An attachment member for securing a graft material to a vessel includes a conduit portion for attachment to the graft material. The attachment member has first and second anchor wings formed on opposite sides of an end of the conduit portion. The anchor wings are biased to extend substantially perpendicular to an axis of the conduit portion. The first and second anchor wings have arcuate shapes around substantially collinear axes for the anchor wings to define a flow path within a vessel on opposite sides of the conduit portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to an attachment member for attaching a graft material to a coronary vessel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,019 issued Aug. 31, 1999 teaches an implant for defining a blood flow conduit directly from a chamber of the heart to a lumen of a coronary vessel. An embodiment disclosed in the aforementioned patent teaches an L-shaped implant in the form of a rigid conduit having one leg sized to be received within a lumen of a coronary artery and a second leg sized to pass through the myocardium and extend into the left ventricle of the heart. As disclosed in the above-referenced patent, the conduit is rigid and remains open for blood flow to pass through the conduit during both systole and diastole. The conduit penetrates into the left ventricle in order to prevent tissue growth and occlusions over an opening of the conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,956 issued Nov. 16, 1999 teaches an implant with an enhanced fixation structure. The enhanced fixation structure includes a fabric surrounding at least a portion of the conduit to facilitate tissue growth on the exterior of the implant. U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,672 issued Feb. 29, 2000 teaches procedures and tools for placing a conduit.
Implants such as those shown in the aforementioned patents include a portion to be connected to a coronary vessel and a portion to be placed within the myocardium. Most of the implants disclosed in the above-mentioned patents are rigid structures. Being rigid, the implants are restricted in use. For example, an occluded site may not be positioned on the heart in close proximity to a heart chamber containing oxygenated blood. To access such a site with a rigid, titanium implant, a very long implant must be used. A long implant results in a long pathway in which blood will be in contact with the material of the implant. With non-biological materials, such as titanium, a long residence time of blood against such materials increases the probability of thrombus. The risk can be reduced with anti-thrombotic coatings. Moreover, a rigid implant can be difficult to place while achieving desired alignment of the implant with the vessel. A flexible implant will enhance placement of the implant. U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,019 shows a flexible implant in FIG. 22 of the ""019 patent by showing a cylindrical rigid member in the heart wall and a T-shaped rigid member in the coronary artery. The cylindrical and T-shaped rigid members are joined by flexible conduit. Unfortunately, flexible materials tend to be non-biostable and trombogenic and may collapse due to contraction of the heart during systole. PCT/US99/01012 shows a flexible transmyocardial conduit in the form of a cylindrical rigid member in the heart wall and a natural vessel (artery or vein segment) connecting the rigid member to an occluded artery. PCT/US99/00593 (International Publication No. WO99/38459) also shows a flexible conduit. PCT/US97/14801 (International Publication No. WO 98/08456) shows (in FIG. 8c) a transmyocardial stent with a covering of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an attachment member is disclosed for securing a graft material to a vessel. The attachment member includes a conduit portion for attachment to said graft material. The attachment member has first and second anchor wings formed on opposite sides of an end of said conduit portion. The anchor wings are biased to extend substantially perpendicular to an axis of the conduit portion. The first and second anchor wings have arcuate shapes around substantially collinear axes for the anchor wings to define a flow path within a vessel on opposite sides of the conduit portion.


A card game, on the order of blackjack, is played with at least one deck of cards, with sevens, eights, nines and tens removed. Each card has an assigned point value. Each player is dealt two cards face down, with an option to receive a third, in addition to the two cards initially received. The winning hand is the hand having the lowest point total, wherein the point total is the difference between the points for the cards in the person's hand. The lowest possible total is zero, achieved, e.g. when the two cards in the hand are the same number, hence same point value.

This invention relates to a card game wherein the object is to obtain a hand having a relatively low card point value; the game is played similarly to the game of blackjack, except that card values are subtracted rather than added.
The closest prior art is believed to be a series of patents that disclose variants of the game of blackjack. In each of these patent disclosures the point values of cards in each player's hand are added together to determine the value of the hand. Different hands are compared to determine the winning hand; in most cases each player competes separately against the dealer, as in the game of blackjack. The game of the present invention differs from the corresponding patented games primarily in the fact that the point value of each hand is determined by the difference in point value of the cards in the person's hand. The object of the game is to achieve a hand wherein the point value difference is zero, or as close as possible to zero.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,193, issued to E. Ferrer, discloses a card game wherein the cards in each player's hand are given specific values, with the card values being added together to determine the winning hand. According to the game rules, each ace has a value of one, each face card has a value of one half, and each card from 2 through 10 has its indicated value. The winning hand is the hand having the highest total value that includes one half point e.g. a seven and one half point total, or a nine and one half point total. Each player receives two cards, with the option of receiving up to two additonal cards, should the player believe such cards will improve his hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,228 discloses a card game that is somewhat similar to blackjack, in that each player plays his hand against the dealer's hand, with the winner being the person having the highest total value coming closest to nine. Each player receives two cards, with the option to receive a third card if he believes such a card will improve his hand. Cards from Ace through nine have their indicated values; cards numbered ten through king have zero value. When computing the point value of any hand, point totals greater than ten are automatically reduced by ten; e.g. a point value of fifteen automatically becomes five for valuation purposes. As noted above, the winner is the hand having a point total coming closest to nine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,305, issued on Nov. 29, 199 to J. Rodda et al, discloses a card game which uses a standard deck of cards, with the eights, nines and tens removed. The remaining cards are given point values, wherein the aces through sevens have their indicated values, and the face cards have a value of one half point. The winner is the person whose hand comes closest to a total of seven and one half points, without exceeding seven and one half points; e.g. a hand totalling six points will beat a hand totalling five and one half points. A hand totalling eight or more points is automatically a losing hand. The game can be played according to the same rules and procedures as are used in blackjack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,128, issued to M. Hesse on Mar. 14, 1995, discloses a card game, wherein point values are assigned to the cards; each seven, eight and ten is removed from a conventional deck to produce a playing deck. Each ace has a value of one; cards 2 through 6 and 9 have their indicated values, the face cards have a zero valuation. The object of the game is to achieve a point total coming as close as possible to nine without exceeding nine. Each player is dealt three cards, with the player having the option of receiving an additional card if he believes it will improve his hand. The game, in major aspects, is similar to the games disclosed in above-mentioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,368,305 and 5,366,228.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,407,208 and 5,411,268 disclose card games that are variations of the well known game of blackjack. In the patented games the winner is the person whose hand has a point total closest to twenty one, without exceeding twenty one.
The present invention relates to a game wherein each player is dealt two cards, with the option of receiving a third additional card should the player believe that a third card will improve his hand. One or more conventional decks of cards with certain cards removed, can be used in the game. Each card has an assigned point value, e.g. aces are assigned a value of one, face cards are assigned a zero value, and cards numbered two through seven are assigned their indicated value (two through seven, respectively).
The object of the game is to achieve a hand (containing two cards), wherein the card point value is zero, or as close as possible to zero. Point values for each hand are obtained by subtracting the values of each card in the hand, so as to obtain a numerical value. For example, a hand containing a two of spades and an ace of diamonds would have a value of one (the difference between 2 and 1). A hand containing a three of clubs and a jack of hearts would have the value of three (the difference between 3 and 0). As between these two hands, the winner would be the first hand, since it is closer to zero than the second hand. When valuing each hand the suit of the card is disregarded; e.g. a card in the club suit can be subtracted from a card game in any other suit without changing the result.
The game can be played, using the basic principles of blackjack. The dealer or a player banker, when applicable as a legal requirement, will deal each player two cards face down as well as two cards to himself; each player can look at his cards to determine whether he wants to receive a third card or not in addition to the two cards initially received. The dealer similarly has also the option to receive a third card. If a third card is received, the two previous cards are played as a single card with one subtracted value.
When all of the participants in the game have received the permitted number of cards (two or three cards per person) the cards are exposed to determine the value of each hand. As previously noted, the hand having the lowest point value is the winner.
The game can be played so that each player competes against the dealer. Alternately, the game can be played so that all of the participants compete against each other. In this latter situation, when two or more of participants have the same lowest point value hands, there is no action and the players retain their respective bets.
Betting can take place at various stages in the game, preferably prior to any cards being dealt, but also after two cards have been dealt. The betting procedures will be affected, to a certain extent, by whether each player is competing only against the dealer, or all participants are competing against each other.
Certain ancillary rules may be established to increase player interest and initiative. For example, the rules may stimulate that all participants (players and dealer) must take a third card if the card point value of the first two cards is three or higher. This rule promotes activity on the part of each player, leading to potentially lower point values and closer games.

Method of playing a card game using card number substraction techniques


This invention concerns novel dihydro- and tetrahydronaphthyridines useful for enhancing the lethal effects on tumor cells to treatment causing DNA-damaging activity as with ionizing radiation or with a chemotherapeutic agent.

The present invention relates to certain novel dihydro- and tetrahydronaphthyridines useful for sensitizing tumor cells to the lethal effects of DNA-damaging agents such as ionizing radiation and chemotherapeutic agents.
Extensive evidence indicates that the radioresistance of many solid tumors is directly proportional to their hypoxic fractions. In the presence of oxygen the amount of cell kill achievable by ionizing radiation is increased.. When well oxygenated cells are irradiated, irreparable lesions occur resulting from the reaction between radiation-damaged DNA and oxygen. Under hypoxic conditions such as those found in solid tumors, the initial damage that occurs from ionizing radiation is more readily repaired than that which occurs in oxic cells and ultimately leads to tumor regrowth.
The presence of hypoxic cells in tumor tissue has been demonstrated repeatedly in animal tumors, and their presence results in resistance to radiation, which makes cures with a single dose of x-rays difficult or impossible. (See Adams GE, et al, Chemotherapy 1975;7:187-206, Plenum Press, New York.) This problem is compounded by the fact that radiotherapy continues to be a major method for treating cancer patients. Approximately 50% to 60% of all cancer patients undergo some type of radiotherapy. However, the presence of these radio-resistant cells results in about 30% of these patients succumbing to a lack of control of the primary disease. Therefore, a need exists for a compound which renders solid tumors more susceptible to the lethal effects of radiation.
To overcome the problem of the resistance of hypoxic tumor cells to radiation therapy, patients have been irradiated in hyperbaric oxygen chambers. Although much experience has been gathered with this method, it is cumbersome and slow to use. Moreover, the shutdown of blood vessels is also a serious problem associated with this method.
Another solution which has been tried is the use of chemical agents which simulate the action of oxygen in their ability to sensitize hypoxic tumor cells to radiation. In 1963, Adams, et al (Biochem Biophy Res Comm 1963;12:473), proposed that the ability of compounds to sensitize hypoxic bacterial cells is directly related to their electron affinity. This idea has been generally verified and has aided the search for more active compounds.
In 1973, J. L. Foster and R. L. Wilson (Brit J Radiol 1973; 46: 234) discovered the radiosensitizing action of the antiprotozoal drug metronidarole (2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol). Metronidazole is active both in vitro and in vivo as a radiosensitizer.
Another antiprotozoal drug, misonidazole (.alpha.-(methoxymethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol) has also recently proven to be of value as a radiosensitizer for hypoxic tumor cells (Asquith J, et al, Rad Res 1974;60:108).
Both metronidazole and misonidazole are effective as radiosensitizers for hypoxic cells in vivo. However, both compounds exhibit serious adverse central nervous system (CNS) side effects when administered to mice. They exhibit peripheral neuropathy effects and convulsions in mice and their CNS toxicity is thus a limiting factor for their use in humans. Nevertheless, the activity of these compounds as radiosensitizers has led to further interest and has spurred the search for additional compounds with similar activity but with diminished side effects.
Radiotherapy is now routinely given as a series of small doses of radiation (fractionated treatment) in an effort to minimize normal tissue damage and allow for tumor reoxygenation. This regimen renders the tumor more sensitive to successive radiation doses. However, substantial repair of radiation-induced damage can also occur between these small doses of radiation. This is illustrated by cell survival plots of nonexponential cell kill, which is sometimes referred to as the shoulder region of an x-ray dose-response curve (i.e., cells surviving the first dose of radiation respond as unirradiated cells to the second fraction, etc). The use of a fractionated regimen provides a small therapeutic gain with each fraction resulting in an improved gain over the course of the treatment. Inhibitors of this repair process, i.e., shoulder-modifying agents such as N-methylformamide, have been shown to sensitize tumors to the lethal effects of radiation.
Some cells when exposed to radiation do not immediately succumb to the lethal effects of radiation. This delay in toxicity, usually referred to as potentially lethal damage (PLD), accounts for some of the postirradiation toxicity that is seen when cells are treated with x-rays. PLD is DNA damage, which may be lethal if the cell attempts to replicate, but which is repaired if the cells are prevented from replicating. Compounds such as 3-aminobenzamide (PLDR inhibitors) have been shown to inhibit this postirradiation repair process, thereby sensitizing cells to the lethal effects of radiation.
Ben Hur, et al (Rad Res 1984; 97: 546), demonstrated that in certain cell lines the repair of damage caused by exposure to DNA-damaging agents such as ionizing radiation, was inhibited by 3-aminobenzamide. This inhibition of repair led to an enhanced killing of these cells by the damaging agents. The compounds examined are also inhibitors of poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase or adenosine diphosphate ribosyl polymerase (ADPRP), an enzyme that is elevated when cells are exposed to alkylating agents and to ionizing radiation, and is thought to play a role in the repair of DNA damage. Therefore, inhibitors of poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase can potentiate the lethal effects of DNA-damaging agents such as ionizing radiation and also potentiate for use in the methods of the present invention certain chemotherapeutic agents such as bleomycin (Kato T, Suzumura Y, Fukushima M, Anticancer Research 1988;8:239) and the like.
The present invention provides compounds which enhance the lethal effects of ionizing radiation thereby making tumors more sensitive to radiation therapy. These compounds work by affecting the processes involved in the repair of radiation-induced DNA damage. Since the compounds of the invention also inhibit poly(ADP-ribose)synthetase they have utility as potentiators of certain chemotherapeutic agents as described above by T. Kato, et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 07/758,180 (EPA 355750) discloses substituted dihydroisoquinolinones and related compounds as potentiators of the lethal effects of radiation and certain chemotherapeutic agents.
T. Sakamoto, et al. (Chem Pharm Bull 1986;34:2018-23) covers the iodination and subsequent dehydroxychlorination of 1, 6-naphthyridin-5 (6H) -one producing 5-chloro-8-iodo-1,6-naphthyridine which was converted to the 5-methoxy derivative.
E. Otiai and K. Miyaji (J Pharm Soc Japan 1938;58:764-70) and N. Ikekawa (Chem Pharm Bull 6:263-269) cover the synthesis of 1,6-naphthyridines.
Y. Combret, et al. (Tetrahedron 1991;47:9369) discuss a 1,6-naphthyridinone structure (see also Y. Combret, et al. (Chemistry Letters 1991;125-8)).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,349 covers certain 6-C.sub.1-4 alkyl-7-phenyl or substituted phenyl 1,6-naphthyridine-5(6H)-ones useful as muscle relaxants and as antiinflammatory agents.
V. I. Sigova and M. E. Konshin (Khim Geterot Soed 1984;783-5) covers a synthesis of substituted 5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,6-naphthyridines by cyclization of substituted 2-styrylnicotinic acid amides.
K.-H. Nietsch and R. Troschutz (Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 1985;318:175-7) covers the preparation of 7,8-dihydro-1,6-naphthyridin-5 (6H) -ones.
M. Tada and Y. Yokol (J Heterocyclic Chem 9;26:45-8) covers the synthesis of tetrahydronaphthyridinone derivatives.
J. Baldwin, et al (J Org Chem 1978;43:4878-80) covers a naphthyridinone synthesis via enamine cyclization.


A telecommunications cable element having a transmission element disposed in a buffer tube made from thermoplastic polyolefin elastomeric buffer material is disclosed. The polyolefin elastomeric buffer material has a modulus of elasticity below about 500 MPa at room temperature and a modulus of elasticity below about 1500 MPa at -40.degree. C. Preferentially, the thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer material forming the buffer tube has an elongation to break below about 500% and a Melt Flow Index above about 3.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunications cables. More particularly, the present invention relates to telecommunications cables having optical fibers buffered by thermoplastic polyolefin elastomers.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In telecommunications cables having transmission elements such as optical fibers coated with an ultraviolet light curable coating, the transmission elements are typically protected, either individually or as a group, by a buffering material. The relationship between the buffering material and the transmission elements is usually described as either "tight," "near-tight" or "loose." For example, a "tight" buffered optical fiber has buffer material extruded directly over the coated optical fiber. Optical fibers which are "near-tight" buffered have a hollow buffer member, often a tube with an inner diameter slightly larger (up to about 0.4 mm) than the outer diameter of optical fiber or the approximate outer diameter of a plurality fibers contained therein. For example, "near-tight" buffered optical fiber units typically consist of one or a plurality of optical fibers surrounded by a sheath or buffer unit of a flexible material. The flexible buffer unit has a wall thickness of approximately 0.2 mm and an inner radius less than 0.3 mm greater than that of the fiber bundle contained within. More particularly, for example a 4 fiber flexible buffer tube has an outside diameter (OD) of 1.0 mm and an inside diameter (ID) of 0.6 mm. A 6 fiber flexible buffer unit has an OD of 1.15 mm and an ID of 0.75 mm. A 12 fiber flexible buffer unit has an OD of 1.4 mm and an ID of 1.0 mm. Use of such compact buffer units allows the design of cables with overall smaller O.D. and lower weight per unit length. These units also allow a high fiber density in smaller diameter cables.
In a "loosely" buffered optical fiber cable, the inside diameter of the buffer tube is substantially larger (greater than about 0.4 mm) than the outside diameter of the optical fiber or the approximate outside diamter of a bundle of optical fibers. Loosely buffered optical fiber cable designs are well known in the art.
For tight and near-tight buffering applications, a low modulus of elasticity may be desired in order to ensure easy access and handling of buffer units without damaging fibers encapsulated therein. Tight and near-tight buffer members have more contact with the coated fibers. In order to achieve better distribution of contact forces on the coated fiber, a specific range of modulus is required.
Buffer materials typically used for making buffer tubes for buffering optical fibers in a telecommunications cable include plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polybutylene terephtalate (PBT), polycarbonate (PC) and some polyolefins, for example. The aforementioned materials have advantages and disadvantages when used for buffering optical fibers. For example, some of these materials, such as PC and PBT, are more expensive. Some, such as PVC, do not provide an acceptable modulus of elasticity within the range of temperatures a telecommunications cable may be exposed to during operation. To overcome some of the problems of PVC, some designs use plasticized PVC. However, plasticized PVC may still show a considerable increase in modulus at low temperature. Also, another drawback of plasticized PVC is that plasticizers in the PVC can be leached out by many thixotropic, water blocking gels that are disposed in the buffer tube with the fiber or fibers. Leaching causes an increase in buffer unit modulus and rigidity as well as possible degradation of encapsulated fiber properties. This leaching is most prevalent in polyolefin and polyol based gels. To minimize plasticizer leaching, special grades of plasticized PVC with migration resistant plasticizers and compatible water blocking gels, such as silicone based gels, must be used. Silicone gels, however, much more costly than polyol or polyolefin gels.
The solutions to the leaching problem are relatively expensive and do not totally eliminate the problem. Even if such solutions are used, migration or extraction of plasticizers can still occur through interaction between the fiber coating and buffer member.

Flexible thermoplastic polyolefin elastomers for buffering transmission elements in a telecommunications cable


A device for supporting a saddle of a bicycle, a mountain bike, etc., which includes a support frame, a guide tube secured to the support frame, and a tubular support member upwardly biased by a spring means. The projecting end portion of the tubular support member is connected to a mounting member for the saddle so that the support member and the saddle mounting member are movable relative to each other in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the support member. The saddle mounting member is swingably connected to the guide tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for supporting a saddle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a saddle supporting device which may be suitably used for supporting a saddle of the bicycle, a mountain bike, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, a saddle of a bicycle, a mountain bike, or the like was attached to a support frame (main frame) through a seat post serving as a rigid member, and shock absorption was effected mainly by the action of a metallic spring provided under the saddle, and the tires. However, the conventional saddle supporting structure, which employs the seat post as a rigid member, cannot provide a sufficient shock absorbing capacity for some types of bicycle, e.g., those which are required to provide soft cushioning, or those which are subjected to large impacts, such as mountain bikes. Accordingly, the prior art cannot provide a satisfactory ride quality and necessitates the support frame to be formed so as to have high strength in order to endure large impacts.
Under these circumstances, the present inventors have already developed and disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Number 3-232397 (1991) a saddle supporting device wherein a damper is slidably fitted in a guide tube secured to a support frame. An end portion of a piston rod of the damper is secured to the bottom of the guide tube, and a mounting member for a saddle is connected to a casing of the damper, which projects from the guide tube. With this supporting device, a shock that is applied to a wheel is transmitted to the saddle through the damper. Therefore, shocks are absorbed effectively over a wide range, so that the above-described problems can be overcome.
The above-described saddle supporting device, which includes the damper, suffers, however, from the following problems. In a case where the guide tube that slidably guides the damper is disposed with an inclination with respect to the vertical direction, external force is applied from the saddle to the damper in a direction different from the axial direction of the damper, which may cause sticking at the area of sliding contact between the damper (damper casing) and the guide tube, resulting in an unsmooth action of the damper. Further, in the above-described saddle supporting device, a means for preventing relative rotation between the guide tube and the damper is disposed in the guide tube. Therefore, the structure becomes complicated, inviting an increase in the cost.


A method of controlling the regulatory mechanism in humans that governs cell division in a damaged cell structure which comprises reactivating the proliferative phase regulated by DNA, to enable the damaged cell to redifferentiate itself according to its basic genetic code, by administering to the human the reaction product of arginine and p-aminobenzoic acid. A method in which said reactivation process suppresses sexual inflammations, enhances positive neural responses, precludes aggressive bacterial infections, promotes internal wound healing, and/or provides an infusible treatment for non-specific prostatitis.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cosmetic and human and animal health compositions, and, more particularly, to the reaction product of arginine and p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), and compositions thereof, useful for treating wounds, lesions, burns, sunburn, the hair and scalp, hemorrhoids and teeth, in animals and humans, including bovine mastitis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art does not disclose the reaction product of arginine and p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), and cosmetic and health compositions and formulations thereof. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,067 discloses only acyl arginine derivatives without PABA; U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,939 discloses only forming guanidine sweetening agents by reaction of substituted arcyl amines with guanidino moieties; U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,797 discloses peptide substituted/reacted arginine, however, without PABA; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,647 discloses PABA/amino acid reaction products which may be used as ultraviolet protecting agents, but arginine is not disclosed.
A method of controlling the regulatory mechanism in humans that governs cell division in a damaged cell structure which comprises reactivating the proliferative phase regulated by DNA, to enable the damaged cell to redifferentiate itself according to its basic genetic code, by administering to the human the reaction product of arginine and p-aminobenzoic acid.
The composition of the invention comprises the formulation given in Table 1 below:
The reaction product of arginine and PABA is prepared as follows:

Reaction product of arginine and p-aminobenzoic acid, cosmetic, and human and animal health compositions thereof


Certain inexpensive industrial dyes are used in solution with non-interfering solvents as new lasing media in dye lasers.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to dye lasers and, more particularly, is directed towards new lasing media for use in dye lasers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Among the different kinds of lasers, dye lasers are unique by virtue of their relatively broad tuning range, which can exceed 50 nanometers with a single dye. By using different dyes in a single laser instrument it is possible to cover a broad, continuous range from the ultraviolet to the near infrared regions.
One present disadvantage of most dyes used in lasing media is the relatively short useful dye lifetime, which requires frequent replacement of the dye. At current laser dye prices the cost of dye during the useful lifetime of a dye laser instrument can greatly exceed the cost of the instrument itself.
Another difficulty with most laser dyes is that they require solvents having relatively poor thermo-optical properties compared to water, which cause a degradation of the laser performance of the dyes, especially at high energy loadings.
Accordingly, there is a need for efficient laser dyes with a high output-to-cost ratio, and there is also a need for laser dyes which can perform efficiently when dissolved in water.
One object of this invention is to provide new, efficient, inexpensive dye lasers.
Another object of this invention is to provide new laser dyes which can lase efficiently in aqueous solutions.
As used herein, the term "dye" refers to a molecular entity which can absorb electromagnetic radiation of wavelength longer than 300 nanometers (nm). The term "fluorescent dye" refers to a dye which can be made to emit light from its lowest excited singlet level, and the term "fluorogenic dye" refers to a dye which can be easily converted into a fluorescent dye by a simple chemical step like, for instance, the attachment of a metal cation.
While the processes which result in dye laser action are essentially understood, such understanding is not sufficient to enable a scientist to predict the laser parameters of any given dye from the knowledge of its molecular structure, fluorescence emission spectrum, electronic transition probability and fluorescence quantum efficiency. While a high fluorescence quantum efficiency and a high electronic transition probability are generally required for efficient laser action, many dyes meeting these two requirements do not lase, or lase too inefficiently to be useful. For instance the dye Rubrene has a fluorescence quantum efficiency of nearly unity in a number of solvents, but it does not lase in any of them. Often a dye with a high fluorscence efficiency, which is structurally similar to an efficient laser dye, fails to exhibit laser action, or lases inefficiently. For instance, the Al.sup.3+ chelate of the pentahydroxyflavone dye Quercetin does not lase, in contrast to the Al.sup.3+ chelate of the structurally very similar pentahydroxy flavone dye Morin.
It follows, then, that while the search for new, efficient laser dyes has to be guided by basic physical principles, a substantial amount of trial and error work is also required.


A one-piece body portion injection molded of polysulfone or similar polymer has mounting portions for securing the bearing housing to a support surface and a transverse bore having a spherically concave annular bearing seat for tiltably supporting a convex outer ring of a bearing. Diametrically opposed axially extending recesses within the bearing seat facilitate insertion of the outer race ring after molding of the body portion. The bearing housing has significantly improved stiffness and resistance to moisture, creep, thermal deflection, chipping and corrosion, making the bearing housing particularly suited for use in the food processing industry.

This invention relates generally to bearing housings for rotary bearings and, more particularly, to housings for self-aligning anti-friction ball and roller bearings.
To accommodate misalignment of a shaft mounted within anti-friction bearings, the outer ring of the bearings may be formed with an outer spherically convex surface for mating engagement with a spherically concave surface of a housing in which the bearings are supported. Such bearing housings may be of the pillow block type, having an upper bight portion and a lower portion with outturned apertured mounting feet, or of a flange type configuration.
In some bearing housing applications, such as for example in food processing, bearing housings are continually subjected to corrosive chemicals, extreme changes in temperature, and high pressure steam. Historically, to withstand those conditions, such bearing housings have been made of cast iron and plated with nickel, or cast and machined of stainless steel, resulting in high manufacturing cost.
Even when made of nickel plated iron, bearing housings may rust due to chipping of the nickel plating during installation of the bearing housing or due to peeling or other damage to the nickel plating during repeated exposure to high pressure steam or other adverse conditions. Another problem associated with bearing housings made of nickel plated iron is the cost of proper environmental disposal of manufacturing bi-products.
Pillow blocks and other bearing housings made of glass reinforced nylon or similar polymers have been proposed for some applications. However, although those materials resist corrosion, bearing housings made of those materials do not have adequate stiffness and long term retention torque to prevent spinning of the bearing in the housing. Also, they are not sufficiently resistant to creep, moisture absorption, and thermal deflection to permit their use in the applications described above and are not generally approved for use in food processing.
To provide the spherically concave bore of bearing housings made of iron or steel, machining has been used. Alternatively, two-piece bearing housings made of glass reinforced nylon have been proposed with multiple shell sections that are guided by grooves or dove tails to clamp the bearing in a bearing seat. Molding or casting of the spherically concave bore as a finished one-piece bearing housings made of either iron, steel, or glass reinforced nylon has not been practical.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present bearing housings. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one of more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.


A method of determining movement dynamics of a drillstring is provided that includes the steps of calculating or measuring a friction coefficient for the sliding contact between the drillstring and the sidewall of a borehole, the friction coefficient being a varying function of non-zero sliding velocities; and predicting movement dynamics of the drillstring using the measured friction coefficient.

During the drilling of subterranean boreholes, high levels of rotational oscillation of the drillstring may occur; the drillstring going through cycles of rotational acceleration and deceleration. In some situations this can lead to "stick-slip" occurring, in which the bit or portions of the drillstring are at rest or even turn backwards.
These oscillations can be influenced by the choice of drill bit and the force and rotation speed applied to the drill bit. The generation of these oscillations has been attributed to a rotational force acting on the bit that reduces with increased rotation speed.
However, "stick-slip" oscillations have also been observed in drillstrings when rotating off-bottom, for example while running into hole. This is generally a feature of wells in which a substantial portion of the borehole is either horizontal or near-horizontal (also known as high-angle wells). It has been empirically determined that the oscillations become more severe as the hole lengthens and as the torque required to rotate the drillstring increases.
While observationally it may be seen that "friction" of some kind is a contributory agent in generating rotational oscillations, it has not previously been determined what properties of the frictional interaction are necessary for the generation of rotational oscillations, or how they may be interpreted, measured or estimated.
Nonetheless, it is often necessary to estimate and measure frictional parameters for use in the planning, simulation and monitoring of wells, especially those that deviate substantially from the vertical.
In modelling the torque and drag behaviour of drillstrings, it is conventional to use a Coulomb friction model for the tangential sliding contact between a drillstring and a borehole, i.e. the sliding contact at the sidewall of the borehole, not at the bit face. Such a model uses two friction coefficients (i.e. the model is based on the constant of proportionality between the frictional force and the normal side force): a dynamic friction coefficient for when the drillstring is moving relative to the borehole, and a static friction coefficient for when the drillstring is at rest. The dynamic friction coefficient is constant for changes in the relative velocity between the drillstring and the borehole, while the static friction coefficient is normally higher than the dynamic friction coefficient since the force (or torque) required to set a drillstring into motion is generally higher than that required to keep it in motion. According to this model, the friction coefficient changes instantaneously between the shift from static to the dynamic regime.
In Coulomb friction models for torque and drag, different friction coefficients may be used for tangential motion in different directions, for instance in SPE paper 19958 (M. S. Quigley et al., A Full-Scale Wellbore Friction Simulator, presented at IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, Houston, Tex., 27 Feb. to 2 Mar., 1990), significantly different dynamic Coulomb friction coefficients were experimentally measured for axial and rotational motion. In this paper, the variations with velocity direction of dynamic (not static) coefficients were measured.
During the drilling of boreholes with rotation induced at least in part by the rotation of the top of the drillstring, the tangential sliding contact velocity has components both along the axis of the borehole and normal to the axis (in the direction of rotation), however the component in the direction of rotation is normally greatly in excess of the component along the axis of the borehole—and thus, the detail of how the friction coefficient may vary with direction does not play a significant role in the determination of the drillstring dynamics. If the drillstring is not being rotated from the surface, but instead the drillbit is turned by a positive displacement motor close to the bit, or if the drillstring rotation is slow and the axial velocity is large (for instance, during slow reaming in or out of hole), then axial friction may be dominant or significant.
In the planning of wells, the torque necessary to turn the drillstring can be estimated for different values of the friction coefficient, and parameters such as the drillstring elements and the trajectory of the borehole can be adjusted so that for a range of reasonable values of the friction coefficient, the torque necessary to turn the drillstring at surface and drill ahead are within an acceptable range (e.g. below the maximum limit of the drill rig and also below the maximum torque allowable on the tubulars, which form the drillstring). Commonly, different values of friction coefficient are used for portions of the well that are lined with steel casing and the open hole (rock section) portions. It may also be taken into consideration that the friction coefficient in some parts of the well reduces over time due to polishing. For wells drilled in an area where there are existing wells of a similar type, likely values of the friction coefficient may be obtained by comparing observed torques in those wells with those predicted by different friction coefficients, and eliminating those values which are contradicted by observation.
A similar exercise is normally conducted for estimation of drag when the drillstring motion is axial (for instance pulling out of hole or running into hole, or to assess the forces on the drillstring when drilling without axial rotation from surface). As for torque, this modelling exercise can be conducted with a range of friction coefficients, and the drag values obtained with friction coefficients within the normal range can be used to assess whether the drilling operation can be satisfactorily conducted with the equipment available.
During the drilling of wells it is usual to monitor the torque as drilling proceeds, compare it to that expected with different values of the friction coefficient, and to use this to make updated predictions as to the torque required at latter stages of drilling the well. If lubricants are being used to reduce the friction coefficient, then the monitoring of torque and the comparison with the expected torque from different friction coefficients allows the effects of the lubricant to be assessed and the quantity of lubricant in the drilling fluid to be adjusted.


An optical sensor is provided for measuring dissolved gases such as O.sub.2 or CO.sub.2 in a fluid sample. The sensor is formulated so as to contain a gas permeable membrane of a cured perfluorinated urethane polymer and, incorporated therein, a gas-sensitive indicator component. Methods for making and using the membrane and sensor are provided as well.

Chemical sensors are generally known for use in a wide variety of areas such as medicine, scientific research, industrial applications and the like. Fiber optic and electrochemical approaches are generally known for use in situations where it is desired to detect and/or measure the concentration of a parameter at a remote location without requiring electrical communication with the remote location. Structures, properties, functions and operational details of fiber optic chemical sensors can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,109 to Hirschfeld, U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,814 to Kane, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,783 to Blaylock, as well as Seitz, "Chemical Sensors Based on Fiber Optics," Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 56, No. 1, Jan. 1984, each of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Publications such as these generally illustrate that is it known to incorporate a chemical sensor into a fiber optic waveguide, an electrochemical gas sensor or the like, in a manner such that the chemical sensor will interact with the analyte. This interaction results in a change in optical properties, which change is probed and detected through the fiber optic waveguide or the like. These optical properties of chemical sensor compositions typically involve changes in colors or in color intensities. In these types of systems, it is possible to detect particularly minute changes in the parameter or parameters being monitored in order to thereby provide especially sensitive remote monitoring capabilities. Chemical sensor compositions that are incorporated at the distal end of fiber optic sensors are often configured as membranes that are secured at the distal tip end of the waveguide device or optrode.
Gas sensors of this general type are useful in monitoring gas concentrations such as oxygen and carbon dioxide in bloodstreams and the like. Also, it is sometimes desirable to provide sensors that monitor other parameters such as pH. Ion concentrations can also be detected, such as potassium, sodium, calcium and metal ions.
A typical gas sensor device positions the sensor material at a generally distal location with the assistance of various different support means. Support means must be such as to permit interaction between the gas indicator and the substance being subjected to monitoring, measurement and/or detection. Known approaches in this regard include the use of permeable membranes and composites incorporating micro-encapsulation. With certain arrangements, it is desirable to incorporate membrane components into these types of devices. These membrane components must possess certain properties in order to be particularly advantageous. Many membrane materials have some advantageous properties but also have shortcomings. Generally speaking, the materials must be biocompatible, they must be permeable to the gas being monitored, and they must be capable of supporting the gas-sensitive indicator, while at the same time possessing the strength adequate to permit maneuvering of the device without concern about damage to the gas sensor. It is also desirable to have these materials be photocurable in order to facilitate locating the gas sensor composite on the device.
In summary, the present invention is addressed to novel polymer compositions which have been found to be particularly suitable for use as membranes and membrane-like components which incorporate gas-sensitive indicators to form the active gas sensor component of a gas sensor device. The polymer compositions are particularly useful in fiber optic sensors for measuring dissolved gases, particularly O.sub.2 or CO.sub.2, in a fluid. The polymer compositions are cured perfluorinated urethane polymers formed by cross-linking a perfluorinated urethane precursor using a suitable cross-linking agent. Relative to previously known and used gas sensors, the present polymer compositions provide for gas sensors of superior sensitivity, resolution, solvent resistance and photostability. In addition, gas sensors fabricated with the present polymer compositions display increased resistance to fluid flow and shear, because of increased adhesion of the polymer composition to the fiber substrate. Also, the polymer compositions described herein generally require a lower level of cross-linking agent, and will typically contain very little or no residual monomer after cure. Finally, the present polymer compositions have been found to increase the life of the gas sensor by eight- to ten-fold.

Cross-linked gas permeable membrane of a cured perfluorinated urethane polymer, and optical gas sensors fabricated therewith


A device for examining the electrode pads of a semiconductor chip comprises a table for supporting a semiconductor wafer including chips each having two lines being substantially straight and consisting of a plurality of electrode pads, a probe card having two lines corresponding to the lines of the electrode pads, and consisting of a plurality of probes, first and second TV cameras for photographing the lines of the electrode pads and probes, and a control unit responsive to signals supplied from the cameras, for calculating first imaginary lines corresponding to the lines of the electrode pads and second imaginary lines corresponding to the lines of the probes, and for recognizing deviation between the first and second imaginary lines. The table is moved by the deviation so as to align the lines of the pads with those of the probes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a probe device using a probe card.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional semiconductor device manufacturing process, the electrical characteristics of a plurality of semiconductor chips as semi-finished products formed on a wafer are examined, thereby sorting them into good and bad ones, and hence enhancing the productivity. Probe devices have been used to examine the electrical characteristics of semiconductor chips formed on a wafer. The probe device has a wafer-holding table movable in X, Y, and Z directions and adapted to hold a semiconductor wafer with the use of a vacuum chuck or the like. A probe card incorporated in the probe device having a probe corresponding to each electrode pad of the chip is arranged above the wafer-holding table, and the table is moved in the Z direction, thereby contacting the probe with the electrode pad, and performing characteristic examination by a tester or the like on the basis of signals supplied through the probe.
In recent years, to perform the process of manufacturing semiconductor devices in a more clean atmosphere, each step of the process has been automated in an unmanned system. Accordingly, the probe device has also been automated by employing e.g. an automatic loader which can automatically load a wafer from a wafer carrier onto a wafer-holding table, and unload the wafer from the table.
However, in the above probe device, each electrode pad must be aligned with a corresponding one of the probes of a probe card, with high accuracy to a degree of several microns--several tens of microns. Further, to contact the probe with the electrode pad, the tip of the probe is adapted to slide on the surface of the electrode pad by so-called over driving (during sliding, the probe cuts the oxide film formed on the surface, thereby obtaining a reliable electrical contact). Thus, it is difficult in the conventional device to automatically perform the alignment. This being so, for example, at least at the time of exchange of probe cards, the track of the probes of a new probe card must be marked on a dummy wafer, and then the new probe card adjusted manually with reference to the track so as to align its probes with the electrode pads of the dummy wafer. Manual alignment, however, cannot be performed with high efficiency or with high accuracy.


A method for sulfonating items comprising polybenzazole polymers is described. These sulfonated polybenzazole items are incorporated into composites containing a matrix resin such as an epoxy resin. The interfacial shear strength of these sulfonated polybenzazole fiber-containing composites is significantly improved over the interfacial shear strength of similar composites containing unsulfonated polybenzazole fibers.

This invention relates to substituted polybenzazole polymers in various physical forms, such as fibers or films, and shaped articles such as matrix composites and laminates containing these polybenzazole polymers.
Matrix composites, also known as fiber-reinforced composites, are shaped articles comprising a plurality of fibers (the reinforcement) embedded in a plastic (the matrix). Typically, the fibers give strength and/or stiffness to the composite, and the matrix maintains fiber alignment and transfers load around broken fibers. The mechanical properties of these matrix composites are known to depend upon how well the reinforcing fibers adhere to the matrix resin. Therefore, it is desirable to maximize the adhesion between the fibers and the matrix resin.
Multilayer laminates are articles comprising multiple layers of films and other materials adhered together by various adhesives and/or other sealing techniques. Each layer in a laminate contributes a property, such as structural stability or moisture barrier, to the completed laminate. For a laminate to function as designed it is important that all of the layers of the laminate remain adhered to each other throughout the working life of the laminate. Therefore, it is desirable to maximize the adhesion between the layers of a multilayer laminate.
Matrix composites containing polybenzazole fibers have been prepared, and the use of polybenzazole films in multilayer laminates has been investigated, therefore it would be desirable to improve the adhesion of the polybenzazole fibers to the matrix resin in a matrix composite and to improve the adhesion of the polybenzazole film to the other layers in a multilayer laminate.

Sulfonation of polybenzoxazole and polybenzothiazole for improved adhesion to matrix resins


A method for manufacturing a display substrate, a display substrate and a display device are disclosed. The method includes: forming a thin-film transistor (TFT) array on a base substrate to form an array substrate; and forming a pixel define layer (PDL) on a non-pixel region of the array substrate by a patterning process. A photochromic material is uniformly distributed in the PDL; the PDL provided with the photochromic material can be converted from light-transmitting to light-shielding under action of light illumination; and the process that the PDL is converted from light-transmitting to light-shielding is irreversible.

Display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display devices have become more and more popular in people's lives. The display device generally comprises an array substrate and a color filter (CF) substrate which are cell-assembled together. In order to improve the display quality of the display device and avoid the problems of reduced aperture ratio and light leakage of the display device caused by misalignment produced during the cell-assembly of the array substrate and the CF substrate, a display substrate comprising both the array substrate and CF structure appears in response to the demand. The structure of the display substrate comprises the array substrate and the CFs formed on the array substrate. As the cell-assembly process of the array substrate and the CFs is eliminated, the problems of reduced aperture ratio and light leakage caused by misalignment can be avoided.

Method for manufacturing display substrate, display substrate and display device


A control system controls tenant services to various tenants by obtaining tenant attributes for each tenant, with respect to a particular workload. A model is generated that models tenant usage performance for a set of best performing tenants. The model is then applied to a remainder of the tenants to obtain a metric indicative of a likely tenant capacity for incremental usage of the workload. The control system controls the services provided to the tenant based upon the likelihood of adoption metric.

Computing systems are currently in wide use. Some computing systems include service computing systems that host services. Such services can include, for instance, electronic mail services, calendar services, and services that provide productivity applications, such as work processing applications, spreadsheet applications, presentation applications, among others. Such computing systems can also include document sharing and management systems, on-line storage systems, enterprise resource management and customer relationship management applications, among a wide variety of others.
Each of these different types of services or applications are sometimes referred to as a workload. For instance, an electronic mail application may be referred to as a first workload, while a document sharing and management system may be referred to as a second workload.
Some such computing systems also host workloads for tenants, which can be organizations that each have a plurality of users. When hosting workloads for different tenants, it can be difficult to know which types of services should be provided to which types of tenants in order to enhance their usage of the hosted workloads. It can also be difficult to control those services so that they are provided to the appropriate tenants, at the appropriate times.
In some current computing systems, for instance, it can be difficult to assign a priority to different services, and corresponding tenants. This is because it can be difficult to identify whether a particular tenant wishes to obtain a workload, wishes to adopt a new workload or a new feature, or wishes to grow the tenancy of a workload or feature that the tenant already subscribes to. Some prior systems have attempted to obtain this information by conducting manual surveys with a particular tenant. However, this is often infeasible due to its cost and its questionable accuracy. This information can also quickly become stale. Similarly, even if it is accurate, this type of information simply conveys the current status of a tenant but does not give an indication as to the tenant's potential to use workloads or features, etc.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Controlling tenant services based on tenant usage performance indicators


Systems and methods are provided for automatic classification of multiple abnormalities that are visible in chest X-ray images. The systems and methods are based on a deep learning architecture that predicts, in addition to classification scores of abnormalities, lung/heart masks, and the location of certain abnormalities. By training a multi-task network to improve all the results, the network and the resulting abnormality classification is improved. Normalization of the chest X-ray images is also used to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the multi-task network.

Chest radiography is one of the most common imaging examinations. Chest radiography is used for screening, diagnosis, and management of many life-threatening diseases. Reading and diagnosing chest X-ray images may require careful observation and knowledge of anatomical principles, physiology, and pathology. Such factors increase the difficulty of developing a consistent and automated technique for reading chest X-ray images.
Advancements in machine learning-based systems and large datasets have enabled algorithms to match the performance of medical professionals in a wide variety of medical imaging tasks. However, automated diagnosis of chest X-rays is difficult as analysis requires an approach that can detect multiple pathologies simultaneously. Automated chest X-ray interpretation at the level of medical professionals could provide substantial benefits in many medical settings, from improved workflow prioritization and clinical decision support to large-scale screening and global population health initiatives. Only recently has the computational power and availability of large datasets allowed for the development of such an approach.
Developing the systems is challenging due to several factors including, but not limited to, high inter-rater variability in interpretation, high error rates in annotations due to the methods of annotation and inherent ambiguity in pathology appearance, limited data availability, lack of image quality, and site-specific image characteristics. The factors, in the context of machine learning-based systems, lead to overconfident systems with poor generalization on unseen data.

Multi-task learning for chest X-ray abnormality classification


A processing line for the defeathering of birds including a scrub washer (27) positioned upstream from the scalder (28) and picking station (29) of the processing line for precleaning the birds prior to scalding and picking the feathers from the birds. The scrub washer (27) includes a series of flexible fingers (63), which engage the bodies of the birds and ruffle the feathers of the birds to wipe dirt, loose feathers and contaminating material from the bodies of the birds. At the same time the flexible fingers tend to bear against the birds so as to urge contaminating material contained within the visceral cavities of the birds out of the visceral cavities. Spray nozzles (53) apply a fluid spray (54) to the birds to wash any loose feathers, dirt and contaminating matter from the birds. Thereafter, the precleaned birds are passed through a scalder (28) and through a picking station (29) where the feathers are moved from the birds.

The processing of whole birds such as chickens, turkeys, etc., through poultry processing plants now has become highly automated. In general, the birds are suspended from overhead conveyor lines and carried by their legs through a series of processing stations where the birds are killed, defeathered, eviscerated and cut-up. For example, the live birds generally are hung on a killing line where they are stunned, killed, scalded and defeathered at automated processing stations along the processing path of the birds before passing to evisceration and cut-up lines for further processing. As the birds are moved along the evisceration line, the birds also are inspected for contamination.
If contamination of any of the birds is detected during the inspection, the contaminated birds must be removed from the main processing line and sent through a reprocessing operation during which the birds typically are cleaned with a solution, such as a chlorine and water solution, and are scrubbed and then inspected again before the birds are allowed to proceed for cut-up and final processing. Such reprocessing increases the time and expense of preparing the birds for the market and reduces the production capacity of the processing line, and if contamination still is detected after reprocessing, the birds must be discarded.
Typically, the birds arrive at the processing plant in a unsanitary, dirty condition, with fecal matter and other contaminants on their feathers. Further, the lower digestive tracts of the birds often are filled with fecal matter that may not be fully evacuated or excreted from the vents of the birds before the birds are processed.
During initial processing, the birds are stunned and killed, after which the birds are passed through a scalder, which typically is a long tank or bath where the birds are immersed in water that is at a temperature of approximately 125.degree.-140.degree.. The purpose of the scalder is to loosen the feather follicles of the birds so that the feathers can be removed by the defeathering machine. The scalder also tends to wash the birds and clean the birds of surface dirt. However, as a result of the handling of the birds as they are stunned, killed, etc., the birds tend to excrete fecal matter, some of which contaminates the feathers of the birds. The birds therefore are exposed to and tend to pickup bacteria and further contamination as they are moved along the killing line.
Spray scalders are also in use, and instead of immersing the birds in heated water, tend to spray the birds with high temperature water to cause the feather follicles to loosen. Such spray scalders generally do not, however, adequately wash and clean the birds of surface contaminants prior to the birds entering the pickers where the feathers of the birds are removed. In addition, the spray scalders do not clean the birds of any material contaminants contained within the digestive tracts of the birds, which contaminants instead tend to remain in and possibly become expelled from the birds as the birds are eviscerated.
Conventional evisceration equipment often is equipped with vacuum means designed to draw off fecal matter and other contaminants from within the visceral cavities of the birds as the birds are eviscerated. The problem with such vacuum systems, however, is that the eviscerating probes tend to limit the action of the vacuums and thus prevent the vacuums from fully evacuating the visceral cavities of the birds of contaminating matter. Thus, the entrails of the birds, which are laid over the birds after evisceration for inspection, sometimes are coated with contaminants such as fecal matter that has not been completely washed away by the sprayers positioned along the evisceration line. If contaminating matter is detected on the entrails, the inspector must reject the birds and the birds must go to reprocessing.
It is estimated that the loss in production of birds in conventional processing plants due to the reprocessing of contaminated birds averages about 3 to 4 percent of the production of the line, which translates to roughly 4 to 5 birds per minute or up to as many as 2,000 birds per day that must be reprocessed or discarded. Thus, it is important for the birds to be as clean as possible before proceeding through evisceration and cut-up to reduce the amount of contamination and thus reduce the number of birds that must be reprocessed.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a method and apparatus for processing birds wherein the birds are cleaned of contaminating material on the bodies of the birds and within the intestinal tracts of the birds prior to defeathering the birds so that the birds are substantially cleaned prior to evisceration and inspection, to reduce the amount of loss in production.


Processes to prepare lightly branched surfactant products comprise combining at least one olefin and a coordination-insertion catalyst under conditions such that at least one oligomer product is formed. The surfactant products comprise a main carbon chain containing an average of between 0.5 and 2.5 branches, wherein more than 50% of the branches are ethyl branches, wherein the branches are located more than one carbon away from each end of the main carbon chain in more than 20% of surfactant product molecules.

Surfactant molecules generally comprise a water-soluble moiety (hydrophile) and an oil-soluble moiety (hydrophobe). Various hydrophilic groups, such as polyoxyethylene, polysaccharide, quaternary ammonium, amine oxide, sulfate, sulfonate, sulfosuccinate, carboxylic, and the like, are attached to an alkyl, alkenyl, or alkaryl hydrophobe that usually contains 8 to 20 carbon atoms through different linkage chemistries. The hydrophobe structure affects the properties, performance, biodegradability, toxicity, and therefore the application of the surfactants. Hydrophobes may be derived from natural oils and fats, which are typically linear. Linear hydrophobes are favorable in affording ready biodegradability of surfactants. However, they are limited in providing key performance features of surfactants, such as high solubility, easy handling and good wetting.
Hydrophobes can also be synthesized from petrochemical or coal-derived raw materials. Synthetic hydrophobes include the linear versions that are functionally equivalent to the linear hydrophobes derived from natural oils and fats. One advantage of synthetic hydrophobes is the flexibility of creating various branching structures by using different chemistries and processes. In general, branched hydrophobes help afford surfactants with better handling properties, less stable foam, and enhanced wettability, which are highly desirable features in many applications. The highly branched structure of the hydrophobe however may cause poor surfactant biodegradability. It is believed that a lightly branched hydrophobe may provide a favorable balance between high performance and ready biodegradability for the corresponding surfactant.
Current processes for generating lightly branched surfactants require multiple steps to obtain the desired branching. In addition, such processes typically require the use of more than one starting monomer. Thus, there is a need for a process for preparing surfactants with the same ability to reduce surface tension as the surfactants produced by the current processes, but in fewer steps. Furthermore, there is a need for a process for preparing surfactants from only one starting monomer.

Process for the preparation of lightly-branched hydrophobes and the corresponding surfactants and applications thereof


A golf swing path training device for visually guiding a golfer through a proper swing path and properly align the golfer's stance includes an arm path member and a body path member. The arm path member and the body path member are preferably integrally formed such that a central portion of the arm path member is connected to a central portion of the body path member. The central portion of the arm path member is substantially straight, whereas the central portion of the body path member is substantially arcuate. During a swing, the arm path member visually directs the golfer to maintain a substantially straight or vertical arm path during the back swing. Conversely, the body path member, visually directs the golfer to maneuver his or her body in a rotating fashion throughout the golf swing.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for assisting a golfer in performing a proper golf swing. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus configured to provide a direct visual indication of proper arm and body motion during a golf swing, as well as a correct stance alignment.
Over the past several decades, golf has become an extraordinarily popular pastime. Literally millions of people avidly participate in this sport, with tens of thousands of new golfers taking up the same annually. As with any other athletic endeavor, skill levels and abilities vary greatly from golfer to golfer. On the one hand, the disparity in skill level can be attributed to basic athletic ability, such as hand-eye coordination. Importantly, however, even athletically inclined individuals encounter great difficulties in mastering the proper golf swing. This difficulty can be attributed to the many variables associated with the golf swing, including grip, stance, arm motion, body motion, club direction, weight shift and distribution, etc.
In light of the complex nature of a golf swing, many golfers invest time and money in hopes of "perfecting" their golf swing. To this end, teaching professionals are invaluable resources. Additionally, a large number of mechanical teaching aids are available. These teaching aids may be used by the individual golfer, or may be employed by a teaching professional. The teaching aids assume a wide variety of forms, ranging from unique golf club grips and heads to intricate mechanisms worn by the golfer.
Regardless of the exact form, golf swing teaching aids have a common goal; to assist the golfer in "learning" a proper golf swing. To this end, a vast majority of the teaching aids are designed to teach the golfer, at an almost subconscious level, certain golf swing alterations or improvements. Through a large number of golf swing repetitions with the teaching aid in place, it has been found that the golfer's mind and body are "trained" to subsequently repeat the swing correction with the teaching aid removed. For example, a uniquely configured strap may be worn by a golfer to keep the golfer's left elbow (for a right-handed golfer) close to his or her body during the golf swing. The generally accepted belief is that by performing a large number of swings with the device in place, the golfer's mind and body will subconsciously "memorize" the proper arm placement so that subsequent swings taken without the strap will still result in proper elbow placement.
While several of the available teaching aids have achieved some success, no one device is universally accepted. This may be due to the above-described approach of "training" the golfer's mind and body to perform a particular swing correction by constraining a portion of the golfer's body and/or hands during repeated practice swings. Effectively, these teaching aids "trick" the mind and body to perform a golf swing differently from how the golfer would swing naturally. Once the device is removed, over time the golfer's mind and body may "forget" the swing correction, reverting to the natural form, including certain swing imperfections. A more preferred approach would be to provide the golfer with a direct visual indication of the proper swing technique during each practice swing. This same ideology holds true for teaching professionals. The professional may be able to orally explain proper swing kinematics prior to a practice swing. However, during an actual swing, the golfer has no visual clues and is instead forced to attempt to remember the instructor's tips concurrent with the swing itself. Obviously, this is a difficult task in that a golf swing is less than two seconds in duration.
As previously described, the proper golf swing includes many components. In most basic terms, however, the proper golf swing requires the golfer to maneuver his or her arms in a vertically planar swing path that is preferably "straight" during a back stroke as well as just prior to and following golf ball impact during the down stroke. Conversely, the golfer's body (other than the arms) preferably moves in a rotating fashion to properly distribute weight and position the club face throughout the swing. Essentially, the arms swing in a vertical plane, whereas the body turns about a horizontal plane. It has been estimated that 75% of all golfers make the fundamental mistake of swinging the club inside horizontally around their hips or ankles. Even though a proper golf swing entails a circular arm motion, the club must be moved straight back the first few inches of the swing in order for the club to swing over the back shoulder in the correct swing plane. The various teaching aids strive to address these objectives. Unfortunately, because no visual indication is provided to the golfer of these essential swing parameters, it is unlikely that a long-term swing correction can be achieved with currently available teaching aids. Further, while the above-stated objectives may appear simplistic in nature, teaching aids have become increasingly complex, and therefore expensive. Thus, most teaching aids are ineffective from both a practical and cost standpoint.
Golf continues to be an extremely popular sport. Few participants, however, have been able to perfect and consistently perform a proper golf swing. The plethora of available teaching aids, regardless of complexity, have not been able to adequately guide a golfer through a proper swing pattern, especially on a visual basis. An additional detriment to most teaching aids are the excessive costs. Therefore, a need exists for an inexpensive golf swing path training device configured to provide a direct visual indication of proper swing technique.

Golf swing path and alignment training device


A method for producing a conversion element is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes providing an acidic medium having a pH value of less than 2, adding a conversion material into the acidic medium thereby forming a mixture and adding a silicate solution having a viscosity between 2 to 10 000 poize inclusive to the mixture such that the pH value during the addition of the silicate solution is smaller than 2. The method further includes obtaining a precipitate which contains the conversion material and silicon dioxide as a matrix material, separating the precipitate, washing the precipitate with a washing medium, wherein the washing medium has a pH value of less than 2; and hardening the precipitate thereby forming the conversion element.

Conversion elements are used in optoelectronic components, in particular in inorganic light-emitting diodes, in order to convert the radiation emitted by an optoelectronic semiconductor chip into a radiation having a changed wavelength, in particular longer wavelength. The conversion element generally has silicone or a ceramic as a matrix material, in which a conversion material is embedded. However, the conversion elements, which include silicone, have a low aging stability.

Method for producing a conversion element


A superconducting generator is disclosed herein and includes a super cooled rotor assembly and two interconnected torque tubes constructed of a material having a thermal coefficient of linear expansion which is negligible at and below a predetermined cryogenic temperature. During normal operation of the generator, predetermined axial sections of these torque tubes are maintained at or below this cryogenic temperature. This minimizes thermal expansion of these sections and eliminates damage therefrom should the generator operate in an abnormal way which causes the torque tube sections to drop significantly in temperature. At the same time, other axial sections of the torque tubes are maintained at temperatures above this cryogenic temperature during normal operation of the generator but are coupled to an external source of heat to minimize any drop in temperature of these sections during abnormal operation.

The present invention relates generally to superconducting generators and more particularly to means for and a method of protecting certain components of the generator during particular abnormal conditions.
A typical superconducting generator of the general type to which the present invention is directed includes a number of conventional components. One such component is a supercooled rotor which includes superconducting field windings and a structure for supporting these windings. The rotor is supercooled to a cryogenic temperature by a fluid refrigerant, specifically liquid helium, which is contained within the rotor. Other conventional components of this generator include a pair of torque tubes respectively connected at their ends to opposite ends of the rotor support structure, a torque tube heat exchanger associated with each torque tube and a thermal radiation shield, specifically a cylindrical shield which extends coaxially around the rotor.
During normal operation of the generator, the liquid helium within the rotor is reduced to a gas through boil-off at a relatively low but constant rate. This helium gas is directed to and along the length of each torque tube by its associated heat exchanger. These torque tubes function to transmit torque from the generator driver which is at room temperature to the winding support structure of the rotor which is at liquid helium temperature (about 3.5.degree.-4.2.degree. Kelvin (K). At the same time, they limit thermal stress and cold end heat leakage due to temperature gradients.
The function of the radiation shield is to intercept heat radiation from its ambient surroundings which is typically at room temperature so as to prevent the radiated heat from warming the cryogenic cold zone of the generator, specifically the area surrounding the inner rotor. Thermodynamic considerations have heretofore indicated that a single radiation shield should operate at about 100.degree. K. in order to minimize liquid helium refrigeration costs. However, when one realizes that 100.degree. K. is -280.degree. F., it should be quite apparent that the shield itself must be supercooled. In copending U.S. application patent Ser. No. 905,042, which was filed on May 11, 1978, and assigned to the present Assignee and which is entitled RADIATION SHIELD FOR USE IN A SUPERCONDUCTING GENERATOR OR THE LIKE AND METHOD, a supercooled radiation shield is disclosed. As described in this application, a plurality of passageways are provided internally through the shield and continuous streams of helium gas are applied through these passageways during normal operation of the generator for supercooling the shield internally.
The superconducting generator just recited has been described during normal operation. However, where this type of generator is intended for use in power plant applications, it must be designed to survive the most severe operating condition in such a system, specifically the three phase high voltage transmission line fault. During such a fault, electromagnet losses occur in the field windings comprising part of the supercooled rotor and also in the radiation shield and rotor support structure. This, in turn, causes the liquid helium within in the rotor to boil off at a substantially higher rate which, in turn, causes the flow rate of the helium gas through the torque tube heat exchangers to increase substantially, thereby causing the temperatures of the torque tubes to drop significantly. In fact, it has been predicted that in typical superconducting generators of the general type described above, a helium flow rate would be sufficiently high and the drop in temperatures of the torque tubes would be sufficiently drastic to cause the torque tubes to fracture under these abnormal operating conditions.
One suggested way to prevent fracturing the torque tubes during a fault causing abnormal operation of the type described, is to utilize a flow dividing mechanism for passing the helium stream out of the rotor and directly to an external heat exchanger at the onset of the fault, bypassing the torque tube heat exchangers altogether. While this approach protects the torque tubes during a three phase high voltage transmission line fault, it requires costly and sometimes unreliable flow dividing valves and external heat exchangers. On the other hand, as will be seen hereinafter, the present invention provides a way of protecting the torque tubes utilizing a thermal radiation shield of the type described in the previously recited copending application. As will also been seen, the approach disclosed herein is one which is uncomplicated in design, reliable in use and economical to provide.


An open load and a supply fault are differentiated between and detected with a simple configuration. A switching element (Q1) connected between the positive electrode of a direct current power supply and an output terminal (9) is caused to carry out a switching operation, thereby driving a load (7) connected to the output terminal (9). A load trouble detection circuit (21) that detects an opening of the load (7) or a supply fault when the voltage of the output terminal (9) is higher than the value of a first threshold voltage, and a supply fault detection circuit (25) that detects a failure of supply to the power supply of the load (7) when the voltage of the output terminal (9) is higher than the value of a second threshold value voltage subtracted from the power supply voltage when the switching element (Q1) is in an off-state, are included.

In a load drive circuit of a so-called high-side configuration, wherein a switching element is interposed between the positive electrode of a power supply and a load, there is concern that an open load (a condition wherein the load is electrically cut off due to a disconnection, or the like, or there is a state of high but finite resistance between an output terminal and the load) or a supply fault (a condition wherein the positive electrode of the power supply and the load are short circuited, or there is an extremely low resistance value) will occur. Therefore, PTL 1 proposes a load drive circuit of a high-side configuration having a function of distinguishing between and detecting the open load and supply fault.


The disclosed connector has a housing and a terminal interfitted in a channel in the housing, and special exposed jaws are formed on the terminal between which a wire of the type having a conductive core and an insulation overwrap can be forced to establish a mechanically secure and an electrically sound solderless type connection. One pair of jaws are rigid and have cutting and gripping edges that cut through the insulation overwrap to establish electrical contact with the conductive core. These same edges are used to axially restrain the wire relative to the terminal. The second pair of jaws are flexible and have inwardly sloped tabs presenting adjacent edges that are angled transversely of the wire and are spaced apart approximately by the diameter of the insulation overwrap. The wire thus can be forced past the tabs spreading apart the second set of jaws which then spring back and overlie the wire and thereby transversely restrain the wire relative to the terminal.

Mating connectors are commonly used to form a separable connection between two flexible electric wires each comprised of a conductive center core and an insulating overwrap. A typical connector includes an exterior nonconductive or insulating housing, and an electrically conductive terminal mounted within the housing. The housings cooperate in typical telescoped fit with one another and wiping or contact areas of the respective terminals engage to establish an electrical connection across the terminals. Each housing further has an opening into which the electric wire fits for making electrical connection with the terminal. Strain relief means must be provided to secure the wire mechanically either to the terminal and/or to the housing.
In some applications, a band of like electrical male terminals are housed within a common housing and define a connector that completes a plurality of electrical connections with a cooperating connector having a like number of female electrical terminals. Further, with the wide use of low voltage electrical control circuits, the size and current carrying capacity of these connectors have been dramatically reduced. Under such circumstances, it is desirable to minimize the manual labor or assembly steps required in order to connect each wire to a corresponding terminal.
One type of conventional connector requires that the wire be cut to length and its end stripped of installation overwrap to expose the conductive center core which is then brought into contact with the terminal and soldered to the terminal. The terminal is then fitted into the housing and locked in a suitable manner to define the terminated connector assembly. A solderless or insulation displacement type connector shortens the foregoing operation in that the wire need only be cut to length and be forced into the terminal, and special cutting edges formed on the terminal automatically displace or strip a portion of the insulation overwrap to establish electrical contact with the conductive center core.
The same cutting and contact edges frequently serve also as the strain relief means securing the wire and terminal mechanically. Additional tabs may be provided on the terminal to dig into the insulation overwrap of the wire as it is positioned in place against the terminal. However, the retaining capacity is limited by the durability and strength of the terminal and the established frictional gripping of the wire and/or insulation overwrap. Frequently, the mere tensioning or pulling the wire at certain angles relative to the terminal or connector releases the strain relief means to allow the wire to become separated from the connector.
Various patents which illustrate solderless electrical connectors to which the invention pertains include U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,498 issued to Hoppe Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,702 issued to McKee et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,760 issued to Cohen.


A bearing particularly suitable for high-speed operation is provided and includes inner and outer races, a plurality of spherical elements disposed between the races and in rolling contact therewith, and a retainer disposed between the races and maintaining the elements in annularly spaced relation. The retainer is of molded one-piece construction and embodies first and second ringlike sections disposed in axially spaced concentric relation. The ringlike sections are interconnected by a plurality of annularly spaced struts. Corresponding segments of the ringlike sections, disposed between a pair of struts, have oppositely disposed, spherically contoured surfaces in contact with a spherical element positioned therebetween.

Various high-speed bearings have heretofore been provided; however, because of various inherent design characteristics, they have been beset with one or more of the following shortcomings: (a) it is difficult to properly lubricate the various components thereof and, thus, the wear life of the bearing is significantly shortened; (b) the retainer utilized is costly to manufacture because of the types of molds required to form the retainer; (c) it is difficult to assemble the various components; and (d) the retainer is structurally weak.

Bearing construction and retainer therefor


A downhole tool apparatus and methods of drilling the apparatus. The apparatus may include, but is not limited to, packers and bridge plugs utilizing non-metallic slip components. The non-metallic material may include engineering grade plastics. In one embodiment, the slips are separate and held in place in an initial position around the slip wedge by a retainer ring. In another embodiment, the slips are integrally formed with a ring portion which holds the slips in the initial position around the wedge; in this embodiment, the ring portion is made of a fracturable non-metallic material which fractures during a setting operation to separate the slips. Methods of drilling out the apparatus without significant variations in the drilling speed and weight applied to the drill bit may be employed. Alternative drill bit types, such as polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits may also be used.

1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to downhole tools for use in well bores and methods of drilling such apparatus out of well bores, and more particularly, to such tools having drillable components, such as slips, therein made at least partially of non-metallic materials, such as engineering grade plastics.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
In the drilling or reworking of oil wells, a great variety of downhole tools are used. For example, but not by way of limitation, it is often desirable to seal tubing or other pipe in the casing of the well, such as when it is desired to pump cement or other slurry down tubing and force the slurry out into a formation. It then becomes necessary to seal the tubing with respect to the well casing and to prevent the fluid pressure of the slurry from lifting the tubing ou of the well. Packers and bridge plugs designed for these general purposes are well known in the art.
When it is desired to remove many of these downhole tools from a well bore, it is frequently simpler and less expensive to mill or drill them out rather than to implement a complex retrieving operation. In milling, a milling cutter is used to grind the packer or plug, for example, or at least the outer components thereof, out of the well bore. Milling is a relatively slow process, but it can be used on packers or bridge plugs having relatively hard components such as erosion-resistant hard steel. One such packer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,875 to Sullaway, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and sold under the trademark EZ Disposal packer. Other downhole tools in addition to packers and bridge plugs may also be drilled out.
In drilling, a drill bit is used to cut and grind up the components of the downhole tool to remove it from the well bore. This is a much faster operation than milling, but requires the tool to be made out of materials which can be accommodated by the drill bit. Typically, soft and medium hardness cast iron are used on the pressure bearing components, along with some brass and aluminum items. Packers of this type include the Halliburton EZ Drill.RTM. and EZ Drill SV.RTM. squeeze packers.
The EZ Drill SV.RTM. squeeze packer, for example, includes a lock ring housing, upper slip wedge, lower slip wedge, and lower slip support made of soft cast iron. These components are mounted on a mandrel made of medium hardness cast iron. The EZ Drill.RTM. squeeze packer is similarly constructed. The Halliburton EZ Drill.RTM. bridge plug is also similar, except that it does not provide for fluid flow therethrough.
All of the above-mentioned packers are disclosed in Halliburton Services Sales and Service Catalog No. 43, pages 2561-2562, and the bridge plug is disclosed in the same catalog on pages 2556-2557.
The EZ Drill.RTM. packer and bridge plug and the EZ Drill SV.RTM. packer are designed for fast removal from the well bore by either rotary or cable tool drilling methods. Many of the components in these drillable packing devices are locked together to prevent their spinning while being drilled, and the harder slips are grooved so that they will be broken up in small pieces. Typically, standard "tri-cone" rotary drill bits are used which are rotated at speeds of about 75 to about 120 rpm. A load of about 5,000 to about 7,000 pounds of weight is applied to the bit for initial drilling and increased as necessary to drill out the remainder of the packer or bridge plug, depending upon its size. Drill collars may be used as required for weight and bit stabilization.
Such drillable devices have worked well and provide improved operating performance at relatively high temperature and pressures. The packers and plug mentioned above are designed to withstand pressures of about 10,000 psi and temperatures of about 425.degree. F. after being set in the well bore. Such pressures and temperatures require the cast iron components previously discussed.
However, drilling out iron components requires certain techniques. Ideally, the operator employs variations in rotary speed and bit weight to help break up the metal parts and reestablish bit penetration should bit penetration cease while drilling. A phenomenon known as "bit tracking" can occur, wherein the drill bit stays on one path and no longer cuts into the downhole tool. When this happens, it is necessary to pick up the bit above the drilling surface and rapidly recontact the bit with the packer or plug and apply weight while continuing rotation. This aids in breaking up the established bit pattern and helps to reestablish bit penetration. If this procedure is used, there are rarely problems. However, operators may not apply these techniques or even recognize when bit tracking has occurred. The result is that drilling times are greatly increased because the bit merely wears against the surface of the downhole tool rather than cutting into it to break it up.
While cast iron components may be necessary for the high pressures and temperatures for which they are designed, it has been determined that many wells experience pressures less than 10,000 psi and temperatures less than 425.degree. F. This includes most wells cemented. In fact, in the majority of wells, the pressure is less than about 5,000 psi, and the temperature is less than about 250.degree. F. Thus, the heavy duty metal construction of the previous downhole tools, such as the packers and bridge plugs described above, is not necessary for many applications, and if cast iron components can be eliminated or minimized the potential drilling problems resulting from bit tracking might be avoided as well.
The downhole tool of the present invention solves this problem by providing an apparatus wherein at least some of the components, including slips and pressure bearing components, are made at least partially of non-metallic materials, such as engineering grade plastics. Such plastic components are much more easily drilled than cast iron, and new drilling methods may be employed which use alternative drill bits such as polycrystalline diamond compact bits, or the like, rather than standard tri-cone bits.

Downhole tool apparatus with non-metallic components and methods of drilling thereof


A coil-type electronic component having a coil inside or on the surface of a base material is characterized in that the base material of the coil-type electronic component is constituted by a group of soft magnetic alloy grains inter-bonded via oxide layers, multiple crystal grains are present in each soft magnetic alloy grain, and the oxide layers preferably have a two-layer structure whose outer layer is thicker than the inner layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coil-type electronic component, and more specifically to a coil-type electronic component using a soft magnetic alloy, suitable for a compact coil-type electronic component that can be surface-mounted on a circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic cores of choke coils used in high-frequency applications are traditionally ferrite cores, cores cut from thin metal sheets, and powder-compressed magnetic cores.
Use of metal magnetic materials has an advantage over ferrites, as these materials can achieve high saturated magnetic flux densities. However, metal magnetic materials are poor in insulation property and must be given insulation treatment.
Patent Literature 1 proposes mixing a Fe—Al—Si powder having surface oxide film with a binder, compression-molding the mixture, and then heat-treating the molded product in an oxidizing ambience. According to the patent literature, heat-treating the molded product in an oxidizing ambience has the effect of forming an oxide layer (alumina) in those areas of the insulation layer on the surface of the alloy powder that have broken during compression molding, thereby achieving a complex magnetic material offering good direct-current superimposition characteristics with minimal core loss.
Patent Literature 2 describes laminating a metal magnetic layer formed by a metal magnetic paste which contains metal magnetic grains as the main ingredient, and also glass, with a conductive pattern formed by a conductive paste containing silver or other metal, and then baking the obtained laminated electronic component, which has the coil pattern formed in the laminate, at a temperature of 400° C. or above in a nitrogen ambience.