The use of leptin and leptin-related molecules in oncology is disclosed.

Leptin, an adipocyte-derived cytokine that regulates body weight, was identified by positional cloning of the murine ob gene (Zhang et al., 1994) and was shown to affect both food intake and thermogenesis (Campfield et al., 1995; Collins et al., 1996; Halaas et al, 1995; Pelleymounter et al., 1995; Weigle et al., 1995). High affinity leptin-binding sites were located in the choroid plexus; expression cloning of cDNA from this tissue provided the leptin receptor (OB-R) (Tartaglia et al., 1995). The known activities of leptin are mediated through its receptor in the hypothalamus. Leptin receptors are expressed, nonetheless, in additional organs, notably the kidney, lung and liver (Cioffi et al., 1996; Lee et al., 1996; Tartaglia et al., 1995). Furthermore, a different repertoire of leptin receptor-splice variants, differing in their cytoplasmic domain, is expressed in a tissue-specific manner in the mouse (Lee et al., 1996). Therefore, in addition to control of food intake and body heat, leptin may exert other physiological functions.
Although leptin is produced by adipocytes, the recent finding of a correlation between excess fat and high levels of leptin in the serum was in contrast with the notion that leptin reduces food intake and body weight (Considine et al., 1996; Frederich et al., 1995; Lonnqvist et al., 1995; Maffei et al., 1995). This correlation, and the well established linkage between obesity and insulin resistance (Felber and Golay, 1995), suggested that leptin may modulate insulin-regulated responses. Indeed, it was recently reported that leptin reduced significantly the basal and insulin-induced tyrosine-phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1). This effect of leptin on IRS-1 phosphorylation was specific, since tyrosine-phosphorylation of the insulin receptor (IR) β-chain was not reduced (Cohen et al., 1996).
Tyrosine-phosphorylation of IRS-1 by the IR kinase is a key step in the insulin receptor signaling cascade, leading to many of the known insulin activities (Araki et al., 1994; Cheatham and Kahn, 1995; Myers et al., 1994; Myers et al., 1994; Myers and White, 1993; Rose et al., 1994; Tamemoto et al., 1994; White and Kahn, 1994). Downstream signaling of IRS-1 is mediated by several associated proteins, one of which is the Growth-factor Receptor-associated Binding protein-2 (GRB2) (Cheatham and Kahn, 1995).
The insulin receptor (IR) is regarded as a metabolic receptor, mediating the effects of insulin on glucose homeostasis. As such it is expressed on terminally differentiated tissues such as adipose tissue, liver and muscle. However, many studies have shown that IR is a potent mitogenic receptor in vitro and in vivo when expressed in tumor cells. For instance, functional IRs were identified in several breast cancer cell lines, as determined by tyrosine-phosphorylation of the IR in response to insulin treatment. Furthermore, the IR mediates a mitogenic response in these cells, as determined by [3H]thymidine incorporation (Milazzo et al., 1997; Millazzo et al., 1992).
Heretofore there has not been described the use of leptin in the field of oncology, in general; and in particular, leptin has not been described as being useful for inhibiting the proliferation of cells, especially proliferating cancer cells.

Leptin as an inhibitor of tumor cell proliferation


An improvement to a process for manufacturing complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices on a monolithic substrate, where the improved process forms nonvolatile memory devices and programmable logic devices. The improvement includes exposing gate electrodes of a selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices at a point in the process where the gate electrodes have been previously covered by a protective material layer. A capacitive material layer is deposited on the monolithic substrate, such that it contacts the exposed gate electrodes of the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices. A top electrode material layer is deposited on the monolithic substrate, such that the top electrode material layer contacts the capacitive material layer in a region overlying the exposed gate electrodes of the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices. The top electrode material layer and the capacitive material layer are removed to substantially the level of the upper surface of the protective material layer, thereby leaving the top electrode layer and the capacitive material layer overlying the gate electrodes for the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices. In this manner, capacitors are formed from the top electrode material layer, the capacitive material layer, and the gate electrodes of the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices. The improved process further includes forming nonvolatile memory devices from the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices, and forming logic devices of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices that are not included in the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices.

This invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing. More particularly, the invention relates to forming nonvolatile memory devices within the same process flow as and on the same substrate with logic devices.
Many products use nonvolatile memory devices to store digital information while the products are in a power off mode. One benefit of using nonvolatile memory devices is that the digital information stored in the nonvolatile memory device prior to entering a power off mode is not lost during the power off condition. Because of this favorable trait, many products use nonvolatile memory devices in combination with programmable logic devices. In this manner, the digital information stored in the nonvolatile memory devices is used to program or provide other input to the programmable logic devices. Such combinations of nonvolatile memory devices and programmable logic devices are especially useful in handheld consumer products such as cellular telephones and personal data assistants, which tend to be battery powered and thus may not have a continuous source of power, or for which it is desirable to only require a relatively low amount of power. A further benefit of this combination of nonvolatile memory devices and programmable logic devices is that the programming for the programmable logic devices that is retained within the nonvolatile memory devices is upgradeable from time to time, which thus enables the product to be updated with new versions of the software.
When implemented in a product, such as that described above, a discrete, packaged nonvolatile memory chip is typically mounted on a printed circuit board that contains the electrical connections required to connect the nonvolatile memory chip to a discrete, packaged programmable logic chip. Unfortunately, there are several disadvantages associated with this configuration. First, because two separate packaged devices are required, one for the nonvolatile memory device and another for the programmable logic device, an increased amount of surface area is required on the printed circuit board to accommodate the separately packaged devices.
Second, and again because the nonvolatile memory device is in a separate package from the programmable logic device, a longer period of time is required for the programmable logic device to access the digital information stored in the nonvolatile memory device by sending and receiving signals through the electrical connections in the printed circuit board that connects the nonvolatile memory device to the programmable logic device. Third, using multiple packaged devices tends to increase the cost of the product, because of the additional processing required to fabricate the product and because of the additional size required as a result of the separately packaged devices, as suggested above.
What is needed, therefore, is a process for fabricating a monolithic circuit that contains both nonvolatile memory components and programmable logic components on a single monolithic semiconductor substrate.
The above and other needs are met by an improvement to a process for manufacturing complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices on a monolithic substrate, where the improved process forms nonvolatile memory devices and programmable logic devices. The improvement includes exposing gate electrodes of a selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices at a point in the process where the gate electrodes have been previously covered by a protective material layer. A capacitive material layer is deposited on the monolithic substrate, such that it contacts the exposed gate electrodes of the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices.
A top electrode material layer is deposited on the monolithic substrate, such that the top electrode material layer contacts the capacitive material layer in a region overlying the exposed gate electrodes of the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices. The top electrode material layer and the capacitive material layer are removed to substantially the level of the upper surface of the protective material layer, thereby leaving the top electrode layer and the capacitive material layer overlying the gate electrodes for the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices. In this manner, capacitors are formed from the top electrode material layer, the capacitive material layer, and the gate electrodes of the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices.
The improved process further includes forming nonvolatile memory devices from the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices, and forming logic devices of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices that are not included in the selected portion of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices.
By forming nonvolatile memory devices and logic devices on the same monolithic substrate, the invention offers several advantages. The process allows seamless integration of nonvolatile memory within a generic complementary metal oxide semiconductor fabrication process flow in a cost effective manner. The integration of nonvolatile memory and programmable logic on the same monolithic substrate saves space on printed circuit boards by reducing the need for separately packaged nonvolatile memory and programmable logic devices.
Thus, products that use such integrated monolithic circuits are able to be smaller and lighter than products that do not use such integrated monolithic circuits. Further, the monolithic circuits provide true system on a chip solutions for hand held computing device applications, which solutions result in faster memory access time, since the nonvolatile memory is located on the same chip as the programmable logic. Additionally, software stored in the nonvolatile memory is upgradeable with newer programming revisions, which increases the utile life of the products that use such monolithic circuits, thereby reducing the cost of the product as determined over the utile life of the product.
In another aspect, the invention provides a process for manufacturing a complementary metal oxide semiconductor monolithic circuit having a nonvolatile memory device and a logic device, where the logic device includes a first gate electrode, a first source electrode, and a first drain electrode, and where the nonvolatile memory device includes at least a second gate electrode. All of the electrodes of the various devices are covered by a protective material layer.
The process includes exposing the second gate electrode of the nonvolatile memory device by removing a portion of the protective material layer overlying the second gate electrode of the nonvolatile memory device. A capacitive material layer is formed adjacent and overlying the second gate electrode of the nonvolatile memory device, and a top electrode material layer is formed adjacent and overlying the capacitive material layer.
The first source electrode of the logic device and the first drain electrode of the logic device are exposed by removing portions of the protective material layer overlying the first source electrode and first drain electrode of the logic device, and forming electrical connections through the protective material layer, where the electrical connections make electrical connection with the first source electrode of the logic device and the first drain electrode of the logic device. The process further includes forming electrical contacts adjacent and overlying the top electrode material layer and the electrical connections.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides a monolithic circuit having nonvolatile memory devices and logic devices manufactured according to the above described processes.


A method of improving the operating efficiency of a fuel cell in a portable device such as a laptop or tablet PC. The efficiency is improved by using the heat produced by the CPU or other components in the PC to heat the liquid methanol for use in the anode part of the fuel cell. Liquid methanol can be heated when it is conveyed from a replenishing unit to the fuel cell via a conduit. The conduit can be embedded in a heat exchanger placed in the proximity of a CPU heat-sink. Alternatively, the conduit is placed near the heat-sink for heating the liquid methanol therein by radiation and convection. Additionally, a fan is used to direct the hot air around the heat sink to heat the liquid methanol in the conduit and to provide heated air to the cathode part of the fuel cell.

A fuel cell works like a battery but does not run down or need recharging so long as the fuel is continually fed to the cell. In a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), methanol is used as a fuel, which is put in on one side of the fuel cell while air circulates on the other side. The two sides are separated by a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which has a proton exchange membrane (PEM) sandwiched between two electrodes. As shown in FIG. 1, a fuel cell 120 includes an anode side 121 where a mixture of methanol (MeOH) and water (H2O) (also referred to as liquid methanol) is circulated around the anode (−). On the cathode side 122, air is circulated around the cathode (+). Through catalytic activation at the MEA, hydrogen atoms from the liquid methanol separate into protons (H+) and electrons (not shown). The electrons become the source of electricity provided by the fuel cell. Some of the protons migrate through to the membrane assembly to the cathode side 122, where they combine with oxygen and become water. While the byproduct of the spent fuel, CO2, on the anode side is easily vented out of the fuel cell, the byproduct, water, on the cathode side must be properly taken away.
A major advantage of fuel cells over rechargeable batteries is that fuel cells can generally operate for longer periods of time without recharging. Furthermore, "recharging" a fuel cell can be accomplished almost instantaneously by refueling with liquid methanol. In contrast, recharging a battery takes hours to complete.
Currently, the operating efficiency of direct methanol fuel cells, in general, is low, especially when the temperature of the fuel falls below a certain range. It is thus advantageous and desirable to increase the temperature of the fuel cell in order to improve the operating efficiency.

Method and system for improving efficiency of fuel cell in portable devices


A paper making machine comprises a press followed by an adjoining dry end having a plurality of dryer groups I to VI. Each dryer group comprises only one row of dryer cylinders and one row of reversal suction rolls which alternate with the dryer cylinders, and a respective endless support belt passing around the cylinders and rolls of each group along a guided meander path. The press and each of the dryer groups has a respective variable web speed drive. A speed control device controls the drives such that a positive difference in speed is present between the first dryer group and the press and a negative difference in speed is present between the last two dryer groups. Separation places may be defined between at least some of the dryer groups. Some of the separation places are closed providing support for the web passing between groups, and others are open providing an unsupported open draw for the web.

The present invention relates to a machine for producing a fiber web, particularly a paper web, and particularly relates to the dry end of the machine. The machine has a press section followed in the web path by a dryer section. The dryer section comprises a plurality of separated dryer groups, each operable at a respective different speed. Each dryer group includes a plurality of dryers, a plurality of web path reversal and suction rolls, one between each two dryers, and an endless loop web support belt, which is sometimes a dryer felt, passing around the dryer group in a meander path past the dryer cylinders and the reversal rolls and past guide means which guide the support belt in the endless loop. After the web to be produced from a fiber suspension is formed and partly dewatered in a wire end or forming end or wet end of the machine, the web is dewatered mechanically as far as possible in a press. Then the web is dried in a dry end comprised of heatable drying cylinders. A dry end suitable for this purpose forms the object of German Patent Application P 41 42 524.3, which is equivalent to U.S. application No. 07/844,145, filed Mar. 21, 1992 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,761 and several U.S. Patents.
One performance requirement for such a paper manufacturing machine is its suitability for extremely high operating speeds, on an order of magnitude of 1000 to 2000 m/min. Despite this high operating speed, the web should travel through the machine with the greatest possible safety, i.e. so that as few web tears as possible result. In other words, the travel efficiency or runability should be as high as possible.
In many cases, there is another requirement, namely drying the paper web to have an extremely low residual moisture content, e.g. of about 2 %. In these cases, drying is substantially more intense than for other types or uses of paper webs in which it is sufficient to obtain a higher residual moisture content in the web, of about 4 to 8 %. The extremely small residual moisture content of about 2% is necessary for producing certain types of paper, such as for the further processing of papers in a coating plant or in a calender. However, the decreased moisture content increases the danger that the paper web will tear, since the paper becomes brittle due to its extreme dryness and/or because the paper shrinks to a great extent, particularly in its longitudinal direction. Such shrinkage produces a quite high longitudinal tension in the web of paper.
When it is herein described that reversing suction rolls lie above or below neighboring dryer cylinders, that means that possibly the entire roll or only part of the roll is above or below the cylinder. However, at least the axes or centers of the rolls are above or below the axes of the dryer cylinders, as described. Some suction rolls can be so small and their axes can be so placed that the entire body of the roller is not beyond the radius of the adjacent dryer cylinders even though the center of the roller is above or below the centers of the adjacent dryer cylinders.
In order to increase the runability in known dryer sections, like that in U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,761, one proposal is now described. In as many dryer groups as possible, at least in the initial, or upstream or wetter region of the dry end, only the lower side of the web comes into contact with the drying cylinders. In other words, in the largest possible number of dryer groups, the drying cylinders all lie above the neighboring reversing suction rolls with which the dryer cylinders alternate along the web path. Only the next to the last dryer group, for instance, has a reverse arrangement in which the drying cylinders lie below the reversing suction rolls so that the top side of the paper web comes into direct contact with the drying cylinders of that group. Accordingly, within the initial region of the dry end, for instance between each two of the first four dryer groups, there are only so called "simple" places of separation between the adjacent dryer groups. This means that the web support belt of the next following succeeding dryer group contacts the last drying cylinder of the preceding dryer group at a place where the web of paper is no longer covered by the web support belt of the preceding dryer group. Such a known development of the place of separation is advantageous in two respects. The threading of the web of paper, for instance upon the starting of the paper machine operation or after a tear of the paper web, takes place completely automatically, without rope guidance being necessary, as is required in older arrangements. The web of paper travels just as reliably during the normal operation of the dry end from each preceding dryer group to the following dryer group. In an exceptional case and despite the favorable manner of construction described above, if a tear should take place in the web of paper, then the reject paper or broke moves readily downward from all drying cylinders of the dryer groups into the basement provided below the dry end.
In order to increase the runability, it is known to keep the web as reliably as possible on the web support belt at the place where the web runs off from each individual drying cylinder, and on the straight travel path from the drying cylinder to the following reversing suction roll. In this respect, the initial region of the dry end presents a particular problem because the paper web is still relatively wet there and it has a tendency to adhere to the wall of the drying cylinder and to detach itself temporarily from the support belt as the web leaves each dryer cylinder. In other words, a so called bubble is formed here between the web of paper and the support belt. In order to reduce the danger of the web of paper tearing, it is attempted to keep said bubble as small as possible. For this purpose, it is known to form a vacuum zone at the run-off place, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,828, FIG. 3. Another known measure consists of reducing the distance between the drying cylinder and the following reversing suction roll as much as possible, shown in International Application WO 83/00514, FIG. 2, or U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,379, FIG. 1.

Dry end of a machine for the production of a fiber web


A multi-mode manipulated water outlet device includes a faucet body and a control box. The faucet body includes a main body, and a second induction unit, a first temperature control valve group, a first water inlet unit and a first water outlet unit that are fixedly disposed on the main body. The first water inlet unit and the first water outlet unit communicate with the first temperature control valve group. The control box includes a second temperature control valve group, and a second water inlet unit and a second water outlet unit communicating with the second temperature control valve group. The first water inlet unit communicates with the second water outlet unit. One flow path manipulation mode is provided through the first temperature control valve group, and another flow path manipulation mode is provided through the second induction unit, thereby providing two different control modes for operating the device.

Existing faucets can be divided into ordinary mechanically-manipulated faucets, inductively-manipulated faucets and others according to their manipulation modes. In a case where people want to manipulate the mechanically-manipulated faucet through induction to conveniently and quickly open or close the flow path, or the inductively-manipulated faucet fails to work when powered off, the faucet cannot be used. It is, therefore, highly desirable to provide a faucet with an integration of the two manipulation modes to meet user requirements.

Multi-mode manipulated water outlet device


A spectacle lens includes a first volume element group containing a plurality of first volume elements. The plurality of first volume elements is made from a material with a first Abbe number in the form of grid points of a geometric grid. Further, the spectacle lens includes a second volume group containing a plurality of second volume elements, which form a second partial grid in the form of grid points of a geometric grid, the second volume elements being made of a second material having a second Abbe number, wherein the first Abbe number and the second Abbe number differ from each other. The first partial grid and the second partial grid are arranged offset from each other. The disclosure also relates to a corresponding computer-implemented method for designing a spectacle lens of the type and to a method for producing the type of spectacle lens.

Spectacle lenses are known in many variations from the related art. There are spectacle lenses without nominal dioptric power and correction spectacle lenses, that is to say spectacle lenses having dioptric power. Dioptric power, according to DIN EN ISO 13666, Section 9.3, is the collective term for the focusing and the prismatic power of a spectacle lens.
In the case of correction spectacle lenses, a distinction is drawn between single-vision spectacle lenses and multifocal spectacle lenses. A single-vision spectacle lens is a spectacle lens in which only one dioptric power is present in respect of the design. A multifocal spectacle lens is a spectacle lens in which two or more visibly different parts having different focusing powers are present in respect of the design. Importance is attached in particular to bifocal spectacle lenses, namely multifocal spectacle lenses comprising two parts, usually for distance vision and near vision, and to varifocal spectacle lenses, namely spectacle lenses comprising at least one progressive surface and an increasing (positive) power when the wearer of the spectacles looks down. Degressive spectacle lenses are uncommon, i.e., spectacle lenses comprising at least one progressive surface and a decreasing power (i.e., an attenuation of the power) when the wearer of the spectacles looks down.
What form must be obtained by the spectacle lens to obtain a desired optical correction is decisively determined by the material of the lens. Here, the most important parameter is the refractive index of the material. While spectacle lenses were predominantly produced from mineral glasses in the past, in particular crown glasses (Abbe number>55) and flint glasses (Abbe number<50), spectacle lenses from a multiplicity of organic materials have become available in the meantime. Such base materials for organic spectacle lenses are offered, inter alia, under the trade names CR 39, MR 8, MR 7, CR 330 and MR 174. A selection of such base materials is also found in the published specification EP 2692941 A1. Other materials are continuously being tested and developed in respect of the suitability thereof for organic spectacle lenses. Table 1, below, elucidates characteristic variables and reference variables of a selection of known base materials:
TABLE 1Base materials for the production of spectacle lensesRefractiveAbbeTrade nameBase materialindex nenumber νePoly (methylmethacrylate)1.489658PMMARAV 700Polyallyldiglycol1.4959carbonate PADCCR 39Polyallyldiglycol1.50056CR 330carbonate PADCCR 607CR 630RAVolutionPolyurea/Polyurethane1.5054PUTrivexPolyurea/Polyurethane1.53045PULuxexcelPolyacrylate1.5344PrintopticalSOLAPolyacrylate1.5447SpectralitePolyethylene terephthalate1.5839PETPolycarbonate1.59029PCMR 6Polythiourethane1.598PTUR 8Polythiourethane1.59841PTUMR 7Polythiourethane1.66432PTUMR 10Polythiourethane1.66632PTUMR 174Polyepisulfide1.73832MGC 1.76Polyepisulfide1.7630Mineral 1.51.52558Mineral 1.61.60444
Currently, a large number of organic spectacle lens semifinished products or spectacle lens finished products with spherical, rotationally symmetric aspherical, or progressive front surfaces are cast in mass production in prototypes with front and back surface form shells, which are spaced apart from one another with a sealing ring, forming a cavity in the process, as described in, e.g., the documents DE 30 07 572 C2, U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,148 A, or JP 2008 191186 A. This applies to base materials with the trade names MR 7, MR 8, MR 10 and CR 39, CR 607, CR 630, etc. The base materials with the trade names MR 7, MR 8, and MR 10 are polythiourethanes marketed by Mitsui Chemicals. Here, the abbreviation "MR" stands for MITSUI RESIN. CR 39 or COLUMBIA RESIN 39 is the brand name selected by Pittsburgh Plate Glass Industries (PPG Industries) under which the material polydiethyleneglycolbisallyl carbonate or polyallyldiglycol carbonate (abbreviation: PADC) is marketed. This is a thermosetting polymer material. CR 607 and CR 630 are also produced by PPG.
Semifinished products or finished products for spectacle lenses made out of polycarbonate are generally produced in metal forms by means of an injection molding technique. This production method is described in EP 0955147 A1, for example. A semifinished product is understood to be a spectacle lens blank with a surface whose treatment has finished in accordance with Section 8.4.2 of DIN EN ISO 13666:2013-10, and whose form is no longer modified in further production steps. As a rule, the opposite surface of a semifinished product obtains its final form by a material-ablating method. A finished product is a spectacle lens blank in which both surfaces already have obtained their final form. The finished product (see Section 8.4.6 of DIN EN ISO 13666:2013-10) is defined by two optical surfaces having different spacings and possibly orientations with respect to one another depending on optical power and material (refractive index). As a consequence of the manufacturing method, with the so-called free-form manufacturing method being employed in the case of progressive spectacle lenses or high-quality single-vision spectacle lenses, the surfaces are continuous and the refractive index is homogeneous over the entire spectacle lens.
Mineral spectacle lenses are generally produced by machine-based mechanically abrasive machining of a blank.
Order-specific prescription spectacle lenses, in particular, individualized single-vision and multifocal lenses, the optical properties of which are not standardized in a preselectable manner, at least in part, are individually calculated and manufactured in a manner adapted to the user in relation to the dimensions and/or the arrangement thereof on the spectacle lens. Varifocal or progressive lenses, in particular, are brought into their final form by mechanical, in particular deforming and/or abrasive, methods. Here, the outer forms may have a round, oval, or arbitrary shape, describing so-called free-forms in the latter case.
The semifinished products or finished products described above are often subjected to one or more finishing processes. In particular, functional layers are applied to one or both sides. Such functional layers are layers that equip the spectacle lenses with predetermined properties, which are advantageous to the spectacle wearer and which the spectacle lenses would not have purely on the basis of the properties of the base or carrier material, onto which the functional layers are applied where necessary, and the forming. In addition to optical properties, such as an antireflection coating, silvering, light polarization, coloring, self-tinting etc., such advantageous properties also include mechanical properties, such as hardening, reduction of the adherence of dirt, or reduction in steaming up, etc., and/or electrical properties such as shielding from electromagnetic radiation, conduction of electrical current, etc., and/or other physical or chemical properties. Examples of functional coatings can be gathered from the documents WO 10/109154 A1, WO 01/55752 A1 and DE 10 2008 041 869 A1, for example.
It is generally known that, on account of the wavelength dependence of the refractive index of the optical material from which a spectacle lens is manufactured, the spectacle lens causes chromatic aberrations if the spectacle lens is manufactured from only one lens element. Chromatic aberrations include the longitudinal chromatic aberration, which produces different foci for different light wavelengths. The longitudinal chromatic aberration is also referred to as axial aberration. In addition to the longitudinal chromatic aberration, a transverse chromatic aberration may occur as a further chromatic aberration, the transverse chromatic aberration being expressed by way of color fringes or color edges in the image plane, on the retina of the eye in the case of a spectacle lens, which the spectacle wearer perceives and considers to be bothersome above a certain strength. The transverse chromatic aberration is also referred to as color magnification error or lateral chromatic aberration.
According to customary technical literature, for instance Diepes/Blendowske, "Optik and Technik der Brille" ["Optics and Technology of Spectacles"], Optische Fachveroffentlichung GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany, 2005, Chapter 5.3, an estimation of the width of the resulting color fringe or the transverse chromatic aberration can be specified using the formula:
      Δ                                δ      chrom        =            δ      e              v      e
wherein Δδchrom is a width of the color fringe in
      cm    m    ,which is proportional to a prismatic power δe at the examined location and to the reciprocal of the Abbe number ve of the examined material. In this case, the prismatic power and the Abbe number are related to the same wavelength, to the mercury e-line in the above formula, i.e., a wavelength of 546.074 nm.
The Abbe number ve, also called Abbe's number, is a dimensionless variable for characterizing the optical dispersive properties of optical lenses, that is to say the extent to which the refractive index thereof changes with the light wavelength. The greater the dispersion (see Section 4.6 in DIN EN ISO 13666:2013-10) of the lens, the smaller the Abbe number. The Abbe number is named after the German physicist Ernst Abbe. The Abbe number ve is defined as:
      v    e    =                    n        e            -      1                      n                  F          ′                    -              n                  C          ′
wherein ne, nF′ and nC′ are the refractive indices of the material at the wavelengths of corresponding Fraunhofer lines, namely the mercury e-line at 546.07 nm, the cadmium F′-line at 479.99 nm and the cadmium C′-line at 643.85 nm (in accordance with the ISO 7944 standard) (see, Section 4.7 in DIN EN ISO 13666:2013-10).
In spectacle lenses with low power, the transverse chromatic aberration does not become apparent to the spectacle wearer in a disturbing manner. However, the chromatic aberrations, in particular the transverse chromatic aberration, increase in the case of spectacle lenses with increasing prismatic power. Furthermore, even if the ground-in prescription has no prismatic correction, spectacle lenses can nevertheless exhibit transverse chromatic aberrations on account of prismatic side effects according to Prentice's rule at large viewing angles, irrespective of whether the defective vision to be corrected is based on short-sightedness or long-sightedness.
High refractive index materials, in particular plastics or high refractive index glass types, are often used nowadays to keep the spectacle lens thickness as thin as possible for cosmetic reasons. However, it is precisely in the case of materials having a high refractive index that the transverse chromatic aberration also becomes significantly greater because increasing refractive index is generally accompanied by a lower Abbe number. In particular, the polycarbonate spectacle lenses, which are preferred owing to their resistance to breaking but have a comparatively low refractive index, also cause a disturbing color fringe for the observer owing to their comparatively low Abbe number ve of 29. Furthermore, they reduce contrast and thus impair the view of the world in comparison to people without spectacles.
In the context of the present disclosure, a "disturbing transverse chromatic aberration" is understood to mean a limit value for the transverse chromatic aberration Δδchrom that is perceived as disturbing by a spectacle wearer. Although this limit value is different on an individual basis, a guide value is a transverse chromatic aberration Δδchrom of greater than 0.25 cm/m. It is therefore desirable at least to attenuate the transverse chromatic aberration produced by a spectacle lens.
In the field of lenses, for example lenses for cameras, it is known to correct chromatic aberrations with so-called achromats. In optics, an achromat is understood to mean a system composed of at least two lens elements made of materials having different Abbe numbers and/or different refractive index and thus different dispersion behavior. Of the two lens elements, one lens element is a converging lens element, which is usually manufactured from a material having a higher Abbe number, for example crown glass, and the other lens element is a diverging lens element composed of a material having a lower Abbe number and thus greater dispersion than the converging lens element, wherein this lens element is manufactured from flint glass, for example.
The two lens elements are shaped and connected to one another at mutually complementary surfaces such that the chromatic aberration for two wavelengths is cancelled as much as possible. The two lens elements then interact in achromatic fashion. In this regard, by way of example, an achromat composed of two thin lens elements that are at a small distance from one another has the same focal length for the Fraunhofer lines F′ and C′ if it is the case thatv1f1+v2f2=0
wherein vi are the Abbe numbers and fi are the focal lengths of the two lens elements.
Within the meaning of the present disclosure, "interact with one another at least partly in achromatic fashion" or "interact in achromatic fashion" is understood to mean that the transverse chromatic aberration or the chromatic aberrations is or are not necessarily completely eliminated, but is or are at least attenuated. One measure of "interact with one another at least partly in achromatic fashion" or "interact in achromatic fashion" is accordingly the quotient of the transverse chromatic aberration Δδchrom of a spectacle lens composed of a uniform material without achromatic correction and the transverse chromatic aberration Δδchrom of the corresponding spectacle lens with the same dioptric power distribution with achromatic correction at the same predetermined location.
The chromatic aberration that still remains in the case of the achromat (the so-called secondary spectrum) is often manifested in a violet fringe around bright objects. To reduce the chromatic aberration even further, the refractive index at more than two wavelengths is taken into account (if the light is imaged onto a point at three wavelengths, an apochromat is obtained). Nevertheless, here as well the Abbe number helps in roughly classifying glass types.
A concise summary of the mode of operation of achromat and apochromat may be gathered from Volker Witt, "Wie funktionieren Achromat und Apochromat? Teil 1: Von der Einzellinse zum Achromaten" ["How do achromat and apochromat function? From single lens element to achromat"], Sterne und Weltraum, October 2005, pages 72 to 75, and from Volker Witt, "Wie funktionieren Achromat und Apochromat? Teil 2: Vom Achromaten zum Apochromaten" ["How do achromat and apochromat function? Part 2: from achromat to apochromat]", Sterne und Weltraum, December 2005, pages 76 to 79.
The conventional achromats described above are not suitable for use as spectacle lenses. Specifically, since the achromats are composed of two complete lens elements, they also have a corresponding thickness and, in association therewith, an excessively high weight.
The spectacle lens disclosed in the document GB 487 546 A consists of two lens elements having substantially the same refractive index. One lens element is manufactured from flint glass having a refractive index of approximately 1.61 and a reciprocal relative dispersion of approximately 36. The other lens element is manufactured from barium crown glass having a refractive index of approximately 1.61 and a reciprocal relative dispersion of approximately 50. The first-mentioned lens element is a diverging lens element, and the last-mentioned lens element is a converging lens element. The two lens elements are connected to one another at mutually complementary surfaces.
The spectacle lens thus produced has a back surface, i.e., a surface facing the wearer's eye, which is formed completely by the diverging lens element, while the front surface of the spectacle lens, i.e., the side of the spectacle lens which faces away from the wearer's eye, is formed partly by the surface of the converging lens element and, in its edge region, by the surface of the diverging lens element. The spectacle lens is thus corrected achromatically only in the central region. In comparison to the above-described achromats having whole-area achromatic correction, the spectacle lens is still relatively thick and of comparatively high weight.
The document DE 10 2010 047 846 A1 discloses a spectacle lens comprising a first and a second lens element, which interact with one another at least partly in achromatic fashion. The second lens element (at least in the non-rimmed state) is arranged in ring-shaped fashion only in an edge region of the first lens element. The spectacle lens is accordingly corrected achromatically in the edge region. Furthermore, a method for producing the spectacle lens can be gathered from the document.
DE 10 2012 102 743 A1 describes that it is important for the two lens segments forming the spectacle lens according to the document DE 10 2010 047 846 A1 to be assembled so as to form a smooth surface. The document also describes a method for designing such a spectacle lens.
In the case of the spectacle lenses described in DE 10 2010 047 846 A1 and DE 10 2012 102 743 A1, for reasons of saving weight, it is exclusively in the edge region, in which the transverse chromatic aberration is higher than in the center, that the spectacle lenses are embodied in achromatic fashion, but not over the entire spectacle lens surface. Furthermore, it is necessary to join together at least two different materials in the semifinished product, which means a not inconsiderable complexity/outlay in the optical calculation and basic lens manufacture.
Also concerned with reducing chromatic aberrations of spectacle lenses is the article by W. N. Charman entitled "Hybrid diffractive-refractive achromatic spectacle lenses," which was published in Ophthal. Physiol. Opt. 1994, Volume 14, pages 389 to 392. It is emphasized therein that achromats comprising one lens element having a low refractive index and a high Abbe number and one lens element having a high refractive index and a low Abbe number, of which one lens element is diverging and the other converging, are impracticable as spectacle lenses since they run counter to the desire for small thickness and low weight of spectacle lenses. It is proposed therein, for the purpose of overcoming the disadvantages of achromats, to combine a refractive lens element with a diffractive element, wherein the combination of the refractive lens element and the diffractive element can have substantially the same thickness and the same weight as the refractive lens element, not corrected achromatically, by itself.
However, a spectacle lens composed of a refractive lens element and a diffractive element exhibits very high complexity/outlay with regard to its production because the diffractive element has to be produced with a high precision to prevent other imaging aberrations from being induced by the diffractive element.
Another possibility for correcting chromatic aberration entails the use of a GRIN optical unit. The abbreviation GRIN stands for the expression "Gradient Refractive INdex". WO 2014/179780 A1 is concerned with such gradient refractive index lenses. According to the document, gradient refractive index lenses are cylindrical, transparent optical components having a refractive index that decreases in the radial direction. The refractive index usually decreases quadratically with the distance with respect to the center (parabolic function). A short rod composed of such a material acts like a customary converging lens, but has plane surfaces at the light entrance and light exit sides, which the document explicitly points out even in the first paragraph of the section "Background of the disclosure."
The document WO 2014/179780 A1 reveals the aim of producing a gradient refractive index lens having an Abbe number of more than 100 by doping a polymer matrix with the aid of inorganic nanocrystals. ZnS, ZrO2, ZnO, BeO, AlN, TiO2, and SiO2 are specified as examples of suitable materials of such nanocrystals. As materials for the polymer matrix, the document specifies polyacrylate, bisphenol A novolac epoxy resin (tradename: SU-8), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The mixture of monomeric polymer and nanocrystal is deposited with the aid of a 3D printing method, and then cured with ultraviolet radiation or thermally to form the gradient refractive index lens. The chromatic aberration of such a lens can purportedly be eliminated efficiently through suitable material selection.
The patent application US 2015/0361286 A1 refers to a similar approach. The optical GRIN element described therein is formed from two nanocomposite inks in a 3D printing method. The two nanocomposite inks each comprise nanofillers distributed in a respective cured organic matrix. The optical dispersions of the two nanocomposite inks differ from one another. The distribution of the two nanocomposite inks leads to optical dispersion gradients which can purportedly correct chromatic aberrations if they are chosen suitably. The nanocomposite inks can differ from one another in the type of nanofiller, the type of organic host matrix, and the concentration of the nanofiller, or combinations thereof.
Five examples of suitable organic matrix materials are specified, namely: polyacrylate, hexanediol diacrylate (HDODA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), diethylene glycol diacrylate (DEGDA), and bisphenol A novolac epoxy resin (SU-8). The nanofillers are ceramic nanoparticles which are small enough in relation to the light wavelengths that they do not scatter the light. As examples of nanofillers, the document specifies beryllium oxide (BeO), aluminum nitride (AlN), silicon carbide (SiC), zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc sulfide (ZnS), zirconium oxide (ZrO2), yttrium orthovanadate (YVO4), titanium dioxide (TiO2), copper sulfide (CuS2), cadmium selenide (CdSe), lead sulfide (PbS), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), and silicon dioxide (SiO2) including architectures derived therefrom.
WO 2015/102938 A1 likewise describes the production of gradient refractive index lenses with the aid of a 3D printing method. The document reveals that the 3D printing method affords in particular the possibility of locally setting the refractive index as well. The adjustability of the refractive index in all three cartesian spatial dimensions furthermore makes it possible to control numerous aberrations, including spherical and chromatic aberrations, and at the same time to fashion the lens surfaces geometrically freely. According to the disclosure of WO 2015/102938 A1, the lens can be, e.g., convex and/or concave.
US 2013/0003186 A1 describes a lens made from a continuous GRIN material. The separation of different wavelengths that is caused by an originally present dispersion of light entering a single lens is partly corrected by the optical dispersion of a continuous GRIN material forming the lens. The lens shown has a convex surface and a plane surface.
DE 10 2009 004 377 A1 describes the production of a spectacle lens with the aid of a 3D printing method. According to the disclosure of that document, one or more materials or substances can be used during the 3D printing of the spectacle lens. At least two materials can have a different color and/or transmittance and/or refractive index. A spectacle lens is disclosed whose front surface is embodied in convex fashion in a manner known per se and whose back surface is embodied in concave fashion.
US 2016/0039208 A1 describes the production of spectacle lenses with the aid of a 3D printing method. The 3D printing method makes use of a print head that can mix two printing inks in a ratio that establishes a desired specific refractive index. The printing inks can be mixed in a mixing chamber or in flight during application.
WO 2015/014381 A1 describes the production of afocal, unifocal, bifocal, trifocal or progressive spectacle lenses with the aid of a 3D printing method. According to the disclosure of the document, the spectacle lens is intended to have a high Abbe number to prevent chromatic aberrations.
US 2005/0046957 A1, from which the disclosure proceeds, describes the production of an optical element, which can also be a spectacle lens, with the aid of a micro-jet printing method. The document discloses applying polymer droplets having different refractive indexes on a substrate, where they form polymer pixels. The pixels having different refractive indices can be applied alternately and, after being applied, they can be of a size such that they can be detected by eye or a measuring instrument. An optical element having a desired refractive index profile can be produced in this way.

Spectacle lens and method for producing same


A method of preparing and producing a nutritious, low calorie, low cholesterol, shelf-stable, expanded snack food product is disclosed. The process involves using a proteinaceous material, such as raw comminuted meats or mechanically separated meats, that are frozen or chilled. Prior to using the raw, frozen or chilled meat, it is further comminuted to relatively small particle size to provide optimum dispersion of the meat products with the farinaceous (starch) component of the mixture. This blend containing the raw, frozen or chilled meat products, is mixed with pregelatinized flour and is then subjected to elevated temperatures and shear pressure as it moves through the high-temperature, short-time, screw-type extruder. Flavorings, coloring, spices, and the like, may be topically applied to the extrudate prior to packaging and after cutting to desired lengths.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a snack food composition and method of making such composition.
2. Background Art
There are numerous processes for producing snack food products for the consumer. Many of these products are deep-fat fried in order for the product to expand and result in a puffed product. Needless to say, this method of deep-fat frying has the disadvantage of absorbing large amounts of fat, resulting in a product with high caloric content which many consumers do not find acceptable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,582, entitled Fortified Snack Process and Product, to Blagdon, et al., describes a process for producing low calorie snack food products which involves fortifying carbohydrate materials that have been substantially pregelatinized with a protein material which has not been substantially heat gelled. The protein source may be any high purity proteins, for example, milk, egg, or oilseed proteins. Blagdon, et al., also use a starch modifying and complexing agent, such as a saturated monoglyceride material, to prevent the hydration of the starch molecule by water. The shaped product is then converted to a snack food product, preferably by frying, since the heating step also serves to set or heat-gel the protein source. The moisture content of the cooked product ranges from 2-6% by weight; protein content ranges from 16-25% by weight; starch content ranges from 49-56% by weight; and the fat content ranges between 12% and 35% by weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,447,929, entitled Method of Manufacturing a Meat-Containing Expanded Food Product, to Hale, et al., describes a method of producing a meat-containing expanded food product directly from proteinaceous material, such as raw meat, that has been heated and dried to decrease its moisture to a value between 20% and 40%, and which also has been ground to reduce the particle size. The ground material is then subjected to elevated temperatures and pressure using an extruder to cook the dried meat. A farinaceous material component may be combined with the dried meat. The expanded cooked meat material is broken into pellets and further drying of the pellets is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,729, entitled Method for Preparing Food Snack Compositions, to Harms, et al., also proposes a process that involves adding a mixture of a starch material and fatty glyceride through a hopper into a housing containing a screw, and thereafter forcing the mixture through a small orifice that may be one of many shapes. A puffed product containing granulated starch material is produced having an abrasion rating of less than 30%; 50% of the material would pass through a sieve screen having a 0.0041 inch opening, and contains between 10% and 15% moisture. The starch materials used may be an acid-modified starch derived from corn, white milo, or dehulled and degerminated corn. No meat, either raw, dried, or frozen, is used in this method.
The process used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,028, entitled Composition Containing Animal Parts for Production of a Fried Snack Food and Method for Production Thereof, to Meyer, et al., also requires drying raw animal parts to a relatively low moisture content, comminuting those animal parts to a relatively small particle size, and mechanically defatting the animal particles to a reduced fat (less than 15-18%) content. It is also disclosed that the animal parts may comprise no more than 25% hot oil rendered parts in order to avoid problems in gelatinization of the animal parts. The animal parts may be chosen from a wide variety of high collagen content meat parts. However, the most preferable animal parts are conventional green pork skins, in part rendered pork skins, bacon or ham rinds, connective tissue, cartilage, and intestinal tract tissue. It is only necessary that the total mixture of animal parts have a relatively high average collagen content. The moisture content of the animal parts must be reduced to less than 35% by air, smoke, or the like, at a preferred drying temperature between 212.degree. F. and 275.degree. F., for less than five hours. After appropriate drying, the animal parts are preferably comminuted, and it is also preferred that the dried material be cooled prior to comminuting. The animal parts must be reduced in fat content by rendering or mechanical defatting in order to accomplish sufficient gelatinization in the extruder, and mechanical defatting is preferred over hot oil rendering.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,548, entitled Method for Preparing Extruded Fried Snack Products from Corn and Other Cereal Flours, to Willard, teaches an expanded, fried cereal-based snack product comprising essentially (1) a low water-absorbing component, (2) a high water-absorbing component, and (3) a starch component comprising one or more ungelatinized starches, comprising from about 10% to 45%, by weight, of the total dry solids. This invention uses only cereals, preferably corn, to make an expanded snack which needs frying and does not contain any meat in its composition.
Canadian Patent No. 694,276, entitled Farinaceous Animal Food, to Burgess, et al., likewise contains no meat and comprises a pet food prepared by high temperatures "substantially above 212.degree. F."
U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,025, entitled Pet Food Product and Method for Forming Same, to Miller, et al., also teaches a pet food composition requiring temperatures above 212.degree. F.
European Patent No. EP 0 131 701 to Rapp teaches an extruded potato chip composition comprising potato powder, ballast, and seasonings. No meat products are used in the product.
Thus, the prior art has failed to provide a means of combining non-rendered, undried, raw, frozen or chilled comminuted meats and other similar meat products with farinaceous material components to form an expanded snack product that is nutritious, lower in calories than conventional snacks, is highly palatable, with a long, stable shelf life and which has a lower fat content and higher protein content than normally prepared fat-fried products.

New Mexico State University Technology Transfer Corp.


A handpiece can treat biological tissue using electromagnetic radiation, which can be substantially fluorescent light. The handpiece includes a source of electromagnetic radiation and a waveguide. The waveguide is adjacent the source, receives electromagnetic radiation from the source, and delivers the electromagnetic radiation to the biological tissue. The handpiece also includes a system for moving a fluorescent substance through the waveguide. The fluorescent substance includes a fluid base and a fluorescing agent and is capable of modulating at least one property of the electromagnetic radiation. A method is described for removing the fluorescing agent from the fluorescing substance and replacing it with a second, different fluorescing agent.

Field
The invention relates generally to apparatuses and methods for treating biological tissue using electromagnetic radiation. In particular, the invention relates to a fluorescent handpiece for treating biological tissue.
Description of the Related Art
Certain treatments for cosmetic and dermatologic conditions include the use of non-coherent fluorescent light or intense pulsed light. For example, devices can include a fluorescent substance or dye for transforming a first predetermined wavelength band of light to a second predetermined pulsed wavelength band of light, a first light source for producing light including said first predetermined wavelength band, and a waveguide for directing said second predetermined pulsed wavelength band to a predetermined location. Unfortunately, the efficacy of the dye can suffer from quenching, bleaching, and other chemical reactions. Also, because the fluorescent substance or dye is heated during operation, and because heating can limit the useful lifetime of the dye, such devices can address the heating of the fluorescent substance or dye. For example, the dye can be circulated through a separate base unit, to mitigate quenching, bleaching, and other chemical reactions, or to cool the dye in an attempt to extend its useful lifetime. However, the volume of circulating dye can be large and the system required to store, pump, and circulate the dye can be large. Due to the volume of dye and the size of the system, these components are generally in a base unit separate from the treatment handpiece. The fluorescent substance or dye can be stationary in a handpiece (e.g., not circulated, not pumped, etc.). The stationary fluorescent substance can be permanent (e.g., in a sealed chamber). The stationary fluorescent substance can be exchangeable (e.g., removable and replaced with another fluorescent substance). The stationary fluorescent substance can be a disposable. The stationary fluorescent substance can be a solid, a gel or a liquid, or combinations thereof. The stationary fluorescent substance can be cooled or heated. Such cooling or heating can be a stationary cooling or heating element and/or a moving cooling or heating substance. In the case of a solid fluorescent substance, it can incorporate also the waveguide such that no further waveguide is needed.


A display includes: a display panel; a flexible printed circuit board that is attached to the display panel at a first height; and a frame that has the display panel disposed therein. The frame includes a guide portion that pulls the flexible printed circuit board to the outside of the frame, with the height of the flexible printed circuit board being varied from the first height to a second height by bending the flexible printed circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display, a mobile device, and a method of manufacturing the display, and more particularly, to a display that has a display panel, a mobile device that includes the display, and a method of manufacturing the display.
2. Cross-Reference To Related Applications
The priority applications Nos. JP2004-342980 and JP2004-345876 upon which this patent application is based are hereby incorporated by reference.
3. Description of the Background Art
An example of a conventional display having a display panel is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3322629. More specifically, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3322629 discloses a liquid crystal display unit that has a flexible printed circuit board at the peripheral portion of a glass substrate (a display panel) disposed inside a front case and a rear case. The flexible printed circuit board extends outward through the openings of the front case and the rear case, with the height of the flexible printed circuit board being the same as the height of the portion at which the flexible printed circuit board is attached to the glass substrate.
Conventionally, LCD units having small-sized display panels to be used for mobile phone handsets have been known. FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a conventional LCD unit that has a display panel to be used for a mobile phone handset. FIG. 21 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the LCD unit, taken along the line 300-300 of FIG. 20. FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a situation in which the conventional LCD unit shown in FIG. 20 is disposed inside a mobile phone handset. FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view of the conventional LCD unit shown in FIG. 20. Referring to FIGS. 20 through 23, the structure of the conventional LCD unit 120 is described.
As shown in FIG. 20, the conventional LCD unit 120 includes an upper frame 101 and a lower frame 102 that are made of metal, an upper deflecting plate 103 that is disposed inside the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102, and a panel flexible printed circuit board (a panel FPC board) 104 having a thickness of approximately 0.2 mm.
As shown in FIG. 23, the lower frame 102a includes a bottom face portion 102a and four side face portions 102b that extend upward from the four sides of the bottom face portion 102a. The side face portions 102b have protruding portions 102c protruding outward. A notch portion 102d is formed in the side face portion 102b on the side to which the panel FPC board 104 is to be attached. Further, a reflective sheet 105 is disposed above the bottom face portion 102a of the lower frame 102. A resin frame 106 having an opening 106a at the bottom is provided above the reflective sheet 105. In the resin frame 106, a FPC inserting portion 106b through which the panel FPC board 104 is to be inserted is formed at the location corresponding to the notch portion 102d of the lower frame 102. The resin frame 106 also has concave portions 106c at the portion of the opening 106a on the side of the FPC inserting portion 106b of the resin frame 106.
Inside the resin frame 106, a light guide plate 108 for guiding the light from light emitting diodes (LEDs) 107 (see FIGS. 21 and 22) to the entire panel, and two lens sheets 109 are stacked in this order from the bottom, as shown in FIGS. 21 through 23. As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the light guide plate 108 has a side face 108a through which the light from the LEDs 107 enters. The lens sheets 109 transmit light upward from the light guide plate 108, and also concentrate the light. A diffusion sheet 110 is provided above the lens sheets 109. This diffusion sheet 110 transmits light upward from the lens sheets 109, and also diffuses the light. With two-sided tape (not shown), a backlight flexible printed circuit board (a backlight FPC board) 111 is bonded to the upper side of the light guide plate 108 through which the light from the LEDs 107 enters. The backlight FPC board 111 has an external connecting portion that protrudes outward from the FPC inserting portion 106b of the resin frame 106. A connector inserting portion 111a (see FIG. 23) is formed at the top end portion of the external connecting portion. The backlight FPC board 111 also has the LEDs 107 that function as backlight sources, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. The LEDs 107 are accommodated by the concave portions 106c of the resin frame 106. The LEDs 107 are disposed in such a manner as to emit light toward the light guide plate 108. As shown in FIG. 23, an adhesive layer 112 having an opening 112a is bonded to the peripheral portion of the upper face of the diffusion sheet 110. As shown in FIGS. 21 through 23, a lower deflecting plate 113 is disposed above the adhesive layer 112. Further, a lower glass substrate 114 and an upper glass substrate 115 that are arranged to interpose liquid crystal are provided above the lower deflecting plate 113. Although not shown, a thin-film transistor is formed on the lower glass substrate 114. The glass substrates 114 and 115 including the liquid crystal and the thin-film transistor constitute a display panel. The lower glass substrate 114 has a protruding portion 114a protruding from the lower deflecting plate 113 and the upper glass substrate 115 toward the concave portions 106c of the resin frame 106. The upper deflecting plate 103 is further disposed on the region corresponding to the display region of the glass substrates 114 and 115.
Further, a driver IC (integrated circuit) 116 for driving the display panel and the panel FPC board 104 are mounted onto the upper face of the protruding portion 114a of the lower glass substrate 114. The panel FPC board 104 is electrically connected to the driver IC 116. The panel FPC board 104 is also disposed to protrude outward from the FPC inserting portion 106b of the resin frame 106 and the notch portion 102d of the lower frame 102.
As shown in FIG. 20, an electronic component attaching portion 104a to which electronic components 117 are to be attached is formed at the outward protruding portion of the panel FPC board 104. A connector portion 118 to which the connector inserting portion 111a (see FIG. 23) of the backlight FPC board 111 is to be connected is also attached to the electronic component attaching portion 104a. Further, the connector inserting portion 104b is formed at the end of the electronic component attaching portion 104a. As shown in FIG. 22, the connector inserting portion 104b is connected to a connector portion 131 of the printed circuit board 130 of a mobile phone handset. The printed circuit board 130 is disposed inside an upper chassis 150 and a lower chassis 151 of the mobile phone handset.
As shown in FIGS. 21 through 23, the metal upper frame 101 is disposed above the upper deflecting plate 103. The upper frame 101 includes an upper face portion 101b having an opening 101a, and four side face portions 101c that extend downward from the four sides of the upper face portion 101b. The opening 101a of the upper frame 101 is formed in the area corresponding to the display region of the glass substrates 114 and 115. Further, as shown in FIG. 23, insertion holes 101d through which protruding portions 102c of the lower frame 102 are to be inserted are formed in the side face portions 101c of the upper frame 101. A notch portion 101e is also formed at the location of the side face portion 101c corresponding to the notch portion 102d of the lower frame 102. By virtue of the opening formed with the notch portion 102d of the lower frame 102 and the notch portion 101e of the upper frame 101, the panel FPC board 104 and the backlight FPC board 111 are designed to protrude outward, as shown in FIG. 20.
In the conventional LCD unit 120 illustrated in FIGS. 20 through 23, the panel FPC board 104 attached onto the upper face of the protruding portion 114a of the glass substrate 114 extends to the outside of the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102, without touching the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102. Accordingly, the panel FPC board 104 protrudes outside the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102, at the same height as the protruding portion 114a of the glass substrate 114. As shown in FIG. 22, when the LCD unit 120 is housed in a mobile phone handset including the upper chassis 150 having the inner face portion protruding downward, the electronic components 117 mounted onto the upper face of the panel FPC board 104 are easily brought into contact with the inner face of the upper chassis 150. As a result, the electronic components 117 are often damaged, causing the problem of defective display due to the damage to the electronic components 117. Also, as shown in FIG. 24, a step portion of approximately 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm extending downward or horizontally may be formed out of the panel FPC board 104 having a thickness of approximately 0.2 mm by manually bending the panel FPC board 104. In such a case, however, there are the problems of variations of the position and the shape of the step, and disconnection might be caused. It is also possible to form a step portion out of the panel FPC board 104 with a jig. In this case, however, as the panel FPC board 104 returns to the original shape because of the elasticity, the electronic components 117 are easily damaged, and defective display is caused due to the damage to the electronic components 117.
In the above described liquid crystal display unit disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3322629, the flexible printed circuit board extends outside the front case and the rear case, at the height of the glass substrate. Therefore, like the conventional LCD unit 120 illustrated in FIGS. 20 through 23, when the liquid crystal display unit is housed inside a mobile phone handset including the upper chassis 150 having a protruding inner face portion, the electronic components attached to the flexible printed circuit board easily come into contact with the inner face of the upper chassis 150. Because of this, the structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3322629 also has the problem that the electronic components are easily damaged.
In the conventional LCD unit 120 illustrated in FIGS. 20 through 23, the driver IC 116 is not attached to the panel FPC board 104, but to the surface of the glass substrate 114 constituting the display panel. Accordingly, the panel FPC board 104 can be made smaller. However, the upper face of the driver IC 116 faces the lower face of the upper face portion 101b of the metal upper frame 101, and therefore, the upper face of the driver IC 116 easily comes into contact with the facing portion of the lower face of the upper face portion 101b of the metal upper frame 101 due to impact or vibration. As a result, the driver IC (an electronic component) 116 is often damaged, and the problem of defective display is caused by the damage to the driver IC (an electronic component) 116.

Display, mobile device, and method of manufacturing display


Methods for reducing the number of adherent particulates in processing solutions to avoid deposition of such particulates onto a substrate treated with those processing solutions. For example, hydrogen fluoride-containing acids used to etch silicon dioxide layers during silicon wafer processing produce fluorosilicate particulates that tend to adhere to and contaminate the silicon substrate. Directing the processing solution carrying the fluorosilicate particulates to a filter employing silicon beads to remove the contaminant fluorosilicate particulates before they can recirculate and adhere to the silicon substrate.

Wet etching techniques used in the fabrication of integrated circuits on silicon wafers entail exposure of the silicon wafers to one or more etching solutions and one or more cleaning solutions. Such solutions contain particulates that adversely impact the wet etching process, with some of the particulates being formed during the wet etching process itself. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,899,767, 4,917,123 and 4,778,532 issued to McConnell et al. appear to entail process fluid particulate removal by size-based filters.
For example, hydrogen fluoride-containing acids are used to etch silicon dioxide layers during silicon wafer processing. Fluorosilicate particulates resulting from the etching reaction tend to adhere to the wafers, thereby reducing or destroying the usefulness of a wafer for its intended purpose. Such particulates are difficult to remove by physical (i.e., size-based) filtering techniques. Consequently, methods of removing fluorosilicate and like particulate contaminants from solutions used in the processing of silicon wafers are desired.

Method of reducing particulate concentration in process fluids


The gas-fired heater, especially a water heater, has an atmospheric gas burner (5) arranged within a nearly or completely closed combustion chamber (2) and associated with a premixing gas/air supply system (8) with a fuel gas feed nozzle (10). In order to avoid oscillations, which lead to sound waves and combustion instabilities, an oscillation-damping air supply chamber (11, 11′, 11″) is connected to the entrance (8a) of the gas/air supply system (8) for combustion air, within which the fuel gas feed nozzle is arranged. The air supply chamber (11, 11′, 11″) is provided with at least one air entrance (12, 12′, 12″). The air supply chamber can be box-like, duct-like embracing or extending around the combustion chamber or it can be a pipe with different diameter pipe sections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas-fired heating apparatus or heater comprising at least one atmospheric gas burner, which is arranged within a partially or completely closed combustion chamber and which is associated with a complete premixing gas/air supply system with a fuel gas feed nozzle, whose inlets for fuel gas and combustion air are arranged on the heater outside of the combustion chamber.
2. Related Art
This sort of gas-fired heating apparatus, to which the invention relates, is typically a gas-fired hot water heater or a gas-fired heating apparatus, like those used for industrial heating units or household fireplaces.
Gas-fired hot water heaters are in use in many different embodiments and power stages in different applications both in the private and industrial sectors.
This sort of gas-fired not water heater prepares hot water for industrial use or for household or industrial applications.
The so-called "water heater" marketed in the USA is a special embodiment of this sort of gas-fired hot water heater, which produces water for showers or the like in the workplace or other places. For example, a "water heater" is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,510, which comprises a water tank for storing the heated water. This water tank is combined with a device for heating water in the water heater. The device for heating the stored water comprises an open atmospheric gas burner. The hot exhaust gas including the combustion products from the gas burner acts on the bottom of the water tank and subsequently rises through an elongated exhaust flue, which extends through the center section of the water tank. In this type of water heater the hot gas flowing upward in the exhaust flue comes into contact with the interior surfaces of the exhaust pipe, while the water in the water tank is in contract with the outer surfaces of the pipe. While the combustion proceeds, the water within the water tank is heated by heat conduction through the wall of the exhaust flue. In this type of water heater normally a longitudinal separating wall is arranged within the exhaust pipe in order to improve the efficiency of the heat transfer through the wall of the exhaust pipe from the hot combustion gas to the water within the water tank. Further this sort of water heater can have a thermally activated valve, which stops the combustion at the gas burner, when the temperature of the water in the water tank reaches a predetermined temperature.
In order to reduce heat loss from the water heater both during the heating of the water and also after halting the combustion process, the outer surface of the water tank is usually covered with a thermal insulation material.
Increasingly strict legal regulations regarding avoiding accidents, especially when combustible vapors arrive in the open combustion region, and in regard to improvement of exhaust gas content, have led to developments in the water heater field, which provide a nearly completely closed combustion (burner) chamber, in which a premixing gas burner, a so-called pre-mix burner, is arranged.
This sort of water heater is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,739. The structure and arrangement of the prior art pre-mix burner in the closed combustion chamber is shown in FIG. 4 of the present application, which is taken from the above-mentioned U.S. Patent. This figure is a cross-sectional view of a water heater with a water tank 1 and a nearly closed combustion chamber 2, to which an exhaust flue 3 is connected, which extends through the center of the water tank 1. The combustion chamber 2 and the water tank 1 are insulated from the surrounds by thermal insulation 4. An atmospheric pre-mix burner 5 is arranged in the combustion chamber 2, which comprises a mixing chamber 6 and a spherical burner mat 7. A Venturi 8 is connected to the mixing chamber 6, which extends through the thermal insulation 4 until at the outer surface of the water heater. A nozzle 10 for supplying the fuel gas is arranged within the outer opening of the Venturi. Primary air is drawn through the outer opening 9 while fuel gas flows into the Venturi 8, which is then mixed by turbulence with the fuel gas in the mixing chamber 6.
Another embodiment of a water heater with a complete premixing atmospheric gas burner is described in U.S. Patent Application 2003/0111 023 A1. This known gas burner 5 is constructed with a planar rectangular burner mat, as shown in FIG. 5 of the present application, which is taken from this U.S. Patent Application. This figure shows the mixing chamber 6 formed together with the Venturi 8. The Venturi 8 has an inlet 10′ for fuel gas and the entrance opening 9 for primary air.
It has been shown that the pressure behavior in the combustion chambers of gas-fired heaters with atmospheric, complete premixing gas burners in a nearly completely closed combustion chamber produces resonances, which put the system into oscillation. These resonance oscillations have the following disadvantages:                no stable or uniform combustion with reduced flue gas quality is possible,        noticeable troublesome loud sound is produced,        back fire of the flames through the combustion medium is possible, depending on the turbulence in the combustion chamber.


Systems and methods for controlling test conditions using logic built-in self-test (LBIST) components to affect test conditions. In one embodiment, an LBIST controller is coupled to LBIST circuitry that is incorporated into the design of a device under test, and also to a thermal sensor that is in thermal communication with the device under test. The LBIST controller is configured to receive device temperature information from the thermal sensor and to modify control signals that are provided to the LBIST circuitry in order to cause the LBIST circuitry to operate in a manner that drives the device temperature to a desired level. In one embodiment, the LBIST controller adjusts the speed with which the LBIST circuitry scans data into and out of a plurality of scan chains, thereby adjusting the amount of heat generated by this operation, which in turn affects the temperature of the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the testing of electronic circuits, and more particularly to systems and methods for controlling test conditions using available logic built-in self-test (LBIST) components to affect the test conditions.
2. Related Art
Electronic devices consist of many individual components that are interconnected in such a way as to provide the functionality of the device. Each of the individual components that make up the device has an associated likelihood that the component will fail. If one of the components fails, the functions performed by component will no longer be performed, so the device fails as well.
The failure rates for electronic devices normally change over time. For a typical device, the failure rate will initially be relatively high. This high initial failure rate is due to components that are defective and therefore prone to failure. For those devices that do not have any components that are defective and therefore likely to fail in this initial interval, the failure rate will drop from the relatively high initial levels to much lower levels, and will remain at these lower levels for a relatively long period of time. At some point, the failure rates will increase again as the components began to wear out. At this point, the devices have reached the ends of their useful lives, and the failures are the result of "old age," rather than defective components.
Many product manufacturers, in order to avoid providing customers with products that are likely to fail soon after they are purchased, perform some type of testing to identify these defective products so that they will not be sold to customers. Typically, a type of testing called "burn-in" testing is used to identify these defective products. Burn-in testing simulates actual use of the product and causes the initial part of a product's lifetime to be used up in testing. This causes defective products to fail at the manufacturer's facility during testing, rather than in a customer's possession during normal operation by the customer.
After the initial portion of the product lifetime has passed and the likelihood of failure has fallen from the initial high levels to lower, acceptable levels, the product can be sold to a customer with a high level of confidence that the product will not fail for a relatively long period of time.
Burn-in testing typically simulates worst-case conditions that might be experienced by the product in normal use. For example, in the case of electronic devices, burn-in testing often entails operation of the device at high voltages, and at high temperatures. Even though the test conditions may be harsh, it is nevertheless desirable to control the test conditions so that they are applied consistently to each of the devices that undergo burn-in testing. The control of the test conditions as desirable because, while it is useful to subject the devices to the harshest conditions that may be encountered during normal use, it is counterproductive to make the conditions more harsh than could be expected, as this could cause the failure of products that would not have failed during normal use.
In order to maintain the proper conditions for burn-in testing, it may be necessary to design or purchase complicated test equipment. For instance, in the case of electronic devices such as microprocessors or other large-scale integrated circuits, it is not unusual to test the devices using expensive test machines that are capable of individually controlling the test conditions for many different devices at the same time. These test machines typically individually control the voltages provided to each of the devices, and even individually heat and/or cool the different devices to maintain the proper temperature. It is easy to understand that, because of their complexity, these test machines are typically very expensive to purchase and very expensive to operate.
It would therefore be desirable to provide systems and methods for performing burn-in testing of devices such as microprocessors or large-scale integrated circuits that eliminates the need for the complex test machinery that is currently used and it makes the burn-in testing process more efficient and more inexpensive than conventional systems and methods.

System and method for burn-in test control


In one embodiment, an intrinsic single crystalline semiconductor plug is formed to pass through a lower insulating layer using a selective epitaxial growth process employing a node impurity region as a seed layer, and a single crystalline semiconductor body pattern is formed on the lower insulating layer using the intrinsic single crystalline semiconductor plug as a seed layer. When the recessed single crystalline semiconductor plug is doped with impurities having the same conductivity type as the node impurity region, a peripheral impurity region is prevented from being counter-doped. As a result, it is possible to implement a high performance semiconductor device that requires a single crystalline thin film transistor as well as a node contact structure with ohmic contact.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of fabricating a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to methods of fabricating a semiconductor device having a node contact structure of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) inverter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Static random access memory (SRAM) devices have advantages over many other semiconductor memory devices, with lower power consumption and higher operating speed. This is particularly true compared to dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices. Therefore, SRAM has been widely used as a cache memory in computers and/or portable electronic appliances.
A unit cell of the SRAM device may be categorized as a load resistor SRAM cell or a CMOS SRAM cell. The load resistor SRAM cell typically employs a high load resistor as a load device, while the CMOS SRAM cell typically employs a p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) transistor as a load device.
CMOS SRAM cells may be classified into two types. One type of CMOS SRAM cell is a thin film transistor (TFT) SRAM cell, which may employ TFT's stacked on a semiconductor substrate as the load device. Another type is a bulk CMOS SRAM cell, which may employ bulk transistors formed at a semiconductor substrate as the load device.
The bulk CMOS SRAM cell may exhibit higher cell stability as compared to the TFT SRAM cell and the load resistor SRAM cell. In other words, the bulk CMOS SRAM cell may have excellent low voltage characteristics and low stand-by current. This is because all of the transistors constituting the bulk CMOS SRAM cell are formed at a single crystalline semiconductor substrate. In contrast, the TFTs of the TFT SRAM cells are typically formed using a polysilicon layer as a body layer. However, the bulk CMOS SRAM cell may have lower integration density as well as weaker latch-up immunity as compared to the TFT SRAM cell. Therefore, to produce a highly integrated SRAM device having high reliability, the characteristics of the load transistors employed in the TFT SRAM cell may need to be improved.
In addition, each of the SRAM cells has a pair of node contact structures. In particular, each of the node contact structures of the TFT SRAM cell is a contact structure, which electrically connects a P-type drain region of the load transistor to an N-type drain region of a driver transistor. In this case, there is a need for an ohmic contact between the P-type drain region of the load transistor and the N-type drain region of the driver transistor.
Semiconductor devices having TFTs stacked on a semiconductor substrate are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,766 to Chen, et al., entitled "Semiconductor Structure Incorporating Thin Film Transistors and Methods for Its Manufacture." According to Chen, et al., a typical bulk transistor is formed at a single crystalline silicon substrate, and a TFT is formed over the bulk transistor. Either the source or the drain region of the bulk transistor is electrically connected to the source or drain region of the TFT through a metal plug such as a tungsten plug. Therefore, even though the bulk transistor and the TFT are an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor, respectively, the bulk transistor has an ohmic contact with respect to the TFT through the metal plug.
A body layer of the TFT may be formed by depositing an amorphous silicon layer on the semiconductor substrate having the metal plug, and crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using a thermal treatment process. In this case, the body layer may be a polysilicon layer having large grains. As such, it may be difficult to convert the body layer into a perfect single crystalline silicon layer. As a result, it may be difficult to form TFTs having electrical characteristics comparable to that of the bulk transistor. Accordingly, there is a need for techniques for enhancing characteristics of the TFT stacked over a semiconductor substrate.
Further, a method of converting the body layer into a single crystalline semiconductor layer using a solid phase epitaxial process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,987 to Sandhu, et al., entitled "High Performance Thin Film Transistor by Solid Phase Epitaxial Regrowth." According to Sandhu, et al., the body layer in which a channel region and source/drain regions of the TFT are formed is crystallized using a drain region of a bulk transistor formed at a semiconductor substrate as a seed layer. That is, the body layer is formed to directly contact the drain region of the bulk transistor, and the body layer is crystallized using the solid phase epitaxial process. In this case, if the bulk transistor is a NMOS transistor and the TFT is a PMOS transistor, there is a need to enhance a contact resistance characteristic between the drain regions of the bulk transistor and the TFT.

Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device having a node contact structure of a CMOS inverter


An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearing member, a movable second image bearing member, a charging device and a voltage applying device. A toner image is transferred from the first image bearing member to the second image bearing member at a first transfer portion, and the toner image is transferred from the second image bearing member to a transfer material at a second transfer portion. The charging device is opposed to the second image bearing member at a downstream side of the second transfer portion and at an upstream side of the first transfer portion with respect to a moving direction of the second image bearing member. The voltage applying device switches a DC voltage from a first voltage to a second voltage which is opposite in polarity to the first voltage. The switching from the first voltage to the second voltage is executed at a predetermined number of transfers of the toner image from the second image bearing member to the transfer material, and the predetermined number varies depending on an image forming condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus utilizing an electrophotographic process.
2. Related Background Art
In a color image forming apparatus utilizing an electrophotographic process, there is known an apparatus utilizing an intermediate transfer method in which a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is once transferred onto an intermediate transfer member, and plural toner images superposed on the intermediate transfer member are collectively secondarily transferred onto a transfer material.
Also, for recovering so-called transfer residual toner (also called "secondary transfer residual toner") remaining on the intermediate transfer member after the transfer of the toner images therefrom onto the transfer material, there is known a method of charging the secondary transfer residual toner in a polarity opposite to that of the toner by a roller member or the like opposed to the intermediate transfer member, and returning the secondary transfer residual toner by transfer thereof onto the photosensitive drum while executing primary transfer of the toner image from the photosensitive drum.
However, the aforementioned method of returning the secondary transfer residual toner onto the photosensitive drum has a drawback that a part of the secondary transfer residual toner is deposited (adhered) on the roller member for charging such secondary transfer residual toner in the polarity opposite to that of the toner, and such roller member becomes incapable of charging the secondary transfer residual toner in the desired polarity, depending on the amount of such deposition (adherence).

Image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process


The thermal management system includes: one or more heat acceptors which remove heat from one or more warm temperature heat sources; one or more absorption heat pumps, which use the heat removed from the warm temperature heat sources to generate either refrigeration or heating; a transfer system, such as a generator pumped liquid loop, for moving heat from the warm temperature heat sources to the absorption heat pumps; a transfer system, such as an absorber pumped liquid loop, for directing heat from the absorption heat pumps to one or more heat sink(s) at one or more temperatures if the absorption heat pumps are generating refrigeration; a transfer system, such as an evaporator pumped liquid loop, for directing heat from one or more cool temperature heat sources, at one or more temperatures, to the absorption heat pump(s) if the absorption heat pump(s) are operating generating heating; a transfer system, such as an evaporator pumped liquid loop, for directing heat from one or more cooling loads to the absorption heat pumps if the absorption heat pumps are generating refrigeration; and a transfer system, such as an absorber pumped liquid loop, for directing heat from the absorption heat pumps to one or more heating loads if the absorption heat pumps are generating heating.

A thermal management system removes unwanted heat from one (or more) warm-temperature heat source(s), and rejects, i.e. directs, the heat to one (or more) heat sink(s). Thermal management systems are critical components of larger systems that, for example, generate large amounts of unwanted heat and/or generate unwanted heat with a high heat flux (heat flux is defined as heat flow per unit of area, which can be expressed in the units of Watts/(cm2).
There are many specific examples of critically needed thermal management systems for use on various navy ships, particularly warships. Future warships will include advancements in power electronics that enable technologies such as the integrated power system (IPS), electromagnetic weapons (EMW), high power radar, and others. The solid state power conversion inherent in the new technologies produces heat loads in excess of those in today's shipboard electrical systems. As these technologies become fully implemented, the population of solid state power conversion devices will increase, and, because warships typically have limited space, the power density of the devices and the heat fluxes of the generated heat will experience a comparable increase. The heat fluxes of the generated heat in the devices will eventually surpass 1,000 W/cm2, but existing technologies are limited to cooling heat fluxes of only approximately 100 W/cm2.
Heat acceptors (for example, heat acceptors that use jet impingement or droplet impingement) are being developed to remove high heat fluxes (up to 1,100 W/cm2 or more), but the thermal management systems that contain the heat acceptors waste the removed heat by rejecting the heat directly to heat sink(s). Cooling or heating is often needed in close proximity to the sources of high heat flux. Space cooling of compartments that will contain high-heat-flux power electronics will be required. Thermal management systems will remove heat from the high-heat-flux power electronics and reject the removed heat to a fresh water cooling loop; however, thermal management systems for many other components in the compartments will reject heat to the compartment air. Therefore, cooling will be needed to remove heat from the compartment air and prevent excessively hot air temperatures in the compartments.
An absorption heat pump accepts heat from one (or more) warm temperature heat sources(s) and generates either refrigeration or heating. When an absorption heat pump generates refrigeration, it absorbs heat from a cooling load and rejects heat to a heat sink. When an absorption heat pump generates heating, it absorbs heat from a cool temperature heat source and rejects heat to a heating load. Many alternative systems are capable of using heat from a warm temperature heat source to produce refrigeration or heating. However, for a given amount of heat input from warm temperature heat source(s), absorption heat pumps can produce more refrigeration or heating than the alternative systems if the difference between the temperature(s) of the warm-temperature heat source(s) of the heat sink(s) or the cool-temperature heat source(s) is small.
Therefore, a need exists for a thermal management system that uses one or more absorption heat pump(s) to provide either refrigeration or heating.

Thermal management system using an absorption heat pump