A logic signal selection setting apparatus for facilitating verification and change of set states of various logic signal selection modes in a floppy disk apparatus comprises a memory of which data can be rewritten at a given time, a signal generating circuit for generating a signal for reading at a predetermined time the data written in the memory at the given time, and a shift register supplied at an input with the data read out from the memory at the time generated by the read signal generating circuit to thereby set up a signal selection mode for selecting an interface output signal of a logic circuit or a signal for lighting a light emission element for displaying the in-service state of the apparatus. The data stored in the memory is read out at the time generated by the memory read signal generating circuit to be input to the shift register thereby to allow the shift register to set the selection signal for the selector circuit to select the interface output signal or an LED lighting signal indicating the in-service state of the floppy disk apparatus.

The present invention relates to a floppy disk apparatus (also known as floppy disk drive) used in information processing systems and others.
Control of a floppy disk loaded in the floppy disk drive or apparatus known heretofore is performed by a random logic which uses a gate array to provide functions which can be programmed either during manufacture or in the field. In the case of the former, the setting of signal selection for the logic processing can be optionally changed by using a switch or by connecting a chip resistor or the like measures.
FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings is a block diagram showing a hitherto known logic circuit designated for changing the signal selection by using a switch. In this figure, a reference numeral 1 denotes a switch having one end connected to the ground and the other end which is connected to a second input terminal of an AND gate 2 and a second input terminal of another AND gate 4 through an inverter 3, and a numeral 5 denotes a resistor connected between the input of the inverter 3 and a power supply of +5 volts.
Applied to the first input terminal of the AND gate 2 is a ready signal, while applied to a first input terminal of the AND gate 4 is a disk-in signal.
A reference numeral 6 denotes an OR gate which serves to select either the ready signal output from the AND gate 2 or the disk-in signal output from the AND gate 4 to thereby produce the selected signal as an interface output signal. AND gates 2 and 4 and OR gate 6 together form a multiplexer.
In operation of the logic circuit shown in FIG. 3, when the switch 1 is closed thereby to form a short-circuit to the ground, the level at the input terminal of the inverter 3 becomes low, which results in a high level at the second input terminal of the AND gate 4. When the disk-in signal is applied to the first input terminal of the AND gate 4 in this state, the disk-in signal is selected by the OR gate 6 to be output as the interface output signal.
The disk-in signal is a signal which informs a host system of the state in which a medium or a floppy disk has been inserted in the floppy disk drive.
When the switch 1 is opened, the high level makes appearance at the second input terminal of the AND gate 2, while the level appearing at the second input of the AND gate 4 becomes low. Accordingly, when the ready signal is applied to the first input terminal of the AND gate 2 in this state, the ready signal is selected by the OR gate 6 to be output as the interface output signal.
This ready signal is used to inform the host system of the state in which the medium or disk has been placed in the floppy disk apparatus with a spindle motor rotating at a constant speed and thus the floppy disk apparatus is now ready for a read/write operation.
FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings is a block diagram showing a hitherto known logic circuit which is arranged to change the signal selection by selectively mounting a chip resistor. In FIG. 4, like parts or elements as those shown in FIG. 3 are denoted by like reference numerals. The following description will be directed to those parts which differ from those of the logic circuit shown in FIG. 3.
Referring to FIG. 4, a reference numeral 7 denotes a chip resistor which is connected between terminals 8b and 8c of a printed circuit substrate (not shown), wherein the terminal 8a is connected to a power supply of +5 volts while the terminal 8c is connected to the ground.
A numeral 9 denotes a light emission diode which is mounted on a front panel of a floppy disk drive or apparatus for indicating that the apparatus is in an in-service state, when it is lit. The light emission diode 9 is energized in response to an in-use interface signal. A numeral 10 denotes a resistor of 270 .OMEGA. connected between the light emission diode 9 and the power supply of +5 volts.
Description will be made of operation of the prior art logic circuit shown in FIG. 4. Because of the chip resistor 7 inserted between the terminals 8b and 8c, both the input terminal of the inverter 3 and the second input terminal of the AND gate 2 assume a low level while the second input terminal of the AND gate 4 assumes a high level.
Accordingly, the in-use signal applied to the first input terminal of the AND gate 4 is selected by the OR gate 6 to be output as the interface output signal, which results in lighting of the light emission diode 9 indicating that the floppy disk apparatus is now being used.
On the other hand, when the chip resistor 7 is positioned between the terminal 8a and the terminal 8b, the second input terminal of the AND gate 2 assumes a high level with the second input of the AND gate 4 being at low level.
Accordingly, when a drive select signal is applied to the first input terminal of the AND gate 2 in this state, the drive select signal is selected by the OR gate 6 thereby to energize the light emission diode 9.
The in-use signal mentioned above serves to energize the light emission diode 9 indicating that the floppy disk apparatus is being used. On the other hand, the drive select signal is used for indicating that the floppy disk apparatus is selected by the host system to which it is connected.
As is apparent from the above, in the case of the prior art logic circuit shown in FIG. 3, the switch must be correspondingly turned on/off when it is desired to change the signal selection of the logic circuit.
On the other hand, in the case of the prior art logic circuit shown in FIG. 4, the chip resistor 7 has to be mounted or remounted by brazing when the signal selection of the logic circuit is to be changed. Accordingly, in order to verify the operation of the printed circuit set at a particular signal selection mode, it is necessary to visually verify whether the part of concern is actually mounted or positioned properly or to determine the signal selection mode.
Further, in both the logic circuits shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, difficulty will be encountered in performing inspection and adjustment of the floppy disk apparatus set at different signal selection modes while making verification in the course of manufacturing process.

Logic circuit for selecting signals indicative of operating states of floppy disk apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A cutting insert for a tool for wellbore milling operations has been invented that has a body having a top, a bottom, and a base, and a plurality of cutting surfaces on the top of the body, one of the cutting surfaces at a different height above the base than the other cutting surface, each cutting surface defined by linear boundaries extending from a first edge of the cutting insert, and the linear boundaries parallel to each other, the plurality of cutting surfaces including at least two cutting surfaces including at least a first cutting surface and a second cutting surface, the second cutting surface at a height above the base which is greater than a height above the base of the first cutting surface. An array of cutting inserts has been invented that has a plurality of adjacent inserts, each insert with interlinking apparatus comprising a projection on each of a first portion of the inserts and a projection recess on each of a second portion of the inserts, and the inserts arranged so that a projection on one insert is positioned in a projection recess of an adjacent insert. A tool for wellbore milling operations has been invented with a milling surface with such cutting inserts.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to wellbore milling processes, wellbore milling tools, and cutting inserts for such tools.
2. Description of Related Art
Milling tools are used to cut out windows or pockets from a tubular, e.g. for directional drilling and sidetracking; and to mill out for removal materials downhole in a wellbore, such as pipe, casing, casing liners, tubing, or jammed tools (a "fish").
The prior art discloses various types of milling or cutting tools provided for milling out a fish or for cutting or milling existing pipe or casing previously installed in a well. These tools have cutting blades or surfaces and are lowered into the well or casing and then rotated in a milling/cutting operation. With certain tools, a suitable drilling fluid is pumped down a central bore of a tool for discharge beneath the cutting blades or surfaces and an upward flow of the discharged fluid in the annulus outside the tool removes from the well cuttings or chips resulting from the cutting operation.
Milling tools have been used for removing a section of existing casing from a well bore to permit a sidetracking operation in directional drilling, to provide a perforated production zone at a desired level, to provide cement bonding between a small diameter casing and the adjacent formation, or to remove a loose joint of surface pipe. Also, milling tools are used for milling or reaming collapsed casing, for removing burrs or other imperfections from windows in the casing system, for placing whipstocks in directional drilling, or for aiding in correcting dented or mashed-in areas of casing or the like.
The prior art discloses a variety of cutting inserts for wellbore milling tools. Certain of these inserts have a surface irregularity, recess, or indentation that serves as a chipbreaker to break a cutting being produced by an insert to limit the length of the cuttings. Certain prior art inserts have multiple chipbreakers on a single insert.
There has long been a need for an efficient and effective milling method in which the size of milled cuttings is controlled and optimized. There has long been a need for a cutting insert for wellbore milling tools which produces cuttings or chips at a desired rate and of a desired size. There has long been a need for tools with such inserts. There has long been a need for milling methods using such tools and such inserts.


A padlock comprises a lock body including at least one passage defined therein. A shackle is displaceable between open and secured positions. The shackle has at least one leg which is slideable within the at least one passage and which includes a notch. A locking member is accommodated within the lock body and is displaceable between unlocked and locked positions. The locking member is preloaded towards the locked position to engage the notch to inhibit movement of the shackle from the secured position into the open position. One of the at least one passage and the at least one leg defines at least one recess. The other one of the at least one passage and the at least one leg defines at least one projection that extends into the at least one recess.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
One type of padlock is a combination padlock. This type of padlock includes advantages over other types of padlocks, a padlock having a key locking mechanism, for example, because combination padlocks do not require carrying around a key. Instead, a memorized combination is used to unlock the padlock.
Padlocks typically include a lock body and a lockable shackle that is used to secure the padlock to a structure. Common structures include, but are not limited to, sheds, trunks, lockers and lock boxes.
A particular kind of padlocks is a padlock having a movable locking member that is used to lock the shackle in a secured position by engaging a notch defined in the shackle, wherein the locking member is preloaded towards the locked position. Pressing down the shackle into the lock body pushes back the preloaded locking member momentarily until it springs forward again to snap into and engage the notch. This procedure allows easy and fast securement of the padlock to a structure.
Such padlocks, however, may be susceptible to direct mechanical attacks, such as the use of a padlock shim which in some cases may release the shackle without using a key or entering a combination by the authorized user.
One object of this disclosure is to provide a novel and improved padlock which is less susceptible to mechanical attacks.

Padlock having a preloaded locking member


Disclosed is an apparatus and method for low-temperature plasma immersion processing of a variety of workpieces using accelerated ions, wherein low-temperature plasma is distributed around a cylindrical workpiece placed in a chamber, the workpiece is enclosed with a housing including a multi-slot extracting electrode to isolate the workpiece from plasma, and a negative potential sufficient to induce sputtering is applied to the workpiece and the electrode, so that ions from plasma are accelerated within the sheath formed between the extracting electrode and plasma, pass through the slot part of the electrode and bombard the workpiece, thus polishing the surface of the workpiece. This apparatus and method is effective for surface smoothing to ones of nm of large cylindrical substrates particularly substrates for micro or nanopattern transfer. This method includes plasma cleaning, surface activating, surface smoothing, dry etching, deposition, plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition within a single or multi chamber.

Surface treatment with energetic ions is essential in semiconductor processing, MEMS and MEMS manufacturing, pattern transfer technologies, hard coatings, etc.
Ion bombardment is employed in a variety of fields including cleaning, activating the surface of a substrate, modifying wettability, enhancing hardness, depositing various films, doping semiconductors by ion implantation, etc.
Typically, all ion processing techniques may be classified into the following two types.
The first type is one wherein an ion beam is extracted from an ion source and radiated onto a substrate placed at a predetermined distance away from it in a vacuum chamber.
This type separately or simultaneously transports the ion beam and the substrate in order to attain desired results.
As such, the ion charge may be neutralized by an auxiliary electron emitter.
Examples of the corresponding techniques include ion beam assisted deposition, ion beam etching or milling, and ion beam implantation.
The second type provides an apparatus wherein a workpiece is placed in a plasma atmosphere and electrically biased to a predetermined negative potential.
As such, ions are accelerated within the sheath formed in the front of the workpiece. To this end, DC, RF, and pulsed bias may be used.
This technique category includes PVD, PECVD, PI3D, RIE and so on.
Meanwhile, ion etching, also called ion milling, is important varieties of ion processing.
This is based on surface sputtering by energetic ions.
The important feature of ion sputtering is the nonlinear dependence of the sputtering rate on the angle of incidence of the ions, as shown qualitatively in FIG. 1.
Furthermore, ion sputtering may be applied to both physical and reactive processes.
The numerous applications of ion milling include semiconductor processing, formation of nanostructures, surface texturing, and surface smoothing.
Ion beam processing, corresponding to an advanced emerged technique, is used as a final step in the manufacturing of optical components.
Surface smoothing applications include reducing the micro-roughness on critical interfaces for optical components and high-power devices, or sample preparation in SIMS and TEM.
Typically plasma milling using normal ion incidence is uniformly carried out in a direction perpendicular to a substrate and is thus adapted for etching to form a pattern, and is not suitable for surface polishing that selectively removes protruding portions to reduce surface roughness.
In order to solve such problems, substrate tilting or rotating is commonly used in plasma milling that uses normal ion incidence (FIGS. 2 and 3).
For example, FIG. 2 shows the ion beam etching of a cylindrical workpiece, in which a ribbon ion beam travels from a linear ion source into a vacuum chamber along the axis of a workpiece 100 that is rotating.
FIG. 3 shows the ion beam etching of a planar workpiece.
As such, a circular ion beam emitted from an ion source is directed onto a workpiece 100 that is rotating in a state of being tilted at a predetermined angle in the vacuum chamber.
As seen in the drawing, an electronic gun functions to neutralize the charged ions.
Examples of commercial ion milling machines include Model 691 Precision Ion Polishing System available from Gatan Inc., Model 1010 Ion Mill available from Fischione Instr., and IonScan 800 Polishing Fault Correction System available from Roth & Rau AG.
Forming a pattern on the nanometer scale requires surface polishing to ones of nm or less.
Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is mainly utilized for polishing planar Si wafers in the semiconductor industry.
However, CMP cannot be applied to 3D substrates.
Applications requiring 3D substrates include for example photoreceptor drums used in electrophotographic machines.
Technologies which are recently received attention, like nano pattern transfer, may have many advantageous using 3D substrates, in particular, cylindrical substrates.
Large cylindrical nanostampers resulting from such substrates may be utilized as a key component of next-generation displays.
However, machines able to polish the large cylindrical workpiece to the desired level have not yet been introduced.
The ribbon ion beam emitted from a linear ion source may be applied to surface smoothing of a large workpiece. However, the productivity of this method is limited.
Using two or more ion sources simultaneously is devised but is problematic because the system becomes complicated, the machine price may increase, and respective components are less reliable because of interference between the ion sources.

Plasma immersion ion milling apparatus and method

Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute


A multilayer metal gasket for an internal combustion engine having an integrated sensor or sensors, such as a pressure sensor. The sensor is located within a combustion cylinder opening in the gasket. Preferably, a sensor is located within each combustion cylinder opening of the gasket. The gasket may also include an integrated sensor signal conditioning module. The gasket is made by a method which includes forming the necessary sensor housings and signal line channels within the spacing layers of the gasket.

1. Technical Field
This invention is generally related to head gaskets for internal combustion engines. More particularly, the invention relates to multilayer metal head gaskets for internal combustion engines having an integrated sensor, such as a pressure sensor.
2. Related Art
In order to improve the control of an internal combustion engine, it is desirable to closely monitor the combustion process within the engine. It is most desirable to monitor the combustion process occurring within each of the cylinders of the engine (i.e., combustion pressure, temperature, etc.); however, it has not thus far been cost effective to incorporate such sensors, particularly combustion pressure sensors, into each of the cylinders, because of the machining required to incorporate the sensors into the cylinder block or cylinder head and the cost and packaging issues associated with multiple sensors, wiring harnesses, connectors and other items necessary to integrate such sensors.
It is desirable to integrate combustion sensors into the head gasket because the gasket itself is exposed to the combustion processes occurring in each cylinder, thereby eliminating a requirement for adding ports in the cylinder side wall or head in order to provide access to the combustion processes occurring in each cylinder. It is also very desirable to integrate combustion sensors and any necessary communication signal lines associated with them into multilayer metal head gaskets of conventional construction with a minimum of changes in the construction and technology currently used to make such gaskets. It is also very desirable to integrate a signal processing module or modules into the head gasket so as to minimize the distance over which the raw sensor signals must be transmitted prior to being processed, thereby minimizing issues associated with noise and/or signal loss, as well as minimizing the need for additional electrical hardware, such as wiring harnesses and connectors.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to integrate combustion sensors into a multilayer metal head gasket of conventional construction. It is further an object of this invention to incorporate the sensor and associated signal lines into the spacing or distance layers of such a gasket. It is still further an object of this invention to incorporate a signal processing module into the integrated head gasket/sensor assembly.

Cylinder head gasket with integrated sensor


The invention provides a information processing apparatus which offers easy understanding of not only schedules, but also starting times of the schedules. Contents of the schedules are displayed in colors which indicate morning, afternoon, and evening in descending order from top to bottom, respectively. Bar graphs are also shown in colors corresponding to the schedules.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a information processing apparatus provided with a schedule function, such as a portable information terminal or an electronic notebook.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional technique is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 4-37945 (1992) wherein, in case where a plurality of data time periods are overlapped with each other in schedule data, the overlapped areas can be easily recognized.
In the prior art, a time period of schedule data extending between a starting time and an end time is shown in a column graph and when a plurality of time periods are overlapped with each other, the overlapped areas are shown in a different appearance.
In the prior art, when a plurality of data time periods are overlapped with each other in schedule data, it is possible to recognize the overlapped areas. It is impossible, however, to clearly recognize a starting time , which is the most important data in the schedule data. On the other hand, in a construction which allows data of each schedule to be displayed individually, the entire schedule for one day cannot be recognized at a glance, although each of starting times and end times can be understood.

Scheduler apparatus with color code appointment times shown on display


A tie rod, for insertion into an anchorage where it is secured by at least one of an organic and inorganic mortar composition has an axially extending shaft (2) with an axially extending connection section (3) and an axially extending anchoring section (4). The anchoring section (4) has at least two conically shaped members, one following the other in the axial direction and with the outside diameter of the members increasing toward a leading end of said anchoring section. The conically shaped members (6, 7) include a first cone (6) at the leading end of the shaft, inserted first into the anchorage and secured to the shaft (2) so that it cannot be shifted axially. At least one second cone (7) separate from the first cone can be slipped onto the anchoring section (4) of the shaft so that it can be shifted to a limited axial extent along the anchoring section (4).

The present invention is directed to a tie rod secured in an anchorage by at least one of an organic and inorganic mortar composition. The tie rod is formed of a shaft, inserted into the anchorage, having a connecting section and an anchoring section with conically shaped members on the anchoring section.
Aside from classical fastening techniques where the attachments are formed by expansion anchors or undercut systems anchored positively or non positively in a borehole, chemical fastening techniques are also known in the state of the art where a tie rod is inserted into a borehole filled with a mortar composition and is fixed after the mortar composition has hardened or cured. Such composite anchoring systems have the advantage that they are largely free of expanding pressure and, therefore, permit smaller axial and edge distances in the anchorage. For fastening heavy loads, composite anchoring systems are known in which a multi-component organic and/or inorganic mortar composition is filled in a previously prepared borehole. Initially, the components of the mortar composition are maintained separate from one another in glass or plastic containers. A tie rod, as disclosed in EP-B-0 356 425, is driven into the borehole and at the same time, rotates about its longitudinal axis. As it is introduced, the tie rod destroys the containers holding the components of the mortar composition. By rotating the tie rod, the mortar composition is mixed more or less intimately and the shattered container is further comminuted.
Composite anchoring systems are also known where the mortar composition is premixed outside the borehole and then introduced into it. Such composite anchoring systems, which are sold by the assignee, are used predominately for fastenings in brick walls, especially formed of hollow chamber bricks. The mortar composition, usually comprising two reactive components, is discharged by an expelling device from individual containers holding the reactive components and mixed in a device located upstream of the outlet opening of the device and injected into a borehole prepared in the brick wall. To improve the distribution of the already premixed mortar composition and to prevent the mortar composition from flowing away into a chamber in the brick containing the borehole, usually the borehole is equipped with a sleeve provided with openings. To insure that the sleeve equipped borehole is filled completely, the mortar composition is injected in an prescribed filling procedure from the bottom or base to the top. Next, a tie rod is inserted into the borehole containing the injected mortar. After the curing of the injected mortar, the tie rod is fixed in the borehole. Recently, injected mortar has been used to an increasing extent for anchorage in solid materials, such as concrete, rock and wood.
Where the anchorage is formed in a broken base material, in moist boreholes, or boreholes from which the drilled material has been only inadequately removed, anchorages of the tie rod with organic and/or inorganic composite mortars or with injection mortars have an inferior load shifting behavior. In EP-B-0 356 425 an organic composite mortar is supplied in glass cartridges and the tie rods have several consecutively arranged cones in the anchoring section formed from the shaft of the tie rod. During axial displacement of the tie rod under tensile load, the cones, arranged consecutively, are intended to afford a post spreading in the borehole. In the case of known tie rods with multiple cones, the load is introduced into the base material of the anchorage by spreading pressure, which the cones exert under tensile load over the mortar composition in the anchoring base. In broken concrete, it may happen that the load is introduced very unevenly, plus the cones, closer to the anchoring surface, exert a greater spreading pressure than the cones located further inwardly. In such an anchorage, in the case of tensile loads, there is the danger that the concrete spalls in the region close to the anchorage surface, and the load carrying capability of the concrete is only incompletely used.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to eliminate such disadvantages of tie rods in the state of the art. A tie rod is provided which enables loads to be introduced more uniformly into the anchorage base, whereby the load carrying capability of the concrete is better utilized. At the same time, the tie rods are of a simple form and inexpensive to manufacture.
The object of the present invention is to provide a tie rod with conically shaped members on the leading end of the tie rod shaft. Preferred variations and/or advantages for the developments of the tie rod are set forth in the dependent claims. The present invention is intended for anchorages where the tie rod is secured with organic and/or inorganic mortar compositions and has a shaft with a connecting section at one end and an anchoring section at the other. The anchoring section has at least two conically shaped members disposed consecutively in the axial direction and the diameter of such members increases in the direction toward the first or leading end of the tie rod shaft. The conically shaped members are formed of a first end cone secured on the shaft so that it cannot be displaced or shifted axially. A second cone follows the first end cone and is a separate member which can be slipped onto the anchoring section and displaced to a limited axial extent along the anchoring section.
In accordance with the present invention, the tie rod affords a better introduction of the load. In tie rods known in the state of the art, with a number of conically shaped members, formed from the shaft and disposed consecutively in the axial direction, the load is usually distributed from the region close to the surface of the anchorage to the bottom of the borehole. On the contrary, the tie rod in accordance with the present invention affords a very opposite distribution. The axially fixed first end cone, in combination with at least one and preferably several additional cones, which are axially displaceable, insures that the load is always introduced starting from the base of the borehole. As a function of their axial displacability, the load is also distributed over the remaining cones. Overall, a controllable and more uniform distribution of the load from the cones over the mortar into the anchorage base results.
At times it may be necessary to insert the tie rod with the cones in a specific orientation into the borehole. To retain the orientation in the anchored state, the cones are secured against twisting relative to the anchoring section. Twisting is prevented by a positive connection between the tie rods and the cones. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the anchoring section has a cross section deviating from the circular to achieve this purpose and preferably the cross section is polygonal.
To maintain the diameter of the borehole so that it is not excessively large in relation to the connecting section diameter of the tie rod, the anchoring section, carrying the cones, has a diameter smaller than the diameter of a transition region between the connecting section and the anchoring section. The transition section between the smaller diameter section and the connecting section has the diameter of the tie rod blank. Preferably, the ratio of the outside diameter of the transition section to that of the reduced diameter anchoring section is in a range of about 1.2 to about 1.35. The first end cone at the front of the anchoring section, can be a separate part as are the axially displaceable cones. The first end cone can be slipped or screwed onto the tie rod and then connected to it, so that it cannot be shifted axially. For example, the first end cone can be connected to the shaft by a positive connection, such as riveting, swaging or by threading, or by a connection, such as welding, soldering, gluing and the like. In one embodiment of the invention, advantageous from a manufacturing point of view, the first end cone is constructed as one piece with the anchoring section. In this arrangement, the remaining axially displaceable cones are slipped onto the shaft and the first end cone is integrally molded onto the leading end of the shaft, for example, by swaging, radial riveting and the like.
Where separate cones are provided, which can be slipped onto the anchoring section of the tie rod, there is the possibility of constructing the cones from a material different from the shaft. This affords the opportunity of using different manufacturing processes for the shaft and for the cones. If different materials are selected for the shaft and the cones, it is possible that the tie rod be formed of a stainless steel while the cones are produced from a more easily moldable steel. Moreover, the cones need not all consist of the same material. In its anchoring section, the tie rod may have cones of different materials to achieve loads of different magnitudes at different depths in the borehole and so that the load introduction is adapted, for example, to an anchoring base which is very inhomogeneous over its depth.
In connection with an introduction of the load adapted to the anchorage base, it is advantageous if the tie rod is equipped in the anchoring section with cones having different external diameters and/or cone angles
The axial passage of forces developed during a tensile load from one cone to the next can be influenced by axially cushioned or axially elastic intermediate elements, which can be slipped on the anchoring section of the tie rod between the cones. As an example, a larger load can be assigned over the targeted distribution forces to the cones located in the depth of the borehole, in order to make better utilization of the load carrying capability of the concrete forming the anchorage. The intermediate elements can be metallic elements in the form of discs or springs, such as spring washers. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the intermediate elements are elastic, plastic disks. The passage of the force can be controlled by the selection of the plastic, the modulus of elasticity and the thickness of the plastic disks. The load is passed on less and later if the modulus of elasticity is lower and/or the thickness of the plastic disks is larger. Instead of plastic disks of different thickness, and it is possible to vary the number of plastic disks disposed between the cones.
The number of cones arranged along the anchoring section which can be shifted axially, depends on the length of the anchoring section. The arrangement of cones along about xc2xd to about ⅔ the length of the anchoring section of the tie rod has proven to be advantageous. In principle, there is no upper limit to the number of cones disposed along the anchoring section. On the basis of manufacturing considerations, however, it has proven to be advantageous that the number of cones including the first end cone, does not exceed 10.
To prevent the tie rod from rotating in the hole when a component part is connected and fastened to it, at least some of the cones may be provided on their radially outer periphery with one or more flat surfaces. The flat surfaces make it easier to insert the tie rod into the borehole filled with the mortar composition. The mortar composition can flow at the flat surfaces and the tie rod is better embedded in the mortar.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by it use, references should be had to the drawings and description matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

Rods secured in anchorage by at least one of organic and inorganic mortar composition


The present invention prevents a lowering of the baking quality of a baked product due to a variation in the temperature distribution in a baking furnace due to the inflow of air into the baking furnace. A baking furnace has an inlet disposed in a clean room and an outlet disposed in a normal pressure room lower in pressure than the clean room. The baking furnace is provided with a differential pressure gauge, a controller, an inverter, and an exhaust fan installed in a return duct, the arrangement being such that the difference in pressure between the clean room and the normal pressure room is detected by the differential pressure gauge and the operation of the exhaust fan is controlled by the controller according to the detected differential pressure, so that the air flowed in through the inlet is discharged through the return duct. Thus, the air is prevented from flowing into the baking furnace.

A baking furnace is an indispensable device for a process which involves the baking of electrodes of plasma displays or semiconductors or the baking of paste for dielectrics. The construction of a conventional baking furnace will now be described using a sectional view in FIG. 5.
A conventional baking furnace 4 comprises transfer rollers 5, a muffle 6 made of heat resistant glass, a heater 7, a cover, an air feed pipe system 10, an exhaust pipe 11, and an inlet conveyor 15, an outlet conveyor 20.
The muffle 6 is in the form of a flat box rectangular in cross section, extending from the inlet 31 to the outlet 32 of the baking furnace 4. The heater 7 is disposed on the outer periphery of the muffle 6. The air feed pipe system 10 is connected to the muffle 6 to feed air 9 into the latter. The exhaust pipe 11 is a pipe for discharging combustion gases in the muffle 6 to the outside of the baking furnace 4. The muffle 6 and heater 7 are covered by a cover 8. An inlet conveyor 15 is disposed at the inlet 31 of the baking furnace 4 and an outlet conveyor 20 at the outlet 32. Boards 21 supported on support plates 22 enter the baking furnace 4 from the inlet conveyor 15 and are baked as they are transferred in the muffle 6 by the transfer rollers 5 until they are taken out onto the outlet conveyor 20.
The inlet 31 of the conventional baking furnace 4 is positioned on the side associated with a clean room 1. The outlet 32 of the baking furnace 4 is positioned on the side associated with a normal pressure room 2. The clean room 1 and the normal pressure room 2 are separated by a wall 3. The clean room 1 is about 5-10 Pa higher in pressure than the normal pressure room 2.
In such conventional baking furnace 4, since the inlet 31 is disposed on the side associated with the clean room 1 which is higher in pressure than the outlet 32, the difference in pressure between the inlet 31 and outlet 32 of the baking furnace 4 causes the air in the clean room 1 to flow in the muffle 6 from the inlet 31 to the outlet 32 of the baking furnace 4. In the case where the difference in pressure between the clean room 1 and the normal pressure room 2 is 10 Pa, the flow rate of the air flowing in the muffle 6 is 4 m/sec, and in the case of 5 Pa, it is 3 m/sec. Since the cool air in the clean room 1 flows into the baking furnace 4 at said flow rate, the temperature distribution in the muffle 6 varies, presenting a problem that the baking conditions vary to the extent that a baked product of predetermined baking quality cannot be obtained.
For example, in the baking of electrodes for plasma displays or the baking of paste for dielectrics, there arises a problem that the yield of electrodes or dielectrics themselves decreases owing to temperature variations in the muffle 6.
The present invention is intended to solve said problems and provide a baking furnace and a control method therefor, by which a baked product of predetermined baking quality can be obtained.

Baking furnace and control method therefor


An improved oil filter unit for attachment to a bight portion of a "J" tube of an accumulator dehydrator includes a rigid, preferably metal pick-up tube or projection. The rigid projection prevents collapse of an extension of a disk held by the oil filter unit during assembly of the oil filter unit to the aperture in the "J" tube. The rigid projection also includes an extended lower end which extends closer to the bottom of the accumulator to allow less oil to be in the accumulator for lubricating the compressor of the air-conditioning system, thereby realizing a significant cost savings compared to prior art accumulators.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to accumulator filter units for use in automotive air-conditioning systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a unique oil filter unit attached to an aperture in a bight portion of an outlet tube of an accumulator dehydrator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Certain types of air conditioning systems require the use of an accumulator dehydrator as part of the air-conditioning system. The accumulator dehydrator is located just before the compressor and operates to ensure that no liquid refrigerant fluid is sent to the compressor which may cause slugging of the compressor. Accumulator dehydrators also commonly include some means for entraining oil in the gaseous refrigerant fluid sent to the compressor so the oil can lubricate the parts of the compressor. Typically, an oil filter is used in the accumulator for filtering debris from the oil prior to the oil being entrained in the gaseous refrigerant fluid returned to the compressor.
It is well known in the art to have the oil filter connected on an aperture in a conduit, such as an outlet tube of the accumulator dehydrator. However, various other types of oil filters and devices have been proposed for entraining oil in the gaseous refrigerant fluid returning to the compressor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,622, to Nelson, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a conduit clamp assembly for maintaining a secure connection of an oil filter to a conduit by means of a compressive force clamp. The oil filter assembly is unitary with the clamp. However, the oil filter assembly disclosed in the Nelson reference has a flexible extension or nipple which is inserted into the aperture in the conduit as a passageway for the lubricating oil to be entrained in a gaseous refrigerant fluid flowing through the conduit. The extension or nipple of the oil filter assembly of the Nelson reference has a tendency to become crushed upon insertion into the apertured conduit and is unreliable. If this oil filter unit ceases to entrain oil in the gaseous refrigerant fluid, the compressor will not be lubricated and will operate inefficiently and eventually become inoperative, necessitating replacement and a complete repair of the air-conditioning system at significant expense.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,689, to Bottum, provides an oil filter element completely surrounding a bight portion of the outlet tube; the oil filter element covers an aperture located in the bight portion of the outlet tube. The filter is designed merely to filter fluid before it passes through the aperture. The '689 design requires a significant amount of oil in the system because of the design of the filter and location of the aperture thereby adding significantly to the overall cost of the accumulator.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,331,001, to Jones, and 4,509,340, to Mullally et al., disclose a pick-up tube that extends vertically from the bottom of an accumulator canister. A filter unit is attached to the inlet end of the pick-up tube located in the bottom of the accumulator. The pick-up tube of these references extends upward to an opening in an inlet end of an outlet tube located near the top of the accumulator canister. In order for the pick-up tube to reach the outlet tube located at the top of the accumulator, the pick-up tube must be made extremely long. The lengthy nature of these pick-up tubes requires the tubes be bent to pass a desiccant material and reach the inlet end of the outlet tube, which adds significantly to cost. In addition, a seal is required at the outlet tube opening to prevent any leaking of oil and liquid refrigerant. Most significantly, the design of the '001 and '340 references requires that a very high venturi pressure be created to entrain oil in the gaseous refrigerant fluid returned to the compressor. These configurations operate very poorly and add unnecessary cost and complexity to the accumulator assembly and will not work in some prior art air-conditioning systems.
Thus, there is still a need to improve upon the oil filter assembly for use in an accumulator of an air-conditioning system to provide a reliable connection to an apertured conduit for an oil filter assembly which is efficient in operation of the air-conditioning system, without adding unneccessary cost and complexity to the accumulator assembly.

Accumulator oil filter/orifice having an extended tube


A measuring apparatus for determining the position of a movable element with respect to a pair of spaced reference means, e.g. mirrors, rotatable around parallel shafts. The movable element emits a light beam from a position to both mirrors. As a result of the rotation, the two mirrors convert the reflected light beam into a light pulse series. Each of these light pulse series is detected by a detector, which detected light pulse series are supplied to a processing unit for calculating from the light pulse series and from a starting pulse the position of the movable element with respect to both mirrors.

This invention relates to a measuring apparatus for determining the position of a movable element with respect to at least two spaced reference means, which movable element can emit a propagation energy wave to be received by the reference means, the propagation energy wave received being passed from each of the reference means to a processing unit for determining the position of the movable element with respect to the reference means.
Such a measuring apparatus for determining the position of the movable element with respect to the reference means is known per se. For this purpose, the movable element emits a sound wave which is received by a pair of spaced reference means in the form of Micro phones. From the difference in propagation time of the sound wave from the movable element to each of the microphones the position of the movable element is determined by means of a processing unit.
A drawback of such a measuring apparatus operating on sound waves is that the sound waves require a medium, such as air, to be able to propagate. Thus, for instance, air displacement, e.g. draught, will affect the direction of sound displacement as well as the sound volume. Furthermore, sound waves are susceptible to temperature differences, as the propagation speed is proportional to the ambient temperature. Therefore, draught and ambient temperature adversely affect the correctness of the measurement.
A further drawback is that the microphones will detect not only the sound waves from the movable element but all other sound waves, e.g. sounds of human voices, machines etc.
As the measurements are generally conducted under conditions at which the above drawbacks are often more or less present, such a measuring apparatus is not always equally accurate, and the inaccuracy will certainly increase as the distance from the movable element to the microphones increases.
Another drawback of this known measuring apparatus is that the sound waves are generally obtained by induction waves, which implies a relatively high induced electromotive force. As such an induced electromotive force may negatively affect the operation of adjacent electronic devices, the induction-producing circuit is supplied as a separate unit, which is laborious. Moreover, under certain conditions a measurement with sound waves is not useful, e.g. when the movable element is scanning an object in the form of a printed circuit board. The fact is that induction waves may adversely affect the electronic devices of the printed circuit board.

Measuring apparatus for determining the position of a movable element with respect to a reference


An adjustable dual dental impression tray for taking full mouth impressions, and in one form for quadrant impressions of upper and lower teeth simultaneously is disclosed. The tray has an interior section with spaced apart vertical walls adjoined by a mesh cloth extending horizontally between the walls. The walls of the interior section extend rearwardly. Anterior extension sections which comprise spaced apart vertical inner and outer walls which are joined by a mesh cloth extending between the inner surfaces of the walls which are joined at their anterior ends by a flexible connector. The mesh extends between the walls at approximately mid height and the interior section has horizontal slots extending through the walls and forwardly from the rear ends of the walls below the mesh at the mesh of the extensions to move forward to overlap the mesh of the anterior section. This permits the simultaneous taking of dental impressions of the upper and lower teeth.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is concerned with dental impression trays which may be extended or contracted to adjust for the specific size and configuration of individual patient's mouths and in preferred forms may be used to take impressions of the upper and lower arches simultaneously.
2. Prior Art
A current type of impression tray that is widely used consists of a pair of spaced apart vertical plastic walls joined by a horizontal mesh and having a gripping area at the anterior end and most often a posterior strap or loop joining the walls at the posterior ends of the walls. The dentist must stock a large number of different sizes to accommodate the vagaries of different patient mouths. The present tray in contrast is easily adapted to variations in the dental arch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,812--Johnson discloses an adjustable dental impression tray in which an extension piece telescopes over secondary leg portions of the primary unit. Flap and tab combinations hold the adjusted extension in a selected position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,040--Weissman shows a complex tray with grooved sides for holding an elongated strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,529,429--Spiro discloses a two-part tray held together with a hinge. The relative movement of the two parts is up and down and the purpose is to place additional pressure on the impression taking compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,711 of the present applicant concerns an adjustable dental impression tray including a primary unit and a slidable unit mounted telescopically on the primary unit with a T shaped slot and elongated slot and securing means including a mounting head and threaded stem going through both slots and a retainer head on the projecting end of the stem to hold the securing means together. This tray is useful, however, the securing means is somewhat complex in construction and requires intense concentration to use. Further, the invention therein is not readily adaptable to use with the plastic wall and mesh devices currently in wide use.
Of background interest are the following references relating to early developments in adjustable dental trays. U.S. Pat. Nos. 753,679 of Mar. 1, 1904; 755,670 of Mar. 29, 1904; 765,919 of Jul. 26, 1904; 1,054,999 of Mar. 4, 1913; 1,493,417 of May 6, 1924; 2,426,388 of Aug. 26, 1947; Swiss Pat. No. 57,395 of Jul. 21, 1911 and German Pat. No. 1,083,017 of Jun. 9, 1960.
None of these devices disclosed provide the simplicity of construction, the control and locking of the relatively adjustable parts, and resulting ease of use of my invention for taking dual dental impressions simultaneously.


A memory device may be equipped with quick erase capability to secure the contents of the memory device. The quick erase capability may effectively permanently disable access to data stored in the memory device instantaneously upon a command being issued, making all previous data written to the memory device unreadable. The quick erase capability may allow use of the memory device for new write operations and for reading the newly written data immediately once the erase command is received and executed. The quick erase capability may begin a physical erase process of data not newly written without altering other aspects of the quick erase. Aspects may be accomplished with one or more bits per row in a memory device.

In order to protect information, the ability to quickly prevent access to stored data may be useful. For example, individuals utilizing cloud computing may want to be able to wipe clean a main memory of a cloud machine. Another example is physical access to shared physical resources such as servers. Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices may retain their contents for a period of time without power or without refreshing. Unauthorized parties with physical access may use known ways such as cold-boot attacks to exploit DRAM devices. Also, persistent memory technologies such as phase-change memory can be very slow to write or erase while posing security concerns such as the theft of a non-volatile dual inline memory module (DIMM). The tedious process of erasing by overwriting all memory with some pattern may not be fast enough to prevent access to the data.

Securing the contents of a memory device

International Business Machines Corporation


Certain pyridine and quinoline derivatives"" which inhibit replication of the retroviruses HIV-1, HIV-2 and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) are provided. Pharmaceutical compositions useful in methods of treating or inhibiting certain retrovirus infections are described.

This invention relates to compounds useful as antiretroviral agents. More particularly, this invention relates to pyridine and quinoline derivatives which inhibit replication of the retroviruses HIV-1, HIV-2 and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV).
There are currently about seven nucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors (NRTIs), about three nonnucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTI) and about six protease inhibitors (PI) officially approved for the treatment of HIV-infected individuals. Reverse transcriptase and protease are virus-encoded enzymes. The clinical efficacy of the individual drugs varies depending on the nature and the molecular target of the drugs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,389 describes certain thiocarboxylate ester compounds that are said to inhibit replication of HIV. It is alleged that the selectivity of these compounds for HIV-1 is due to a highly specific interaction with HIV-1 RT.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,151 is directed to certain carbothioamides that inhibit replication of HIV-1 and reverse transcriptase mutants thereof.
The rapid emergence of HIV-1 strains resistant to several HIV-1 -specific RT inhibitors in cell culture and in AIDS patients has caused concern for further development of these inhibitors in the clinic. See, e.g., Balzarini et al, J. Virology 67(9): 5353-5359 (1993) (xe2x80x9cBalzarini Ixe2x80x9d) and Balzarini et al, Virology 192: 246-253 (1993) (xe2x80x9cBalzarini IIxe2x80x9d).
Failure of long-term efficacy of known drugs can be associated with the appearance of dose-limiting and/or long-term side-effects, or more importantly, with the emergence of drug-resistant virus strains. Both RT inhibitors and protease inhibitors tend to select for virus strains that show a reduced susceptibility for the particular drugs. Moreover, a considerable cross-resistance exists between drugs that act against the same target.
Attempts have been made to combine various HIV-1 RT inhibitors to eliminate virus resistance. See, e.g., Balzarini I, supra. However, there is still a need for new compounds for the treatment of HIV that act at a target (either viral or cellular) that is different from those at which the existing drugs act.
It is the purpose of this invention to provide compounds which, by themselves, can inhibit or suppress the emergence of HIV-1, HIV-2 and HCMV.
This invention relates to the novel compounds 2-[[1-(5-amino-2-methylphenyl)ethyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 1],1,4-xylyl-bis-2-sulfonyl pyridine-N-oxide [compound 23], 1,4[1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzyl]-bis-(2xe2x80x2-sulfonylpyridine-N-oxide) [compound 25], 2-(4xe2x80x2-tert-pentylphenylmethylsulfonyl)pyridine-N-oxide [compound 40], 2[1-(9-anthryl)methylsulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 51], ethyl-N-[4-(pyridyl-N-oxide-2-sulfonylmethyl)phenylcarbonyl]carbamate [compound 60], 2-[(3-methoxy-4-benzyloxy)phenylmethylsulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 61], 2-[[(2-nitro-5-methylphenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 62], 2-[[[2,5-bis(1-methylethyl)-4-bromophenyl]methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 63], 2-[[(3-nitro4-chlorophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 64], 2-[[(3,5-dinitrophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 65], 2-[[(3-methyl-4-nitrophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 66], 2-[[(3-nitro-4-methylphenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 67], 2-[[(2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 69], 2-[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)chloromethylsulfonyl]-6-methylpyridine-N-oxide [compound73], 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethylsulfonyl]-6-chloropyridine-N-oxide [compound 76], 2-(2,5-dimethylphenylmethylsulfonyl)-6-chloropyridine-N-oxide [compound 77], 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethylsulfonyl]-4,6-dimethylpyridine-N-oxide [compound 81], 2[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)chloromethylsulfonyl]pyridine [compound 106], 8-ethyl-4-methyl-2-[(1-phenylethyl)sulfonyl]quinoline [compound 107], 2-[[1 -(2,5-dimethylphenyl)-2-methoxyethyl]sulfonyl]pyridine [compound 123], 3-chloro-2-[[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 124], 3-chloro-2-[[chloro-(2,5-dimethylpbenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 125], 3-chloro-2-[(phenylmethyl)thio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 132], 3-chloro-2-[[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)methyl]thio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 133], 4-(1,1 -dimethylethyl)-2-[(4-methoxyphenyl)methylthio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 134], 3-chloro-2-[(phenylmethyl)sulfinyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 136], 2-[[(2,6-dichlorophenyl)methyl]thio]-3-methyl-pyridine-N-oxide [compound 137], 2-[[(2,6-dichlorophenyl)methyl]sulfinyl]-3-methyl-pyridine-N-oxide [compound 138], 2-[[(2,6-dichlorophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]-3-methyl-pyridine-N-oxide [compound 139], 2[[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)methyl]thio]-1-methylpyridinium chloride [compound 142], 2-benzylthio-3-nitropyridine [compound 146], 2-((2,5-dimethylphenyl)methylthio) pyridine [compound 148], 6-chloro-(2-benzylthio)pyridine-N-oxide [compound 149], 2-(2,5-dimethylbenzylsulfonyl)pyridine [compound 150], 5-chloro-2(benzylthio) pyridine-N-oxide [compound 151], 2-(N-methyl-3-piperidylmethylthio)pyridine-N-oxide [compound 156], 2-(2,5-dimethylphenylmethylthio)pyridine hydrochloride [compound 157], 2-(1-cyano-2-phenylethenethio) pyridine-N-oxide [compound 158], 2-[1-cyano-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenethio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 159], 2-[1-cyano-2-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)ethenethio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 160], 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethylsulfonyl]pyridine [compound 161], 2-[[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]thio]-4-methylquinoline [compound 162] and 2-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)methylsulfinyl)pyridine [compound 163], and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof
The compounds of this invention are useful for inhibiting replication of HIV-1, HIV-2 and HCMV in vitro and in vivo. The compounds are also useful in the therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of diseases caused by these viruses.
This invention additionally relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing one or more of the above recited compounds and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
This invention relates to the following novel compounds: 2-[[1-(5-amino-2-methylphenyl)ethyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 1], 1,4-xylyl-bis-2-sulfonyl pyridine-N-oxide [compound 23], 1,4[1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzyl]-bis-(2xe2x80x2-sulfonylpyridine-N-oxide) [compound 25], 2-(4xe2x80x2-tert-pentylphenylmethylsulfonyl)pyridine-N-oxide [compound 40], 2[1-(9-anthryl)methylsulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 51], ethyl-N-[4-(pyridyl-N-oxide-2-sulfonylmethyl)phenylcarbonyl]carbamate [compound 60], 2-[(3-methoxy-4-benzyloxy)phenylmethylsulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 61], 2-[[(2-nitro-5-methylphenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 62], 2-[[[2,5-bis(1-methylethyl)4-bromophenyl]methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 63], 2-[[(3-nitro-4-chlorophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 64], 2-[[(3,5-dinitrophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 65], 2-[[(3-methyl-4-nitrophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 66], 2-[[(3-nitro-4-methylphenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 67], 2-[[(2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 69], 2-[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)chloromethylsulfonyl]-6-methylpyridine-N-oxide [compound73], 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethylsulfonyl]-6-chloropyridine-N-oxide [compound 76], 2-(2,5-dimethylphenylmethylsulfonyl)-6-chloropyridine-N-oxide [compound 77], 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethylsulfonyl]-4,6-dimethylpyridine-N-oxide [compound 81], 2[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)chloromethylsulfonyl]pyridine [compound 106], 8-ethyl-4-methyl-2-[(1-phenylethyl)sulfonyl]quinoline [compound 107], 2-[[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)-2-methoxyethyl]sulfonyl]pyridine [compound 123], 3-chloro-2-[[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 124], 3-chloro-2-[[chloro-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 125], 3-chloro-2-[(phenylmethyl)thio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 132], 3-chloro-2-[[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)methyl]thio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 133], 4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-2-[(4-methoxyphenyl)methylthio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 134], 3-chloro-2-[(phenylmethyl)sulfinyl]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 136], 2-[[(2,6-dichlorophenyl)methyl]thio]-3-methyl-pyridine-N-oxide [compound 1371, 2-[[(2,6-dichlorophenyl)methyl]sufionyl]-3-methyl-pyridine-N-oxide [compound 138], 2-[[(2,6-dichlorophenyl)methyl]sulfonyl]-3-methyl-pyridine-N-oxide [compound 139], 2[[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)methyl]thio]-1-methylpyridinium chloride [compound 142], 2-benzylthio-3-nitropyridine [compound 146], 2-((2,5-dimethylphenyl) methylthio)pyridine [compound 148], 6-chloro-(2-benzylthio)pyridine-N-oxide [compound 149], 2-(2,5-dimethylbenzylsulfonyl) pyridine [compound 150], 5-chloro-2(benzylthio)pyridine-N-oxide [compound 151], 2-(N-methyl]-3-piperidylmethylthio)pyridine-N-oxide [compound 156], 2-(2,5-dimethylphenylmethylthio)pyridine hydrochloride [compound 157], 2-(1-cyano-2-phenylethenethio) pyridine-N-oxide [compound 158], 2-[1-cyano-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenethio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 159], 2-[1-cyano-2-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)ethenethio]pyridine-N-oxide [compound 160], 2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethylsulfonyl]pyridine [compound 161], 2-[[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]thio]-4-methylquinoline [compound 162] and 2-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)methylsulfinyl)pyridine [compound 163] and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
It will be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain compounds herein may have at least one asymmetrical carbon atom and therefore all isomers, including diastereomers and rotational isomers of such compounds are contemplated as being part of this invention. The invention includes (+)- and (xe2x88x92)-isomers in both pure form and in admixture, including racemic mixtures. Isomers can be prepared using conventional techniques, either by reacting optically pure or optically enriched starting materials or by separating isomers of a compound herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that for some compounds herein, one isomer may show greater pharmacological activity than other isomers.
It will also be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain compounds herein can exist in unsolvated and solvated forms, including hydrated forms. In general, the solvated forms, with pharmaceutically acceptable solvents such as water, ethanol and the like, are equivalent to the unsolvated forms for purposes of this invention.
It will also be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain compounds herein with a basic group can form pharmaceutically acceptable salts with organic and inorganic acids. Examples of suitable acids for salt formation are hydrochloric, sulfuric, phosphoric, acetic, citric, oxalic, malonic, salicylic, malic, fumaric, succinic, ascorbic, maleic, methanesulfonic and other mineral and carboxylic acids well known to those in the art. The salt is prepared by contacting the free base form with a sufficient amount of the desired acid to produce a salt. The free base form may be regenerated by treating the salt with a suitable dilute aqueous base solution such as dilute aqueous sodium bicarbonate. The free base form differs from its respective salt form somewhat in certain physical properties, such as solubility in polar solvents, but the salt is otherwise equivalent to its respective free base forms for purposes of the invention.
It will also be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain compounds herein may be acidic (e.g., compounds containing a carboxyl group). Acidic compounds according to the present invention can form pharmaceutically acceptable salts with inorganic and organic bases. Examples of such salts are the sodium, potassium, calcium, aluminum, lithium, gold and silver salts. Also included are salts formed with pharmaceutically acceptable amines such as ammonia, alkyl amines, hydroxyalkylamines, N-methylglucamine, and the like.
Compounds such as those disclosed herein may be prepared by a variety of methods known to those skilled in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,960,542, 4,019,893, 4,050,921, and 4,294,970 the contents of each being incorporated herein by reference, describe methods of preparing 2-thio-, 2-sulfinyl-, and/or 2-sulfonyl-pyridine N-oxide derivatives. For example, the parent 2-thiopyridine N-oxides may be prepared, e.g., by two procedures: (1) the reaction of 2-chloropyridine N-oxide with the appropriate mercaptan in the presence of an acid acceptor such as an alkaline earth hydroxide; (2) reaction of the sodium salt of 2-mercaptopyridine N-oxide with a suitable halide preferably of, but not limited to, the benzyl type. The yields of the two procedures are comparable.
The aryl (or heteroaryl) alkylthiopyridines produced above may be oxidized by methods well known to those skilled in the art. The oxidation involves the conversion of both the sulfur and nitrogen to their higher oxidative states in a single preparative step. In this case the products are sulfones as the sequence of oxidation proceeds from sulfidexe2x86x92sulfoxidexe2x86x92sulfonexe2x86x92sulfone N-oxide. The oxidant most generally employed, but not limited to, is 30-50% hydrogen peroxide in glacial acetic acid. In excess of three equivalents of peroxide is necessary. The conversion of the aryl (or heteroaryl) alkylthiopyridine-N-oxides to analogous sulfinyl or sulfonyl compound may be accomplished by employing one or two equivalents of an oxidizing agent selected from, but not necessarily limited to, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and the aromatic peroxy acids. The ratio of peroxide to substrate varies with the desired product.
The solvents employed may vary with the oxidant as described in the literature (Katritsky and Lagowski, Chemistry of the Heterocyclic N-Oxides, Academic Press, 1971). Glacial acetic acid and water are preferred when hydrogen peroxide is used and a nonpolar solvent such as chloroform is preferred for use with the aromatic peroxy acids. When water is employed as a solvent, a catalyst of the nature of a tungsten, vanadium, zirconium or molybdenum salt (U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,005,852, 3,006,962, and 3,006,963 and British Pat. No. 1,335,626; the contents of each being incorporated by reference herein) is generally used. Temperature and time are a function of the sulfide employed with the range varying from about 50xc2x0 C. to reflux in the case of water and acetic acid to about 0xc2x0 to about 60xc2x0 C. with chloroform.
The synthesis of 2-(alpha-aryl-alpha-chloromethyl sulfonyl) pyridine-N-oxides is also known and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,677 the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. The types of starting materials generally employed in the preparation of these compounds arc known to those skilled in the art. These parent 2-aryl methylsulfonylpyridine-N-oxides may be prepared by methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,542. Their subsequent conversion to (alphachloromethylsulfonyl)pyridine-N-oxides may be carried out using a modification of a known procedure. (C. Y. Meyers, et al., J. Org. Chem., 91,7510 (1969); C. Y. Meyers, et al., Tetrahedron Lett., 1105 (1974); the contents of each being incorporated by reference herein).
The solvent, N,N-dimethylformamide, is used without drying. Sodium hydroxide (97 -98%) is freshly ground to a powder before use, care being taken to avoid prolonged exposure to moisture. Temperature may generally be maintained from about xe2x88x925xc2x0 to about +5xc2x0 C., with reaction times between about 25 and about 35 min.
The synthesis of substituted pyridine N-oxide compounds is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,155 and foreign patent publication EP 36388 the contents of each being incorporated by reference herein. The substituted pyridine N-oxide compounds are generally prepared, e.g., by first preparing the appropriate thio compound. An essentially equimolar amount of an alkali metal alkoxide is added with stirring at room temperature under an atmosphere of nitrogen to the substituted or non-substituted benzylmercaptan dissolved in a suitable solvent (such as a C1 to C4 aliphatic alcohol, preferably methanol). The resulting solution is added slowly to a solution of a substituted pyridine N-oxide hydrochloride, which has been treated with an essentially equimolar amount of alkali metal alkoxide. The molar ratio of mercaptide anion to pyridine N-oxide is maintained at about 1, and stirring, nitrogen atmosphere and reaction at room temperature are also maintained throughout the complete reaction. After all the reactants have been combined, the reaction mixture is refluxed from about one to about six hours. The thio product which precipitates when the reaction mixture is poured into a large excess of ice water is filtered, washed several times with water, air dried and recrystallized from an alcohol such as wet ethanol.
The thio compound may be oxidized to the desired sulfinyl or sulfonyl compound by known means, e.g. the thio compound dissolved in excess chloroform is stirred into a chloroform solution of m-chloroperbenzoic acid at about xe2x88x9210xc2x0 to about 10xc2x0 C. The reaction vessel is stoppered and kept at about 0xc2x0 C. for about 24 hr. The by-product, m-chlorobenzoic acid, is removed by filtration and the remaining chloroform solution washed thoroughly with aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution, then water. The chloroform solution is dried (e.g. with anhydrous magnesium sulfate) and the solvent evaporated. The final product may be recrystallized from a suitable solvent (e.g. lower alcohol).
The compounds of the present invention can be administered in any conventional dosage form known to those skilled in the art. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds herein can be prepared using conventional pharmaceutically acceptable excipients and additives and conventional techniques. Such pharmaceutically acceptable excipients and additives include non-toxic compatible fillers, binders, disintegrants, buffers, preservatives, anti-oxidants, lubricants, flavorings, thickeners, coloring agents, emulsifiers and the like. All routes of administration are contemplated including, but not limited to, parenteral, transdermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, sublingual, inhalation, rectal and topical.
Thus, appropriate unit forms of administration include oral forms such as tablets, capsules, powders, cachets, granules and solutions or suspensions, sublingual and buccal forms of administration, aerosols, implants, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, intranasal, intraoccular or rectal forms of administration.
When a solid composition is prepared in the form of tablets, e.g., a wetting agent such as sodium lauryl sulfate can be added to micronized or non-micronized compounds herein and mixed with a pharmaceutical vehicle such as silica, gelatine starch, lactose, magnesium stearate, talc, gum arabic or the like. The tablets can be coated with sucrose, various polymers, or other appropriate substances. Tablets can be treated so as to have a prolonged or delayed activity and so as to release a predetermined amount of active principle continuously or at predetermined intervals, e.g., by using ionic resins and the like.
A preparation in the form of gelatin capsules may be obtained, e.g., by mixing the active principle with a diluent, such as a glycol or a glycerol ester, and incorporating the resulting mixture into soft or hard gelatin capsules.
A preparation in the form of a syrup or elixir can contain the active principle together, e.g., with a sweetener, methylparaben and propylparaben as antiseptics, flavoring agents and an appropriate color.
Water-dispersible powders or granules can contain the active principle mixed, e.g., with dispersants, wetting agents or suspending agents, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, as well as with sweeteners and/or other flavoring agents.
Rectal administration may be provided by using suppositories which may be prepared, e.g., with binders melting at the rectal temperature, for example cocoa butter or polyethylene glycols.
Parenteral, intranasal or intraocular administration may be provided by using, e.g., aqueous suspensions, isotonic saline solutions or sterile and injectable solutions containing pharmacologically compatible dispersants and/or solubilizers, for example, propylene glycol or polyethylene glycol.
Thus, to prepare an aqueous solution for intravenous injection, it is possible to use a co-solvent, e.g., an alcohol such as ethanol or a glycol such as polyethylene glycol or propylene glycol, and a hydrophilic surfactant such as Tween(copyright) 80. An oily solution injectable intramuscularly can be prepared, e.g., by solubilizing the active principle with a triglyceride or a glycerol ester.
Topical administration can be provided by using, e.g., creams, ointments or gels.
Transdermal administration can be provided by using patches in the form of a multilaminate, or with a reservoir, containing the active principle and an appropriate solvent.
Administration by inhalation can be provided by using, e.g., an aerosol containing sorbitan trioleate or oleic acid, for example, together with trichlorofluoromethane, dichlorofluoromethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane or any other biologically compatible propellant gas; it is also possible to use a system containing the active principle, by itself or associated with an excipient, in powder form.
The active principle can also be formulated as microcapsules or microspheres, e.g., liposomes, optionally with one or more carriers or additives.
Implants are among the prolonged release forms which can be used in the case of chronic treatments. They can be prepared in the form of an oily suspension or in the form of a suspension of microspheres in an isotonic medium.
The daily dose of a compound as described herein for treatment of a disease or condition cited above is about 0.001 to about 100 mg/kg of body weight per day, preferably about 0.001 to about 10 mg/kg. For an average body weight of 70 kg, the dosage level is therefore from about 0.1 to about 700 mg of drug per day, given in a single dose or 2-4 divided doses. It is contemplated that any range of the aforementioned doses may be administered at intervals greater than daily, e.g., one of four times per week over a period of several weeks or for greater periods. The exact dose, however, is determined by the attending clinician and is dependent on the potency of the compound administered, the age, weight, condition and response of the patient.
The therapeutically effective amount of the compounds of this invention that can be combined with the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to produce a single dosage form will vary depending upon the age and condition of the host treated and the particular mode of administration. In general, the compounds of this invention are most desirably administered at a concentration level that will generally afford antiretrovirally effective results without causing any medically unacceptable harmful or deleterious side effects.
While the compounds of this invention can be administered as the sole active pharmaceutical agents, the compounds can also be used in combination with one or more other pharmaceutical agents which are not deleterious to the activity of the compounds of this invention or whose combination with the compounds will not have a deleterious effect on the host treated. Indeed, it is also contemplated that compounds of this invention may be combined with other antiviral agents or other agents useful in the treatment of conditions resulting from viral infection.
The following examples are provided to merely illustrate certain aspects of the present invention and should not be construed as a limitation thereof.

Antiretroviral compounds and compositions


A semiconductor memory device includes a first select transistor, first stepped portion, and a first contact plug. The first select transistor is formed on a side of an upper surface of a substrate and has a first multi-layer gate. The first-stepped portion is formed by etching the substrate adjacent to the first multi-layer gate of the first select transistor such that the first stepped portion forms a cavity in the upper surface of the substrate. The first contact plug is formed in the first stepped portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory apparatus, particularly to a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus including a nonvolatile memory cell transistor and select transistor. Moreover, the apparatus is used, for example, in a semiconductor memory or memory embedded device which includes a NAND type memory array.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM) which is electrically writable/erasable has remarkably spread. A conventional structure of EEPROM will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a sectional view along a bit line direction in a memory cell array region of a NAND type flash memory.
As shown, two select transistors ST1, ST2 and n memory cell transistors MC1 to MCn connected in series between the select transistors are formed in a memory cell array. Each of the transistors ST1, ST2, MC1 to MCn includes a multi-layer gate formed on a silicon substrate 100 with a gate insulating film (tunnel insulating film) 110 interposed therebetween. The gate insulating film 110 is thin to such an extent that a tunnel current can flow. The multi-layer gate includes: a charge accumulation layer 120 electrically separated for each memory cell; a control gate 130; a inter-gate insulating film 140 formed between the charge accumulation layer 120 and control gate 130; and a gate cap film 150 disposed on the control gate 130. In the silicon substrate 100 on both sides of the multi-layer gate, n-type impurity diffusion layers 160 having a conductive type opposite to a type of the silicon substrate 100 in which a channel region is formed are formed. The impurity diffusion layer 160 functions as a source, drain region. The selection and memory cell transistors are formed including the multi-layer gate and impurity diffusion layer 160. Moreover, two select transistors ST1, ST2 and n memory cell transistors MC1 to MCn constituted as described above are connected in series and disposed so that the impurity diffusion layer 160 is shared.
An insulating film 170 is formed on the multi-layer gate, and a contact barrier film 180 is formed on the insulating film 170. Moreover, an interlayer insulating film 190 is formed on the contact barrier film 180. Further in the interlayer insulating film 190, a bit line contact plug 200 and common source line contact plug 210 are formed to reach the drain and source regions of the select transistors ST1, ST2. Additionally, a metal wiring layer 220 is formed on the interlayer insulating film 190. A part of the metal wiring layer 220 is connected to the common source line contact plug 210, and functions as a common source line. Furthermore, an interlayer insulating film 230 is formed on the interlayer insulating film 190, and a metal wiring layer 240 is formed on the interlayer insulating film 230. The metal wiring layer 240 is connected to the bit line contact plug 200 via a contact plug 250, and functions as a bit line. Additionally, the charge accumulation layer 120 and control gate 130 of the select transistor are electrically connected in a region (not shown).
In the flash memory constituted as described above, the charge accumulation layer and semiconductor substrate transmit/receive electric charges with each other via the gate insulating film, so that data is rewritten.
However, in the conventional semiconductor memory device, when the number of rewritings of data increases, the electric charge is trapped in the gate insulating film. Then, the data is reversed by de-trapping the trapped electric charge, and reliability of the memory cell is deteriorated. Particularly, in the flash memory of a type such that the semiconductor substrate is positively biased with respect to the charge accumulation layer and thereby the data is rewritten, this tendency is remarkable. In this type of flash memory, electrons are discharged from the charge accumulation layer using Fowler Nordheim (FN) tunnel current. As a result, the data is rewritten. In this case, an electric field is concentrated particularly in an edge of the charge accumulation layer. Therefore, as compared with the gate insulating film on a channel region, in the gate insulating film in the vicinity of the charge accumulation layer edge, electron trap easily occurs. Furthermore, when a gate length shortens with miniaturization of a semiconductor apparatus, there is a tendency of an increase of an influence in the vicinity of the charge accumulation layer edge with respect to the channel region. As a result, the deterioration of reliability of the memory cell becomes more remarkable.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the bit line contact plug 200 and common source line contact plug 210 are formed in a self-aligning manner with respect to the gate electrodes of the select transistors ST1, ST2. In this case, short circuit tends to easily occur between the gate electrode 120 and bit line contact plug 200 of the select transistor ST1, or between the gate electrode 120 and common source line contact plug 210 of the select transistor ST2.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Semiconductor memory device including multi-layer gate structure


A new and distinct cultivar of Cornus Kousa Pendula known as xe2x80x98Kristin Lipka""s Variegated Weeperxe2x80x99 as illustrated and described. This new cultivar has the distinction of being variegated and having a strong weeping habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kousa Dogwood botanically known as Cornus Kousa, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Kristin Lipka""s Variegated Weeperxe2x80x99.
The new Kousa Dogwood was discovered in a nursery row by the Inventor in a cultivated area in Cedars, Pa., as a naturally occurring branch sport of a plant of an unnamed variety of Cornus Kousa Pendula. This unnamed variety is described as having solid green (nonvariegated) leaves. The selection of this branch sport was based on its unique variegated foliage.
Asexual reproduction of the new Weeping Kousa Dogwood by grafting, has shown that the unique features of this new Weeping Kousa Dogwood are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the new Kousa Dogwood have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with the variations in environment such as temperature, day length, light intensity, nutrition and water status without, however, any variance in genotype. Color notations of the variegated leaves, stems, flowers, and flower buds are determined by the usage of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. These color references are being conducted in April under environmentaly controlled (heated greenhouse) conditions. Growth rate during the early stages (new grafts) cannot be fully determined due to the time of the year. The growth rate of the parent plant, with the variegated weeping branch sport, growing in the field is typical of a Weeping Kousa Dogwood. It is approximately 10 yrs old and its dimensions are 8xe2x80x2 high and 5xe2x80x2 wide with a strong weeping habit. This description is as complete as is reasonably possible.
The following observations, measurements, values and comparisons describe plants grown in Cedars, Pa., under both outdoor and heated greenhouse conditions, which closely approximate commercial production conditions. Plants used for this description are fresh grafts and two year old field grown grafts.
Botanical classification: Cornus Kousa; cultivar xe2x80x98Kristin Lipka""s Variegated Weeperxe2x80x99.
Parentage: Naturally occurring branch sport of an unnamed variety of Cornus Kousa Pendula described as having solid green (nonvariegated) leaves.
Type: By grafting scions on to Cornus Kousa seedlings (understock). This is done in January using dormant scions on actively growing seedlings.
Rooting ability has not been determined at this date due to limited plant material.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Kristin Lipka""s Variegated Weeperxe2x80x99. The characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Kristin Lipka""s Variegated Weeperxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar.
1. Medium to vigorous growth rate during early stages, slowing at maturity.
2. Large leaves (measurements and color given later) with unique green and white variegated foliage.
The new Weeping Variegated Dogwood differs from the parent variety of Cornus Kousa Pendula primarily in leaf coloration as plants of the new Weeping Dogwood have variegated leaves whereas plants of the parent variety have nonvariegated, solid green leaves.
As of this date and to my knowledge, there are no known weeping varieties of a variegated Kousa Dogwood for comparison.

xe2x80x98Kristin Lipka""s Variegated Weeping Dogwood Treexe2x80x99


The invention relates to a torque device for a sensor guide wire having a sensor provided at a distal portion and a male connector provided at the proximal end, which torque device comprises a grip body and a cap adapted to be joined to the grip body, and a number of chuck segments provided on the cap or the grip body, wherein the torque device is a one-way device defining an insertion direction for the sensor guide wire and wherein the chuck segments have free ends which are directed in the insertion direction.

Sensor and guide wire assemblies in which a sensor, adapted for measurements of physiological variables in a living body, such as blood pressure and temperature, is mounted at a distal portion of a guide wire are known.
For example, the U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35,648 (which is assigned to the present assignee and incorporated herein by reference for the devices and techniques disclosed therein) discloses a sensor and guide wire assembly comprising a sensor element, an electronic unit, signal transmitting cables connecting the sensor element to the electronic unit, a flexible tube having the signal cables and the sensor element disposed therein, a solid metal wire, and a coil attached to the distal end of the solid wire. The sensor element comprises a pressure sensitive device, e.g. a membrane, with piezoresistive elements electrically connected in a Wheatstone bridge-type of circuit arrangement mounted thereon.
The sensor guide wire ends proximally in a male connector, which is adapted for insertion into a corresponding female connector, to therefrom transmit the sensor signals to an external monitor device. In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,624 (which is assigned to the present assignee and incorporated herein by reference for the devices and techniques disclosed therein) an example of such a male connector is disclosed. This male connector comprises a core wire and conductive members spaced apart longitudinally along the core wire. Each conductive member is electrically connected to a signal cable, which is connected to the Wheatstone bridge circuit arranged at the sensor element in a distal portion of the sensor guide wire. The conductive members are electrically insulated from each other, and also from the core wire, by insulating material, which is disposed between the core wire and the conductive members as well as between the conductive members themselves, such that the insulating material has an outer surface which is coextensive with the outer surfaces of the conductive members, to facilitate both cleaning of the male connector and insertion of the male connector into an electrically and mechanically matching female connector.
Although not mandatory, the sensor guide wire is often maneuvered by the aid of a so-called torque device, which is movable along the sensor guide wire and which a doctor clamps around the guide wire at a proximal part thereof, to provide a good grip for the doctor as he or she is advancing the sensor guide wire through the cardiovascular system of a patient. Also an integrated portion of a female connector can be of a design similar to such a torque device; and the female connector can in this respect therefore be regarded as a torque device as it is capable of facilitating maneuvering of a sensor guide wire.
It can further be mentioned that corresponding torque devices also are used in connection with conventional (i.e. sensor-less) guide wires, but due to the delicate and sensitive design of a male connector, with its relatively thinner core wire and electrical connections between signal cables and conductive members, a sensor guide wire is particularly prone to damages during introduction of the male connector into the torque device, and the known torque devices are therefore not suitable for use together with a sensor guide wire.
Consequently, there is still a need for an improved torque device which obviates, or at least reduces, damage to a male connector, which is part of a sensor and guide wire assembly and which is introduced into or through the torque device.


The present invention can control a logout procedure of each user according to an operation state and provides an information-processing apparatus with enhanced security and excellent usability. A method for controlling an information-processing apparatus capable of maintaining a state in which a plurality of users has been logged in to the information-processing apparatus comprises causing a display unit to switch an operation screen for a user who currently logs in to the information-processing apparatus between an active state and an inactive state where the user can or cannot operate the screen respectively; automatically logging out the user of the information-processing apparatus when a predetermined time has elapsed; and controlling so as not to automatically log out a user whose operation screen is in the inactive state of the information-processing apparatus when the predetermined time has elapsed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information-processing apparatus, a method for controlling the information-processing apparatus, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
To enhance security, a conventional information-processing apparatus (e.g., image-forming apparatus) requests a user to enter a user identification (ID) and a password in a log-in procedure and permits only a successfully authenticated user to operate the information-processing apparatus.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-301601, there is a conventional information-processing apparatus that can accept a login request from another user who wants to operate the information-processing apparatus while maintaining a log-in state of a user who currently logs in the information-processing apparatus. This conventional information-processing apparatus stores information relating to an operation screen for each user and displays an operation screen based on a user's instruction. Thus, each user can operate the operation screen to input various settings and instructions.
However, this kind of information-processing apparatus cannot allow a plurality of users to simultaneously input instructions and therefore controls a display unit to display only one active operation screen that a user can operate.
While the information-processing apparatus allows a designated user to operate an active operation screen, the information-processing apparatus maintains a login state of other user(s) whose operation screen is in an inactive state. Furthermore, to enhance security, the information-processing apparatus forces a user operating an inactive operation screen to automatically log out of the information-processing apparatus after a predetermined time has elapsed.
The above-described conventional method forcibly starts a logout procedure as for the user whose operation screen is in an inactive state after a predetermined time has elapsed. Therefore, the conventional method has the following problems.
For example, a user who currently operates an active operation screen may allow another user to temporarily operate the information-processing apparatus. In this case, the information-processing apparatus accepts a login procedure of another user and causes the display unit to display an active operation screen for another user. In this case, the information-processing apparatus switches the operation screen corresponding to the former user into an inactive state and, if a predetermined time has elapsed, forcibly starts a logout procedure for the former user even when the user wants to operate the information-processing apparatus.

Information-processing apparatus, method for controlling information-processing apparatus, and storage medium


Provided is a magnetic recording medium having excellent dispersibility, smoothness and electromagnetic characteristics. The magnetic recording medium comprises at least one magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder on a nonmagnetic support. Said ferromagnetic powder is a ferromagnetic metal powder having an average major axis length of 10 to 80 nm and a crystallite size of 8 to 18 nm, or a ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder having an average plate diameter of 5 to 40 nm, and said binder comprises 0.2 to 0.7 meq/g of at least one polar group selected from —SO3M, —OSO3M, —PO(OM)2, —OPO(OM)2 and —COOM (where M denotes a hydrogen atom, alkali metal or ammonium salt), and/or 0.5 to 5 meq/g of at least one polar group selected from —CONR1R2, —NR1R2 and —NR1R2R3+ (where R1, R2 and R3 independently denote hydrogen atoms or alkyl groups).

Magnetic recording media in which a magnetic layer comprising ferromagnetic powder dispersed in binder is provided on nonmagnetic supports are widely employed in computer tapes and disks. In recent years, in the field of magnetic recording, the practice of digital recording, with its low recording deterioration, has developed from conventional analog recording. The recording of a larger volume of signals is generally required in digital recording than in analog recording, moreover, the recording and reproduction devices and the recording media employed are required to provide good picture and sound qualities as well as higher density recording as a result of the demand for smaller size and saving of space.
Recording signal wavelengths are being shortened and recording tracks are being narrowed to achieve high-density recording. Further improvement in electromagnetic characteristics is necessary in recording media. To improve electromagnetic characteristics, various methods such as improving magnetic characteristics of ferromagnetic powders, reducing the particle size, increasing the fill rate, and rendering the medium surface ultrasmooth have been proposed. However, these techniques have not been adequate to achieve the greater densities demanded in recent years.
When the recording wavelength is further shortened and the magnetic layer remains thick, the problems of self-demagnetization loss during recording and thickness loss during reproduction become pronounced. Further, the magnetic layer is being thinned to prevent saturation of the reproduction head. However, when the magnetic layer thickness is reduced to about 0.1 μm or less, the effects of the nonmagnetic support tend to appear on the surface of the magnetic layer, tending to affect electromagnetic characteristics and increase the error rate.
It is important to reduce the size of the magnetic material to reduce noise. Ferromagnetic metal powder with a major axis length equal to or less than 80 μm and ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite micropowder with a plate diameter equal to or less than 40 nm are employed. However, such microgranular ferromagnetic powder tends to aggregate, and relative to the comparatively large ferromagnetic powder that has been employed thus far, tends to be much more difficult to disperse well.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic recording medium having excellent dispersibility, smoothness and electromagnetic characteristics.
The present inventors conducted extensive research for achieving the above-stated object. As a result, they discovered that by employing microgranular magnetic material and a binder of prescribed polar group content in at least one magnetic layer, dispersibility of the microgranular ferromagnetic powder was improved, and moldability in the calendering step conducted to improve smoothness of the magnetic layer was improved; the present invention was devised on this basis.