of petroleum wells cause the chemical degradation of demulsifiers such as polyethers and phenolic resins, reducing drastically their efficiency as water and salt removers. Based on aforementioned, a series of new copolymers has been developed; these copolymers are combinations of an acrylic and an aminoacrylic monomer and they are synthesized by semi-continuous emulsion polymerization (under starved feed conditions), which ensures both the homogeneity of the different chains as well as the randomness of the monomers distribution. The solutions of one of these random copolymers have shown an efficiency similar or superior to combinations of two or three block copolymers (formulations), when they are applied in light or heavy crude oils. The acrylic-aminoacrylic copolymers show good performance as water/oil emulsion breaker initiators, coalescence agents of water droplets and clarifiers of the remaining aqueous phase. In addition, the chemical structure of the acrylic copolymers confers resistance to degradation induced by abrupt pH changes when acid stimulation operations of wells are performed.

The removal of large amounts of water and salts is one of the major problems of petroleum industry. Emulsified water must be counted among the contaminants of crude oil. Salt may be dissolved in congenital water and dispersed as granules produced by the erosion of saline domes during the petroleum extraction. Nowadays, increasingly heavier crude oils, with larger amounts of resins and asphaltenes, are obtained and emulsions with smaller water droplets are formed because they are stabilized by the aromatic compounds. One of the most common methods to destabilize water/oil emulsions and to remove the salts dissolved in water is the addition of chemical compounds with surfactant properties.
Currently, the extraction of heavy and extra-heavy crude oils carrying extremely stable emulsions, along with the fall of oil prices, make necessary the development of demulsifying more efficient chemical treatments, capable of removing larger amounts of water and salts at lower prices.
These chemical treatments consist of injecting the dehydrating agent into the three-phase separators or, in some cases, at the bottom of the well, in order to achieve the longest contact time with the emulsion. Dehydrating agents are often a mixture of amphiphilic surfactants dissolved in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent (benzene, toluene, and xylene), dispersed by diffusion and convection in crude oil and adsorbed at the water/oil interface of the water drops. The processes of adsorption and displacement and, therefore, the effectiveness of demulsifiers, depends on their chemical structure, pH of the aqueous phase, salt content and temperature. To ensure a good performance of demulsifier agent, the following features must be accomplished: dissolution of the continuous oil phase, diffusion at the oil/water interphase (considering that that the concentration of demulsifier is low), suppression of the interfacial tension gradient and moisturizing and subsequent incorporation of the solids in the removed water. However, the design of demulsifier chemical products depends on the features of crude oils, which are unique for each field and present specific emulsification problems, so the demulsifier must be adapted to every well. An appropriate selection of chemical products in a good proportion is required for an optimal treatment, although it is difficult to standardize a dosage interval.
The main chemical products currently used as crude oil demulsifiers and some application properties are summarized in Table 1.
TABLE 1Chemical products currently use as demulsifiers.ProductDemulsifier propertyPolyethersGood demulsifiers that cause a slow settling of waterdroplets, but overdosing leads to the formation ofinverse emulsions (O/W).ResinsGood demulsifiers that cause a rapid settling of waterdroplets and separate water comes out clean.PolyglycolsThese compounds require mixing with other chemicalproducts for application.Di-epoxidesExcellent demulsifiers but causing a slow settling ofwater droplets.UrethanesExcellent demulsifiers but causing a slow settling ofwater droplets.PolyalkylenesPoor demulsifiers, slow settling of water droplets.SulfonatesGood humectants of solids and these have the capacityto settle water droplets, overdosing does not causeinverse emulsions (O/W), but these can causeprecipitation of iron sulphide particles in theseparated water.PolyaminesSlow effects on the settling of water drops.AlkanolaminesFast effects on the settling of water drops.PolyestersGood demulsifiers that cause a slow settling of waterdroplets, but overdosing leads to the formation ofinverse emulsions (O/W).PolyesteraminesThey are agents of surface active; hydrating at lowdosages, overdosing produces inverse emulsions(O/W).OxialkylatesGood hydrating agents used in mixtures.
By far, chemical compounds with largest range of application are the polyethers, mainly those who possess a block structure with a central sequence of hydrophobic propylene polyoxide and chain ends with sequences of hydrophilic ethylene oxide. Hydrophobic blocks in such copolymers ensure their dissolution and diffusion in crude oil, whereas hydrophilic blocks allow the destabilization of the water/oil emulsion interface. Among the main background of application of this compounds family, can be mentioned the U.S. Pat. No. 2,425,845 [1] and U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,038 [2], which protect the production process of EO-PO-EO copolymers, indicating the use as initiators of the polymerization of the central sequence of propylene polyoxide, salts derived from the following alcohols: ethylenglycol, 1,2-propylenglycol, 1,3-propylenglycol, butylenglycols, diethylenglycol, dipropylenglycol, triethylenglycol, tripropylenglycol, as well as other aliphatic glycols.
Theoretical and experimental studies have allowed stablishing that the performance of dehydrating copolymers depends on molecular parameters such as: a) chemical structure, b) composition and c) molecular mass (length of the polymeric chain). This last parameter was studied experimentally by Cendejas et al. [3], who observed that copolymers of low molecular mass are more effective for dehydrating light crude oils, whereas copolymers of greater molecular mass are required to demulsify efficiently heavy crude oils. Indeed, there is an optimal molecular mass to achieve the best petroleum dehydrating. On the other hand, the mechanism by which the block copolymers achieve to destabilize an emulsion has been elucidate through theoretical methods by Alvarez et al. [4].
Another American patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,060 [5], reports a similar technology of polyethers application, which consists of breaking the crude oil emulsion, using a combination of alkyl ether sulfates and block copolymers of polyoxiethylene-polyoxipropylene, where R represents alkyl groups, n=1-10 and M is an alkaline metal, alkaline earth metal or a quaternary nitrogen (see formula 1, alkyl ether sulfate of polyglycol). It is reported that, after dosing the mixture in a range of 20-140 ppm, the breakdown of emulsion starts at 120 minutes, reaching a removal of 35% of emulsified water; however, the type of oil used and its characteristics were not reported.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,765 [6] claims the rights over the demulsifier products of the type of polyethylenamines alkoxylated with propylene oxide and ethylene oxide, which were evaluated in a certain crude oil extracted in West Africa, at dosages from 0.1 until 200 ppm, in a range of temperatures between 10 and 130° C., reaching a removal of 47% of emulsified water after 3 h.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,794 [7] protects the use of polyalkylglycol and ethylene oxide adduct, which is esterified with an anhydride to form a diester, which is subsequently to make react with vinyl monomers and so on, until form different esters. Formulations are applied in a range of temperature from 7 to 80° C., in concentration from 10 to 1500 ppm and it is dosed to crude oil (without specifying whom) and in different currents (turbosine, gasoline, lubricants oil and others). This document mentions that water removed reaches 40 vol. % in some minutes, without specifying the exact interval of time.
The use of vinyl polymers as demulsifiers of water/oil or oil/water emulsions has been reported in literature. For example, it is known that homopolymers and copolymers of monoalylamines have been employed to break up in water emulsions in a synthetic oil, prepared using as dispersed phase a commercial motor oil SAE 10W30 and as stabilizing agents a mixture of dodecyl and tetradecyl alcohols (U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,593 [8], demulsifying of oil-in-water emulsions).
The application of water-dispersible terpolymers to remove emulsified oils in wastewater, mainly to purify wastewaters that have organic contaminants, has also been proposed. Terpolymers were synthesized starting from acrylamide, 3-acrylamido-propylmethylamonium or hydrophobic monomers such as alkylacrylamides (U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,835 [9], oil-in-water emulsion breaking with hydrophobically functionalized cationic polymers).
Although in both references (U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,593 [10] and U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,835 [9]) could be observed surfactant properties of vinyl polymers and polyacrylamides, the emulsions employed for evaluation are much easier to destabilize that water-in-oil emulsions stabilized by asphaltenes.
It has also been reported that copolymers based on chains of lipophilic no-ionic monomers and ammonium salts are effective to break up or to inhibit the formation of oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsions in the desalting process of California crude oils (138<T<150° C.). Copolymers comprise a cationic monomer as 2-acryloyloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride and a no-ionic lipophilic unit of type methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, n-isopropylacrylamide and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,912 [11], copolymer formulations for breaking oil-in-water emulsions). The copolymers, obtained by solution or emulsion polymerization, are water soluble, so they could be applied directly in emulsions of the type crude oil-in-water. However, the copolymers hydrophilicity make their dosage in crude oil (to break up water-in-oil emulsions) very difficult, and the previous formation of an emulsion of the aqueous solution of the copolymers dispersed in some organic solvent, with the aid of another polymeric surfactant, is necessary. The difficulty to disperse these copolymers directly in crude oil complicates their application as destabilizers of water-in-oil emulsion. On the other hand, it is well known that one of the main factors that determines the efficiency of a demulsifier is its molecular mass [3], [4]. In the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,912 [11] is reported a range of application between Mn 20,000 and 20,00,000 g/mol, but any mechanism or procedure to control of the copolymers molecular mass during the solution or emulsion was not mentioned.
In a similar way, U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,905 [12] (Method of resolving oil and water emulsions) reports the inhibitor and suppressor effects of the formation of water/oil and oil/water emulsions (138<T<150° C.). Copolymers comprise a combination of acrylamide and 2-acryloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride. The authors pointed out that their copolymers have application in the desalting of Californian crude oils, under refinery conditions, for emulsions that contain between 2 and 50% of crude oil, at 150° C. It is important to emphasize that with these amount of oil, oil/water emulsions are mainly formed. As in the previous case, demulsifying temperature is very high (150° C.). By another way, it is well known that one of the main factors that determines the efficiency of demulsifiers is their molecular mass [3], [4]. However, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,905 [12] is reported that copolymers are synthesized in a very broad range of molecular mass (from 2 000 000 to 40 000 000 g/mol). Such copolymers are difficult to handle, because of their high viscosity and must be dissolved in water. Such materials can be applied into a water/oil emulsion, as in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,912 [11], only if an aqueous solution is previously emulsified in an organic solvent. Finally, it should be emphasized that these demulsifier copolymers are prepared by inverse emulsion polymerization, losing the advantage of use water as dispersion medium.
A more efficient demulsifier system is reported in U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,574 [13] (Method of breaking reverse emulsions in crude oil desalting system) and it consists of adding into emulsions containing between 51 and 99% of oil, in a high range of temperature (65<T<150° C.), a combination of aluminum chlorohydrate and polyamines.
On the other hand, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,767 [14] (Emulsion breaking using alkylphenol-polyethylene oxide-acrylate polymer coated coalescer material) is reported that polymers, having an alkylphenol, ethylene oxide and an acrylic monomer, which are efficient as destabilizers of water-in-oil emulsions. Such polymers were evaluated in a mixture of Hutton crude oil and brine of Tisdale field.
Xu Wei et al. reported in 2011, in the CN Patent 101255354 B [15] (Non-polyether type thick oil demulsifying agent and preparation thereof), the use of copolymers of butyl acrylate and acrylic acid as demulsifiers of crude oil. These copolymers were prepared by solution polymerization, using an organic solvent as dispersion medium and an initiator, as the bis-azobutyronitrile, soluble in the organic phase. Authors [15] mention problems to control the homogeneity of the synthesized copolymers, so the monomers had to be added in portions (batch method) or by dropping (no specific controls of addition feed are mentioned). Inventors don't either report either the control of molecular mass for specific applications in different types of crude oils. Finally, Xu Wei et al. ensured a good breaking capacity and a remarkable clarification of the aqueous phase using these copolymers.
The use as demulsifiers of synthesized copolymers based on acrylic monomers and oxyalkylates (derivatives of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, etc.). is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,617 [16] (Method of demulsifying crude oil and water mixtures with copolymers of acrylates or methacrylates and hydrophilic comonomers) The process of synthesis of these copolymers is complex, because it involves several stages to prepare the comonomers and, once obtained the copolymers, these are submitted to further changes. In the elaboration of these materials are employed organic solvents such as xylene and toluene. The assessment as demulsifiers of these copolymer was determined in crude oils from north Germany, the North Sea, the Gulf States of U.S., the Near and Middle East, as well as Africa. However, in none of those cases the API degrees of crude oils are mentioned, in spite this characteristic is fundamental to estimate the real efficiency as demulsifiers of block copolymers.
One of the properties that a demulsifier must provide is the clarification of the aqueous phase, i.e., the removal of residual amounts of oil in the remaining water. In EP 595156A1 Patent [17] (New dispersion polymers for oil field water clarification) is claimed the use of polymers based on the copolymerization of water-soluble monomers derivatives of quaternary ammonium salts obtained from benzyl chloride and acrylates such as dimethylaminoethyl or diethylaminoethyl acrylates. The Copolymers are prepared by emulsion polymerization from a seed or "situ", using as free radical source an azo-initiator. In the document, the control of the addition feed of monomers is not mentioned. The molecular masses of the obtained copolymers are between 10 000 and 10 000 000 g/mol. Authors point out that they did not find an influence of the copolymer molecular weight on their clarifying power of the water phase produced in oil fields. It is not mentioned in the document that the water-soluble acrylic copolymers present properties as breakers or coalescence agents of water/oil emulsions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,582 [18] is claimed the use of a tetrapolymer of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, as well as a pentapolymer synthesized from methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and styrene as destabilizer of water/oil emulsions. Both polymers are water-soluble and were evaluated in a "crude oil replicate", i.e., a mixture of heptane and toluene. In the document, the highly stabilizing effect of asphaltenes in water/oil emulsions is not taken in account, but it is necessary to remark that the asphaltene effect was not emulated by the mixture of organic solvents used to evaluate the tetrapolymer and pentapolymer. The lipophobicity of both polymers makes very difficult their application in crude oil.
The use of vinyl-acrylic copolymers as dehydrating agents of crude oils was reported by D. Ramirez [19] (pp. 120-126). These chemical products, synthesized by emulsion polymerization, showed a high performance to remove water and salts from crude oils. DPD simulation of the system allowed demonstrating that vinyl-acrylic copolymers induce the rupture of water/oil and oil/water emulsions through a gap formation mechanism [19] (p. 136).
González Palacios [20] studied in 2015 the demulsifying effect of a series of copolymers based on two acrylic monomers. The strong influence of the polymer molecular mass on its performance as water remover was confirmed in this work and it was concluded that there is an ideal molecular weight value to achieve a maximum dehydration. However, acrylic-acrylic polymers needed to be added in large doses (>1500 ppm) in order to remove completely the aqueous phase.
Recently, Atta et al. [21] reported the use of poly ionic liquids of acrylic type to destabilize emulsions of heavy oil and water. Copolymers employed as demulsifiers were synthesized by solution polymerization, employing tetrahydrofuran as solvent. Authors observed a remarkable clarifying ability of the aqueous phase removed from the emulsion by dosed copolymers [21].
A similar case was studied by Martinez Gallegos [22], who reported in 2016 the use of copolymers of 2-carboxiethyl acrylate (F) and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (E), in a ratio F/E: 50/50 and 70/30 wt %, as dehydrating agents of crude oil. Such copolymers were insoluble in organic solvents, so they had to be dissolved in water under basic conditions. Although with this copolymer, obtained from the combination of an acrylic monomer and another aminoacrylic monomer, was reached high water removals, the need to add these acrylic demulsifiers in aqueous solutions constitutes a disadvantage for their application to destabilize water/crude oil emulsions in the field. From the environmental point of view, the hydrophilicity of these acrylic-aminoacrylic copolymers (as well as those of U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,912 [11], previously analyzed) represents also a difficulty [23].
Subsequently, García Jiménez [24] reported certain random copolymers based on acrylics, unlike the previous case, which can be dissolved in organic solvents such as xylene. These compounds proved to be very efficient as water removers in both light and heavy crude oils. However, neither the chemical structures nor the contents of the monomers used to synthesize the demulsifier copolymers of crude oil have been reported anywhere in the document, being impossible to infer which combinations of the numerous acrylic monomers are capable to dehydrate crude oils. However, in that document, a theoretical study was presented, showing that the acrylics are capable of inducing the coalescence of water droplets in crude oil by means of a molecular drag mechanism.
The development of novel random copolymers of acrylic monomers and aminoacrylic with properties as breakers of water/crude oil emulsions, drop coalescers and clarifiers of the aqueous phase, is shown in the present invention. The synthesis of these dehydrating agents of crude oil was carried out by semi-continuous emulsion polymerization a process developed in the Mexican Petroleum Institute, which has shown its utility for the synthesis of other chemical products employed to condition crude oil, such as viscosity reducers [25] and defoamers [26]. In the mentioned process, emulsion polymerization was carried out under starved feed conditions, which ensures the copolymer homogeneity (no composition drifts) and a random monomer distribution in the chain. the elaboration process requires the use of chain-transfer agents, molecules that allow controlling the average molecular mass of the polymeric chains. This molecular parameter is of great importance, since the efficiency of dehydrating process of light or heavy crude oils depends largely on it. The presence of suitable amounts of acrylic monomers in the copolymer allows their dissolution in the crude oil, while the aminoacrylic units in the chain interact with the aqueous phase. The proportions of the acrylic and aminoacrylic monomers were adjusted in order to obtain copolymers soluble in the organic phase, so they can be applied directly in crude oil and without the risk of being trained by the remaining aqueous phase [23]. Unlike other demulsifiers reported in the literature, these acrylic-aminoacrylic copolymers were directly evaluated in light and heavy crude oils. Molecular characteristics of novel acrylic-aminoacrylic copolymers (composition and molecular mass) could be adjusted according to characteristic of each crude oil, optimizing their performance as dehydrating agents and thus showing a better efficiency/cost ratio than commercially available dehydrating agents.

Demulsifiers for crude oil based on acrylic-aminoacrylic random copolymers of controlled molecular mass


An apparatus for dividing bread dough or the like is provided, which comprises a dough-cutting member comprising a saw blade means, two dough-supporting members, and a drive means for reciprocating the saw blade means, and by which a plastic material such as bread dough or confectionery dough is smoothly severed, whereby pieces of divided bread dough, each having a plate-like form in which no stress has occurred, are obtained. Further, an apparatus for supplying a uniform strip of bread dough or the like is provided, which comprises the apparatus for dividing bread dough and a stretcher or the like for preparing a sheet of dough. By this apparatus, pieces of divided bread dough, each having a plate-like form, are supplied, and these pieces of bread dough are joined to each other to make a uniform strip of bread dough in which no stress has occurred.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for dividing bread dough. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus for dividing bread dough by which a bread dough mass can be smoothly sliced, thereby obtaining pieces of bread dough that each have a plate-like form. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for supplying a uniform strip of a plastic material such as bread dough by which the material can be easily divided, and by which a uniform strip of bread dough in which no stress is generated can be produced.
2. Prior Art
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 47-34034 discloses an apparatus for cutting soft foodstuffs such as butter and the like. In FIG. 12, a cylinder (1) for accomodating a material to be cut (33) is mounted on a base (not shown), and a frame (2) adapted to be horizontally moved back and forth relative to the cylinder is arranged below it. In the frame, two pairs of guide rollers (4,5, and 3,6) are rotatably mounted on it. A first belt (8) is entrained on a first pair of rollers (4,5), and a second belt (9) is entrained on a second pair of rollers (3,6). The two ends of the first belt (8) are securely mounted on a mounting element (12) extending from the side of the cylinder. Also, the two ends of the second belt (9) are securely mounted on a mounting element (13) extending from the side of the cylinder, opposite from the side from which the mounting element (12) extends. A knife (7) is positioned near the forward end of the belt (8) and mounted on the frame (2). The roller (6) is positioned below the roller (5). The frame is provided at its-bottom with a groove (21). A guide roller (16) and a driven roller (17) are arranged below the frame (2). An endless belt (15) is entrained on the rollers (16,17) to construct a conveyor for conveying divided butter and the like. The driven roller (17) is mounted on a free wheel (not shown) that is connected to a shaft (18) of the driven roller (17). A pinion gear (19) is fixedly mounted on the shaft (18). At a position below the conveyor are arranged a disc (25) adapted to be rotated by a drive motor (24) installed on the disc (25), a crank arm (26), one of the two ends of which is swingably and eccentrically mounted on the disc (25), and a lever (22). One of the two ends of the lever (22) is swingably connected to the base, and the other end has a roller (23) which engages the groove (21). The other end of the crank arm (26) is swingably mounted on the lever (22) at a position near one end of the lever (22). A rack (20) is so arranged that it engages the pinion (19), and its base part engages a projection protruding from the lever (22) at a position near the roller (23).
When the motor (24) is energized, the disc (25) is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow (27), so that the lever (22) swings in a direction indicated by an arrow (28). This causes the rack (20) to be moved in a direction indicated by an arrow (29). Therefore, the pinion (19) is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow (30). This leads to the rotation of the driven roller (17) in the same direction, so that the belt (15) is moved in a direction indicated by an arrow (31). Simultaneously, the roller (23) of the lever (22) pushes the frame (2) in a direction indicated by an arrow (32), so that the knife (7) begins to cut the material (33) and so that the upper flight of the first belt (8) positioned inside the cylinder begins to form a part of the bottom thereof. Also, the area of the upper flight of the second belt (9) positioned in the cylinder forming the bottom thereof begins to decrease. Thus, as shown in FIG. 13, a piece (14) (described by a dotted line) of the material (33) is transferred to the belt (15). When the edge of the knife (17) reaches an end point, the lever (22) begins to swing in a direction indicated by a dotted arrow (34). This causes the rack (20) to be moved in a direction indicated by a dotted arrow (35). This leads to the rotation of the pinion (19). However, since because of the free wheel the driven roller (17) is not rotated, the belt (15) remains stationary. Simultaneously, the backward movement of the frame (2), in a direction indicated by a dotted arrow (36), causes the first belt (8) and the second belt (9) to be retracted and advanced, respectively. Therefore, the material (33) supported by the upper flight of the belt (8) is progressively transferred to the belt (9).
If this prior-art apparatus were to be used to cut bread dough having a high viscosity and elasticity, pieces of bread dough having a plate-like form could not be produced. The reason is that the knife edge could not enter the bread dough mass, that a part of the bread dough would be forcibly pulled in the advancing direction of the knife, and that a shearing, tensile, or compressive stress would occur in the dough. This would cause the dough to be deformed or to adhere to the knife. Therefore, the bread dough would tend to take an irregular shape after being cut. This would result in dough-tissue deterioration, and a good cutting operation could not be obtained.

Apparatus for dividing bread dough or the like


A semiconductor element-housing package, comprising an insulating substrate composed of a plurality of laminated insulating layers and having a mounting portion for mounting a semiconductor element, in the center of a top surface thereof; a ground bonding pad and a power-supply bonding pad formed on the top surface of the insulating substrate, at the periphery of the semiconductor element-mounting portion, to which a ground electrode and a power-supply electrode of the semiconductor element are connected; and a pair of capacitor-connecting pads, formed on the underside of the insulating substrate, one of which is connected to the ground bonding pad, the other of which is connected to the power-supply bonding pad, and to both of which electrodes of a chip capacitor are connected, characterized by having a ground plane and a power-supply plane sandwiching at least one of the insulating layers buried opposing each other within the insulating substrate, and having electrical connections from the ground plane and the power-supply plane to the ground bonding pad and the power-supply bonding pad, respectively, at the periphery of the semiconductor element-mounting portion of the insulating substrate, to thereby downsize the package and to produce a satisfactory, noise-reducing effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor element-housing package for mounting a semiconductor element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional semiconductor element-housing packages for mounting semiconductor elements are constructed of an insulating substrate which is composed of a plurality of insulating layers of an electrically insulating material such as sintered aluminum oxide, for example, and which has a mounting portion for mounting a semiconductor element in the center of a top surface thereof; a plurality of metallized wiring layers which lead out from the periphery of the semiconductor element-mounting portion of the insulating substrate to the outer circumference of the top surface of the insulating substrate, and have sections located along the periphery of the semiconductor element-mounting portion to form bonding pads (ground bonding pads, power-supply bonding pads and signal bonding pads) for electrical connections to respective electrodes of the semiconductor element (a ground electrode, power-supply electrode and signal electrode); outer lead pins which are attached, via a brazing material such as brazing silver, to the sections of the metallized wiring layers which have been led to the outer circumference of the top surface of the insulating substrate; and a lid constructed of a metal such as an iron-nickel-cobalt alloy or a ceramic material such as sintered aluminum oxide; a semiconductor device is fabricated as a product by securely bonding the semiconductor element to the semiconductor element-mounting section of the insulating substrate via an adhesive such as a brazing material, resin, glass or the like, electrically connecting the respective electrodes (a ground electrode, power-supply electrode and signal electrode) of the semiconductor element to the counterpart bonding pads (ground bonding pads, power-supply bonding pads and signal bonding pads) via bonding wires, and then bonding the lid to the top surface of the insulating substrate via a sealing material such as solder, a resin, glass or the like to the top surface of the insulating substrate to hermetically seal the semiconductor element inside the container constructed of the insulating substrate and the lid.
Attached to the semiconductor element-housing package is a connecting conductor which is led from the ground bonding pad for an electrical connection to the ground electrode of the semiconductor device, and the power-supply bonding pad for an electrical connection to the power-supply electrode, of the bonding pads mentioned above, to the underside of the insulating substrate, the sections of which led to the underside of the insulating substrate form capacitor-connecting pads for connections to electrodes of a chip capacitor, wherein the chip capacitor is attached to the capacitor-connecting pad via a bonding material such as solder so as to electrically connect the respective electrodes of the chip capacitor to the connecting conductor.
The chip capacitor which is attached to the capacitor-connecting pad functions as a decoupling capacitor to reduce power-supply noise caused by change in electric potential between the ground voltage and the power-supply voltage which are supplied to the semiconductor element; the chip capacitor is designed to ensure normal operation of the semiconductor element by supplying a charge proportional to the change in electric potential between the ground voltage and the power-supply voltage to the ground bonding pad and the power-supply bonding pad which are connected to the ground electrode and the power-supply electrode of the semiconductor element to reduce power-supply noise caused by change in electric potential between the ground voltage and the power-supply voltage.
The chip capacitor, however, has a drawback in that when it is attached to the underside of the insulating substrate, the connecting conductor for establishing electrical connections from the ground bonding pad and the power-supply bonding pad to the capacitor-connecting pad has an increased horizontal length and a large inductance, and this large inductance of the connecting conductor greatly impairs the function of the chip capacitor as a decoupling capacitor, thus preventing full-scale production of the power-supply noise reduction effect of the chip capacitor.
In order to overcome this drawback, it may be advisable to have a plurality of pairs of a ground plane and a power plane placed opposing each other and sandwiching part of the insulating layers which form the insulating substrate, in the insulating substrate to thereby store capacitance between the paired ground planes and power planes, and to establish electrical connections between the ground bonding pad which is electrically connected to the ground electrode of the semiconductor element, and the ground planes, and between the power-supply bonding pad which is electrically connected to the power-supply electrode of the semiconductor element, and the power-supply planes, at the periphery of the semiconductor element-mounting portion, to thereby provide the capacitance as decoupling capacitors.
Here, it is possible to shorten the wires for the electrical connections between the ground planes and the power-supply planes, and the ground bonding pad which is electrically connected to the ground electrode of the semiconductor element, and the power-supply bonding pad which is electrically connected to the power-supply electrode of the semiconductor element, respectively with the result of a small inductance, and eventually to reduce influence of the inductance of the connecting conductor on the noise-reducing effect of the decoupling capacitors.
However, since the specific dielectric constant of the sintered aluminum oxide which composes the insulating substrates of semiconductor element-housing packages is as low as approximately 7, it becomes necessary to have a great number of pairs of ground planes and power-supply planes placed opposing each other and sandwiching part of the insulating layers which form the insulating substrate, or to have vast opposing areas of the paired ground planes and power-supply planes, in order to store sufficiently increased capacitance between the paired ground planes and power-supply planes as decoupling capacitors, and this creates the drawback that extremely thick, large and heavy packages are required for housing a semiconductor element.

Package for housing a semiconductor element


A method to ensure the dependable representation of a safety-related information includes: entry of at least one input parameter into a processor, computerized processing of the input parameter transforming it into a sequence of image data that represents the input parameter, transmittance of the sequence of image data on to a display and representing the sequence of image data on the display. It is proposed to fead the sequence of image data and to a test unit and to perform a safety test in the form of computerized generation of a test code for the sequence of image data, comparing the test code with several existing reference codes, assigning the identified reference code to a corresponding possible value of the input parameter and comparing it with the value of the input parameter to generate either a positive or negative test result to initiate a safety-focused reaction.

The present invention relates generally to a method for representing or display of safety related information safely, especially by detecting safety-critical errors within the computation of information in order to generate image data preferably involving the method steps: entry of at least one recorded value of an input parameter into a processor, computerized processing of the input parameter transforming it into a sequence of image data that represent the input parameter, transmitting of the sequence of image data to a display and representing or display of the sequence of image data on that display.
Currently, TFT displays are used increasingly as display units in many applications, in control and monitoring systems for example. In addition to the said cases, TFT displays are more commonly used to display safety-critical information in the field of train-control or airplanes, for instance. Generally, units of this kind are based on a micro controller or PC equipped with software running on an operating system.
A failure is considered to be a safety-critical failure if the display only seems to work well or seems to show the correct (consistent) information but actually does not represent the true (factual) information provided to the display unit, for example not the train's actual speed. The display only shows a seemingly correct value, the failure, however, cannot be detected as such by the observer.
Existing methods and devices for application of the methods comprise a processor that generates a sequence of image data corresponding to the input parameter, image or vector-oriented for example, in order to show the sequence of image data on the display. The display can be of any design, a monitor or TFT for example, with the latter frequently being used today. As the present invention is independent from the display used, insofar any applicable technology can be considered. The processing unit is connected to the display (panel) via common digital interfaces, like LVDS.
The detection method and device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention do not include the display, but considers it a perfect and therefore flawless system in this context. This is based on the assumption that a typically extremely low failure rate of the display, especially the display panel in particular relating to those errors which might contribute to safety related errors as defined above. Nevertheless, it is of decisive importance that the value of the input parameter recorded and processed by the system is correctly shown on the display.
Common methods and apparatuses for application of the methods are based on the assumption that a display failure results in an obviously false image and thus is apparent to the observer. The displayed data may be non-constant or interrupted for example, may change, for instance, their color, a figure may be cancelled or shown in a distorted shape. Further, it is to be noted that a failure or an error in the display itself will also lead to a visibly wrong representation of the data.
Present methods and devices to generate digital image data are generally very error-prone due to their inherent complexity. Errors may occur in each single step of the computation, by a defect micro-processor for instance. They may also occur within the graphics controller, the individual memory modules, the power supply or also the display application software whereas these may even result from errors in the graphic software library or other software libraries used by the particular application software. Therefore, a safety test or approval to certify the overall system is very complex and must always comprise all components, hardware, firmware and all software involved, including the operating system. Even more so any up-date or modification/alteration of the system components including the software requires a new certification of the complete system. For practical purposes, such a process is tedious and very expensive, even though strictly necessary with methods and devices according to the prior art.
Methods of a different nature to ensure safe visualization of image data are known from the patents DE 4 332 143 A and EP 0 856 792 A. DE 10 2004 039 498 A1 discloses pixels that can be verified by placing one ore more light-sensitive sensors on monitored areas of TFT display and then sending the output signal produced by said one or more sensors to the subordinate computer.

Method for representation of safety-relevant information on a display and apparatus for the application of the method