An apparatus for aligning and dispensing a plurality of solder columns in an array. The apparatus includes a vibrator and an elongated alignment plate supported on the vibrator. The alignment plate includes a plurality of longitudinal guide grooves. A transparent cover is secured on the alignment plate and shaped to cover part of the guide grooves. A parts feeder is operatively associated with the alignment plate to feed solder columns over the upstream end of the alignment plate. The solder columns are received in the guide grooves and fed toward the downstream end of the alignment plate while the alignment plate is vibrated by the vibrator. The solder columns are arranged in an array within the guide grooves so that a vacuum pickup tool may readily capture the cylindrical body of the solder columns.

The present invention relates generally to column grid arrays for semiconductor packaging and more particularly, to an apparatus for aligning and dispensing a plurality of solder columns in an array. After alignment, the solder columns are positioned in an array of corresponding electrically conductive contact pads or terminals disposed on one side of a ceramic substrate. The solder columns are reflowed in an oven and then, attached to the substrate to form a ceramic column grid array package.
As the density of electronic devices on integrated circuits has continued to increase, the number of leads required for a chip has also increased. To handle the increased density, there has been developed a ball grid array package wherein one or more chips are mounted on the top surface of a substrate. The ball grid array package uses an array of solder balls to provide electrical connections between the substrate and a printed circuit board. A problem with this type of package is that substantial differences in the thermal coefficient of expansion can exit between the substrate and the printed circuit board. Such differences in the thermal coefficient of expansion cause plastic deformation of the solder balls.
This problem has been addressed by the use of a ceramic column grid array package. The column grid array package uses an array of solder columns, rather than solder balls, to make electrical connections between a ceramic substrate and a printed circuit board. The solder columns typically have a height of approximately 2.55 mm and a diameter of 0.50 mm. The taller configuration of the solder columns offers compliancy to better absorb the differential thermal expansion rate between the ceramic column grid array package and the printed circuit board. To attach the solder columns to the semiconductor substrate, a low melting temperature solder paste is deposited on electrically conductive contact pads which are, in turn, placed on one side of the ceramic substrate. The solder columns, typically made from a high melting temperature solder using a nominal 90/10 alloy of lead to tin, are vertically positioned on the corresponding contact pads. The combination is then heated in a reflow oven so that the solder paste is reflowed to make a connection between the solder columns and the pads. Like procedure takes place when the solder columns are attached to the printed circuit board.
In the manufacture of a ball grid array package, a vacuum pickup tool is typically used to pick up and place a multiplicity of solder balls in the desired pattern on a semiconductor substrate. The spherical shape of the solder balls makes it easier to pick up and place a full array of solder balls on the substrate. On the other hand, solder columns have a cylindrical shape and must, therefore, be arranged in a fixed orientation during pickup. No means has heretofore been proposed to align a multiplicity of solder columns in an array before the solder columns are picked up.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for aligning and dispensing a plurality of solder columns in an array, so that all the solder columns can readily be picked up by a vacuum pickup tool.

Apparatus for aligning and dispensing solder columns in an array


A multistage scrambler for a digital to analog converter having a non-ideal transfer function resulting from an error function which causes harmonic distortion includes a first shuffling network having a first input for receiving digital data and a first output, the first shuffling network including a first set of data switches; a first sequence generator for selectively interconnecting the first set of data switches to reorder at the first output the digital data received at the first input to reduce the harmonic distortion to lower magnitude colored noise; a second shuffling network having a second input for receiving the reordered digital data from the first output and a second output, the second shuffling network including a second set of data switches; and a second sequence generator for selectively interconnecting the second set of data switches to reorder at the second output the digital data received at the second input to transform the colored noise toward lower power white noise.

This invention relates to a digital to analog multistage scrambler and more particularly to such a scrambler which transforms harmonic distortion to colored noise and then toward lower power white noise.
Digital to analog converters (DAC""s) employ a number of unary elements to convert digital inputs to analog signals. For example, in a current output DAC, ideally each unary element outputs the same current in response to a bit and the accumulation of those currents constructs the precise current required to convert the digital input to the corresponding analog output. Actually the unary elements do not all produce the same current in response to a bit: some produce slightly higher currents, some lower. These errors accumulate in multibit digital codes resulting in non-ideal transfer functions; different types of non-ideal transfer functions such as bow type and xe2x80x9csxe2x80x9d type can lead to different types of harmonic distortions. To combat this a number of different scramblers are used that vary the unary elements called to respond to incoming bits. In data directed scramblers directional switches or swappers are enabled as a function of present and previous data processed. These systems are mainly used in over sampled systems and they reposition the harmonic energy as out of band noise rather than reduce it toward white noise over the whole nyquist bandwidth. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,404,142; 6,124,813. A constant element activity scrambler operates to assure that each element will be used the same amount over time as all other elements using a look-up table/counter to keep a tally of how many times each unary element has been used. This approach is hardware intensive as a history must be kept of the use of each element. Barrel shifter or constant element rotation scramblers use successive sets of elements in a rotating pattern to reduce harmonic energy by shifting or modulating the harmonics by the frequency of rotation. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,406. One problem with this approach is that the error tones or harmonics are moved but not necessarily reduced. Segment swapping scramblers, such as disclosed in Fujitsu Data Sheet MB86060, only partially reduce the noise and only partially reposition it toward low frequency.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved scrambler for a digital to analog converter.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such an improved scrambler for a digital to analog converter which does not reposition but transforms the energy of harmonic distortion to colored noise and then toward lower power white noise.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such an improved scrambler for a digital to analog converter which is hardware efficient.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such an improved scrambler for a digital to analog converter which addresses all types of error functions.
The invention results from the realization that an improved scrambler for a digital to analog converter having a non-ideal transfer function resulting from an error function that causes harmonic distortion, which addresses all types of error functions with greater hardware efficiency, can be effected by employing a plurality of stages including one shuffling network to reduce the harmonic distortion to lower magnitude colored noise and at least a second shuffling network to transform the colored noise toward lower power white noise.
This invention features a multistage scrambler for a digital to analog converter having a non-ideal transfer function resulting from an error function which causes harmonic distortion. The scrambler includes a first shuffling network having a first input for receiving digital data and a first output. The first shuffling network includes a first set of data switches. There is a first sequence generator for selectively interconnecting the first set of data switches to reorder at the first output the digital data received at the first input to reduce the harmonic distortion to lower magnitude colored noise. A second shuffling network has a second input for receiving the reordered digital data from the first output and a second output. The second shuffling network includes a second set of data switches. A second sequence generator selectively interconnects the second set of data switches to reorder at the second output the digital data received at the second input to transform the colored noise toward lower power white noise.
In a preferred embodiment the first sequence generator may include a pseudo random number generator. The pseudo random number generator may be a maximal length pseudo random generator. The number of taps on the maximal length pseudo random number generator may be a prime number. The second sequence generator may include a pseudo random number generator. That pseudo random number generator may be a maximal length pseudo random number generator. And the number of taps on that maximal length pseudo random number generator may be a prime number. The sequence generators may have an equal number of taps or one of them may have more taps than the other. The first and second sequence generators may produce a maximal length cross correlation sequence. Each of the first and second sequence generators may include a linear feedback shift register, the linear feedback shift registers may produce a maximal length sequence.

Multistage scrambler for a digital to analog converter


An exposure apparatus including a moving member movable with a substrate, an interferometer configured to measure a position of the moving member, a blower device for blowing temperature-conditioned air, a plurality of supply openings communicating with the blower device, and a flow rate adjusting device configured to adjust a gas flow rate blown through the plurality of supply openings based on an operation of the moving member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate using a plurality of stages under a projection optical system. More specifically, the present invention relates to an air conditioning of the exposure apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A projection exposure apparatus for exposing a circuit pattern drawn on a reticle (mask) onto a substrate by means of a projection optical system has conventionally been used, and recently, there is an increasing demand for the exposure apparatus of higher resolution and more economical. Therefore, the exposure apparatus capable of performing an exposure process onto an increased number of substrates in a unit of time, namely, the exposure apparatus having better productivity is required. In order to respond to such a demand, a system for an exposure apparatus is discussed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-317916. That is, the exposure apparatus performs a conveyance operation for replacing a substrate by using another stage, and various measurement operations as to the substrate at the same time while the exposure apparatus is performing exposure of the substrate and adjusting a position with a stage under the projection optical system. After all operations end, the stage arranged under the projection optically system moves to a measurement operation region for performing a conveyance operation and a substrate measurement operation, and the stage arranged in the measurement operation region further moves to an exposure operation region for performing the exposure operation.
A position measurement of the stage in the exposure apparatus has been performed normally by using an interferometric length measuring device. The interferometric length measuring device is frequently used in a position measurement of a stage that requires a high-accuracy orientation control because the interferometric length measuring device has a high resolution function. On the other hand, the interferometric length measuring device tends to cause a measurement error due to an environmental change around a light path. Therefore, the more the high-accuracy measurement is required, the more the environmental change around the light path needs to be suppressed or the more a compensation technique is required. Examples of well-known factors of the measurement error due to the environmental change include a temperature change, a humidity change, and a pressure (barometric pressure and sound pressure) change. A change of ratio of components of air may cause the measurement error according to the circumstances. When an operator tries to measure a position of a stage by using the interferometric length measuring device within the exposure apparatus with a precision equal to or less than 1 nm, it is required to suppress the environmental change around the interferometer light path to a degree of a temperature of 1/1,000° C., a humidity of 0.1%, and a pressure of 1 Pa, or to perform a certain kind of real time compensation.
On the other hand, the stage within the exposure apparatus includes a heat source such as an exposure heat generated by an irradiation with exposure light, various actuators and sensors, and the like, and thus a temperature change of 0.01° C. level will occur on a stage surface even if cooling processing is performed on the stage surface. Therefore, in addition to a simple blowing of the high accuracy air conditioning to a region around the interferometer light path, various techniques have been discussed for the exposure apparatus so that an environmental change is suppressed as much as possible. For example, according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 05-126522, by changing a configuration of an air conditioning blow unit according to movement of the stage, the highly accurately temperature-controlled air conditioning is blown to only a vicinity of a measuring beam. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-36453 discusses such a system that a flow balance of the supply opening is changed according to a position of the stage in order to give a constant temperature-regulated air flow to the stage disregarding the position of the stage.
However, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication Nos. 05-126522 and 2000-36453, an air conditioning is performed based only on positional information of the stage, and it is difficult to achieve an efficient air conditioning by this method. This is because a disturbance of air conditioning depends to a large degree on a movement operation (hereinafter referred to as the "operation"), so that it is necessary to consider the movement of the stage in order to achieve the efficient air conditioning.
Generally, when a stage is moved in a larger stroke, the air conditioning around the interferometer light path tends to be disturbed, as compared to stage movement in a smaller stroke. For example, an exposure apparatus in which an exposure operation region and a measurement operation region are independently provided as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-317916, disturbance of the air conditioning due to the stroke of the stage movement appears more markedly.
Even if the stage is not moved in a large stroke, when a stage operation requiring a high accuracy positioning needs to be performed, it is necessary that the air conditioning around the interferometer light path is not disturbed as much as possible.
If the air conditioning is performed without taking into consideration a degree of disturbance of the air conditioning caused by the stage operation or the air conditioning accuracy required by the stage operation, a next task cannot be taken before the air conditioning comes to be desired one. Thus, throughput is decreased.


A vehicle includes an electrical device in which a high-voltage part is disposed within a case, and a fuel tank. The high-voltage part is disposed near a first side end of the case in a vehicle width direction. The fuel tank has a first end portion in the vehicle width direction and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. When a collision load equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied to the fuel tank from the outside in a vehicle front-rear direction, the fuel tank is configured to be horizontally rotated about the first end portion of the fuel tank, and the second end portion of the fuel tank is configured to contact the second side end of the electrical device.

The present application relates to a vehicle in which an electrical device having a high-voltage part accommodated in a case, is disposed at a vehicle front portion or a vehicle rear portion.
In the related art, in vehicles, such as automobiles, various electrical devices having a high-voltage part accommodated in a case are mounted. The various electrical devices include, for example, a battery unit in which a battery serving as a cell is accommodated in a battery case, a power control unit in which a converter or an inverter is accommodated in the case, a fuel cell in which a cell stack is accommodated in the case, and a motor drive unit in which a motor serving as a driving source is accommodated in the case.
Additionally, in the vehicles, such as automobiles, various fuel tanks in which fuel gas is stored are also mounted. The various fuel tanks include, for example, a tank that stores compressed natural gas in a natural gas vehicle, a tank that stores hydrogen gas in a hydrogen car, and a tank that stores the fuel gas to be supplied to a fuel cell in a fuel cell vehicle.
In this way, regarding positional relationships between the above-described electrical devices and the above-described fuel tanks, various layouts have been suggested in the related art.
For example, International Publication WO2015/185184 (particularly FIG. 4) discloses a fuel cell vehicle in which a motor drive unit is disposed at a vehicle rear portion so as to extend over rear wheel vehicle axles. Two fuel tanks are disposed in front of and behind the motor drive unit, respectively, such that their longitudinal directions are oriented along a vehicle width direction (i.e., perpendicular to a vehicle longitudinal direction).

Vehicle with improved suppression of high voltage under collision load


A helicopter having a mast 50 which drives a rotor and which is driven from a transmission 16 has a swashplate 10 individually linked to pitch horns on each rotor blade. At least four control channels 11-15 are coupled to the swashplate. Three channels may control the attitude and position of the swashplate. The control channels 11-15 are actuated in response to pilot commands transmitted by means including mechanical, optical or electrical systems. A separate power unit 21-25, 31-35 supplies each control channel. Each power unit is directly driven by the transmission 16. Means 11c-15c applies control of the swashplate 10 from among the control channels 11-15.

Helicopters generally have utilized mechanical linkages leading from a pilot control stick to actuator inputs for controlling the location and attitude of a swashplate. The swashplate is then coupled to pitch horns on rotor blades to control cyclic pitch and collective pitch. Variations in cyclic pitch are produced by tilting the swashplate. Variations in collective pitch are produced by raising and lowering the swashplate. The position and attitude of a swashplate may be controlled by three actuators connected to three points on the swashplate. Electrical sensors have been utilized to sense pilot inputs for producing control signals in a servo system which in turn drives swashplate actuators.
Military aircraft are vulnerable to damage by enemy fire. Because of such exposure, military specifications for a control system require continued operability, even though a given control channel fails, is damaged or otherwise is placed out of action.
Any three actuators may determine the plane and position of the swashplate. More than three actuators may provide for operating redundancy. In such case, the failure of mechanical hardware as upon ballistic impact can be tolerated to a degree depending upon the extent of redundancy.


A method for plating conductive material in through apertures and blind apertures of a substrate which has a conductive material on its upper and lower surfaces. In a typical configuration for plating a via, there is a first region of conductive material adjacent to, but outside of, the aperture which forms the via and a second region of conductive material inside of the aperture. The second conductive region is selected to be the cathode of the plating process. The structure is placed in a plating bath, a first potential is applied to the first region of conductive material, and a second potential is applied to the second region of conductive material, with the second potential being different from the first potential. Under these conditions, material will plate onto the second region of conductive material to fill the aperture. The value of the first potential is preferably selected to substantially reduce the rate at which the first region of conductive material is etched by the plating bath, and may be used to cause material to be plated onto first region, but at a slower rate than the plating of the second conductive region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the plating of conductive material onto a substrate during the fabrication of semiconductor devices, and more specifically, to methods for plating conductive material in through holes and blind apertures of a substrate having conductors on both its upper and lower surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In fabrication of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and multi-chip modules (MCMs), it is often desired to plate the inside surfaces of a through-hole or blind aperture formed in a substrate with a conductive material. Once the conductive material is plated, a through hole is often referred to as a through via, and a blind aperture is often referred to as a blind via. Through vias are used to connect electrical traces which are on opposite sides of a PCB board or MCM substrate, and blind vias are used to connect electrical traces within the body of such board and substrates to one another and to traces on the surfaces of the board or substrate.
There is a demand in the semiconductor industry for an increasing density of electrical traces and interconnections, which often requires a high density of through vias and blind vias at smaller aperture diameters and higher aspect ratios (i.e., the ratio of length:diameter). In meeting this demand for higher trace and interconnection densities, it would be advantageous to be able to construct a structure formed from alternating conductive and dielectric layers before forming the apertures for the through vias and/or blind vias. In such a case, it would be desirable to fill the apertures with a conductive material (e.g., metal) by a plating process which used one of the conductive layers as the plating cathode. However, when it is attempted to use a conventional plating process to fill the apertures in this manner, it is found that the conductive layer(s) not acting as the cathode are etched away by the plating bath, which is usually acidic.
A possible solution to this problem is to mask the non-cathode conductive layers with a material which is resistant to the plating bath, e.g., photoresist. However, this requires additional processing steps to apply and remove the protective layer, and in many cases cannot be practically applied to the case where the alternating material layers are formed prior to the formation of the apertures.
What is desired is a method for plating through holes and vias formed in a substrate having a conductor on its top and bottom surfaces with a conductive material, which does not require a substantial increase in processing steps and which is compatible with the above-described multi-layer construction method.

Method for electroplating vias or through holes in substrates having conductors on both sides


The invention is directed to an orthopaedic instrumentation assembly 10 for at least partially preparing an end of a bone with a drill for receiving a prosthesis. The instrumentation assembly includes a drill guide 14 having a drill guide opening for guiding a drill into the bone; and an orthopaedic sizing plate 12 attachable to the end of the bone. The sizing plate 12 is configured for interconnecting with the drill guide 14. The drill guide 14 includes a first drill stop 47 and the sizing plate includes a second drill stop 33, with the first drill stop and the second drill stop coacting with each other for limiting projection and for maintaining axial alignment of the drill into the bone.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to orthopaedic instrumentation, and, more particularly, to orthopaedic instrumentation for preparing the proximal end of a tibia for receiving a prosthesis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Orthopaedic instrumentation may include, e.g., a sizing plate which is attached to an end of a bone. The size of the sizing plate corresponds to the size of a prosthesis which is to be mated with the bone; and the positioning of the sizing plate determines the location of subsequent bone shaping steps to be made to the end of the bone to prepare the bone for receiving the prosthesis. The sizing plate may be configured to interconnect with a drill guide used in drilling operations on the bone. When the sizing plate is used in conjunction with an end of a tibia, such drilling operations may include forming a recess for receiving a prosthetic stem, as well as forming recesses for receiving pegs, such as posterior pegs.
It is also known to use a broach assembly to form cuts in the end of a bone. For example, if openings are formed in a tibia as indicated above to receive a prosthetic stem and posterior pegs, the broach may be used to cut respective fin openings extending from the stem opening. The fin openings formed with the broach matingly receive fins which extend from the stem on a tibial prosthesis provisional and/or implant.
What is needed in the art is an instrumentation assembly for shaping an end of a bone including a sizing plate which is attachable to and allows the use of either a drill guide or a broach.
What is further needed in the art is an instrumentation assembly including a tibial sizing plate which is attachable to a drill guide, and which is configured to limit projection of a drill into the end of a bone.

Sizing plate and drill guide assembly for orthopaedic knee instrumentation


A method and apparatus are provided for guiding first and second bands of a continuously working press via driving drums and return drums around a pressing ram and a pressing table, respectively, while supporting the steel bands, with an adjustable pressing gap formed therebetween, on a plurality of co-rotating steel rods which are guided with their axes of rotation extending transversely to the direction of travel of the bands. A device is provided for realigning the first steel band with respect to a longitudinal center-line of the press and the pressing table. The realigning step includes the steps of relieving pressure in short-stroke pressure cylinders located in a high-pressure region of the press, and then horizontally rotating the pressing ram and those pressure rollers and pressure drums which are connected to the pressing ram through an angle .alpha. about a vertical axis of rotation which is located on the longitudinal center-line of the press.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and a device for guiding steel bands about the longitudinal axis of a continuously working press for the manufacture of particle boards, fiber boards, and plywood boards, which bands transmit the pressing pressure to the material to be pressed and draw the material through the press. More particularly, the invention relates to a method which can be performed on such a device in which the first and second bands are guided, via driving drums and return drums, around a pressing ram and a pressing table, respectively, with the steel bands being supported, with an adjustable pressing gap formed therebetween, on a plurality of co-rotating steel rods which are guided with their axes of rotation extending transversely to the direction of travel of said bands against abutments of the pressing table and pressing ram.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In continuously working presses of this type it is difficult, if not impossible, to align or position the longitudinal axis of the pressing ram and the pressing table so as to be congruent with one another due to the rigid construction of pressing table and pressing ram and the statically fixed arrangement of the pressing table and the pressing ram with respect to one another. An additional disadvantage which is apparent is that the steel bands also deviate from the longitudinal axis for this reason during operation and have to be readjusted.
The practical use of continuously working presses, whether they employ hydrostatic supports or rolling supports having rolling rods, has furthermore shown that with the provision of increasingly long presses in order to achieve greater outputs, it is no longer possible to ensure the necessary control of the steel bands. The limit is a press length of about 28 m. With increasing lengths of up to 40 m and more, slight disruptions occur, for example:
a) disruptions caused by lubricating the steel bands and rolling rods; and PA1 b) disruptions arising in the event of uneven bulk density distribution. PA1 an angle .alpha..sub.1 in the direction of an angle .beta..sub.1 and PA1 an angle .alpha..sub.2 in the direction of an angle .beta..sub.2.
These disruptions have a disruptive effect on an on-line control of the press. Consequently, it is not always possible to direct the steel bands back into the center by an angular adjustment of the driving drum axes and return drum axes in accordance with the prior art centering techniques. In the pressing-ram/heated-plate region of the press, and in particular in the first one-third of the high-pressure zone, the steel bands are firmly clamped as in a vise. On adjusting the drum axes over the adjusting path, a somewhat greater elongation results in the intake region than in the clamped region, since the steel band is not clamped in the intake region. The same effect applies to the delivery end. The ratio of the clamped distance in the high-pressure region of the increasingly long presses to the unclamped part thus becomes more and more unfavorable as the press length increases. In order to avoid a one-sided overstretching of the steel bands on adjusting the course of the steel bands, the press must be stopped and all the attendant disadvantages endured.

Method for realigning steel bands with respect to a longitudinal axis of a continuously working press

Maschinenfabrik J. Dieffenbacher GmbH & Co.


An infusion device for a syringe includes a ratcheted stepper motor driven intermittently under the control of a control circuit to advance a syringe plunger driver. Different speeds are determined by the detected size of the syringe in the device. A clutch assembly disengageably connects the plunger driver to a drive belt driven by the stepper motor.. A connector for a tubing set has a syringe-connect portion located in a recess of the connector, and cooperates with a force sensor in the device to detect occlusions. The connector has annular projecting portions with parallel, spaced apart actuating surfaces for engagement of the force sensor in either of two positions of the connector in the device. The connector is adapted to indicate to a sensor in which position it is located.

This invention relates to devices for driving a fluid-dispensing syringe and, more particularly, to motor driven devices used in conjunction with tubing sets having specially configured connectors.
An infusion device is generally used to control the automatic dispensing of fluids from a syringe, for example, to a capillary tube which in turn might introduce those fluids to a patient. In many cases, it is extremely important that the rate of fluid delivery be correctly selected and accurately controlled.
In the prior art, several types of infusion devices have been used. One type of device incorporates a housing for supporting a syringe and utilizes an electrical motor, and associated drive circuitry configured to drive the plunger of the syringe at a constant rate. Typically such a configuration incorporates a lead screw coupling between the electric motor and the plunger. Alternatively, direct gear couplers have been used. Stepper motors have also been used, but the power requirements for stepper motors have been greater than is desirable for a light, compact device.
In infusion device U.S. patent application Ser. No. 676,728, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, a spring-driven infusion device is shown in which two or more substantially constant spring forces can be selectively engaged to drive different capacity syringes.
It is also desirable to provide infusion devices that can accomodate different size syringes and that can provide different drive rates for the respective syringes in an automatic manner that is not dependent on operator selection. It is furthermore desirable to provide tubing sets for infusion devices that make the use of the devices more convenient. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved infusion device with these characteristics.
Another object is to provide such an infusion device that operates automatically and reliably without excessive controls or control devices, that accommodates different size syringes, and that varies the drive rate for the syringe plunger according to the size of the syringe.
It is still another object to provide such an infusion device with improved means for detecting occlusion and emptying of the syringe.
Another object is to provide an infusion device that will cooperate with a specially configured tubing set connector for control of the operation of the infusion device.
Still another object is to provide a tubing set connector for rapid and reliable and sterile connection to an infusion device. Another object is to provide such a connector that will cooperate with an infusion device in determining the position of syringes in the infusion device and in controlling the speed of operation of a syringe plunger in the device accordingly.


A transmitting radio node (10) precodes a transmission from a one-dimensional antenna array (12) to a receiving radio node (50). The array (12) includes co-polarized antenna elements (14) aligned in the array's only spatial dimension. The transmitting radio node (10) precodes the transmission from each of different subarrays (34a, 34b) of the antenna elements (14) using a coarse-granularity precoder that is factorizable from a multi-granular precoder targeting the given spatial dimension of the array (12) at different granularities, so as to virtualize the subarrays (34a, 34b) as different auxiliary elements (38a, 38b). The transmitting radio node (10) also precode the transmission from the different auxiliary elements (38a, 38b) using one or more finer-granularity precoders that are also factorizable from the multi-granular precoder. In this case, the coarse granularity precoders and the one or more finer-granularity precoders are represented within one or more codebooks (26) used for said precoding.

Precoding a transmission from an antenna array involves applying a set of complex weights to the signals that are to be transmitted from the array's antenna elements, so as to independently control the signals' phase and/or amplitude. This set of complex weights is referred to as a "precoder". The transmitting node conventionally chooses the precoder to match the current channel conditions on the link to the receiving node, with the aim of maximizing the link capacity or quality. If multiple data streams are simultaneously transmitted from the array's antenna elements using spatial multiplexing, the transmitting node also typically chooses the precoder with the aim of orthogonalizing the channel and reducing inter-stream interference at the receiving node.
In closed-loop operation, the transmitting node selects the precoder based on channel state information (CSI) fed back from the receiving node that characterizes the current channel conditions. The transmitting node in this regard transmits a reference signal from each antenna element to the receiving node, and the receiving node sends back CSI based on measurement of those reference signals. Transmission of the reference signals and feedback of the CSI contribute significant overhead to precoding schemes. For example, these reference signals and CSI feedback consume a significant amount of transmission resources (e.g., time-frequency resource elements in Long Term Evolution, LTE, embodiments).
Known approaches reduce overhead attributable to reference signal transmission by dedicating a reference signal for CSI measurement. LTE Release 10, for example, introduces a CSI Reference Signal (CSI-RS) specifically designed for CSI measurement. Unlike the cell-specific common reference signal (CRS) in previous LTE release, the CSI-RS is not used for demodulation of user data and is not precoded. Because the density requirements for data demodulation are not as stringent for CSI measurement, the CSI-RS can be relatively sparse in time and frequency, thereby reducing the number of transmission resources required for transmitting the CSI-RS.
Known approaches reduce overhead attributable to CSI feedback by limiting the usable precoders to a fixed set of precoders, i.e., a codebook. Each precoder in the codebook is assigned a unique index that is known to both the transmitting node and the receiving node. The receiving node determines the "best" precoder from the codebook, and feeds back the index of that precoder (often referred to as a "precoding matrix indicator", PMI) to the transmitting node as a recommendation (which the transmitting node may or may not follow). Feeding back only an index, in conjunction with other CSI such as the recommended number of data streams (i.e., transmission rank) for spatial multiplexing, reduces the number of transmission resources required for transporting that CSI. This approach therefore reduces CSI feedback overhead considerably as compared to explicitly feeding back complex valued elements of a measured effective channel.
Despite this, overhead from closed-loop precoding remains problematic as antenna array technology advances towards more and more antenna elements. This antenna element escalation stems not only from increases to the number of elements in the traditional one-dimensional antenna array, but also from adoption of two-dimensional antenna arrays that enable beamforming in both the vertical and horizontal spatial dimension. Furthermore, although a codebook reduces CSI overhead, the effective channel quantization inherent in the codebook has heretofore limited the codebook's ability to flexibly adapt to different propagation environments.

Precoding a transmission from a one-dimensional antenna array that includes co-polarized antenna elements aligned in the array's only spatial dimension


The present disclosure provides a compound of Formula (I);

Endogenous atrial natriuretic peptides (ANP), also called atrial natriuretic factors (ANF) have diuretic, natriuretic and vasorelaxant functions in mammals. The natural ANF peptides are metabolically inactivated, in particular by a degrading enzyme which has been recognized to correspond to the enzyme neutral endopeptidase EC 126.96.36.199, also responsible for e.g. the metabolic inactivation of enkephalins.
Neutral endopeptidase (also known as NEP, endopeptidase 24.11, EC 188.8.131.52; neprilysin, enkephalinase; atriopeptidase; fibroblast metalloelastase, kidney-brush-border neutral peptidase, membrane metallopeptidase A, MME g.p. (Homo sapiens), common acute lymphocytic leukemia antigen (CALLA) or CD antigen (CD10)) is a zinc-containing metalloprotease found in many organs and tissues including brain, kidneys, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, heart and peripheral vasculature. NEP cleaves a variety of peptide substrates on the amino side of hydrophobic residues [see Pharmacol Rev, Vol. 45, p. 87 (1993)]. Substrates for this enzyme include, but are not limited to, atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), met- and leu-enkephalin, bradykinin, neurokinin A, endothelin-1, angiotensins, adrenomedullin, glucagon-like peptides, glucagon, insulin B chain, amyloid betas and substance P. Some of these peptides have potent vasodilatory and neurohormone functions, diuretic and natriuretic activity or mediate behavior effects. ANP is a potent vasorelaxant and natriuretic agent [see J Hypertens, Vol. 19, p. 1923 (2001)]. Infusion of ANP in normal subjects resulted in a reproducible, marked enhancement of natriuresis and diuresis, including increases in fractional excretion of sodium, urinary flow rate and glomerular filtration rate [see J Clin Pharmacol, Vol. 27, p. 927 (1987)]. However, ANP has a short half-life in circulation, and NEP in kidney cortex membranes has been shown to be the major enzyme responsible for degrading this peptide [see Peptides, Vol. 9, p. 173 (1988)]. Thus, neutral endopeptidase inhibitors should increase plasma levels of ANP and, hence, are expected to induce natriuretic and diuretic effects.
Furthermore, NEP enzyme plays an important role in blood pressure homeostasis and cardiovascular health.
Recently, the first NEP inhibitor, sacubitril, has been approved in combination with the angiotensin receptor antagonist valsartan for the treatment of heart failure.
In view of the vast opportunities for use of NEP inhibitors as therapeutics a need is emerging for NEP inhibitors with physio-chemical properties amenable for manufacturing of the active compounds and for pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds.

Substituted bisphenyl butanoic ester derivatives as NEP inhibitors

Abstract: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R1 and R2 are defined herein. The disclosure also relates to a method for manufacturing the compounds of the disclosure, and its therapeutic uses. The present disclosure further provides pharmaceutical composition of the compounds of the disclosure and a combination of pharmacologically active agents and a compound of the disclosure.


Provided are a battery module and a battery pack including the same. The battery module includes: a cartridge assembly in which a plurality of cartridges, each accommodating a battery cell, are stacked on each other; a cover surrounding the cartridge assembly; a bushing member inserted through the cartridge assembly and the cover, and protruding to the outside of the cover by a pre-set interval; and a locking member inserted into the bushing member and locking the cover.

According to technical development and an increase in demands regarding mobile devices, demands for secondary batteries as an energy source are rapidly increasing. Generally, nickel cadmium batteries or hydrogen ion batteries have been used as secondary batteries, but recently, lithium secondary batteries that have very low self-discharge rates, have high energy densities, and are freely charged and discharged because a memory effect is barely generated compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, are widely used.
Such a lithium secondary battery mainly uses a lithium-based oxide and a carbon material respectively as a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material. The lithium secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate on which the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material are respectively coated are arranged with a separator therebetween, and an exterior material, i.e., a battery case, that seals and accommodates the electrode assembly with an electrolyte.
The lithium secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator disposed therebetween, and an electrolyte, and is classified into a lithium ion battery (LIB), a polymer lithium ion battery (PLIB), or the like based on which positive electrode active material and negative electrode active material are used. Generally, an electrode of the lithium secondary battery is formed by coating the positive or negative electrode active material on a current collector, such as an aluminum or copper sheet, a mesh, a film, a foil, or the like, and then drying the positive or negative electrode active material.
Generally, in a battery module of the secondary battery, cartridges accommodating battery cells are provided in a plural number and are stacked on each other, and such a plurality of cartridges are surrounded by a cover and then the cover is locked by a locking member, such as a bolt. Here, when the locking member, such as a bolt, directly contacts and pressurizes the cartridge that is, for example, a plastic injection molded body, the injection molded body may be damaged, and thus in order to prevent this, a bushing member is inserted first, and then the locking member, such as a bolt, is inserted into the bushing member.
However, the cartridge may be prevented from being damaged because a body portion of the bolt contacts the bushing member, but since a head portion of the bolt directly contacts the cover, when the bolt is rotated for locking, the head portion of the bolt pressurizes the cartridge adhered to the cover, and thus the cartridge may be damaged.

Battery module and battery pack comprising same


Variable-scale, modular, easily manufacturable, energy efficient, reliable, and computer operated Insect Production Superstructure Systems (IPSS) may be used to produce insects for human and animal consumption, and for the extraction and use of lipids for applications involving medicine, nanotechnology, consumer products, and chemical production with minimal water, feedstock, and environmental impact. An IPSS may comprise modules including feedstock mixing, feedstock splitting, insect feeding, insect breeding, insect collection, insect grinding, pathogen removal, multifunctional flour mixing, and lipid extraction. An IPSS may be configured to be constructed out of a plurality of containerized modules.

Efficient, reliable, and consistent computer operated insect rearing facilities are needed to meet the insect production demands of society. In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for insect protein for human and animal consumption. There is also promise for the extraction and use of lipids from insects for applications involving medicine, nanotechnology, consumer products, and chemical production. Large scale insect production systems must be designed responsibly to make sure that the insects are freed from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain, injury, disease, fear and distress. These systems must be precisely sized and situated to be able to provide systematically timed and controlled computer operated methods to maintain a sufficient amount of nutrition, to prevent disease, cannibalism, and injury. A need exists for mass insect production facilities that maximize insect production on a small physical outlay while providing adequate space for high density insect rearing.
The ability to grow insects on a continuous basis with minimal human interaction has been long regarded as desirable or needed to facilitate widespread use for human and animal or consumption or for use as an intermediate lipid-based product for the production of food and chemicals. In demographics, the world population is the total number of humans currently living. As of March 2016, it was estimated at 7.4 billion, an all-time record high. The United Nations estimates it will further increase to 11.2 billion in the year 2100. World population has experienced continuous growth since the end of the Great Famine of 1315-17 and the Black Death in 1350, when it was near 370 million.
In coming years, nuclear proliferation, food shortages, water scarcity, economic agendas and corruption, and diminishing petroleum reserves may result in a constraint on access to food, water, chemicals, and other resources. Famine may result causing millions of deaths over an extended number of years which will mark a clear end to the period of growth and prosperity for the human civilization, industrialization, and globalization.
The global population is expected to reach between 8.3 and 10.9 billion by 2050 which will be met with famine, malnutrition, and shortages of clean drinking water. Further, the succession of major wars, famines, and other disasters may result in large-scale population losses if no alternate source or food and chemicals is immediately put in place.
Thus, it is of paramount importance that large-scale, modular, easily manufacturable, energy efficient, reliable, computer operated insect production facilities are extensively deployed to produce insects for human and animal consumption, and for the extraction and use of lipids for applications involving medicine, nanotechnology, consumer products, and chemical production with minimal water, feedstock, and environmental impact.
There is a need for systems and methods that can clean and decontaminate water from the most-harshest of environmental conditions and provide a clean water source suitable to feed and grow insects for human, animal, and chemical production. There is a need to develop and vastly implement large-scale, systematic insect feeding and breeding facilities that can accommodate the protein and fatty acid demands of society. There is a need to re-use old containerized shipping containers to promote the implementation of widespread commercial production of insects to promote regional, rural, and urban, job opportunities that maximizes the quality of living the insects that are farmed.


A three-dimensional imaging system is described which exploits the defocusing of non-zero diffraction order images caused by the quadratic distortion of a diffraction grating (4). An optical system (1) is used such that objects (5, 6 and 7), located at different distances from grating (4), are imaged simultaneously and spatially separated on a single plane B.

1. Field of the Invention
The current invention concerns a system for imaging simultaneously multiple layers within a three-dimensional object field and has applicability in fields including optical information storage, imaging short-timescale phenomena, microscopy, imaging three-dimensional object structures, passive ranging, laser beam profiling, wavefront analysis and millimeter wave optics.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The use of an undistorted amplitude grating to produce identical images of a scene in several diffraction orders is known. Most of the energy is concentrated in the zero order with most of the remaining energy being contained in the +1 and −1 orders. Phase or phase and amplitude gratings may be used to change the distribution of energy in the different diffraction orders.
It is also known that distortions of such a grating (i.e. dislocations in a direction perpendicular to the grating lines) may be used to produce phase changes in the optical system and thus shape the wavefront in the back focal plane of the system. This effect has been used to separate redundant baselines in a masked-aperture system using a dislocated grating and has formed the basis for computer generated holograms for many years (P M Blanchard, A H Greenaway, R N Anderton, R Appleby, 'Phase calibration of arrays at optical and millimeter wavelengths', J. Opt. Soc. Am. A., Vol 13, No. 7, pp1593-1600, 1996; G Tricoles, 'Computer generated holograms: an historic review', Appl. Opt., Vol 26, No. 20, pp4351-4360, 1987 and M Li, A Larsson, N Eriksson, M Hagberg, Continuous-level phase only computer generated holograms realised by dislocated binary gratings', Opt. Lett., Vol. 21, No 18, pp1516-1518, 1996).
The imaging of a three-dimensional object using a 'through-focal series' is also known. By this method a sequence of images of the object are taken with the optical system focused on different planes in the object field. An alternative approach forms simultaneously a matrix of images recorded through a matrix of lenses, each of which provides a different focus condition.
A disadvantage of the 'through-focal series' is that because the images are recorded sequentially it is ill-suited to imaging the three-dimensional structure of dynamic processes. A disadvantage of the second approach is its complex design and that the resolution obtained is limited to the resolution delivered by the individual lenses in the array, the diameter of each of which (thus image resolution) is constrained by the space into which the array may be packed.
The storage of data in three dimensional, optically readable, storage medium is also known (S Jutamulia and G M Stori, 'Three-Dimensional Optical Digital Memory', Optoelectronics—Devices and Technologies Vol 10, No. 3, pp343-360, 1995 and K Kobayashi and S S Kano, 'Multi-Layered Optical Storage with Nonlinear Read/Write', Optical Review, Vol 2, No 1, pp20-23, 1995). These papers review the media and architecture for various three dimensional optical memories.
In a high performance, near diffraction limited optical system such as a compact disk player, all sources of wavefront aberrations must be considered. In a standard compact disk, the data layer is covered with a substrate several hundred microns thick. Propagation of light through this substrate (which is essentially a parallel plate) introduces spherical aberration, increasing the spot size on the data layer and degrading resolution. This effect is overcome in conventional, single layer, compact disk systems by building spherical aberration correction into the objective lens.
In a multi-layer optical data storage medium the degree of spherical aberration is dependent on the depth of the data layer in the storage medium, hence when reading from each distinct layer a different level of spherical aberration correction is required. An aberration corrected objective lens is therefore not sufficient. Several patents on multi-layer optical data storage systems, which rely on a moving lens to focus at different depths, have suggested ways of performing 'active' spherical aberration correction. U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,875 suggests using a stepped block of substrate material which is moved across the optical beam (using a voice coil motor) to a position dependent on the layer being read, such that the thickness of material that the beam passes through is constant. Other suggestions include a pair of prisms, one of which is translated, a rotating disk of variable thickness and movable compensation plates.
All of these approaches introduce additional moving parts and complexity into the system.


An automotive alternator includes a shaft supported in a pair of brackets so as to rotate freely, a rotor secured to the shaft, a stator provided with a cylindrical stator core having a plurality of slots whose grooves extend in an axial direction of the stator core disposed circumferentially around the inner circumferential surface thereof and a stator coil wound into the slots, the stator core being secured to the pair of brackets so as to envelop the rotor, and a rectifier disposed within the pair of brackets so as to be positioned at the rear end of the rotor, wherein the stator coil is constructed by inserting a plurality of coil segments into each of the slots so as to align in rows in the radial direction within the slots and connecting the tips of each of the coil segments projecting axially outwards from the stator core to the tips of coil segments inserted into slots a predetermined number of slots away projecting axially outwards from the stator core, and wherein the coil segments are formed into a shape such that when inserted into the slots the tips extending axially outwards from the stator core are in close proximity to and overlap radially with the tips of the coil segments inserted into slots a predetermined number of slots away projecting axially outwards from the stator core.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive alternator, and in particular, relates to the construction of a stator coil of an automotive alternator for suppressing damage to the insulation coated on the coil wire by eliminating three-dimensional twisting of the coil wire and for improving productivity.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 11 is a cross-section showing a conventional automotive alternator.
A conventional automotive alternator includes: a Lundell-type rotor 7 mounted so as to rotate freely by means of a shaft 6 within a case 3 consisting of an aluminum front bracket 1 and an aluminum rear bracket 2; and a stator 8 secured to the inner wall of the case 3 so as to cover the outer circumference of the rotor 7.
The shaft 6 is rotatably supported by the front bracket 1 and the rear bracket 2. A pulley 4 is secured to one end of the shaft 6 to enable rotational torque from an engine to be transmitted to the shaft 6 by means of a belt (not shown).
Slip rings 9 for supplying electric current to the rotor 7 are secured to the other end of the shaft 6, and a pair of brushes 10 are housed in a brush holder 11 disposed within the case 3 so as to slide in contact with the slip rings 9. A regulator 18 for regulating the magnitude of an alternating voltage generated in the stator 8 is affixed by adhesive to a heat sink 17 attached to the brush holder 11. A rectifier 12 electrically connected to the stator 8 for rectifying an alternating current generated in the stator 8 to a direct current is mounted within the case 3. This rectifier 12 is provided with a plurality of diodes 24 arranged on a heat sink 19, and a circuit board 25 for electrically connecting each of the diodes 24 and forming predetermined circuits.
The rotor 7 includes: a rotor coil 13 for generating magnetic flux by passing electric current therethrough; and a pair of pole cores 20 and 21 disposed so as to cover the rotor coil 13 in which magnetic poles are formed by the magnetic flux generated by the rotor coil 13. The pair of pole cores 20 and 21 are made of iron, each has a plurality of claw-shaped magnetic poles 22 and 23 projecting from an outer circumferential edge thereof spaced at even angular pitch circumferentially, and the pole cores 20 and 21 are secured to the shaft 6 facing each other so that the claw-shaped magnetic poles 22 and 23 intermesh. In addition, fans 5 are secured to both axial ends of the rotor 7.
The stator 8 includes: a stator core 15; and a stator coil 16 composed of wire wound around the stator core 15 in which an alternating current is generated by changes in the magnetic flux from the rotor 7 as the rotor 7 rotates.
In an automotive alternator constructed in this manner, an electric current is supplied from a battery (not shown) by means of the brushes 10 and the slip rings 9 to the rotor coil 13, and the magnetic flux is generated. The claw-shaped magnetic poles 22 of the pole core 20, are magnetized to N polarities by the magnetic flux, and the claw-shaped magnetic poles 23 of the pole core 21 are magnetized to S polarities by the magnetic flux. At the same time, the rotational torque of the engine is transmitted to the shaft 6 by means of the belt and the pulley 4, and the rotor 7 is rotated. Thus, a rotating magnetic field is imparted to the stator coil 16 and electromotive force is generated in the stator coil 16. This alternating electromotive force is rectified to a direct current by means of the rectifier 12, its voltage is regulated by the regulator 18, and the battery is recharged.
Next, the stator coil construction applied to a conventional automotive alternator will be explained with reference to FIG. 12. Moreover, FIG. 12 is a partial enlargement of a conventional stator viewed from the inner circumferential side.
The stator core 15 is formed into a cylindrical shape and a plurality of slots 15a whose grooves extend in the axial direction are disposed at even angular pitch around the circumference thereof so as to be open on the inner circumferential side. The stator coil 16 is constructed by connecting into one unit the starting end wires (or the finishing end wires) of three coils respectively corresponding to three phases prepared by inserting wire in a wave shape successively into every third slot 15a. Moreover, the slots 15a into which the strands of wire of each of the three coils are inserted are offset from those of each of the other coils by one slot. Further, the wire extends axially outwards from the slots 15a and constitutes front-end and rear-end coil end portions 16a and 16b.
Next, the construction of the stator coil 16 will be explained in detail.
Coil segments 30 are formed by shaping strands of copper wire coated with insulation into a general U-shape, and as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, each includes a pair of straight portions 30a, a pair of oblique portions 30b each bent from a straight portion 30a and extending in a straight line, and a return portion 30c joining the pair of oblique portions 30b by twisting and bending the wire so as to turn back around.
Now, the coil segments 30 are inserted from the rear end into pairs of slots 15a three slots apart. At this time, the coil segments 30 are inserted into the slots 15a such that the strands of wire are folded back at the return portions 30c, from the inner circumferential side to the outer circumferential side, for example. Then, the straight portions 30a of the coil segments 30 projecting towards the front end from the slots 15a are bent circumferentially outwards, as shown in FIG. 15, and the ends thereof are additionally bent parallel to the straight portions 30a. Next, adjacent ends of the coil segments 30 are joined to prepare one phase of the coil. At this time, the adjacent ends of the coil segments 30 are stacked radially and joined, and constructed such that the strands of wire appear to be folded back from the inner circumferential side to the outer circumferential side at the joined portions.
The other two phases of the coil are prepared similarly. For each of the phases of the coil, the slots 15a into which the coil segments 30 are inserted are offset by one slot from each of the other phases.
The stator coil 16 is constructed by connecting the three phases of coil prepared in this manner in a three-phase alternating-current connection such as a Y connection or a delta connection.
In the coil end portions 16a and 16b of a stator coil 16 constructed in this manner, because the wire is formed so as to bend back from the inner circumferential side to the outer circumferential side at the apex, adjacent strands of wire are neatly arranged in the circumferential direction in the vicinity of the apexes, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. Moreover, FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a wire array in a rear-end coil end portion, and FIG. 18 is a diagram showing another example of a wire array in a rear-end coil end portion. By adopting constructions of this kind, the coil end portions become practically the same shape around the entire circumference, improving alignment.
Moreover, in the above conventional example, all of the straight portions 30a projecting towards the front end from the slots 15a were bent circumferentially outwards, but some of the straight portions 30a projecting towards the front end from the slots 15a may be bent circumferentially inwards and the tips thereof additionally bent parallel to the straight portions 30a, as shown in FIG. 16.
A conventional stator coil 16 applied to an automotive alternator is constructed by inserting the straight portions 30a of many generally U-shaped coil segments 30 into predetermined slots 15a, bending the straight portions 30a projecting from the slots 15a circumferentially in the vicinity of the end surface of the stator core 15, additionally bending the tips of the straight portions 30a parallel to the axial direction of the stator core 15 at the connecting position, and joining the tips of the straight portions 30a to form connections.
Thus, bending and twisting is applied to the strands of the stator coil 16 both before and after insertion into the slots, increasing damage to the coil, as well as increasing the number of production steps and reducing productivity.
Furthermore, because the coil segments 30 are in close proximity to each other when inserted into the slots 15a, the bending operation is made difficult after insertion, reducing productivity.
Because the return portions 30c of the coil segments 30 are formed into a three-dimensional twist, insulation is easily damaged during formation of the coil segments, giving rise to electrical faults, and tolerance of physical contact between adjacent coil strands is low.
Furthermore, due to the need to accurately insert the coil segments 30 into predetermined positions within the slots 15a, a high degree of machining precision has been required in the coil segments 30, particularly in the twisting of the return portions 30c, making work difficult. In addition, the coil segments 30 are chucked after insertion in order to bend the tips of the coil segments, but because the shape of the coil segments 30 is difficult to chuck, the chucking is unstable, and there is a risk of damaging the teeth of the stator core 15 during the process of bending the coil segments circumferentially after insertion.
Furthermore, in the coil array shown in FIG. 18, because it is necessary to position one of the straight portions 30a of a coil segment 30 in the radially outermost position within a slot 15a and the other straight portion 30a in a position one row inwards from the radially outermost position within a slot 15a three slots away and insert them parallel to the axial direction of the stator core 15, it is difficult to insert many coil segments 30 simultaneously, reducing productivity. This is considered to be due to the fact that the coil segments 30 have no portions suitable for chucking because the regions of the oblique portions 30b and return portions 30c of the coil segments 30 have complex shapes, and also to the fact that the pitch and degree of parallelism between pairs of straight portions 30a cannot be formed with high precision.
Additionally, because the coil segments 30 are arranged in an unstable state in close proximity to each other when inserted in the slots 15a, it is difficult to weld the tips of the coil segments 30 to each other, making work time long and increasing costs.


A non-relayed reflective triplet and a double-pass imaging spectrometer including the reflective triplet configured as its objective. In one example the reflective triplet includes a primary mirror that receives and reflects electromagnetic radiation from a viewed scene and defines an optical axis of the optical system, a secondary mirror that receives and reflects the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the primary mirror, and a tertiary mirror that receives the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the secondary mirror and focuses the electromagnetic radiation onto an image plane to form an image of the viewed scene. The primary, secondary, and tertiary mirrors together are configured to form a virtual exit pupil for the optical system, the image plane being located between the tertiary mirror and the virtual exit pupil. The reflective triplet is on-axis in aperture and off-axis in field of view.

Typically, an imaging spectrometer is composed of an objective or imaging optical module (also called foreoptics), which forms a scene image at an entrance slit of the spectrometer, and a spectral optical module, which receives and collimates the line field of view from the objective, disperses or separates the electromagnetic radiation as a function of wavelength, and images it onto a two-dimensional detector array. Both optical modules can have a variety of different optical forms, and can be reflective, refractive, or a combination of both. Reflective systems are generally recognized to provide advantages in terms of being somewhat easier to construct in large sizes (to provide large apertures), being generally lighter in weight that equivalent refractive systems, and being generally free of chromatic aberrations over a wide spectral bandwidth.
For imaging systems that image electromagnetic radiation from a distant object, the minimum number of optical elements is generally recognized to be three, to provide the minimum number of parameters that are necessary to correct for and/or prevent spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism and field curvature. An optical imaging system composed of three optical elements is often known as a triplet.
Reflective optical triplets are generally constructed such that entering electromagnetic radiation is received on a primary mirror, is reflected from the primary mirror onto a secondary mirror, is reflected from the secondary mirror onto a tertiary mirror, and finally, is focused onto an image plane where an image of the viewed object or scene is formed. Historically, a positive/negative/positive reflective optical triplet can be traced back to the work of Maurice Paul, in 1935 and James G. Baker, in 1945.
Many reflective optical triplets are configured such that all the optical elements lie on the optical axis of the optical system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,886 to Rumsey (the "Rumsey '886 patent") discloses a reflective triplet that is arranged to be "on-axis" in terms of both aperture (i.e., the aperture stop is located on the optical axis) and field of view. This arrangement results in the occlusion of a significant portion of the electromagnetic radiation entering the system from a distant object, a restriction of the field of view of the system, and a constraint on the power distribution between optical elements. In the optical system described in the Rumsey '886 patent, the aperture stop is located on the optical axis and physically on the secondary mirror. In addition, the system has a virtual entrance pupil, is near telecentric, and has rotational symmetry.
Due to the drawbacks associated with a system such as that described in the Rumsey '886 patent, other reflective optical triplets are configured such that the field of view is not along the optical axis of the optical system but entirely to one side of it. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,707 to Wetherell et al. (the "Wetherell '707 patent") discloses a reflective optical triplet that is on-axis in aperture, but off-axis in field of view. The reflective optical triplet described in the Wetherell '707 patent has an aperture stop that is on the optical axis and is physically located on the secondary mirror. The entrance pupil to the optical system described in the Wetherell '707 patent is located a large distance behind the optical system, and as such, is virtual. In addition, the system has annular symmetry and is near telecentric.
Other reflective triplets are arranged to be off-axis in both aperture and field of view. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,955 to Cook (the "Cook '955 patent") describes a reflective triplet having a real entrance pupil that is located off-axis. The reflective optical triplet in the Cook '955 patent, as a natural result of the real entrance pupil, has a defining front aperture stop coincident with the real entrance pupil. The reflective triplet described in the Cook '955 patent has bilateral symmetry, and a virtual exit pupil. U.S. Pat. No. 8,248,693 to Cook (the "Cook '693 patent") discloses another example of a reflective triplet that is off-axis in both aperture and field of view. The reflective optical triplet in the Cook '693 patent has bilateral symmetry, a virtual entrance pupil, a real exit pupil, and a rear aperture stop located between the tertiary mirror and the image plane.
In certain spectrometers, a reflective triplet can be used as the spectral optical module. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,767 to Cook (the "Cook '767 patent") discloses an all-reflective imaging spectrometer having a three-mirror anastigmat acting as its objective and a reflective triplet with a dispersive element providing the spectral optical module. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,382,498 to Cook (the "Cook '498 patent") discloses the use of the non-relayed reflective triplet optical form for the spectral optical module of a spectrometer system. However, in other spectrometers the spectral optical module has a different optical form. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 9,354,116 to Cook (the "Cook '116 patent") discloses various examples of the spectral optical module based on four-mirror and five-mirror anastigmat optical forms. Although relatively uncommon, a reflective triplet can also be used as the objective or foreoptics for certain types of spectrometers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,974 discloses coupling a reflective triplet of the type disclosed in the Wetherell '707 patent to an Offner-Chrisp-type spectrometer.

Reflective triplet foreoptics for multi-channel double-pass dispersive spectrometers


A method of obtaining a porous titanium surface suitable for medical implants is provided. The titanium surface is exposed to a plasma comprising a reactive plasma gas, the reactive plasma gas comprising an active etching species and a sputtering gas. The plasma conditions are effective to modify the titanium surface and provide surface porosity. The plasma conditions are effective to non-uniformly etch and sputter the titanium surface.

This invention relates to a method for modifying surfaces of metallic articles, such as medical devices. This invention further relates to treatment of implant surfaces to achieve desirable rough and microporous surface features which enhances bone ingrowth and thus establishes a strong mechanical bond with the implant.
Titanium, either pure or as an alloy with a few percent aluminum and vanadium, is used as the metal for bone implantation in knee and hip joints. Titanium is commonly used because of its mechanical properties and also its bio-compatibility. However, titanium does not form a direct chemical bond with bone, which can sometimes cause loosening and failure of the implant. Rough and porous implant surfaces permit bone and bone cement to penetrate the surface pores and ideally provide a strong mechanical bond with the implant.
Irregular and rough implant surfaces with certain characteristic features can effectively promote bone ingrowth and directly bond with bone, thus enhancing long term implant stability. European Patent No. 038 8576 reports that it is desirable to have a surface macro-roughness with pore sizes of about 10-20 xcexcm with a micro roughness superimposed thereon with a pore size of less than 2 xcexcm. Thus, an implant surface with macro-roughness and micro-porosity is highly desirable and can effectively promote bone ingrowth and fixation. This dual feature surface can also be useful when bone cement material is used to adhere implants to bone (i.e., polymethyl(methacrylate)).
Achieving the desired balance of macro- and micro-porosity has not been easy. Presently, modification of implant surfaces can be classified into two distinct groups: (a) surface modification by application of a coating of rough and/or porous material; and (b) surface modification by bulk implant surface treatment.
Porous coatings disclosed in the prior art include diffusion bonded metal fiber coatings produced from titanium wire in the form of random, rough metal fibers. Pressure sintering of spherical titanium metal powders or beads on implant surfaces also has been used to produce macro-porosity (U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,942). Thermal plasma spray processes have also been used to deposit porous coatings (U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,539). Commercially pure titanium or titanium alloy powders are partially melted in the plasma flame and the molten particles impact the implant surface at high speeds. These powders rapidly quench on the surface and adhere to the implant metal thus yielding a rough surface. Another porous coating reported in the prior art is a perforated metal foil applied to a solid metal core (U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,777).
In all of the above prior art devices, an interface between the metallic core and the porous surface results. In order to be used as a implant device, the interface between the coating and the implant substrate must be strong and stable. Interfacial failure during implant insertion or after prolonged use of the implant can result in loose metal particles which can become a source of contamination in the adjacent tissue and may also cause the failure of the implant.
Yet another method of imparting surface roughness to a metallic implant device is to treat directly the surface of the solid metallic core. U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,603 discloses a method of surface treatment in which the outer surface is subjected to serial machining processes which results in a complex surface topology. A laser beam of selected power and pulse duration has been used to drill cavities on an implant surface. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,530). Precise positioning equipment is necessary to process the implant in both of these methods. An additional major disadvantage of the laser process is that it only provides macro cavities for bony ingrowth. Finally, EP 388 576 discloses a method of aqueous acid treatment, which has been used to achieve a rough and porous surface on implants for bone ingrowth. However, titanium hydride and other undesirable surface artifacts are formed as a result of the acid-metal reaction.
Thus, there remains a need to provide effective surface modification techniques which provide a surface suitable for bone ingrowth, which possesses strength and structural integrity and is free of surface contamination.
Plasma treatment of titanium-containing surfaces is known and used in the semiconductor industry, primarily for the etch removal of titanium-tungsten layers in semiconducting devices. See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,164,331 to Lin et al. and 4,203,800 to Kitcher et al. The references are directed to removal of TiW alloy to expose the underlying layers in a semiconductor device. The material is desirably removed at a constant, even rate across the entire exposed surface. Further, the resultant surface is desirably smooth and even. These and other similar prior art methods do not contemplate a process for surface treating a bulk titanium work piece so as merely to alter the surface characteristics or in particular to provide a rough, porous surface.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an article and method of manufacture of an article having a porous surface suitable for use as an implant device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a porous surface on an implant device with high structural integrity.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a porous surface on an implant device with high surface purity and without the formation of surface contaminants.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an article and method of manufacturing an article which has a porous surface exhibiting macro- and micro-roughness.
The present invention uses a process for modifying the implant surface to form a porous surface with characteristic macroroughness and microporosity, which is close to naturally the surface structure of occurring bone tissue. The method of the invention includes exposing a titanium surface to a plasma comprising a reactive plasma gas including an active etching species and a sputtering ion. Predetermined plasma conditions are used to modify the titanium surface and provide surface porosity.
The present invention also includes exposing a titanium surface to a plasma comprising a reactive plasma gas including an active etching species and a sputtering gas. Predetermined plasma conditions are used to effect non-uniform etching and non-uniform sputtering of the titanium surface. The titanium may be commercially pure titanium or a titanium alloy.
By xe2x80x9cnon-uniform etch ratexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cnon-uniform sputter ratexe2x80x9d, as those terms are used herein, it is meant that the etch and/or sputter rate are not constant or even within a given cross-sectional area of the work piece surface (geographic non-uniformity). It may additionally include rates which are variable over time (temporal non-uniformity).
By xe2x80x9creactive plasma gasxe2x80x9d, as that term is used herein, it is meant to include both a gas mixture which is introduced into the plasma chamber and the plasma gases which result therefrom. Thus, the reactive plasma gas includes an active etching species and the halide gases from which it is formed; the reactive plasma gas likewise refers to a sputtering gas introduced into the plasma and the bombarding ions generated therefrom in the plasma.
In a preferred embodiment, plasma conditions are effective to redeposit sputtered species onto the titanium surface. In another preferred embodiment, plasma conditions are effective to sputter off oxygen adsorbed on the titanium surface during exposure of the surface to the plasma. In yet another preferred embodiment, a sputtering target is introduced into the plasma, said sputtering target comprising a masking element, such that the masking element is deposited onto the titanium surface during exposure of the surface to the reactive plasma gas. The plasma may be effective to take advantage of masking properties of alloyed elements in the work piece or of variable etch rates among surface deposited species on the work piece.
The present invention provides a rough and/or microporous implant surface without any contamination or deleterious effect on the bulk properties of the implant. An advantage of this invention is that the rough and porous surface is integral to the implant metal and no chemical byproducts or artifacts are formed by this method. The article comprises a metallic substrate; and a surface comprising metallic filamentous elements having a length of about one to fifteen micrometers, the filamentous elements integral with the substrate at a first end and extending in a substantially outward direction from the substrate. The article may be characterized by the filamentous elements characterized by a fused appearance or by filamentous elements characterized by an arched configuration in which the filamentous elements appear fused at a point distal from the substrate.
In one embodiment of the invention, filamentous elements are located at the substrate with a density of about 1-40 filamentous elements/xcexcm2. In another embodiment of the invention, the arched filamentous elements are located at the substrate with an arch density of about 0.01-10 arches/xcexcm2. In yet another embodiment of the invention, filamentous elements are located and arranged at the substrate so as to have the appearance of a ridge or wall. The ridge or wall may be separated from an adjacent ridge or wall by a distance of about 0.5 xcexcm to about 2 xcexcm.
By a xe2x80x9cporousxe2x80x9d as that term is used herein, it is meant a surface which is not a flat or dense surface and which exhibits a complex surface morphology. It does not require the presence of actual xe2x80x9cporesxe2x80x9d in the conventional sense.
By xe2x80x9cfilamentousxe2x80x9d as that term is used herein it is meant an elongated feature extending in a substantially outward direction from the substrate surface, having a round, flattened or tape-like appearance. The individual filamentous features may be free standing or they may be fused or otherwise agglomerated in the final surface structure. Fused or agglomerated filamentous substructures provide the surface morphology of the surface of the inventive devices.
The roughened surface and microporosity on the surface yield an increase in the surface area. Such an increased surface area may also provide an ideal substrate for chemically bioactive coatings (for example, hydroxyapatite), thereby improving adhesion of the coating to the implant surface. Further, the uneven surface morphology, with its undercuts and deeply etched gaps, are a source of physical interaction with host site to secure a medical implant and promote osseous ingrowth.
The method of the invention may be readily adapted to non-titanium surfaces, by control of the processing variables identified in the present invention.

Surface modification of medical implants


The invention relates to a capsule for the preparation of a beverage. The capsule includes first and second covering walls connected for forming a cavity containing a beverage ingredient and a contactless identifying element for identifying the capsule by detecting the identifying element using the detector of a beverage producing device. The identifying element is preferably disposed in the cavity.

The present invention relates to a capsule for the preparation of a beverage such as in a beverage producing machine, for instance, a coffee machine. The invention more particularly relates to a capsule comprising an identification element for enabling the detecting of the capsule inserted in the beverage producing machine. The invention also relates to a beverage producing device adapted to receive the capsule and to the combination of the two as a "system".
Beverage producing systems have been developed for many years on the basis of portioned beverages, in particular, capsules containing a predetermined dose of beverage ingredient such as coffee, tea, milk powder and the like. The numerous advantages of such systems have been widely recognized, in particular, their convenience of use, clean operations and better controlled quality of the brewed beverage delivered.
The term "capsule" is here used to designate packets, pods or cartridges as well.
It is known to associate a radio frequency (RF) identifier to the capsule for the purpose of recognizing the capsule which is inserted in the device such as by a reader. Such identification allows changing particular operations, in the beverage producing device, in response to the detection of the identifier. For instance, brewing operations can be modified accordingly for adapting them to the type of capsule detected. For instance, brewing parameters, such as water temperature, the beverage volume or others, can be changed.
WO02/28241 relates to an encoded coffee packet including a machine interpretable feature on the capsule, for instance, electromagnetically detectable, e.g., a magnetic data storage medium.
WO2005/044067 relates to a receptacle for preparing a beverage comprising a magnetic ribbon placed on the inside wall of the receptacle; the longer dimension of the ribbon extending circumferentially around the receptacle. To be correctly read by a magnetic reader, a relative rotating movement between the receptacle and reader is necessary.
FR2912124 relates to a portioned package for preparation of a beverage comprising two flexible walls connected by their seam and comprising an RFID tag for contactless reading which is positioned in a reinforced peripheral portion at the seam of the package.
EP1890271A1 relates to a method of controlling the dispensing of an infusion product with a container for a product dose and an RFID tag associated to a respective number of containers.
EP1755090A1 relates to a device for identification and verification of items with refundable deposit in particular for recycling glass or PET bottles using a magnetic, electromagnetic and/or optical identification means such as labels applied onto the items.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,559 relates to glass-coated amorphous magnetic micro-wire marker for an article surveillance.
The prior art solutions typically contemplate the association of a contactless identifier such as a radio-frequency tag with the beverage portioned package. The package generally forms the support for the tag and can be produced during manufacturing of the package.
Certain identifiers placed on the package can be deteriorated, removed or modified. Certain identifiers are particularly sensitive to pressure or bending and may be easily broken. In particular, the portion package is submitted to relatively high forces during mechanical and/or hydraulic closing of the beverage brewing unit around or onto the package.
As a result, the identifier can be damaged and is no longer readable and the capsule is irremediably wasted.
Furthermore, portioned package can be made of flexible walls, for packaging cost reasons or others, the package is thus sensitive to deformation, and thereby the position and integrity of the identification element, which is necessary for ensuring a reliable detection, cannot be guaranteed.
With identifiers placed in the seam as in FR2912124, a reinforced part may be necessary in order to ensure its physical integrity. It is so more difficult to connect the two flexible walls of the capsule together and to provide a good connection at the seam because of the presence of the reinforced portion (e.g., piece of cardboard or fibres) which generally forms a localized excessive thickness.
Certain identifiers require a minimal length and specific positioning to be read correctly. If not, the received signal is deteriorated, too weak or even not present. Therefore, placing the identifier on the package, in particular, at the seam may dictate important design constraints. For instance, the seam must be made larger, at least locally, and the capsule might no longer fit correctly through the slider of the beverage producing device or may require a specific orientation of the detection part of the capsule before being inserted in.
In particular, for detection technologies using an emission of a magnetic field emitted from at least one electromagnetic coil of the beverage producing device, the size and the position of the identifier on the capsule are determinant to ensure a correct reading of the modified signal of the identifier. If the signal received by the receiving electromagnetic coil is defective, this immediately results in a faulty or abnormal functioning of the beverage producing device.
The present invention aims at proposing a solution that provides more freedom on the design of the capsule, ensures a more reliable signal detection and is less prone to damage or deterioration of the identifier, e.g., during handling of the capsule.
For this, the main principle of the invention is for a capsule including a contactless identifier inside the cavity containing the beverage ingredient. In particular, the identifier is at least partially embedded in the mass of the beverage ingredient. As a result, the identifier is protected from the external mechanical constraints. Furthermore, the dimensions and positioning of the identifier can be changed in a more flexible manner without affecting the overall shape, structure and/or design of the enclosing package.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Capsule for the preparation of a beverage embedding an identification element


A flexible display device includes a flexible screen; a casing including a receiving portion and a support base; and a support member between the flexible screen and the casing, the support member including a rigid support portion and a flexible support portion which are arranged in a lengthwise direction of the flexible screen. The receiving portion includes a receiving chamber configured for receiving at least a part of the flexible screen and at least a part of the flexible support portion, and the flexible screen fits slidably with the support base by means of the support member.

Flexible screens such as organic light emitting diode (abbreviated as OLED) display screens have seen significant development in recent years. Compared with traditional screens, flexible screens have significant advantages, such as their thinner size and lower power consumption; moreover, the application scenes of the flexible screens become wider and wider due to their rollable and flexible features.
However, the flexible screens are easy to be rolled and have good flexibility, and are prone to be ridged or grooved, thereby causing a poor flatness, and even affecting the display effect adversely.

BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


It is intended to efficiently inject into a target cell, a substance charged within a liposome. The present inventors have found that connexin synthesized within a liposome is introduced as connexon having a gap junction function into the liposome membrane. Specifically, the liposome according to the present invention is a liposome in which connexon composed of connexin synthesized by an in-vitro protein synthesis system is incorporated in a state of having a gap junction function.

The overview of a drug delivery system (hereinafter, referred to as DDS) using liposomes can be understood with reference to Non-Patent Document 1. Examples of a primary problem of the DDS using liposomes can include low efficiency of administration of drugs charged within liposomes. Examples of one approach to solve this problem can include an approach by which tropism targeted to target cells such as cancer cells is imparted to liposomes. For example, an approach has been developed by which a liposome in which a sugar chain that specifically recognizes lectin (sugar chain-recognizing protein) is introduced in the membrane is used to control the target tropism of the liposome.
However, the approach for improving the target tropism of a liposome is an approach that focuses on the interaction between liposomes and target cells, but not an approach that focuses on the mechanism of action by which drugs charged within liposomes are transferred to target cells. Thus, the conventional approach still has the problem of low efficiency of administration of drugs charged within liposomes.
On the other hand, examples of documents that disclose the introduction of proteins into liposome membranes can include Non-Patent Documents 2 and 3. These Non-Patent Documents 2 and 3 use as a protein to be introduced, connexin that constitutes a gap junction serving as an intercellular substance transfer pathway.
Non-Patent Document 2 has disclosed that connexin 26 is synthesized in a cell-free system and then incorporated into a liposome. However, Non-Patent Document 2 has disclosed that a hemichannel, which is formed in the connexin 26-incorporated liposome, causes ascorbic acid charged within the liposome to be leaked out from the hemichannel. Hence, the liposome disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2 seems to be impossible to use in DDS using liposomes within which drugs or the like are charged.
Alternatively, Non-Patent Document 3 has disclosed that connexin 43 generated within a cell is purified and incorporated into a liposome membrane. Non-Patent Document 3 has particularly disclosed that dephosphorylation using CIP treatment after the connexin 43 incorporation into the liposome increases permeability. The phosphorylated site of connexin is present within the cell, and the treatment uses an enzyme (CIP) of 1500 or higher in molecular weight. This means that connexin is incorporated so that a site supposed to be present within a cell is positioned outside of a liposome membrane.
Attempts to introduce connexin into liposome membranes can be illustrated as described above. However, no documents have disclosed a liposome in which connexon is incorporated in a state of having a gap junction function.
Non-Patent Document 1: D. D. Lasic et al., "liposomes: from basic to applications" Elsevier Science Publishers, (1993)
Non-Patent Document 2: Ahmad S, Evans W H. "Post-translational integration and oligomerization of connexin 26 in plasma membranes and evidence of formation of membrane pores: implications for the assembly of gap junctions." (2002) Biochem. J. 365: 693-699.
Non-Patent Document 3: Doo Yeon Kim, et al., "Gating Connexin 43 Channels Reconstituted in Lipid Vesicles by Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Phosphorylation" (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274 No. 9, pp. 5581-5587

Liposome and method for injecting substance to cell using this liposome