This invention provides a one-piece multilayer article for use in solid phase extraction that includes at least two porous support layers and a solid phase extraction medium, wherein the porous support layers are thermo-mechanically attached at at least one thermo-mechanical attachment site. At least one of the porous support layers can be a prefilter layer.

This invention relates to extraction articles, particularly to a one-piece multilayer article for use in solid phase extraction in isolation, separation, and analysis techniques. The invention also relates to methods of separation and analysis using the articles, as well as to methods of making the one-piece multilayer article.
Generally, the art of separation science, which involves extraction and chromatography, has two main objectives. One is high yield extraction and recovery of a targeted analyte and the other is a rapid rate of extraction and elution. A specific type of extraction used for separation is solid phase extraction, also known as SPE. SPE is a method of sample preparation that removes and concentrates an analyte from a liquid sample by absorption or adsorption onto a disposable solid phase medium. This is followed by elution of the analyte with a solvent appropriate for analysis. In SPE two devices commercialized to balance the two competing objectives described above are cartridges (such as those available under the trade designation BAKERBOND SPEEDISK from J. T. Baker, Phillipsburg, N.J.) and disks (such as those available under the trade designation DFP disks from Whatman, inc., Clifton, N.J.).
Solid phase extraction cartridges typically consist of a column of loose sorbent material as the extraction medium. This sorbent material has a sufficient surface area to reduce the problems of sample processing using gravity or vacuum. This design has certain inherent disadvantages. For example, such cartridges may typically have a small cross-sectional area of extraction media, which results in slow processing, as well as channeling, which reduces analyte retention. Solid phase extraction disks eliminate these disadvantages.
Commercial solid phase extraction disks include particle loaded membranes of various diameters as the extraction medium. For example, one such disk comprises a membrane that includes sorbent particles (e.g., C8- and C18-bonded silica particles) immobilized in a web of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) microfibrils. Another such disk includes a web of glass microfibers impregnated with chemically bonded silica sorbents such as C18 aliphatics. For general use, SPE disks can be supported on a glass or polymer frit disk in a standard filtration apparatus, using vacuum to generate the desired flow of sample through the disk.
Most commercial SPE products are designed to be used with a separate prefilter if the sample of interest (e.g., wastewater) contains a significant amount of solid material (e.g., suspended solids) that could plug the SPE medium. Commercial prefilters are typically constructed of natural fibers such as celluloses. glass fibers, or synthetic thermoplastic fibers such as polypropylene, polyester, and polyethyleneterephthalate. Typically, these prefilters are designed to prevent the SPE medium from becoming plugged. The prefilters are typically supplied separately from the SPE products.
SPE products are still needed that are capable of achieving high recoveries of analytes from a liquid sample while maintaining high sample flow-rates with little or no plugging of the disk during use. The latter problem can hinder effective analysis. This is particularly true for the extraction of nonpolar hydrocarbon extractable analytes from water. Ease of use and simplicity in procedure are also important considerations for the end user. Other factors the user may consider in choosing extraction media include the capability of being used with a variety of equipment and glassware including automatic analysis apparatus. The present invention provides an extraction disk that has one or more of these characteristics.
This invention provides a one-piece multilayer article for use in extraction, isolation, separation, and analysis techniques. In one aspect, the invention provides an article that includes a first porous support layer thermo-mechanically attached to a second porous support layer (preferably, welded together) at at least one attachment site, and therebetween, a solid phase extraction medium comprising a fluoropolymer (preferably, in the form of a membrane) is disposed. Preferably, at least one of the porous support layers is made from thermoplastic material.
Although the extraction articles specifically described herein include three layers, more than three layers can be incorporated into the articles if desired as long as at least one each of the three layers (first porous support layer, second porous support layer, and SPE medium) described herein are present. The multilayer articles specifically described herein may come in a variety of shapes and forms including circular disks, squares, ovals, etc.
The fluoropolymer solid phase extraction (SPE) medium can be in a variety of forms, such as fibers, particulate material, a membrane, other porous material having a high surface area, or combinations thereof. Preferably, the SPE medium is in the form of a membrane that includes a fibril matrix and sorptive particles enmeshed therein. The fibril matrix is typically an open-structured entangled mass of microfibers. The sorptive particles typically form the active material. By xe2x80x9cactivexe2x80x9d it is meant that the material is capable of capturing an analyte of interest and holding it either by adsorption or absorption. The fibril matrix itself may also form the active material, although typically it does not. Furthermore, the fibril matrix may also include inactive particles such as glass beads or other materials for enhanced flow rates.
The porous support layers can be made of a wide variety of porous materials that do not substantially hinder flow of the liquid of the sample of interest. Typically these materials are those that are capable of protecting the solid phase extraction medium from abrasion and wear during handling and use. The material should be sufficiently porous to allow the liquid sample to flow through it, and preferably, able to retain particles contained within the SPE medium. Preferably, the support layers are made of a nonwoven material. It is also preferred that both the first and second porous support layers are very similar in composition (as opposed to structure), and more preferably, they are the same.
In a preferred embodiment, one of the porous support layers is a prefilter layer, preferably made of a nonwoven material. (For ease of description, as used herein the first porous support layer will be designated as the preferred porous support layer that is a prefilter; however, either the first or second porous support layer can be a prefilter). More preferably, the first porous support layer is a nonwoven web of blown microfibers, most preferably melt blown microfibers. Such xe2x80x9cmelt blown microfibersxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cBMFxe2x80x9d are discrete, fine, fibers prepared by extruding fluid, fiber-forming material through fine orifices in a die, directing the extruded material into a high-velocity gaseous stream to attenuate it, and then solidifying and collecting the mass of fibers. In preferred embodiments, the prefilter layer includes a nonwoven web of melt blown polyolefin fibers, particularly polypropylene fibers.
In embodiments where one of the porous support layers is a prefilter, it is preferred that the prefilter have the following characteristics: a solidity of no greater than about 20%; a thickness of at least about 0.5 millimeters (mm); and a basis weight of at least about 70 grams per square meter (g/m2). As used herein, solidity refers to the amount of solid material in a given volume and is calculated by using the relationship between weight and thickness measurements of webs. That is, solidity equals the mass of a web divided by the polymer density divided by the volume of the web and is reported as a percentage of the volume. The thickness refers to the dimension of the prefilter through which the sample of interest flows and is reported in mm. The basis weight refers to mass of the material per unit area and is reported in g/m2.
The one-piece multilayer extraction disks can be used in a wide variety of solid phase extraction processes to remove a broad spectrum of analytes from a wide variety of liquid samples (optionally containing particulate material). Preferably, both the solid phase extraction medium and the prefilter are chosen to remove the analyte of interest. That is, in certain preferred extraction procedures a prefilter is chosen such that it helps capture the targeted analyte, thereby increasing the recovery yield. In certain preferred embodiments, the article of the invention is designed to remove hydrocarbon extractables (e.g., nonpolar hydrocarbons such as oil and grease) from a liquid sample (e.g., water). One such embodiment includes a prefilter layer, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE such as TEFLON) fibril matrix containing both C18 bonded silica particles and glass beads, and a support layer. The prefilter is a polyolefin (e.g., polypropylene or polyethylene) blown microfiber web, which can act both as a depth filter and as a medium to help capture the hydrocarbon extractables. This combination of a prefilter with the PTFE fibril matrix and C18 bonded silica particles results in high efficiency extractions. Although this prefilter design is not limited to hydrocarbon analysis, a synergistic effect results from the use of a prefilter that is capable of sorbing nonpolar hydrocarbon materials from water along with a C18 PTFE membrane. In other applications the action of the prefilter may only reside in its ability to function as a filter for suspended solids, for example, and not as an adjunct to the sorption capabilities of the solid phase extraction medium.
The present invention also provides methods of extracting an analyte from a sample using the one-piece multilayer solid phase extraction article as well as methods of preparing the article.
The method of making a one-piece multilayer extraction article of the present invention involves thermo-mechanically attaching the first porous support layer to the second porous support layer. In a preferred embodiment an ultrasonic welder is used to form the thermo-mechanical attachment site between the two support layers. Bound within the thermo-mechanical attachment site is the SPE medium. Preferably, the process of welding substantially simultaneously attaches the porous support layers together while capturing the SPE medium and cuts the article into a shape and dimension.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method of ultrasonically welding a one-piece multilayer extraction article that comprises the steps of: a) stacking a first porous support layer, a second porous support layer, and a layer of solid phase extraction medium comprising a fluoropolymer therebetween, b) positioning the stack of layers in an ultrasonic welder that comprises an anvil and an ultrasonic horn; and c) pinching the stack of layers between the anvil and the horn to form a thermo-mechanical attachment site between the first and second porous support layers, and the solid phase extraction medium is bound within the thermo-mechanical attachment site.


The refrigeration compressor includes a cylinder block carrying a crankshaft and a stator of an electric motor, whose rotor is mounted to the crankshaft. An oil pump including: a tubular sleeve affixed to the crankshaft or to the rotor with a pump body internal to the tubular sleeve and connected to the cylinder block. A fixation rod is articulated to the cylinder block or stator and has a lower portion angularly and freely displaced orthogonally to the rotational axis and around which the lower end portion of the pump body is axially retained and slidably mounted, orthogonally and coplanar to the rotation axis of the rotor.

An important factor for the correct operation of most refrigeration compressors is the adequate lubrication of the components thereof which have a relative movement therebetween. The lubrication is obtained by pumping the lubricant oil provided in an oil reservoir defined in the interior of a generally hermetic shell of said compressors, in a lower portion of said shell. The oil is pumped until reaching the parts with relative movement of the compressor, wherefrom said oil returns, for example, by gravity, to the oil reservoir.
In some known constructions, the compressor comprises a generally vertical crankshaft carrying a lubricant oil pump, which conducts said oil to the compressor parts to be lubricated, using the rotation of said crankshaft. In these constructions, the oil is pumped from the oil reservoir by centrifugation and mechanical dragging.
In these constructions, the crankshaft presents a portion of its extension provided, externally (WO2005/047699) or internally (WO96/29516), with helical grooves which conduct the lubricant oil from the oil reservoir to the relatively moving parts of the compressor provided away from the oil reservoir.
In WO2005/047699, a tubular sleeve is provided around part of the crankshaft which presents the helical grooves, said tubular sleeve being attached to the compressor shell or to the stator.
WO96/29516 presents a solution in which the crankshaft has part of its extension defining a conduct inside which is mounted, with a radial gap, a pump body, said solution presenting one of the parts of inner wall of the tubular shaft and outer wall of the pump body provided with helical grooves.
There are known some prior art solutions for oil pumping in variable speed compressors. In these constructions (WO93/22557, U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,785, JP2005-337158), the crankshaft inferiorly carries a pump body provided with surface channels and internally disposed in a tubular sleeve, one of the parts defined by the pump body and the tubular sleeve being rotatively stationary in relation to the other part, so as to provide the dragging effect on the oil being drawn by centrifugal force, resulting from the rotation of the motor.
Solution WO93/22557 presents the pump body externally provided with helical grooves and affixed to the crankshaft so as to rotate therewith, the tubular sleeve being attached to the electric motor stator by a fixation rod, said tubular sleeve being mounted around the pump body with a radial gap.
Such solution allows friction wear to occur between the parts of pump body and tubular sleeve, as well as mechanical losses, as a result of the rigid fixation between said tubular sleeve and the stator and of practically inevitable misalignments between the pump body and the tubular sleeve.
Documents U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,785 and JP2005-337158 each presents a solution in which the pump body provided with helical grooves in its outer surface is inferiorly affixed to the electric motor stator through a fixation rod with a U-shaped profile, and the tubular sleeve is affixed to the crankshaft of the compressor so as to rotate therewith. Each of these solutions present a construction in which the fixation rod is rigidly affixed to the electric motor stator (or to a motor protector inferiorly affixed in said stator), allowing only a certain angular movement of the pump body around axes contained in the lower fixation plane of the pump body to the fixation rod, said plane being orthogonal to the crankshaft of the compressor. Thus, the fixation rod can be elastically deformed to allow the pump body to incline so as to accommodate itself in the interior of the tubular sleeve. However, as the pump body is not free to be displaced, in its entirety, in directions orthogonal to the crankshaft, as a function of the rigid fixation of the fixation rod to the motor, it is not capable of compensating for construction or mounting misalignments, in order to occupy a position in which its axis is concentric or parallel to the axis of the tubular sleeve.
Although reducing wear and friction losses, these known prior art solutions still lead to a certain efficiency loss, particularly considering the inevitable dimensional deviations during manufacture and assembly.
The Brazilian co-pending patent document PI0604908-7 (WO2008/052297) presents the pump body freely displaceable in the interior of the tubular sleeve, in radial directions orthogonal to the crankshaft and rotatively locked in relation to the rotor, the supporting means of said pump body being a rigid rod having the first portion loosely fitted in a radial housing provided in the lower end portion of the pump body, so as to support the latter. Thus, the dimensional deviations of both the pump body and the tubular sleeve are absorbed by said pump body freely moving through the gap between the lower radial housing of the pump body and the rigid rod.
While said prior art solution PI0604908-7 minimizes the effects of the dimensional deviations regarding wear and friction losses, it introduces the collateral effect of providing intermittent contacts between the components defined by the pump body and supporting rod. The contact between the surfaces, upon high rotation speeds of the mechanism, generates an undesirable noise in the operation of the compressor.
Besides the issues regarding the free displacement of the pump body inside the tubular sleeve, in radial directions orthogonal to the crankshaft, with a rotative locking in relation to the pump rotor, the prior art solutions for the oil pump of a refrigeration compressor present a deficient fixation of the pump part (pump body or tubular sleeve) to the crankshaft or rotor, when said pump part is made of a non-metallic material. In the known solutions having a tubular sleeve or a pump body (EP0728946) in a material different from that of the crankshaft or rotor, particularly a non-metallic material, such as plastic, there occurs with time a degradation in the quality of the fixation obtained, since the operational conditions of the compressor, such as heating, affect the degree of interference between the parts affixed to each other. In case the tubular sleeve or the pump body is made of plastic, this material will present deformation when submitted to heating upon operation of the compressor, causing loss of said interference and consequent loosening of the fixation initially obtained.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Mounting arrangement for an oil pump in a refrigeration compressor


A process for the production of a synthetic low sulphur diesel fuel and a low soot emission aviation fuel is disclosed. The process includes fractionation of a Low Temperature Fischer-Tropsch feedstock into a light kerosene fraction and a heaver diesel fraction in a volumetric ratio of at least 1:2 to form the light kerosene fraction having a smoke point greater than 50 mm, a freezing point of below −47° C., a BOCLE lubricity wear scar less than 0.85 mm, and an anti-oxidant additiveless thermal stability tube deposit rating at 260° C. of less than 1 useable as a low soot emission aviation fuel and/or an aviation fuel blend stock, and the heavier diesel fraction having CFPP according to IP309 of below −5° C., a density@20° C. of at least 0.78 kg/l, and a viscosity@40° C. of above 2 cSt useable as a synthetic low sulphur diesel fuel and/or a diesel fuel blend stock.

In this specification reference is made to Low Temperature Fischer-Tropsch (LTFT) process. This LTFT process is a well known process in which carbon monoxide and hydrogen are reacted over an iron, cobalt, nickel or ruthenium containing catalyst to produce a mixture of straight and branched chain hydrocarbons ranging from methane to waxes and smaller amounts of oxygenates. This hydrocarbon synthesis process is based on the Fischer-Tropsch reaction:2H2+CO→˜[CH2]˜+H2Owhere ˜[CH2]˜ is the basic building block of the hydrocarbon product molecules.
The LTFT process is used industrially to convert synthesis gas, which may be derived from coal, natural gas, biomass or heavy oil streams, into hydrocarbons ranging from methane to species with molecular masses above 1400. While the term Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) process refers to schemes based on natural gas, i.e. methane, to obtain the synthesis gas, the quality of the synthetic products is essentially the same once the synthesis conditions and the product work-up are defined.
While the main products are linear paraffinic materials, other species such as branched paraffins, olefins and oxygenated components may form part of the product slate. The exact product slate depends on reactor configuration, operating conditions and the catalyst that is employed, as is evident from articles such as Catal. Rev.-Sci. Eng., 23 (1&2), 265-278 (1981) or Hydroc. Proc. 8, 121-124 (1982).
Preferred reactors for the production of heavier hydrocarbons are slurry bed or tubular fixed bed reactors, while operating conditions are preferably in the range of 160-280° C., in some cases in the 210-260° C. range, and 18-50 bar, in some cases preferably between 20-30 bar.
The catalyst may comprise active metals such as iron, cobalt, nickel or ruthenium. While each catalyst will give its own unique product slate, in all cases the product slate contains some waxy, highly paraffinic material which needs to be further upgraded into usable products. The LTFT products can be hydroconverted into a range of final products, such as middle distillates, naphtha, solvents, lube oil bases, etc. Such hydroconversion, which usually consists of a range of processes such as hydrocracking, hydrotreatment and distillation, can be termed a LTFT Products Work-up process. Typically the process is normally configured in such a way that only two liquid products are transferred to storage. In most instances a small amount of light hydrocarbons containing up to four carbon atoms is also co-produced. The typical quality of the LTFT liquid products is presented in Table 1.
TABLE 1Typical Quality of the LTFT ProductsLTFT NaphthaLTFT DieselDensity, kg/l (20° C.)0.6850.765DistillationIBP, ° C.54151T10, ° C.81182T50, ° C.101249T90, ° C.120317FBP, ° C.131334Composition, % wtn-paraffins59.031.9iso-paraffins38.267.1NaphthenicsNDNDAromatics0.3NDOlefins2.5NDOxygenatesNDNDIso:Normal Paraffin ratio0.652.10
The applicant has identified a need to utilise LTFT fuel, including GTL fuel, directly, without blending with cracked stocks, as a fuel that will be interchangeable with conventional diesel fuels.
Semi-synthetic aviation fuel was approved in 1999 under British Aviation Turbine Fuel Defence Standard 91-91 (DEF STAN 91-91) specifications.
A need has thus been identified for a synthetic based fuel which meets or exceeds the above standards and which permits use of LTFT products, including GTL products, or components thereof in the aviation industry as fuels and/or as blend stocks for fuels.

Low sulphur diesel fuel and aviation turbine fuel


The present invention provides a recombinant adipose-derived stem cell and a recombinant method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of genetic engineering, where an adenovirus carrying an hFIX gene is transfected into an adipose-derived stem cell to obtain the recombinant adipose-derived stem cell. In the present invention, an adenovirus carrying an hFIX gene is transfected into an adipose-derived stem cell, and the recombinant adipose-derived stem cell obtained after the transfection can express an hFIX protein.

Hemophilia B is a hemorrhagic disease caused by a deficiency or malfunction of FIX, which is a X-linked recessive hereditary disease. The severity of the disease is related to the degree of FIX deficiency. According to the level of FIX activity in a patient with hemophilia B, the patient can be divided into three categories: being of a serious type when a coagulation factor IX Activity (FIX:C)<1%; being of an intermediate type when 1%≤FIX:C≤5%, and being of a mild type when 5%≤FIX:C≤40%. The incidence of this disease among male newborns is about 1/25,000. It is estimated that the total number of patients with hemophilia B in China is about 20,000, accounting for 15%-20% of the total number of hemophilia patients. At present, hemophilia B is mainly clinically treated with an alternative therapy, that is, achieving a therapeutic effect by restoring the level of coagulation factors in a patient's plasma through infusion of a recombinant blood-derived FIX (Factor IX, coagulation factor IX). The alternative therapy can effectively treat and prevent acute bleeding, but cannot prevent occurrence of joint injury, unless a prophylactic treatment begins in childhood. In developed countries it is generally recommend that a patient with serious hemophilia B is injected with FIX for 2-3 times a week. Due to the high cost of treatment, the majority of patients with hemophilia B in China are unable to receive normative treatment due to economic pressure.
There is no method of cure for hemophilia B, but the physiological characteristic of single gene inheritance makes it an ideal choice for gene therapy research. Numerous experimental studies at home and abroad have shown that a gene therapy for hemophilia B can increase the level of the coagulation factor IX, which makes it possible to cure hemophilia B.
The gene therapy pathway of hemophilia B can be divided into an in vivo pathway and an ex vivo pathway. The in vivo pathway refers to directly injecting a vector carrying a gene of interest into a patient. The method has the advantages of convenient operation, low cost, short treatment period, easy promotion, and represents the development direction of gene therapy. However, a strong immune response is easily caused in the patient after introduction of the carrier and the gene, and thus the method has a high safety risk, and some viral carriers cannot achieve the desired therapeutic effect as they are easily inactivated by serum complements in the patient. The ex vivo pathway refers to taking a somatic cell of the patient, and introducing the gene of interest into the somatic cell during in vitro culture, and then transfusing the genetically modified cell back to the patient. The method is relatively classic, safe and easy to control, basically does not cause immunological rejection of the patient and there is no problem that the virus is inactivated in the body. However, each time of gene therapy requires gene transferring, clone screening, and safety detecting, and thus the operation is cumbersome, the treatment cycle is long, the technology is complicated, and the cost is high.
The previous experiments of transduction of the FIX gene into different somatic cells in vitro successfully verify the in vitro expression of the FIX factor. However, the experimental results of transgenic treatment of hemophilia animals show that, the FIX factor expressed in vivo at a high level will have an expression quantity that decreases over time, which is mainly caused by the low efficiency of the gene delivery system itself and the immunogenic-response-mediated reduction in the expression quantity after the gene-modified cell expresses a transgene product.

Recombinant adipose-derived stem cell and recombinant method thereof

North China University of Science and Technology


A stabilized and guided conveyor belt (202) includes multiple transport chains (108) and interchangeable conveyor plates (100) that form the surface of the conveyor belt (202). The conveyor plates (100) can be easily attached independently of one another in a side by side fashion onto the transport chains (108) and are readily detachable from the transport chains (108) to facilitate replacement or rearrangement. Certain of the plates (100) function selectively as a platform on which to mount accessories such as lug members (136) and include means for receiving (134) accessories and for locking (138) accessories into place. The conveyor belt (202) is guided and supported by a smooth rail (420). Both the plate (100) and the rail (420) include interacting stabilizing features (130, 132, 424a, 424b) that cooperate to prevent buckling and rippling of the transport chain (108).

Articulated roller chain conveyors are commonly used in packaging applications to convey articles such as bottles or cans through a packaging machine to be loaded into paperboard cartons. It is often the practice to attach plates to the roller chain or to interlock plates to provide a smooth surface upon which the articles and/or cartons are conveyed. It is important to prevent the conveyor surface from tilting, buckling, or excessively undulating, which topples articles, interferes with other packaging machine components such as lane dividers, damages carton flaps, or otherwise causes misfeeds. This problem is exacerbated when accessories such as lugs are mounted to the plates to facilitate grouping or metering of articles. Each lug extends outward with respect to the surface of the plate to which it is mounted and increases the tendency of the plate to rotate about its longitudinal access (i.e., the lug increases the moment of the plate about a horizontal axis parallel to the direction of flow). Prior art lugs commonly shear off when exposed to these forces, as the lugs are often secured by two screws or pins disposed through the surface of the plate. The pins concentrate the reaction loads in singular areas of the plastic chain top, and thus, have the tendency to snap causing the lug to disengage. Such failures are costly, as the affected plate must be replaced or the broken screw or pins removed to mount another lug. It is desirable, therefore, to have plates that resist this moment and provide a stable surface regardless of whether accessories are mounted.
One prior approach that has been taken to reduce tilting, buckling, or excessive undulation of packaging machine conveyors involves running the transport chain under relatively high tension. This approach disadvantageously exposes the transport chain to increased wear and to elongation over time, particularly, as the transport chains are commonly constructed using links formed from plastic that are interlocked with steel pins.
Transport chains also typically comprise a single base chain disposed centrally with respect to the surface of the conveyor belt. Such single chain arrangements provide little resistance to rotational forces, and are more susceptible to stretching and other damage that can be caused by such forces as well as by typical operating conditions.
What is needed is a conveyor belt having a substantially flat, stable surface that resists tilting, buckling, and excessive motion. There is also a need for a durable transport chain that contributes to the stability of the conveyor belt without diminishing the efficiency of the machine. What is further needed is a conveyor plate upon which a grouping lug or other member can be securely mounted, and that is easily detachable for replacement or repair, or to reconfigure the conveyor belt.

Stabilized guided conveyor belt with multiple base chains and interchangeable conveyor plates


An exemplary electronic device with connectors and fasteners for alignment of the connectors includes a panel, a printed circuit board, and a shell. The printed circuit board includes a number of connectors arranged thereon. A number of holes are defined in the shell for expose the connectors. The printed circuit board defines a number of through holes therein. The panel defines a number of positioning holes therein. The shell forms a number of positioning posts thereon, and each positioning post defines an engaging hole therein. The present disclosure also includes a number of fasteners. Each fastener includes a first and a second positioning part. The first positioning part inserts through a corresponding through hole and a corresponding positioning hole to connect the printed circuit board and the panel. The second positioning part is engagingly received in the engaging hole of a corresponding positioning post of the shell.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to an electronic device having a printed circuit board, together with fasteners which are able to align connectors secured on the printed circuit board.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical connectors are used in numerous fields such as electronic products and industrial computers. For instance, a printed circuit board with connectors arranged thereon is fixed in a panel of a portable electronic device such as a handheld computer. The panel of the computer includes a support and a shell engaged with each other. The printed circuit board is secured on the support and located between the support and the shell. A plurality of holes are defined in the shell for the connectors to extend therethrough. However, after the printed circuit board is fixed on the support, the locations of the connectors may deviate from the locations of the corresponding holes of the shell. When this happens, one or more of the connectors may not be able to be inserted through the corresponding hole(s).
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an electronic device having means for securing a printed circuit board which can overcome the above-described limitations.

Electronic device with connectors and fasteners for alignment of the connectors


A MOSFET is disclosed that comprises a channel between a source extension and a drain extension, a dielectric layer over the channel, a gate spacer structure formed on a peripheral portion of the dielectric layer, and a gate formed on a non-peripheral portion of the dielectric layer, with at least a lower portion of the gate surrounded by and in contact with an internal surface of the gate spacer structure, and the gate is substantially aligned at its bottom with the channel. One method of forming the MOSFET comprises forming the dielectric layer, the gate spacer structure and the gate contact inside a cavity that has been formed by removing a sacrificial gate and spacer structure.

In order to extend CMOS scaling, dielectrics of higher dielectric constant (Hi-K) are being investigated. For a given gate capacitance, hence charge in the channel, the Hi-K dielectric can be thicker, thus reducing tunneling leakage. To increase the gate capacitance even further, and to have a suitable work-function for thin-silicon implementation, a metal gate is desirable. These material options are frequently incompatible with conventional high-temperature front end of the line processing, so that replacement gate methods are being tried where the Hi-K dielectric and the metal are deposited in a groove formed by removing a dummy gate.
As the gate length of a field effect transistor (FET) gets shorter, the Hi-K dielectric occupies an increasing fraction of the groove. The gate itself tends to be rounded at the bottom, and as a result, only the center of the gate has full control of the channel. Furthermore, the presence of a gap between the Source/Drain (S/D) extension implant regions and the gate edge increases the on-resistance of the FET. Therefore, there is a need for alternate methods of forming a device with better overlap or alignment between the gate and S/D extensions as well as gate contact profile for improved device performance.

Damascene gate field effect transistor with an internal spacer structure

International Business Machines Corporation


A collapsible seat device having a framework that allows the seat to be easily developed and collapsed, having an upper end portion of the front leg 13 connected with a front portion of the armrest member 21 by means of the hinge 23, and an upper end portion of the rear leg 25 connected with a center with respect to the longitudinal direction of the armrest member 21 by means of a hinge. A push rod 9 is connected with a rear portion of the armrest member 21 by means of the hinge 27. A lower end portion of the push rod 9 is connected with an upper end portion of the rotary member 29 by means of the hinge 31. A lower end portion of the rotary member 29 is connected with the rear leg 25 by means of the hinge 33. The other end portion of the connecting member 35 connected with the front leg 13 by means of the hinge 37 is connected with a substantial center of the rotary member 29 by means of the hinge 39. This configuration allows the collapsible seat device to be made compact after it has been collapsed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible seat device by which a framework composing a seat device such as a baby buggy, a wheelchair and a buggy of the aged can be easily developed and collapsed.
2. Related Art
FIG. 13 is an overall arrangement view of a collapsible baby buggy which is one of the conventional collapsible seat devices
In FIG. 13, there are provided a front leg 81 and a rear leg 82, both upper end portions of which are rotatably connected with an armrest member 83 by means of a hinge 84. At a lower end portion of the front leg 81, there is provided a front wheel 85. At a lower end portion of the rear leg 82, there is provided a rear wheel 86.
At a substantial center of the rear leg 82 with respect to the longitudinal direction, there is provided a rotary member 87, which is rotatably connected with the rear leg 82 by means of a hinge 88. This rotary member 87 is extended upward from the hinge 88 along the rear leg 82. Further, this rotary member 87 is curved in such a manner that it protrudes upward to the rear portion of the rear leg 82. A push rod 89 is rotatably connected with a protruding portion 87b of the rotary member 87 by means of a hinge 90.
This push rod 89 is rotatably connected with a rear end portion of the armrest member 83 by means of a hinge 91. Therefore, the rotation of the push rod 89 is restricted under the condition that the front leg 81 and the rear leg 82 are open.
A front end portion of the connecting member 92 is rotatably connected with a middle portion of the front leg 81 by means of a hinge 93. A rear end portion of the connecting member 92 is rotatably connected with the rotary member 87 by means of the hinge 90 described before. Accordingly, an angle formed between the front leg 81 and the rear leg 82 is restricted to be a predetermined value.
In an upper portion of the protruding portion 87b of the rotary member 87, there is provided an opening and closing lock 94 which is moved upward and downward along the push rod 89. When a step portion 94a formed at the lower end of this opening and closing lock 94 is engaged with a step portion 87a formed at the upper end of the rotary member 87, the rotary member 87 can be put into a lock condition.
However, the following problems may be encountered in the conventional collapsible baby buggy described above. When the conventional baby buggy is collapsed as shown in FIG. 13(B), it is difficult for the baby buggy to be made into a compact condition. Although not shown in FIG. 13, in order to perform various functions, most of baby buggies are equipped with a reclining seat back portion and a sunshade. Therefore, it is difficult to make the baby buggies put in a compact condition when they are collapsed. Especially when the baby buggy has a shopping basket or a baby basket which is detachably attached to it, the baby buggy tends to be bulky even after it has been collapsed. In view of the above circumstances, there is a demand for a framework by which the baby buggy can be made compact after it has been collapsed.
Not only a collapsible baby buggy but also other seat devices such as a wheelchair, an infant chair and a buggy of the aged are required to be compact after they have been collapsed.


Discussed is a notching apparatus and method for a secondary battery. The notching apparatus includes: a notching unit notching a portion of an electrode that is continuously supplied; a drying unit drying the electrode while the electrode discharged from the notching unit passes therethrough; and a collecting unit collecting the electrode discharged from the drying unit, wherein the drying unit includes a heating body provided with a drying space that is a passage through which the electrode passes therein, and lamp parts mounted on the heating body to irradiate infrared rays onto a surface of the electrode while the electrode moves through the drying space.

Secondary batteries refer to batteries that are chargeable and dischargeable unlike primary batteries that are not chargeable. Such a secondary battery is widely used not only for portable devices such as a mobile phone, a notebook, and a camcorder but also for transportation such as an electric vehicle. As a result, the secondary battery is gradually expanding in a range of application.
In general, the secondary battery has a structure comprising an electrode assembly having a structure in which electrodes (a negative electrode and a positive electrode) and a separator are alternately stacked, an electrolyte allowing ions to move to the electrodes, and a case in which the electrode assembly and the electrolyte are accommodated. The electrode assembly is manufactured so that the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator are alternately stacked to form a plurality of layers.
Also, a process of manufacturing the secondary battery is largely classified into an electrode plate process of manufacturing a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, an assembly process of inserting an electrode together with an electrolyte into a case after the electrode assembly is manufactured by using the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, and a formation process of activating movement of ions of the electrode assembly. Each of the electrode plate process, the assembly process, and the formation process is divided into detailed processes.
Here, the electrode plate process comprises a mixing process of mixing a conductive material and a binder into an active material, a coating process of applying the mixed active material on a collector, a press process of pressing the active material onto a surface of the collector, and a process of shearing the electrode so that the electrode in which the active material adheres to the surface of the collector is cut to a proper size to form an electrode tab. Here, a slitting process for cutting the electrode (with the active material applied on the surface of the collector) to the proper size and a notching process of shearing the electrode to form the electrode tab may be performed sequentially or simultaneously.
Although the notching process belongs to the electrode plate process or the assembly process, the notching process may comprise a process of shearing the electrode into a predetermined pattern, but a separate drying process is required. Since a lamination process of continuously bonding the electrode to the separator is performed after the shearing process, the drying process is necessarily required to dry the moisture that remains on the surface of the electrode to interfere with the bonding.
However, the drying process according to the related art is performed in a manner in which the notched electrode manually moves and is stored and then is put into a vacuum drying device (a vacuum dryer (VD)) in a unit of a certain quantity, and hot air is blown in a state in which a negative pressure is applied to dry the moisture.
However, the drying method has a problem that it takes a considerable time for the movement and storage of the electrode. This problem has become a main cause of delay of an entire production process time as a production amount of products increases.

Notching apparatus and method for secondary battery


A conveying device for conveying articles, in particular vehicle bodies, in a known manner comprises at least one skid, which comprises two parallel skid runners and a supporting structure, which connects the skid runners to one another, for the article to be conveyed. The skid runners are supported on two parallel tracks, which extend along a conveying path. As a driving device a linear drive is used, which comprises a plurality of energizable primary parts disposed in a stationary manner along the conveying path. Provided on each skid is a secondary part, which interacts with the actually adjacent primary part. The length of the secondary part in conveying direction is tuned to the distance between the primary parts such that at least one primary part is disposed in the immediate vicinity of the secondary part.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a conveying device for conveying articles, in particular vehicle bodies, comprising at least one skid, two parallel tracks and a driving device. The skid comprises two parallel skid runners and a supporting structure, which connects the skid runners to one another, for at least one article to be conveyed on the skid. The parallel tracks extend along a conveying path. Skid runners of the at least one skid are supported on the parallel tracks. The skid is moved along the tracks by the driving device. The invention further comprises a method of using such a conveying device.
2. Background Art
Particularly in the automobile industry vehicle bodies are generally accommodated on so-called "skids" and conveyed on said carriers by means of roller tracks and/or carrying-chain conveyors through the body assembly shop, the paint shop and occasionally also through the final assembly stage. The roller tracks are driven by geared motors and/or chains and/or synchronous belt drives and therefore comprise components, which are subject to wear and occasionally require servicing.
This applies to a greater extent also to the carrying-chain conveyors. Here, lubrication of the chains is additionally required, which leads to an increased outlay both for the initial start-up, the setting of the lubricating cycles and for servicing. Abrasive wear of the chain support strips and fouling of the conveyors by the lubricants are problems which, particularly also in the processing areas, adversely affect the process result, including e.g. the quality of the surface coating of the vehicle bodies, as a result of dirt particles, grease, oil molecules in the ambient air etc.
The known conveying devices of the initially described type have the added drawback that, where they run through treatment stations disposed in booths, shafts have to be passed through the booth walls. Furthermore, between the two tracks, on which the skid runners are supported, transversely extending continuous shafts are required as power connection elements. In the case of roller tracks, one such shaft is required for each roller pair and, in the case of carrying-chain conveyors, one shaft is required for each driving gear pair. Thus, inside the conveying device there are no continuous free spaces available, which might be used for passages or inspections on foot. In addition, for taking up changes in length due to temperature variations costly tension stations are required which, like the driving stations, take up a considerable amount of room.
The object of the present invention is to develop a conveying device of the initially described type in such a way that, on the whole, it requires less maintenance and is less at risk of fouling.

Conveying device for conveying articles and use of such a conveying device

Eisenmann Maschinenbau, KG (Komplementar: Eisenmann-Stiftung)


Aircraft, environmental control systems, and air diffusers that may be used to create a quiet, comfortable environment within an aircraft cabin are disclosed. The air diffusers include a duct, a grille, and a porous flow conditioner positioned at least partially within an outlet plenum of the duct. The porous flow conditioner is configured to create backpressure and to reduce a velocity of air flowing out of the porous flow conditioner, relative to air flow unaffected by the porous flow conditioner. The porous flow conditioner may be configured to reduce noise generated by air flow through the air diffuser assembly, relative to air flow unaffected by the porous flow conditioner. The porous flow conditioner may be configured to reduce noise generated by air flow downstream of the porous flow conditioner.

Many aircraft are designed to fly at high altitudes, e.g., from 10,000 feet (ft) (about 3,000 meters (m)) to upwards of 41,000 ft (about 12,500 m), while providing a safe, comfortable cabin environment. To maintain this cabin environment, a typical aircraft includes an environmental control system, with appropriate pressure, temperature, and moisture regulation, to circulate fresh air within the cabin (e.g., the flight deck, also called the cockpit, the passenger cabin, and/or the cargo areas). An environmental control system may be referred to as an air handling system, an air circulation system, and/or an air conditioning system. An environmental control system may circulate outside air mixed with an amount of highly filtered air from the cabin. The combined outside and filtered air is ducted to the cabin and distributed to cabin outlets throughout the cabin. Air diffusers direct the ducted air into the cabin outlets.
Inside the cabin, cabin outlets are generally arranged along the side walls of the cabin and sometimes along the overhead. The air flows in generally circular patterns and exits through cabin outlets, often on either side of the cabin floor, and, on airplanes with overhead recirculation, the air may exit through overhead cabin outlets. For commercial aircraft, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) requires a minimum air flow and cabin pressure. For new aircraft, the minimum air flow is 0.55 pounds per minute (lbs/min) per occupant (about 250 grams per minute (g/min) per occupant) and the minimum cabin pressure is 0.75 bar (75 kilopascal (kPa)).
The cabin air flow is continuous and is used for maintaining a comfortable cabin temperature, pressurization, and/or overall air quality. Some portion of the air exiting the cabin is exhausted from the airplane through one or more outflow valves in the fuselage, which also controls the cabin pressure. The remaining portion is drawn through high efficiency filters, and then is recirculated with fresh outside air, as discussed.
For passenger comfort, air flow into the cabin should be quiet, relatively uniform, and generally unobtrusive. However, in addressing these needs, designers must balance weight and complexity with comfort.

Methods and apparatuses for integrated noise control and flow control in an aircraft environmental control system


A cell culture growth substrate comprising submucosal tissue of a warm-blooded vertebrate and a method for culturing eukaryotic cells are described. Submucosal tissue used in accordance with the present invention supports the proliferation and differentiation of eukaryotic cells when said cells are contacted with submucosal tissue under conditions conducive to cell proliferation.

Tissue culture allows the study in vitro of animal cell behavior in an investigator-controlled physiochemical environment. However, cellular morphology and metabolic activity of cultured cells are affected by the composition of the substrate on which they are grown. Presumably cultured cells function best (i.e. proliferate and perform their natural in vivo functions) when cultured on substrates that closely mimic their natural environment. Currently, studies in vitro of cellular function are limited by the availability of cell growth substrates that present the appropriate physiological environment for proliferation and development of the cultured cells.
The ability of complex substrates to support cell growth in vitro has been previously reported, and matrix products supporting such growth are commercially available. For example, Becton Dickinson currently offers two such products: Human Extracellular Matrix and MATRIGEL.RTM. Basement Membrane Matrix. Human Extracellular Matrix is a chromatographically partially purified matrix extract derived from human placenta and comprises laminin, collagen IV, and heparin sulfate proteoglycan. (Kleinman, HK et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,000 (1989)) MATRIGEL.RTM. is a soluble basement membrane extract of the Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) tumor, gelled to form a reconstituted basement membrane. Both of these matrix products require costly biochemical isolation, purification, and synthesis techniques and thus production costs are high.
The present invention is directed to the use of vertebrate submucosa-derived matrices as substrates for the growth and attachment of a wide variety of cell types. The collagenous matrices for use in accordance with the present invention comprise highly conserved collagens, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and glycosaminoglycans in their natural configuration and natural concentration. The extracellular collagenous matrix for use in this invention is derived from submucosal tissue of a warm-blooded vertebrate. Submucosal tissue can be obtained from various sources, including intestinal tissue harvested from animals raised for meat production, including, for example, pigs, cattle and sheep or other warm-blooded vertebrates. This tissue can be used in either its natural configuration or in a comminuted or partially digested fluidized form. Vertebrate submucosal tissue is a plentiful by-product of commercial meat production operations and is thus a low cost cell growth substrate, especially when the submucosal tissue is used in its native layer sheet configuration.
The submucosal cell growth substrates of this invention provide cells with a collagenous matrix environment in vitro resembling that found in vivo. The natural composition and configuration of submucosal tissue provides a unique cell growth substrate that promotes the attachment and proliferation of cells.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive cell culture growth substrate that promotes or induces growth and differentiation of cells cultured in vitro.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method for improving cell proliferation in cell/tissue culture by using vertebrate submucosal tissue as a substrate for cell/tissue growth in vitro.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cell culture composition including a proliferating cell population in contact with submucosal tissue of a warm-blooded vertebrate and a nutrient medium for support of the growth of said cell population.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a model system for studying tumor cell growth. The model system comprising a proliferating tumor cell population in contact with submucosal tissue of a warm-blooded vertebrate and a nutrient medium.
It has been reported that compositions comprising submucosal tissue of the intestine of warm-blooded vertebrates can be used as tissue graft materials in sheet or fluidized form. U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,508 describes tissue graft compositions that are characterized by excellent mechanical properties, including high compliance, a high burst pressure point, and an effective porosity index. These properties allow such compositions to be used for vascular and connective tissue graft constructs. When used in such applications the preferred graft constructs serve as a matrix for the in vivo regrowth of the tissues replaced by the graft constructs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,826 describes use of fluidized forms of vertebrate submucosal tissues as injectable or implantable tissue grafts.
An additional object of the present invention is to enhance or expand the functional properties of vertebrate submucosal tissues as an implantable or injectable tissue graft construct by seeding the submucosal tissue in vitro with preselected or predetermined cell types prior to implanting or injecting the graft construct into the host.

Submucosa gel as a growth substrate for cells


For measuring the three-dimensional shape of an object of measurement using a phase shift method, a three-dimensional shortening the measurement time. A printed state inspection device 1 includes a printed circuit board K printed with cream solder H, an illumination device 3 for illuminating three sine wave light component patterns with different phases on the surface of printed circuit board K, and a CCD camera 4 for picking-up images of the illuminated part of the printed circuit board K. A control device 7 creates a chart representing a relationship between brightness and coordinates for each light component from the image data obtained by the illumination of the light component patterns and determines relative phase angles among the light component patterns, and calculates the height of the cream solder H from the image data and the relative phase angles.

Typically, when mounting electronic components on a printed circuit board, cream solder is first printed on a predetermined electrode pattern formed on the printed circuit board. Next, based on the viscosity of the cream solder, the electronic components are temporarily mounted on the printed circuit board. Then, the printed circuit board is transferred to a reflow furnace, where it is soldered through a reflow process. Nowadays, the printed state of the cream solder must be inspected prior to entering the reflow furnace, where a three-dimensional measuring instrument is used for the cream solder inspection.
In recent years, various non-contact type three-dimensional measuring instruments using light have been proposed. One of them is a technology related to a three-dimensional measuring instrument using a phase shift method (Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 11-211443 and Japanese Patent No. 2711042).
The three-dimensional measuring instrument based on the above technology uses a CCD camera. Namely, by an illuminating means formed of a combination of a light source and a filter with a sine wave pattern, the measuring instrument illuminates a light pattern having a striped light intensity distribution on the object of measurement (in this case, the printed circuit board). Then, it is observed by using a CCD camera placed right above the printed circuit board. In this situation, the light intensity I of a point P on the screen is expressed by the following formula.I=e+f·cos φ
[where, e represents DC current light noise (offset component), f represents sine wave contrast (reflection rate), and φ represents a phase based on the irregularity of the object]
At this point, by shifting the light pattern, the phase is changed to four steps (φ+0, φ+π/2, φ+π, φ+3π/2), and the images carrying the intensity distribution I0, I1, I2, and I3 corresponding to the four phase steps are retrieved so that positional information θ is determined by the following formula.θ=arc tan{(I3−I1)/(I0−I2)}
By using this positional information θ, the three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z) of the point P on the printed circuit board (cream solder) is determined so that the three-dimensional shape of the cream solder, in particular, the height thereof, can be measured.
In the three-dimensional measuring instrument based on the above technology, the phase must be changed to four steps to obtain four images carrying the intensity distribution corresponding to each step. In other words, an image retrieval process has to be performed every time when the phase is changed, hence, requiring four image retrieval processes per point. Due to this, a long time is necessary for the image retrieval, which in turn causing a long overall measuring time from start to finish.
The present invention has been made by taking the above situation into consideration, where one of its objects is to provide a three-dimensional measuring instrument which is capable of shortening the measuring time required when measuring the three-dimensional shape of an object.


A precursor delivery system emulsifier is provided for delivery a mixture of liquid and gas precursors. Since the liquid precursor is mixed with a gas, the flow pattern of the emulsified precursor can be controlled and modified and the relatively large flow rate of the emulsified precursor prevents the line from being clogged. Further, the mixing of the liquid precursor and gas at a site outside the vaporization chamber permits the liquid precursor line to remain cool, so that even the small diameter line remains unclogged.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus for processing of a semiconductor wafer, and more particularly to a system to transform liquid precursors into emulsified liquid precursors for delivery to a processing system.
Conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes use vapor precursors for the deposition of thin films on an IC substrate. To broaden the processes, more and more liquid and solid precursors have been used, especially in the area of metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). To perform this task, a liquid precursor is typically turned to vapor, and the vapor is then decomposed on the substrate. A solid precursor must often be dissolved into a solvent to form a liquid precursor. Then, the liquid precursor needs to be converted into vapor phase before introduction into the deposition zone.
Basic components of a liquid precursor vaporization system is the liquid delivery system and the vaporizer. The liquid delivery system carries the liquid precursor from the liquid container to the vaporizer. The vaporizer converts the liquid precursor into vapor form before deliver on the substrate. A carrier gas is normally used in the vaporizer to carry the precursor vapor to the substrate. In some applications, a gas precursor could take place of the carrier gas, performing the carrying function together with the precursor function.
Some conventional vaporizers use large extended heated surfaces. While these surfaces do provide heat to vaporize liquid reagents, they are not necessarily efficient, as the heating surfaces extend in only two dimensions. The surface area can be increased by roughing the surface or minimizing the through passages through the plate. Simply increasing the surface area, however, does not necessarily increase the rate of flow of vaporized precursor. A trade-off is generally made between heated surface area and high flow rates of vaporized precursor. That is, conventional heated surface areas may block vapor flow, preventing a high flow rate. High pressure on the input side of the vaporizer creates a high pressure differential from the input to the output, creating precursor vapor condensation. Large inlet pressures may also cause condensation of the vapor. Eventually, condensed liquid blocks the vaporizer output. Alternately, the heated surface area can be reduced to increase the vapor flow conductance. However, when too little heated surface is provided, insufficient liquid precursor is vaporized, and the liquid precursor will collect in the vaporizer and eventually block the output. The above-described trade-off can also be considered an issue of deposition rates vs. efficient use of precursor.
A related problem is in the delivery of the precursor to the vaporization a chamber. To control the flow of liquid precursor, the liquid delivery input port to the vaporization chamber is made small. Large input ports, or small ports under high pressure, introduce too much precursor so that the vaporization process is inefficient. However, small ports used at relatively low pressures have a tendency to fill with decomposing precursor, and eventually clog. This is due to the unstable nature of most precursors and the proximity of heat source used to vaporize the precursor. The system must be shut down, and the decomposed and partially decomposed material removed from the input port, before the vaporization process can continue.
Other problem concerns the distribution pattern of liquid precursor to the vaporization chamber. Small ports at low pressure will form large droplet into the vaporization surface. It is well known to use piezoelectric atomizer to break the liquid precursor into finer droplets at the input section of a vaporization chamber. However, there is still a tendency for the liquid precursor port to clog due to relatively narrow opening and the proximity of heat. Pressure type atomizers are also well known, to break a liquid into droplets by pushing the liquid through an opening, creating a spray. To compensate for the high pressure of the liquid, the spray opening is very small. In this manner an efficient amount of precursor is delivered. Despite the high pressure, the very small opening has a tendency to clog in the heated vaporization chamber environment.
It would be advantageous if a precursor delivery system could introduce liquid precursor to a vaporization chamber without clogging.
It would be advantageous if a precursor delivery system could introduce liquid precursor to a vaporization chamber using small diameter input port but without clogging.
It would be advantageous if a precursor delivery system could introduce liquid precursor to a vaporization chamber at a small droplets without an atomizer.
It would be advantageous if a liquid precursor delivery rate could be controlled for efficient use of precursor without using small diameter input ports or lines, which clog with precursor.
It would be advantageous if a precursor could be delivered in a form that permitted the use of large diameter input ports.
It would be advantageous if the liquid precursor could be introduced to the system in a low temperature environment, to prevent the clogging of the inlet line.
Accordingly, a precursor delivery system emulsifier to deliver liquid precursor for vaporization is provided. The invention takes the carrier gas from the vaporizer, normally used to carry the vaporized precursor from the vaporizer to the substrate, and brings it upstream to carry the liquid precursor from the liquid delivery line to the vaporizer. This way the liquid precursor includes a large volume of carrier gas for controlled delivery. The invention significantly minimizes the problem of the liquid delivery line clogging due to the unstable nature of the precursor. The carrier gas will carry the liquid to the vaporizer, essentially increase significantly the flow rate of the precursor without increasing the liquid flow rate, thus keeping the process results unchanged. The high flow rate reduces the time the liquid precursor stay in the liquid line, thus reducing the chance of decomposition or damage even with a small inside line diameter. With the higher flow rate, the line inside diameter could be enlarged, thus further reducing the chance of clogging. When the process is completed, the carrier gas will purge all the liquid out of the liquid line, thus eliminating all stagnant liquid that could be decomposing. The emulsifior could be located outside the vaporizer, thus reducing the flow of heat that could damage the heat-sensitive precursor. The emulsifior also modifies the flow pattern of the liquid delivery line to the vaporizer. Without the carrier gas mixing, the low flow rate of the liquid delivery line will cause the dripping from the liquid line. The liquid droplet is typical 1-2 mm diameter in size before dropping down because of the balance between gravity and flow versus the surface tension. In contrast, with the carrier gas, the droplet is much smaller because the gas flow destroys the surface tension. And the smaller droplets are not dripping but exploded into further smaller droplet in a wider pattern. In a way, the emulsifier acts as a liquid atomizer.
Alternatively, the carrier gas can be substituted with a gaseous precursor in the event that a gaseous precursor is needed together with a liquid precursor. Though described in conjunction with a vaporizer, the basic concept of the emulsifier is to carry the liquid/gas mixture to improve the liquid delivery system. As described above, the emulsifior can be used to change the spray pattern of the liquid.
The present invention provides a precursor delivery system emulsifier to mix a gas with a liquid in a ratio greater, or equal to, one to one. The emulsifier includes:
a liquid input port to accept liquid precursor;
a gas input port to accept a gas;
an internal mixing chamber operatively connected to the liquid and gas input ports;
an one-way means interposed between the liquid and gas input ports to minimize the flow of liquid precursor into the gas input port;
an output port to provide an emulsified liquid/gas precursor, whereby the emulsified liquid/gas precursor outflow pattern is conditioned for maximum control.
The typical flow rate of the liquid precursor is in the range from 0.01 to 20 milliliters per minute, and the gas flow rate is in the range between 50 and 1000 cubic centimeters per minute. The typical inside diameter of the liquid precursor line is less than xe2x85x9 of an inch with a normal range of {fraction (1/64)}xe2x80x3-{fraction (1/32)}xe2x80x3. The typical inside diameter of the gas line is less than xc2xcxe2x80x3 with a normal range of {fraction (1/128)}xe2x80x3-{fraction (1/32)}xe2x80x3. The inside diameters of the liquid and gas lines are selected based on the flow rates of the liquid and gas to achieve the emulsifying effect.
It is not easy for the gas to travel upstream of a liquid line, but liquid can easily travel upstream of a gas line. Therefore the emulsifior provides an one-way means between the liquid line and the gas line to minimize the capillary action of liquid in the gas line.
In some aspects of the invention, the one-way means is formed by having lower pressure at the output port than at the gas input port, whereby the liquid precursor flow is greater toward the output port, thus minimizing the liquid precursor flow into the gas input port.
In some aspects of the invention, the one-way means is formed by having smaller inside diameter at the gas input port, whereby the gas pressure is greater at the gas input port, thus minimizing the liquid precursor flow into the gas input port.
In some aspects of the invention, the one-way means is formed by having higher pressure at the gas input port than at the liquid input port, whereby the liquid precursor flow is greater toward the output port, thus minimizing the liquid precursor flow into the gas input port.
In some aspects of the invention, the one-way means is formed by having a porous membrane interposed between the gas port and the internal mixing chamber to encourage the passage of gas into said internal mixing chamber and to discourage the passage of liquid precursor out of the internal mixing chamber.
In some aspects of the invention, the one-way means is formed by having a check valve in the inlet stream of the gas precursor, whereby neither the liquid precursor nor the gas can flow back toward the gas input.
In the simplest form of the invention, the internal mixing chamber is a pipe tee with one tee inlet is the liquid input port, one tee inlet is the gas input port and one tee inlet is the output port. With multiple gas input ports, or multiple liquid input ports, the tee could be replaced by a cross, or a 5-way, 5-way connections. To minimize the liquid backflow to the gas inlet, the gas has a straight path from the gas input port to the output port and the branched tee inlet is the liquid inlet port. The optimum configuration includes the smallest inside diameter for the gas port, the liquid port has a larger inside diameter, and the output port has the largest inside diameter.
In some aspects of the invention, the emulsifier further includes a shut off valve at the liquid input port to shut off the liquid precursor flow, whereby the gas flow performs the cleaning of liquid precursor residue. The shut off valve could be integrated to the internal mixing chamber, whereby the dead volume of the liquid precursor is minimized.
In some aspects of the invention, the liquid precursor is CVD liquid precursor or MOCVD liquid precursor. This invention is most appropriate for MOCVD processes, such as copper deposition, diffusion barrier (titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, tungsten nitride, etc.) deposition, ferroelectric and high dielectric constant materials deposition, where the precursors are highly susceptible to heat.
In some aspects of the invention, the liquid and the gas input ports are concentric double wall inlet, whereby the liquid precursor flow in one input and the gas flow in the other input.
In some aspects of the invention, the emulsifior further includes a temperature means to adjust the temperature of the emulsifior, whereby the mixing process is conditioned for maximum control. For vaporization process, the emulsifier is heated to a temperature in the range between room temperature and 300 degrees Celsius, whereby the mixing process is furthered and the emulsified precursor is prepared for subsequent processes. For heat-sensitive precursor, the emulsifier is cooled to a temperature in the range between room temperature and xe2x88x92200 degrees Celsius to prevent degradation of the liquid precursor.


A photographing lens includes an eccentricity adjusting frame which holds an eccentricity adjusting lens group serving as a part of a photographing optical system of the photographing lens; a lens support frame, an axis of which is coincident with a predetermined optical axis of the photographing optical system, supporting the eccentricity adjusting frame in a manner to allow the eccentricity adjusting frame to move in a plane orthogonal to the predetermined optical axis during an assembly-stage of the photographing lens; and a fixed aperture member having a circular aperture, the fixed aperture member being integrally formed with the lens support frame so that a center of the circular aperture coincides with the axis of the lens support frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographing lens having an eccentricity adjusting device for adjusting the position of part of the lens groups constituting a photographing optical system in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis, in an adjustment operation during assembly of the photographing lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of eccentricity adjusting device incorporated in a photographing lens is used to adjust the inclination of an image plane. Specifically, in digital cameras using a CCD image sensor on which object images are formed, it is required to adjust the inclination of the image plane with a higher degree of precision than conventional cameras using silver-salt film due to the characteristics of the CCD image sensor. The first lens group (frontmost lens group) of a photographing lens, which is positioned closest to the object side, is generally adopted as an eccentricity adjusting lens group for adjusting the inclination of the image plane. The inclination of the image plane can be adjusted by decentering the optical axis of the eccentricity adjusting lens group from the predetermined optical axis determined at the design stage of the photographing optical system.
However, if an eccentricity adjustment is made on the first lens group (eccentricity adjusting lens group), a problem with the amount of light on the image plane becoming uneven arises. If the brightness on the image plane becomes uneven, shading occurs in digital cameras using an image pickup device (CCD image sensor) on which object images are formed, which is undesirable.

Photographing lens having an eccentricity adjusting device


A bridge for string instruments, particularly for guitars, including base guitars, serves for adjustably fastening the strings of the instrument to the instrument body. The bridge has a base body and a bearing cylinder for each string. The bearing cylinder extends perpendicularly to the string axis and is rotatably mounted for adjusting the height of the string. Each bearing cylinder has a string throughbore extending perpendicularly to the cylinder axis and in alignment with a throughbore in the base body. An intonation tube, through which the corresponding string extends, is provided in each string throughbore, so as to be adjustable in axial direction of the intonation tube. An adjustment of the intonation tube in axial direction of the string throughbore results in an adjustment of the length of the string. A rotation of the bearing cylinder results in an adjustment of the height of the string.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bridge for stringed instruments, particularly guitars, including bass guitars. The bridge extends transversely to the strings and serves for the adjustable fastening of the strings to the instrument body. The bridge includes a base member and an adjusting mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bridges of the above-described type are known in the art in various configurations. They are attached to the instrument body, i.e., to the belly or table of the resonance body, or to a solid body, and serve to transmit the vibrations of the strings to the body. The bridge is used for the vertical adjustment of the string relative to the belly and for the longitudinal adjustment, i.e., to adjust a more or less strong tension of the string.
However, the transmission of the vibration of the strings to the instrument body is frequently not satisfactory when known bridges are used.


A multi-resonant, electrically-small antenna having a first helical arm and a second helical arm. The first helical arm encircles a first central axis and includes a proximal end. A radius between the first helical arm and the first central axis decreases in a distal direction away from the proximal end of the first helical arm. The second helical arm is nested in the first helical arm and encircles a second central axis. The second helical arm also includes a proximal end. A radius between the second helical arm and the second central axis decreases in a distal direction away from the proximal end of the second helical arm.

Antennas are used in communication systems of devices such as global positioning systems (GPS), telecommunication systems, cellular systems, radio systems, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, Bluetooth® and Wifi systems, etc. The sizes and shapes of antennas are often a function of frequency requirements, power needs, radiation patterns, etc.
Communication systems often require a wide bandwidth and/or multiple operating bands. One way to accomplish a wider bandwidth or multiple operating bands is to use multiple antennas. However, for various design and application-related reasons, such as portability, battery size, component complexity, etc., multiple antennas are not practical. Further, multiple antennas in proximity cause electromagnetic interference problems.
The background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art.

HONEYWELL FEDERAL MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGIES, LLC